Kansas
Third-party United Kansas registered in Kansas after gathering nearly 20,000 signatures
United Kansas met the requirements to become a registered political party in the state, one of only three minor political parties active in the state, according to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office.
The party started canvassing for supporters two months ago to get to the statutorily required 19,548 signatures, or 2% of the total votes cast during the last gubernatorial election. United Kansas follows No Labels Kansas, which was recognized in January as a minor party, and the Libertarian Party of Kansas, which has been recognized since 1992.
The party says its mission is “to unite Kansas under shared values and common goals” and that it values multiparty dialogue, grassroots community efforts and inclusivity for all Kansans. It says its key issues are fostering business-friendly environments, affordable health care, quality education and continuous funding, fostering civic engagement, infrastructure modernization and environmental protection.
In a letter on its website, United Kansas’s party chair Jack Curtis advocates for fusion voting to transform the Democratic process to make it more collaborative.
“By allowing them to cross-nominate candidates, we ensure that these parties have a genuine stake in the electoral process rather than be sidelined as a potential spoiler. This not only amplifies diverse voices but also encourages major parties to adopt more moderate and inclusive stances, leading to a more balanced political environment,” Curtis wrote.
Curtis is joined in party leadership by vice chair Sally Cauble, a former Republican State Board of Education member, and treasurer Aaron Estabrook, an Independent former member of the Manhattan City Commission and USD 383 Board of Education.
The party will be able to select candidates for the November elections through a convention or caucus by June 3. It will be able to hold statewide primaries for office if its candidate for governor gets more than 5% of the vote statewide.
Kansas
Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter
KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. She also covers stories in the Northland. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
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Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. was killed in an early morning hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter March 21.
Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash
Lee was turning left from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard onto Eastwood Trafficway when a car ran a red light and hit him. A small memorial now grows at the intersection.
Chris Morrison
“Devastated. Everybody’s hurt, it was really unexpected,” his son Arthur Lee Jr. said. “I loved him to death. My dad was like my best friend.”
Lee was well known in the barbecue community, working as a pitmaster at Gates Bar-B-Q for the past eight years after spending two decades at Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.
“He loved working at Gates,” Rose Qualls, Lee’s sister-in-law, said. “He was always making us slabs and turkey sandwiches.”
Chris Morrison
The morning of the incident, Lee was preparing to move into a new home with his wife and children, getting ready for a fresh start before a tragic end.
“He was really special, you know. He was one of a kind and everybody that he was around just loved him,” Qualls said. “It’s just a sad situation.”
Lee was 60 years old. His family said while his life was cut short, his flame will burn forever.
“My sister, she is really going through it, we all are,” Qualls said. “And I’m here for her, whatever she needs, when she need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.”
Courtesy of Arthur Lee Jr.
The family is pleading for answers and for the driver, who fled the scene, to come forward.
“I would pray that they would have some type of compassion, some type of heart, possibly turn themselves in,” Lee Jr. said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Kansas
Kansas felon sold meth to undercover officer multiple times
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer, according to the United State’s Attorney.
According to court documents, Wayne F. Fleming, 41, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
In May 2021, Fleming sold drugs multiple times to an undercover officer with the Wichita Police Department. Testing by the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the total amount Fleming sold to the officer to be more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine.
“Mr. Fleming was federally indicted in 2021, but before a plea agreement was reached, Mr. Fleming went to state prison to serve time for offenses unrelated to the federal case,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice doesn’t forget. Not long after his release from a state prison, Mr. Fleming is now an inmate in a federal prison.”
The Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
Kansas
Extra slice, extra time: Kansas inmate’s pizza grab lands him 16 more months in prison
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCTV) – A Kansas inmate will spend more time behind bars after a dispute over an extra slice of pizza turned physical.
Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson announced on Wednesday, March 25, that Wyatt C. Parnell, 42, an inmate at Lansing Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 16 additional months.
Prosecutors indicated that the sentence is the result of an attempt to assault a corrections officer during a December 2019 dining hall confrontation.
What Happened
Court records noted that the incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 26, 2019 – the day after Christmas – in the facility’s maximum-security dining room.
According to prosecutors, Parnell entered the dining hall, picked up a dinner tray and grabbed an extra slice of pizza from a separate tray.
A corrections officer repeatedly ordered him to put the tray down and leave the area; however, court documents revealed that Parnell refused.
When the officer moved to retrieve the tray and again ordered Parnell to leave, prosecutors said he yanked the tray away and threw it on the floor.
Parnell then tried to push past the officer to reach the serving line for another tray, according to court records.
The officer reported that they attempted to detain Parnell, but he resisted, leading to a physical fight.
The Charges & Sentence
Court records indicated that Parnell pleaded no contest to attempted aggravated battery. His new sentence will run consecutively – meaning it is added to the sentence he is already serving.
“Correctional facilities rely on order and compliance to maintain safety for both staff and inmates,” Thompson said. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of disregarding lawful commands and engaging in behavior that puts others at risk.”
Parnell’s Criminal History
Corrections records show that Parnell was already serving time for:
- Kidnapping
- Aggravated battery
- Two counts of criminal threat
Prison records also show a lengthy disciplinary history, including violations for:
- Contraband possession
- Fighting
- Threats
- Lewd acts
- Entering restricted areas
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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