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Kansas lawmaker working to help family with oil-contaminated water after veto impacts assistance

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2 years ago

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Kansas lawmaker working to help family with oil-contaminated water after veto impacts assistance


BUTLER COUNTY, Kan. (KWCH) – Following a FactFinder investigation we’ve carried out for months, a Kansas lawmaker hopes to make a difference for a Butler County family whose only water supply was left contaminated with seemingly no help to fix the problem.

“It is not their fault, they had no knowledge that the oil existed or would ever exist in their water system,” said Kansas Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta.

Williams shared the message after losing her battle to get funds to the family that continues to fight for clean water.

Williams heard the family’s pleas for help, but bringing in rural water wasn’t an option, at least not an immediate one. Williams helped to convince state budget negotiators to direct $500,000 from a state abandoned well remediation fund to compensate Jenna Krob’s family and others in Butler County impacted by the contamination. However, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the line item, saying it was outside the scope of the program.

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Kelly said the use of the money was “squarely outside the statutory scope of the program” and that while the policy was well-intended, it needs to be carefully debated to avoid unintended financial or legal obligations for the state.

For Jenna Krob and her family, the problem came to light in September, with a small.

“Water-contaminated by oil. It almost burned your nostrils,” Krob said.

In October, the problem escalated with oil seeping up into the toilet. The oil then clogged the family’s water well pump, leaving them with nothing.

A neighboring property owner had the same issue. Testing showed that the oil was from historical drilling. So, according to the state, no company could be held responsible.

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The only solution was rural water. But with a $3.5 million price tag, that was out of reach. Williams, who represents the impacted area southwest of Augusta, had another idea.

“Originally, I added a proviso into our budget bill that would allow for abandoned well money that’s used for mitigation or capping of wells to be used for demolition of these two properties,” Williams explained.

But the governor didn’t agree with how that money was going to be used.

“Ultimately, the governor vetoed it, which was devasting to the families that were counting on this, Williams said.

Williams tried with an omnibus bill to cover the cost but she said the state senate wouldn’t hear it.

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“That means that right now, it’s at the end of the line for at least this legislative session,” Williams said.

Krob said losing the expected funding was “a hard blow.”

“It was hard to hear that day that it got vetoed when we had a plan and we were hoping for something to happen,” she said.

Krob said the now-vetoed plan wasn’t perfect for her family, but it would have worked.

“I’d like them to come out and live with us for a week, always conserving water, living with five people in one bathroom and only utilizing half of your home,” she said. “There’s no productive plan for what’s gonna happen now.”

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But Williams isn’t giving up.

“We have got to take care of little specific instances such as the Prohaskas and the Krobs, and I want to do this, and I’m not done,” she said.

For Krob and her family, the game of waiting and hoping for whatever comes next continues.

“Going through this for six months. “I’m defiantly learning what hope is,” Krob said.

Williams said she’s looking at other ways to find funding, including working with the Kansas Corporation Commission to determine who is responsible for the water contamination.

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Copyright 2024 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com



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Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

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9 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography


WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.

Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.

Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.

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Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday

Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.

Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

Copyright 2026 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins

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21 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Wednesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.

Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.

WIBW Scoreboard

BOYS

6A Boys West Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

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  • Topeka High 57, Washburn Rural 50 (will play Maize Saturday)
  • Junction City 70, Dodge City 56 (will play Derby Saturday)
  • Manhattan 58, Wichita-Northwest 56 (will play Wichita-East Saturday)

4A Boys East Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 62, Louisberg 57 (will play Bishop Miege Saturday)
  • Atchison 74, Wamego 43
  • Hayden 72, Independence 56 (will play Atchison Saturday)
  • Eudora 76, Santa Fe Trail 68

GIRLS

5A West Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hays 80, Topeka West 18
  • Eisenhower 55, Seaman 41
  • Kapaun Mt. Carmel 71, Emporia 41

5A East Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Shawnee Heights 89, Sumner 15 (will play Pittsburg Saturday)
  • Basehor-Linwood 74, Highland Park 28 (will play Piper Saturday)

3A Pomona-West Franklin Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Osage City 75, Columbus 31 (will play Frontenac Saturday)

3A Sabetha Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Silver Lake 48, Nemaha Central 26 (will play Riley County Saturday)
  • Riley County 51, Jeff West 40 (will play Silver Lake)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins

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2 days ago

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March 4, 2026

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Tuesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.

Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.

WIBW Scoreboard

BOYS

5A East Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

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  • KC Washington 68, Highland Park 38
  • Shawnee Heights 49, De Soto 37 (will play Leavenworth Friday)

5A West Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Topeka West 55, Hutchinson 32 (will play Bishop Carroll Friday)
  • Emporia 61, Great Bend 41 (will play Maize South Friday)
  • Seaman 73, Valley Center 51 (will play Hays Friday)

3A West Franklin Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Burlington 60, Osage City 35 (will play Baxter Springs Friday)

3A Sabetha Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hiawatha 73, Oskaloosa 48 (will play Heritage Christian Friday)
  • Silver Lake 58, Sabetha 39 (will play Perry-Lecompton Friday 7:30 p.m.)

GIRLS

6A West Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Washburn Rural 60, Wichita South 32 (will play Derby)
  • Topeka High 69, Maize 45 (will play Liberal)
  • Manhattan 67, Free State 21 (will play Wichita East)

4A East Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 71, Parsons 23 (will play Tonganoxie)
  • Wamego 54, Labette County 33 (will play Bishop Miege)
  • Hayden 2, Athison 0 (will play Baldwin)

2A Eskridge/Mission Valley Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rossville 71, KC Christian 49 (will play Maur Hill-Mount Academy)
  • Lyndon 61, Jeff. Co. North 31 (will play Valley Heights)
  • Valley Heights 65, Doniphan West 41 (will play Lyndon)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



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