By:<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/author/ropshal/">Robin Opsahl</a> <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

The Des Moines School Board is suing JG Consulting, the firm contracted in the search that led to hiring former Superintendent Ian Roberts.

The board hired Roberts in 2023. He held the position until Sept. 30, when he resigned after being placed on&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/29/state-board-revokes-dmps-superintendent-ian-roberts-license-after-ice-arrest/">unpaid administrative leave</a>&nbsp;by the school board Monday and having his license revoked by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners Sunday.

These actions came after Roberts was&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/26/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-in-ice-custody-after-arrest/">detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement</a>. Roberts, who is a citizen of Guyana according to court documents, was arrested by ICE agents Sept. 26 during a “targeted enforcement operation,” a news release from the federal agency stated. A handgun, hunting knife and $3,000 in cash were found in his vehicle, and ICE stated he evaded arrest.

While there has been significant confusion and backlash surrounding Roberts’ detainment, in the days since his arrest, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/03/dhs-releases-new-information-extensive-criminal-history-illegal-alien-ian-roberts" target="_blank">has released documents</a>&nbsp;confirming Roberts was given an order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024, and he has faced multiple criminal charges.

Some of the information that has come to light about Roberts’ background, such as a 2022 criminal charge for having a loaded weapon in his vehicle while hunting, and that he had not received the doctorate from Morgan State University claimed in his resume, were subjects flagged for Des Moines Public Schools and board members during the superintendent search process.

But DMPS officials said many of the issues brought up since his arrest — including his immigration status, previous criminal charges as well as the falsification of other parts of his resume — were subjects that should have been flagged during the search and background check process.

After two closed session meetings Friday, Board President Jackie Norris announced the board was filing a lawsuit against JG Consulting for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation and negligence in the process of offering Roberts as a candidate.

The lawsuit states the $41,000 contract between the search firm and DMPS required candidates be referred to the district only if the business “reasonably believed the candidate could lawfully and satisfactorily perform the position and that the candidate’s application materials were true and complete.”

Norris said JG Consulting “failed its duty to properly vet candidates,” and that Roberts “should have never been presented as a finalist.” The contract required the firm to conduct “comprehensive reference calls” to verify employment experiences, in addition to criminal, credit and background checks conducted through a third party, Norris said, and the business was required to provide all known information, both positive and negative, to the board.

“That did not occur,” Norris said. “We are pursuing pursuing legal action, as allowed by law. This is about accountability. Taxpayer dollars were used, and we are seeking accountability.”

The DHS report, released Friday, included information on Roberts’ alleged criminal history such as 1996 charges for the criminal possession of narcotics and possession of a forged instrument in New York as well as previously reported weapons charges.

“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the news release. “When ICE officers arrested this Superintendent, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash. This criminal illegal alien is now in U.S. Marshals custody and facing charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearms.”

Several of the academic institutions Roberts claimed to have received degrees or honors from disputed having records of his enrollment, or of granting him awards,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2025/10/01/dmps-superintendent-ian-andre-roberts-did-not-attend-mit-university-says/86454972007/" target="_blank">the Des Moines Register</a>&nbsp;has reported.

Josh Romero, attorney for JG Consulting, said in a statement Friday that Roberts had provided the necessary documents to show he was eligible for the superintendent position in regard to his citizenship — he had completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted other required documentation showing his employment eligibility when hired by DMPS.

Romero also stated that the firm’s team “identified and reported to the board on the discrepancy in his educational history prior to the board making its selection,” and that the Des Moines school board chose to move forward.

“That the district has now decided to litigate about their choice of candidate at this time, when they have had all relevant information since the beginning, is unfortunate and unwarranted,” Romero said in the statement. “We will answer any claims brought by the district in court.”

JG Consulting had contracted with Baker-Eubanks, a separate consulting firm, to perform third-party background checks during Roberts’ hiring process. A news release from Baker-Eubanks stated it was not contracted to perform work addressing eligibility or citizenship verification.

But Norris said information on Roberts’ criminal history and educational background should have been uncovered through the search process.

“I think it’s clear that people are identifying and finding information online in a matter of hours,” Norris said. “And so it is probably something that they should have caught, and that was our expectation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758925503158.png" alt="&nbsp;Ian Roberts in February 2020.- photo ICE" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Ian Roberts in February 2020.- photo ICE</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/author/ropshal/">Robin Opsahl</a> <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>The Des Moines School Board is suing JG Consulting, the firm contracted in the search that led to hiring former Superintendent Ian Roberts.The board hired Roberts in 2023. He held the position until Sept. 30, when he resigned after being placed on&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/29/state-board-revokes-dmps-superintendent-ian-roberts-license-after-ice-arrest/">unpaid administrative leave</a>&nbsp;by the school board Monday and having his license revoked by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759615148707.png" alt=" Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, right, greets students and staff on the first day of school at Goodrell Elementary on Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by Jon Lemons/Courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools)" />
 <figcaption> Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, right, greets students and staff on the first day of school at Goodrell Elementary on Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by Jon Lemons/Courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools)</figcaption>
 </figure>These actions came after Roberts was&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/26/des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-in-ice-custody-after-arrest/">detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement</a>. Roberts, who is a citizen of Guyana according to court documents, was arrested by ICE agents Sept. 26 during a “targeted enforcement operation,” a news release from the federal agency stated. A handgun, hunting knife and $3,000 in cash were found in his vehicle, and ICE stated he evaded arrest.While there has been significant confusion and backlash surrounding Roberts’ detainment, in the days since his arrest, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/03/dhs-releases-new-information-extensive-criminal-history-illegal-alien-ian-roberts" target="_blank">has released documents</a>&nbsp;confirming Roberts was given an order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024, and he has faced multiple criminal charges.Some of the information that has come to light about Roberts’ background, such as a 2022 criminal charge for having a loaded weapon in his vehicle while hunting, and that he had not received the doctorate from Morgan State University claimed in his resume, were subjects flagged for Des Moines Public Schools and board members during the superintendent search process.But DMPS officials said many of the issues brought up since his arrest — including his immigration status, previous criminal charges as well as the falsification of other parts of his resume — were subjects that should have been flagged during the search and background check process.After two closed session meetings Friday, Board President Jackie Norris announced the board was filing a lawsuit against JG Consulting for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation and negligence in the process of offering Roberts as a candidate.The lawsuit states the $41,000 contract between the search firm and DMPS required candidates be referred to the district only if the business “reasonably believed the candidate could lawfully and satisfactorily perform the position and that the candidate’s application materials were true and complete.”Norris said JG Consulting “failed its duty to properly vet candidates,” and that Roberts “should have never been presented as a finalist.” The contract required the firm to conduct “comprehensive reference calls” to verify employment experiences, in addition to criminal, credit and background checks conducted through a third party, Norris said, and the business was required to provide all known information, both positive and negative, to the board.“That did not occur,” Norris said. “We are pursuing pursuing legal action, as allowed by law. This is about accountability. Taxpayer dollars were used, and we are seeking accountability.”The DHS report, released Friday, included information on Roberts’ alleged criminal history such as 1996 charges for the criminal possession of narcotics and possession of a forged instrument in New York as well as previously reported weapons charges.“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the news release. “When ICE officers arrested this Superintendent, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash. This criminal illegal alien is now in U.S. Marshals custody and facing charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearms.”Several of the academic institutions Roberts claimed to have received degrees or honors from disputed having records of his enrollment, or of granting him awards,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2025/10/01/dmps-superintendent-ian-andre-roberts-did-not-attend-mit-university-says/86454972007/" target="_blank">the Des Moines Register</a>&nbsp;has reported.Josh Romero, attorney for JG Consulting, said in a statement Friday that Roberts had provided the necessary documents to show he was eligible for the superintendent position in regard to his citizenship — he had completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted other required documentation showing his employment eligibility when hired by DMPS.Romero also stated that the firm’s team “identified and reported to the board on the discrepancy in his educational history prior to the board making its selection,” and that the Des Moines school board chose to move forward.“That the district has now decided to litigate about their choice of candidate at this time, when they have had all relevant information since the beginning, is unfortunate and unwarranted,” Romero said in the statement. “We will answer any claims brought by the district in court.”JG Consulting had contracted with Baker-Eubanks, a separate consulting firm, to perform third-party background checks during Roberts’ hiring process. A news release from Baker-Eubanks stated it was not contracted to perform work addressing eligibility or citizenship verification.But Norris said information on Roberts’ criminal history and educational background should have been uncovered through the search process.“I think it’s clear that people are identifying and finding information online in a matter of hours,” Norris said. “And so it is probably something that they should have caught, and that was our expectation.”

