KU hospital verdict, controversial UMKC police chief & new flight at KCI: Top stories
Here is a digest of top stories from The Kansas City Star, covering a verdict in a wrongful death lawsuit, a controversial campus police hire and a new flight out of Kansas City International Airport.
Here’s a quick look at the day’s top local headlines:
• A Wyandotte County jury awarded $7.65 million in damages to the family of a Raytown man who died after contracting a fatal infection from a contaminated heater-cooler device used during heart surgery at The University of Kansas Hospital. Jurors assigned 88% of the fault to the hospital and 12% to device manufacturer LivaNova USA Inc.
• UMKC has appointed former Kansas City Police Department Capt. Daniel Graves as its new police chief, drawing criticism from the campus chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America. The group plans a May 5 rally, citing a letter Graves wrote in support of former detective Eric DeValkenaere, who was convicted in the 2021 fatal shooting of Cameron Lamb.
• Southwest Airlines will launch year-round service between Kansas City International Airport and San Francisco in early November, the airline announced. The route will operate on the carrier’s highest-demand days, including Thanksgiving and Christmas travel periods.
• Children’s Mercy unveiled plans for a more than $1 billion tower at its Adele Hall campus in Kansas City’s Hospital Hill neighborhood, officials announced. Slated for completion in 2031, the tower is expected to boost acute care capacity by up to 30% and house the hospital’s pediatric and newborn intensive care units.
• Bar Phoebe, a new rooftop bar with a vintage Midwestern theme, is set to open in late May or early June at the Holtman building at 18th and Holmes streets in the Crossroads. Named after Kansas City suffragette Phoebe Jane Ess, the indoor-outdoor space will seat more than 200.
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.
