It's time for Positively Kansas.

Coming up.

The story of Wichita's stolen Jackie Robinson statue comes full circle.

It's become a national story of resilience and triumph.

Recap the saga from the first moments of loss and despair to a rousing and celebratory conclusion.

Also, we'll take you to Kinsley to explore the personal and joyous story behind this amazing downtown mural.

And then it's off to Haysville, to ring in the autumn season.

Im Sierra Scott.

A half hour of information inspiration starts right now on Positively Kansas.

With the same roller coaster of emotions that can make a baseball game so exciting for sports fans, such as the story of Wichita, the famed Jackie Robinson statue, it's now known nationwide for its triumphant comeback, remade after being stolen and destroyed.

The story captured the hearts of America.

Chris Frank takes us back through the entire saga from start to finish.

0123 go there!

On a scorching hot August evening, the cover comes off the restored Jackie Robinson statue at Wichita's League 42 at McAdams Park.

That's an important moment, not just for League 42, but for Wichita and really the whole country.

The eyes of the nation were on Wichita with the dedication, my dear friend, the late, great Buck O'Neil, the founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

He would say this all the time, and we know it to be true that there are more good people than bad people.

Yes, there always has been.

There always will be.

But every now and then we just need a reminder again.

And this is another reminder.

This story was widely reported from beginning to end.

Local and national media covered the story of heartbreak with the theft of the original Robinson statue.

Right on to the jubilation with the statue being restored to its rightful pedestal.

There was a great deal of excitement with the first statue unveiling April 15th, 2021.

That Robinson statue was on a lower platform then, making it more accessible to the Little Leaguers, but sadly more accessible to the thieves.

Also, security video recorded three thieves as they cut the Jackie Robinson statue at the ankles and let it fall to the ground.

A pickup truck backs up.

The statue is loaded and hauled away.

I mean, the truck that was used for the statue theft was backed right into this area, so all I had to do was cut down the statue and basically move it to the truck bed.

So we want to keep those things from happening.

Speculation swirled at the outset that this may have been a hate crime targeting Robinson.

There's no more iconic figure in sports than Jackie Robinson.

The sports icon broke the color barrier in professional sports when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

Bob Kendrick says that put Robinson at the forefront of the civil rights movement.

Well, at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, folks, we make the rather bold assertion that Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier wasn't just a part of the civil rights movement.

It was the beginning of the civil rights movement because.

That is 1947, and that is well before those more noted civil rights occurrences.

So this is before Brown versus the Board of Education.

This is before Rosa Parks refusal to move to the back of the bus.

Doctor Martin Luther King Junior.

So Buck, with so eloquently say, was merely a sophomore at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, when Jackie signed his contract to play in the Dodgers organization.

A few days after the theft, the Wichita Fire Department responds to the call of a trash fire at Garvey Park in south Wichita.

The burned remains of the Robinson statue were found within a month.

45 year old Rickey Alterity was arrested and charged with felony theft, aggravated criminal damage to property and more.

He admitted in court his addiction to the drug fentanyl as the motivation for the crime.

He was sentenced to 15 years for the Robinson theft and another unrelated burglary, and ordered to pay $41,500 in restitution.

But that still left unresolved the emptiness left behind with these baseball cleats on the home plate and pedestal at McAdams Park.

Well, I felt low initially.

I think anybody would, didn't take me long to get my resolve back and say that this is not what Jackie Robinson would have wanted me to do.

So what we're going to do is make the best of this as we can.

Lute spent a career in the newspaper business as sports editor at the Wichita Eagle.

So he had a feeling the statue was going to become a national story, with the potential of it really taking off.

I said to somebody very early on, this will become a national story.

We'll see how big of a national story it will become.

And once it started to gain traction nationally, it became a bigger story than we could have imagined.

The story, as they say, went viral.

It weighs hundreds of pounds.

But the search is on tonight for the thieves who managed to cut down and then steal a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson.

Lake, 42, started a GoFundMe page a few days after the theft.

They set what they thought was an outlandish goal of $100,000, but we might as well set a high goal.

But once the story went national, Major League Baseball got involved and donations poured in.

We were able to raise $200,000 on GoFundMe.

