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Kansas gubernatorial candidates questioned on property tax, data centers, goals
Candidates for governor fielded business and economic questions Thursday, exchanging barbs about the “property tax crisis,” encouraging economic growth and steps to filling workforce needs.
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Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
MORe KANSAS NEWS
Kansas to receive $134 million in transformative Meta settlement
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram agreed to a huge consumer protection settlement and promised to implement sweeping safety features to protect kids. Kansas will get $134 million.
The Kansas dairy industry is growing, and it’s on the shoulders of immigrant workers
Kansas has a fast-growing dairy industry, but milking cows isn’t easy and it’s hard to find workers. Industry groups say immigrants are critical and those workers say they’re needed to feed Kansas families.
Kansas legislators share frustration over surging waitlist for services to people with disabilities
Kansas legislators object to diversion of $24 million to disability services for frail older people and people with brain injuries that had been earmarked for benefit of Kansans with intellectual or developmental disabilities stuck for years on a bloated waiting list.
Kansas political trailblazer Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker dies at 94
Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker, who fractured a political glass ceiling as the first woman to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate, died Friday at age 94.
Kansans without tornado shelters could soon find safety in 3D-printed structures
3D-printed concrete blocks could help build severe weather shelters in places like manufactured home communities. K-State is developing the technology.
Transgender men in Kansas ‘compliance crew’ use women’s bathrooms to protest state law
A group of transgender men are protesting by complying with state law, highlighting the confusion caused by the law that requires them to use the women’s restroom in publicly owned facilities.
How Kansas became one of the new breeding grounds for a bright yellow warbler
The prothonotary warbler population in Kansas is growing as the birds stop to breed before heading south. Researchers are using electronic trackers to study their movements.
Kansas sticks with ‘scientific evidence’ for vaccine schedule, despite Trump order
Kansas won’t change its vaccine schedule to match an executive order from Trump but instead will continue to “trust in scientific evidence” and follow recommendations from major health organizations, a spokesperson said.
Evergy urges Kansas regulators to be cautious about AI revealing confidential information
Evergy filed a request with utility regulators to ensure its confidential data wasn’t uploaded to artificial intelligence platforms, highlighting a concern that the rapid growth and use of AI may release private information.
Kansas State Board of Education starts work on technology use policies for public schools
The Kansas State Board of Education is pushing ahead with drafting recommendations for public school districts on use of technology in classrooms and crafting a potential mandate that local school boards implement policies controlling student access to computers.
Three years after police raid on Kansas newspaper, reporter settles lawsuit for $850K
Phyllis Zorn, the reporter whose acts of journalism served as an excuse for the August 2023 police raid of the Marion County Record, will get $850,000 from the city of Marion to settle her federal lawsuit over the raid.
Kansas City’s suburbs could decide the fate of the Kansas Republican supermajority
Kansas Democrats are trying — again — to break the Republican supermajority in the Statehouse. Most of the make-or-break contested races are in the Kansas City area.
Kansas wheat harvest projected to be lowest in decades, adding to agriculture stress
Kansas is on course for its smallest winter wheat harvest since the 1950s because of drought and freezes. A July report shows the state’s farmers are expected to produce almost half the number of bushels they did at the same time last year.
Cyclospora cases rise in Kansas, following report of two deaths nationally
Kansas cases of a gastrointestinal illness typically caused by an organism on produce rose to 615 as of Wednesday, up about 150 cases from last week, according to a state infectious disease dashboard.
CoreCivic sells Leavenworth prison, leaving city with oversight and financial questions
CoreCivic on Wednesday announced the sale of its Leavenworth prison to the federal government, likely negating months of negotiations and a legal battle city officials pursued to ensure the humane treatment of immigrants detained there.
Three Kansas House incumbents — two Democrats, one Republican — fall in Tuesday’s election
Some Kansas House incumbents in southeastern Kansas lost their seats in Tuesday’s primary, more than 150 candidates faced no opponent, and a Tonganoxie seat may still be too close to call.
Masterson scores win in GOP primary for Kansas governor; Holscher prevails in Democratic race
Republican Ty Masterson rode President Donald Trump’s endorsement to victory Tuesday in a seven-candidate gubernatorial primary, while Democrat Cindy Holscher shrugged off Gov. Laura Kelly’s blessing of a rival candidate to win the party’s nomination.
Kansas voters reject electing state Supreme Court justices as constitutional amendment fails
Kansas voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have changed to electing state Supreme Court justices, in a win for groups that were concerned the change would impact abortion rights and school funding.
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton to compete in November
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall will face United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton in November’s U.S. Senate election, according to race calls from the Associated Press.
Kansas Democrats, Republicans firm up teams for statewide office contests
Primary election results brought few surprises for statewide offices as most candidates ran unopposed. The lone exception was a skirmish between Democrats Jennifer Day and Samuel Lane.
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