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Kansas daily brief

Kansas and US news for busy people - Dec 31, 2025 edition

31 Dec 2025 • 2 min read

County Commission audience - CREDIT Sumner Newscow

🌾Kansas

Sumner County Commissioners unanimously rejected a 300-megawatt battery storage facility near 700+ homes, citing safety concerns and the county's ability to regulate emerging technology. Nextera Energy has 30 days to appeal the decision that overturned the planning board's recommendation.
Red Hills rancher Bill Barby transformed 3,700 acres using prescribed burns to eliminate invasive cedars that consume massive water resources and increase wildfire risk. His conservation efforts increased cattle capacity by 50 head and now support threatened species including lesser prairie chickens and whooping cranes.
The new Chiefs stadium STAR bond agreement mandates construction quality comparable to four NFL domed facilities: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, New Nissan Stadium in Nashville, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
A 58-year-old Missouri man was arrested for 2000-2003 Lawrence child sexual assaults after forensic genetic genealogy traced DNA from crime scene cigarette butts to his biological mother. David James Zimbrick faces aggravated criminal sodomy and rape charges on $1 million bond.
KLOE 730 AM radio in Goodland permanently ceased operations after 75 years when 80+ mph winds toppled its transmission tower into a wheat field. The station, operating since 1948, will not be rebuilt due to difficult-to-source replacement parts and company decision.

Flu hospitalizations surged to 81,000 by late December (up from 49,000 the prior week), with positive test rates jumping to 25%, fueling fears of an unusually severe winter season.
Sanctioned Iranian oil tanker Bella 1 painted a Russian flag on its hull and claimed Russian protection while fleeing U.S. Coast Guard interception in the Caribbean.
Trump administration froze Minnesota's $185 million in annual federal child-care funding over fraud allegations, with Gov. Walz calling it politically motivated despite acknowledging past fraud issues.
OpenAI is paying employees average stock compensation of $1.5 million—34 times higher than comparable tech companies pre-IPO and 7 times Google's 2003 level.
Ukraine's 800,000-strong military will be Europe's largest post-war, but faces sustainability challenges and will likely shift to reserve forces, drones, and domestic weapons production due to funding constraints.