Fundraising Campaign Launched to Help Kansas Trooper Injured in Shooting
UNDATED (KPR) — A fundraising campaign has been started for a Kansas state trooper who was shot and wounded responding to a domestic disturbance in Osage County. Trooper Adam Ellis was one of four law enforcement officers wounded when a suspect opened fire on them Saturday morning. The suspect, 22-year-old Stephen McMillan, was killed when officers returned fire. The Kansas State Troopers Association says Trooper Ellis will require surgery and is asking the public for help in supporting the trooper’s family. Anyone interested in donating can click here for more information. The three other officers who were shot suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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Topeka Standoff Ends Peacefully
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — A domestic disturbance in Topeka on Sunday ended peacefully after a standoff that lasted several hours. Officers responded to the call in the 500 block of SW Fillmore Street early Sunday morning. They negotiated with a suspect who had barricaded himself inside a building for several hours. In the end the suspect was arrested without shots being fired. Topeka police identified the man as 33-year-old Tevin Roberts. WIBW-TV reports he faces several charges, including aggravated assault and domestic battery.
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KBI Announces Immigration-Related Arrests
UNDATED (KNS) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Monday that it recently arrested ten immigrants who lack full legal status through a new collaboration with federal immigration authorities. Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach says four KBI officers have trained to make immigration arrests through the so-called 287(g) program. In a press conference, KBI Director Tony Mattivi said the individuals had each been convicted of violent offenses, sexual misconduct or drug offenses. "The KBI is not an immigration enforcement agency. But our mission is to keep this state safe, and removing dangerous criminals from our communities helps keep us safe,” he explained. The arrests took place in Hutchinson, Newton, Garden City and Dodge City.
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Police: Missing Emporia Teen Has Been Located
EMPORIA, Kan. (Emporia Gazette) — Police have located an Emporia teen who had been reported missing. Bella Black, 17, had last been seen on November 13. On Monday morning, police said she had been found. No further details were immediately available. The Emporia Gazette reports the teen might have been suffering a mental health crisis.
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Kansas Governor Laura Kelly Endorses Ethan Corson in Upcoming Primary
UNDATED (KNS) — Term-limited Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has endorsed state Senator Ethan Corson, a fellow Democrat, in his campaign to replace her. Kelly praised Corson when he launched his campaign in July. The Kansas News Service reports that she had previously stopped short of endorsing anyone. In a campaign video, Kelly says Corson shares the bipartisan appeal that has allowed her to win and retain the governorship. “Ethan is a true middle-of the road candidate who will attract that same broad base of support that is necessary to win but also to then govern effectively,” she said. State Senator Cindy Holscher and Marty Tuley are also seeking the Democratic nomination. Nine candidates have filed in the Republican primary.
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KCK Police Want Drone Attack Defense Funding
UNDATED (KCUR) — Kansas City, Kansas police want to spend $5 million to prevent drone attacks during next year’s World Cup events. KCUR reports that a Unified Government Commission committee is scheduled to hear the request Monday. The Department of Homeland Security set aside $ 250 million for law enforcement in the eleven states that either have World Cup matches or are hosting World Cup events. In a memo to the Unified Government, KCK Police Chief Karl Oakman says police can’t currently detect a possible drone attack and this federal money would “greatly enhance our ability to provide full spectrum protection for the events.” The Unified Government expects Children’s Mercy Park or the Compass Minerals Sporting Fields to be used by visiting teams. The DHS grants were just announced last week and the application must be submitted by December 5, 2025, so police are asking for quick action by U.G. commissioners.
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Kansans Purchasing Health Insurance Through ACA Marketplace Prepare for Premium Increases
UNDATED (KNS) — Many Kansans who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are seeing big premium increases. That’s because federal tax credits are set to expire at the end of this year. The Kansas News Service reports that around 200,000 Kansans use the ACA marketplace. Whether or not to extend the premium subsidies was at the center of the government shutdown. Lawmakers haven’t yet made plans to extend them.
Meg Heriford, owner of Ladybird Diner in Lawrence, says she expected coverage costs for her and her husband to double for 2026. She says instead, it quadrupled. Heriford explained that the health of her small business depends on her health. “I think, you know, I’m one of many, many small business owners who's probably having this conversation right now like, ‘What are we gonna do?’” Heriford says she’s hopeful the tax credit will be extended in time, but for now, she plans on going without insurance.
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Town of Mulberry Considering Annexation Proposal for Solar Farm
UNDATED (KRPS) — A small town in southeastern Kansas may try to annex land for a solar farm, as a way to get around a county ban. KRPS reports that the town of Mulberry has a resolution proposing the annexation. The town would then decided on whether to allow a solar farm, not Crawford County commissioners. Tom Moody, a commissioner for Crawford County's second district, said "...if it was annexed by a city, then it takes it out of our hands, takes it out of the county's jurisdiction, and would put it in Mulberry's jurisdiction." A moratorium on renewable energy projects is in place until the county updates its renewable energy policy.
