Federal fallout
Coverage tracking the Lawrence, Douglas County and statewide impacts of changes and cuts at the federal level.
Contact information for the congressional delegation representing Lawrence and Douglas County is available at this link. The nonprofit 5 Calls, 5calls.org, has phone numbers and templates of scripts to help people make their voices heard on several federal issues.
LATEST
Sedgwick County and 19 other Kansas law enforcement agencies have signed agreements with ICE
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and 19 other Kansas law enforcement agencies have signed formal agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Just Food is stretched thin addressing food insecurity in Lawrence; new federal law will likely make it worse
Impending federal cuts to food assistance under Trump’s recently passed economic bill threaten to stretch the capacities of Just Food, which is already seeing a spike in the number of residents registering for its services.
Kansas could lose millions after Congress cut SNAP funds. Thousands may go hungry
State lawmakers must soon decide whether to cover extra costs to provide food assistance after federal cuts. If they don’t, food banks and pantries alone can’t make up the difference.
Federal energy policy u-turn, planned gas plants put Kansans at risk, expert says
The future of green energy is challenged almost daily by federal decisions that affect the Kansas utility industry, according to an environmentalist who has spent most of her career focused on practical solutions to climate and energy challenges.
Federal education grants unfrozen; $468K will flow to Lawrence Public Schools
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal education grants will resume flowing to Lawrence Public Schools following a reversal of a previous Trump administration decision to freeze the grants.
ICE Out of Kansas sticker fundraiser to pop up at Espurresso Cat Cafe
An ongoing sticker fundraiser to benefit immigrants affected by ICE raids will hold an in-person pop-up at Espurresso Cat Cafe this weekend.
Nathan Kramer
In final push to boot DEI initiatives, KU tells employees to remove pronouns from email signatures
KU has eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion positions and programs and is directing employees to remove gender-identifying pronouns from their email signatures before the end of the month in response to state legislation.
KPR Staff/Contributed photo
KPR launches emergency fundraising campaign in wake of federal funding cut
Congress has voted to claw back $1.1 billion of already-approved federal funding for public broadcasting nationwide, and the action will “have an immediate impact” on Kansas Public Radio, according to the station.
Democratic governors demand Trump administration release $6.8 billion in education funds
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and 17 other democratic governors signed a letter addressed to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, demanding the relinquishment of nearly $7 billion in school funds.
August Rudisell / Lawrence Times
‘Good Trouble’ protesters pay homage to John Lewis during rally
As 85-year-old Joe Douglas stood near Watson Park belting out a civil rights-era Pete Seeger song during Thursday’s “Good Trouble Lives On” protest, he reflected on a time of upheaval that he said was strikingly similar to today’s political landscape.
Judge again blocks CoreCivic from opening Leavenworth prison as court skirmishes continue
A Leavenworth District Court judge reaffirmed his decision to bar CoreCivic from housing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement prisoners at its closed facility, rejecting the private prison company’s appeal to reconsider.
Lawrence school district could lose $468K in federal grants
Lawrence Public Schools stand to lose about $468,151 in federal grants because of action by the Trump administration earlier this month freezing distribution of already-approved federal support.
Panasonic to delay production at Kansas battery plant as electric car sales decline, policies shift
Panasonic is delaying full production in its De Soto battery plant because of dropping electric car sales and U.S. policies that do not support electric cars, international media reports.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Community members gather for July 4 protest in downtown Lawrence
Dozens of community members gathered for an Independence Day protest Friday in downtown Lawrence, holding signs with messages including “Stand for democracy,” “Are we great yet?” “Resist” and “Save our Constitution.”
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members celebrate freedom, warn about erosion of rights at Freedom Fest
A KU law professor, local politicians, a puppet and more than 100 other Lawrence community members gathered Friday to celebrate the Constitution and the Fourth of July in the face of what they said were attacks on freedom.
Sen. Moran says he protected funding for Kansas hospitals. Health care advocates disagree
Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas said he made changes to the Senate’s version of the Trump administration’s reconciliation bill to soften the blow of Medicaid cuts on Kansas hospitals. But health care advocates say it won’t be enough.
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