Wichita Crime Increases – New Threat: Hispanic gangs
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Wichita cops are encountering more crime from more thugs these days, including from a new, tough breed of Hispanic street gangster. These gangbangers carry Chinese-made assault rifles as they fight, pimp girls and push meth.

Muslim footbaths again hot topic in KC, now Indy
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Some 250 taxicab drivers operate at KCI Airport in Missouri, one of the largest airports in the U.S., linking some 10 million passengers between mid-America and other U.S. cities. One internal KCI Airport Police email said "approximately 70% of the drivers are [of] Middle Eastern heritage and practice the Islamic faith."

Farm groups tout illegal immigrant labor
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A nationwide coalition of trade groups, called the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, contends the new effort would lead to the firings of thousands of immigrant workers, destabilizing the work force and aggravating the current labor shortage.

Shootout in KCK
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The incident was reported as a rolling gun battle between two vehicles around 1:30 a.m., according to Kansas City, Kan. police After responding to numerous 911 calls of shots fired, police found a vehicle crashed into a dry cleaning business at 18th Street and Minnesota Avenue. Three people were inside the car, two with gunshot wounds.

Argument over precious water needs in Kansas Ethanol plant
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The plant would produce 100 million gallons of ethanol per year and 330,000 tons of distillery grains. The plant would use 1.2 million gallons of water per day, most of it for the cooling towers, he said. Opponents worry about the reduction of needed water for farming and quality of life needs unrelated to the new plant.

Crime on rise in Lawrence
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation Monday released statistics that show violent crime in Lawrence and Douglas County nearly doubled between 2005 and 2006.

Sedgwick County Judge faces investigation
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The state's Commission on Judicial Qualifications has filed notice that it is seeking a hearing against the veteran Wichita judge -- just six months after the panel issued two public censures against Pilshaw.