Bundle Up: Arctic Air Headed Toward Kansas this Weekend, Next Week
UNDATED (KPR) - Much of the Midwest will get hit by colder-than-normal temperatures this weekend. An arctic air mass is moving into Kansas, bringing blustery cold winds from the north and frigid temperatures. Forecasters say wind chill values could drop to 25 degrees below zero this weekend and into early next week.
Get the latest weather from the National Weather Service.
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Growing Number of Kansans Seeking Treatment for Respiratory Illnesses
UNDATED (KNS) – Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a rising number of Kansans are seeking medical care for respiratory illnesses. Dr. Shawn Sood, a pediatrician at the University of Kansas Health System, told the Kansas News Service that recently, they’ve been inundated with a high number of child flu patients. “I really feel that, in 2025, and in this respiratory season, mid to late January, spilling into early February is going to end up being the peak,” he added. Sood says they haven’t seen as many COVID-19 or RSV admissions, but the CDC says both viruses are circulating in Kansas. Sood says things like keeping kids hydrated, especially if they are sick, and frequent hand washing can help protect them from severe illness.
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Kansas Governor Urges Caution with New Spending in 2026 State Budget Process
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is asking Kansas lawmakers to be cautious with new spending as they craft the state’s multibillion-dollar budget for 2026. The Kansas News Service reports that Kelly is proposing a state budget that fully funds public schools, protects the state’s water supply and further invests in early childhood care. “Children born today will live to see the 22nd century. How we invest in those children now will determine our state’s trajectory for the rest of the century,” she said in Wednesday night's State of the State address. Kelly’s also asking lawmakers to expand eligibility for Medicaid. That's something she’s been trying to pass since she took office. Republican leaders remain opposed to Medicaid expansion, and it’s likely the two parties will clash on other budget priorities. Republicans have asked some agencies to prepare for possible budget cuts this year as they look to pass more tax cuts. Kelly outlined her priorities for the coming year in her annual State of the State address Wednesday night.
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Stiffer Penalties Sought for Threatening Kansas Poll Workers
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab wants state lawmakers to increase penalties for those who threaten poll workers. He’s also asking for more power to regulate ballot drop boxes. Schwab told members of the House Elections Committee that some poll workers in the state were harassed or even threatened during the November election. “I mean, somebody that’s sixteen years old doesn’t need a 40-year-old man yelling at her because he’s frustrated with the process, and then threatening her," he said. Schwab also wants his office to have more authority over the use of ballot drop boxes. He says that would help keep them secure. But Democrats say it could reduce the number of ballot boxes and disenfranchise voters.
County election offices currently oversee the ballot drop boxes. But Schwab argues some of them need more security. “One of our bills is going to be to regulate ballot boxes, just to make sure they’re secure. So, people aren’t hitting them with crowbars and stuff like that," he said. Schwab has overseen the state’s elections for six years and is running for governor in 2026.
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State of the Judiciary Address Highlights Shortage of Legal Services in Rural Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) – The chief justice of the Kansas Supreme Court says the state needs to fix a growing justice gap across the state’s rural counties. The Kansas News Service reports that in the State of the Judiciary address, Marla Luckert said Kansans in rural counties are facing a critical shortage of legal services. That’s because of difficulty training, and retaining, lawyers in Kansas. “There are more active attorneys with a Kansas law license in Kansas City, Missouri, than in all of our Kansas rural communities combined,” she warned. Luckert proposed several solutions, like establishing rural attorney training programs and tuition reimbursement incentives for Kansas law graduates who practice in rural counties.
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Federal Judge Rules Abortion Pill Lawsuit May Proceed
UNDATED (KNS) – A federal judge has ruled that Kansas and two other states can proceed with a lawsuit over the abortion pill mifepristone. The Kansas News Service reports that the drug is used in two-thirds of abortions in Kansas. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and attorneys for Missouri and Idaho hope to undo the Food and Drug Administration’s decision in recent years to loosen restrictions on mifepristone. If they’re successful, it could curtail access nationwide, banning the pill after seven weeks of pregnancy instead of 10 and requiring multiple in-person doctor visits to obtain. They say the pill can have serious complications and harms their states by leading to lower birth rates. Medical experts say the pill is safe when used as directed. Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen that has enabled many people living in states with abortion bans to terminate pregnancies without traveling.
