CoreCivic Asks Kansas Appeals Court to Lift Injunction on Reopening Leavenworth Facility
TOPEKA, Kan. (LT) — A private prison company is asking the Kansas Court of Appeals to give it permission to reopen its closed facility in Leavenworth. CoreCivic wants to reopen the facility as an immigrant detention center. The company has applied for a permit from the city to reopen the prison. But on Tuesday, lawyers representing CoreCivic told the appeals court an injunction barring the company from reopening the prison should be lifted immediately. No word on when the appeals court might rule.
Meanwhile, the permit process continues. The Lawrence Times reports the Leavenworth city council will hold a public hearing on the permit application on February 24.
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Kansas House Committee Changes Course on School Phone Ban Recommendation
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas lawmakers are rapidly changing tack on a proposed statewide ban on cell phones in schools. The Kansas News Service reports that a Kansas House committee voted on Monday to recommend that schools ban phones, rather than having the state require it. But the committee has reversed course again. The new proposal would force public schools to lock phones away for the entire school day, but private schools would not have the same requirements. Democratic state Representative Linda Featherston opposed the required phone ban. She says a statewide mandate undermines the authority of individual communities to set their own policies. “I think we have a lot of local schools who have figured this out. We should respect local control while still making it known that we consider the phones an issue that need to be addressed,” she added. Supporters of the ban say it would improve student mental health and academic performance.
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Prosecutors Amend Charges in Fatal Lawrence Shooting
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KSHB) — One of the two young men charged in connection with a deadly shooting outside a Lawrence bar last month has had the charges against him reduced. Meanwhile, the other defendant has had his charges upgraded. Murder charges against 18-year-old Caiden Clem were dropped. KSHB reports Clem now faces four counts of felony aggravated assault and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. The charges against the other defendant, 18-year-old Daitron Daniels Strickland, have been upgraded from second degree murder to first degree murder. Both are charged in connection with the shooting that killed 18-year-old Aidan Knowles and wounded a 16-year-old outside the Hawk.
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Lawrence Commissioners OK Markers for Teens Killed by Police in 1970
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LT) — The Lawrence city commission on Tuesday approved the installation of historic markers paying tribute to two teenagers who were shot and killed by Lawrence police officers in 1970—despite the concerns of the current police chief. The markers would honor Rick “Tiger” Dowdell and Nick Rice, who were killed in separate incidents. Dowdell was killed on July 16, 1970. Rice was killed four days later. Dowdell was 19, Rice 18. The shootings took place at a time of civil unrest in the city. The Lawrence Times reports Police Chief Rich Lockhart “has some concerns about the validity of some of the statements made on the marker for Nick Rice.” But the city’s historic resources administrator told the commissioners the text on the markers has been “extremely vetted.”
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HUD Takes Control of Manhattan Housing Authority
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNT) — The federal government is taking over control of the Manhattan Housing Authority. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the takeover on Tuesday. HUD officials say the authority has failed to make changes required by an earlier agreement with the federal government. KSNT reports HUD determined the Manhattan Housing Authority repeatedly “failed to correct identified deficiencies despite notices, extensive technical help, and multiple chances to achieve compliance.” A housing authority representative says the takeover will not impact residents.
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Kansas Considers Making Cattle Rustling a Felony
TOPEKA, Kan. (KWCH) — Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would increase the penalty for stealing livestock. KWCH reports the bill was proposed after dozens of cattle were stolen from ranchers in Kansas last year. It would reclassify cattle rustling as a level five felony. Currently the crime is a misdemeanor. Under the new classification, convicted livestock thieves would face up to ten years in prison. The bill has been passed by the House and is now in a state Senate committee.
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Kansas Governor Comments on Offensive Trump Social Media Post
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — Democratic Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says a racist social media post by President Trump should not have happened. KMUW reports that Governor Kelly was dismayed by the video clip depicting former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates in a jungle. "I was offended and actually appalled and saddened that in today’s world in 2026 that that can still happen," Kelly said. In terms of Kansas, Kelly added, it's been made clear years ago that we are a free state. The Democratic governor says we value people of all different backgrounds, colors, creeds and religions. "What matters is what kind of contribution are you making to our communities, to our state," Kelly insisted. Kansas Republican Senator Jerry Moran also says the now deleted post was racist and not who we are as a nation.
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Kansas Attorney General Challenges Legality of In-State Tuition for Students Without Permanent Legal Status
UNDATED (KNS) — Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach says the state should stop giving in-state tuition to college students who don’t have permanent legal status. Kansas allows some college students without legal immigration status to pay the lower tuition rate if they have connections to the state, like attending a Kansas high school. The Kansas News Service reports Kobach said in an attorney general opinion that the state has been violating federal law for more than 20 years, and could be sued over it. This comes as lawmakers consider a change that would bar public benefits from people in the country without legal status. Opponents of the tuition change say it would lead to a less educated workforce and ultimately hurt the Kansas economy.
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Kansas Colleges and Universities Get Ready for Looming Drop in Enrollment
PITTSBURG, Kan. (KRPS) — Colleges and universities across Kansas are bracing for what’s known as an enrollment cliff starting in 2028. People were having fewer babies around 2008 because of the nationwide financial crisis. Now children born in 2008 are in high school. KRPS reports that data from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education estimates Kansas will see a 12% decline in high school graduates in the next sixteen years. Karl Stumo with Pittsburg State University says the school’s leaders are bracing for the decline. We have to continually change and innovate to produce the right products that students and employers want in order to be a good partner for our region. Stumo says PSU is recruiting students for two-year certificate programs. That might attract people who otherwise wouldn’t pursue four year higher education.
