Trending on Kansas.com: These were the most-read Eagle stories this week
From a lightning strike that destroyed a beloved Derby attraction to a Wichita priest’s record-setting Boston Marathon, readers had plenty to follow the last week of April.
Here are this week’s most-read stories:
• Two Wichita suburbs ranked among Kansas’ safest cities: Mulvane placed third and Bel Aire placed fifth on Safewise’s list of the 10 safest cities in Kansas, according to the ranking based on FBI violent and property crime data.
• Jacob Liquor West finds a new home after 30 years: With its longtime building near 21st and Maize set for demolition to make way for a 7 Brew drive-through, the store is moving just around the corner to 2110 N. Maize Road, owner Misha Jacob said. The new space is smaller — about 2,800 square feet versus 9,000 — and is expected to open in June.
• Derby dinosaur attraction left “beyond repair” after fire: A lightning strike Saturday night set the 100-foot, 60-ton Sauroposeidon animatronic at Field Station: Dinosaurs ablaze, destroying the skin, foam and electronics, executive producer Guy Gsell said. Tariffs on Chinese manufacturers are complicating replacement, so the park plans to display the skeleton and animatronic pieces as a learning exhibit.
• Wichita priest runs personal-best Boston Marathon: Father Seth Arnold, a 29-year-old chaplain at Kapaun Mt. Carmel, finished the Boston Marathon in 2:35:45 — a 13-minute personal best — placing in the top 700 of nearly 30,000 runners. He ran with names written on athletic tape on his wrist, including former classmate Rebecca Rauber, who died in January.
• Wichita infant dies months after alleged abuse: Five-month-old Grayson Matthew Bemis died April 26, three months after prosecutors charged his father, 33-year-old Devin K. Bemis, with abusing him and his twin brother in January. The DA’s office said it is awaiting a final coroner’s report before deciding whether to amend the charges; Bemis was being held on $400,000 bond.
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.
This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Trending on Kansas.com: These were the most-read Eagle stories this week."