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USDA Says High Price of Eggs Linked to Bird Flu
UNDATED (HPM) – The average price for a dozen eggs has soared to over $4 in recent weeks. Harvest Public Media reports that bird flu is a big reason why. More than 13 million egg-laying hens died last month because of bird flu, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s the most of any month last year. The losses are a big factor in higher egg prices, says Jada Thompson, a poultry economist at the University of Arkansas. “One of the hard parts is there's this regional concentration of production. And so when a disease is going through and and hitting farms in that area it's gonna affect multiple farms, and that's gonna affect the supply of eggs, and that supply then will affect our prices,” she explained. Thompson says egg prices will likely fall as bird flu cases drop and the egg supply recovers. But more outbreaks of the virus could push prices back up.
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Free Dental Clinic Returns to Kansas Friday and Saturday
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KAKE / KPR) - The Kansas Mission of Mercy - a free dental clinic - is being held this year in Hutchinson. The Mission of Mercy, a project of the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation, is a two-day free dental clinic that serves adults, children and even entire families. This year's event is being held Friday and Saturday at the State Fairgrounds.
Clinic doors open at 5:30 am Saturday. Patients will be seen on a first come, first served basis. Treatment options include cleanings, fillings, extractions and dental hygiene education.
KAKE TV reports that this year's clinic includes 100 dental chairs and nearly 1,000 volunteers, including dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, medical personnel, and community volunteers who donate their time and skills to treat patients.
Since the very first event, held in Garden City 2003, the Kansas Mission of Mercy has provided free care to nearly 40,000 people and more than $23 million in dental care.
KPR reported on that very first Kansas Mission of Mercy. At that event, people lined up in the predawn hours, in the middle of a snow storm and frigid temperatures, just to receive dental care.
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Shawnee Mission School District Approves Restrictions on Student Cellphone Use
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KCUR/JoCo Post) – Another school district in Johnson County is cracking down on student cellphone use. The Johnson County Post reports that after months of discussions, the Shawnee Mission school board this week approved a policy requiring students to generally keep phones stowed away during class time. Middle and high school students, to varying degrees, can use devices at lunch and during passing periods. The new policy doesn’t go as far as a total ban on phones, which a vocal group of parents have been calling for. Other districts, including Blue Valley and Olathe, have also instituted cellphone restrictions this year, citing research that shows the devices can distract from learning during the school day.
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Kansas Highway Patrol: Too Many Motorists Driving 100+ MPH
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - Kansas state troopers busted thousands of drivers last year for speeding more than 100 miles-per-hour. One driver was caught speeding more than 160 mph. KSNT TV reached out to the Kansas Highway Patrol and learned that in 2024, state troopers issued more than 2,600 citations to motorists driving that fast. Since 2013, there's been a steady increase in the number of drivers in Kansas
exceeding 100 mph.
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Experts Say Kansas Drought Conditions Eased in 2024
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – Climate experts say Kansas received much-needed moisture last year, easing drought conditions from years prior. The Kansas News Service reports that just a couple of years ago, Kansas was breaking drought records, leaving crops and residents high and dry. Kansas spent 2024 without much drought, and there are signs 2025 might see a similar amount of moisture. But Joel Lisonbee, climatologist for drought.gov, says last year showed a concerning pattern for states including Kansas: flash droughts. “Flash drought is a drought that comes on quickly. We're seeing these happen more and more. So I wouldn't be surprised to see another flash drought sometime this year,” he explained. Lisonbee says so far, there’s nothing to indicate anything abnormal for Kansas this year. But he says more frequent flash droughts could cause a lot of damage to crops and water supplies.
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Kansas Wildlife Officials Report Increasing Populations for Some Threatened Species
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - Kansas wildlife officials are sharing good news about some of the state's threatened species: three of them are showing signs of increasing population numbers. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) says the northern map turtle, shoal chub and broad-headed skink, all currently listed as threatened, are doing much better. (A shoal chub is a fish, a broad-headed skink is a lizard, and a northern map turtle is a large turtle.) KSNT TV reports that some wildlife species are still facing threats to their respective populations.
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ICE, DHS May Reopen a Detention Center in Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - An immigration detention facility in Leavenworth could be reopened. It was shut down by the federal government in 2021. But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently discovered that the facility may reopen. KWCH TV reports that the ACLU first became aware of the possibility of the federal government expanding its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in September of last year, when it requested details about agency proposals.
Documents obtained by the ACLU indicate that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE want to find potential detention facilities to house undocumented immigrants in Kansas and several other states.
