<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Yje1R_1H1Qx9nQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Yje1R_1H1Qx9nQ00" width="840" height="480" ><figcaption>Emily DeMarchi / KPR</figcaption></figure>UPDATE: Masterson Concedes Gubernatorial Race to Cindy HolscherTOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — Cindy Holscher will be sworn in as the governor of Kansas in January. The Associated Press called the race at 4:43 p.m. Thursday. Republican candidate Ty Masterson issued a concession statement 15 minutes later.According to the Kansas Reflector, Masterson said “I’ve called Senator Holscher to congratulate her on her election. It has been the honor of my life to carry the Republican banner for the state I love. This was a hard election for people who share our vision, here and across the country. But I believe in this state and in the people who live here, and that hasn’t changed.”Unofficial election results from the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office show Holscher with 7,644 votes more than Masterson in the race. Due to the narrow margin of the vote tally, state law required each county to audit the ballots from 10% of precincts.Election results won’t be official until the state certifies them on Dec. 1. County commissions have until Monday to consider provisional ballots and certify their county’s results.(–Earlier reporting–)AP: Cindy Holscher Wins KS Governor's RaceTOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Democrats will hold onto the Kansas governor’s office after all. On Thursday, the Associated Press finally called the race for state Senator Cindy Holscher. Kansas voters decided to keep a Democrat in the governor’s office for a third consecutive term. Governor Laura Kelly will leave office in January after serving two terms. Holscher ran a campaign focused on funding special education, legalizing recreational marijuana and a moratorium on building data centers. She faced Republican state Senate president Ty Masterson. Holscher takes office with Democrats having broken the Republican supermajority in the House, which allows her to veto bills without the threat of a GOP override. (Read more.)(–Additional reporting–)Associated Press Calls Kansas Governor's Race for Democrat Cindy HolscherUNDATED (KNS) — Democrat Cindy Holscher will be the next governor of Kansas, according to a race call Thursday from the Associated Press. But while Democrats made a dent in the Kansas Legislature, Republicans still hold the majority. The Kansas News Service reports that it will be hard for either Democrats or Republicans to pass their legislative goals in Kansas, at least for the next two years. In the past 8 years, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly tried to reject dozens of Republican-led bills, like restrictions to abortion access or anti-trans legislation, but her vetoes were easily overturned. On Election Day, Democrats won enough seats in the Kansas House to break the Republican supermajority, which means Republicans don’t have enough votes now to override the governor or put constitutional amendments on the ballot. Republicans still hold a 55% majority in the House and 78% in the Senate, so it will be hard for Holscher to pass her priorities, such as legalizing marijuana or expanding Medicare. (Read more.)(–Earlier reporting–)Kansas Governor's Race Still Uncalled; Audit Deadline NearsUNDATED (KC Star) — The Kansas governor's race remains uncalled Thursday. Democrat Cindy Holscher’s lead over Republican Ty Masterson currently stands at 7,644 votes. The Kansas City Star reports that the Kansas Secretary of State’s website shows 73 of 105 counties have completed audits and submitted their results to the state. A spokesman for the Kansas Secretary of State's office said that all audits must be completed by Monday, November 16 and before each county begins its canvass.Masterson has not conceded, but a source close to the Republican state Senate president told The Star that he doesn’t plan to pay for an additional recount if the audit confirms Holscher’s victory.==========Attorneys Caution Kansans Facing Medical Debt Lawsuits to Explore All OptionsTOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas residents are being sued over medical bills, often for less than $500. Attorneys for Kansas Legal Services say the problem persists across the state. The legal aid organization reviewed medical debt lawsuits in multiple Kansas counties, finding that patients are going to court over mostly small debts. In Shawnee County, 75% of cases reviewed involved debts under $500. In Coffey County, 85% of cases ended without defendants responding or appearing in court. The numbers come from separate one-week reviews of court records. Casey Johnson, Director of Advocacy and Litigation for Kansas Legal Services, says debt collection cases keep increasing. “The numbers just continue to rise, and they are the highest that they've ever been in Kansas,” he added. Johnson says many defendants are low-income Kansans who may not even know they've been sued because they moved. ==========Sedgwick County DA Won't File Charges in Soccer Field DeathsWICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett announced Thursday that he will not file charges against the driver in a deadly crash at a Wichita soccer field. The Kansas News Service reports that two people died and 10 others were injured in the crash at the crowded soccer field last month. Bennett says a police investigation determined the driver, a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, was asleep at the time of the crash and did not act with intent or recklessness. He says part of his job is to hold people accountable when he can prove they committed a crime. “I am also charged, also required, also it is my solemn responsibility to stand before the community and say, as bad as this was, it is not a crime,” he explained.Police interviewed more than one hundred witnesses and reviewed at least sixty videos from the scene. (Read more.)==========Douglas County Man Charged with Sexually Assaulting Young GirlsLAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A Douglas County man has been charged with sexually assaulting two young girls who were in his care. 43-year-old Jerome Leallen Sholes is being held on a $1 million bond. The Lawrence Journal-World reports both victims were under the age of eight. Sholes’ partner, Felicia Nichole Lee, will enter a diversion program after admitting she told the girls to keep the abuse a secret. Lee is a former Douglas County corrections officer. Prosecutors say the abuse occurred between 2021 and 2024 and was reported earlier this year.==========Motorcyclist Injured After Colliding With Deer in Osage County; State Warns of Such CollisionsBURLINGAME, Kan. (KSNT) — A motorcyclist has been seriously injured after hitting a deer in Osage County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened around 6:35 am on Wednesday on South Burlingame Road, about three miles north of Burlingame. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. KSNT reports he was transported to a Topeka hospital. State wildlife officials are warning motorists that collisions with deer are more common at this time of year, which is the animal’s mating season. According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, there were over 10,000 collisions involving deer last year, accounting for about 40% of all single-vehicle crashes.==========Kansas Nurse in Line for $100,000 Payment From StateTOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — A Kansas nurse who sued the state nursing board after she says she was wrongly disciplined could be getting $100,000 for her troubles. The board had accused Amy Siple of practicing without a license. Siple says she had not realized her license had expired when she gave talks on her specialty, dementia, at conferences and senior centers. The nursing board said those talks amounted to practicing nursing. Siple sued the board. The two sides reached a settlement. On Tuesday, the Kansas Committee on Special Claims Against the State ruled Siple was entitled to the payment for lost wages. KSNT reports the vote was 4-3. The payment still needs to be approved by the state legislature.==========Chiefs Name Firms That Will Build New Stadium in Wyandotte CountyKANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSNT) — We now know who will build the Kansas City Chiefs’ new stadium in Wyandotte County. On Wednesday the team announced that Clark Construction Group and AECOM will lead the project. Clark is one of the largest building and civil contractors in the U.S. AECOM is a leading engineering and construction firm. Clark is based in Virginia, AECOM in Dallas. KSNT reports construction of the $3-billion domed stadium is scheduled to begin next year. It’s set to open in time for the 2031 NFL season.==========Food Insecurity in Kansas Increases over Last YearUNDATED (KNS) — More Kansas households need food assistance this year compared to last year. The Kansas Food Bank supports food pantries and soup kitchens in 85 counties in the state. Its data shows the amount of households served by hunger relief programs across the state has jumped by 88%.CEO Brian Walker told the Kansas News Service that people need more help this year because of the higher cost of groceries. He says many families also are no longer able to receive government food assistance. "It's really hard to get rent assistance or it's really hard to get assistance with gasoline and you have to put that in your car to get to work. So food is one of those things that is the first to change for them," he explained.Walker says older residents are the most affected population because they’re often on a fixed income.==========Children’s Mercy to Be In-Network for ACA After AllKANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — Children’s Mercy Hospital will be in-network for an Affordable Care Act insurance plan after all. Last month the hospital said no ACA plans would provide coverage beginning January 1. But on Tuesday, Children’s Mercy announced ACA coverage will be available through UnitedHealthcare. Hundreds of patients are insured through the ACA, which is also referred to as Obamacare. Without an ACA plan, many would not be able to afford care. Families must enroll in the new plan by December 15 for coverage to take effect on January 1.==========Newton Residents Raise Concerns over Proposed AI Drone HangarWICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Some residents of Newton in southcentral Kansas are raising concerns about a proposed Shield AI drone hangar at the city’s airport.Many Newton residents are part of the Mennonite community, which practices non-violence. They have objected to a company that develops drones designed for the military. The Kansas News Service reports that during a recent meeting, city staff responded to questions about potential noise from a drone facility, as well as the environmental impact.City Manager Daniela Rivas says city leaders are listening to residents’ ethical misgivings. “These are questions of community values. There's, it's not a black and white answer, and we leave it to this body to drive that strategic direction for the growth of our city,” she stated.Shield AI says the facility would create nearly 3,000 jobs. The Newton city manager, however, says that number is actually closer to 75.The city commission will consider the lease for the drone hangar later this month.==========Kansas Kids' Uninsured Rate Exceeds National AverageWICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Since the end of the pandemic, Kansas children have steadily been losing health insurance. But last year that loss increased even more sharply. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas now has one of the nation’s highest rates for uninsured children, according to new data from the Census Bureau.State health advocates say many children are eligible for insurance, but are losing coverage for a variety of reasons. These include changes to Medicaid after the pandemic and fear among immigrant communities in applying for government assistance. Sonder Crane, a physician with the American Academy of Pediatrics, says regular checkups provided by insurance are important, explaining that “...the cost of trying to take care of an illness or address an illness is a lot higher than preventing an illness.” One proposed solution is to streamline and combine applications for food and health insurance assistance.==========Motorcade in Lawrence: It’s Training, Not a VIPLAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — If you see a motorcade in Lawrence on Thursday, it’s not the president or another VIP—it’s just a training exercise. The Lawrence Police Department is coordinating the exercise with local law enforcement agencies and first responders. The procession will include multiple vehicles, including ambulances and police motorcycles. In a press release, Lawrence police say officers will be practicing safe intersection management and procession control. Motorists can expect brief delays at some intersections while the training is conducted.==========This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on X (formerly Twitter).</div></body>

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TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — Cindy Holscher will be sworn in as the governor of Kansas in January. The Associated Press called the race at 4:43 p.m. Thursday. Republican candidate Ty Masterson issued a concession statement 15 minutes later. According to the Kansas Reflector, Masterson said “I’ve called Senator...

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TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — Cindy Holscher will be sworn in as the governor of Kansas in January. The Associated Press called the race at 4:43 p.m. T

Headlines for Thursday, November 12, 2026

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