Hays daily brief
Hays, Kansas and US news for busy people - Aug 20, 2026 edition
Hays
- The Ellis County Commission plans to collaborate with Hays USD 489 and the City of Hays on safety along Canterbury Drive. →
- Ellis County Jail Reports 29 Arrests Over Aug. 10-17 →
- Michael Neuwirth was sentenced in Ellis County District Court to 29 months in prison for an aggravated assault shooting in Hays. →
- Fitness trainer Shelly shared a video demonstrating simple stretches that people can easily incorporate into their daily routines. →
- Expect mostly sunny skies across Hays today with light breezes and a high near 93.
🌾 Kansas
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A Pawnee Heights student died Tuesday after collapsing during football practice on the first day of school, and an autopsy was scheduled to determine the cause. →
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A federal inspector general report found the $1.25 billion National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, remains unable to operate its two highest containment levels three years after opening. →
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The Topeka City Council questioned Compass Datacenters and Evergy representatives Wednesday about a proposed 10-building data center campus and annexation but took no vote. →
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Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools canceled classes Thursday for a second consecutive day as power outages from severe storms continued to disrupt operations. →
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The Gardner City Council voted this week not to renew its contract with Flock Safety, ending use of the city's automated license-plate reader. →
🇺🇸 US
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The federal government's total debt topped $40 trillion for the first time on Aug. 18, arriving months earlier than forecast after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs that had generated billions in revenue. →
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David Morens, a former senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pleaded guilty Aug. 18 to conspiring to hide federal records related to efforts to restore a terminated coronavirus research grant for EcoHealth Alliance. →
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The Federal Trade Commission voted 2-0 Wednesday to open public comment on a draft policy that would require companies to disclose when they use personal data to set individualized prices for shoppers. →
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Chinese launch company LandSpace landed the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket in Gansu province Aug. 19 after placing a satellite in orbit, becoming the first Chinese company to recover an orbital-class booster. →
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Liberia agreed to receive up to 1,200 non-Liberian deportees from the United States over 12 months under an arrangement disclosed Wednesday, with an initial 20 deportees expected Aug. 20. →
Weather

AUGUST 20, 1920: EARLY FOOTBALL LEAGUES CONSOLIDATE INTO PRECURSOR OF THE NFL
In Canton, Ohio, owners of four Ohio League teams formed the American Professional Football Conference, bringing order to a chaotic patchwork of semi-pro clubs and escalating salaries. Led by Jim Thorpe as its first president, this new organization laid the groundwork for what soon became the National Football League.
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