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🌱 Patch AM: Why nearly all Kansas foster care placement failures are happening in Wichita

Coming up on the Wichita Patch calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness

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Good morning to you Wichita! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why nearly all Kansas foster care placement failures are happening in Wichita
  • What Wichita's Chapin Park camp shutdown means for 100 homeless residents.
  • How Tuesday's Kellogg and I-135 closure could upend your commute

Also on today's calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Riddle: David's parents have three sons: Snap, Crackle, and what's the name of the third son? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: Humid with a strong t-storm, with a high of 86 and low of 64 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Sunday: Humid with clouds and sun, temps: high: 84, low: 63.
  • Monday: Humid with clouds and sun, with a high of 82 and low of 67 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Foster care official: Kansas should be laser focused on Wichita placement crisis (kansas.com) — State foster care officials say Wichita and Sedgwick County are at the center of Kansas' worsening crisis of children sleeping in offices or other unlicensed settings, with the vast majority of such nights happening here. New data, leadership changes, and proposed reforms highlight both the scale of the local problem and the push for better prevention, placements, and support for vulnerable Wichita youth.
   

2. Wichita to clear camp at Chapin Park. Where will the homeless go? (ksn.com) — Wichita is ordering people living in the Chapin Park homeless encampment to leave by Oct. 12, citing safety issues, frequent police and fire calls, and the park's floodplain location. About 100 residents now face uncertain futures as the city and agencies like United Way scramble to secure housing vouchers and placements. Local leaders warn that without enough resources, people may simply disperse into other south Wichita parks and neighborhoods.
   

3. KDOT announces overnight closure at Kellogg and I-135 (ksn.com) — If you drive Kellogg, plan around a full overnight closure of westbound Kellogg at the I-135 interchange this Tuesday night in Wichita. Traffic will be routed onto I-135 from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. while crews continue major bridge and ramp construction at this key junction.
   

4. BangShift.com Video From Kustomville WorldWide 2026: The Kool Kids Take Over Wichita Kansas In The Name Of Traditional Hot Rods! (bangshift.com) — A major traditional hot rod and rockabilly show, Kustomville USA, has turned Wichita into a destination for custom cars, lowriders, and live music in 2026. Hosted by local organizers and featuring cruising on Douglas Avenue and a night at The Cotillion, it showcases Wichita as a serious stop on the national kustom culture circuit.
   

5. Woman, 81, pleads no contest in drunken crash that killed Wichita mother, daughter (kansas.com) — An 81-year-old Augusta woman has pleaded no contest to killing a Wichita mother and daughter in a drunk-driving crash at an east Wichita intersection, and is now jailed awaiting December sentencing. Prosecutors say she sped through a red light while intoxicated, striking LaShea and A'Niah Bell's car, with Kansas guidelines calling for a multi-year prison term on each count.
   

📸 Around Wichita

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Update: Pet Reunited
    A dog who went missing in Wichita, KS, has been safely reunited with their family after 3 hours, 52 minutes. More details here https://www.pawboost… (Nextdoor K-15)
  • Mother Nature was a little vain tonight here in TN!
    She had to get a glimpse of herself in the mirror to see what all the fuss is about ! (Nextdoor Fairmount)
  • HCA Healthcare posted a job opening for Medical Office Specialist in Wichita. Apply here.
  • Ametek posted a job opening for Assembler - Hiring Now in Wichita. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Wichita here.

Ok Wichita! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: David (Thank you Thomas F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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