Merck Animal Health Investing $895 Million in Johnson County Expansion
DE SOTO, Kan. (KPR) — Merck Animal Health has announced an $895 million capital expansion project at its manufacturing facility in De Soto. Governor Laura Kelly calls it the second largest private investment in Kansas history – and the largest economic development project ever for Merck Animal Health. Company officials say the expansion will create more than 200 new jobs. The company aims to deliver health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. “This extraordinary investment by Merck Animal Health underscores my administration’s commitment to securing a strong economic future for our state and ensuring prosperity for generations to come,” Kelly said.
The 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility project will expand filling and freeze dryer capacity for large molecule vaccines and biologic products for Merck Animal Health. Site preparation and facility design will start immediately, creating 2,500 construction jobs. Commercial manufacturing is expected to begin in 2030.
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Seasonal Parks Near Council Grove Lake Affected by Federal Hiring Freeze
UNDATED (KNS) – A lake town in eastern Kansas is facing economic uncertainty as federal hiring freezes have forced campsites to close. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says seasonal parks around Council Grove Lake will not open until they can hire more staff. Ginger Taunton, the co-owner of the Council Grove Marina, told the Kansas News Service that she wants the federal government to exempt their lake from the hiring freeze because businesses like hers rely on campers. “We need the campers because of how much money they put into our little economy,” she explained. These closures are just the latest. There will also be disruptions to recreational sites at Wilson, Hillsdale and Kanopolis Lakes. President Donald Trump says the federal hiring freeze is aimed at improving government efficiency.
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Former Overland Park Officers Agree to Make Restitution Following Accusations of Fund Misuse
UNDATED (KNS) – Former Overland Park police officers accused of misusing charity funds have agreed to pay back tens of thousands of dollars after reaching a settlement with the Kansas attorney general. The Kansas News Service reports that the four officers served as leaders of The Overland Park Police Officers Foundation, which had the goal of supporting families of officers who died or suffered serious injuries on the job. They resigned in 2023 after an audit found that they had spent donation dollars on veterinary bills, scholarships, gift cards and other personal expenses. Now, without admitting guilt, the former Overland Park officers have agreed to pay the money back, plus legal fees and civil penalties.
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Multi-Fatality Collision Kills Woman and Two Children in Southwest Kansas
KIOWA COUNTY (KAKE) — The Kansas Highway Patrol says a woman and two children have been killed on U.S. Highway 54, about a mile east of Mullinville, in Kiowa County. The victims have been identified as 68-year-old Teresa Davis, 13-year-old Travis Welch and 10-year-old Hunter Welch. KAKE TV reports that all three are from Meade, Kansas. The collision took place late Wednesday afternoon between the Ford County and Kiowa County line. The crash involved two-semis and two passenger vehicles. Few other details have been released.
This is the second multi-fatality collision in Kansas in less than a week. On Sunday, eight people were killed in a two-vehicle, head-on collision in Franklin County.
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New Measles Case Confirmed in Sedgwick County
UNDATED (KNS) — The measles outbreak in Kansas has apparently spread to the Wichita area. Local health officials say a new case has been identified in a child in Sedgwick County. It's the county's first case in eight years. State health officials say 48 cases have been identified statewide. Experts say vaccination is the best defense against measles. Health officials say that babies 6 to 11 months old can now receive their first measles shot ahead of schedule. (Read more.)
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Elder Abuse: State of Kansas Not Tracking Number of Adult Protection Cases
UNDATED (The Beacon) — Kansas doesn’t track how many cases its adult protective services staff have. One caseworker is investigating 70 claims of elder abuse. The Beacon reports that one family's case has been open since October. Kansas says it doesn’t share case assignments because that information is confidential. Caseloads are not a perfect measurement though. Some cases are simple and others are more complicated. Kendra Kuehn is with the National Adult Protective Services Association. She says case outcomes and how quickly the case was investigated are the best data to track. Few, if any, states have that information. “It’s challenging to have a gold standard when there are so many factors,” she explained. There is work to standardize adult protective services, but the Trump administration has proposed funding cuts that could complicate that.
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Kansas Attorney General Suing Transgender Advocacy Group over Alleged Misuse of Donations
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing a transgender advocacy group that he says improperly used donation money. The Kansas News Service reports that the lawsuit accuses Justin Brace, executive director of Trans Heartland, of using donations for personal benefit. That includes over $11,000 worth of charitable contributions that the legal filing says ended up in Brace’s personal bank accounts. An affidavit says some of that money was used to pay traffic fines. Kobach is asking a Johnson County District Court judge to bar the organization from collecting any more donations and to order them to pay damages.
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Kansas Professors Seek Protection for International Students Facing Deportation
UNDATED (KNS) — A group of Kansas college professors is calling for universities to protect international students facing potential deportation. The Kansas News Service reports that a chapter of the American Association of University Professors at Wichita State University says school officials should say how many WSU students have been deported or had their visas revoked. The resolution also calls on WSU President Rick Muma to pledge that the university will help international students complete their degrees and challenge any rejection of their visa status. The Kansas Board of Regents does not keep records on how many college students are deported. Universities can check a database managed by the Department of Homeland Security, but they typically don’t get notified when a student is deported or loses their visa.
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PVC Pipe-Maker Says It Will Expand Operations in Southeast Kansas
CANEY, Kan. (Montgomery County Chronicle) — A California-based manufacturing company says it will invest $22 million into expanding its operations in southeast Kansas. The Montgomery County Chronicle reports that Spears Manufacturing plans to add more than 180 jobs to its payroll in Caney, a town of less than 2,000 people. The company makes PVC pipe fittings and will soon start making long-span PVC pipe in Caney.
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Organizations File Lawsuit Challenging New Kansas Voting Law
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — Three advocacy organizations have filed a lawsuit in Douglas County District Court challenging the Kansas Legislature’s move to reject advance ballots if they have not been delivered to election officials by Election Day. The Kansas Reflector reports that Kansas Appleseed, Loud Light and Disability Rights Center of Kansas are asking the court to find the new law unconstitutional. Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew are named as defendants in the case.
The new law disqualifies any mail-in ballots not received by 7 pm on Election Day. Previously, mail-in ballots were counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and arrived within a three-day grace period. Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the bill, but her veto was overturned. The plaintiffs say the law disregards the possibility of postal delivery delays, arguing that the measure would disproportionately harm rural, elderly, and disabled voters.
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Kansas City Mayor Asks State for Help Covering Millions in Police Settlements
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is asking the state of Missouri for financial help paying lawsuit settlements involving the city's police department. The city just settled a lawsuit with Ricky Kidd for $14 million. Kidd served more than 20 years in prison for a double homicide he did not commit. Lucas said that settlement was the highest in Kansas City Police Department history. KCTV reports that the settlement happened less than two weeks after a $4.1 million settlement between Kansas City police and the family of Cameron Lamb. A former KC detective (Eric DeValkenaere) shot and killed Lamb in his garage. Mayor Lucas says other lawsuits involving Kansas City Police are pending.
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