Kansas

Taylor Swift visits Kansas City children’s hospital on eve of her 35th birthday

Published

1 year ago

December 12, 2024

Taylor Swift visits Kansas City children’s hospital on eve of her 35th birthday

Taylor Swift visited a children’s hospital in Kansas City, Mo., on the eve of her 35th birthday.

The “Karma” singer, 34, stopped by Children’s Mercy Kansas City on Thursday with her beau Travis Kelce and met with patients, staff and specially trained facility dogs during her visit.

A patient named Rylie took several photos with the global superstar, and his grandmother, Anita Belt, raved about his experience and said that Kelce, 35, was also visiting.

“Children’s Mercy Hospital does their best to nurse seriously ill children, comfort family, and bring a little joy when they can. Today did not disappoint!” she wrote in a public Facebook post.

“Thank you Taylor Swift for bringing some joy to Rylie today!!”

“Travis Kelce was in the building as well, but didn’t stop in his room. Great way to bring a smile and make a memory! ❤️.”

Page Six reached out to Kelce’s rep for confirmation of his visit.

Another patient, an 11-year-old Swiftie named Baylee, also met the singer after nearly a week in the hospital. Her mother, Melissa Nuzum, called it “the coolest, most unexpected surprise ever” on her Facebook page.

“We absolutely gained so much more love and respect [for] Taylor,” Nuzum exclusively told Page Six. “She was lovely and personable.”

In her Facebook post, she also revealed that Swift gave Baylee a signed copy of her “Eras Tour Book.”

Workers at the hospital were also in awe of the surprise visit. Pediatric oncology nurse Nkiru Chigbogwu took to her Instagram Story to share a photo of Swift smiling behind a group of professionals with two thumbs in the air.

“meeting Taylor Swift was NOT on my bingo card today,” she wrote over the snap.

The 14-time Grammy winner seemed to enjoy visiting a trained hospital dog named Jellybean while spending time at Children’s Mercy as well.

An Instagram account for Jellybean and her peers shared two images of Swift petting the 4-year-old golden retriever as she sat on a bed with her.

Swift wore a green button-up shirt with a matching pleated miniskirt with opaque black tights and knee-high Christian Louboutin boots.

Swift has certainly felt the giving spirit this holiday season — her hospital visit comes days after Page Six confirmed she gave her tour cast and crew about $197 million in bonuses between the May 2023 start and Dec. 8 conclusion of her record-breaking Eras Tour.

As for her birthday, it’s not clear how she plans to celebrate.

A source for Us Weekly claimed earlier this month that she is “excited” to ring in her new year of life.

Source link

Click to comment

Kansas

Storm causes power outages in Kansas City metro

Published

5 minutes ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Storm causes power outages in Kansas City metro

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Residents are without power after a storm swept through the Kansas City metro late Friday night into Saturday morning.

According to Evergy’s power outage map, as of 12:22 a.m., 76 active outages are causing 1,628 customers to be without power.

Over 1,000 customers are without power in the Kansas City area.(KCTV5)

WEATHER UPDATES: First Warn Weather Day: The final round of storms on the way. Here’s what to expect

This is an active situation. KCTV5 will make updates to this story as they’re made available.

Source link

Kansas

Chiefs President: New team facilities in Olathe will connect with schools, city

Published

12 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Chiefs President: New team facilities in Olathe will connect with schools, city

KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She’s reported on the Chiefs’ decision to move its team facility to Olathe since the team made the announcement in December. That coverage has included amplifying the voices of residents who have different perspectives on the project, which has ranged from excitement to scrutiny. Share your story idea with Elyse.

—

Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan said Friday the team is drawing inspiration from recent team headquarters projects with the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys as they develop plans for their own new headquarters in Olathe.

In December, the club reached an agreement with Kansas officials to move across the state line. The agreement called for a $3 billion, domed stadium in western Kansas City, Kansas, and a new team headquarters and practice facility near Kansas Highway 10 and Ridgeview Road in Olathe.

Donovan’s remarks on Friday came during the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.

Elyse Schoenig/KSHB

The Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.

The chamber’s theme for 2026, “Olathe Rising,” appears well-timed as the Chiefs work to build out their team headquarters vision.

Donovan said the team and its partners have been busy behind the scenes and hope to have updates on the project in the near future.

He said the club will look to work with the Olathe School District and the Olathe City Council in their plans.

The club is exploring a unique component to the facility by incorporating flag football into the project.

Flag football has been a priority of the club and the National Football League. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

In April, the Kansas State High School Athletics Association is set to vote on whether to sanction girls’ flag football as a high school varsity sport.

Funding for the club’s Olathe project will come in part from the sale of bonds paid for by certain sales tax revenues.

In February, the Olathe City Council approved participation in a STAR bonds district to build the team’s new headquarters and training facility at College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road.

Elsewhere on Friday, Kansas legislators introduced the Kansas Sports Authority Act. The act would create a nine-member board to oversee all aspects of sports facility construction.

—

Source link

Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

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.

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.

Source link