Weekend catch-up: Back-in parking ban, new restaurant, church burglaries, more

Here are stories you may have missed over the weekend from Wichita and south-central Kansas.

• Mayor Lily Wu and council member Mike Hoheisel are pushing to repeal a Wichita ordinance that prohibits backing into parking stalls. The move comes after 212 tickets were issued for such parking downtown by The Car Park since paid parking began last year. Wu says the ban creates confusion for people who don’t expect a third-party vendor to ticket them for a common Wichita habit.

• The Kansas Department for Children and Families says it received two reports expressing concerns about how Clearwater mother Shanna Kay Whitton was treating her 15-month-old son, Matthew Jon Whitton, before he died — but found both complaints to be unsubstantiated. Whitton has been charged with first-degree felony murder, child abuse, aggravated child endangerment and aggravated arson in connection with the boy’s Aug. 28, 2025, death.

• Chopstix restaurant in Park City has closed after its owners retired, but a new Thai and sushi restaurant is taking its place. Thai Kitchen & Sushi, owned by Bouakeo Phommachanh, who previously ran a restaurant in Maine, will open Monday, April 27, at 1615 E. 61st St. North.

• A 49-year-old Wichita man was ordered Friday to spend more than 11 years in prison for a string of burglaries targeting churches, spas, an animal clinic and other businesses across Wichita, Goddard, Maize and Mulvane between May and August 2025. Stephen D. Rowell pleaded guilty in March to 11 counts of burglary and must also pay more than $28,000 in restitution to victims.

• Cloud 9 Cigar Bar & Lounge opened in January on the top floor of the Ruffin Building in downtown Wichita as a new perk for Ninth Floor Club members, and 80 people have signed up for memberships since then based exclusively on their desire for access to the cigar bar.