General Motors to Expand Kansas Plant
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) — General Motors says it’s expanding production at its Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas. The automaker announced Tuesday the Fairfax plant will begin building the gas-powered Chevy Equinox in mid 2027. That vehicle is currently produced in Mexico.
The Fairfax plant is also scheduled to start production of the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV by the end of this year. Overall, GM says it’s investing $4 billion in its U.S. factories over the next two years to expand production of both gas-powered and electric vehicles.
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Kansas Board of Regents Approves Tuition Hikes for Most State Universities
UNDATED (KNS) – The price tag of a college education in Kansas will be higher this year after the Board of Regents approved tuition hikes at most state universities. The Kansas News Service reports that five of the six major state universities will charge more this year. Increases range from 2.5% at Pittsburg State to 4% at Fort Hays State. Emporia State University will keep tuition flat for a second straight year in response to steady enrollment declines. Kansas State and Wichita State will raise tuition by 3.5% this year. Tuition at the University of Kansas will go up 3%. College leaders say raising tuition will help offset inflation and make up for reduced federal funding.
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State Board of Education Makes Reduced Requirements for Emergency Substitute Teachers Permanent
UNDATED (KNS) – The Kansas State Board of Education voted Wednesday to permanently loosen requirements for working as a substitute teacher. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kansas schools faced unprecedented staffing shortages. So leaders approved an emergency license to allow anyone 18 or older with a high school diploma to work as a sub. The Kansas News Service reports that now, state leaders have made those terms permanent. Humboldt superintendent Amanda Wheeler says the license lets schools hire subs who might not have college credits but have lots of experience in the classroom, like a preschool substitute named Chloe. “Miss Chloe is the best person to step into that classroom, because she’s been an aide for that teacher since she was in high school,” Wheeler said. About 700 Kansas substitutes have emergency licenses. They also require a background check and online training.
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Kansas Democratic Party Launches Investigation into Alleged Online Comments from Party Official
UNDATED (KNS) – The Kansas Democratic Party is investigating a party official from Mound City who made offensive comments about the LGBTQ+ community online. The Kansas News Service reports that Lawrence Forbach is a city council member and co-chair of the Linn County Democrats. Forbach recently said on Facebook that he believes it’s unnatural to be gay, non-binary or transgender. Jae Moyer, a party leader for LGBTQ+ issues, says those comments do not reflect the attitude of the Kansas Democratic party overall. “Those are right-wing Republican propaganda talking points that are rooted in bigotry, homophobia, and transphobia,” Moyer said. The investigation could lead to Forbach’s censure, suspension or outright removal from his position in the party.
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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. And 700 workers were furloughed in October of last year.
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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 affecting 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 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.
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Panel Nominates Three Candidates to Fill Kansas High Court Vacancy
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — A state commission has nominated three people to fill an impending vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court. A seat is opening because Justice Evelyn Wilson is retiring next month for health reasons. The nominating commission submitted three candidates of which Governor Laura Kelly will choose one to replace Justice Wilson. The candidates are Douglas County District Court Judge Amy Hanley; Johnson County District Court Judge Christopher Jayaram; and Leawood attorney Larkin Walsh. It will be the Democratic governor’s fourth appointment to the state's seven-justice Supreme Court.
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Johnson County Health Leaders Say Repercussions from CDC Vaccine Panel Changes Still Unknown
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KCUR) – Johnson County, Kansas, health leaders say the impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to gut a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory panel is still unknown. The panel's main function is to make recommendations on things like who should get vaccines, what age groups should be prioritized and how often vaccines should be administered. Charlie Hunt heads the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. He told KCUR that they rely on these recommendations, “...so if a situation occurs where the recommendations from CDC end up differing substantially from other leading medical and scientific organizations, that puts us in a really difficult position in terms of what guidance we follow.” Hunt says the panel also impacts how they pay for vaccines and whether insurance will cover them for the public.
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Report: Haskell Trainer Sexually Harassed Women Athletes
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A Haskell University employee allegedly sexually harassed members of the school’s women’s basketball team. That’s according to a report by the Office of the Inspector General in the U.S. Department of the Interior. The investigation found the employee, who was a trainer on the team, made crude jokes and comments of a sexual nature to students and engaged in unwelcome physical contact with at least one student. The Lawrence Journal-World says the report does not name the employee or give the employee’s current employment status. The Haskell women’s basketball team won a Continental Athletic Conference tournament title last spring and a berth in the NAIA Tournament.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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World Cup Countdown Launched at Kansas City's Union Station
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) – The Kansas City organizing committee has announced that the FIFA 2026 World Cup, to be held in North America, will officially kick off on June 11th in Mexico City, and the countdown has begun. Kansas City's first match is slated for June 16th. There are expected to be three base camps selected for teams of the visiting countries. Sporting Kansas City president Jake Reid spoke Wednesday at Union Station in Kansas City where the countdown officially began. He said he is confident that its facilities will be among those chosen, and hopes to know by late summer. Reid added that Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence is also under strong consideration, but that facility may not receive official word until after the tournament bracket is announced in December. Kansas City will host six matches at Arrowhead Stadium beginning June 16 with a group stage match. The final match at Arrowhead will be a quarterfinal on July 11, 2026.
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Transportation Planning a Major Issue as Kansas City Counts Down to World Cup Matches
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The World Cup games in Kansas City will take place in just a year. KCUR reports that transportation is a big focus of planning the event. Kansas City is preparing to receive more than 650,000 people for the World Cup. Getting those fans around the metro is no easy task. Pam Kramer is the CEO of KC 2026, the group that is planning Kansas City’s matches. She says they will transport visitors to the matches, official fan activities and the airport. "We will stand up a regional transit network for the World Cup that we hope will leave a blueprint for regional connectivity after the World Cup, one of the ways that we're weaving sustained and long term impact into everything we're doing," she explained. KC 2026 is including Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, and the Streetcar in its planning.
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