School board sues search firm used in superintendent’s hiring process

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri needs “plug-and-play instructional resources” to help school districts expand vocational offerings and employer incentives to hire students exploring career paths, according to a new&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/media/pdf/governors-workforce-future-challenge-report" target="_blank">report on improving job readiness</a>.

Bringing together resources from the state’s K-12 and postsecondary education departments, a work group met from April through July to assess the state’s current career-tech programs.

Implementing the departments’ recommendations, though, comes with numerous funding challenges.

Gov. Mike Kehoe called for the report during his State of the State address in January with an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2025/eo16" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;charging the departments with “improving existing career and technical education delivery systems in Missouri.”

Along with the work group, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development also launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/cte-perceptions-survey-2025" target="_blank">public survey</a>, which showed a strong consensus in favor of career and technical education.

The group’s recommendations were released Thursday, with Kehoe lauding career and technical education as “an essential part of Missouri’s long-term economic strength” in a press release.

The report calls for increased staffing inside the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to support stronger career exploration through all grade levels, including a statewide advisor for elementary and middle school career education.

Currently, the department has nine career advisors working part time for grades 5-12. The department suggests making these roles full time, at an estimated cost of $499,500 annually.

The report calls for a more intentional approach for younger students’ career exploration, asking for nine full-time advisors for kindergarten through fourth grade at an estimated cost of $999,000 annually.

The expense of career and technical education for grades 5 and above is subsidized by federal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/adult-education-laws-and-policy/perkins-v" target="_blank">Perkins Act</a>&nbsp;funding, but programs serving younger students are not eligible for these federal dollars.

Other recommendations include the creation of a grant program to incentivize schools to set up apprenticeship programs, internships and job shadowing.

The working group also proposed creating an online resource for “a comprehensive K-12 career awareness, exploration and preparation experience.” It would include “age-appropriate career interest surveys, hands-on activities and family engagement components.”

Supporting schools and their counselors is a key component of the recommendations, with proposals to create professional development programs centered around career and technical education.

The report acknowledges a struggle to staff enough school counselors to meet a recommended ratio of one counselor to 250 students. It recommends funding to hire support staff to take on non-counseling tasks so that counselors have more time to focus on career and academic development.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri needs “plug-and-play instructional resources” to help school districts expand vocational offerings and employer incentives to hire students exploring career paths, according to a new&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/media/pdf/governors-workforce-future-challenge-report" target="_blank">report on improving job readiness</a>.Bringing together resources from the state’s K-12 and postsecondary education departments, a work group met from April through July to assess the state’s current career-tech programs.Implementing the departments’ recommendations, though, comes with numerous funding challenges.Gov. Mike Kehoe called for the report during his State of the State address in January with an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2025/eo16" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;charging the departments with “improving existing career and technical education delivery systems in Missouri.”Along with the work group, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development also launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/cte-perceptions-survey-2025" target="_blank">public survey</a>, which showed a strong consensus in favor of career and technical education.The group’s recommendations were released Thursday, with Kehoe lauding career and technical education as “an essential part of Missouri’s long-term economic strength” in a press release.The report calls for increased staffing inside the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to support stronger career exploration through all grade levels, including a statewide advisor for elementary and middle school career education.Currently, the department has nine career advisors working part time for grades 5-12. The department suggests making these roles full time, at an estimated cost of $499,500 annually.The report calls for a more intentional approach for younger students’ career exploration, asking for nine full-time advisors for kindergarten through fourth grade at an estimated cost of $999,000 annually.The expense of career and technical education for grades 5 and above is subsidized by federal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/adult-education-laws-and-policy/perkins-v" target="_blank">Perkins Act</a>&nbsp;funding, but programs serving younger students are not eligible for these federal dollars.Other recommendations include the creation of a grant program to incentivize schools to set up apprenticeship programs, internships and job shadowing.The working group also proposed creating an online resource for “a comprehensive K-12 career awareness, exploration and preparation experience.” It would include “age-appropriate career interest surveys, hands-on activities and family engagement components.”Supporting schools and their counselors is a key component of the recommendations, with proposals to create professional development programs centered around career and technical education.The report acknowledges a struggle to staff enough school counselors to meet a recommended ratio of one counselor to 250 students. It recommends funding to hire support staff to take on non-counseling tasks so that counselors have more time to focus on career and academic development.

Missouri education departments release recommendations for career-technical education

KANSAS CITY——Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire&nbsp;in the 2400 block of E 9th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported heavy fire from a 3-story apartment building on arrival, with fire through the roof of the structure.&nbsp;Offensive operations were initiated with four handlines being advanced into the structure.

During searches, KCFD companies found 3 victims and brought them out safely. Additional searches came back "all clear."&nbsp; Crews did pull out of the structure and went defensive for a short period while they used the aerial to extinguish fire on the upper level. Companies did return inside with handlines to continue with search and overhaul. The&nbsp;fire&nbsp;was brought under contro lat 5:40 a.m. Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults and 1 child. There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759494861303.png" alt="Photos KC Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos KC Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY——Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire&nbsp;in the 2400 block of E 9th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported heavy fire from a 3-story apartment building on arrival, with fire through the roof of the structure.&nbsp;Offensive operations were initiated with four handlines being advanced into the structure.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759494843471.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>During searches, KCFD companies found 3 victims and brought them out safely. Additional searches came back "all clear."&nbsp; Crews did pull out of the structure and went defensive for a short period while they used the aerial to extinguish fire on the upper level. Companies did return inside with handlines to continue with search and overhaul. The&nbsp;fire&nbsp;was brought under contro lat 5:40 a.m. Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults and 1 child. There were no injuries.

Crews rescue two adults, child from KC  apartment fire

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 has been quietly building a pot of more than $26 million that can be used for attracting professional sports teams to the state, giving the state an edge in its “border war” with Missouri.

Totaling more than $26.2 million and counting, those funds are for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/02/kansas-sports-wagering-bill-earmarks-80-of-state-revenue-to-pro-sports-stadium/">the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund</a>, which can be used to woo any professional sports team, including the Missouri-based Kansas City Chiefs or the Kansas City Royals, to Kansas.

For years, Kansas has been trying to sway the region’s NFL and MLB teams to cross the border. Lawmakers in both states,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/14/pure-emotion-frequently-drives-debates-on-sports-stadium-deals/">motivated by pride and potential revenue</a>, have lobbed tax incentives, construction fund packages and seemingly arbitrary decision deadlines at the teams.

The addition of millions of dollars to cover costs that haven’t already been bundled in other proposed deals bolsters Kansas’ case, especially after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/05/missouri-governor-allows-more-spending-property-tax-cap-as-he-pursues-stadium-deal/" target="_blank">Missouri lawmakers approved a stadium incentives package</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. In July, Kansas lawmakers approved&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-lawmakers-extend-deadline-for-chiefs-royals-to-accept-stadium-incentives/">a deadline extension</a>&nbsp;until the end of the year for the Chiefs and the Royals to accept&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/21/kansas-gov-kelly-signs-bill-to-poach-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-from-missouri/">hundreds of millions of dollars in stadium incentives</a>.

At a recent legislative hearing, Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, examined how Kansas has amassed millions for professional sports teams without much attention.

“If you read that statute very carefully, it draws some questions,” he said.