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Last Month Was One of Kansas’s Ten Warmest Octobers Ever
UNDATED (KNS) — Last month appears to rank in the top 10 warmest Octobers on record for Kansas. Based on sources such as weather stations and airports across the state, Kansas averaged five degrees warmer than usual in October. The Kansas News Service reports that would make last month the ninth warmest October on record. The statistic isn’t official because the federal government shutdown held back key reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But the assistant state climatologist says the average temperature across Kansas topped 80 degrees for a full third of October. The hottest reading was 96 degrees in southwest Kansas on October 3.
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Some Farm Bill Programs Get One-Year Extension in New Federal Funding Package
UNDATED (HPM) — The federal funding package that reopened the government also included a one-year extension for certain Farm Bill programs. Harvest Public Media reports that this brings some temporary relief to farmers. The extension of the 2018 farm bill reauthorized many of the rural development and conservation programs expiring this fall and winter. Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, says the extension is a small step in the right direction. “We are long-overdue for a permanent farm bill, three years overdue,” he explained. The One Big Beautiful Bill passed earlier this year addressed some key farm bill policies, including boosting safety nets for farmers. But Lehman says it also did a lot of damage with massive cuts to nutrition programs and left out other parts of the farm bill.
Kalee Olson is a policy manager at the Center for Rural Affairs, which advocates for small business owners and family farms and ranches. “We're very happy to see a farm bill extension. While it might not be perfect, it's important that that farm bill is in place,” she said. The extension reauthorizes several rural development initiatives, like the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program. It supports small business owners with 10 or fewer full-time employees. “It can help daycare providers, mechanics, small town gyms …the possibilities are really, really pretty endless,” Olson explained. She says this and other USDA programs are vital for rural communities.
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Owners Announce Search for New Arabia Steamboat Museum Location
UNDATED (KCUR) — Owners of the Arabia Steamboat Museum hope to find a new home for their collection after it leaves Kansas City’s River Market next year. KCUR reports that the museum of artifacts from the sunken 1850s steamboat has been in Kansas City for more than 30 years. Owners say November 13th, 2026 will be its last day after the city said it wanted to redevelop the area. David Hawley is the museum’s owner. He says they’re exploring options in Marshall Junction, Missouri, and Leavenworth, Kansas. "To be able to find a new home with actually not only a larger parking (lot) but more places to put the artifacts… where we have more artifacts than we can display," he explained. Hawley has also located the Malta, a steamboat that sank in 1841. He wants to salvage the boat and add it to the Arabia collection.
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K-State Scientists Exploring New Strategies for Research on Herbicide-Resistant Weeds
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) — It’s been 50 years since scientists at Kansas State University documented the state’s first case of herbicide-resistant weeds. Now there are new strategies for fighting the plants in fields of Kansas crops. If you have ever driven down the road on a windy day in western Kansas, you have likely seen a gang of tumbleweeds. Those plants were the first documented that were able to resist chemical herbicide. And they still thrive across the state, choking out farmers’ soybeans, corn or sorghum. Patrick Geier is a weed scientist for K-State. He told the Kansas News Service that it’s getting especially hard for farmers practicing no-till farming, which is a conservation method that reduces soil erosion, but helps weeds spread. “It's becoming more and more challenging to control some of these weed species using chemicals,” Geier added. Scientists have developed new herbicides and different harvesting methods that can kill weed seeds.
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Kansas Department of Education: Graduation Rate at Highest Level Ever
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas education leaders reported Wednesday that the graduation rate for the class of 2025 is over 90% for the first time. Kansas high school students have until the end of October to earn the credits they need to graduate. The Kansas News Service reports that new numbers from the State Department of Education show that a record 90.5% of students earned a high school diploma. The overall graduation rate has increased by more than four percentage points since 2015. Education Commissioner Randy Watson told Kansas Board of Education members the rate for special-education students, children in poverty and English language learners is rising as well. “You should feel very proud that in all of those categories, including all students, we are at the highest ever in the history of Kansas,” Watson added. State education leaders set a goal of a 95% graduation rate by 2030.
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Report: 30 Kansas Schools Show Higher than Expected Reading Scores for 3rd-Graders
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — A new report highlights more than 30 Kansas schools where third-grade reading scores are much higher than expected, based on the schools’ poverty rates. The Kansas News Service reports that the national nonprofit news outlet “The 74” set out to find school districts that are doing the best job of teaching kids how to read. A new searchable database shows reading scores versus poverty levels for nearly 42,000 U.S. schools, and it highlights exceptional schools in the top 5% of their state in terms of outscoring their expected reading proficiency. Dighton Elementary School in western Kansas is the highest performing school in the state, with 95% of third graders reading proficiently. In Wichita, two schools made the exceptional list: Hyde Elementary and College Hill Elementary. The searchable database is at the74million.org.
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