Many other contributions have come in Major League Baseball has taken notice of this situation and become a incredible partner, not only in helping us replace the statue, but in making other improvements to our baseball complex here at McAdams Park.

Though the amount of support shown to League 42 has been more than we could have imagined.

Lutes is quoted in an ESPN story that more than half $1 million in donations have been raised.

The original mold, sculpted by the late John Parsons, still existed, allowing the new statue to be made.

But like the saying once bitten, twice shy, League, 42, took precautions with repositioning the new statue to try to better secure it.

That includes several more security cameras.

Create more difficulty for anybody who would want to get at the statue.

We're going to place it on a higher pedestal.

We're going to put in some bollards here to keep vehicles from being able to pull right back to this area.

Lute says visitors are still able to get close to the statue and appreciate it.

But would be thieves will have a greater challenge at getting to it again.

You'll still be able to come up to it, look at it, admire it, but you won't be able to reach it.

You won't be able to hang on it.

Certainly.

We hope you won't be able to use tools to cut it down.

Good evening.

We are here.

The second coming of Jackie Robinson statue was a celebration to remember.

And you're all here tonight because you care about Jackie Wright.

Former major league players, including Dellin Betances and CC Sabathia were part of the dedication.

You know, Jackie showed up every single day of his life.

And baseball and, you know, in his personal life, every single day for us.

So, I thought it was important for me to show up here today.

So Jackie stands a little higher now.

And with the greater statue security in place, hopefully League 42 can return to doing what it does best in teaching Little Leaguers how to play the game of baseball.

Between the lines.

And we all can be reminded that something positive can come out of the ashes of the negative.

This is Chris Frank for Positively Kansas.

I'm in Kinsley, Kansas, in front of this incredible mural with one of Kinsley.

I would say definitely favorite sons for Eddie Johnston.

Free was rolling Stone magazine songwriter of the year.

You've had a lot of success as a musical artist, and now you're using your talents as a painter.

So why was it so important to come back and do something in Kinston?

Well, it's my hometown.

And so, I was fortunate enough to play the, lieutenant governor's office.

As you know, he had heard that I was painting again.

I went to Art, went to K for one semester, and he said, hey, we have this program.

Where do murals in Kansas, small towns, because we found that somehow the murals really boost the town morale.

And so he said, well, yeah, I want to do one in Quincy.

And I said, heck yeah.

And here we are, I love it.

I hired the great muralist Dave Lowenstein.

So when Frank 3D reaches out to you and says that he wants to do a mural, what's the first thing you think?

Well, it's not quite how it worked, actually.

I heard from Kayla Savage of the Department of Commerce.

She also works with the Arts Commission.

And she called me and she said, Dave, I've got this really interesting project.

There's this musician who grew up in Kansas, and he's he's going to come back to his hometown and he wants to do a mural.

And I think that he might just need some technical assistance as well.

That's interesting.

Is this a musician she said was Freddie Johnston, do you know him?

And I was like, oh my God, Frida.

Just exactly, you know, in the 90s, I remember going to his shows and Lawrence loved his music.

And I said, of course, I'd love to be a part of the project.

Kinsey's midway USA.

And so the signs in the center and then, New York is to the east and San Francisco's to the west, and this is a north facing wall.

So in my mind, I was thinking about the map from the south.

You know, it's like it's always New York is on the right and San Francisco is on the left.

And so when we first did our sketches, we had it that way.

We're like I said, you guys, you're turned around.

I would love to know, did Kansas have an influence because growing up here is a different experience.

And growing up in New York or somewhere else, do you think your Kansas roots helped you become more successful?

Or if it did, how did it influence you?

Well, I do think that I wouldn't have had the drive to move to the city and, you know, kind of alone doing temp jobs and trying to write songs unless I was from here, you know, I because I had a drive to succeed.

Now, where are you based normally?

Lawrence.

Lawrence.

Okay, so you're Lawrence's hometown.

Had you ever been to Kinsley?

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah, I've actually been the last time I was here.

I was working on a book called Kansas Murals, which was a survey of all the state's murals.

This was back in 2004.

I was working with my friend Laura Josette, and we came to Kinsley because there was this really charming little mural.

There's a piece of it left downtown here.

And that Kinsley is Carnival heritage, and we documented it, and it's in our book.