The law says the fund can be used to pay the principal or interest costs on any state or municipal bonds, “which shall include any such financing structured as pay-as-you-go, issued to fund the construction, rehabilitation, revitalization or expansion of a professional sports team’s primary facility or any other ancillary development to such primary facility.”

In other words, Thompson said, the purpose of the fund is “so we can help a professional sports team make a profit, get a stadium and come to Kansas.”

“I’ve never seen any evidence that these things pay for themselves, that taxpayers will receive a reduction in tax rates,” he said.

Research has shown that funneling taxpayer money into sports stadium and arena projects a&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/02/20/more-taxpayer-money-benefits-pro-sports-owners-amid-stadium-construction-wave/" target="_blank">poor public investment</a>.

Attracting economic development, and the border war itself, goes beyond professional sports. In 2019, Kansas’ Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson, current Gov. Mike Kehoe’s predecessor, declared a truce. The two states vowed to temporarily halt the practice of recruiting businesses to cross the state line without job creation, in theory halting the border war.

But that did not include Kansas City’s professional sports teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-criticize-kansas-attempt-to-poach-royals-chiefs/" target="_blank">Kelly told the Missouri Independent</a>&nbsp;in June 2024.

That was the first sign of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/02/kansas-v-missouri-stadium-battle-shows-how-states-are-reigniting-border-wars/">truce’s disintegration</a>. Kansas City, Missouri’s City Council formalized an end to the truce this September. The council&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascity.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7665739&amp;GUID=ACBC7B2E-02E1-43B2-84F4-50D0BD396B54" target="_blank">repealed</a>&nbsp;a 10-year moratorium on tax incentives for job creation inside city limits that was passed in response to the truce. The truce expired in August.

Sports gambling dollars make up a relatively new revenue stream for Kansas. The state legalized sportsbooks in 2022 and could&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/25/kansas-legislators-look-for-bigger-payout-from-sportsbooks-with-contracts-set-to-expire/">consider modifying regulations</a>&nbsp;that govern books in the 2026 session.

The way sports wagering is regulated in Kansas allows gaming facility managers to keep 90% of revenues. The state gets 10%. Of that portion, the first $750,000 is deposited into the White Collar Crime Fund, which supports investigations of illegal wagers.

Once the white collar fund takes its allotted portion, 2% of what remains goes toward the Gambling Addiction Grant Fund, and 80% to the attracting professional sports coiffeur. In fiscal year 2024, about $8.7 million was deposited into it.

The state hasn’t yet used any of the $26 million, according to Megan Stookey, a spokesperson for Senate President Ty Masterson, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor.

If recruitment efforts don’t succeed, the funds will be reappropriated as the Legislature sees fit, she said. The Legislative Coordinating Council, which is made up of legislative leadership, is the body that could publicly consider any potential deals between the state and a professional sports team while the Legislature is not in session.

“Kansans can expect discussions to progress,” Stookey said in an email, “with the LCC prepared to review any proposals in the (time) prior to the deadline.”

Patrick Lowry, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the agency “continues to conduct a careful analysis of costs and benefits as part of discussions to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the region while maximizing growth opportunities for Kansas.”

Echoing nearly identical comments given to reporters in the past, Lowry said “all major economic development projects require discretion and confidentiality,” and he declined to comment on negotiations or agreements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748263709817.png" alt="GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is pictured on Sat. Feb. 8 (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is pictured on Sat. Feb. 8 (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent).</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 has been quietly building a pot of more than $26 million that can be used for attracting professional sports teams to the state, giving the state an edge in its “border war” with Missouri.Totaling more than $26.2 million and counting, those funds are for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/02/kansas-sports-wagering-bill-earmarks-80-of-state-revenue-to-pro-sports-stadium/">the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund</a>, which can be used to woo any professional sports team, including the Missouri-based Kansas City Chiefs or the Kansas City Royals, to Kansas.For years, Kansas has been trying to sway the region’s NFL and MLB teams to cross the border. Lawmakers in both states,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/14/pure-emotion-frequently-drives-debates-on-sports-stadium-deals/">motivated by pride and potential revenue</a>, have lobbed tax incentives, construction fund packages and seemingly arbitrary decision deadlines at the teams.The addition of millions of dollars to cover costs that haven’t already been bundled in other proposed deals bolsters Kansas’ case, especially after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/05/missouri-governor-allows-more-spending-property-tax-cap-as-he-pursues-stadium-deal/" target="_blank">Missouri lawmakers approved a stadium incentives package</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. In July, Kansas lawmakers approved&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-lawmakers-extend-deadline-for-chiefs-royals-to-accept-stadium-incentives/">a deadline extension</a>&nbsp;until the end of the year for the Chiefs and the Royals to accept&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/21/kansas-gov-kelly-signs-bill-to-poach-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-from-missouri/">hundreds of millions of dollars in stadium incentives</a>.At a recent legislative hearing, Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, examined how Kansas has amassed millions for professional sports teams without much attention.“If you read that statute very carefully, it draws some questions,” he said.The law says the fund can be used to pay the principal or interest costs on any state or municipal bonds, “which shall include any such financing structured as pay-as-you-go, issued to fund the construction, rehabilitation, revitalization or expansion of a professional sports team’s primary facility or any other ancillary development to such primary facility.”In other words, Thompson said, the purpose of the fund is “so we can help a professional sports team make a profit, get a stadium and come to Kansas.”“I’ve never seen any evidence that these things pay for themselves, that taxpayers will receive a reduction in tax rates,” he said.Research has shown that funneling taxpayer money into sports stadium and arena projects a&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/02/20/more-taxpayer-money-benefits-pro-sports-owners-amid-stadium-construction-wave/" target="_blank">poor public investment</a>.Attracting economic development, and the border war itself, goes beyond professional sports. In 2019, Kansas’ Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson, current Gov. Mike Kehoe’s predecessor, declared a truce. The two states vowed to temporarily halt the practice of recruiting businesses to cross the state line without job creation, in theory halting the border war.But that did not include Kansas City’s professional sports teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-criticize-kansas-attempt-to-poach-royals-chiefs/" target="_blank">Kelly told the Missouri Independent</a>&nbsp;in June 2024.That was the first sign of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/02/kansas-v-missouri-stadium-battle-shows-how-states-are-reigniting-border-wars/">truce’s disintegration</a>. Kansas City, Missouri’s City Council formalized an end to the truce this September. The council&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascity.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7665739&amp;GUID=ACBC7B2E-02E1-43B2-84F4-50D0BD396B54" target="_blank">repealed</a>&nbsp;a 10-year moratorium on tax incentives for job creation inside city limits that was passed in response to the truce. The truce expired in August.Sports gambling dollars make up a relatively new revenue stream for Kansas. The state legalized sportsbooks in 2022 and could&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/25/kansas-legislators-look-for-bigger-payout-from-sportsbooks-with-contracts-set-to-expire/">consider modifying regulations</a>&nbsp;that govern books in the 2026 session.The way sports wagering is regulated in Kansas allows gaming facility managers to keep 90% of revenues. The state gets 10%. Of that portion, the first $750,000 is deposited into the White Collar Crime Fund, which supports investigations of illegal wagers.Once the white collar fund takes its allotted portion, 2% of what remains goes toward the Gambling Addiction Grant Fund, and 80% to the attracting professional sports coiffeur. In fiscal year 2024, about $8.7 million was deposited into it.The state hasn’t yet used any of the $26 million, according to Megan Stookey, a spokesperson for Senate President Ty Masterson, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor.If recruitment efforts don’t succeed, the funds will be reappropriated as the Legislature sees fit, she said. The Legislative Coordinating Council, which is made up of legislative leadership, is the body that could publicly consider any potential deals between the state and a professional sports team while the Legislature is not in session.“Kansans can expect discussions to progress,” Stookey said in an email, “with the LCC prepared to review any proposals in the (time) prior to the deadline.”Patrick Lowry, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the agency “continues to conduct a careful analysis of costs and benefits as part of discussions to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the region while maximizing growth opportunities for Kansas.”Echoing nearly identical comments given to reporters in the past, Lowry said “all major economic development projects require discretion and confidentiality,” and he declined to comment on negotiations or agreements.