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Wichita Man Serving Time for Murder Dies in Lansing Prison
LANSING, Kan. (KPR) - An inmate at the Lansing Correctional Facility has died. Officials say 25-year-old Angel Pedro Lara died Wednesday morning. He was found ill inside the facility's clinic Tuesday afternoon. Attempts to save his life were unsuccessful and Lara died after being taken to a local hospital. Lara was serving a 12.5 year sentence for second-degree murder in Wichita. Lara's death is being investigating by the Kansas Department of Corrections and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
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Ex-KCK Police Officer Target of Federal Lawsuit
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) – A former Kansas City, Kansas, police officer who shot two people before resigning from the department has been sued in federal court. KCUR reports that the lawsuit alleges Collin Ward acted "maliciously and wantonly" when he killed 50-year-old John Anderton in 2023. The lawsuit was filed by Anderton’s brother. The suit claims Anderton left a house where two people overdosed. Officer Ward tracked him down and tried to arrest him for an old misdemeanor trespassing warrant. Anderton fled. The officer fired 12 times, hitting Anderton five times in the back and head. A gun was found near Anderton’s body, but body cam footage showed he never pointed it at Ward. Ward was cleared of criminal charges by Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree but resigned from the KCK police department two weeks later, and shortly thereafter became a Clay County sheriff's deputy. Ward also shot and wounded a man in 2020, according to another federal lawsuit.
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Northeast Kansas Still Facing Mail Delivery Delays Weeks After Blizzard
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Two weeks after a major blizzard, some Kansans are still reporting problems with mail delivery. WIBW reports the United States Postal Services requested that northeast Kansas residents clear snow and ice from sidewalks, stairs, and mailboxes to provide carriers with clear pathways for postal carriers. But many residents are still expressing concerns about not receiving mail despite there being no obstructions on any pathways. The postal service released a statement saying that the safety of employees is their top priority and that they are making every effort to deliver as much mail as safely as possible. The statement said that service may be delayed when streets or walkways present hazardous conditions.
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Farmers to Receive Billions in Federal Economic & Disaster Relief Funding
UNDATED (HPM) – Farmers will get $31 billion in economic and disaster relief from the U.S. government. Harvest Public Media reports that the payments could offer short term support as many farmers face challenges like less income… and extreme weather. Lawmakers passed the funding in December alongside another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, which funds programs like crop insurance and food benefits. Ryan Whitehouse with the Illinois Farm Bureau, says the payments will help farmers get through the next year, but they need an updated farm bill in the long term. “A modernized farm bill with higher reference prices, with a stronger safety net might have alleviated the need to pass in the economic assistance payment may have, might not have, but there's clearly other policies within the farm bill that need to be modernized,” Whitehouse explained. The one-time payments can help farmers to pay down loans… or invest in new equipment. The government must distribute the economic relief funding by the end of March. (Read more.)
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Former Oregon Volleyball Coach Named to Head KU Team
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) – The University of Kansas has named Matt Ulmer as the head coach of KU Volleyball. He's just the seventh head coach in KU program history. Ulmer was previously the head coach at the University of Oregon. He signed a six-year contract that will run through the 2030 season. Ulmer is the youngest coach in volleyball history to win a national championship, guiding Long Beach State to a beach volleyball title in 2013.
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Undefeated Washburn Men Take on Newman University Saturday
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – The Washburn University men's basketball team will have its second test as the nation's top NCAA Division II team on Saturday (Jan. 18) afternoon at 3 against Newman University. The Ichabods are coming off an 11-point win Wednesday night over Emporia State. That's Washburn's smallest victory margin since late November. Washburn starting guard Michael Keegan says the Ichabods are trying not to get caught up in the hype of being ranked number one, and added "...that's not our main focus though we're the number-one team. We focus on getting better and better every day, now that we are number one...even when we were (ranked) 3 and 2, every team is still coming to get you." The Ichabods enter the game with a 16-0 record.
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Chiefs Pursue 3rd-Straight Super Bowl Title
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) - With Kansas City set to host the Houston Texans Saturday afternoon, the Chiefs hope to begin a historic postseason run. No NFL team has ever won three straight Super Bowls. The Chiefs have won the Vince Lombardi trophy the last two years and are hoping to win it for a third time in a row. The Chiefs take their first step toward that goal at 3:30 pm Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium, when they play the Texans in the AFC Divisional Playoff.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on X (formerly Twitter).