Mike Mahoney

1 week ago | ksn.com | Mike Mahoney

EL DORADO, Kan. (KSNW) — Hot temps and strong winds didn’t stop the crowd at El Dorado Lake Friday, as the Kansas Veterans Festival kicked off its weekend of music, food, and celebration. This year’s event honors two generations of heroes: veterans from World War II and the Vietnam War. Organizers say the festival is about showing appreciation and reminding veterans that their service still matters.

1 week ago | ksn.com | Mike Mahoney

HAYSVILLE, Kan. (KSNW) — Back in 1999, Haysville native Michael Legg was a 19-year-old with a son on the way, and it was time for a major change. “I was working jobs. I was just stale. I was at a dead end. Joining the military gave me that instant growing-up phase that I really needed,” he said. Legg trained to be an aviation machinist’s mate and took great pride in the jet engines he kept humming. “Boy, if you don’t have them engines, you’re not getting up off the ground.

1 week ago | ksn.com | Carina Branson |Mike Mahoney

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Early morning storms tore the roof off Wichita’s Villa Boxing Club, leaving behind standing water and debris inside the facility. The damage was extensive, but owner Jacob Villa says they’re not down for the count, not by a long shot. Villa says he’s just beginning to figure out the gym’s recovery process, and several people have already reached out to help with cleanup efforts. In addition to roof damage, the gym also experienced flooding.

2 weeks ago | ksn.com | Barry Owens |Mike Mahoney

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A veteran who spent two decades in the Navy, specialized in electronic warfare and managed to retire by the age of 38. Wichita native Gaylen Klein made that uncle proud when he followed in his footsteps and enlisted in the Navy in 1975. “I had an uncle that retired in the Navy as a Master Chief, and I kind of looked up to him for that,” he said. Klein soon found himself training in electronic warfare.

2 weeks ago | ksn.com | Mike Mahoney |Carina Branson

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Some of Kansas’s bravest will be among the 6,600 soldiers marching in a special military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday. Roughly 400 Fort Riley soldiers will participate in the parade, representing our country’s victory in the Gulf War. Many of them participated in a division run to celebrate the anniversary on Monday.