Legends Outlets in KCK Sold for $130 Million
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KMBC) — Legends, the outlet mall in Kansas City, Kansas, has been sold. The price tag: not a discount at $130 million. The buyer is Tanger, Inc., a national operator of outlet and open-air shopping centers. The company announced the acquisition Tuesday. KMBC reports Legends Outlets will be renamed Tanger Kansas City at Legends. It is the only outlet mall in Kansas.
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Lawrence City Commission Approves Tax Hike, Rec Center Fees
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LT) — The Lawrence City Commission has approved a new budget that includes a small bump in the property tax rate. The budget approved Tuesday also includes new fees for residents who use the city’s rec centers, as well as money to hire one full-time firefighter and two more police officers. The Lawrence Times reports the budget passed by a vote of four-to-one.
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If Tax Credit Is Not Renewed, Kansans Will See Health Insurance Rates Rise
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansans could see their health insurance costs skyrocket, and some could lose coverage altogether, if Congress does not renew a tax credit that expires at the end of the year. More than 22 million Americans rely on the health care tax credit to afford health insurance. In Kansas, 90% of Affordable Care Act enrollees take advantage of the credit to lower their premiums. Katherine Hempstead of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation says monthly out-of-pocket health insurance costs could spike for those using the public marketplace if the credit is not renewed. “Many will decide that they can’t afford to renew their coverage,” she told the Kansas News Service, “and then the market will become sort of increasingly expensive for the people that stay in it.” Hempstead says Congress could still choose to extend the credit. Otherwise, costs will begin to rise in January.
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Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall Lays Blame for Vaccine Mistrust at Feet of CDC
UNDATED (KMUW) — Kansas Senator Roger Marshall says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to blame for some people's distrust in vaccines. KMUW reports that Marshall made his comments Wednesday during a hearing of the Senate health committee. Members were questioning former CDC director Susan Monarez.
“I think the CDC is the cause of vaccine hesitancy, that you are the problem. As of COVID, and you’re forcing these vaccines on people that were never really proven or justified, that the benefits didn’t outweigh the risk, and you all sat there with your hands in your pockets and let that happen,” Marshall said during the hearing.
Monarez was fired less than a month into her tenure by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She says Kennedy wanted to change the CDC’s vaccine policy despite scientific data showing the policy worked. Marshall also questioned Monarez about allowing employees to work from home, contrary to an executive order from the president.
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Kansas Hospitals to Receive Major Funding Boost, Nearly $1 Billion Per Year
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) — Kansas hospitals are set to receive a major financial boost after the state got approval to double its provider tax, from 3% to 6%. U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared the news during a virtual press briefing on Tuesday. Marshall said the increase could bring in an additional $1 billion per year for Kansas hospitals. KWCH TV reports that the state collects the tax from hospitals, puts it into a Medicaid fund, and the federal government matches it, sending more money back to hospitals.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment moved quickly after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which will freeze provider taxes. Marshall pressed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to fast-track approval before the end of the year. He said, “We had hospitals in Kansas reach out informing us that they would close without this extra money. We got involved to emphasize the urgency to CMS — our hope is this money helps to keep providers in business.”
Experts say that one-third of hospitals in the state are at immediate risk of closing.
(–Earlier reporting–)
Kansas Rural Hospitals Getting More Federal Money
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas hospitals will be able to get more federal money to cover expenses for treating Medicaid patients. Last year, the Kansas Legislature approved an increase to the state provider tax from 3% to 6% at 39 hospitals. This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved that hike. The change could generate around $1 billion annually for these hospitals, according to Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran’s office.
“Those additional dollars would then support hospitals and providers that take care of Medicaid patients,” Cindy Samuelson of the Kansas Hospital Association told the Kansas News Service. While the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act capped the tax at 3.5% for Medicaid expansion states, Kansas and other non-expansion states are not subject to the cap. That’s key, as many rural Kansas hospitals face closure and others are operating in the red.
