Trump’s Beef Plan Unites Kansas Congressional Delegation in Opposition
UNDATED (TCJ) — President Trump’s plan to import beef from Argentina has sparked a rare moment of bipartisan unity among Kansas’s congressional delegation. Democratic representative Sharice Davids told the Topeka Capital-Journal she is “pretty pissed” about the proposal. Davids says “we should be doing everything we can to support our American producers.” Republican representative Derek Schmidt agrees, albeit in less direct terms. Schmidt is one of eight House Republicans who have sent a letter to Trump asking him to explain how the plan “aligns with your administration’s commitment to strengthening American agriculture.”
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Kansas Ranchers Oppose Trump’s Beef Import Plans
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) - Groups representing the livestock industry in Kansas are urging ranchers to contact lawmakers and express opposition to the Trump administration’s plans to import beef from Argentina. Beef prices have been rising due to drought which made cattle feed more expensive, and higher costs for equipment and energy are causing some ranchers to shrink their herds. President Trump says that he wants to import beef from Argentina to lower prices for American consumers. But livestock industry experts say the president’s plan would drive profits down for domestic ranchers and feedlots. Scarlett Madinger with the Kansas Livestock Association says Trump’s comments alone have already hurt cattle markets. “Just the comments or the allusion to this plan, dropped the bottom out of the market,” Madinger said. Prices for cattle dropped $9 per hundred pounds since the president’s announcement. Kansas ranks third nationally in beef production with six million cattle on ranches and in feed yards.
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KBI Asks Lawmakers to Ban Child Grooming
TOPEKA, Kan. (State Affairs) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says it should be illegal to groom children for sexual abuse, even if no abuse actually occurs. Grooming happens when an adult gains a child's trust and takes advantage of that trust to abuse them. KBI Executive Officer Bob Stuart spoke in favor of such a bill at yesterday’s meeting of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Kansas Security. The news website State Affairs reports an anti-grooming bill is expected to be introduced in the 2026 session.
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KCKPD Seizes 9 Pounds of Fentanyl, Other Dugs; 3 Arrested
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KMBC) — The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department says it made one of the biggest drug busts in the city’s history last week. The drugs were seized from a short-term rental home in downtown KCK. The department says officers recovered more than nine pounds of fentanyl, half a pound of marijuana, 2.5 ounces of methamphetamine, and 786 pills believed to contain fentanyl. Police say the street value of the drugs exceeds $100,000. Eleven guns were also found. KMBC reports three people were arrested. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than morphine.
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Topeka Mail Carrier Recovering From Dog Attack
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — A Topeka mail carrier is still recovering, a week after she was attacked by a dog on her route. Sarah Stevens was delivering mail on the morning of October 17 when a pit bull allegedly leaped over a fence and attacked her. A neighbor heard her screams, got a gun, and shot the dog, which later died. KSNT reports Stevens suffered a fracture as well as multiple cuts and puncture wounds.
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Suspected El Dorado Booster Club Thief Accused of Another Theft
EL DORADO, Kan. (KWCH) — The person accused of stealing money from the El Dorado High School booster club, who was the club's treasurer, is now also accused of stealing money from a local swim club. The booster club reported the missing money to El Dorado police less than a week ago. Now the El Dorado Sea Dragons swim club says the same person stole from them, too. The swim club says the stolen money was meant to pay for equipment for everyone on the team. KWCH reports Butler Electric Cooperative says it will donate $500 to the club to help cover the loss.
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Legislative Committee Discusses Privatizing Kansas Motor Vehicle Offices
UNDATED (KNS) — Some Kansas lawmakers want to improve services for drivers by privatizing the state’s motor vehicle offices. In Kansas, public employees help residents with license renewals, driver’s tests and car registrations at DMVs overseen by the state. But that’s not how it works in neighboring Missouri, where motor vehicle offices are run by private companies that contract with the state department of revenue. The Kansas News Service reports that in a committee on government efficiency, Kansas lawmakers discussed following Missouri’s lead. Republican state Senator Mike Thompson said DMV service has gotten especially bad in populated areas like Johnson County. “If you don't get an appointment, you're not going to get in there. You may sit two or three hours unless you get an appointment,” he added. Thompson also says it might be worth considering fee hikes to improve services.
