Kansas
Town hall focused on youth crime held in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Jackson County leaders and experts came together Monday to hold a town hall geared toward youth crime in Kansas City. A panel discussed what is driving it, what they are doing to address it, and potential steps towards solutions to the problem.
“Seeing safe and peaceful communities starts with us,” said Adam McClun, the Director of Programs and Operations at KC Common Good. “It starts with our families and our kids and also asking ourselves the question are we reaching? Are we serving those most impacted by violence and those who are closest to violence?”
Representatives from KC Common Good, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Circuit Court of Jackson County, and Kansas City Public Schools all took turns sharing information. Major Leslie Foreman, with KCPD’s Central Patrol Division, brought up juvenile crime statistics. She said while there are several reasons it’s harder to get the numbers for certain juvenile crimes, they are able to keep stats for violent crimes like homicide.
“When we look at homicide suspects that are juveniles — these are identified suspects — doesn’t mean they have been charged necessarily, just that we believe we know who they are,” said Foreman. “In 2019, we had 17. In 2020, we had 6. 2021, we had 7. 2022, we had 14. 2023, we had 16. So far this year we have had 13. Homicide victims that are juveniles: In 2019 it was 11 of them. 2020 it was 10. 2021 it was 15. 2022, 12. 2023, 19. This year to date 14.”
Monica Penrose, the acting juvenile officer for the Circuit Court of Jackson County, discussed what they are doing to address offenders in the juvenile system.
“We receive hundreds of referrals each year,” said Penrose. “Many of them are actually minor types of offenses where we are able to put them in a diversion program and put their parents through services as well. We have parents bring their children to our offices asking for help. In our diversion program, over 92% of the youth referred to that program and go through the services do not re-offend.”
Another program that is working for kids in Kansas City Public Schools is a mentorship program, according to Dr. Derald Davis, the Deputy Superintendent and Chief Equity Officer.
“Our data shows that students with mentors have higher attendance, fewer disciplinary infractions, they are graduating on time at a higher rate versus those without mentors,” said Davis. “So essentially, students with support are thriving in school.”
He added they can always use more volunteers to sign up as mentors.
“Currently there are more than 350 students on the waiting list,” said Davis. “That means the student has asked for a mentor and parents have signed a permission slip. But to be fair, once there are 10 students on a waiting list at a particular school, we don’t accept any more permission slips. So the need is actually greater.”
Other ideas brought up to address youth crime include expanding community partnerships, putting more funding in crime prevention and programs, and going directly to the source and helping kids who are already in trouble get the support they need to prevent them from doing it again.
“”We just released the Kansas City public safety plan,” said Gary Jones Jr., the KC 360 Manager with KC Common Good. “Phase one of that is intervention.”
KC United for Public Safety just announced a plan earlier this month to make Kansas City safer. It’s called KC 360 and the five pillars of the plan are prevention, intervention, enforcement support, and support services.
The goal of the plan is to reduce gun violence by 50 percent in five years, and have fewer than 100 homicides annually.
All on the panel agreed there are several things that can be worked on, but it won’t be an overnight fix.
“Understand there is a root cause to that we have to address as well,” said Jones Jr. “It’s one thing to brand the crisis and the issue, but I think Kansas City has to take time to brand the solutions as well. And that’s what we has not been doing thus far.”
KC Common Good has more information on how to get involved on its website.
Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Sheriff: Carfentanil seized during Kansas drug bust
MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A series of recent drug arrests lead to taking methamphetamine and fentanyl off the streets in southeast Kansas.
On January 7, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a maroon Mercury Grand Marquis at the intersection of 10th Street and Walnut Street in Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.
Deputies contacted the driver, identified as Breeanna Conrad of Independence, Kansas, and informed her of the reason for the stop. Deputies developed probable cause to search the vehicle. During the search, deputies located more than six (6) grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of cocaine, marijuana, multiple pills, and drug paraphernalia.
Conrad was taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where she was booked on the following charges:• Distribution of methamphetamine• Possession of cocaine• Possession of marijuana• No proof of vehicle insurance• Improper emerging from an alley, private roadway, or building.
