KCC Staff Recommend Smaller Evergy Rate Hike
TOPEKA, Kan. (Lawrence Times) — Staff at the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) are advising commission members to give Evergy a smaller rate increase than the power company is requesting. The commission is the state’s utility regulator. Evergy is asking the commission to allow it to raise residential electric rates by as much as 15%, about $13 a month for an average home. But the Lawrence Times reports the KCC’s financial analyst says Evergy’s “return on equity to shareholders” should be lower, so the rate increase should be smaller. The commission begins holding public hearings on the proposed rate hike Wednesday in Wichita.
==========
Spirit AeroSystems to Furlough More Workers at Kansas Facility
WICHITA, Kan. (ManufacturingDive.com) – Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, which supplies fuselages to Boeing, says it will begin temporarily laying off 300 workers this week. The company says the layoffs will last two to three weeks. Company officials say the temporary layoffs were necessary because of excess inventory. According to the website ManufacturingDive.com, this latest round of furloughs adds to last month’s temporary layoffs for 300 workers. The company furloughed 700 workers in October of last year.
Last year, the company and the local union inked a new four-year contract after a short strike caused a temporary work stoppage at the Wichita plant.
Spirit has been having financial difficulties over the past year. The company ended 2024 with a $2.14 billion net loss. The losses were primarily due to production and delivery changes implemented by its largest customer, Boeing, as the company has been addressing production deficiencies and safety issues.
(-Related-)
Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Could See Higher Tariffs
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – A U.S. Department of Commerce investigation into aircraft manufacturing could lead to further tariffs on the industry. The Kansas News Service reports that analysts and Kansas officials say that could hurt the state economy. Kansas exports $2.3 billion in aerospace products per year, accounting for nearly 20% of state foreign sales. The Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs are already impacting the industry. But federal officials are now considering additional tariffs due to potential national security threats posed by imported airplane parts. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke at a hearing last week, saying “...probably by the end of the month we’ll have an analysis and we’ll set the standard for aircraft part tariffs.” Tariffs have made it more expensive for foreign companies to buy U.S.-made planes from companies like Boeing. Boeing is in the process of reacquiring its supplier Spirit AeroSystems, one of Wichita’s largest employers.
==========
Kansas Reports Fewer Lead Pipes than Expected
UNDATED (LJW) — A new survey has found the number of lead pipes still carrying water from public supplies to private properties in Kansas to be around 17,000. That’s far fewer than initial estimates, which ranged as high as 160,000. The Lawrence Journal World reports the data was compiled as part of a federal program to replace all lead pipes within the next decade. Lead is a powerful neurotoxin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no safe level of exposure and no cure for lead poisoning once it occurs. In children, lead poisoning can impair development and may lead to permanent brain damage.
==========
Kansas Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing a Machine Gun
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) – A federal grand jury in Wichita has indicted a Kansas man on weapons charges. According to court documents, 61-year-old Leonard Rrapaj, of Topeka, is accused of illegally possessing a machine gun. The FBI, DEA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice.
==========
Coca-Cola Holds Grand Opening for Production Facility in Olathe
OLATHE, Kan. (KPR) – The Coca-Cola company has announced the grand opening of a 700,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility in Olathe. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says the $400-million-dollar investment will improve the company’s production capabilities. Based in Lenexa, Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company serves customers in Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois and parts of Iowa and Nebraska. The new campus sits on 150 acres in Olathe and houses four production lines.
The state of Kansas has been on a roll with economic development. The state was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
==========
Kansas Officials Worry About Support for Small Manufacturing in Wake of Trump Policies
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas officials are worried the Trump administration’s federal reconciliation bill could harm small businesses in the state. The bill before the Senate would defund a U.S. Department of Commerce program that provides consulting and technology support to small- and mid-size manufacturers. At a hearing last week, Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas said he hopes the administration finds other ways to support those manufacturers. “I support the administration’s effort to save dollars. We do need to make sure that these reductions do not harm our efforts to expand manufacturing jobs and to promote Americans’ exports abroad,” he said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the existing program is outdated. He said the Trump administration wants to reshore more manufacturing to the U.S., like the project underway at the De Soto Panasonic plant.
==========
Kansas DCF to Begin Updating Records System
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Department for Children and Families says it will soon begin work to update its records system. It’s a move that officials say will make the department more efficient. Secretary Laura Howard says the department currently uses about seven different information systems for child welfare records and case management, “...some of which go back to before there was such a thing known as the Internet. They’re that old, those systems.” The Legislature recently passed a bill to develop a plan to consolidate the systems into one. Howard says the change will make it easier for the department to screen reports of child abuse or neglect, as well as manage and assign case loads. The project comes as Kansas lawmakers aim to increase efficiency and cooperation among state agencies.
==========
Six-Year-Old Girl Drowns in Geary County
GEARY COUNTY (KSNT) — Authorities in Geary County are investigating after a six-year-old girl drowned in a lake at Milford State Park. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to the lake just before 5 p.m. Monday. KSNT reports the six-year-old was taken to a Junction City hospital where she later died. The sheriff’s office says death is not believed to be the result of criminal activity.
==========
Apple AirTag Found Taped to Child’s Bike
CHENEY, Kan. (KSN) — Police in the Sedgwick County town of Cheney are investigating after an Apple AirTag was found duct-taped to an 11-year-old girl’s bicycle. AirTags are location devices that can be tracked remotely with a smartphone. The girl found the device under her seat after an afternoon riding her bike with friends. KSN reports the case is still under investigation, and no proof of ill intent has been found by police.