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Johnson County Health Director Concerned About Flu Vaccine Messaging
UNDATED (KCUR) — It’s flu season in the Midwest, but respiratory illnesses are at relatively low levels and remain mostly stable. Still, Kansas health officials are concerned about the effects of inconsistent vaccine messaging from federal officials. KCUR reports that Johnson County Health Director Charlie Hunt says recent changes to vaccine recommendations are confusing people, and complicating efforts to get more people to take the shot. “It’s a little hard to tell what the demand has been because the vaccine really has not been available to most people because of the changes in the federal recommendations,” Hunt said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention downgraded COVID-19 vaccine recommendations earlier this month, and eliminated a combination measles and chickenpox shot for children.
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Gov. Kelly Announces $442M in New Highway Projects
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas governor Laura Kelly has announced another round of highway construction projects. The nine projects Kelly announced on Wednesday total more than $442 million. They include reconstruction and repair work on roads and bridges in a dozen counties. The work is being undertaken through a bi-partisan initiative known as the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program. In total, that program has so far funded $2.7 billion dollars in road projects statewide.
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Animal Control Officials Warn of Sick Raccoons in Manhattan
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNT) — Officials in Manhattan, Kansas, are warning residents to be on the lookout for sick raccoons that may be carrying a contagious disease. The city’s animal control division posted a warning on social media Wednesday saying some raccoons in the area are showing signs of canine distemper. Humans cannot get canine distemper but unvaccinated dogs are highly susceptible to the disease, which can be fatal. Cats can become infected as well but are less likely to become sick. Signs that a raccoon may be infected include disorientation and twitching. KSNT reports residents are asked to report any sick raccoons to Manhattan animal control.
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Kansas City Streetcar Extension Completed Between Downtown and UMKC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - The streetcar extension in Kansas City, Missouri, is finally open. Riders can take the car from the River Market through downtown to the University of Missouri-Kansas City with stops in midtown and Westport. The KC Streetcar opened in downtown Kansas City in May 2016 and in 2022, officials announced the three-and-a-half-mile extension between downtown and UMKC. On Friday, riders boarded the streetcar for the first rides on the new extension. Kansas City once had a vast network of streetcar lines throughout the city but officials pulled up the rails in 1957 to make way for buses and cars. Transit leaders say they expect the new route to boost tourism and provide greater transportation options for students, residents, and visitors.
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Sunflower Showdown Sold Out
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - The University of Kansas has announced that the Sunflower football showdown against Kansas State is a sellout. The Kansas Jayhawks are hoping to turn the tables on the K-State Wildcats after losing to their cross-state rivals in every meeting since 2008. That’s 16 straight games that the Wildcats have won since then. This will be the fifth game between the rivals since Lance Leipold has been the KU head coach and he knows that the Jayhawks have let some close contests slip away “It’s our full intention that we find a way to close it out and finish the ballgame when opportunities show for us to have a chance to win.” This will be the 123rd meeting between the two schools. The Saturday morning kickoff is set for shortly after 11 a.m.
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Leanne Wong Takes All-Around Silver Medal at World Gymnastics Championships
JAKARTA, Indonesia (KPR) — Gymnast Leanne Wong took second place in the all-around competition Thursday at the 2025 International Federation of Gymnastics World Championships. Wong is a native of Overland Park. It is her second career all-around silver medal in the event.
Wong posted a combined score of 54.966, bolstered by a top-three showing on balance beam, and a 14.466 on vault, which was the highest score of the night. She also turned in scores of 13.800 on bars and 13.200 on floor exercise.
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KPR Seeks New Kansas Statehouse Bureau Chief
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new Statehouse Bureau Chief. This position works primarily at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka and is primarily responsible for reporting on state government. This includes, but is not limited to, covering the Kansas Legislature, the governor, attorney general, supreme court, the state's congressional delegation and statewide elections. (Click here for more details.) Must apply online.
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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).