FORD COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) trooper following a domestic violence investigation, according to a media release from the agency.

Just before 9p.m. Friday, KBI agents served an arrest warrant for Dillon Keller, 34, of Dodge City, at his residence. Keller was arrested on requested charges that include one count of kidnapping, one count of forgery, two counts of criminal threat, and two counts of domestic battery.

On July 2 of this year, the Dodge City Police Department requested the KBI investigate an off-duty KHP trooper and allegations of domestic violence. The alleged incidents occurred over several months leading up to the start of the investigation.

Following the arrest, Keller was booked into the Ford County Jail. He met the requirement for bond and was released just before 11p.m. Friday, according to online jail records.

The case is expected to be prosecuted by Kiowa County Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763224247700.png" alt="Keller photo Ford County" />
 <figcaption>Keller photo Ford County</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) trooper following a domestic violence investigation, according to a media release from the agency.Just before 9p.m. Friday, KBI agents served an arrest warrant for Dillon Keller, 34, of Dodge City, at his residence. Keller was arrested on requested charges that include one count of kidnapping, one count of forgery, two counts of criminal threat, and two counts of domestic battery.On July 2 of this year, the Dodge City Police Department requested the KBI investigate an off-duty KHP trooper and allegations of domestic violence. The alleged incidents occurred over several months leading up to the start of the investigation.Following the arrest, Keller was booked into the Ford County Jail. He met the requirement for bond and was released just before 11p.m. Friday, according to online jail records.The case is expected to be prosecuted by Kiowa County Attorney’s Office.

KHP Trooper accused of kidnapping, forgery and domestic battery

The Kansas City, Missouri Health Department was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;resident who&nbsp;was present&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;terminal&nbsp;at the Kansas City International Airport&nbsp;(MCI)&nbsp;on November 5 from approximately 2 a.m.&nbsp;until noon,&nbsp;and&nbsp;on November 10,&nbsp;from&nbsp;2 a.m. until 4&nbsp;a.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Measles is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a virus.&nbsp;Measles&nbsp;is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Measles can be spread to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears. Measles cannot be spread to others by&nbsp;an&nbsp;exposed&nbsp;person&nbsp;unless that person develops&nbsp;measles&nbsp;disease&nbsp;symptoms.&nbsp;

If you are up to date on your Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, your risk of getting sick is&nbsp;very low.&nbsp;The best way to prevent measles is to get your MMR vaccination. Those not vaccinated or infants under the age of 1 who are too young to be vaccinated are at the highest risk for contracting measles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We want people to stay calm but stay aware,”&nbsp;said Dr. Marvia Jones, Director of the Kansas City Health Department.&nbsp;“Measles is highly contagious, but vaccination offers strong protection. If you&nbsp;haven’t&nbsp;received your MMR vaccine, now is the time to get it.&nbsp;I also&nbsp;urge&nbsp;people to avoid travel if they&nbsp;haven’t&nbsp;been vaccinated.”&nbsp;

Any exposed person would be expected to develop symptoms between November 12&nbsp;-&nbsp;December 1. The symptoms of measles&nbsp;generally include&nbsp;a rash that appears 7-21 days&nbsp;after exposure. Measles symptoms typically begin with:&nbsp;

Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash typically appears. The rash typically appears as flat, red spots that initially break out on the face, near the hairline, and then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.&nbsp;

We are urging people who are ill or exhibiting symptoms similar to measles to stay home unless they are seeking medical attention.&nbsp;Before visiting a healthcare provider, please call ahead and let the provider know of the measles exposure so that steps can be taken to protect other patients and staff, especially if you have a fever and rash.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/measles" target="_blank">Click here for more information about measles.</a>&nbsp;

Residents can receive Measles vaccinations at the Kansas City Health Department Immunization Clinic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;through&nbsp;Friday.&nbsp;The&nbsp;measles&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;are free for children under 18.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Community members unsure of their vaccination status or in need of vaccines are encouraged to&nbsp;contact their primary care provider&nbsp;or&nbsp;call the Health Department at 816-513-6008.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas City, Missouri Health Department was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;resident who&nbsp;was present&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;terminal&nbsp;at the Kansas City International Airport&nbsp;(MCI)&nbsp;on November 5 from approximately 2 a.m.&nbsp;until noon,&nbsp;and&nbsp;on November 10,&nbsp;from&nbsp;2 a.m. until 4&nbsp;a.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Measles is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a virus.&nbsp;Measles&nbsp;is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Measles can be spread to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears. Measles cannot be spread to others by&nbsp;an&nbsp;exposed&nbsp;person&nbsp;unless that person develops&nbsp;measles&nbsp;disease&nbsp;symptoms.&nbsp;If you are up to date on your Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, your risk of getting sick is&nbsp;very low.&nbsp;The best way to prevent measles is to get your MMR vaccination. Those not vaccinated or infants under the age of 1 who are too young to be vaccinated are at the highest risk for contracting measles.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We want people to stay calm but stay aware,”&nbsp;said Dr. Marvia Jones, Director of the Kansas City Health Department.&nbsp;“Measles is highly contagious, but vaccination offers strong protection. If you&nbsp;haven’t&nbsp;received your MMR vaccine, now is the time to get it.&nbsp;I also&nbsp;urge&nbsp;people to avoid travel if they&nbsp;haven’t&nbsp;been vaccinated.”&nbsp;Any exposed person would be expected to develop symptoms between November 12&nbsp;-&nbsp;December 1. The symptoms of measles&nbsp;generally include&nbsp;a rash that appears 7-21 days&nbsp;after exposure. Measles symptoms typically begin with:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>A high fever&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Cough&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Runny nose&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Red, watery eyes&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash typically appears. The rash typically appears as flat, red spots that initially break out on the face, near the hairline, and then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.&nbsp;We are urging people who are ill or exhibiting symptoms similar to measles to stay home unless they are seeking medical attention.&nbsp;Before visiting a healthcare provider, please call ahead and let the provider know of the measles exposure so that steps can be taken to protect other patients and staff, especially if you have a fever and rash.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/measles" target="_blank">Click here for more information about measles.</a>&nbsp;Residents can receive Measles vaccinations at the Kansas City Health Department Immunization Clinic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;through&nbsp;Friday.&nbsp;The&nbsp;measles&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;are free for children under 18.&nbsp;&nbsp;Community members unsure of their vaccination status or in need of vaccines are encouraged to&nbsp;contact their primary care provider&nbsp;or&nbsp;call the Health Department at 816-513-6008.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Health department: Potential measles exposure at KCI

After growing since the end of June, the Mega Millions® jackpot was won for just the fifth time this year on Friday night. 

A single ticket sold in Georgia matched all six numbers in the November 14 drawing – the white balls 1, 8, 11, 12 and 57, plus the gold Mega Ball 7 – to win the estimated $980 million prize ($452.2 million cash),&nbsp; according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. 

 It’s by far the largest prize ever won in the month of November, and the eighth largest jackpot in the history of the game.&nbsp;

Georgia is one of the founding members of Mega Millions, and this is the largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot won in the state, and its first since November 2016.“$980 million is the largest jackpot that’s been won since the Mega Millions game changed back in April,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium. 

“Congratulations to our big winner from Georgia and to all our players who are winning more than ever with this new version of the game.”Indeed, in the 40 drawings since the jackpot was last won at $348 million in Virginia on June 27 – the most drawings in a single jackpot run in the game’s history – there were almost 14.3 million winning tickets at all prize levels. With the new greatly-enhanced prize values, total non-jackpot prizes won were nearly $343.4 million. 

These include 21 second-tier prizes of $2 million or more (won in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia).&nbsp;Also in this jackpot run, a total of 347 third-tier prizes of $20,000 to $100,000 were won in 40 different jurisdictions across the country: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

In the November 14 drawing alone, there were 1,112,941 winning tickets at all prize levels, plus the single jackpot-winning ticket. One ticket, sold in Michigan, matched the five white balls for the second-tier prize; with the 3X multiplier, it is worth $3 million. 