And that was the last time I was here.

Oh, that's so cool.

And I love the fact that Kansas has so many murals.

It's really there.

There are very few towns that you can drive into now that there isn't a mural somewhere.

There's a renaissance going on.

Yeah, yeah, I love that.

Yeah, I think it's amazing.

The grain elevator.

And then, Dave put me up there.

Immortalized me up there playing guitar.

And my and my dog Sparky, is, is there, on the San Francisco panel jumping up to me?

So for he's he's jumping up to me forever, which is a nice thing with his little, angel, wing, saddle.

How did you get your first guitar?

Well, I think that's a setup, because, you know, I did, I did I couldn't buy one in town because there wasn't a music shop, so I ordered it through the mail.

There was a place called Stereo and Distributors in Delaware.

I don't know if they still exist, but they sold stereo gear, which I spent a lot of money on too.

But then in the on the back page they had these guitars.

So I ordered one through the mail and it showed up one day via UPS.

I remember it well.

You know, this guy brought out this box on the back of the truck.

My mother said, what the heck is that?

I said, that's my new guitar.

These are your guitar or what are you?

You know, she was maybe not so excited about it.

So when it first comes together.

So obviously you talk to Freddie, do you bounce ideas off each other?

How did you come up with the basic concept?

Well, Freddie already had a basic idea, you know, and I think he may have described it to you having to do with Kinsley being in the middle of the United States in this icon sign that they've always had.

It was on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in the 40s.

And so people really identify with it.

There was a Saturday Evening Post, cover that I think featured the song and that's that cast from that.

Oh no kidding.

He was thinking of that and sort of a horizon.

And then we had to figure it out.

The concept is that the sun is going down behind you, and so there's still light in the upper areas, but but there's less light as further you go down.

And so these colors will be kind of blended into like a, like he's doing, you know, like a, a, a sunset, a twilight kind of vibe.

What's cool is you guys are even adapting as you go along.

You're adding things I love that you are able to do that.

The iconic windmill, which was suggested by a guy the other day, he just came by where is the windmills?

And Dave was like, okay, I hadn't planned to do one, but he put it, he put it in, and now it's really a it's a really, really important thing.

Now the contrast between the Dawn gate and the windmill is just really nice.

Yeah.

Well, you know, it's one thing to sort of imagine a mural in a place.

It's another thing to be here and to be meeting people and to be experiencing what's happening in Kinsley now, to see Freddie meet his old classmates and even some relatives, and then to have the opportunity to incorporate a little bit of that into the mural.

I love the people of Kinsley.

I'm at Kinsley, you know, and, I haven't been back for a couple of years and certainly haven't been back for this amount of time.

And it's been fantastic to respond with all the, the the folks are still here for my class or I knew this is just such a loving and welcoming town and they really love our work.

So I would just say thanks to the people of Kinsley.

What I love is that you're still so passionate about this because you've had so many accolades in your lives and so many wonderful things that have happened to you.

I mean, I'm a lucky guy.

I totally acknowledge that.

I'm I'm a fortunate individual, and I want to do what I can to, you know, love my town as much as I can.

You know, while I'm here, while I'm still walking.

Johnston says he'd like to come back next summer and paint another mural in his hometown.

We'll keep you posted.

The kaleidoscope of color combined with the brisk, cool air, makes autumn in Kansas a time for celebration.

Folks in Haysville know how to do it up right.

Anthony Powell has the story.

I know I'm a high school.

Talk about getting your steps in.

That's what lots of folks from Haysville, Wichita and other cities around Kansas were doing at the 40th annual Haysville Fall Festival.

There's just so much to see do.

And eight dozens and dozens of food, arts and crafts and other booths scattered around Riggs Park.

And of course, enough fun for the kids to make your head spin, which parents enjoyed too.

Just the time outside, away from sitting on tablets and TV.

And there is a ton that goes into planning this massive three day event, including coordinating the parade to kick off the festival.

We're told as soon as the festival ends.

Planning for the next year begins 7 or 8 full time staff that that work on this.

Everything from the car show to fireworks to contracting with We entertainment.

We entertainment are the folks that run the mobile carnival where we saw countless kids screaming and laughing.

