Kansas Governor Joins Lawsuit as State Response to SNAP Food Assistance Crisis Still Uncertain
UNDATED (KNS) — Hundreds of thousands of Kansans stand to lose food assistance this weekend due to the government shutdown. The Kansas News Service reports that state leaders have not yet agreed on a response. On November 1, nearly 190,000 Kansans will stop receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP...unless policymakers find a temporary solution. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and other Democratic leaders are suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend benefits using emergency funds. Kelly says state money could not make up for the loss of federal assistance. Meanwhile, some Republicans in Congress have proposed legislation to keep SNAP afloat using federal reserves. Kansas Representative Derek Schmidt and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley support that. (Read more.)
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Kansas Food Banks Prep as Food Assistance Nears End
UNDATED (AP/KPR) — Kansas food banks are bracing for an increase in demand as federal food benefits are expected to end due to the government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will end on November 1. The notice comes after the Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program running. The Associated Press reports SNAP helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.
Kansas governor Laura Kelly has announced she will be holding food drives on her current statewide tour. Kelly is holding what she calls a “listening tour” to hear what voters have to say about the state budget. The governor is encouraging those who attend her events to bring non-perishable food items that will be distributed to the needy in their communities. Kelly will be appearing in Hays and Garden City on Wednesday.
Food Banks Brace for Halt in SNAP Funding
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — Kansas food pantries are preparing for increased need as tens of thousands of people in the state will not receive their SNAP benefits in November. Congress missed a deadline to end the government shutdown before money for SNAP ran dry. That means more than 180,000 Kansans will not receive food stamps at the start of the month, just weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday. KMUW reports that Brian Walker, president of the Kansas Food Bank, said “...you know, COVID scared the heck out of us. And this is right up there with that level.” He went on to say that without food assistance programs, food banks would have to double their output to meet community demand. He said people can help by volunteering, or donating money or food items.
Rachel Zielke, the community services manager for United Methodist Open Door in Wichita, says her staff has talked about buying additional food for the organization’s food bank, but they are hoping it doesn’t come to that. "Our finances are limited, of course, and so you kind of hate to spend that money before you actually maybe need to," she explained.
More than 93,000 Kansas households receive SNAP benefits each month. About 65% of people receiving food stamp benefits are in families with children. (Read more.)
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Woman Whose Conviction in Eudora Daycare Death Was Overturned Seeks To Clear Her Name
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A woman accused of killing an infant at a Eudora day care in 2016 has gone to court to clear her name. Carrody Buchhorn was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of nine-month-old Ollie Ortiz. The Lawrence Journal-World reports her conviction was overturned after she had been incarcerated for more than five years. In a trial that began in Lawrence on Monday, Buchhorn is attempting to prove her innocence by a preponderance of the evidence. If she prevails, she will be entitled to $400,000 in compensation.
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Kansas Homeless Numbers Drop but Advocates Still Worry
UNDATED (KNS) — The number of people experiencing homelessness in Kansas fell slightly this year after reaching its highest point over the previous decade in 2024. That’s according to a statewide survey by advocates for the homeless. But that data comes just as President Donald Trump is moving to block funding for programs that homeless advocates say helped reduce the problem in Kansas. The Kansas News Service reports the president is targeting Housing First programs that prioritize providing permanent housing to people with no strings attached, such as requiring sobriety. The Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition says Trump’s order could result in more people living on the streets. (Read more.)
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Lawrence School Board Member Resigns
LAWRENCE, Kan. (Lawrence Times) — A member of the Lawrence school board has resigned. Anne Costello says she’s stepping down due to “personal circumstances.” Costello was elected in 2023, and her term was scheduled to run until January 2028. Costello said serving on the board has been “an honor and a privilege.” The Lawrence Times reports the school board will announce the process for choosing her successor at a meeting on November 10. School board members are elected to four-year terms. The position is unpaid.
