Month: January 2021

Governor closes Capitol buildings today and Wednesday

Gov. Laura Kelly has closed the state office buildings in the Capitol complex in Topeka for Tuesday, Jan. 19, and Wednesday, Jan. 20, according to an announcement.

Curtis, Landon and Eisenhower buildings will be closed, along with additional administration buildings, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

States were warned by the FBI that extremists might try to target state capitols, according to national reports. Wednesday will be the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, D.C.

“The safety and well-being of our employees is my top priority,” Gov. Kelly said in a news release. “These steps are taken out of an abundance of caution – and I thank all employees for their patience and understanding during this time.”

Employees are instructed to work remotely. If an employee’s regular duties require them to be in the office – and they cannot work from home – they are instructed not to report to work Tuesday, Jan. 19 or Wednesday, Jan. 20, according to the governor’s office.

Gov. Kelly encouraged agency heads with offices in the immediate surrounding area beyond the State Office Buildings to follow similar procedure.

The Statehouse will be open for individuals having business with the Legislature, governor’s or lieutenant governor’s offices, according to the announcement. All Statehouse access will be through the Visitor Center entrance only.

Also closed to the public Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 19 and 20, will be the Kansas Department for Children and Families offices in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, according to an announcement.

Clients may still conduct business with the agency by applying online for services at www.dcf.ks.gov. Also, clients may call 1-888-369-4777 to talk with a DCF worker or call the Kansas Protection Report Center number at 1-800-922-5330.

Kansas Chief Justice Marla Luckert announced the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 19 and 20, consistent with the actions taken by the governor to close offices of the executive branch.

“This action is to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone who works in the Judicial Center or who had plans to visit,” Luckert said.

Persons with court business are encouraged to contact a court office to schedule a time to visit after Wednesday, according to the announcement.

Homicide victim on Freeman identified

Police have identified the victim of a homicide on Friday, Jan. 15, in the 600 block of Freeman.

The victim was Clinton Sherwood, 18, a resident of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a police spokesman.

Officers were dispatched to the location at 11:47 a.m. Jan. 15 on a report of shots fired, the spokesman stated.

When they arrived, officers found a deceased man in his late teens inside the residence, with apparent gunshot wounds, according to the spokesman.

It was the second homicide of the year in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department’s Major Case Unit is investigating. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS, police stated.

Foggy start today, high near 45

Fog was over a wide area on Tuesday morning. (National Weather Service graphic)

After some areas of dense fog this morning, temperatures will rise to a high near 45, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

The temperature at 9 a.m. was 31 degrees, with a wind chill of 23, and there could be slick spots on some of the roads, according to the weather service.

The weather will be a little warmer Wednesday and Thursday, with no precipitation in the forecast until Sunday, according to the weather service. Sunday night and Monday, there will be a 30 percent chance of rain and snow.

Today, there will be patchy fog before 10 a.m., changing to mostly sunny with a high near 45, the weather service said. A west northwest wind of 8 to 13 mph will gust as high as 21 mph.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 25 and a west northwest wind of 5 to 8 mph, becoming light and variable, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 53, the weather service said. A south southwest wind of 6 to 11 mph will increase to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon. Winds may gust as high as 30 mph.

Wednesday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 29 and a southwest wind of 6 to 11 mph becoming light west after midnight, according to the weather service. Winds may gust as high as 21 mph.

Thursday, it will be sunny with a high near 52, the weather service said. A calm wind will become north northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Friday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 41, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 24, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 39, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be cloudy with a low of 33, according to the weather service.

Sunday, there will be a 30 percent chance of rain, with a high near 48, the weather service said.

Sunday night, there will be a 30 percent chance of rain and snow, with a low around 30, according to the weather service.

Monday, there will be a 30 percent chance of rain and snow, with a high near 42, the weather service said.