Kansas daily brief
Kansas and US news for busy people - Dec 18, 2025 edition
🌾Kansas
High winds up to 60 mph prompted fire warnings and I-70 closure between Colby and Goodland, with Goodland recording an 84 mph gust in the same area as this year's 70-car dust storm pile-up.
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation terminated its $29.9M ICE detention center design contract after public backlash, firing LLC leadership and exiting all ICE-related projects.
U.S. government accepted fault for Reagan Airport collision that killed 67, including Wichita passengers, after Army helicopter flew with tracking technology off; Senate then passed restrictions on military flights near airports.
McPherson CBD store owner is suing Kansas officials over an October raid that seized $7,000 in cash and products, arguing the state's testing can't distinguish legal hemp from illegal substances.
Greg Loving
🇺🇸 US
Venezuela Oil Blockade: Maduro ordered Venezuelan naval escorts for oil tankers to defy Trump's blockade, risking direct confrontation with the U.S. as sanctioned vessels carrying 70% of Venezuela's oil exports (worth $8 billion annually) attempt to reach Asian buyers.
Defense Bill Passage: Senate approved a $900 billion defense bill with 77-20 bipartisan support, funding weapons modernization and 3.8% military pay raises while mandating Pentagon transparency on boat strikes and blocking troop withdrawals from Europe.
Trump Economic Address: Trump delivered a prime-time speech defending his economic record and announced $1,776 "warrior dividend" checks for active-duty military members, funded by tariff revenue, claiming he's "fixing the mess" he inherited.
Brown University Shooting: Five days after a shooting killed two and injured nine at Brown University, the gunman remains at large with authorities stating "he could be anywhere" while pursuing DNA evidence and a second person of interest.
Taiwan Arms Deal: Trump administration proposed an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan—exceeding all Biden-era sales and including HIMARS, howitzers, and kamikaze drones—signaling commitment to the island amid China tensions.
Greg Loving
Weather
December 18, 1620: Mayflower arrives at Plymouth Harbor
The famous Mayflower story began in 1606, when a group of reform-minded Separatists in Nottinghamshire, England, founded their own church, separate from the state-sanctioned Church of England. Accused of treason, they were forced to leave the country and settle in the more tolerant Netherlands. After 12 years of struggling to adapt and make a decent living, the group sought financial backing from some London merchants to set up a colony in America. On September 6, 1620, 102 passengers—dubbed Pilgrims by William Bradford, a passenger who would become the first governor of Plymouth Colony—crowded on the Mayflower to begin the long, hard journey to a new life in the New World.