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Unified Government Planning Commission Advances Moratorium on Immigration Detention Centers
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) — The planning commission of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, voted Monday night to block future immigration detention centers for at least two years. The moratorium would apply to all special-use permits for new jails and detention centers. Commissioner Jim Ernst asked if the resolution was an attempt at virtue signaling since there has been no indication of an immigration detention center coming to Wyandotte County. Resident Eva Garcia-Meza testified that a proactive approach would help community members who fear that possibility. “Putting this kind of messaging out there would send a...some way to pacify some of the fear that the community is feeling,” she said. The resolution will now advance to the Board of Commissioners for a final decision.
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U.S. Ranchers React as Executive Order Increases Beef Imports from Argentina
UNDATED (HPM) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order quadrupling beef imports from Argentina. Harvest Public Media reports that has aggravated some of Trump’s biggest supporters. President Trump promised to bring down food costs, and he supports the president of Argentina. So, he is quadrupling low tariff beef imports from Argentina for at least one year. But, Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA, says added imports will hurt ranchers who are trying to rebuild the US cattle herd, which is at its lowest level since the 1950s. "As we continue to see imports displacing domestic production, displacing domestic producers and their cattle. This is going to delay the needed expansion of the US cow herd," Bullard said. While cattle prices dropped when Trump announced plans to increase imports last fall, Bullard says consumers will likely see no change in beef prices.
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Kansas Flint Hills Burn Season Collides with a Shortage of Volunteer Firefighters
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KPR) - Every spring, pastures in the Flint Hills are set ablaze. The controlled burns - primarily in March and April - help clear away underbrush, suppress invasive species and promote the growth of new grass for grazing. Sometimes, those controlled burns get out of control. And that presents a problem for states like Kansas, which rely heavily on volunteer fire fighters.
Bill Waln, the fire management officer with the Kansas Forest Service, says the state has lost about 30% of its volunteer force during the past 25 years. "We're losing firefighters... daily, right now. And we have many departments out there that have less than 10 firefighters on there, so one, one call and you've depleted the fire capacity, so... volunteer fire departments are just really struggling with numbers and people," he said. "So, that's, that's pretty significant... you know, especially as you move west and you have smaller departments out there that are 100% volunteer." Kansas consistently ranks in the Top 5 states in the nation for wildfires.
This week is Wildfire Awareness Week in Kansas. Learn more at KansasForests.org.
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Kansas House Committee Considering Bill to Change Detention Policy for Young People in Mental Crisis
UNDATED (KNS) — When kids are experiencing a mental health crisis and end up in police custody, they can go into detention instead of getting services. Kansas lawmakers say that should change. The Kansas News service reports that they are considering a bill that would allow for earlier placement of juvenile offenders in mental health stabilization centers. The bill could fill a gap in Kansas law that does not directly allow law enforcement to place children experiencing mental health emergencies in crisis centers. A judge or mental health center has to do it. Stabilization centers can be an alternative to secure detention centers and can offer immediate behavioral health services. Kristalle Hedrick of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas says juvenile offenders in Kansas need more support. “These youth often have significant trauma histories, complex needs, and they're among really the most vulnerable,” Hedrick said, adding that early intervention can also reduce the chances of repeat offenses.
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Biofuel Industry Looks to Global Shipping Sector as Possible Growth Area
UNDATED (HPM) — Biofuel leaders in the Midwest say the global shipping sector could be a new market for biodiesel and ethanol - and the crops used to make them. Harvest Public Media reports that economist Dave Miller led a recent study about future corn demand for the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. He says the study showed that “...globally, the Marine fuel market is a 70 to 80 billion gallon a year market. It's a very big market. If corn could take even 2 to 3% of that market with ultra low carbon ethanol, it would very much help close this demand gap.”
A global agreement would have required cargo ships to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to cleaner fuel - or pay a pollution tax. The U.S. threatened countries with sanctions, visa restrictions and fines if they voted in favor of the measure. A motion to delay the vote until this coming fall narrowly passed. (Read more.)
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Washburn Men's Basketball Drops to No. 3 in Division II Coaches' Poll
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — The Washburn Ichabods men's basketball team fell out of the No. 1 slot in the NCAA Division II top 25 rankings for the first time in seven weeks. The team had its first loss of the season on February 7th against Central Missouri, snapping a 22-game winning streak. This week, the team dropped to No. 3 in the latest NABC poll, while still receiving three first-place votes. The Washburn men will host Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday.
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Kansas High School Cancels Baseball, Not Enough Players
HORTON, Kan. (KPR) — A northeast Kansas high school has announced it won’t field a varsity baseball team this spring. Horton High School in Brown County says it just doesn’t have enough players. The high school only has about 150 students. In a statement posted on social media, the school says it still hopes to field a junior varsity team.
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England Also Chooses Kansas City as Home Base for 2026 FIFA World Cup
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) — England has chosen Kansas City as its home base for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. KCUR reports that the English men's national squad is joining Argentina in setting up its main base of operations in Kansas City for the tournament. It had previously been reported that England would operate from Prairie Village, Kansas, where it has booked all 54 rooms at the Inn at Meadowbrook. However, the team announced Wednesday that it would use practice facilities at Swope Soccer Village, the former base of Sporting Kansas City.
England will not play any of its early games in Kansas City, but reportedly chose Kansas City for its central location. The team is slated to play its group stage matches in Dallas, Boston and New York. With Argentina over at Sporting KC’s training facility, sites in Lawrence and Riverside are still available for two more teams. (Read more.)
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