Kansas has amassed a $26 million fund from sports gambling revenue to help woo Chiefs, Royals

MORGAN COUNTY —Two Kansas teens were injured an accident just before 6p..m. Friday at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 13-year-old Wichita girl was traveling at the&nbsp;58.6 mile mark of the Osage Arm of the lake. The watercraft side swiped a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 15-year-old Wichita girl. Both drivers were ejected.&nbsp;

Mid-Missouri EMS transported the 13-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. A&nbsp;private vehicle transported the 15-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The girls were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

MORGAN COUNTY —Two Kansas teens were injured an accident just before 6p..m. Friday at Lake of the Ozarks.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 13-year-old Wichita girl was traveling at the&nbsp;58.6 mile mark of the Osage Arm of the lake. The watercraft side swiped a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 15-year-old Wichita girl. Both drivers were ejected.&nbsp;Mid-Missouri EMS transported the 13-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. A&nbsp;private vehicle transported the 15-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The girls were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

2 girls hospitalized after jet ski accident at Lake of the Ozarks

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.

Just before 8:30p.m. a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a bicycle without a headlamp near NW Taylor Street and NW Grant Street, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, it was discovered that the individual had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. Joshua M. Fisher, 20, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department on requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Bicycle not equipped with a lamp when in use at night. Fisher also had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759437720479.png" alt="Fisher-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Fisher-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.Just before 8:30p.m. a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a bicycle without a headlamp near NW Taylor Street and NW Grant Street, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, it was discovered that the individual had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. Joshua M. Fisher, 20, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department on requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Bicycle not equipped with a lamp when in use at night. Fisher also had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.

Sheriff: Wanted Kan. drug suspect was riding bicycle in the dark

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Earlier this morning, on President Trump&#39;s orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the… <a href="https://t.co/QpNPljFcGn">pic.twitter.com/QpNPljFcGn</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1974150886084485503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">📹 ON CAMERA: This morning, President Trump ordered a strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations headed to America and loaded with enough drugs to kill 25,000 to 50,000 PEOPLE off the Coast of Venezuela. BE WARNED! <a href="https://t.co/231ttj4q9P">pic.twitter.com/231ttj4q9P</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1974167658968068554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥.US conducts another lethal strike on an alleged drug- boat

MIAMI COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement in a Kansas community are warning residents to be vigilant report of a rare venomous snake&nbsp;

On October 1, a citizen called in an animal complaint regarding a snake that was found moving from 4th Street into the City Park across from the 1st Baptist Church at 4th and Elm Street, according to the Louisburg Police Department.

 Officers responded and along with other City Public Works crew discovered the snake which turned out to be a mature Copperhead reptile that was handled and removed from the area. Checks were made to insure there were no other snakes of this variety still crawling about. While it is uncommon to find this type of snake in populated locations since they tend to avoid most people, they are native to the region and can occasionally turn up. Please be vigilant when out and about in our parks and other areas where trees and thicker foliage can be near the trails and equipment and structures. 

If you do observe a snake or other wild animal, please try to avoid it as most often it is not wanting to to be near you as well. And if you are just not sure, please reach out to the local animal control to handle the creature to insure that there are no issues that might be a safety concern. The local animal control in Louisburg is the Louisburg Police Department. To reach them, call Dispatch at 837-2300 and request an Officer to respond. Thanks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759455275336.jpg" alt="Copperhead -image courtesy Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Copperhead -image courtesy Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement in a Kansas community are warning residents to be vigilant report of a rare venomous snake&nbsp;On October 1, a citizen called in an animal complaint regarding a snake that was found moving from 4th Street into the City Park across from the 1st Baptist Church at 4th and Elm Street, according to the Louisburg Police Department. Officers responded and along with other City Public Works crew discovered the snake which turned out to be a mature Copperhead reptile that was handled and removed from the area. Checks were made to insure there were no other snakes of this variety still crawling about. While it is uncommon to find this type of snake in populated locations since they tend to avoid most people, they are native to the region and can occasionally turn up. Please be vigilant when out and about in our parks and other areas where trees and thicker foliage can be near the trails and equipment and structures. If you do observe a snake or other wild animal, please try to avoid it as most often it is not wanting to to be near you as well. And if you are just not sure, please reach out to the local animal control to handle the creature to insure that there are no issues that might be a safety concern. The local animal control in Louisburg is the Louisburg Police Department. To reach them, call Dispatch at 837-2300 and request an Officer to respond. Thanks.

Police warn Kan. residents after rare venomous snake reported

MIAMI COUNTY— One person died in an accident just before 10a.m. Thursday in rural Miami County.

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office reported a 2015 Ram 1500 was eastbound on 231st Street and failed to stop at a stop sign at Waverly Road. The pickup collided with a southbound&nbsp;2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The impact&nbsp; forced the Chevy off the roadway and into a tree. The pickup left the roadway and rolled.

EMS transported the man driving the Chevrolet Cruze to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. EMS also transported the pickup driver to a hospital for treatment of&nbsp; life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release names of the victims.

The crash remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's office.

MIAMI COUNTY— One person died in an accident just before 10a.m. Thursday in rural Miami County.The Miami County Sheriff’s Office reported a 2015 Ram 1500 was eastbound on 231st Street and failed to stop at a stop sign at Waverly Road. The pickup collided with a southbound&nbsp;2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The impact&nbsp; forced the Chevy off the roadway and into a tree. The pickup left the roadway and rolled.EMS transported the man driving the Chevrolet Cruze to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. EMS also transported the pickup driver to a hospital for treatment of&nbsp; life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release names of the victims.The crash remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's office.

Kansas man dies after crash pushed car into a tree

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a computer scam that cost a man thousands of dollars.

On Thursday,&nbsp;&nbsp;a 76-year-old Salina man reported that on Monday he received a “pop-up” on his computer indicating his computer had contracted a virus and to call Microsoft at the listed phone number, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman,

The subject the victim spoke with advised his computer had been compromised and he was supposed to send money via Bitcoin. The victim also received a call claiming to be from the fraud department of his bank who instructed him to send $15,700 in bitcoin. 

On Tuesday, the man went to Kwik Shop at 305 W. Schilling in Salina and purchased $15,700 in bitcoin from the bitcoin machine, which he sent. The victim was contacted a few hours later and advised to send an additional $9,590 and went back to the same machine. The caller advised not to contact the police or his bank as this was an ongoing investigation. On Thursday the victim was told to wire another $24,300 through Wells Fargo. When the victim went to his bank to attempt the transfer it was flagged as fraud and would not go through. Total loss was valued at $25,290.

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a computer scam that cost a man thousands of dollars.On Thursday,&nbsp;&nbsp;a 76-year-old Salina man reported that on Monday he received a “pop-up” on his computer indicating his computer had contracted a virus and to call Microsoft at the listed phone number, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman,The subject the victim spoke with advised his computer had been compromised and he was supposed to send money via Bitcoin. The victim also received a call claiming to be from the fraud department of his bank who instructed him to send $15,700 in bitcoin. On Tuesday, the man went to Kwik Shop at 305 W. Schilling in Salina and purchased $15,700 in bitcoin from the bitcoin machine, which he sent. The victim was contacted a few hours later and advised to send an additional $9,590 and went back to the same machine. The caller advised not to contact the police or his bank as this was an ongoing investigation. On Thursday the victim was told to wire another $24,300 through Wells Fargo. When the victim went to his bank to attempt the transfer it was flagged as fraud and would not go through. Total loss was valued at $25,290.

Sheriff: Kansas man lost $25,000 in computer scam

By:&nbsp;NICOLAS FIERRO Salina Post

ABILENE - The Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Todd Arrington, has resigned after refusing to gift a sword to the Trump administration.