Forty-eight tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the game’s third-tier prize: 22 at 2X (two each in California, Florida, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia, plus one each in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Wyoming), 17 at 3X (two each in Georgia, Maryland and Texas, and one each in California, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia), seven at 4X (Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York and Texas), and two at 10X (New York and Pennsylvania).&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx">Find complete drawing results here.</a>

<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx"></a>Due to California’s pari-mutuel rules, all prizes in that state will vary from the standard values.The jackpot is the largest won since last December’s whopping $1.269 billion prize awarded in California. Four earlier jackpots were won this year; in addition to the Virginia win on June 27, jackpots were awarded in Ohio ($112 million on April 18), Illinois ($349 million on March 25), and Arizona ($112 million on January 17).<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/About/Jackpot-History.aspx">See the complete Mega Millions jackpot history.</a>The jackpot for the next drawing on Tuesday, November 18, resets to its new starting value of $50 million ($23.1 million cash). This starting jackpot level is another benefit of the game change.

After growing since the end of June, the Mega Millions® jackpot was won for just the fifth time this year on Friday night. A single ticket sold in Georgia matched all six numbers in the November 14 drawing – the white balls 1, 8, 11, 12 and 57, plus the gold Mega Ball 7 – to win the estimated $980 million prize ($452.2 million cash),&nbsp; according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. It’s by far the largest prize ever won in the month of November, and the eighth largest jackpot in the history of the game.&nbsp;Georgia is one of the founding members of Mega Millions, and this is the largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot won in the state, and its first since November 2016.“$980 million is the largest jackpot that’s been won since the Mega Millions game changed back in April,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium. “Congratulations to our big winner from Georgia and to all our players who are winning more than ever with this new version of the game.”Indeed, in the 40 drawings since the jackpot was last won at $348 million in Virginia on June 27 – the most drawings in a single jackpot run in the game’s history – there were almost 14.3 million winning tickets at all prize levels. With the new greatly-enhanced prize values, total non-jackpot prizes won were nearly $343.4 million. These include 21 second-tier prizes of $2 million or more (won in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia).&nbsp;Also in this jackpot run, a total of 347 third-tier prizes of $20,000 to $100,000 were won in 40 different jurisdictions across the country: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.In the November 14 drawing alone, there were 1,112,941 winning tickets at all prize levels, plus the single jackpot-winning ticket. One ticket, sold in Michigan, matched the five white balls for the second-tier prize; with the 3X multiplier, it is worth $3 million. Forty-eight tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the game’s third-tier prize: 22 at 2X (two each in California, Florida, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia, plus one each in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Wyoming), 17 at 3X (two each in Georgia, Maryland and Texas, and one each in California, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia), seven at 4X (Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York and Texas), and two at 10X (New York and Pennsylvania).&nbsp;<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx">Find complete drawing results here.</a><a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx"></a>Due to California’s pari-mutuel rules, all prizes in that state will vary from the standard values.The jackpot is the largest won since last December’s whopping $1.269 billion prize awarded in California. Four earlier jackpots were won this year; in addition to the Virginia win on June 27, jackpots were awarded in Ohio ($112 million on April 18), Illinois ($349 million on March 25), and Arizona ($112 million on January 17).<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/About/Jackpot-History.aspx">See the complete Mega Millions jackpot history.</a>The jackpot for the next drawing on Tuesday, November 18, resets to its new starting value of $50 million ($23.1 million cash). This starting jackpot level is another benefit of the game change.

Single ticket wins Mega Millions lottery jackpot of nearly a billion dollars

The U.S. military is reported another deadly strike on a drug boat in the Caribbean.

On Nov. 10, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization, according to the U.S. Southern Command.

 Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. 4 male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and was struck in international waters

This the U.S. military 20th strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs.

The U.S. military is reported another deadly strike on a drug boat in the Caribbean.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">On Nov. 10, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,… <a href="https://t.co/eptSZvVF6x">pic.twitter.com/eptSZvVF6x</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/1989457355214409783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Nov. 10, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization, according to the U.S. Southern Command. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. 4 male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and was struck in international watersThis the U.S. military 20th strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs.

US. conducts another deadly strike on alleged drug-running boat

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement in Saline County are investigating a burglary and asking for help to ID a suspect.

Just after 2:30a.m.&nbsp;November 10, a male suspect gained entry to Casey’s, 1100 E. Iron, Salina, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Captain James Feldman. Once in the business the suspect accessed the store safe and removed&nbsp; the contents. 

Surveillance video showed the suspect was wearing brown overalls, gloves and had their face covered. Coins stolen from the safe were recovered behind the business. The suspect got away&nbsp; with an undisclosed amount of currency.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763131111584.png" alt="Security Camera image Salina Police" />
 <figcaption>Security Camera image Salina Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement in Saline County are investigating a burglary and asking for help to ID a suspect.Just after 2:30a.m.&nbsp;November 10, a male suspect gained entry to Casey’s, 1100 E. Iron, Salina, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Captain James Feldman. Once in the business the suspect accessed the store safe and removed&nbsp; the contents. Surveillance video showed the suspect was wearing brown overalls, gloves and had their face covered. Coins stolen from the safe were recovered behind the business. The suspect got away&nbsp; with an undisclosed amount of currency.

Police: Kan. burglary suspect stole valuable contents from business safe

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Sen. Mary Ware announced her retirement from the state Senate on Thursday, leaving open a Wichita-area seat ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

Ware, a Democrat, did not cite a reason, and her retirement was effective immediately.

“Serving our state and representing the 25th District has been an incredible privilege. I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me by my constituents and for the opportunity to work on meaningful legislation,” Ware said in a news release through Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes’ office.

Ware, a retail store owner, replaced Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers in 2018 in a precinct committee election. She won reelection in 2020 and 2024 and is departing halfway through her term.

“Mary has been focused on creating a full and safe future for our children since joining the Senate,” Sykes said. “Her commitment to collaboration and progress have made our team stronger. We will miss her dynamic and compassionate leadership. Our caucus wishes her the very best in retirement.”

Ware was the ranking Democrat on Senate committees on commerce and agriculture and natural resources. She also sat on the Assessment and Taxation Committee.

In 2025, she sponsored legislation to require the state library to provide services to people who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind or print disabled. It was introduced but never heard by a committee.

“While my time in the Senate is at an end, I will remain an involved private citizen and an advocate for the people of Wichita in this next era of my life,” Ware said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763155590105.png" alt=" Sen. Mary Ware, seen during an April 6, 2023, hearing in Topeka, Kansas, announced her retirement Thursday from the state Senate, effective immediately. The Wichita Democrat departs in the middle of her term. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Mary Ware, seen during an April 6, 2023, hearing in Topeka, Kansas, announced her retirement Thursday from the state Senate, effective immediately. The Wichita Democrat departs in the middle of her term. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Sen. Mary Ware announced her retirement from the state Senate on Thursday, leaving open a Wichita-area seat ahead of the 2026 legislative session.Ware, a Democrat, did not cite a reason, and her retirement was effective immediately.“Serving our state and representing the 25th District has been an incredible privilege. I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me by my constituents and for the opportunity to work on meaningful legislation,” Ware said in a news release through Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes’ office.Ware, a retail store owner, replaced Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers in 2018 in a precinct committee election. She won reelection in 2020 and 2024 and is departing halfway through her term.“Mary has been focused on creating a full and safe future for our children since joining the Senate,” Sykes said. “Her commitment to collaboration and progress have made our team stronger. We will miss her dynamic and compassionate leadership. Our caucus wishes her the very best in retirement.”Ware was the ranking Democrat on Senate committees on commerce and agriculture and natural resources. She also sat on the Assessment and Taxation Committee.In 2025, she sponsored legislation to require the state library to provide services to people who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind or print disabled. It was introduced but never heard by a committee.“While my time in the Senate is at an end, I will remain an involved private citizen and an advocate for the people of Wichita in this next era of my life,” Ware said.

