Eagle's Hutch news director honored by Kansas Farm Bureau

It might not rain much in Healy. But if it does, it’s Steve Fenster’s job to know about it. Every morning for more than 40 years as a volunteer with the National Weather Service, he’s peered out the window of his west-central Kansas home scouring his patio for any signs of moisture.

The 2023 Kansas Legislative Session officially commenced on Monday, January 9, 2023. It truly is an honor to serve the constituents of the 109th Kansas House District and to remain as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. On Tuesday, January 10, House and Senate Leadership unveiled their plan for...

Farmers and ranchers are some of the most resilient people I know. They weather incredible odds, pun intended, from droughts, to floods, fire, hail, blizzards and more. This doesn’t even touch the volatile input costs, family dynamics, inflation and increased regulations we are seeing. Despite these adversities, we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and continue to provide for our families while often being the first to give the shirts off our own backs for a neighbor in need.

TOPEKA —Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks invasive species biologists have been sampling on the Kansas River to remove invasive species, including Bighead and Silver Carp this winter. While out on the river this week, they encountered a "Kansas River monster," according to the KDWP social media account. The...

TOPEKA — Byron Lewis was a student at Topeka High School when allowed to use study hall to read to kindergartners at his old elementary school. It was the first time Lewis — now an elementary school teacher in the Turner district — thought a career in education could be in his future. He earned an education degree at Kansas State University and was introduced to programs that urge men of color to enter the profession. Statewide, it’s just not enough. Entering the fall 2022 academic year, there were an estimated 1,500 teacher vacancies in Kansas.

TOPEKA — Two Kansas foster runaways died in 2022. The body of one turned up in an empty lot in Kansas City, Kansas. The second stole a car and crashed into a semi near Parsons. The deaths of those children prompted criticism of the Kansas Department for Children and...

TOPEKA — Michelle McCormick, LMSW, will join the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, Topeka as its new Executive Director. Her first day with KCSDV is Feb. 20. “We are delighted to welcome Michelle as the next leader of KCSDV,” said Carol Ruth Bonebrake, president of the KCSDV...

As we get settled into the first and second week of the 2023 legislative session, most of our work is concentrated in committees where bills are being prioritized and vetted. The Senate has 19 standing committees which cover many different topics, including education, agriculture, judiciary, budget, and utilities—to name a few. Once a committee completes hearings and votes on a bill, if passed, it will then make its way to the Senate floor and the full body will begin to debate and vote on the measure. Floor debates and votes will begin in the coming weeks. At the end of the 2nd week, over 170 bills have been introduced.

FORD COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office updated the condition of the deputy who remained hospitalized in Wichita after a fatal officer-involved shooting Monday in Dodge City. The deputy from the Ford County Sheriff’s Office was released from the hospital...

Biking Across Kansas announced its route over the weekend and bikers will go through primarily the southern half of the state. BAK is an annual, eight-day bicycle tour across the state of Kansas, promoting health and wellness through bicycling, the history and beauty of Kansas, and the warm hospitality of the Kansas towns and people.

Farmers and ranchers in Ellis, Russell and Ellsworth counties have been protecting local water supplies including Kanopolis Reservoir by implementing sediment and nutrient reduction Best Management Practices (BMPs). Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) cost-share assistance for BMPs is currently available to landowners and operators in the targeted areas (see map) through the KSU Big Creek Middle Smoky Hill River Watersheds. Eligible BMPs include: alternative water supplies, riparian fencing, relocating livestock feeding sites, cover crops and cover crop grazing, no-till, and critical area plantings.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The leader of Missouri's state Senate on Thursday said Republican senators are unified against letting transgender girls play on girls' sports teams. Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden's comments to reporters on Thursday signal that restrictions on what teams transgender student athletes can play...

We are already in week 3 of the 2023 Kansas Legislative session. It has been a slow go with mainly bill introductions and overviews in committee meetings. Once again, I am Chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and member of Appropriations and Higher Education Budget Committee. The...

Kansas crude prices are the highest in nearly two months. Kansas Common crude at CHS starts the week at $71.50 per barrel, the highest price in McPherson since December 1, 2022. Susan Duffy was chosen to chair the Kansas Corporation Commission. This is her second term leading the state's energy...

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly will outlined her second term priorities for the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature during the annual State of the State address. (click below to watch a replay of the address) She has previously outlined several proposals for cutting taxes and has promised to push for expanding...

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is preparing to outline what she is likely to call a middle-of-the-road agenda for a Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature that already expects to ditch much of what she'll propose in favor of more conservative ideas on taxes and education. Kelly was scheduled...

TOPEKA — A recently introduced bill would bring the abortion fight to the county and city level, allowing local government to limit access to reproductive health care. The latest in a series of attempts to restrict abortion, Senate Bill 65 would give cities and counties the right to enact stricter laws on abortion than current state law. Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, introduced the bill without putting his name on it as a sponsor.

TOPEKA — Lawmakers have begun evaluating legislation in an effort to fix years of built-up problems within the juvenile justice system. First up: A bill that could expand access to behavioral health treatment through crisis intervention centers. During a House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee meeting Monday, a week...

KINGMAN, Kan. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration this week issued a Citation and Notification of Penalty to Great Lakes Polymer Technologies LLC, which operates as FabPro Polymers in Kingman. Multiple serious violations were cited. The OSHA report noted that on August 4, 2022, an employee was fatally...

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health reported 2,148 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Jan. 18 to Jan. 25, for a total of 926,022 cases. The state reported 1,937 cases the previous week. On Wednesday, the state reported 41 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Jan. 18,...