After President Trump's recent visit to London on Wednesday, September 17, where he visited&nbsp;Britain's King Charles III, Trump wanted to gift King Charles III a sword from the museum.&nbsp;The sword in particular belonged to former 34th President, Dwight D. Eisenhower that was meant to symbolize the US-UK relationship and highlight the two countries’ collaboration in WWII.

Reportedly, the US Department of State Officials asked Arrington to gift the sword, but he advised that he could not because it is a historical artifact and part of 'gifts that belonged to the American people.'

Arrington was then told he needed to either "resign or be fired."

On Thursday he officially resigned from being Director at the museum.

Arrington was a veteran of the United States Army and holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He received a master of arts in history from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor of arts in history from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.

Arrington officially became Director on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/press-releases/todd-arrington-appointed-director-dwight-d-eisenhower-presidential-library-and#:~:text=National%20Public%20Radio.-,Dr.,from%20Mansfield%20University%20of%20Pennsylvania.">June 2024</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759468685440.png" alt="Dr. Benjamin Todd Arrington courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Benjamin Todd Arrington courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;NICOLAS FIERRO Salina PostABILENE - The Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Todd Arrington, has resigned after refusing to gift a sword to the Trump administration.After President Trump's recent visit to London on Wednesday, September 17, where he visited&nbsp;Britain's King Charles III, Trump wanted to gift King Charles III a sword from the museum.&nbsp;The sword in particular belonged to former 34th President, Dwight D. Eisenhower that was meant to symbolize the US-UK relationship and highlight the two countries’ collaboration in WWII.Reportedly, the US Department of State Officials asked Arrington to gift the sword, but he advised that he could not because it is a historical artifact and part of 'gifts that belonged to the American people.'Arrington was then told he needed to either "resign or be fired."On Thursday he officially resigned from being Director at the museum.Arrington was a veteran of the United States Army and holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He received a master of arts in history from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor of arts in history from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.Arrington officially became Director on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/press-releases/todd-arrington-appointed-director-dwight-d-eisenhower-presidential-library-and#:~:text=National%20Public%20Radio.-,Dr.,from%20Mansfield%20University%20of%20Pennsylvania.">June 2024</a>.

Head of Eisenhower library resigns after sword spat with Trump admin.

ANDERSON COOUNTY —An accident victim is recovering after a car fell on him in rural Anderson County.

Just before 10a.m. Thursday, the Anderson County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a vehicle that had fallen on a man according to a media release from the sheriff's office.

Emergency units from Westphalia First Responders, Anderson County EMS, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office were immediately dispatched. Based on initial dispatch information, Anderson County EMS requested an air medical helicopter while en route.

Before emergency crews arrived, a nearby Westphalia resident was able to lift the vehicle off the man and move him to a safe area. Upon arrival, Westphalia First Responders provided initial medical care until an Advanced Life Support ambulance from Anderson County EMS arrived and assumed definitive care.

Due to the patient’s traumatic injuries, the he was transported by Life Star 1 Air Medical to a Kansas City area Level I Trauma Center for further treatment.

Sheriff Wes McClain said, “I am incredibly proud of our community members who acted as the first first responders. Their quick thinking and bravery helped save this man’s life. This is a testament to the caring spirit of our community.”

This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that our pre-identified landing zones and online air ambulance ordering through the communication center have proven to be an effective response for traumatic injuries, allowing timely and coordinated care.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759454619024.png" alt="Photo Anderson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Anderson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>ANDERSON COOUNTY —An accident victim is recovering after a car fell on him in rural Anderson County.Just before 10a.m. Thursday, the Anderson County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a vehicle that had fallen on a man according to a media release from the sheriff's office.Emergency units from Westphalia First Responders, Anderson County EMS, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office were immediately dispatched. Based on initial dispatch information, Anderson County EMS requested an air medical helicopter while en route.Before emergency crews arrived, a nearby Westphalia resident was able to lift the vehicle off the man and move him to a safe area. Upon arrival, Westphalia First Responders provided initial medical care until an Advanced Life Support ambulance from Anderson County EMS arrived and assumed definitive care.Due to the patient’s traumatic injuries, the he was transported by Life Star 1 Air Medical to a Kansas City area Level I Trauma Center for further treatment.Sheriff Wes McClain said, “I am incredibly proud of our community members who acted as the first first responders. Their quick thinking and bravery helped save this man’s life. This is a testament to the caring spirit of our community.”This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that our pre-identified landing zones and online air ambulance ordering through the communication center have proven to be an effective response for traumatic injuries, allowing timely and coordinated care.

Sheriff: Kan. man lifted car off victim after tragic accident

KANSAS CITY — A suspect who hid from law enforcement for nearly a month after running from a high speed chase in custody.

Just after 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Apprehension Unit and the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force arrested 28-year-old Dylan Lancaster of Kansas City, according to a media release.

Lancaster is charged with three felonies and two misdemeanors related to a pursuit last month.

On September 3, he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/motrooper?__cft__[0]=AZXrQ9Uw9SMFyuuSIYWHuEU3nXYds1Qb86PoXXD9k3KeZm04fHmNnICwGErtCW7oCdIdRXBbBAdKW3t0eAXnegJC0mNsgZBWftdM0TGni3_E8hz3QuOXMRwBqLXxpwNuNYhyUy1VJy_rtEWhZBt_ia9qV3YVEj47KCezRNnEdAEBvN82sYNhgADzl6bgrTt8FTE&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Missouri State Highway Patrol</a> identified the vehicle Lancaster was driving as stolen. This initiated a pursuit which ended near E 219th Street and State Route YY in Belton, where Lancaster ran from the vehicle.

 Deputies were unable to locate him that day. Then on Wednesday, deputies and U.S. Marshals arrested him at a hotel near N. Corrington Avenue and 43rd Steet in Kansas City. 

&nbsp;Lancaster is being held on without bond on charges of Tampering With Motor Vehicle - 1st Degree; Aggravated Fleeing A Stop Or Detention and Property Damage. 

The misdemeanors are Operating A Motor Vehicle In A Careless And Imprudent Manner and Leaving the Scene Of Accident (Class A).

Lancaster also violated his parole in Missouri. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kcpolice?__cft__[0]=AZXrQ9Uw9SMFyuuSIYWHuEU3nXYds1Qb86PoXXD9k3KeZm04fHmNnICwGErtCW7oCdIdRXBbBAdKW3t0eAXnegJC0mNsgZBWftdM0TGni3_E8hz3QuOXMRwBqLXxpwNuNYhyUy1VJy_rtEWhZBt_ia9qV3YVEj47KCezRNnEdAEBvN82sYNhgADzl6bgrTt8FTE&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas City Missouri Police Department</a> and the Jackson County Drug Task Force assisted with the apprehension of Lancaster as well.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759399354566.png" alt="Lancaster photo Cass Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Lancaster photo Cass Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A suspect who hid from law enforcement for nearly a month after running from a high speed chase in custody.Just after 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Apprehension Unit and the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force arrested 28-year-old Dylan Lancaster of Kansas City, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759399335584.png" alt="Lancaster photo Cass County" />
 <figcaption>Lancaster photo Cass County</figcaption>
 </figure>Lancaster is charged with three felonies and two misdemeanors related to a pursuit last month. On September 3, he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/motrooper?__cft__[0]=AZXrQ9Uw9SMFyuuSIYWHuEU3nXYds1Qb86PoXXD9k3KeZm04fHmNnICwGErtCW7oCdIdRXBbBAdKW3t0eAXnegJC0mNsgZBWftdM0TGni3_E8hz3QuOXMRwBqLXxpwNuNYhyUy1VJy_rtEWhZBt_ia9qV3YVEj47KCezRNnEdAEBvN82sYNhgADzl6bgrTt8FTE&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Missouri State Highway Patrol</a> identified the vehicle Lancaster was driving as stolen. This initiated a pursuit which ended near E 219th Street and State Route YY in Belton, where Lancaster ran from the vehicle. Deputies were unable to locate him that day. Then on Wednesday, deputies and U.S. Marshals arrested him at a hotel near N. Corrington Avenue and 43rd Steet in Kansas City. &nbsp;Lancaster is being held on without bond on charges of Tampering With Motor Vehicle - 1st Degree; Aggravated Fleeing A Stop Or Detention and Property Damage. The misdemeanors are Operating A Motor Vehicle In A Careless And Imprudent Manner and Leaving the Scene Of Accident (Class A). Lancaster also violated his parole in Missouri. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kcpolice?__cft__[0]=AZXrQ9Uw9SMFyuuSIYWHuEU3nXYds1Qb86PoXXD9k3KeZm04fHmNnICwGErtCW7oCdIdRXBbBAdKW3t0eAXnegJC0mNsgZBWftdM0TGni3_E8hz3QuOXMRwBqLXxpwNuNYhyUy1VJy_rtEWhZBt_ia9qV3YVEj47KCezRNnEdAEBvN82sYNhgADzl6bgrTt8FTE&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas City Missouri Police Department</a> and the Jackson County Drug Task Force assisted with the apprehension of Lancaster as well.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Wanted suspect caught at KC hotel after hiding for weeks

