Pilar Pedraza KAKE

Today's the day! You have until close of business to register in person, midnight to register online at votekansas.gov or postmarked today if regisering by mail. You can also check your registration to make sure it's up todate or change your paty affiliation. REMEMBER, you DON'T have to be a party member to vote on the abortion amendment.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, July 12th) is the deadline to register to vote in the Aug 2nd primary. To register, or check if you're already registered, just go to votekansas.gov. Remember: you don't have to be registered with a party to vote on the abortion amendment.

One never knows what this job will have one doing next. Today I "interviewed" this guy from Tanganyika Wildlife Park. Ok, so it was his handler answering the questions but Ra definitely stole the show!

Do you have questions about the fentanyl epidemic in Kansas? Here's your chance to get answers from those on the front lines.

Just 7 days to get registered to vote in the KS primary. REMEMBER: you don't have to be registered with a party to vote on the abortion amendment. To register or double check your registration go to KSvotes.org!

And spare a thought for retail clerks, restaurant workers, police, fire - maybe even us poor journalists - who continue working this holiday to keep the world spinning while everyone else parties!😉Maybe set off a firework, or two, for us. Just make it a legal one! Happy !

UPDATE: The Butler County Sheriff’s Office reports that Joseph Hayes, 71, was located safe around 4:30 p.m. Friday evening near Benton, Arkansas.

law enforcement officers in Arkansas found him after a citizen report. They took him to the hospital to be medically evaluated and reunited with his family.

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The KBI has issued a statewide for 71-yr-old Joseph M Hayes of Towanda. He last spoke with his family by phone on Sunday. He was on his way to Alabama in a 2014 Black Dodge Ram 1500 truck with KS plates - 576HZW. If you've seen him call 911!

While traveling, he contacted family and informed them that he got turned around in the Fort Worth, Texas area. They suggested he turn around and head back to Kansas. Joseph Hayes never arrived in Kansas.

On Thursday, June 23, Joseph Hayes’s vehicle was spotted via license plate reader in Williamson County, Texas. One of his daughters made contact with him via telephone on Sunday, June 26, and he believed he was in the Dallas, Texas area.

Hayes has suffered a previous stroke, has high blood pressure, and family indicates he has shown signs of dementia.

From the INBOX:
The City of Wichita is asking what you want in a new Chief of the Wichita Police Department. Tell them in English here: https://wichita.gov/WPDChiefSearch or in Spanish here: https://surveymonkey.com/r/66TYQCK

Sometimes this job is fun! Hanging out at the Kansas Aviation Museum today and tomorrow for special shoots! Got here a little early to set up and, honestly, enjoy the planes!

Standy for in-depth discussions on the topics of redistricting and gerrymandering in Kansas, in 3... 2... 1...

At Jimmie's Diner on N Rock Rd, ready to serve you up some pancakes for a good cause - bringing Healthcare to the Wichita area through GraceMed Health Clinic! Come on down and eat up!

Kris Kobach, Tony Mattivi, Kellie Warren. Three Republicans fighting for your vote in the primary to be Kansas' next Attorney General. While they have similar ideas on abortion, gun rights & CRT, they differed when it came to lowering the drinking age to 18 - Kobach supported it, Warren & Mattivi say there's no constitutional right to drink - and priorities in office - immigration (Kobach), legislative agenda (Warren) or enforcing Kansas laws (Mattivi).
https://www.kake.com/story/46699722/kansas-attorney-general-candidates-square-off-in-overland-park-debate

Kansas Attorney General candidates square off in Overland Park debate Three Republicans are trying to convince voters they're the right person to be Kansas’ next Attorney General.

Ruth Ann Haag-Salinas, 42, also known as Rudee, left Coeur D'Alene Indian Reservation in Idaho on June 4. A missing persons flyer shares she was getting out of a domestic violence relationship, and she was last spotted at a Walmart in Logan, Utah.
https://www.kake.com/story/46698532/search-for-missing-woman-who-may-travel-through-kansas

Search for missing woman who may travel through Kansas A multi-state search is underway for a woman who left Idaho in early June.

From the INBOX: KDHE issues a Boil WATER advisory for WICHITA. The city says after routine maintenance at the treatment plant water became a little too cloudy for comfort, so they're asking you to boil it just to be on the safe side. This is for drinking/cooking only.

UPDATE: This order will last AT LEAST for the next 24 hours. Only the KDHE can rescind the order.

