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Kansas daily brief

Kansas and US news for busy people - Jan 7, 2026 edition

07 Jan 2026 • 2 min read

Residents speak out against Saline County battery facility

🌾Kansas

Saline County Commission rejected a battery storage facility 4-1 despite planner approval, citing safety concerns and overwhelming resident opposition to the Houston-based company's proposal.
Kansas awarded a record $287.97 million contract to reconstruct U.S. 54 and K-96 between Wichita and Andover, the state's largest transportation project ever, with construction starting early 2026.
Police identified Omar Dominguez Gavilan, 28, as the Minnesota man fatally shot by a court security officer after he broke into Lawrence City Hall and physically confronted the officer.
Wichita's water treatment plant, already five years in construction, faces another year-long delay due to design flaws, pushing costs to almost $600 million and completion to late 2026.
K-State removed DEI training requirements from student government after an anonymous complaint triggered state scrutiny under 2025 legislation banning DEI programs at universities.

Trump announces deal for 30-50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil as U.S. confirms 75 killed in weekend raid to capture Maduro, including dozens in a presidential compound firefight that only wounded six American troops.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa's death during emergency surgery shrinks House GOP majority to the minimum of 218, leaving Speaker Johnson able to afford only two defections on party-line votes.
Rubio tells lawmakers Trump wants to buy Greenland, not invade it, though White House continues refusing to rule out military force to acquire the Danish territory.
Ford can't fill 5,000 mechanic jobs despite top pay reaching $160,000 due to a skilled worker shortage.
Russia sends submarine to escort sanctioned oil tanker fleeing U.S. Coast Guard, with the vessel hastily re-registering as Russian and painting flags on its hull to evade blockade.
Aldrich Ames, CIA officer who betrayed U.S. secrets to Soviets, dies at 84 while serving life sentence imposed in 1994 for his counterintelligence treason.