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 2:30a.m. September 27,&nbsp; a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a gray 2009 Nissan Titan for speeding in the 3000 block of South Kansas Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, the driver, later identified as&nbsp;Raul I. J. Galvan-Romero, 40, of Topeka appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and illegal narcotics were located.

Deputies arrested Galvan-Romero and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections&nbsp; on the requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Speeding and Transporting an open container of liquor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759439022550.png" alt="Galvan-Romero photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Galvan-Romero photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 2:30a.m. September 27,&nbsp; a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a gray 2009 Nissan Titan for speeding in the 3000 block of South Kansas Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, the driver, later identified as&nbsp;Raul I. J. Galvan-Romero, 40, of Topeka appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and illegal narcotics were located.Deputies arrested Galvan-Romero and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections&nbsp; on the requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Speeding and Transporting an open container of liquor.

Sheriff: Kansas driver was speeding and transporting illegal drugs

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify witnesses to a vehicle pursuit that terminated in Montgomery County on September 26, 2025, according to a media release from the KHP.

The pursuit began in Owasso, Oklahoma, by officers from the Owasso Oklahoma Police Department with assistance from Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers. Two suspects, later identified as Tenisha D. Mayberry (the driver) and Cortez J. Wasson (a passenger), had fled the scene of a theft investigation and struck an Owasso officer with the suspect's driver's door.

When the pursuit entered Kansas, officers from the Coffeyville Police Department took control of the pursuit near the intersection of U.S. 169 and U.S. 166, traveling northbound from U.S. 169 onto Patterson Blvd. 

The suspect vehicle failed to stop at a red light. The pursuit continued northbound approaching the intersection of Patterson Blvd. and 8th Street where the suspect vehicle again failed to stop at a red light, striking a vehicle that was crossing the intersection. The suspect vehicle came to rest on its side, and the other vehicle overturned and came to rest on its roof.

Both suspects were taken into custody and received medical treatment on scene. The driver of the other vehicle, Maia E. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. The passenger of the other vehicle, 15-year-old Serafina L. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later transported to a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for more intensive care. On September 30, Serafina succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

The Kansas Highway Patrol's Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART) responded to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation.

If anyone witnessed or has information, including video, regarding the crash, please contact Technical Trooper Gary Boles or Montgomery County Attorney Melissa Johnson.

Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.

Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094019310.png" alt="Mayberry" />
 <figcaption>Mayberry</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify witnesses to a vehicle pursuit that terminated in Montgomery County on September 26, 2025, according to a media release from the KHP.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094141027.png" alt="Wasson photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Wasson photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>The pursuit began in Owasso, Oklahoma, by officers from the Owasso Oklahoma Police Department with assistance from Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers. Two suspects, later identified as Tenisha D. Mayberry (the driver) and Cortez J. Wasson (a passenger), had fled the scene of a theft investigation and struck an Owasso officer with the suspect's driver's door.When the pursuit entered Kansas, officers from the Coffeyville Police Department took control of the pursuit near the intersection of U.S. 169 and U.S. 166, traveling northbound from U.S. 169 onto Patterson Blvd. The suspect vehicle failed to stop at a red light. The pursuit continued northbound approaching the intersection of Patterson Blvd. and 8th Street where the suspect vehicle again failed to stop at a red light, striking a vehicle that was crossing the intersection. The suspect vehicle came to rest on its side, and the other vehicle overturned and came to rest on its roof.Both suspects were taken into custody and received medical treatment on scene. The driver of the other vehicle, Maia E. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. The passenger of the other vehicle, 15-year-old Serafina L. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later transported to a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for more intensive care. On September 30, Serafina succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.The Kansas Highway Patrol's Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART) responded to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation.If anyone witnessed or has information, including video, regarding the crash, please contact Technical Trooper Gary Boles or Montgomery County Attorney Melissa Johnson.Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.

KHP seeks witnesses to vehicle pursuit, crash that left Kan. teen dead

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a>

Nearly half of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees will be furloughed during the federal government shutdown, though key programs that support nutrition, forest preservation and wildfire prevention, the most pressing plant and animal diseases and agricultural commodity assessments will continue.

Many offices, including county USDA service centers, will be closed or operating with minimal staff until Congress agrees on a temporary spending package. Support, payment processing and other functions of these offices are also suspended during the shutdown.

Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending bill Tuesday which resulted in the start of a government shutdown at midnight and federal agencies had to implement the contingency plans required by the Office of Management and Budget.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2026-usda-lapse-plan.pdf" target="_blank">contingency plan</a>&nbsp;filed&nbsp;by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only a handful of agency operations will continue during the shutdown. The primary objective is that agencies cannot incur financial obligations if the funding source has lapsed and any planned or in-the-works activities that would incur new obligations, must cease.&nbsp;

Activities that may continue during the shutdown include those that are financed by something other than current year appropriations, expressly authorized to continue, either by law or by necessary implication, necessary to the presidential duties and powers or related to emergencies that endanger human life or the protection of property.

According to the plan, more than 42,000 USDA employees are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown. That’s about half of the more than 85,000 employees the agency said would be “on board” prior to the shutdown.&nbsp;

USDA programs that will continue despite the shutdown:&nbsp;

Under the contingency plan, USDA functions like ongoing research, reports, outreach and technical assistance are suspended. The agency will also stop processing payments and disaster assistance.&nbsp;

Trade negotiations, hazardous fuel treatments, special use permits, regulatory work, training and travel by USDA employees and agencies are also suspended.&nbsp;

According to the contingency plan, most functions are suspended for the Risk Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Food and Nutrition Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistical Service, Rural Development, and staff offices.

Website updates are also suspended under the shutdown. A banner atop the USDA website informs visitors that the website will not be updated “due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown.”&nbsp;

“President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people,” the banner reads.&nbsp;

According to the plan, “all activities will cease” for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and her office during the shutdown.&nbsp;

Approximately 67% of Farm Service Agency, or FSA, employees will be furloughed. According to the plan, selected leadership at headquarters and USDA offices will stay on during the shut down. This means county service centers, and the majority of the services they offer, will not be available during the shutdown.&nbsp;

Nearly all, 1135 out of 1237 employees, at the Food and Nutrition Service offices were projected to be furloughed during the shutdown, though according to the plan, enough employees remain to facilitate SNAP, child nutrition programs and WIC. WIC must make unspent funds from past years available in order to continue operations through October.

Close to 20,000 of the 32,390 Forest Service employees will continue to work on certain approved areas of agency work, like wildfire prevention, protection of federal land and federal directives to expand timber production. Public access to recreation sites managed by the department will be reduced, according to the plan.&nbsp;

A significant portion of Agricultural Marketing Service operations are funded by previous farm bill appropriations or by user fees, so services like the Federal Grain Inspection Service and dairy grading will continue, as will market news information.