Kan. state senator retires, opening Democratic seat ahead of legislative session

EDWARDS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6:30a.m. Friday in Edwards County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder driven by&nbsp; Rebecca Oberley, 44, Kinsley was&nbsp; eastbound on U.S. 50 highway just north of 110th Avenue. The SUV struck a deer and came to a stop on the eastbound shoulder of the of the highway.&nbsp; Oberley got out to check the damage to the vehicle. The vehicle was in reverse, the driver tripped and the SUV ran over her.

Oberley was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;McKillip Funeral Home. A 14-year-old male passenger in the SUV was not injured.&nbsp;

EDWARDS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6:30a.m. Friday in Edwards County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder driven by&nbsp; Rebecca Oberley, 44, Kinsley was&nbsp; eastbound on U.S. 50 highway just north of 110th Avenue. The SUV struck a deer and came to a stop on the eastbound shoulder of the of the highway.&nbsp; Oberley got out to check the damage to the vehicle. The vehicle was in reverse, the driver tripped and the SUV ran over her.Oberley was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;McKillip Funeral Home. A 14-year-old male passenger in the SUV was not injured.&nbsp;

Kan. woman run over, killed by her SUV after deer collision

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the University of Kansas Medical Center, and local health departments, announced Friday the official end of the tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in the Kansas City, Kansas metropolitan area, according to a statement from the agency.

This milestone reflects nearly two years of coordinated public health response, with no new patients diagnosed with Active TB Disease since April 2025 and all affected individuals successfully completing treatment.

“Marking the end of the TB outbreak in the Kansas City, Kansas metro area is the result of the collaborative efforts of the KDHE staff, the CDC, KU Medical Center and the impacted local health departments,”&nbsp;KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek said.&nbsp;“The state is fortunate to have qualified medical professionals to be able to handle this and future outbreaks.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The outbreak, first detected in early 2024, involved Wyandotte and Johnson counties, resulting in 68 confirmed active TB cases. This made it one of the largest TB outbreaks in the United States in recent decades. Through extensive screening efforts, an additional 91 latent TB infections were identified and treated preventively. More than 650 individuals were evaluated or monitored throughout the investigation.

Response efforts included widespread testing, directly observed therapy to support treatment adherence, and education campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage early reporting. No drug-resistant TB strains were identified, and the risk to the public remained low throughout the outbreak, as TB primarily spreads through prolonged, close contact with someone infectious.

Although the outbreak is over, KDHE continues to encourage vigilance. Kansas reports approximately 50 TB cases annually statewide. Routine surveillance will remain essential to early detection and prevention.

For more information on TB prevention and resources, visit the KDHE Tuberculosis Program’s website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2F530%2FTuberculosis-TB-Program%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019a8339878f-93f04bd3-4342-4101-9c6a-9418879c02a8-000000/ml1j7kG5ju43MZpRVaZatysoqgF9zIslbJ0C7LHDuoA=431">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/530/Tuberculosis-TB-Program</a>&nbsp;or contact your local health department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707492278650.png" alt=" A digitally colorized scan of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause tuberculosis in human beings. Although tuberculosis cases have been rising, public health departments say they lack the resources to stop the disease from spreading (Courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)." />
 <figcaption> A digitally colorized scan of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause tuberculosis in human beings. Although tuberculosis cases have been rising, public health departments say they lack the resources to stop the disease from spreading (Courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the University of Kansas Medical Center, and local health departments, announced Friday the official end of the tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in the Kansas City, Kansas metropolitan area, according to a statement from the agency.This milestone reflects nearly two years of coordinated public health response, with no new patients diagnosed with Active TB Disease since April 2025 and all affected individuals successfully completing treatment.“Marking the end of the TB outbreak in the Kansas City, Kansas metro area is the result of the collaborative efforts of the KDHE staff, the CDC, KU Medical Center and the impacted local health departments,”&nbsp;KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek said.&nbsp;“The state is fortunate to have qualified medical professionals to be able to handle this and future outbreaks.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The outbreak, first detected in early 2024, involved Wyandotte and Johnson counties, resulting in 68 confirmed active TB cases. This made it one of the largest TB outbreaks in the United States in recent decades. Through extensive screening efforts, an additional 91 latent TB infections were identified and treated preventively. More than 650 individuals were evaluated or monitored throughout the investigation.Response efforts included widespread testing, directly observed therapy to support treatment adherence, and education campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage early reporting. No drug-resistant TB strains were identified, and the risk to the public remained low throughout the outbreak, as TB primarily spreads through prolonged, close contact with someone infectious.Although the outbreak is over, KDHE continues to encourage vigilance. Kansas reports approximately 50 TB cases annually statewide. Routine surveillance will remain essential to early detection and prevention.For more information on TB prevention and resources, visit the KDHE Tuberculosis Program’s website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2F530%2FTuberculosis-TB-Program%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019a8339878f-93f04bd3-4342-4101-9c6a-9418879c02a8-000000/ml1j7kG5ju43MZpRVaZatysoqgF9zIslbJ0C7LHDuoA=431">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/530/Tuberculosis-TB-Program</a>&nbsp;or contact your local health department.

KDHE: Kansas City, Kan. metro tuberculosis outbreak is over

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">First Lady Meliania Trump <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a>: &quot;Fostering the Future, a Be Best initiative, provides individuals from the foster care community with technology-based scholarships to attend colleges and universities&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dv4Z7DoJCN">pic.twitter.com/dv4Z7DoJCN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1989055916239380642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump signs executive order on supporting older youths transitioning out of foster care. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/Np7lk6ZRu4">https://t.co/Np7lk6ZRu4</a> <a href="https://t.co/EhNFxxZoLM">pic.twitter.com/EhNFxxZoLM</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1989055991342608503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> sign an Executive Order, Fostering the Future, to expand access to mentorships, scholarships, technology, and workforce training for youth who have experienced foster care ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/s1HPprvsgL">pic.twitter.com/s1HPprvsgL</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1989060751407849947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

First lady launches new effort to support foster care children

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>

WASHINGTON — The record 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday night scrambled air travel, interrupted food assistance and forced federal workers to go without a paycheck for weeks.

It also cost the U.S. economy about $15 billion per week,&nbsp;White House Council of Economic Advisers Director Kevin Hassett told reporters Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As the government began to reopen Thursday, officials were working to untangle those issues and others.

But in some areas, the processes for getting things back to normal after such a lengthy shutdown will also take time.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Wednesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-costs-spike-sour-and-divided-congress-escapes-one-shutdown-face-another" target="_blank">signed a package</a>&nbsp;passed by Congress reopening the government, which closed on Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to pass a stopgap spending bill.

Flights back on schedule by Thanksgiving?

The Federal Aviation Administration’s shutdown plan, announced last week by Administrator Bryan Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, was to reduce flights to 40 major airports by 10%.&nbsp;

As of Thursday afternoon, the FAA had not lifted the order restricting flights. But the agency did stop ramping up the percentage of those affected.&nbsp;

The FAA started by asking airlines to cancel 4% of flights Nov. 7. A Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/us-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-faa-administrator-bryan-bedford-freeze-flight" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;halted the rate at 6%.

