KS - July 9 2025
Water Task Force; Farm Disaster Relief; Evergy Plant Costs; Historic Aircraft Return; Schmidt Gubernatorial Campaign
Kelly Signs Bipartisan Water Task Force Bill
Trump Administration Opens $16 Billion Farm Disaster Relief Program
Kansas Corporation Commission Approves Evergy Gas Plant, Solar Facility Costs
Historic Travel Air Aircraft Return to Wichita for Centennial Celebration
Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt Announces Gubernatorial Campaign
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1. Kelly Signs Bipartisan Water Task Force Bill
Governor Laura Kelly ceremonially signed legislation Wednesday in Hays establishing a 16-member task force to create a long-term investment program for Kansas water resources with dedicated funding.1 The task force, led by bipartisan legislators including State Senator Kenny Titus and State Representative Jim Minnix, will evaluate current water funding and planning statutes before submitting reports to the governor and Legislature in 2026 and 2027.2
2. Trump Administration Opens $16 Billion Farm Disaster Relief Program
Agricultural producers who suffered crop losses from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in federal assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Wednesday.3 The Farm Service Agency will deliver assistance in two stages, with Stage One applications being mailed to eligible producers today and in-person signups starting Thursday at county FSA offices.
3. Kansas Corporation Commission Approves Evergy Gas Plant, Solar Facility Costs
The Kansas Corporation Commission approved settlement agreements allowing Evergy Kansas Central to recover costs for building two natural gas plants and a solar facility to meet growing electricity demand.4 The approved projects include a $228.1 million solar facility in Douglas County and two 710-megawatt gas plants in Sumner and Reno counties, with construction costs estimated at $788.75 million and $800.52 million respectively.5
4. Historic Travel Air Aircraft Return to Wichita for Centennial Celebration
More than 20 owners and pilots of nearly century-old Travel Air aircraft are flying to Wichita this week for a homecoming celebration marking 100 years since the company's formation in 1925. Travel Air Airplane Manufacturing Co., founded by aviation pioneers Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman, built nearly 1,500 aircraft before closing in 1931, with the fly-in scheduled for July 10-13.
Kansas.com
5. Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt Announces Gubernatorial Campaign
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced her candidacy for governor in a press release Wednesday, joining the crowded Republican field for the 2026 election.6 Schmidt, who has held elected office for 20 years including service in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2019, received the highest margin of votes among statewide candidates in her successful 2018 and 2022 insurance commissioner races.
CJOnline.com
Sources
- https://www.kansas.com/news/local/article309740900.html#storylink=cpy
- https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2025/07/09/vicki-schmidt-joins-crowded-gop-field-for-kansas-governor/84520279007/
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