Wichita News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!

This Saturday, July 18th, Wichita’s beloved Automobilia Moonlight Charity Car Show returns — a poignant tribute to Joshua Blick, the visionary who transformed it into Kansas’ largest charity car event. Since his passing last December, his wife Candace and kids have stepped in to honor his legacy, keeping the show alive to support local nonprofits and inspire the next generation. With free admissio...

JJ Hayes, a Wichita radio host, is donating his left kidney in St. Louis — part of a three-person transplant chain — driven by the memory of his late wife, Michelle, who received a life-saving kidney from a stranger nine years ago. With deep personal motivation and decades of commitment to organ donation, Hayes remains calm and at peace, knowing his gift will give someone more time with their love...

A judge has approved moving forward with charges against Molly Hubbard in the deadly July 2025 incident where Ryan Crawford died from severe burns after an explosion in a vacant building. Hubbard, who called 911 reporting a man on fire, later admitted she’d seen him and fled due to her expired license — but she’d recently cashed nearly $1,000 for stolen copper. She’s now facing first-degree murder...

Dead fish piled up in a beloved Wichita neighborhood pond, shocking residents and filling the air with a foul odor — a stark contrast to just days prior when the same spot was teeming with life. With heavy rain recently swamping the area, the HOA is scrambling to explain what caused the sudden, massive fish kill. Officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are on-site collecting...

An 80-year-old Wichita homeowner, Elizabeth Collinsworth, is trapped in a tax nightmare—facing relentless property tax hikes on a house she’s lived in for 27 years, despite visible wear and tear. Her son, Matt, says appeals have failed year after year, and they’re terrified of having to sell to move into assisted living at a price that won’t cover their costs. County officials point to state-manda...

Sixteen cyclists and seven crew members pedal 4,300 miles from Seattle or San Francisco to Washington D.C. for the Journey of Hope, raising awareness for disability inclusion. On day 38, they rolled into Wichita, Kansas, for a “friendship visit” at Rainbows United, Inc., celebrating connection and community. Rider Kadin Hadzic shared how the grueling miles are made meaningful by the joy of meeting...

The Sedgwick County Fair is in full swing in Cheney, packed with animal shows and petting zoos early on, but the real action hits this weekend with carnival rides, racing, and the high-energy demo derby—full-contact, last car standing, starting at 7 PM tomorrow night. Don’t miss Jared Brown and the Dirt Road Misfits live Friday night. Get all the details and tickets at the fair’s official website....

A major housing bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is set to become law without the president’s signature — despite his dismissive “big yawn” comment — as officials in cities like Wichita hail it as a landmark step toward affordability. The law caps corporate ownership of single-family homes at 350, speeds up construction via streamlined reviews and pre-approved designs, and could reshape...

Former Wichita cop Jayce Bennett faces four aggravated battery charges after a high-speed crash on April 18th, where he allegedly ran a red light, T-boned a Hyundai with four occupants, and fled the scene in his police SUV—leaving one driver with life-altering injuries and himself with non-life-threatening injuries. The incident, still under investigation, ends with Bennett’s vehicle crashing into...

Wichita police defended a 12-hour standoff that ended with no suspect found, citing witness testimony and safety as their guiding principles. Officers used cutting-edge tech—including a ROOK armored vehicle, drone, robotic dog, and gas—to gather intel and minimize risk before SWAT entered. Though the suspect wasn’t there, they uncovered 40 firearms, ammo, and body armor, underscoring the perceived...

Storms brewing tonight, especially south of a key line, with possible strong winds and hail—then a dramatic shift to hot, dry weather next week as a heat dome moves in. Temperatures climb into the 90s with humidity, and while a few storms may linger near the Oklahoma border Saturday, most of the week stays dry. Unsettled weather might return by Friday, but for now, brace for heat and humidity. Lis...

Wichita’s 12-hour standoff with armed fugitive Wesley Roberts ended with a shocking discovery: over 40 guns, ammo, and body armor—while Roberts vanished into thin air. The chaos? A SWAT vehicle crashed into a pole, plunging 76 homes into darkness amid conflicting outage reports. Residents were evacuated, confused, and frustrated as power didn’t return until 7:30 p.m. Police are now reviewing every...

