KU hospital trial, Royals ballpark & patio season: KC stories you may have missed
Five stories lead coverage in The Kansas City Star today, spanning a courtroom bombshell at KU Med, Royals ballpark speculation, a violent night in Kansas City, World Cup road construction updates and the arrival of patio season.
Here are top stories :
KU hospital trial
A staffer at The University of Kansas Hospital admitted during trial testimony that he stopped disinfecting heater-cooler devices used in open-heart surgery, despite FDA warnings that failing to do so risked death. The trial involves a lawsuit over the 2020 death of Raytown’s Stephen Nolte, 71, from an M. chimaera infection — one of more than two dozen similar cases filed against KU Med and device manufacturer LivaNova.
Royals ballpark design
With the Kansas City Council approving an ordinance authorizing up to $600 million in negotiations for a proposed $1.9 billion Royals stadium at Washington Square Park, major questions remain about the ballpark’s design, funding sources and entertainment district plans. Owner John Sherman has said he wants the new park to echo Kauffman Stadium’s crown and fountains while fitting a constrained downtown footprint.
Three homicides in Kansas City
Two teens and a man were killed in three separate shootings within three hours Sunday night in Kansas City. The victims — Demetrius Smith, 17; Cavazion Williams, 15; and William J. Hunter, 29 — bring the city’s 2026 homicide count to 35, compared with 45 by this time last year.
Kansas City road construction
Kansas City is racing to finish road construction before the FIFA World Cup begins June 16, with projects in Westport, the 18th and Vine District and the Northland expected to wrap up by late spring. An estimated 650,000 visitors are expected for six matches at Arrowhead, renamed Kansas City Stadium for the event.
KC area rooftops and patios
Patio season is here, and The Star compiled a list of 15 rooftops and patios to check out across the metro, from Crossroads rooftop bars to a Northland entertainment district with sand volleyball and pickleball courts.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
