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KU Hospital to close pediatric intensive care unit in Kansas City, Kansas, cites ‘chronically low’ use

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KU Hospital to close pediatric intensive care unit in Kansas City, Kansas, cites ‘chronically low’ use


KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.

The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, Kansas, is shutting down its pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) services.

The major hospital in Kansas City confirmed to KSHB 41 News on Friday that PICU services will be ending, though a date is not confirmed yet.

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Pediatric services that are not considered “intensive care” are not affected.

According to a spokesperson with the hospital, “chronically low census” in the PICU led The University of Kansas Health System to make the decision.

The health system only has six PICU beds out of the 1,621 beds in the entire hospital. Out of the 542,429 patients who used services at the health system last year, only 150 patients were in the PICU.

“That is well below one quarter of one half a percent,” a spokesperson wrote. “The majority of the time, the PICU is used for overflow from the NICU or neonatal patient care. The health system needs space to meet higher demands for care,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Pediatric patients needing services will still receive emergency, hospital and triage care at The University of Kansas Health System. If more intensive care is needed, the hospital will work with other KC metro health systems to provide that care.

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“We will still offer pediatric inpatient services for peds who need hospitalization, but not pediatric intensive care,” a spokesperson wrote. “We also have a large outpatient footprint, as most pediatric issues are treated in outpatient settings.”

Staff currently working in the PICU will continue working with The University of Kansas Health System in either the pediatric or infant units.

“It is common for adult academic teaching hospitals to not provide ongoing pediatric intensive care services when there is a children’s hospital in the same city,” a spokesperson wrote. “This is not an unusual business model. In our case, there’s a children’s hospital less than 3 miles away.”

A date for the PICU closure is not confirmed yet, though a spokesperson said multiple dates are being looked at that coincide with the health system’s fiscal year budget.

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KHP says 135 spill was human waste

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KHP says 135 spill was human waste


WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) -Matthew Ho likes to keep a clean car.

“I basically use my car a lot for work, with my multiple day jobs and weekend jobs,” Ho said.

However, on Tuesday, it was anything but.

“I was on 135 going northbound towards Bel Aire,” Ho said, “Right about the exit of 21st st I kind of saw this big mess of pile up that just happened right as I was blinking.”

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Ho had no choice but to drive through it. Then the smell came.

“I think it took a little bit just because at first it didn’t seem like it was anything,” Ho said.

The smell continued to get worse and there was nothing he could do about it. It was a 90 degree day, and even with that intense weather he could not use the air conditioning because the air that it used was smelly itself.

“It sticks, and now that we’re downdraft winds you can just smell it all the time,” Ho said.

The company responsible for the spill, No Limit Logistics LLC, said, ‘There was no human waste’. The Kansas Highway Patrol says otherwise.

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Ho has tried to wash the smell out of his car multiple times.

“It didn’t work,” Ho said, “Washed the car again, still didn’t go away.”

Now, he is looking for someone to take responsibility.

“I would really like compensations for all the car wash, especially when it was something I didn’t do personally,” Ho said, “A mechanical failure on a truck isn’t necessarily someone’s fault, but someone’s liable for it.”

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

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Kansas City fire heavily damages house, demolition possible: firefighters say

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Kansas City fire heavily damages house, demolition possible: firefighters say


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Fire damaged a Kansas City house so extensively it may need to be demolished.

Firefighters responded to a house fire near W. 81st and Summit Street around 1:45 p.m. on May 12.

Firefighters said they noticed smoke coming from the attic when they arrived at the house. They were able to extinguish the fire minutes after they arrived.

No one was in the house at the time of the fire, according to the fire department. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Inspectors are examining the house to see if it is stable and safe enough to remain standing or if it will need to be demolished.

Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.



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Boeing makes $1 billion investment in Wichita facility

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Boeing makes  billion investment in Wichita facility


WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Boeing is making a billion-dollar investment in its Wichita location over the next three years, the company announced Monday.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the investment will be used to upgrade facilities, expand employee training and strengthen the production system.

He said this will prepare the facility for a higher production rate, especially as Boeing tries to keep up with a record-high demand. The company is currently sitting on a backlog of 6,100 commercial planes, valued at $695 billion.

“It’s going to take the skills and capabilities of all of you to help us deliver on our record backlogs and meet the growing demand in aerospace,” Ortberg said. “And I know the 13,000 Wichita teammates are ready to deliver on that promise.”

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There could be even more work coming to the facility. Reuters reported that Ortberg will be going to China with President Donald Trump and a few other leaders in the tech industry to talk about trade and investment opportunities.

Lt. Gov. David Toland said that more work at the company will help the Wichita economy and that it is up to the city to build up the workforce.

“We’ve got a company that’s put its money where its mouth is,” Toland said. “And as Kansans, as Wichitans, it’s on us now that we’re continuing to skill up our workforce, that we’re creating the talent pipeline that’s essential to allowing companies like Boeing to continue growing.”

Over the past several years, Wichita has invested in the aviation workforce. This includes expanding aviation education at WSU Tech and tapping students in WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research to help with federal projects like the “Golden Dome” missile defense shield.

Last week, Boeing and WSU Tech announced a new partnership to build a workforce training center that will be a hub for Boeing’s Wichita workforce.

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Sen. Jerry Moran hopes Boeing’s investments will ease concerns or caution surrounding the company’s return to Wichita and build on the city’s reputation in the aviation industry.

“You’ve heard me say that people come here and we convince them that this is the Air Capital of the World,” Moran said. “I don’t think we need any more convincing. This is now known. We are the Air Capital of the World.”


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