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Kansas daily brief

Kansas and US news for busy people - Jan 28, 2026 edition

Greg Loving

28 Jan 2026 • 2 min read

Clifton Boje, center in vest and holding the “Jesus Christ” sign on his shoulders, leads a rally Jan. 27, 2026, in the Capitol rotunda with allies in the Abortion is Murder organization. AIM wants the Kansas Legislature to pass a bill declaring abortion the equivalent of murder statewide. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

🌾Kansas

Anti-abortion group rallied at Kansas Capitol demanding total abortion ban while Satanic Grotto staged counterprotest, alleging the state allows Christian protesters to display graphic images but restricts their expression.
Kansas Senate unanimously passed a bill strengthening human trafficking penalties, raising fines for buying sex, and creating new felonies for pointing lasers at aircraft or police officers.
NTSB concluded a Wichita-to-DC flight crash was preventable, caused by FAA's systemic failures to separate helicopters and planes in DC airspace. The board issued over three dozen safety recommendations primarily targeting the FAA.
Rep. Paul Waggoner-R (Hutchinson) introduced a bill proposing criminal penalties for school employees who advocate for bond issues using taxpayer resources.
Arctic air will drop Kansas temperatures into the teens this weekend with wind chills reaching 10-15 below zero.

🇺🇸 US

• White House seeks Minnesota immigration deal: Border czar Tom Homan met with Democratic leaders requesting jail-to-federal-custody transfers in exchange for fewer federal agents, but no agreement reached despite removing polarizing Border Patrol commander.

• Amazon cutting 16,000 corporate jobs: Tech giant eliminating positions amid AI push and economic uncertainty, despite GDP growth of 5-6%—part of broader trend as companies like Pinterest also downsize.

• Municipal bonds hit $500B record: State and local governments increased borrowing 57% over two years to finance infrastructure like airports and roads, creating a $4 trillion market that spreads costs over time without upfront taxpayer dollars.

• Cultural divide stalling AI adoption: NYT columnist notes San Francisco workers use AI extensively while most companies still restrict basic tools like Copilot, creating a gap driven by workplace culture rather than technical limitations.

• Ukraine war nearing 2M casualties: Russian and Ukrainian forces have lost nearly 2 million killed or wounded over four years, with Russia advancing just 50-230 feet daily while occupying 20% of Ukraine.

Weather

January 28 1986: The space shuttle Challenger explodes after liftoff