That was enough to cause major disruptions to travel, and it remained unclear Thursday how long it would take to resume normal operations.&nbsp;

In a statement, Airlines for America, the trade group representing the nation’s commercial air carriers, welcomed the end of the shutdown but was vague about how much longer air travelers would see disruptions. The statement noted the upcoming holiday as a possible milestone.&nbsp;

“When the FAA gives airlines clearance to return to full capacity, our crews will work quickly to ramp up operations especially with Thanksgiving holiday travel beginning next week,” the group’s statement said.&nbsp;

The FAA and Transportation Department did not return messages seeking updates Thursday.The reduction in flights was meant to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who worked through the shutdown without pay.&nbsp;

Many missed work as they pursued short-term jobs in other industries. Duffy said that left the controllers on the job overstressed and possibly prone to costly mistakes.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sought to reward other federal workers at airports, those employed by her department’s Transportation Security Administration, with $10,000 bonuses if they maintained high attendance records during the shutdown.

Noem handed out checks to TSA workers in Houston on Thursday and said more could come.&nbsp;

Federal workers return, with back pay on the way

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers who had been furloughed returned to the office Thursday and those who had been working without pay will continue their duties knowing their next paycheck should be on time.&nbsp;

All workers will receive back pay for the shutdown, in accordance with a 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/24/text" target="_blank">law</a>&nbsp;that states employees “shall be paid for such work, at the employee’s standard rate of pay, at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations, regardless of scheduled pay dates.”

A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget said the White House has urged agencies to get back pay to employees “expeditiously and accurately.”

Agencies will need to submit time and attendance files, and payroll processors can then issue checks. According to the spokesperson, agencies have different pay schedules and payroll processors, and “discrepancies in timing and pay periods are a result of that.”

The office estimates that workers will receive a “supercheck” for the pay period from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1 on the following dates:

Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said in a statement Wednesday that federal workers across all agencies “should not have to wait another minute longer for the paychecks they lost during the longest government shutdown in history.”&nbsp;

“The anxiety has been devastating as they cut back on spending, ran up credit card debt, took out emergency loans, filed for unemployment, found temporary side jobs, stood in line for food assistance, skipped filling prescriptions and worried about the future. Federal employees should receive the six weeks of back pay they are owed immediately upon the reopening of the federal government,” said Greenwald.&nbsp;

The union represents workers at 38 federal agencies and offices.

States Newsroom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-double-whammy-snap-food-benefits-ending-and-federal-workers-go-unpaid" target="_blank">spoke</a>&nbsp;to several furloughed federal workers who attended a special food distribution event during the shutdown.

The American Federation of Government Employees, one of multiple unions that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-blocks-trump-shutdown-layoffs-citing-political-retribution" target="_blank">sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration over layoffs during the shutdown, said its members were used “as leverage to advance political priorities,” according to a statement issued Tuesday by the union’s national president, Everett Kelley.

The AFGE, which according to the union represents roughly 820,000 federal workers, did not immediately respond for comment Thursday.

The shutdown-ending deal reinstated jobs for fired federal employees and prohibits any reductions in force by the administration until Jan. 30.

A statement released Thursday by a group of federal workers across agencies struck a different tone on the shutdown and praised the 40 senators and 209 representatives who voted against the temporary spending bill deal.

“The fight mattered. It changed the conversation. More members of the American public now understand that Trump is shredding the Constitution,” according to the statement issued by the Civil Servants Coalition.

The coalition also noted, “Even though the government is reopening, none of us will be able to fully deliver our agency’s missions. Our work has been exploited and dismantled since January through harmful policies and illegal purges of critical staff.”

The group emailed the statement as a PDF document to an unknown number of government workers and urged them to “channel that frustration toward action” by contacting their representatives.

The government reopening ended&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a drawn-out saga</a>&nbsp;over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps 42 million people afford groceries.&nbsp;

The U.S.Department of Agriculture told states in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/benefit-issuance-nov13" target="_blank">Thursday memo</a>&nbsp;they “must take immediate steps to ensure households receive their full November allotments promptly.”

The guidance also noted that states should prepare for another shutdown as soon as next October by upgrading systems so that they could allow for partial payments.&nbsp;

A key point of dispute between the administration and those seeking SNAP benefits was the lengthy time the administration said it would take to fund partial benefits.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-mostly-pay-full-snap-benefits-within-24-hours-shutdown-end" target="_blank">Wednesday evening statement</a>&nbsp;from a department spokesperson said full benefits would be disbursed in most states by Thursday night.&nbsp;

Lauren Kallins, a senior legislative director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, said Thursday&nbsp;“states are all working hard to resume full benefits.”

&nbsp;“But there will likely be logistical challenges, depending on a state’s system’s capabilities and whether the state had already issued partial benefits, that may impact how quickly a state is able to push out” benefits, she wrote.&nbsp;

The program, which is funded by the federal government and administered by states, sends monthly payments on a rolling basis.&nbsp;

That means that the day of the month each household receives its allotment varies. Households that usually receive benefits mid-month or later should see no interruption.&nbsp;

But many of the program’s beneficiaries receive their payments earlier in the month, meaning that, depending on their state, they may have missed their November payments.&nbsp;

Some states, including Democrat-run Wisconsin, Oregon and Michigan, began paying full benefits last week after a Rhode Island federal judge ordered the administration to release full November payments and the department issued guidance to states to do so.

The administration then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause enforcement of the Rhode Island judge’s order and reversed its guidance to states, telling them to “immediately undo” efforts to pay out full November benefits.

The Department of Justice dropped its Supreme Court case Thursday.&nbsp;

“Because the underlying dispute here is now moot, the government withdraws its November 7 stay application in this Court,” U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A539/384355/20251113113250755_25A539%20Rhode%20Island%20-%20Letter.pdf" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;to the high court.

In the trial court, the administration cited the USDA guidance and said it would discuss the future of the litigation with the coalition of cities and nonprofit groups that brought the suit.&nbsp;

Tourists in the nation’s capital have been shut out of the Smithsonian Institution’s 17 free museums and zoo for most of the federal shutdown.

The institution on Friday will open the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Air and Space Museum located at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, according to a message posted on the Smithsonian’s website.

All other museums and the National Zoo will open on a “rolling basis” by Nov. 17.

Multiple public-facing agencies, including the National Park Service and Internal Revenue Service, did not respond to States Newsroom’s requests for reopening information.

National parks were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/national-parks-public-lands-feared-risk-long-term-harm-shutdown-drags" target="_blank">closed or partially closed&nbsp;</a>during the shutdown.

