Midwest News

1 Person Killed, Homes Destroyed After Tornado Rips NE Kansas

WESTMORELAND, Kan. (AP) — One person died Tuesday when a tornado ripped through the small city of Westmoreland in northeastern Kansas, destroying houses, RVs and outbuildings, authorities said. Pottawatomie County officials said on Facebook that a tornado struck the city …

Kansas Won’t Legalize Medical Marijuana for at Least a Year

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will remain among the handful of states that haven’t legalized the medical use of marijuana or expanded their Medicaid programs for at least another year. Republican state senators on Friday blocked efforts to force debates …

BNSF Becomes 2nd RR to Sign on to Anonymous Federal Safety Hotline for Workers

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — BNSF will become the second major freight railroad to allow some of its employees to report safety concerns anonymously through a federal system without fear of discipline. The Federal Railroad Administration announced Thursday that the railroad …

Tornadoes Damaged 7,200 Residential Properties, Left $2B in Reconstruction Costs

The tornadoes that ripped through parts of Nebraska, Iowa and Oklahoma late last week damaged some 7,200 homes, leaving a reconstruction tab of $2.1 billion, according to CoreLogic, the data analytics firm. Some 127 tornadoes spun out of a severe …

Minivan Crashes Into Baseball Dugout Wall in Illinois, Injuring 3 Children

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (AP) — Three children were hurt when the minivan they were in rolled down a hill Saturday morning into a concrete baseball dugout in northern Illinois’ Woodstock. The children, ages 12 and 13, were hospitalized with mild to …

Recreational Marijuana Supporters Can Gather Signatures for No. Dakota Ballot Initiative

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota ballot initiative group can gather signatures to put a proposal legalizing recreational marijuana to a statewide vote in the fall, the state’s top election official said last Thursday, in the latest legalization effort …

Family of Chicago Man Killed in Police Shooting Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit

CHICAGO (AP) — The family of a Chicago man killed when plainclothes police officers fired their guns nearly 100 times during a traffic stop filed a wrongful death lawsuit last week, accusing the department of “brutally violent” policing tactics. The …

Minneapolis to Pay $150K Settlement to Witness in George Floyd Murder

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement to an eyewitness who tried to intervene to prevent George Floyd’s murder and who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. Donald Williams, …

Multiple Tornadoes Hit Nebraska and Iowa, Leaving Trails of Damage

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday, damaging hundreds of homes and other structures as it tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Some injuries were reported but there were no immediate reports …

Missouri House Backs Legal Shield for Weedkiller Maker Facing Cancer Lawsuits

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The manufacturer of a popular weedkiller won support Wednesday from the Missouri House for a proposal that could shield it from costly lawsuits alleging it failed to warn customers its product could cause cancer. The …

Midwest News Archives by Month