You know, when you think of fall festivals, you typically think of activities for the kids, but not here in Haysville.

There is plenty for adults to take in as well, including this awesome classic car show.

We caught up with Harold Burnett as he showed us his pride and joy.

1955 Chevy.

Harold told us people never stop appreciating this beauty from long ago.

A lot of them like to paint colors, of course, in the autumn, like winter.

And they're like, oh, like something different, you know, besides sharing his Chevy, Harold said, what do you like best about coming here?

It's the people, both past and present.

Camaraderie.

You know, you know, a lot of people coming to them.

You get to know a lot of people.

Well, it's a great community event.

I see people, that I know just, from the past or from present, everywhere I go, you know, in the, in the festival.

So it's great to catch up with people that you haven't seen for a while.

Maybe.

So from lots of fun to lots of food to lots of just hanging out, visiting and taking in all the sights, it's no wonder why the Haysville Fall Festival has grown by leaps and bounds over the years.

What started as a small event has become a big old three day party for people of all ages and from all over the Sunflower State to enjoy in Haysville.

I'm Anthony Powell for Positively Kansas.

Hazel holds another festive event in December.

The village Christmas celebration offers all sorts of exciting family fun, and it's for everybody, whether you live in Haysville or somewhere else.

Autumn is a time when you have a better chance of seeing coyotes in Kansas.

That's because males born earlier in the year are big enough to strike out on their own and look for new territory.

In this week's Kansas Wild Edge Report, Mike Blair gives us a closer look at these plentiful yet very elusive creatures.

Few Kansas wild animals are as wary and difficult to film as coyote.

Mostly nocturnal.

They do spend a fair amount of time moving about in daylight, but the trouble is, they are so smart and spooky that it's hard to get within camera range.

Technology helps.

Motion activated trail cameras record images day and night from concealed locations.

Even then, the coyotes are usually on to them, skittish and alert.

Electronic collars mimic the sounds of injured prey, sometimes calling coyotes into good daylight setups.

But within seconds they usually sense danger and head off to safety.

Only in rare situations do great coyote filming opportunities come alone.

And when they do, it's something special.

Usually the coyote is hunting and distracted, intent on catching food.

When a vole or mouse rustles in the grass, the coyote's keen hearing helps pinpoint the source.

Then, even from several bounds away, it leaps high and bounces.

Defend its victim before eating the snack sized morsel.

On game days, ideal for such hunting, a mousing coyote may feed again and again before satisfying its hunger.

But anything that holds the coyotes interest keeps it from looking for trouble.

Then its advantage.

Photographer.

The problem is, it can take years to get these opportunities in good light.

The beauty of a relaxed wild coyote is one of nature's best viewings.

Whether panning through its habitat, just looking for a new discovery, resting or finding any food it can eat along the way.

The coyote is always entertaining to watch.

Exceptionally smart and endowed with excellent memory and senses.

It's hard to get close to.

It's got plenty of tricks up its sleeve, like rolling in dung or dead stuff to help mask its own scent.

This probably helps it when hunting.

Or maybe the coyote just likes to smell raunchy.

A big Kansas coyote weighs about 30 pounds, though many are smaller.

When healthy, it's first tawny and lustrous, thick enough to keep it warm on the coldest night.

And since it's the same color as the open winter grasslands, it can be hard to see.

It's the top predator in Kansas hunting animals from grasshoppers to deer.

Mostly it sticks with rabbit sized mammals and birds when hunting alone, but it sometimes ranch and relay packs that can take down much larger prey.

It also readily scavenges dead animals.

Coyotes have an interesting social life that is rarely observed in the wild.

An alpha male controls an area pairing and raising a predominant litter.

Other coyotes are respectful of this hierarchy.

When meeting, the animals often go through ritualistic aggression submission routines to maintain order.

These seldom come to harm, but the posturing is fascinating to watch.

Coyotes never take food for granted.

Even when they check up a meal.

It makes them sick.

In that case, they just eat it again and go on down the road.

That's just part of being a coyote.

I'm Mike Blair for Positively Kansas.

That's a wrap for this week.

Positively Kansas at KPTS.ORG is our email address.

If you have a question or comment.

Im Sierra Scott.

Thanks for watching.

We'll see you again soon.