Kansas
Troopers from both Kansas and Missouri hosting holiday toy drive
KANSAS CITY, Mo — State troopers from both Kansas and Missouri are asking for your help this holiday season to help children who won’t have the chance to celebrate the holiday season at home.
“Many of our troopers are parents, and seeing these kids in the hospital, this time of year is devastating,” said Corporal Justin Ewing, Missouri State Highway Patrol. “This is our ability as parents, as fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, to bring some joy to these kids, but it is also a great opportunity for us as the law enforcement world to step into the people that we serve and be able to meet some of these needs and to bridge that gap between the communities we serve our own agency.”
Daniela Leon | KSHB
From now through December 9th, troopers are collecting new, unused toys for children of all ages for the annual Trooper Michael Newton Toy Drive.
Troopers have been handing out toys to children at KU Medical Center Pediatrics and the Ronald McDonald House for the past 22 years.
The toy drive was started as a way to honor fallen trooper Michael Newton with Missouri State Highway Patrol who died in the line of duty in 2003.
Newton was the 23rd member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to lose his life in the line of duty and was survived by his wife and two young sons.
“His family knew that he was a great influence in the community, and so this was just a chance to bring joy to the community through some of our most precious citizens, and that’s our children,” said CPL Ewing.
Over the years, troopers estimate thousands of children have benefited from the their toy drive. You can take your new, unwrapped, toy donations to the following locations:
Missouri State Highway
Patrol – Troop A
504 S.E. Blue Pkwy Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
(816) 622-0800
Kansas Highway Patrol -Troop A
1220 S. Enterprise St. Olathe, KS 66061
(913) 782-8100
Murphy – Hoffman
11120 Tomahawk Creek Pkwy Leawood, KS 66211
(888) 642-8782
Pediatric Partners
7450 W. 135th St.Overland Park, KS 66223
(913) 888-4567
Pediatric Partners
2111 E. Kansas City Rd.Olathe, KS 66061
(913) 888-4567
They want these donations to benefit children of all ages, so you can bring books, puzzles, Legos, electronic devices and games.
They also have anAmazon Wish List.
KSHB 41 anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers transportation-related issues in Kansas City. Share your story idea with Daniela.
Kansas
Tornadoes reported as severe weather hits Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Severe storms brought hail and reports of tornadoes to Kansas on Wednesday night.
Here are the reports received so far:
- Golf ball-size hail, 3 N Enterprise, Dickinson County
- Tornado, north of Enterprise and east of Abilene
- 2-inch hail, 5 NNE Nickerson, Rice County
- Funnel, 3 WNW Woodbine, Dickinson County
- Tornado, 4 NNW Herington, Dickinson County
- Golf ball-size hail, 1 S Lyons, Rice County
- Power outages in Durham, Tampa, Lincolnville, Lost Springs
- Ping pong ball-size hail, 5 S Windom, McPherson County
- 2-inch hail, 5 WSW Ellinwood, Barton County
- 60 mph wind gust, 5 SSE Milford, Geary County
For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.
Kansas
Thousands remain without power after severe storms hit Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Severe storms left thousands of Kansas residents without electricity for more than 24 hours as crews work to restore power.
Topeka resident John Braun said his neighborhood has been without power for more than a day.
“It just went out, and you know, of course, we’ve got no air conditioning, and it’s humid, you know. Three sheets on the bed so you don’t sweat through the mattress. You know, couldn’t run a fan,” Braun said.
Braun said the area from 29th to 21st streets has no power.
Gina Penzig with Evergy said crews from Kansas and Missouri are working to restore service.
“We had our local crews going to work as soon as they could safely do so to begin to restore power,” Penzig said.
Evergy had 25,000 customers without power about 36 hours ago and has restored service to 90% of those customers, Penzig said.
“We expect to have everybody back on late this evening, so about a day and a half into this storm getting everything done,” Penzig said.
Braun said residents are trying to stay positive while waiting for power to return.
“We had a great time picking up; it was fun, a lot of fun, but around 2 o’clock, everybody is worn out about 8 hours of tree cutting. Just piling and stacking and then you have three or four beers of that, and you’re tired,” Braun said.
About 1,800 customers remain without power in Shawnee County and 500 in Riley County. Evergy expects power to be restored by late tonight.
About 8,200 customers in the Salina area remain without power, and it may take until Thursday night for electricity to be restored, according to Evergy.
Evergy’s power outage can be found here.
Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Kansas boy discovers 15-foot marine reptile fossil from 85 million years ago during geology field trip
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A Kansas boy searching for fossils during a geology club field trip stumbled onto something far bigger than expected: the remains of a 15-foot-long marine reptile that swam an ancient sea 85 million years ago.
Corbin Bullard was just 11 years old when he spotted several large vertebrae protruding from rock at a quarry near his hometown of Clearwater, Kansas, during a September 2025 outing with the Sedgwick County 4-H Geology Club.
“I didn’t know what it was, but I knew that it was something big,” Bullard told FOX Local.
Over the course of three additional excavation trips, Bullard and fellow club members carefully uncovered nearly an entire tylosaurus, a massive marine reptile that ruled the seas during the Cretaceous Period.
DINOSAUR FOSSILS UNEARTHED DURING PARKING LOT CONSTRUCTION AT NATIONAL PARK
Corbin Bullard discovered the fossil at a quarry near his hometown of Clearwater, Kansas, in September 2025. (Wendy Bullard)
The fossil measured more than 15 feet long and included everything from the animal’s enormous skull to most of its skeleton.
Corbin and his geology club uncovered a fossil of nearly an entire tylosaurus, a massive marine reptile from the Cretaceous Period. (Wendy Bullard)
LIMPING DINOSAUR’S TWISTED PATH PUZZLES PALEONTOLOGISTS, 150 MILLION YEARS LATER: ‘VERY RARE’
The ancient predator lived roughly 82 million to 87 million years ago, according to researchers who dated the specimen to the Smoky Hill Chalk formation, a fossil-rich layer of rock that stretches across parts of Kansas.
In this photo, part of the tylosaurus fossil is seen. (Wendy Bullard)
The discovery emerged from a quarry where commercial crews routinely shave away layers of rock, exposing relics hidden for millions of years. Before Bullard’s find, club members had mostly uncovered shark teeth and fish fossils.
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Now 12 and preparing to enter seventh grade, Bullard plans to display the fossil’s skull at the Sedgwick County Fair in July.
“I hope [the judges] say that it looks really nice and that we put a lot of effort into it,” he said.
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