Later on January 3, 2026, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a Saturn passenger vehicle at the exit ramp from U.S. 400 to U.S. 75 Highway, north of Sycamore, Kansas. The vehicle was occupied by three individuals. Deputies contacted the driver, identified as Heather Leach of Independence, Kansas, and informed her of the reason for the stop.
Deputies developed probable cause to search the vehicle.D uring the search, deputies located more than nine (9) grams of methamphetamine, more than six (6) grams of suspected carfentanil, pills, and drug paraphernalia. Leach, along with Tyler Norton and Noah Daniel, both of Independence, Kansas, were taken into custody.
All three were transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and booked on the following charges:Heather Leach• Distribution of fentanyl• Possession of methamphetamine• Possession of drug paraphernalia• Failure to stop or yield at a stop sign• No proof of vehicle insuranceTyler Norton• Distribution of fentanyl• Possession of methamphetamine• Possession of drug paraphernaliaNoah Daniel• Possession of methamphetamine• Possession of a depressant• Possession of drug paraphernalia
Kansas
Kansas City man injured after single-vehicle crash Sunday
WYANDOTTE COUNTY, Kan. (WIBW) – A Kansas City man was left with minor injuries after a single-vehicle crash Sunday.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Crash Log, the crash occurred around 5:50 a.m. in Wyandotte County.
A 2019 GMC Terrain was traveling eastbound on westbound I-70 in the outside shoulder when it struck the end of the concrete bridge railing for 134th Street.
The driver, a 23-year-old man, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
View the KHP report HERE.
Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Kansas Citians hold vigil, protest for Renee Good to get ‘justice’ while demanding ICE reform
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Large protests were organized across the country calling for justice for Renee Good, including in Kansas City, where Good lived before her move to Minneapolis.
Because Renee Good once called Kansas City home, locals still consider her one of their neighbors. They want her death to be a turning point in how ICE works.
The gathering began with a vigil as roughly 1,000 protesters honored Renee Good and everyone else who has died in ICE custody or encounters. Reports show that since President Trump took office again, more than 30 people have lost their lives in that category, marking 2025 the deadliest year for the agency in over 20 years.
Speakers call for reform
“The killing of Renee Good reminded this country of a hard truth: this system doesn’t just harm immigrants,” one speaker during the vigil said. “It harms the soul of our communities.”
In attendance was Bradford Bray, an Iraq War veteran who served in the Air Force and Navy from 1995-2005. He said he is furious about how ICE operates.
“It’s the constitution. That’s what we’re fighting for,” Bray said. “It’s the land of laws. These people are not trained. They’ll hire anybody with a signing bonus. If these people are trained, I’m the Pope.”
Like most in attendance, he disputes arguments by the federal government that Renee Good was trying to run over the ICE agent.
“Even the guy that shot her was filming her and she said I’m not mad at you,” Bray said. “She was pleasant. She was just trying to get out of the way and do the right thing. She was turning her wheels to get out of the way when she was shot.”
March moves through Plaza
After the vigil, most of the crowd turned the protest into a march through the Plaza, spreading the message that killings by federal agents cannot become the norm.
“I’m a 71-year-old great-grandmother who’s afraid for the future of my great-grandchildren in a country that’s turning fascist,” Terisa Mott said. “Any of them could be grabbed off the streets or shot like they shot that woman.”
Counter-protesters present
Some Trump and ICE supporters, like Scott Watts, were among the crowd. He sent condolences to Renee Good’s family but said he believes illegal immigration should not be tolerated.
“I spent time at the southern border and I saw thousands of pretty dangerous people being let out of that border,” Watts said. “That are here now and that’s what Trump’s trying to do is protect us.”
Watts carried a sign highlighting American citizens who had been killed by illegal immigrants over the years, including Mollie Tibbetts of Brooklyn, Iowa, who was stabbed to death while jogging in 2018 by Christian Behena Rivera.
“I’m at a loss for words when it comes to stuff like this,” Watts said. “But I’ll stand out here day after day to try to educate people. I don’t want to fight or anything like that. I just want people to realize there’s dangerous people out there and they need to be aware of those people.”
The gathering stayed peaceful, and traffic kept moving smoothly.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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