Kansas
Kansas Department of Labor concerned about possible rise in unemployment fraud after federal fraud-prevention program is discontinued
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) is concerned about a possible increase in unemployment insurance fraud after the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) discontinued a program designed to improve their system’s security.
The Unemployment Insurance Integrity and Fraud Prevention Grant Program was created to prevent and detect unemployment insurance fraud. It funded system security improvements such as identity verification and data analytics.
“The purpose of this grant was program integrity,” said Amber Shultz, Kansas Secretary of Labor. “So that would include systems for fraud prevention and detection… and investigations in cases where we did send out funds.”
It was instituted in all 50 states after the COVID-19 pandemic, when labor departments saw a significant increase in criminals, or “bad actors”, attempting to steal money from pandemic-era government relief programs.
“The lesson we learned during the pandemic was our systems just simply weren’t prepared for that,” Shultz said. “So USDOL recognized that, and they recognized states needed to be provided assistance to be able to combat these bad actors.”
KDOL first received grant funds in 2023, but all funds were cancelled on June 13.
Now, Shultz said they’re left wondering how their systems will hold up in future attacks.
“It concerns me that once the word gets out to these bad actors, that all 50 states are going to be subjected to ‘Oh they’re not going to have the funds, so clearly they’re not going to be as fortified against bad actors.’”
Shultz said the decision to discontinue this program is counterproductive to the federal government’s efforts to improve national security and reduce fraud.
13 News reached out to the U.S. Department of Labor for comment on these changes, but has not received a response.
Copyright 2025 WIBW. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Storms late Friday night into early Saturday morning caused damage across the Kansas City area
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Severe weather hit the Kansas City area late Friday night into early Saturday morning, leading to damage across the metro.
At St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School, located near 40th and Main streets in Kansas City, Missouri, one of its fences was taken down due to the storm, as well as a tree that fell away from the property.
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A tree fell onto the front of a duplex and a pickup truck in Merriam at around midnight. No injuries were reported.
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In addition to the damage, a flood warning has been issued for the Marais Des Cygnes River at Osawatomie until early Monday morning.
As of 4 a.m. Saturday, the stage was at 27.9 feet, according to the Miami County Sheriff’s Office.
The river is expected to crest Saturday afternoon at 28.6 feet, higher than the 28 feet at which low-lying areas along the river begin to flood, authorities said.
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Kansas
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.
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.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Kansas
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.
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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 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.
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