Hutchinson

• Goss claims to have been shut out of discussions regarding a controversial data center project. This allegation points to a lack of transparency and communication from those overseeing the development. →
• The USD 308 Board must implement a state-mandated ban on two-way communication devices by Sept. 1, leading to concerns over enforcement and local control. →
• A recent protest at Hutchinson High School triggered discussions on a new state law that imposes financial penalties on school districts that authorize student walkouts. →
• Following a change in state law, the USD 308 Board of Education is now required to conduct an annual vote regarding the district's free meal programs. →
• The Kansas state accreditation process is moving toward a system that more heavily prioritizes graduation rates and standardized testing performance. →
• Hutch Rec has launched a Neighborhood Ambassador Program to foster community engagement and strengthen local connections. The initiative recruits resident volunteers to serve as liaisons between their neighborhoods and recreation officials. →
• United Way of Reno County's Reno Connections program provides barrier-free, long-term support to help working families navigate financial crises and build lasting stability. The initiative pairs residents with staff for at least six months to create personalized plans for debt reduction and sustainable expense management. →
• Maize South swept Hutchinson in a Tuesday doubleheader, following a 13-2 blowout with a hard-fought 4-3 victory. The Salthawks fell to 1-13 overall and will travel to face the Campus Colts on April 21. →
• It's going to be a beautiful, mostly sunny day in Hutchinson with a high of 81, though you'll want to watch out for some gusty winds topping 30 mph.

🌾 Kansas

• The Kansas Legislature passed House Bill 2043 early Saturday, April 11, capping annual spending increases by local governments at 3% or the inflation rate, whichever is lower. With lawmakers not reconvening until Jan. 11, 2027, they cannot override a potential veto by Gov. Laura Kelly. →

• The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday named Jake Steel as the state's next commissioner of education, with seven of 10 board members voting in favor and Steel assuming the role June 1. →

• The Kansas City Council's Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a plan to contribute up to $600 million in city funding toward a new downtown Royals stadium at Washington Square Park. →

• The Kansas Legislature on April 9 overrode Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes on five bills that collectively shift power away from executive-branch agencies, local governments and outside legal counsel and toward the statehouse. →

• Gov. Laura Kelly on April 9 signed bipartisan legislation that permanently updates eligibility thresholds for the state's Children's Health Insurance Program, adjusting the household income threshold to 250% of the current federal poverty level. →

🇺🇸 US

• U.S. Central Command said it had completely stopped all commercial trade to and from Iranian ports less than 36 hours after implementing a naval blockade, while the Pentagon sends thousands of additional troops to the region as a fragile ceasefire set to expire April 22 holds. →

• Maine legislators have passed the first statewide data center construction ban in the United States, with the bill now heading to the governor's desk as public opinion turns sharply against the facilities. →

• Voters in South Hadley, Massachusetts, decisively rejected a steep property tax hike by a 65 percent to 34 percent margin in a preview of financial pressures expected to hit municipalities nationwide. →

• The average federal tax refund issued to early filers this year climbed more than 10 percent over last year, reaching $3,462, largely because of the Republican tax law that increased the standard deduction and created new deductions for tip income, overtime pay and certain car loan interest. →

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his country's forces captured a Russian position using only unmanned ground robotic systems and aerial drones, with no infantry involvement and no Ukrainian casualties — a first in the war. →

Weather

APRIL 16, 1972: APOLLO 16 DEPARTS FOR MOON

Apollo 16 lifted off from Cape Canaveral on a 238,000-mile journey, the fifth U.S. mission to land astronauts on the lunar surface. Command module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly stayed in orbit while John W. Young and Charles M. Duke later spent nearly three days exploring the moon and collecting over 200 pounds of rock samples.

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