A serious rollover crash near Goddard sent one person to the hospital in critical condition and triggered a hazmat response after pesticides spilled from a pickup truck hauling the chemicals. The collision at the tricky intersection of Two-Fifteen Street West and dirt-road Central—where drivers are supposed to stop—highlighted dangerous road conditions and the unpredictable nature of accidents. Cl...

A suspicious fire erupted in Winfield Friday morning near Eighth Avenue and Walton Street, with no one inside the vacant home when firefighters arrived. The blaze was quickly contained, but authorities are treating the incident as potentially arson-related, especially given a troubling pattern of similar fires in empty buildings across Cowley County in recent years. Multiple fire departments assis...

Wichita Riverfest is gearing up for 2027 with a $4,000 poster contest—your design could win big cash and be featured everywhere from buttons to billboards. Deadline: October 30. Theme? “The Emerald Anniversary”—celebrating 55 years of Riverfest. Get the rules at WichitaRiverfest.com/poster/. Start creating now—your masterpiece could be the next big thing. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Sol...

In Lyon County, Kansas, a citizen petition to block new data centers and battery storage facilities was rejected after election officials found the signature collection paperwork improperly filed — missing notarized statements attached to signature pages, making verification impossible. The push came after Emporia’s Planning Commission rezoned land for “light industry,” sparking hopes for job reco...

A woman named Kayla Errebo just received a 14-year-plus prison sentence for a deadly crash in August 2025 that killed Deanna June Sommerfeld and critically injured her husband, Mark. Errebo, who’d been drinking at multiple bars before the collision on Kansas Highway 140, fled the scene but was later apprehended. She pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and aggravated battery, leading to a 17...

Kansas is facing a dangerous blue-green algae outbreak, with five lakes now under official warnings—meaning no contact with the water—and five more on watch, where you should avoid visible algae scum. These blooms can kill aquatic life, deplete oxygen, and release toxins causing rashes, vomiting, and headaches in humans and pets. New additions to the affected list include Clinton Lake, Lake Charle...

A Kansas City nurse, Brooke Haller, got caught faking prescriptions for herself and family members using her access to a nurse practitioner’s DEA number, leading to her arrest, loss of license, and a three-year probation sentence — a chilling case of how healthcare workers can abuse their power and the steep price they pay when caught. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://sol...

A Wichita man, Kendre Porter, 32, faces second-degree murder charges after fatally shooting 41-year-old Marcus McNealy. Porter’s first court appearance was Friday, with a $1.2 million bond set — underscoring the gravity of the case. McNealy’s family, devastated by the loss, has launched a fundraiser to cover the costs of bringing his body back to Arkansas for burial. As legal proceedings unfold, t...

A drug ring spanning major U.S. cities just got its final member behind bars—ringleader Santiago Gamboa-Saenz, 39, sentenced to 23 years for cocaine trafficking. The operation, uncovered in late 2019, moved drugs from Mexico through Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis, and even D.C., using fake businesses like a mechanic shop to hide shipments and modify vehicles for smuggling. Authorities seized over...

Boil water advisory lifted for Kirwin, Kansas after equipment failure caused pressure drop — tests confirm water is now safe to drink, cook with, and brush teeth with. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn....

A fatal crash on U.S. Highway 24 near Shawnee Lake has claimed the life of 28-year-old Dakota Bacon from Topeka, leaving two others injured. His family is devastated and has launched a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs. The Kansas Highway Patrol is urgently seeking witnesses — any information, no matter how small, could be vital. If you were near the scene or saw anything, call 785-493-0361. Your he...

A serious two-car crash near Goddard, Kansas, sent one person to the hospital in critical condition and unleashed a hazardous mess—when a pesticide-laden truck spilled its cargo, HazMat teams were called in to contain the environmental threat. First responders faced added danger, and officials are still investigating the crash’s cause while assessing long-term impacts. This incident serves as a so...

Cyclospora is spreading nationwide, with Kansas reporting 22 cases and Michigan facing a massive outbreak of over 1,200 cases—40+ hospitalizations. This parasite causes explosive diarrhea, fatigue, and cramps, often linked to contaminated fresh produce. While June saw Kansas’ peak, overall numbers are lower than past years. Stay vigilant—this isn’t person-to-person, but foodborne, especially durin...