Several IRS services were reduced or altogether cut as the funding lapse dragged on. Those disruptions included limited IRS telephone customer service operations and the closure of in-person Taxpayer Assistance Centers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762445699793.png" alt="Photo Frontier Airlines" />
 <figcaption>Photo Frontier Airlines</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>WASHINGTON — The record 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday night scrambled air travel, interrupted food assistance and forced federal workers to go without a paycheck for weeks.It also cost the U.S. economy about $15 billion per week,&nbsp;White House Council of Economic Advisers Director Kevin Hassett told reporters Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;As the government began to reopen Thursday, officials were working to untangle those issues and others.But in some areas, the processes for getting things back to normal after such a lengthy shutdown will also take time.&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Wednesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-costs-spike-sour-and-divided-congress-escapes-one-shutdown-face-another" target="_blank">signed a package</a>&nbsp;passed by Congress reopening the government, which closed on Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to pass a stopgap spending bill.<h2>Flights back on schedule by Thanksgiving?</h2>The Federal Aviation Administration’s shutdown plan, announced last week by Administrator Bryan Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, was to reduce flights to 40 major airports by 10%.&nbsp;As of Thursday afternoon, the FAA had not lifted the order restricting flights. But the agency did stop ramping up the percentage of those affected.&nbsp;The FAA started by asking airlines to cancel 4% of flights Nov. 7. A Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/us-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-faa-administrator-bryan-bedford-freeze-flight" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;halted the rate at 6%.That was enough to cause major disruptions to travel, and it remained unclear Thursday how long it would take to resume normal operations.&nbsp;In a statement, Airlines for America, the trade group representing the nation’s commercial air carriers, welcomed the end of the shutdown but was vague about how much longer air travelers would see disruptions. The statement noted the upcoming holiday as a possible milestone.&nbsp;“When the FAA gives airlines clearance to return to full capacity, our crews will work quickly to ramp up operations especially with Thanksgiving holiday travel beginning next week,” the group’s statement said.&nbsp;The FAA and Transportation Department did not return messages seeking updates Thursday.The reduction in flights was meant to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who worked through the shutdown without pay.&nbsp;Many missed work as they pursued short-term jobs in other industries. Duffy said that left the controllers on the job overstressed and possibly prone to costly mistakes.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sought to reward other federal workers at airports, those employed by her department’s Transportation Security Administration, with $10,000 bonuses if they maintained high attendance records during the shutdown.Noem handed out checks to TSA workers in Houston on Thursday and said more could come.&nbsp;<h2>Federal workers return, with back pay on the way</h2>Hundreds of thousands of federal workers who had been furloughed returned to the office Thursday and those who had been working without pay will continue their duties knowing their next paycheck should be on time.&nbsp;All workers will receive back pay for the shutdown, in accordance with a 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/24/text" target="_blank">law</a>&nbsp;that states employees “shall be paid for such work, at the employee’s standard rate of pay, at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations, regardless of scheduled pay dates.”A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget said the White House has urged agencies to get back pay to employees “expeditiously and accurately.”Agencies will need to submit time and attendance files, and payroll processors can then issue checks. According to the spokesperson, agencies have different pay schedules and payroll processors, and “discrepancies in timing and pay periods are a result of that.”The office estimates that workers will receive a “supercheck” for the pay period from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1 on the following dates:Nov. 15<ul>
 <li>General Services Administration</li><li>Office of Personnel Management</li>
 </ul>Nov. 16<ul>
 <li>Departments of Energy, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs and Defense</li>
 </ul>Nov. 17<ul>
 <li>Departments of Education, State, Interior and Transportation</li><li>Environmental Protection Agency</li><li>NASA</li><li>National Science Foundation</li><li>Nuclear Regulatory Commission</li><li>Social Security Administration</li>
 </ul>Nov. 19<ul>
 <li>Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor and Treasury</li><li>Small Business Administration</li>
 </ul>Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said in a statement Wednesday that federal workers across all agencies “should not have to wait another minute longer for the paychecks they lost during the longest government shutdown in history.”&nbsp;“The anxiety has been devastating as they cut back on spending, ran up credit card debt, took out emergency loans, filed for unemployment, found temporary side jobs, stood in line for food assistance, skipped filling prescriptions and worried about the future. Federal employees should receive the six weeks of back pay they are owed immediately upon the reopening of the federal government,” said Greenwald.&nbsp;The union represents workers at 38 federal agencies and offices.States Newsroom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-double-whammy-snap-food-benefits-ending-and-federal-workers-go-unpaid" target="_blank">spoke</a>&nbsp;to several furloughed federal workers who attended a special food distribution event during the shutdown.The American Federation of Government Employees, one of multiple unions that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-blocks-trump-shutdown-layoffs-citing-political-retribution" target="_blank">sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration over layoffs during the shutdown, said its members were used “as leverage to advance political priorities,” according to a statement issued Tuesday by the union’s national president, Everett Kelley.The AFGE, which according to the union represents roughly 820,000 federal workers, did not immediately respond for comment Thursday.The shutdown-ending deal reinstated jobs for fired federal employees and prohibits any reductions in force by the administration until Jan. 30.<h2>Federal workers speak out</h2>A statement released Thursday by a group of federal workers across agencies struck a different tone on the shutdown and praised the 40 senators and 209 representatives who voted against the temporary spending bill deal.“The fight mattered. It changed the conversation. More members of the American public now understand that Trump is shredding the Constitution,” according to the statement issued by the Civil Servants Coalition.The coalition also noted, “Even though the government is reopening, none of us will be able to fully deliver our agency’s missions. Our work has been exploited and dismantled since January through harmful policies and illegal purges of critical staff.”The group emailed the statement as a PDF document to an unknown number of government workers and urged them to “channel that frustration toward action” by contacting their representatives.<h2>SNAP saga concludes</h2>The government reopening ended&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a drawn-out saga</a>&nbsp;over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps 42 million people afford groceries.&nbsp;The U.S.Department of Agriculture told states in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/benefit-issuance-nov13" target="_blank">Thursday memo</a>&nbsp;they “must take immediate steps to ensure households receive their full November allotments promptly.”The guidance also noted that states should prepare for another shutdown as soon as next October by upgrading systems so that they could allow for partial payments.&nbsp;A key point of dispute between the administration and those seeking SNAP benefits was the lengthy time the administration said it would take to fund partial benefits.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-mostly-pay-full-snap-benefits-within-24-hours-shutdown-end" target="_blank">Wednesday evening statement</a>&nbsp;from a department spokesperson said full benefits would be disbursed in most states by Thursday night.&nbsp;Lauren Kallins, a senior legislative director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, said Thursday&nbsp;“states are all working hard to resume full benefits.”&nbsp;“But there will likely be logistical challenges, depending on a state’s system’s capabilities and whether the state had already issued partial benefits, that may impact how quickly a state is able to push out” benefits, she wrote.&nbsp;The program, which is funded by the federal government and administered by states, sends monthly payments on a rolling basis.&nbsp;That means that the day of the month each household receives its allotment varies. Households that usually receive benefits mid-month or later should see no interruption.&nbsp;But many of the program’s beneficiaries receive their payments earlier in the month, meaning that, depending on their state, they may have missed their November payments.&nbsp;Some states, including Democrat-run Wisconsin, Oregon and Michigan, began paying full benefits last week after a Rhode Island federal judge ordered the administration to release full November payments and the department issued guidance to states to do so.The administration then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause enforcement of the Rhode Island judge’s order and reversed its guidance to states, telling them to “immediately undo” efforts to pay out full November benefits.The Department of Justice dropped its Supreme Court case Thursday.&nbsp;“Because the underlying dispute here is now moot, the government withdraws its November 7 stay application in this Court,” U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A539/384355/20251113113250755_25A539%20Rhode%20Island%20-%20Letter.pdf" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;to the high court.In the trial court, the administration cited the USDA guidance and said it would discuss the future of the litigation with the coalition of cities and nonprofit groups that brought the suit.&nbsp;<h2>Capital area tourist attractions reopen</h2>Tourists in the nation’s capital have been shut out of the Smithsonian Institution’s 17 free museums and zoo for most of the federal shutdown.The institution on Friday will open the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Air and Space Museum located at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, according to a message posted on the Smithsonian’s website.All other museums and the National Zoo will open on a “rolling basis” by Nov. 17.Multiple public-facing agencies, including the National Park Service and Internal Revenue Service, did not respond to States Newsroom’s requests for reopening information.National parks were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/national-parks-public-lands-feared-risk-long-term-harm-shutdown-drags" target="_blank">closed or partially closed&nbsp;</a>during the shutdown.Several IRS services were reduced or altogether cut as the funding lapse dragged on. Those disruptions included limited IRS telephone customer service operations and the closure of in-person Taxpayer Assistance Centers.

Air travel, SNAP benefits, back pay at issue as federal government slowly reopens

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are working to find the driver&nbsp; responsible for a fatal hit-and-run.

