KS - July 15 2025
De Soto Factory Hiring; Kansas Water Crisis; Wichita Police on YouTube; Candidate Faces Charges; Chiefs-Only Stadium Tax
Panasonic De Soto Factory Hiring 1,100 Workers, Seeks 2,000 by 2026
Bipartisan Task Force Launches to Address Kansas Water Crisis With Funding Solutions
Wichita Police Featured on Popular YouTube Channel 'US Cops'
Hays City Commission Candidate Faces Blackmail Charges Over Dating App Incident
Jackson County Proposes Chiefs-Only Stadium Tax After Royals Plan Rejection
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Panasonic De Soto Factory Hiring 1,100 Workers, Seeks 2,000 by 2026
Panasonic has hired 1,100 employees for its massive 4.7 million square foot electric vehicle battery factory in De Soto, with plans to fill 2,000 positions by next year as part of the multibillion-dollar facility that aims to eventually employ 4,000 workers. The company currently has 88 open positions across engineering, manufacturing, operations and administration, with future hiring dependent on customer demand for the lithium ion batteries that power electric vehicles.
Kansas City Star
Bipartisan Task Force Launches to Address Kansas Water Crisis With Funding Solutions
Kansas lawmakers unveiled a new Water Program Task Force in Hays, with Republican Sen. Kenny Titus and Rep. Jim Minnix joining Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to outline their mission of evaluating water quality and quantity risks while securing dedicated revenue sources for long-term solutions. The bipartisan group, including business leaders and conservationists, aims to build a management system that addresses the state's water challenges and ensures proposed plans don't simply sit unused on shelves.
Kansas Reflector
Wichita Police Featured on Popular YouTube Channel 'US Cops'
The Wichita Police Department will be featured on the YouTube channel "US Cops," which has 178,000 subscribers and over 34 million views; filming took place throughout June. The channel, now in its fourth season, showcases first responders and law enforcement agencies on duty with a mission to present balanced perspectives of the demanding work, according to department spokesperson Andrew Ford.
Kansas.com
Hays City Commission Candidate Faces Blackmail Charges Over Dating App Incident
Samuel Allen, 23, who announced his candidacy for Hays City Commission on June 23, was arrested on blackmail charges after allegedly threatening to share nude photos or videos of someone he met through a dating app in exchange for $50. Allen was held on a $40,000 bond and also faces a failure to appear charge, with the alleged extortion incident occurring in June, according to Ellis County booking records.
Citizen Journal
Jackson County Proposes Chiefs-Only Stadium Tax After Royals Plan Rejection
Jackson County Executive Frank White proposed a three-way sales tax split to keep the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, requiring voters to renew the county's 3/8-cents sales tax for stadium renovations, public safety infrastructure and public health investments. The Chiefs-only proposal comes after Jackson County voters rejected a similar tax extension in April 2024 that would have funded stadium projects for both the Chiefs and Royals.
KWCH
Sources
- https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article310721570.html#storylink=cpy
- https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/15/kansas-lawmakers-outline-vision-for-finding-solutions-to-water-crisis-and-paying-for-them/
- https://www.kansas.com/news/local/article310714645.html#storylink=cpy
- https://www.citizenjournal.us/hays-city-commission-candidate-arrested-on-blackmail-charge/
- https://www.kwch.com/2025/07/15/jackson-county-executive-frank-white-adds-new-chiefs-only-stadium-proposal/
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