UPDATE: KDHE has added boil water advisories for the following communities that buy their water from Wichita: Sedgwick Co RWD 1, RWD 2, RWD 3, City of Rose Hill, City of Valley Center, City of Kechi & El Paso Water Co. (City of Derby).

Former conservative Republican, now Independent, state senator Dennis Pyle begins process to run for governer against presumptive nominees Derek Schmidt and Laura Kelly. https://www.kake.com/story/46644089/state-sen-dennis-pyle-launching-independent-campaign-for-kansas-governor

State Sen. Dennis Pyle launching independent campaign for Kansas governor Pyle, a Hiawatha farmer among the Senate’s conservative members, said he submitted documents Monday night to initiate the campaign.

Busy night for Kansas weather-wise. Camerin Venable has you covered! Tune in to now and throughout the night for the latest developments. Or you could download the KAKE First Alert Weather App.

ANSWER: All of them! A California court just decided, yes, bees are fish for purposes of conservation. And in the 1600s the Catholic church decided both beavers and capybara are fish because they spend most of their life in the water, so they could be eaten on Fridays during Lent.
P.S. The third animal is a capybara - a giant rodent from South America.
P.P.S. Beavers are actually mammals which can't breath underwater. They do not have gills, just really good lungs that can hold their breath for a really long time.
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Morning quiz: which of these is sometimes classified as a fish? Bonus points if you can say who and why! Then tune in to Good Morning KAKEland at 9am to find out the answer!

A mixed verdict in the dueling Johnny Depp/Amber heard lawsuits. The jury has ruled Heard acted with "actual malice" in publishing her op-ed and ordered Heard to pay Johnny Depp $15 million in damages. It also ruled Depp's lawyer defamed her when he called her abuse allegations a hoax and ordered Depp to pay Heard $2 million in damages.
https://apnews.com/article/johnny-depp-amber-heard-trial-jury-deliberations-2a484944ecfa8947f9f59b44c14bae39?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

Jury sides with Depp on lawsuit, Heard on counterclaim FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury on Wednesday ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Depp before and during their brief marriage.

Kansas' Colton Haynes on GMA3 this morning discussing his new memoir - Miss Memory Lane. He says he wrote it to hopefully inspire others struggling with abuse, addiction and recovery.

A big announcement from Patrick & Brittany Mahomes!

I'm in Topeka asking state lawmakers about what we should do about the Fentanyl Epidemic. Having a hard time getting folks to speak with me. KS House Speaker Rep Ron Ryckman told me, "The House passed to allow fentanyl (test) strips but the Senate doesn't want it."

Who's the longest serving teacher you know in a single district? Reply with names/years/districts for kudos! But I'm betting they can't beat the record of an incredible lady I met today!

ICYMI: Record numbers of people are dying from fentanyl overdoses, the dead represented by every age group, racial designation and economic class. Victims' families warn, it could happen to your family. Easily.
https://www.kake.com/story/46462558/numbers-of-fentanyl-overdoses-rising

Number of fentanyl overdoses rising The dangers of fentanyl, a narcotic used to treat severe pain, are very, very real.

Always a great day when you get to do a story about how a story you've previously done has helped somone! It was great meeting Richard and getting to see John Buckley again! Yes, I'm using a lot of exclamation marks but I think a life-changing event deserves them! https://www.kake.com/story/46472295/on-your-side-update-second-chance-program-helps-man-achieve-dream

'On Your Side' update: Second Chance Program helps man achieve dream WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -

UPDATE: She's been found safe and the alert canceled. Thank you for your help!
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The Salina Police Department has issued a statewide Silver Alert for Joyce Bair, age 78. No one has seen her since Sunday when she was on her way to from Junction City to Salina in a black Ford Fusion, license plate 631 MBD. She never arrived.

If you've seen her, police ask you to call the Salina PD at 785-826-7210.

"I felt like finally somebody was listening to us," said Nicole Rivas with MMIW Wichita Kansas Chapter.

This week, Wichita held its first ever Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Awareness Day. It's a movement that advocates for the end of violence against Native women. It also seeks to draw attention to the high rates of disappearances and murders of Native people, particularly women, girls and two spirits.
https://www.kake.com/story/46443189/firstannual-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-womens-awareness-day-held-in-wichita

First-annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Awareness Day held in Wichita Wichita held its first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Awareness Day this week.