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House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, confers with representatives at the Kansas Statehouse on March 5, 2024. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans are poised to turn the campaign trail promise of property tax relief into reality with expanded supermajorities in the Legislature and potentially unprecedented control over the state’s budget process. However, state tax

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong presides over the first day of hearings in a case related to medical cannabis ballot petitions. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — A Lancaster County District Court judge has overruled two final attempts to amend legal challenges against Nebraska’s two medical cannabis petitions. In a five-page order

SCHEDULED TRAFFIC: Speeding: Jose R. Lopez Ruiz, 33, Marshalltown, speeding. Rylee J. Nesheim, 19, Cedar Rapids, speeding. Cristian R. Morelos Naranjo, 26, Cedar Rapids, speeding. Terri L. Jennings Crawford, 45, Urbana, speeding. Katrina L. Wood, 48, Vinton, speeding. Nichole A. Pease, 31, Sigourney, speeding. Tonya D. Gosselink, 42, Grinnell, speeding. Glynna D. Kearns, 59, Vinton,

Chief Justice Marla Luckert of the Kansas Supreme Court signed an order appointing a 15-member committee to develop pland for implementing pretrial detention reforms suggested by a task force in 2020. The central goals is to balance the need for public safety and the constitutional rights of defendants. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — The Kansas

Scholars of the publicly-funded UNO Goodrich program at a picnic in 2019. Larry Bradley, who was a Goodrich scholar, and his wife, Cindy, just made a special donation to the program that’s now more than a half-century running. (Courtesy of Goodrich program) OMAHA — The global head of audit at KPMG International credits the Goodrich

By Calvin Silvers Northwest Missouri State announced on Thursday the hiring of the 21st head football coach in program history, John McMenamin.  A Bearcat alum, McMenamin is a native of Omaha, Neb., served as the offensive co-coordinator/pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach at Tulane University in from December 2021 to July 2023. A formal press conference to

By Nicole Scott A local health care provider is hosting a free movie night along with screenings and a life-saving training Thursday evening.  Northwest Health Services is offering free HIV screenings and will train attendees on how to use Narcan in case of a life-threatening overdose situation. The event will begin at 5 p.m. at the Trail

A Columbia woman was sentenced to five years probation Monday after being charged in July with manslaughter in the death of a pedestrian on Interstate 70. Tyia Alisa Bush, 38, allegedly called emergency services around 1 a.m. on March 20, and said she thought she had hit a deer on I-70 westbound. Around 1 p.m.

Billy Long speaks during a press conference before filing for to be on the ballot in the Missouri GOP Senate primary on Feb. 22, 2022, in Jefferson City (Madeline Carter/Missouri Independent). Former Missouri Congressman Billy Long was tapped on Wednesday evening by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Internal Revenue Service. Trump called Long —

COLUMBIA — Kathy Steinhoff, D-Columbia, has pre-filed a bill to restrict cellphone use in schools. Steinhoff is a former educator-turned-state representative who said she saw many students continuously distracted by their phones during her time as a teacher. She also said she saw an increase in mental health issues related to cellphone use. Schools across

DMACC’s new transportation institute facilities are nearly complete, with half of the project funded by donations, state and federal funding. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Staff and students at the Des Moines Area Community College Transportation Institute are getting ready to transfer to the program’s new facilities as the $9 million project nears completion.

COLUMBIA — Columbia Neighborhood Watch has received $10,000 from the city to increase participation, education and other efforts made by the organization. “The mission of Columbia Neighborhood Watch is to train, form and provide resources to citizens of Columbia,” Neighborhood Watch Board President Herb Watchinski Jr. said. “(This is) for the purpose of organizing and

VINTON — All Charges are subject to review by the Benton County Attorney’s Office. An arrest or criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the Defendant is presumed innocent, unless proven guilty. Intrastate Warrants are issued by Law Enforcement Agencies for crimes happening in their jurisdictions. Zero Adult Arrests the week of November 25-December 1,

A new report from Union of Concerned Scientists pushes for wetland protections in a new Farm Bill. (Photo courtesy of USDA) A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists found wetlands in the Upper Midwest region are “in peril” due to recent legal challenges and a lack of state-level regulation. The report looks to

Dee Miller voices concerns with assisted living options for her disabled husband during a Nov. 12, 2024, forum hosted by Kansas Advocates for Better Care at Baker Wetlands Discovery Center. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) LAWRENCE — Dee Miller has to make an “awful” decision. The Lawrence resident’s disabled husband of 57 years needs more intensive care