==========
Poll Shows Majority of Americans Concerned About Funding Cuts to Medicaid
UNDATED (KNS) — A majority of Americans say they are afraid proposed federal cuts to Medicaid will make it harder to access health care. The Kansas News Service reports that a new poll by KFF, a health policy research organization, found 71% of Americans are worried the proposed cuts will have negative impacts on hospitals and nursing homes. Federal lawmakers are considering a budget bill with large cuts to the health care program for low-income citizens and people with disabilities. April Holman with Alliance for a Healthy Kansas says many rural hospitals in the state rely on Medicaid funding, adding that “...if they see more uncompensated care from more people who are not insured, it could mean the end to those hospitals. So I think that it’s very, very precarious right now.” The U.S. House narrowly passed the bill last month. It is now in the U.S. Senate.
==========
Report Shows Percentage of Kansas Kids in Poverty Dropped in 2023
UNDATED (KCUR) — Fewer Kansas children lived in poverty in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic years. KCUR reports that data from the annual child wellness report known as Kids Count indicates federal policies like the child tax credit lessened the blow of the worst economic effects of the pandemic. Jessica Herrera Russell is senior communications manager for Kansas Action for Children. She says proposed federal budget cuts could limit families’ access to support like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “Sick parents aren't going to be able to consistently work. Hungry kids aren't going to be able to learn. So this is where we really need to make sure that we ensure that everybody who is eligible is able to get help,” she explained. Herrera Russell says 3,000 Kansas children lost health insurance from 2022 to 2023.
==========
Kansas Delegation to Visit 2025 Paris Air Show
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – A Kansas delegation heads to France next week for the 2025 Paris Air Show. KMUW reports that the group hopes to promote business partnerships for the state. The delegation includes Senator Jerry Moran, Commerce Secretary David Toland and over 50 company representatives. Jeff Fluhr, the president of the Greater Wichita Partnership, is leading the group. He says the air show presents an opportunity to share the advantages of investing in the region’s aerospace industry. “It's a global stage for us to market who we are, not only as south-central Kansas, but as a state about the innovation, the workforce, the incredible talent we have here, incredible companies like Airbus, Bombardier, Textron, Spirit,” he explained. The delegation will host an opening reception for over 500 people, including 12 U.S. senators, other members of Congress and representatives of more than 100 companies. Three Kansas businesses will announce international partnerships at the Air Show. The show begins Monday.
==========
Kansas Wheat Harvest Underway
UNDATED (Brownfield Ag News) — The winter wheat harvest is underway in the nation’s largest producing state. The USDA reports that 4% of the crop had been harvested as of Sunday. Fifty percent of the winter wheat crop is rated good-to-excellent. The Brownfield Ag News Network reports that corn planting has nearly wrapped up with 95% of the crop in. And nearly 75% of soybeans have been planted.
==========
Kansas Ranchers Hit Hard by Cattle Theft Operations
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Cattle rustling in Kansas? It may sound like a crime from the days of the Wild West, but the act of stealing livestock is still alive and well. Authorities say criminals continue to target this large industry in Kansas and other ranching states. The Kansas Attorney General’s Livestock Brand Investigation team and the Kansas Livestock Association keep track of cattle rustling. KSNT reports that producers lost more than $4.3 million in 2024 due to cattle theft. The AG's Livestock Investigation Unit usually has around six to 20 active cases of cattle theft at any given time.
==========
Final Symphony in the Flint Hills Scheduled for This Weekend
UNDATED (KCUR) – A special outdoor symphony performance in the heart of the Flint Hills in Kansas will end a 20-year run on Saturday, June 14. The Symphony in the Flint Hills has drawn audiences from 48 states and seven countries. And attendees experienced the sweeping Kansas landscape through music, guided prairie walks and art exhibitions. Program manager Sandy Carlson told KCUR that the concerts are ending, but their impact on the prairie won’t. “We've brought in thousands of people from across the United States and the world, folks who have never been able to walk out onto a tallgrass prairie,” she said. This year’s sold-out performance in Chase County will feature Kansas-born country star Logan Mize.
==========
USA Today Poll: Emporia Has 2nd Best Main Street in America
EMPORIA, Kan. (USA Today) — The city of Emporia already gets high marks for its award-winning tap water, but a recent poll by USA TODAY suggests the seat of Lyon County also has one of the nation's most charming main streets. Emporia's Main Street came in at #2 in USA Today's Reader's Choice Awards. The only main street ranked higher was in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which came in at Number 1.
In February, Emporia took First Place in the Best Municipal Water category at the 35th Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting held in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. This marked the second time Emporia has won Gold for its quality drinking water.
==========
Two Kansans Compete in All-Women Air Race
UNDATED (WIBW) — A team from Kansas is taking part in an all-women cross-country airplane race next week. Joyce Parker and Tammy Willits will pilot their small plane “Midwest Bess” next week in the 2,400-mile race from Alabama to Washington State. Planes in the race are handicapped for speed and engine power. WIBW reports it's Parker’s third time in the race and Willits’ first. The race, known as the Air Race Classic, has its roots in the all-women airplane derbies of the 1920s, whose competitors included Kansas native Amelia Earhart.
==========
KU Baseball Head Coach Signs New 6-Year Deal
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) – University of Kansas Athletics Director Travis Goff announced Tuesday that head baseball coach Dan Fitzgerald has signed an amended six-year contract with the Jayhawks. Fitzgerald led Kansas to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014 this past season, and was named 2025 Big 12 Coach of the Year. The Jayhawks set program records in Big 12 wins, conference wins, conference series wins, conference series sweeps, road wins, come-from-behind wins, and home runs. Fitzgerald has 99 victories over the course of his first three seasons as the KU head baseball coach. He was introduced as the KU coach in June of 2022.
==========
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).