Operations like country of origin labeling, the packers and stockyards program, the national organic program, shell egg surveillance and the pesticide data program will be suspended.&nbsp;

The plan calls for a number of reconsiderations in the event the shutdown persists longer than 5 days. This could include, for example a farm loan employee or other staff member on call at USDA service centers, or the reinstatement of some furloughed employees to deal with wildfire management.&nbsp;

Glenn “GT” Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, blamed Democrats, who&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/30/repub/protesters-at-us-capitol-back-democrats-in-shutdown-fight-over-health-care-costs/" target="_blank">demanded extentions to the Affordable Care Act</a>&nbsp;be added to the stopgap spending bill, for shutting down the government and putting “critical USDA services in jeopardy.”

“These political games harm rural America through disruptions to farm payments, disaster relief, food assistance, and other critical services,” the Republican from Pennsylvania said in a statement. “Performative photo ops at state fairs and lip service to the producers who feed, fuel, and clothe our country won’t hide the truth—Democrats forcing a government shutdown only inflicts more pain on our agricultural economy.”

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/01/what-the-government-shutdown-means-for-usda-agencies/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716664034438.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a>Nearly half of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees will be furloughed during the federal government shutdown, though key programs that support nutrition, forest preservation and wildfire prevention, the most pressing plant and animal diseases and agricultural commodity assessments will continue.Many offices, including county USDA service centers, will be closed or operating with minimal staff until Congress agrees on a temporary spending package. Support, payment processing and other functions of these offices are also suspended during the shutdown.Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending bill Tuesday which resulted in the start of a government shutdown at midnight and federal agencies had to implement the contingency plans required by the Office of Management and Budget.According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2026-usda-lapse-plan.pdf" target="_blank">contingency plan</a>&nbsp;filed&nbsp;by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only a handful of agency operations will continue during the shutdown. The primary objective is that agencies cannot incur financial obligations if the funding source has lapsed and any planned or in-the-works activities that would incur new obligations, must cease.&nbsp;Activities that may continue during the shutdown include those that are financed by something other than current year appropriations, expressly authorized to continue, either by law or by necessary implication, necessary to the presidential duties and powers or related to emergencies that endanger human life or the protection of property.According to the plan, more than 42,000 USDA employees are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown. That’s about half of the more than 85,000 employees the agency said would be “on board” prior to the shutdown.&nbsp;USDA programs that will continue despite the shutdown:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Farm loan processing.</li><li>Certain natural resources and conservation programs that are mandatory under the farm bill or to protect human life and private property, like the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, dam safety and rehab work, the National Water and Climate Center which tracks flooding and weather risks and the National Soil Survey Center.&nbsp;</li><li>“Core” nutrition safety net programs. This includes SNAP and child nutrition programs which have funding appropriations through October. The Women Infants and Children, or WIC, program is set to continue through the shutdown “subject to the availability of funding.” According to the plan, WIC can “recover and reallocate” unused grant funding from previous years to cover gap in coverage.&nbsp;</li><li>Food safety operations, like inspections and laboratory testing.</li><li>Wildfire preparation and response.&nbsp;</li><li>Activities like grading, assessment, inspection, import and export for farm commodities. These activities are supported by user fees and therefore not impacted by the shutdown.</li><li>Emergency programs under USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that address new world screwworm, highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, rabies and exotic fruit flies. Surveying for other plant and livestock diseases will cease during the shutdown.&nbsp;</li><li>Prior obligations in the Section 521 rental housing agreement program. This is the program element of USDA Rural Development offices that will persist.</li><li>Operational requirements like human resource policies, cybersecurity and critical IT infrastructure.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Under the contingency plan, USDA functions like ongoing research, reports, outreach and technical assistance are suspended. The agency will also stop processing payments and disaster assistance.&nbsp;Trade negotiations, hazardous fuel treatments, special use permits, regulatory work, training and travel by USDA employees and agencies are also suspended.&nbsp;According to the contingency plan, most functions are suspended for the Risk Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Food and Nutrition Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistical Service, Rural Development, and staff offices.Website updates are also suspended under the shutdown. A banner atop the USDA website informs visitors that the website will not be updated “due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown.”&nbsp;“President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people,” the banner reads.&nbsp;According to the plan, “all activities will cease” for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and her office during the shutdown.&nbsp;Approximately 67% of Farm Service Agency, or FSA, employees will be furloughed. According to the plan, selected leadership at headquarters and USDA offices will stay on during the shut down. This means county service centers, and the majority of the services they offer, will not be available during the shutdown.&nbsp;Nearly all, 1135 out of 1237 employees, at the Food and Nutrition Service offices were projected to be furloughed during the shutdown, though according to the plan, enough employees remain to facilitate SNAP, child nutrition programs and WIC. WIC must make unspent funds from past years available in order to continue operations through October.Close to 20,000 of the 32,390 Forest Service employees will continue to work on certain approved areas of agency work, like wildfire prevention, protection of federal land and federal directives to expand timber production. Public access to recreation sites managed by the department will be reduced, according to the plan.&nbsp;A significant portion of Agricultural Marketing Service operations are funded by previous farm bill appropriations or by user fees, so services like the Federal Grain Inspection Service and dairy grading will continue, as will market news information.Operations like country of origin labeling, the packers and stockyards program, the national organic program, shell egg surveillance and the pesticide data program will be suspended.&nbsp;The plan calls for a number of reconsiderations in the event the shutdown persists longer than 5 days. This could include, for example a farm loan employee or other staff member on call at USDA service centers, or the reinstatement of some furloughed employees to deal with wildfire management.&nbsp;Glenn “GT” Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, blamed Democrats, who&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/30/repub/protesters-at-us-capitol-back-democrats-in-shutdown-fight-over-health-care-costs/" target="_blank">demanded extentions to the Affordable Care Act</a>&nbsp;be added to the stopgap spending bill, for shutting down the government and putting “critical USDA services in jeopardy.”“These political games harm rural America through disruptions to farm payments, disaster relief, food assistance, and other critical services,” the Republican from Pennsylvania said in a statement. “Performative photo ops at state fairs and lip service to the producers who feed, fuel, and clothe our country won’t hide the truth—Democrats forcing a government shutdown only inflicts more pain on our agricultural economy.”This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/01/what-the-government-shutdown-means-for-usda-agencies/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

What the government shutdown means for USDA agencies

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — University officials across Kansas celebrated a third year of growing enrollments on Wednesday, even though&nbsp; the future will present more challenges.&nbsp;

“We’re obviously extremely pleased,” said Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “It’s a third consecutive year of growth, and we’re really glad to see that it’s spread out — the public universities, community colleges and technical colleges are all up, so very, very positive news.”

In general, Board of Regents public universities saw enrollment growth or stayed level. The only drop was at Fort Hays State University, which essentially stabilized with a decrease of 0.2%. Washburn University increased enrollment by 2.3%.&nbsp;

Twelve of 19 Kansas community colleges also posted enrollment growth, although Fort Scott Community College seeing a decreased enrollment of 17.2%,&nbsp;<a href="https://submission.kansasregents.gov/ibi_apps/portal/BIP_Public2/KHEStats" target="_blank">Kansas Board of Regent data showed</a>. All six technical colleges Increased or stayed stable in their enrollment.&nbsp;

Emporia State University saw the biggest enrollment jump this year of 5.8%, a strong recovery after posting losses since 2020. The school increased enrollment by 263 students, for a total of 4,820.

In a letter to students, ESU president Ken Hush attributed the growth to no tuition or fee increase for two years, increasing student scholarships awarded by 141%, investment in student activities and more funding from the ESU Foundation, among other factors.

The university&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-interim-emporia-state-president-condemns-mass-firing-of-tenured-faculty/">fired tenured faculty</a>&nbsp;as part of restructuring efforts.&nbsp;

“When we began our transformation, we predicted changes in our enrollment as we took on the challenges facing our university, with the prediction for fall 2025 holding stable after some initial decreases,” Hush wrote, adding he was pleased to instead post a 6% increase.

Kansas State and Wichita State increased enrollment at about the same rate, 4.6% and 4.3%, respectively.&nbsp; The University of Kansas posted a 1.2% increase, while the University of Kansas Medical Center enrollment increased 1.9%.

