Kansas Legislature Opens 2026 Session With Water and Budget at the Top
Lawmakers returned to the Statehouse in Topeka this week facing a crowded agenda led by a long-term water plan for the drying Ogallala Aquifer and a projected budget surplus.
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Statehouse, weather & community
Dangerous Heat Wave Grips Kansas as Heat Index Tops 115
A prolonged stretch of extreme heat pushed heat index values well above 110 degrees across Kansas in late July, prompting advisories and warnings from the National Weather Service.
Kansas to Receive More Than $225,000 in 23andMe Data Breach Settlement
Kansas will collect over $225,000 as part of a multistate settlement with the genetic testing company 23andMe following a data breach that affected tens of thousands of Kansans.
Kansas Launches Work Zone Safety Push After Rise in Crashes
State transportation and law enforcement officials rolled out a summer campaign urging drivers to slow down in highway construction zones.
Dodge City Expands One of the Nation's Largest Water Reuse Systems
Facing chronic scarcity in western Kansas, Dodge City is enlarging a system that treats and reuses water for industry and irrigation.
Community-Owned Grocery Opens in a Kansas City, Kansas Food Desert
A cooperatively owned grocery store opened its doors in a Wyandotte County neighborhood that had gone years without a full-service supermarket.
Flint Hills Ranchers Begin Annual Prairie Burns Under Watchful Eyes
The seasonal ritual of burning the tallgrass prairie returned to the Flint Hills, a practice ranchers say keeps the grassland healthy but that raises air quality concerns downwind.
Garden City Opens Welcome Center for Its Diverse Workforce
One of the most diverse communities in Kansas opened a center offering language classes, job placement, and services for the immigrant workers who staff its meatpacking plants.
State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson to Get Major Infrastructure Overhaul
The Kansas State Fair board approved upgrades to aging water, electrical, and barn facilities at the Hutchinson fairgrounds ahead of the September event.