Just before 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded&nbsp;to the 1000 block of Fredericksburg Road where officers found the body later identified as 35-year-old Mary Levingston of Kansas City, Missouri, on the shoulder of the road, according to a media release from the Excelsior Springs Police Department. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigation indicates that she suffered blunt force trauma consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Police have not identified as suspect vehicle or driver.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact police at 816-639-2000 or the anonymous TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are working to find the driver&nbsp; responsible for a fatal hit-and-run.Just before 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded&nbsp;to the 1000 block of Fredericksburg Road where officers found the body later identified as 35-year-old Mary Levingston of Kansas City, Missouri, on the shoulder of the road, according to a media release from the Excelsior Springs Police Department. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.Preliminary investigation indicates that she suffered blunt force trauma consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Police have not identified as suspect vehicle or driver.Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact police at 816-639-2000 or the anonymous TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

Police: Kansas City woman killed in hit-and-run

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a road rage incident.

Just after noon November 9, a 2015 Dodge Ram driven by Caden Deans, 22, Enterprise, was traveling in the construction zone on Interstate 135 at State Street, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Zeigler.&nbsp; The driver was angry with&nbsp;the 28-year-old driver of a 2020 Kia Telluride.

Both vehicles exited on Schilling Road and Deans' pickup intentionally struck the Kia. The impact caused the SUV to roll onto its top. The driver of the Kia was not transported for treatment of minor injuries.

Police arrested Deans on requested charges of aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and reckless driving. He met the requirement for bond and was released from the Saline County Jail just before 5p.m. Sunday, according to online booking records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763066211975.png" alt="Deans photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Deans photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a road rage incident.Just after noon November 9, a 2015 Dodge Ram driven by Caden Deans, 22, Enterprise, was traveling in the construction zone on Interstate 135 at State Street, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Zeigler.&nbsp; The driver was angry with&nbsp;the 28-year-old driver of a 2020 Kia Telluride.Both vehicles exited on Schilling Road and Deans' pickup intentionally struck the Kia. The impact caused the SUV to roll onto its top. The driver of the Kia was not transported for treatment of minor injuries.Police arrested Deans on requested charges of aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and reckless driving. He met the requirement for bond and was released from the Saline County Jail just before 5p.m. Sunday, according to online booking records.

Road rage: Kansas man accused of using pickup as a weapon

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A PAC funded by the national Republican Party won a postponement after making a last-minute intervention in a lawsuit over when signatures can be gathered seeking a statewide vote

A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/national-republicans-gear-up-to-fight-referendum-on-missouri-congressional-map/">new political action committee</a>&nbsp;funded by the national Republican Party won a delay Thursday in a trial over the effort to force a statewide vote on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional district map.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green’s decision to postpone the hearing and transfer the case to a new judge unleashed a storm of criticism of the new PAC, called Put Missouri First, and its attorney, Marc Ellinger.

“He’s trying to subvert justice and prejudice my client,” said Chuck Hatfield, the attorney representing a PAC called People Not Politicians that is leading the referendum campaign.&nbsp;

Ellinger said he can be ready quickly and because signatures are not due until Dec. 11, nothing crucial will happen before the case can get before a new judge.&nbsp;

“There’s no urgency in getting a resolution on this case,” Ellinger said.

The postponement is the second delay in the case. Green&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/03/judges-illness-delays-hearing-on-referendum-to-overturn-missouris-gerrymandered-map/">became ill</a>&nbsp;and was unable to convene a trial originally set for Nov. 3.&nbsp;

Without his illness, Put Missouri First would have been too late to intervene. It was organized on Oct. 31 and did not receive any funding until Nov. 4, when the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican National Committee each donated $50,000.

Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, said after Thursday’s hearing that the move to slow down the case shows the GOP knows how unpopular the gerrymandered map is.

“It’s pretty easy to tell desperation when you see it,” von Glahn said. “What Mr. Ellinger did today shows that committee is simply desperate to not have the illegal and unpopular action that they took placed before Missouri voters.”

People Not Politicians must gather at least 106,134 signatures, spread over six of the state’s eight congressional districts, to trigger a referendum on the new congressional map approved on a party-line vote during a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">September special legislative session</a>. The signatures must be turned in by Dec. 11.

The case postponed on Thursday is one of six — five in state courts, one in federal court — focused on the September special session. One case, challenging the authority for the special session, has been decided at the trial court level and is under appeal.

Another, questioning whether lawmakers had the power to revise districts without new census data, was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/12/judge-hears-arguments-over-legality-of-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">heard on Wednesday</a>. A hearing in the federal case, which attempts to win a decision that congressional redistricting maps are protected from citizen referendum petitions by the federal Constitution, is scheduled for Nov. 25 in St. Louis.

In the case postponed Thursday, People Not Politicians is arguing that the right to seek a referendum on any law is triggered when lawmakers take a final vote on a bill. The committee is suing Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who rejected petition forms because Gov. Mike Kehoe had not signed the redistricting legislation.

Kehoe called lawmakers into special session in September at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">insistence of President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in a bid to give Republicans seven instead of six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats.

Under the bill scheduled to take effect Dec. 12, Missourians would vote next year in revised districts. The new Missouri map targets the Kansas City-based 5th District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, to flip to the Republican Party.

Trump wants to preserve and expand the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House, where they currently have a 219-213 edge.

The efforts to delay the petition drive will not succeed, von Glahn said. The campaign has collected more than 200,000 signatures, he said.

The case will preserve the rights of the 90,000 people who signed the petition between Sept. 15, when the first version was filed with Hoskins, and Oct. 14, he said.&nbsp;

That is when Hoskins issued a news release warning that no signatures gathered before he certified the petition for circulation were valid and anyone who had signed it could be prosecuted for an election offense. Von Glahn said he wants a declaration from the court that those people have not done anything wrong.

“There is not a question that every single signature that has been gathered is on a form that the Secretary of State has himself said is the appropriate form,” he said.

The late intervention and delays are “ridiculous and they’re undemocratic,” Hatfield said. “If the Republican Party and the proponents think that redrawing Missouri’s congressional districts to go to a seven to one Republican is a great idea, then let’s vote on it and see whether it’s a good idea or not.”

In the petition seeking to intervene, Ellinger wrote that Put Missouri First will incur heavy expenses and time-consuming organizing efforts if the map is put to a vote.&nbsp;