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Bucklin City Council Fined for Using Text Messages To Make Decisions
BUCKLIN, Kan. (KSN) — The city council in Bucklin, Kansas, has been found to have violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act by communicating with text messages to make decisions. Bucklin is located in Ford County and has a population of less than 800. The Kansas attorney general’s office says the council members deprived the public of its right to observe and monitor the local government when they made financial decisions using text messages. KSN reports each council member will be fined $100 and required to undergo training on the Open Meetings Act.
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Fort Hays State's Docking Institute Releases 2025 Kansas Speaks Survey
HAYS, Kan. (KPR) — The Docking Institute at Fort Hays State University has released its 2025 "Kansas Speaks" survey. The annual survey of public opinion covers various topics of interest to Kansans. Among this year's findings:
- About 80% support raising the state's minimum wage. It's currently at $7.25 an hour, which has remained unchanged for the past 15 years (since 2010).
- Support for Medicaid expansion in Kansas remains high at around 70%.
- About 70% support legalizing medical marijuana. About 59% support legalizing recreational marijuana. The support level is similar to last year’s survey.
The Kansas Speaks survey also found that about two-thirds of respondents agree that legal immigrants contribute to the nation's economic growth. Regarding illegal immigration, about 42% agree that illegal immigrants contribute more to society than they take in terms of resources. About 39% disagree with that statement. More than half of the respondents — about 52% — are very or moderately concerned the state might be running out of water. And nearly half (48%) were concerned about Kansas water quality.
A complete copy of the 2025 Kansas Speaks Survey results and results from previous years can be found here.
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KS Senate President Says Chamber Has Enough Votes to Call Special Session for Redistricting
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas Republicans are one step closer to redrawing the state’s congressional map in their party’s favor. Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson said Monday that his chamber has enough votes to call a special session for redistricting. In an interview earlier this month, Masterson said Kansas needs to help counteract gerrymandering efforts by liberal-leaning states like California and Illinois.
“You know this is political map drawing. It’s been going on for centuries, right? I mean, we just need to call it what it is. Nobody's trying to hide anything,” he said. The mid-decade redistricting wave began in Texas under pressure from President Trump. The Kansas House of Representatives still lacks the necessary votes to call a special session.
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Kansas Lawmakers Skeptical of Rural Opportunity Zone Benefits
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas lawmakers want to find new ways to incentivize people moving to rural parts of the state. The Kansas News Service reports that some legislators say current tax breaks do not work. Rural Opportunity Zones offer student loan repayments and tax credits for professionals who move to work in rural areas. The program kicked off during Republican Governor Sam Brownback’s tenure and is meant to reverse population decline in those areas. But a state audit showed the program had little effect on most rural populations. Republican Representative Sean Tarwater says the state needs to try other strategies, saying “I’d like to see these dollars redirected for something that really works to bring people to the rural areas.” The Kansas Chamber suggests business tax credits for job creation in small towns.
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Local Actor Killed in Lawrence Car Crash Mourned
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) — Tributes are pouring in for a popular actor who was killed in a car crash shortly after a performance in Lawrence Friday night. Louise ImMasche died in a crash on the South Lawrence Trafficway when the actor’s vehicle was hit by another car coming in the opposite direction. The other driver survived. ImMasche, 41, had starred in Theater Lawrence’s production of “The Rocky Horror Show” earlier in the evening. KCTV reports theaters in Garnett, Kansas, and St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated their Saturday night performances to the actor.
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Study: Nation's Highest Rates of Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis in Nebraska and Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) — People in Kansas and Nebraska are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the highest rates in the country. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease that impacts a person’s mobility. The Kansas News Service reports that Epic Research analyzed millions of medical records to find diagnosis rates. Nebraska was the highest with 561 per 100,000 patients. Kansas was second with 517 and Missouri came in seventh with 453. Researcher Kersten Bartelt says to get an accurate comparison, researchers adjusted the rates to account for age, sex and other factors, “...because it’s such an age correlated condition and so we wanted to account for that and Nebraska and Kansas both remained at the top.” Bartelt says more research is needed to determine why these states have such high rates.
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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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