Company Plans to Build Nuclear Reactor One Mile Deep in Kansas
PARSONS, Kan. (KNS) — An industrial park in Parsons, Kansas will be the site of a one-mile-deep nuclear reactor. Deep Fission, the company building the reactor, says it will be the first of its kind in the world. CEO Liz Muller tells the Kansas News Service the company hopes to have the reactor up and running by July to demonstrate it for federal regulators. “We won't be generating electricity at that time,” she said. “That's just showing that the reactor does what we say it's going to do and that it can be operated safely.” Muller says putting a reactor at the bottom of a deep borehole adds to its safety and will make nuclear power significantly less expensive. Deep Fission is targeting data centers and other industries as end users for its nuclear energy.
You can read more on this story from a more local angle at the Montgomery County Chronicle.
==========
Kansas Governor: Won't Be “Bullied” into Releasing SNAP Info
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — With the Trump administration once again threatening to withhold food assistance funding from Kansas and other states, Kansas governor Laura Kelly says she has “no interest in being bullied into releasing information that is personal and private.” The administration is demanding the personal information of people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Kansas is among more than 20 states that have refused the request. The administration says it needs the information to root out alleged fraud, and will withhold funding from states that don’t comply. KSNT reports the Democratic governor is currently working with her legal team to determine how to respond.
==========
Democrats Line Up to Challenge Marshall for U.S. Senate Seat
UNDATED (KNS) — The race to challenge Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall is heating up as five Democrats seek to run against him in 2026. The Kansas News Service reports that the candidates include a Kansas City, Kansas, commercial real estate developer, an Overland Park immigration lawyer and a retired business executive in Merriam. Plus, Democratic Representative Sharice Davids has hinted that she might run as well, though she has not made any official announcement. A win for any of these candidates would be historic. No Kansas Democrat has won election to the U.S. Senate in nearly a century. Marshall won the 2020 election by double digits over Democratic candidate Barbara Bollier.
==========
Man Charged with Attacking Elderly Woman at Olathe Whole Foods
OLATHE, Kan. — A Lenexa man is under arrest after allegedly attacking an 85-year-old woman with a hammer at the Olathe Whole Foods. Christopher Brewer, 50, is charged with one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm or disfigurement. The attack occurred last Saturday around 12:30 pm. Passersby intervened to stop it. The Kansas City Star reports the woman suffered lacerations and facial fractures. Brewer was still holding the hammer when police arrived. Police have given no explanation for the attack.
==========
Report Gives Kansas a Middling Grade for Highway Safety
UNDATED (KPR) — A new report gives Kansas a less-than-stellar grade when it comes to highway safety. The group Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety graded each state as green, yellow, or red. Only five states received the top green rating. Kansas was one of 36 that received a yellow rating. Nine states received the lowest red rating, including Missouri. Among other things, the report criticizes Kansas for not requiring all motorcyclists and their passengers to wear a helmet.
==========
Damaged Pottawatomie County Water Tower Could Cost $100K to Repair
OLSBURG, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — Police are investigating after a water tower in Pottawatomie County was damaged by gunfire. The tower is in Olsburg. The damage was reported Wednesday but police say it may have occurred between August and November. The Pottawatomie County Rural Water Department No. 2 says it may cost as much as $100,000 to repair the damage. WIBW-TV reports the damage does not appear to be impacting water service in the district.
==========
Teen Arrested for Allegedly Robbing Western Kansas Bank
HOLCOMB, Kan. (KSN) — A teenager has been arrested after he allegedly robbed a bank in western Kansas. The alleged robbery took place at the Equity Bank in Holcomb on Tuesday afternoon. The 16-year-old male was arrested in the bank’s parking lot. Police say the teen was wearing a mask and was armed with a knife. KSN reports the investigation is ongoing.
==========
Kansas School Trading Laptops for Pencils and Paper
McPHERSON, Kan. (KSN) — A Kansas middle school is replacing laptops with pencil and paper. McPherson Middle School says students will be turning in their Chromebooks at the end of the semester. In a letter to parents, the school says it hopes switching to “paper and pencil tasks” will “promote deeper thinking, handwriting fluency, and less screen fatigue.” KSN reports students who still need a laptop for homework or projects will be able to check one out.
==========
Family of Murdered Kansas Inmate Sues State
UNDATED (TCJ) — The family of a Kansas state prison inmate who was allegedly killed by his cellmate last year is suing the state. The victim, Brooks Vonthaer, was dead for two days before his cellmate, Matthew McDaniel, alerted corrections officers at the prison at the El Dorado Correctional Facility. Vonthaer was stabbed multiple times. McDaniel has been charged with murder. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Vonthaer’s relatives allege the Kansas Department of Corrections failed to adequately protect him.
==========
State of Kansas Wins Behavioral Health Care Grant
UNDATED (KNS) — More Kansans will have access to comprehensive behavioral health care for mental health or substance use issues. The Kansas News Service reports that the state won a grant from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Kansas will split more than $72 million with Illinois and Michigan over the next 3 years. The money will support Kansas’s 26 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, which serve children, families, adults and veterans. According to a release from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, the clinics offer services like outpatient treatment for substance use disorder and mental health issues, crisis services and resources for psychiatric rehabilitation.
==========
KC2026 Reveals Regional Transportation Plan for World Cup
UNDATED (KPR) — Kansas City is one of the World Cup soccer tournament host cities next summer. On Tuesday, the organizing committee unveiled its transportation plan. There are 15 sites around the Kansas City metropolitan area for fans to board buses, including six in Kansas. Mike Kelly, chairman of the Johnson County board of commissioners, says Lawrence is one of the six sites in Kansas because of the possibility that Rock Chalk Park will serve as a base camp for one of the teams. "Fans that will follow a team that hopefully will be based in Lawrence will want to experience all that the region has to offer. So we wanted to make sure we’re intentional about giving them the connection to do so," Kelly said. All the bus routes will lead to the World Cup FanFest at the Liberty Memorial site in Kansas City. The World Cup draw will be announced on Friday of this week to determine which countries will be represented at each site in the early rounds. (Read more.)
==========
KSU Head Football Coach Stepping Down
UNDATED (KPR) — Kansas State University announced Wednesday that football coach Chris Klieman is stepping down. Klieman capped his seventh season as the Kansas State head coach with a home win last weekend over Colorado. That gave him 54 career victories with the Wildcats, the second most in program history after the legendary Bill Snyder. This season, the Cats are bowl-eligible with a 6-6 season. But for only the second time in his seven years with K-State, the Cats failed to win at least eight games. The only other time was during the COVID year in 2020.
K-State Athletic Director Gene Taylor was asked at a press conference Wednesday afternoon about the replacement process for finding Klieman's successor. "It's going to be fast, and it's going to be efficient," Taylor said.
==========
KU, K-State Open Play in Women’s Volleyball Tournament
UNDATED (KPR) — This year’s NCAA women’s volleyball tournament features both Big 12 schools from Kansas, the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. The Jayhawks have their first-round tournament matchup on their home floor Thursday night in Lawrence. KU opens against High Point of North Carolina, following the first match of the day between the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the Miami Hurricanes.
KU volleyball coach Matt Ulmer is in his first year, replacing legendary Jayhawk coach Ray Bechard, and Ulmer has guided his team to becoming one of the 16 host sites for the first and second matches. Ulmer says he saw strong play at the start of the season and now he's hoping for more. “Those are words until you actually get out there and go play somebody that can really punch you,” he told KPR. Meanwhile, Kansas State has a first-round match on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska, against the University of San Diego.
==========
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).