“The judge found it convincing and allowed us in the case,” Ellinger said “We have a vested interest in the expense of campaign funds and in the advocacy for or against a measure.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763087670413.png" alt=" Richard von Glahn, left, director of People Not Politicians, answers questions from reporters after a trial over referendum petitions was postponed Thursday in Cole County Circuit Court (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Richard von Glahn, left, director of People Not Politicians, answers questions from reporters after a trial over referendum petitions was postponed Thursday in Cole County Circuit Court (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>A PAC funded by the national Republican Party won a postponement after making a last-minute intervention in a lawsuit over when signatures can be gathered seeking a statewide vote</h2>A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/national-republicans-gear-up-to-fight-referendum-on-missouri-congressional-map/">new political action committee</a>&nbsp;funded by the national Republican Party won a delay Thursday in a trial over the effort to force a statewide vote on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional district map.Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green’s decision to postpone the hearing and transfer the case to a new judge unleashed a storm of criticism of the new PAC, called Put Missouri First, and its attorney, Marc Ellinger.“He’s trying to subvert justice and prejudice my client,” said Chuck Hatfield, the attorney representing a PAC called People Not Politicians that is leading the referendum campaign.&nbsp;Ellinger said he can be ready quickly and because signatures are not due until Dec. 11, nothing crucial will happen before the case can get before a new judge.&nbsp;“There’s no urgency in getting a resolution on this case,” Ellinger said.The postponement is the second delay in the case. Green&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/03/judges-illness-delays-hearing-on-referendum-to-overturn-missouris-gerrymandered-map/">became ill</a>&nbsp;and was unable to convene a trial originally set for Nov. 3.&nbsp;Without his illness, Put Missouri First would have been too late to intervene. It was organized on Oct. 31 and did not receive any funding until Nov. 4, when the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican National Committee each donated $50,000.Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, said after Thursday’s hearing that the move to slow down the case shows the GOP knows how unpopular the gerrymandered map is.“It’s pretty easy to tell desperation when you see it,” von Glahn said. “What Mr. Ellinger did today shows that committee is simply desperate to not have the illegal and unpopular action that they took placed before Missouri voters.”People Not Politicians must gather at least 106,134 signatures, spread over six of the state’s eight congressional districts, to trigger a referendum on the new congressional map approved on a party-line vote during a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">September special legislative session</a>. The signatures must be turned in by Dec. 11.The case postponed on Thursday is one of six — five in state courts, one in federal court — focused on the September special session. One case, challenging the authority for the special session, has been decided at the trial court level and is under appeal.Another, questioning whether lawmakers had the power to revise districts without new census data, was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/12/judge-hears-arguments-over-legality-of-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">heard on Wednesday</a>. A hearing in the federal case, which attempts to win a decision that congressional redistricting maps are protected from citizen referendum petitions by the federal Constitution, is scheduled for Nov. 25 in St. Louis.In the case postponed Thursday, People Not Politicians is arguing that the right to seek a referendum on any law is triggered when lawmakers take a final vote on a bill. The committee is suing Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who rejected petition forms because Gov. Mike Kehoe had not signed the redistricting legislation.Kehoe called lawmakers into special session in September at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">insistence of President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in a bid to give Republicans seven instead of six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats.Under the bill scheduled to take effect Dec. 12, Missourians would vote next year in revised districts. The new Missouri map targets the Kansas City-based 5th District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, to flip to the Republican Party.Trump wants to preserve and expand the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House, where they currently have a 219-213 edge.The efforts to delay the petition drive will not succeed, von Glahn said. The campaign has collected more than 200,000 signatures, he said.The case will preserve the rights of the 90,000 people who signed the petition between Sept. 15, when the first version was filed with Hoskins, and Oct. 14, he said.&nbsp;That is when Hoskins issued a news release warning that no signatures gathered before he certified the petition for circulation were valid and anyone who had signed it could be prosecuted for an election offense. Von Glahn said he wants a declaration from the court that those people have not done anything wrong.“There is not a question that every single signature that has been gathered is on a form that the Secretary of State has himself said is the appropriate form,” he said.The late intervention and delays are “ridiculous and they’re undemocratic,” Hatfield said. “If the Republican Party and the proponents think that redrawing Missouri’s congressional districts to go to a seven to one Republican is a great idea, then let’s vote on it and see whether it’s a good idea or not.”In the petition seeking to intervene, Ellinger wrote that Put Missouri First will incur heavy expenses and time-consuming organizing efforts if the map is put to a vote.&nbsp;“The judge found it convincing and allowed us in the case,” Ellinger said “We have a vested interest in the expense of campaign funds and in the advocacy for or against a measure.”

Trial over referendum on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map delayed again

HARVEY COUNTY —On Wednesday, Harvey County Chief Judge Wilder sentenced 54-year-old Shyla McFrederic of Sedgwick, Kansa for Distribution of Methamphetamine, a severity level 1 drug felony, according to the Harvey County Attorney's office.

The case originated from McFrederick’s arrest in Sedgwick, Kansas, on April 19, 2024, when she was found in possession of 111 grams of methamphetamine, 22 grams of psilocybin, 94 grams of marijuana, and four fentanyl tablets.

Under the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines, McFrederick faced a presumptive prison term of 138 to 154 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections. Harvey County Attorney Heather Figger requested that the Court impose a 146-month prison sentence, emphasizing that the State had already exercised leniency by dismissing seven felony and five misdemeanor charges across three separate criminal cases as part of the plea agreement.

County Attorney Figger also urged the Court to consider the devastating impact that the distribution of these substances has on the Harvey County community. Counsel for McFrederick requested a downward departure to probation.

In ruling on the matter, Chief Judge Wilder noted that the case involved “the highest level drug felony that exists and that is only for the methamphetamine you possessed and not the other drugs.”

During sentencing, the Court cited a substance use evaluation completed by McFrederick in September 2025, which indicated that she still was not accepting responsibility for her crimes. The Court also noted that McFrederick’s no contest plea was not an acceptance of responsibility.

After consideration, Chief Judge Wilder granted a durational departure, sentencing McFrederick to 60 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. The Court based this reduced sentence on McFrederick’s decision to waive her preliminary hearing and enter a plea—thereby saving the State the expense of further proceedings—and some limited acceptance of responsibility demonstrated by the actions she had taken to improve herself.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762979753270.png" alt="McFrederick from a December 2024 arrest in Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>McFrederick from a December 2024 arrest in Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —On Wednesday, Harvey County Chief Judge Wilder sentenced 54-year-old Shyla McFrederic of Sedgwick, Kansa for Distribution of Methamphetamine, a severity level 1 drug felony, according to the Harvey County Attorney's office.The case originated from McFrederick’s arrest in Sedgwick, Kansas, on April 19, 2024, when she was found in possession of 111 grams of methamphetamine, 22 grams of psilocybin, 94 grams of marijuana, and four fentanyl tablets.Under the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines, McFrederick faced a presumptive prison term of 138 to 154 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections. Harvey County Attorney Heather Figger requested that the Court impose a 146-month prison sentence, emphasizing that the State had already exercised leniency by dismissing seven felony and five misdemeanor charges across three separate criminal cases as part of the plea agreement.County Attorney Figger also urged the Court to consider the devastating impact that the distribution of these substances has on the Harvey County community. Counsel for McFrederick requested a downward departure to probation.In ruling on the matter, Chief Judge Wilder noted that the case involved “the highest level drug felony that exists and that is only for the methamphetamine you possessed and not the other drugs.”During sentencing, the Court cited a substance use evaluation completed by McFrederick in September 2025, which indicated that she still was not accepting responsibility for her crimes. The Court also noted that McFrederick’s no contest plea was not an acceptance of responsibility.After consideration, Chief Judge Wilder granted a durational departure, sentencing McFrederick to 60 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. The Court based this reduced sentence on McFrederick’s decision to waive her preliminary hearing and enter a plea—thereby saving the State the expense of further proceedings—and some limited acceptance of responsibility demonstrated by the actions she had taken to improve herself.

Kansas drug dealer gets plea deal after caught with meth, fentanyl pills

LAWRENCE — Government, university and community leaders commemorated the opening Wednesday of a state-of-the-art convention center at the University of Kansas, which is equipped with amenities meant to draw thousands of annual visitors and generate revenue to pay off the university’s large-scale development project.

More than 100 people milled about the center’s grand entrance hall and conference rooms to hear Gov. Laura Kelly, university chancellor Douglas Girod and three others praise the teamwork and vision behind the University of Kansas Conference Center. They predicted a future of economic and community prosperity before cutting a ceremonious red ribbon held by the university’s mascots, Big Jay and Baby Jay.

The center is part of the project to revamp the school’s football stadium and northern campus entrance to create the Gateway District. The project could cost up to $808 million, and it relies heavily on state and local incentives, along with funding from the Republican-led Kansas Legislature and private donors to subsidize development.

The conference center is expected to be among the first steps in producing a return on those public and private investments.

“Not only will this facility benefit the greater Lawrence community, but it will also attract out-of-state visitors, spurring significant economic activity,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “Today marks a major step towards completion of the first phase of the university’s Gateway District project.”

The 55,000-square-foot center is the first of its kind in Douglas County. Kelly said the conference center has “required an intense collaborative effort.”

It is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the center’s visitors can access a patio that puts them at eye-level with players and coaches. Conference center users can also access stadium amenities, including the digital scoreboard, meeting rooms and various offices, said Girod.

The university envisions galas, weddings, conventions, trade shows and other large social events as potential uses for the center, said Girod. Event bookings already stretch into 2027, he said.

“As a result of this design, it really positions us to host all kinds of events, bringing out-of-town visitors into our community,” Girod said, “and that’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day, to generate additional economic activity to the city, county, state and beyond.”

