Kansas Legislature Considering Pesticide Labeling Law
UNDATED (HPM) — Kansas could become the third state to pass a controversial pesticide label law. Harvest Public Media reports that Bayer, the company facing lawsuits over its popular product Roundup, has been pushing for passage of the measure. Republicans in the Kansas House say the bill would let farmers do their jobs without worrying about frivolous lawsuits. But Democrats say the bill is designed to block people from suing chemical makers for not disclosing health risks. Modern Ag Alliance is lobbying for the bill. It was founded by Bayer, which has lost billions of dollars over cancer claims related to Roundup. The Kansas Sierra Club says versions of the bill have popped up in a dozen states including Missouri and Iowa. North Dakota and Georgia have passed it.
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Kansas Firm Gets $5 Million to Develop Ag Drones
SENECA, Kan. (KPR) — A Kansas-based company is getting a $3 million state grant to develop drone technology for agricultural use. Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems in Seneca specializes in unpiloted aircraft. The company will use the money to build drones that farmers and ranchers can use to improve crop yields and cut costs. Gov. Laura Kelly announced the grant on Thursday. The money was allocated by the state legislature last year.
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Proposed SNAP Sweets Ban Passes Kansas House and Heads to Kansas Senate
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas may be the next state to ban SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy sugary drinks and sweets. The legislation passed the Kansas House but drew criticism from Democrats like Representative Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, who says the bill chooses junk food winners and losers. The bill allows people using their SNAP card to purchase cookies, muffins and chips, but soda and candy are a no-go. "We're saying that Mars is bad because they make candy, but Lay's is okay, even though, guess what, potato chips aren't healthy either,” she argues. Republicans in favor of the bill say billions of dollars are spent on sweets within the SNAP program which could be spent on healthier options like meat and produce. GOP supporters say the federal government might claw back rural hospital funding if Kansas fails to pass the ban. The bill now moves to the Kansas Senate.
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KU Hires New Provost and New Dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — The University of Kansas has hired a new provost. Arash Mafi will assume the role. He is currently the dean of KU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In addition to his role as provost, Mafi will also serve as chief academic officer and executive vice chancellor of the Lawrence campus. Jennifer Roberts will become the new dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is currently KU’s senior vice provost of academic affairs. The school announced the hires on Thursday.
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It's Official: Lawrence Will Be World Cup Base Camp for Team Algeria
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — After nearly two years of preparation and planning, it’s official: Lawrence will be a base camp for the Algerian men’s soccer team during this summer’s FIFA World Cup™. By being a base camp, Lawrence will be Team Algeria’s “home away from home.” While the team trains, rests and prepares during the tournament, players and staff will become short-term residents of Lawrence. Organizers say the city could see as many as 15,000 visitors during this summer’s soccer matches.
With the announcement of Team Algeria setting up a base camp in Lawrence, organizers will now zero in on the particular needs — linguistic, cultural and otherwise — of fans and players, as well as opportunities the visitors create for the region.
Learn more about Lawrence and its preparations for our World Cup visitors at Lawrence2026.com. (Read more.)
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President Trump Nominates Three for Federal District Court Judgeships in Kansas
UNDATED (KNS) — President Trump has nominated three Kansans to federal district court positions, filling the bench out with his appointees. The Kansas News Service reports that the nominees include Tony Mattivi, who leads the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, as well as solicitor general Anthony Powell. Mattivi previously spent decades as a federal prosecutor. Powell is a former state representative and state appeals court judge. Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach selected Mattivi and Powell for their current roles. He says the new judges will rule based on the law, not partisan ideology. “I know these two men very well and I know their character...I know that both of them will apply the law even-handedly and fairly,” Kobach said. The U.S. Senate will need to confirm the nominees.
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Former Kansas Foster Care Leader Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud
UNDATED (KNS/Kansas Reflector) — A former Kansas foster care leader has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges after admitting to stealing from the organization. The Kansas News Service reports Robert Smith was the CEO of the foster care contractor St. Francis Ministries from 2014 to 2020. The Kansas Reflector reports that Smith admitted to using the organization’s credit cards for personal spending. He also admitted to authorizing payments for fraudulent invoices to embezzle money. Prosecutors accused Smith and his co-defendant, William Whymark, of inflating the prices of invoices to steal nearly $5 million from the state contractor. Smith was facing 20 charges of wire fraud and money laundering, but pleaded guilty to a single charge. Whymark pleaded guilty to two charges of wire fraud last year.
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KU Astronomy Department Commemorates “Pluto Day”
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Happy Pluto Day to those who celebrate. The dwarf planet formerly known as a planet was discovered in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Kansas. Every year, the KU physics and astronomy department celebrates the discovery by holding a day of Pluto-themed events. This year's event will take place at the Lawrence Public Library on Saturday. Although Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet in 2006, some still believe it to be worthy of full planet status.
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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).