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New Kansas Supreme Court Justice Sworn into Service
UNDATED (KNS) — The Kansas Supreme Court swore in its newest justice Wednesday. The Kansas News Service reports that means the court is once again fully staffed. Larkin Walsh was sworn in during an informal ceremony in Topeka. The Kansas Supreme Court will hold a formal ceremony in November. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly appointed Walsh to the court last month. She is the fourth justice Kelly has seated. Walsh replaced Justice Evelyn Wilson, who retired early this year after she was diagnosed with ALS. Walsh will face a retention vote in 2026 and every six years after that.
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Kansas Board of Regents Approves KSU Mission Statement Change
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas State University is removing the word “diversity” from its mission statement, and replacing it with the word “all.” The Kansas News Service reports that the Kansas Board of Regents approved the change during its meeting Wednesday. K-State leaders say it was prompted by a new state law that requires universities to eliminate policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The previous mission statement said the university “embraces diversity, encourages engagement and is committed to the discovery of knowledge.” K-State President Richard Linton explained the change by saying that “...we are asking for the change, ‘The university embraces all’ rather than ‘diversity.’ And this is to comply with Senate Bill 125.”
The Kansas Board of Regents voted unanimously to approve the change. Public universities across the country are scaling back diversity programs as states threaten to withhold funding from schools that support DEI efforts.
(–Earlier reporting–)
K-State Wants To Drop “Diversity” from Its Mission Statement
MANHATTAN, Kan. (LJW) — Kansas State University wants to remove the word "diversity" from its mission statement. The Lawrence Journal-World reports K-State officials will ask the Board of Regents to modify the university's mission statement at their meeting on Wednesday. The current mission statement, adopted in 2008, reads: "The university embraces diversity." The proposed change would remove the word "diversity" so the mission statement reads: "The university embraces all." A staff memo says the change is in response to a bill Kansas lawmakers passed earlier this year.
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Kansas State Employee Fired Over Remarks About Charlie Kirk
TOPEKA, Kan. (Manhattan Mercury) — The Kansas Department of Education has fired an employee, apparently over her comments about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Katie Allen was a research analyst for the department. Commenting on a Facebook post last Wednesday, Allen reportedly said Kirk’s death was, quote, “well deserved.” She deleted the post and apologized the next day. But on Friday, Republican Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson called for Allen to be fired.
And she was.
Education department officials confirmed to the Manhattan Mercury that Allen is no longer employed there, but would make no further comment.
(-Related-)
KU Won’t Discipline Employee Who Said Charlie Kirk ‘Better in the Ground as Worm Food’
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KC Star) — The University of Kansas says it will not discipline or fire an employee who said in a social media post last Friday that slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk is “better in the ground as worm food than up here preaching that murdered children are a necessary sacrifice for 2A rights.” The Kansas City Star reports that screenshots of the post, made by KU employee Brianna Lichtenauer Wasser, were shared to X by a right-wing influencer known as Libs of TikTok. A KU spokeswoman said the school is aware of the post, which the employee made on a personal social media account using a personal computer and on personal time. Erinn Barcomb-Peterson also said the post was made not in the person's capacity as a KU employee, but rather as a private citizen, meaning there was no violation of university policy.
Wasser did not respond to requests for comment on Monday or Tuesday. Charlie Kirk was gunned down last Wednesday while speaking outdoors on the campus of Utah Valley University. A 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson of Utah, is in custody.
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Wyandotte County DA's Office Intends to Seek Death Penalty for Man Accused of Killing KCK Police Officer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday it intends to seek the death penalty against the man accused of killing Kansas City, Kansas Police Officer Hunter Simoncic.
WDAF TV reports that Dennis Edward Mitchell III is charged with capital murder, one count of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, two counts of theft and one count of criminal possession of a weapon. He is accused of killing Officer Simoncic on August 26th of this year after a chase, in which Mitchell allegedly abandoned one vehicle and then entered another before continuing to drive away from police. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation later discovered both vehicles were reported stolen. As the chase progressed, Simoncic was attempting to deploy stop sticks a few blocks away. Mitchell is accused of driving toward the officer and over the median, hitting Simoncic before leaving the scene. Simoncic, who was 26 years old and had joined KCKPD in November 2023, was taken to KU Medical Center for treatment, but died of his injuries.
Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree is also seeking the death penalty in the case of Shawn Harris, the man accused of killing Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming. Mitchell is next scheduled to appear in court on October 21.
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Olathe Students Participate in Constitution Day Event
UNDATED (KCUR) — Third-graders in Olathe served on the jury for a mock trial Wednesday to learn about civics.
KCUR reports that Olathe Public Schools and the Kansas 10th Judicial District Court have hosted the Constitution Day event for a decade. This year’s student defendant was accused of running in school hallways. Trey Spillman, a third-grader at Green Springs Elementary School, says kids his age should learn about the Constitution, adding that “...I think it's important for us to learn about it, because if you need to do court when you're older, then you know what to expect.”
This year’s mock trial marked the first time the event was streamed nationwide to thousands of students.
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Kansas State Fair Attendance Declines
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KAKE) — Attendance at this year's Kansas State Fair was down. KAKE reports 300,784 people attended the 2025 fair in Hutchinson. That's down from almost 329,000 last year, and 330,000 in 2023. Fair organizers say rainy weather may be the culprit; heavy rains created parking issues around the fairgrounds. The 2026 fair is scheduled for September 11 to 20.
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Pro-Palestine Student Group Sues University of Missouri
UNDATED (KCUR) — Attorneys representing a pro-Palestinian student group from The University of Missouri argued Tuesday in federal court that the school violated their First Amendment rights by excluding them from this year’s homecoming parade. KCUR reports that attorneys for Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine said in federal court University of Missouri System President Mun Choi denied the group from participating in the homecoming parade because of their views on Israel and Palestine. Choi said he based his decision on safety concerns. But Ahmad Kaki with the Council on American-Islamic Relations and an attorney representing the group, said the school previously raised objections about signage they had planned for their float. “And the fact that they're the only student organization that's been denied is evidence that they are being targeted for their viewpoints,” Kaki said. The group is asking the court to rule that they can participate in the homecoming parade later this month.
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Judge Rules Against Nurse in Fight With Kansas Nursing Board
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — An administrative law judge has ruled against a Kansas nurse who says she was unfairly disciplined by the state nursing board. The board has accused Amy Siple of practicing without a license. Siple says she had not realized her license had expired when she gave talks on her specialty, dementia, at conferences and senior centers. The nursing board says those talks amount to practicing nursing. Siple and her attorney have argued it’s protected speech. KSNT reports the administrative judge ruled the nursing board was acting within its rights when it suspended Siple’s license. Siple is expected to appeal the ruling to a district court.
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Woman Found After Car-Train Collision in Osage County
OSAGE COUNTY, Kan. (KSNT) — An 82-year-old woman was hospitalized after her vehicle hit a train in Osage County and she then went missing for several hours. KSNT reports the Osage County sheriff received a 911 call Monday morning saying a train and vehicle collided. Police found the car, but no driver. Deputies and volunteers searched an area of about two or three miles and found the woman in a heavily wooded area near the train tracks. She was transported to a Topeka hospital for treatment and was listed in stable condition. Her identity has not been released.
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Kansas Ban on Using SNAP Benefits for Candy and Soda Hits Roadblock
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Earlier this year, the Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature pushed to make certain sugary items ineligible for purchase through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. A dozen other states have gotten similar policies approved. But the Kansas News Service reports the state agency that runs SNAP in Kansas says it has yet to hash out all the details with federal officials. Republican state Senator Renee Erickson said it can be complicated to decide what counts as junk food. “It sounds simple when we say ‘pop’ and ‘candy,’” she said, “but we know that those details, those definitions matter.” Supporters say the ban is intended to decrease obesity rates for low-income Kansans, while Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has said the policy is confusing and counterproductive.
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Missing Fisherman’s Body Found in River at Kaw Point
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WDAF) — A fisherman who was reported missing near the Kansas River over the weekend has been found dead in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say a body found in the river Tuesday has been positively identified as Muang Kyi. WDAF TV reports that the man was last seen on Sunday, when a family member dropped him off to go fishing near the Kaw River. When family members returned, the man was no longer there, though they found some of his personal items. The man's body was later discovered near Kaw Point in Kansas City, Kansas. Police are still investigating the death but no foul play is suspected.
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