Girod said he hopes the new center will attract events from around the world. An estimated 400,000 people visit Lawrence annually. KU’s Rock Chalk Park soccer complex on the western edge of the city is currently under consideration for hosting a team base camp for the 2026 World Cup.

The conference center isn’t a typical one, in large part because of its location, Girod said.

“Right in the heart of Lawrence, right at the foot of the hill, right at the base of campus, right at the gateway of our campus, and, of course, as part of our stadium,” he said.

The Legislature allocated $35 million to the project in 2022 from American Rescue Plan Act funds. It received $50 million in grant funding in 2023 from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which required a three-to-one match of private funds. The city of Lawrence approved in August a $95 million package of incentives, including the city’s first Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bonds, which allow the city to finance the project with nearly $86 million in bonds. Once built, the development’s revenues and sales taxes will pay off the bonds.

Now that phase 1 is complete, the roughly $300 million phase 2 is expected to begin once KU’s football season ends, said Girod.

The second phase is expected to begin with renovations to the east side of the football stadium and construction of a parking garage and a 150-room hotel. A roughly 440-bed student housing complex, outdoor event plaza and retail, restaurant and office space are expected to follow, extending use of the area beyond football season.

Nearly 1 million people are predicted to visit the Gateway District annually once the project is complete in 2030, according to a feasibility study submitted to the city of Lawrence. Developers expect the district to produce a net economic output of $84.9 million and more than 1,600 full-time jobs.

“Today marks a shift in what is possible in Lawrence,” said Kim Anspach, the executive director of Explore Lawrence, the city’s tourism arm.

Capacity often restricted the city’s ability to host and grow events, she said. The center helps create a “steady rhythm of activity,” which helps support the year-round stability of the local economy.

The center is not a one-time boost, Anspach said; it’s a foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042529180.png" alt="The University of Kansas Conference Center, which is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, opens in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It is part of the Gateway District project’s renovations of the northern entrance to campus, which are expected to finish in 2030. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The University of Kansas Conference Center, which is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, opens in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It is part of the Gateway District project’s renovations of the northern entrance to campus, which are expected to finish in 2030. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — Government, university and community leaders commemorated the opening Wednesday of a state-of-the-art convention center at the University of Kansas, which is equipped with amenities meant to draw thousands of annual visitors and generate revenue to pay off the university’s large-scale development project.More than 100 people milled about the center’s grand entrance hall and conference rooms to hear Gov. Laura Kelly, university chancellor Douglas Girod and three others praise the teamwork and vision behind the University of Kansas Conference Center. They predicted a future of economic and community prosperity before cutting a ceremonious red ribbon held by the university’s mascots, Big Jay and Baby Jay.The center is part of the project to revamp the school’s football stadium and northern campus entrance to create the Gateway District. The project could cost up to $808 million, and it relies heavily on state and local incentives, along with funding from the Republican-led Kansas Legislature and private donors to subsidize development.The conference center is expected to be among the first steps in producing a return on those public and private investments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042491946.png" alt="People gather in the University of Kansas Conference Center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It will host galas, parties, graduations, conventions and trade shows, said KU Chancellor Doug Girod. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>People gather in the University of Kansas Conference Center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It will host galas, parties, graduations, conventions and trade shows, said KU Chancellor Doug Girod. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Not only will this facility benefit the greater Lawrence community, but it will also attract out-of-state visitors, spurring significant economic activity,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “Today marks a major step towards completion of the first phase of the university’s Gateway District project.”The 55,000-square-foot center is the first of its kind in Douglas County. Kelly said the conference center has “required an intense collaborative effort.”It is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the center’s visitors can access a patio that puts them at eye-level with players and coaches. Conference center users can also access stadium amenities, including the digital scoreboard, meeting rooms and various offices, said Girod.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042452129.png" alt="Field-level access in the University of Kansas’ David Booth Memorial Stadium is attached to the university’s 55,000-square-foot. conference center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Field-level access in the University of Kansas’ David Booth Memorial Stadium is attached to the university’s 55,000-square-foot. conference center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The university envisions galas, weddings, conventions, trade shows and other large social events as potential uses for the center, said Girod. Event bookings already stretch into 2027, he said.“As a result of this design, it really positions us to host all kinds of events, bringing out-of-town visitors into our community,” Girod said, “and that’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day, to generate additional economic activity to the city, county, state and beyond.”Girod said he hopes the new center will attract events from around the world. An estimated 400,000 people visit Lawrence annually. KU’s Rock Chalk Park soccer complex on the western edge of the city is currently under consideration for hosting a team base camp for the 2026 World Cup.The conference center isn’t a typical one, in large part because of its location, Girod said.“Right in the heart of Lawrence, right at the foot of the hill, right at the base of campus, right at the gateway of our campus, and, of course, as part of our stadium,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042361413.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly at the University of Kansas Conference Center opening in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly at the University of Kansas Conference Center opening in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Legislature allocated $35 million to the project in 2022 from American Rescue Plan Act funds. It received $50 million in grant funding in 2023 from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which required a three-to-one match of private funds. The city of Lawrence approved in August a $95 million package of incentives, including the city’s first Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bonds, which allow the city to finance the project with nearly $86 million in bonds. Once built, the development’s revenues and sales taxes will pay off the bonds.Now that phase 1 is complete, the roughly $300 million phase 2 is expected to begin once KU’s football season ends, said Girod.The second phase is expected to begin with renovations to the east side of the football stadium and construction of a parking garage and a 150-room hotel. A roughly 440-bed student housing complex, outdoor event plaza and retail, restaurant and office space are expected to follow, extending use of the area beyond football season.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042326830.png" alt="A banner hangs on the untouched portion of the University of Kansas football stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. It depicts a rendering of upcoming plans to complete stadium renovations and construct a hotel and parking garage, creating what will be known as the Gateway District. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A banner hangs on the untouched portion of the University of Kansas football stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. It depicts a rendering of upcoming plans to complete stadium renovations and construct a hotel and parking garage, creating what will be known as the Gateway District. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Nearly 1 million people are predicted to visit the Gateway District annually once the project is complete in 2030, according to a feasibility study submitted to the city of Lawrence. Developers expect the district to produce a net economic output of $84.9 million and more than 1,600 full-time jobs.“Today marks a shift in what is possible in Lawrence,” said Kim Anspach, the executive director of Explore Lawrence, the city’s tourism arm.Capacity often restricted the city’s ability to host and grow events, she said. The center helps create a “steady rhythm of activity,” which helps support the year-round stability of the local economy.The center is not a one-time boost, Anspach said; it’s a foundation.

KU convention center opens, capping phase 1 of $800M stadium expansion, redevelopment

MITCHELL COUNTY —Two people were injured in a home explosion on Wednesday in Mitchell County.

Just before 6:30pm, the Mitchell County Communication Center received calls of a house explosion had occurred at the corner of Elkhorn Street and Wisconsin Street in Simpson, Kansas, according to a media release from the Mitchell County Sheriff.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and located two adult victims with severe injuries. Both victims were transported to the Mitchell County Health Hospital Systems ER initially. The victims were then flown to higher level of care hospitals. 

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and responded to the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763033183062.png" alt="Photo Mitchell Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Mitchell Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MITCHELL COUNTY —Two people were injured in a home explosion on Wednesday in Mitchell County.Just before 6:30pm, the Mitchell County Communication Center received calls of a house explosion had occurred at the corner of Elkhorn Street and Wisconsin Street in Simpson, Kansas, according to a media release from the Mitchell County Sheriff.Emergency personnel responded to the scene and located two adult victims with severe injuries. Both victims were transported to the Mitchell County Health Hospital Systems ER initially. The victims were then flown to higher level of care hospitals. The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and responded to the scene.&nbsp;