Lawrence

• Over 450 KU workers and officials urged the University of Kansas in Lawrence to reconsider closing Hilltop Child Development Center. →
• Douglas County residents can sign up for free emergency response training covering fire safety, medical care, and search and rescue. →
• Douglas County Commission will review plans to turn shipping containers into extended-stay housing at the Lawrence Community Shelter. →
• The University of Kansas merged three academic programs into the new Department of Earth, Energy & Environment in Lawrence. →
• Lawrence USD 497 honored Bella Padula and Sadie Bakeberg with 2026 Horizon Awards for exceptional second-year educators. →
• The Lawrence Schools Foundation is searching for former high school students who have yet to claim 21 college scholarships. →
• Grab your umbrella, Lawrence, as mostly cloudy skies bring likely rain showers and possible afternoon thunderstorms with a high near 77°F.

🌾 Kansas

• Federal officials reported 104 arrests during ICE's Sept. 22-24 Operation Safe Community in southwest Kansas, with the U.S. attorney rejecting claims of indiscriminate sweeps. →

• Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton agreed to a statewide televised debate airing Oct. 21 from 7-8 p.m. Central time. →

• Gov. Laura Kelly signed an executive order Sept. 29 directing state agencies to develop a 10-year plan coordinating services for Kansas' aging population. →

• Transgender plaintiffs testified Sept. 29 in a Douglas County hearing over SB 244, describing effects including surrendered driver's licenses and restroom restrictions. →

• Joby Aviation demonstrated an autonomous flight system on a Cessna 208 Caravan over Wichita on Sept. 28, landing publicly at the Kansas Aviation Museum. →

🇺🇸 US

• President Trump signed a voluntary AI safety accord with executives from Anthropic, Google, Meta, OpenAI, Nvidia and xAI on Sept. 29 and separately ordered federal agencies to replace "artificial intelligence" terminology with "Super Intelligence." →

• The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 in September, its lowest level since 2014, as the 30-year Treasury yield topped 5.6% for the first time since 2002. →

• Georgia suspended its motor fuel excise tax through Oct. 29 on Sept. 29, while Texas eased dyed diesel restrictions statewide amid surging fuel prices. →

• Trump launched America.gov on Sept. 29, an AI-powered federal services portal that currently answers questions but won't process transactions like passport renewals until early 2027. →

• American troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq on Sept. 30, ending a 12-year anti-ISIS mission as Iran-backed militias refused disarmament and Kurdish officials warned of new security vulnerabilities. →

Weather

SEPTEMBER 30, 1954: USS NAUTILUS—WORLD’S FIRST NUCLEAR SUBMARINE—IS COMMISSIONED

On September 30, 1954, the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Nautilus, the first submarine powered by a nuclear reactor. This breakthrough allowed the vessel to stay submerged for unprecedented lengths of time and travel faster and farther than earlier diesel-electric submarines.

This article was written using our proprietary AI system, Cronkite. The final decision to publish this article was made by a human. For more info, read our AI policy.