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KS - July 11 2025

Battery Plant Delayed; Farm Economies Struggle; Moran on Ukraine; Benton Man Arrested; Mahomes on Stadium

Greg Loving

11 Jul 2025 • 4 min read

Construction continues at Panasonic’s new $4 billion lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2023, in De Soto Kansas. Panasonic hopes to begin production of the electric vehicle batteries in March 2025. The battery plant is under construction on the site of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com

Panasonic Delays Kansas Battery Plant Production as EV Market Slumps

Midwest Farm Economies Struggle While Sun Belt States Prosper in Early 2025

Sen. Moran Urges Continued U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine

Benton Man Arrested in El Dorado Bank Robbery

Mahomes Stays Neutral on Chiefs Stadium Border War

1. Panasonic Delays Kansas Battery Plant Production as EV Market Slumps

Panasonic is postponing full production at its $4 billion De Soto battery plant due to declining electric vehicle sales and shifting federal policies under President Trump that no longer support EV adoption, according to international media reports. The economic development project, touted as the largest in Kansas history, was expected to reach full production by March 2027, but no new target date has been set. The plant, which was projected to create 4,000 jobs, has a grand opening scheduled Monday despite the production delays. Under the state's APEX incentive program, Panasonic was expected to receive $829.2 million over 10 years, but the company now faces uncertainty as Trump's policies eliminate EV tax credits and reduce green energy incentives.

Kansas Reflector

2. Midwest Farm Economies Struggle While Sun Belt States Prosper in Early 2025

Trade wars and global conflicts hammered Midwestern agricultural economies in the first quarter of 2025, while Southeastern states continued their economic boom driven by housing and tech job growth. Nebraska and Iowa suffered the biggest GDP drops at 6.1% each, as row-crop farmers faced a devastating combination of low commodity prices and high fertilizer costs. Nationwide, more farms filed for bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, with corn, soybean and wheat producers particularly hard hit. Fertilizer supply disruptions from sanctions against Russia have worsened this year due to trade conflicts with China and Iran, forcing farmers to produce more crops just to cover their fertilizer expenses.

Kansas Reflector

3. Sen. Moran Urges Continued U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine

US Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas emphasized the importance of sustained American support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion, praising President Trump's commitment to resume weapon shipments authorized by Congress. The Republican senator said Trump would use congressional authority to oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression, noting that Ukraine needs arms such as Patriot air defense missiles to counter Russian drone and missile attacks.

Kansas Reflector

4. Benton Man Arrested in El Dorado Bank Robbery

El Dorado Police arrested 65-year-old Darrel Gray of Benton on Friday in connection with a bank robbery at Community National Bank and Trust on Thursday. Gray had fled the scene before officers arrived, but investigators continued their probe and took him into custody the following day on charges of robbery and theft.

KWCH

5. Mahomes Stays Neutral on Chiefs Stadium Border War

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes diplomatically avoided taking sides in the stadium debate between Missouri and Kansas, calling Arrowhead Stadium "a special place" while acknowledging Kansas would also build "a great stadium and facility." The 29-year-old quarterback, who turns 30 in September, said the decision is "really out of my control" but expressed confidence that Chiefs Kingdom fans would fill any stadium regardless of location. The Chiefs are considering both renovating GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and potentially moving to a new domed facility in Kansas, creating a Border War competition between the two states for the team's future home. Mahomes emphasized that either option would work because of the team's loyal fan base support.

Kansas City Star