“We’ve been working diligently on a strategic enrollment plan, and we’re really seeing the fruits of the labor across campus and have had some of the largest enrollment gains that we’ve seen,” said Karen Goos, K-State’s vice provost for enrollment management.

Freshmen enrollment numbers were up 7.5% this year, she said. Growth is occurring with both new students and retention of current students, Goos added.&nbsp;

Scott Cason, Fort Hays State University spokesman, said the school’s on-campus enrollment increased by 2% this year and the number of new undergraduate students attending the school grew by 9%.&nbsp;

“Our residence halls are in full capacity right now,” he said. “We haven’t seen that in a long time. It shows you that the on-campus experience is still a draw, even in times where there have been increasing questions about the perception of the value of the college degree.”

The school did see a small decrease in international students and in general in online enrollment, Cason said. Once dominating among Kansas schools in online enrollment, FHSU has more competition in that arena and experienced a drop after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other schools are reporting decreasing numbers of international students, but that data won’t be collected by the Board of Regents until later in the school year, Benson said.&nbsp;

Cason said Fort Hays State lost only three international students. He attributed that to their diversity of enrollment sources internationally.&nbsp;

“We’re actually up in our early college program that includes our international students. We have partner campuses,” he said, adding that although they have strong partnerships in China, they also draw from Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia and Senegal.

“We haven’t seen the disruption that other schools have seen that count more heavily on traditional international student models,” he said.

Challenges are expected for post-secondary institutions in coming years as the number of students graduating from Kansas high schools will begin decreasing next year. The change is often referred to as an enrollment cliff. In addition, schools are already experiencing decreases in graduating high school students who enroll in higher education, she said.

“What we’re seeing is the percent of students who are having any post-secondary credentials after high school has declined pretty significantly,” Goos said. “We actually have seen an increase of high school graduates. This will be the last year. After this, we will start to decline.”

Benson said the decrease in number of graduating high school students in 2026 is one of the primary challenges facing higher education.&nbsp;

“That’s probably not going to be just a two- or three-year challenge,” he said. “That’s going to be that way for the foreseeable future. That just means the pool of traditional college-age students will continue shrinking, even as the demand for college-educated workers keeps growing.”

That makes it imperative for Kansas to increase the number of students going to college to meet workforce needs, Benson said.&nbsp;

“I think we’ve also got to work to enroll adult learners, including those who may already have some college credit but no degree,” Benson said. “I don’t think that there’s going to be a silver bullet answer to it, but I’m really proud of the steps that the system in our institutions have taken to get ready for those challenges, and I think that we’ll be able to meet them.”

K-State is planning for all those challenges, Goos said.&nbsp;

“We’re just launching a new strategic enrollment plan with the idea of thinking about, how do we move forward with the enrollment cliff?” she said. “How do we position ourselves?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759428178918.png" alt=" Blake Benson, left, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, was pleased to see increased enrollment in Kansas post-secondary schools. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Blake Benson, left, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, was pleased to see increased enrollment in Kansas post-secondary schools. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — University officials across Kansas celebrated a third year of growing enrollments on Wednesday, even though&nbsp; the future will present more challenges.&nbsp;“We’re obviously extremely pleased,” said Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “It’s a third consecutive year of growth, and we’re really glad to see that it’s spread out — the public universities, community colleges and technical colleges are all up, so very, very positive news.”In general, Board of Regents public universities saw enrollment growth or stayed level. The only drop was at Fort Hays State University, which essentially stabilized with a decrease of 0.2%. Washburn University increased enrollment by 2.3%.&nbsp;Twelve of 19 Kansas community colleges also posted enrollment growth, although Fort Scott Community College seeing a decreased enrollment of 17.2%,&nbsp;<a href="https://submission.kansasregents.gov/ibi_apps/portal/BIP_Public2/KHEStats" target="_blank">Kansas Board of Regent data showed</a>. All six technical colleges Increased or stayed stable in their enrollment.&nbsp;Emporia State University saw the biggest enrollment jump this year of 5.8%, a strong recovery after posting losses since 2020. The school increased enrollment by 263 students, for a total of 4,820.In a letter to students, ESU president Ken Hush attributed the growth to no tuition or fee increase for two years, increasing student scholarships awarded by 141%, investment in student activities and more funding from the ESU Foundation, among other factors.The university&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-interim-emporia-state-president-condemns-mass-firing-of-tenured-faculty/">fired tenured faculty</a>&nbsp;as part of restructuring efforts.&nbsp;“When we began our transformation, we predicted changes in our enrollment as we took on the challenges facing our university, with the prediction for fall 2025 holding stable after some initial decreases,” Hush wrote, adding he was pleased to instead post a 6% increase.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759428093235.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State and Wichita State increased enrollment at about the same rate, 4.6% and 4.3%, respectively.&nbsp; The University of Kansas posted a 1.2% increase, while the University of Kansas Medical Center enrollment increased 1.9%.“We’ve been working diligently on a strategic enrollment plan, and we’re really seeing the fruits of the labor across campus and have had some of the largest enrollment gains that we’ve seen,” said Karen Goos, K-State’s vice provost for enrollment management.Freshmen enrollment numbers were up 7.5% this year, she said. Growth is occurring with both new students and retention of current students, Goos added.&nbsp;Scott Cason, Fort Hays State University spokesman, said the school’s on-campus enrollment increased by 2% this year and the number of new undergraduate students attending the school grew by 9%.&nbsp;“Our residence halls are in full capacity right now,” he said. “We haven’t seen that in a long time. It shows you that the on-campus experience is still a draw, even in times where there have been increasing questions about the perception of the value of the college degree.”The school did see a small decrease in international students and in general in online enrollment, Cason said. Once dominating among Kansas schools in online enrollment, FHSU has more competition in that arena and experienced a drop after the COVID-19 pandemic.Other schools are reporting decreasing numbers of international students, but that data won’t be collected by the Board of Regents until later in the school year, Benson said.&nbsp;Cason said Fort Hays State lost only three international students. He attributed that to their diversity of enrollment sources internationally.&nbsp;“We’re actually up in our early college program that includes our international students. We have partner campuses,” he said, adding that although they have strong partnerships in China, they also draw from Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia and Senegal.“We haven’t seen the disruption that other schools have seen that count more heavily on traditional international student models,” he said.Challenges are expected for post-secondary institutions in coming years as the number of students graduating from Kansas high schools will begin decreasing next year. The change is often referred to as an enrollment cliff. In addition, schools are already experiencing decreases in graduating high school students who enroll in higher education, she said.“What we’re seeing is the percent of students who are having any post-secondary credentials after high school has declined pretty significantly,” Goos said. “We actually have seen an increase of high school graduates. This will be the last year. After this, we will start to decline.”Benson said the decrease in number of graduating high school students in 2026 is one of the primary challenges facing higher education.&nbsp;“That’s probably not going to be just a two- or three-year challenge,” he said. “That’s going to be that way for the foreseeable future. That just means the pool of traditional college-age students will continue shrinking, even as the demand for college-educated workers keeps growing.”That makes it imperative for Kansas to increase the number of students going to college to meet workforce needs, Benson said.&nbsp;“I think we’ve also got to work to enroll adult learners, including those who may already have some college credit but no degree,” Benson said. “I don’t think that there’s going to be a silver bullet answer to it, but I’m really proud of the steps that the system in our institutions have taken to get ready for those challenges, and I think that we’ll be able to meet them.”K-State is planning for all those challenges, Goos said.&nbsp;“We’re just launching a new strategic enrollment plan with the idea of thinking about, how do we move forward with the enrollment cliff?” she said. “How do we position ourselves?”

Kansas post-secondary schools see increased enrollment, plan for challenges ahead

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City have identified the victims as 25-year-old Lashon L. Campbell, according to Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino.

Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City have identified the victims as 25-year-old Lashon L. Campbell, according to Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino.Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim, later identified as Campbell, to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.