KS - August 1 2025
Fatal D.C. Crash; Kelly's Water Priority; Mann Runs for AG Again; Wildfire Smoke Impacts; Ted Lasso Wraps in KC
NTSB Wraps Final Day of Hearings on Fatal D.C. Plane Crash
Kelly Makes Water Supply Her Top Priority in Final Term
Democrat Chris Mann Launches Second Bid for Attorney General
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Creates Unhealthy Air Quality Across Kansas
'Ted Lasso' Cast Wraps Kansas City Filming with Karaoke Party
Newsletter sponsor
1. NTSB Wraps Final Day of Hearings on Fatal D.C. Plane Crash
Federal investigators concluded their third and final day of hearings Friday into the January collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter that killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft. The Wichita-originated flight was seconds from landing at Washington D.C.'s Reagan Airport when a low-flying Army Blackhawk helicopter struck the airplane, sending Flight 5342 crashing into the Potomac River.
KWCH
2. Kelly Makes Water Supply Her Top Priority in Final Term
Governor Laura Kelly has elevated Kansas water issues to her highest priority in her second and final term, calling it her "North Star" as some western Kansas areas dependent on the Ogallala Aquifer have fewer than 25 years of usable water remaining. Kelly signed bipartisan legislation creating the Water Program Task Force, which met for the first time July 21 in Topeka and is charged with developing a long-term sustainable water strategy with dedicated funding. The governor envisions a comprehensive water program similar to the state's highway program created 40 years ago, with guaranteed long-term funding rather than year-to-year appropriations.
Governor's Office
3. Democrat Chris Mann Launches Second Bid for Attorney General
Chris Mann, who narrowly lost to Republican Kris Kobach in the 2022 attorney general race, announced July 30 he will run again in 2026 to "refocus the office on law enforcement." Mann lost by just 16,000 votes in 2022, receiving 49.2% compared to Kobach's 50.8% in the closest statewide race that year.
Capital Journal
4. Canadian Wildfire Smoke Creates Unhealthy Air Quality Across Kansas
Northeast and east winds are carrying smoke from Canadian wildfires into Kansas, creating air quality conditions that are "unhealthy for sensitive groups" in Wichita and other areas. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday the unhealthy air conditions will persist through Friday and likely Saturday in central and eastern Kansas.
Kansas.com
5. 'Ted Lasso' Cast Wraps Kansas City Filming with Karaoke Party
The cast and crew of Apple TV+'s Emmy-winning series "Ted Lasso" concluded two weeks of Kansas City filming Thursday with a wrap party at Offkey karaoke bar in Westport, where they performed Black Sabbath's "War Pigs." The final day of filming Wednesday took place at McKeever's Market & Eatery in Lee's Summit, where fans waited hours for glimpses of the action. The renewed series continues the story of the fictional former Wichita State football coach who returned to Kansas to reunite with his family at the end of Season 3.
Kansas City Star
Sources
- https://www.kwch.com/2025/08/01/live-day-3-ntsb-hearings-examine-safety-data-management/
- Governor's Office
- https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/07/31/democrat-chris-mann-will-run-for-kansas-attorney-general-in-2026/85405368007/?tbref=hp
- https://www.kansas.com/news/state/article311550026.html#storylink=cpy
- https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article311545327.html#storylink=cpy
Sign up for local news delivered to your inbox in:
Many more cities coming soon!
Sponsors (click me!)
SUBSCRIBE TO GET THE CITIZEN JOURNAL IN YOUR INBOX - FREE!
subscribe/unsubscribe to city emails, subscribe to app notifications, get the app
Contact: greg@citizenjournal.us
