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Kansas daily brief

Kansas and US news for busy people - Jan 15, 2026 edition

Greg Loving

15 Jan 2026 • 2 min read

Nick Bach, of Wichita, leads demonstrators in anti-ICE chants at a Jan. 14, 2026, rally at the Statehouse in Topeka where hundreds protested immigration enforcement and other issues. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

🌾Kansas

Governor Kelly's $26B budget increases spending 1.6% to address $300-700M annual deficits, adding $50.6M for special education, $2.5M to eliminate student meal co-pays, and funding for water infrastructure and mental health facilities.
Kansas legislation targets geoengineering and outdated language: HB 2439 would ban weather modification activities, while HB 2332 replaces "Indians" with "Native Americans" in the state seal description.
Sedgwick County halts data center permits for 90 days amid community pushback against data centers, battery storage, and renewable energy projects statewide.
Hundreds rally at Kansas Statehouse organized by 14 groups including ACLU and Planned Parenthood, protesting ICE enforcement and advocating for voting rights, healthcare, education, and climate action.
Financial struggles force rural newspaper merger: Senator Moran's hometown Plainville Times merged with Stockton Sentinel due to economic pressures, highlighting the crisis facing local journalism in rural Kansas communities.

🇺🇸 US

Chinese Universities Surge Past Harvard: Chinese universities now dominate global research rankings with 8 of the top 10 spots, while Harvard drops to third—driven not by declining U.S. output but explosive growth in Chinese scientific publications.
Federal Agent Shoots Venezuelan Man in Minneapolis: A DHS agent shot a Venezuelan man during an immigration arrest after he allegedly fled and resisted with help from two others who attacked the officer with a shovel and broom.
Senate Kills Venezuela War-Powers Resolution: The Senate narrowly defeated 51-50 a measure limiting Trump's military authority in Venezuela after Secretary Rubio assured skeptical Republicans no ground troops would deploy without congressional approval.
Amazon Secures Arizona Copper for AI Data Centers: Amazon signed a deal with Rio Tinto for copper from a reopened Arizona mine using bacteria-extraction technology, reflecting tech companies' rush to secure materials for AI infrastructure.
Trump Says Iran Stopped Killing Protesters Amid Caribbean Troop Buildup: Trump claims Iran has stopped killing protesters, while the U.S. military focus on the Caribbean has left only six warships in the Middle East versus 12 near Venezuela, limiting US military options against Iran.

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January 15 2002: Wikipedia launches