KS - May 8 2025
Wichita Teacher Academy Launched; Gov. Fights Medicaid Cuts; Merck's $895M KS Expansion; New KBI HQ Approved; Kansans Join USDA Posts
Wichita Launches "Future Teacher Academy" to Tackle Shortages, Offers Streamlined Path to Degree
Kansas Faces Potential $1 Billion Hit as Gov. Kelly Fights Proposed Federal Medicaid Reductions
Merck Animal Health Announces $895 Million De Soto Expansion, Promising Over 200 New Jobs
New KBI Headquarters in Downtown Topeka Gets Green Light with $80 Million Bond Authorization
Trump Administration Taps Three Kansans for High-Level USDA Posts
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1. Wichita Launches "Future Teacher Academy" to Tackle Shortages, Offers Streamlined Path to Degree
A new program in Wichita has created a more streamlined approach for students to receive their education degree and address teacher shortages. The Future Teacher Academy will enable Wichita school district graduates to work as paraeducators while completing their elementary education degree through WSU Tech and Wichita State University. Students will complete their first two years at WSU Tech, and then transfer to Wichita State to finish their degree. WSU Tech President Sheree Utash said the program is a low-cost way for students to earn their education degree. Students in the program are eligible for the Kansas Promise Scholarship, which provides up to $20,000 for the first two years of tuition. And paraeducators can earn between $16.21 to $17.71 an hour through the district.
Wichita Eagle
2. Kansas Faces Potential $1 Billion Hit as Gov. Kelly Fights Proposed Federal Medicaid Reductions
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly sent a letter to the state's congressional delegation urging them to avoid cuts to Medicaid. Kelly sent the letter to Kansas's two U.S. senators and four U.S. representatives. A House budget resolution instructed the House Energy and Commerce Committee to reduce the federal deficit by $880 billion over 10 years. The resolution didn't specifically call for cuts to Medicaid, but the Congressional Budget Office detailed areas the committee could trim and found that 93% of the spending the committee has jurisdiction to cut is the federal share of Medicaid. Kelly said early projections show cuts could drain the state of up to $1 billion in federal funding for the program. The federal share for the program is estimated to be $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2025.
CJOnline
3. Merck Animal Health Announces $895 Million De Soto Expansion, Promising Over 200 New Jobs
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Merck Animal Health announced an $895 million capital expansion project at the company’s manufacturing facility in De Soto. The governor’s office said that it is the second largest private investment in Kansas history – and the largest economic development project for Merck Animal Health – and will create more than 200 new jobs. The $860 million investment goes toward the existing manufacturing facility, and $35 million in its research and development laboratories. The 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility project will expand filling and freeze dryer capacity for large molecule vaccines and biologic products for Merck Animal Health. Site preparation and facility design will start immediately, creating 2,500 construction jobs, according to the governor’s office. Commercial manufacturing is expected to begin in 2030.
KWCH
4. New KBI Headquarters in Downtown Topeka Gets Green Light with $80 Million Bond Authorization
Lawmakers have authorized debt for a new Kansas Bureau of Investigation headquarters in downtown Topeka, but the $80 million in bonding authority is less than originally requested. The budget passed by legislators and signed by the governor authorizes bonds for a new KBI headquarters.
CJOnline
5. Trump Administration Taps Three Kansans for High-Level USDA Posts
A trio of Kansans have been named to high-level jobs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of President Donald Trump's administration. Ken Selzer, Gimmie Jo Jansonius and David Schemm are taking on new roles in the USDA. Kansas Farm Bureau president Joe Newland said in a May 5 statement that agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins was "elevating strong voices for rural Kansas to key leadership positions."
CJOnline
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Sources
- https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article305933351.html
- https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2025/05/08/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-asks-moran-and-marshall-to-not-cut-medicaid/83472508007/
- https://www.kwch.com/2025/05/08/895-million-investment-de-soto-plant-bringing-200-jobs-ne-kansas/
- https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2025/05/08/kansas-bureau-of-investigation-gets-new-downtown-topeka-headquarters/83412370007/
- https://www.cjonline.com/story/business/agricultural/2025/05/08/trump-appoints-kansans-to-usda-jobs-including-a-crop-insurance-leader/83476333007/