Manhattan

• Kansas authorities arrested Brian J. Lovgren for two counts of aggravated assault after he was shot by a deputy while brandishing a handgun during a January confrontation. Lovgren was taken into custody upon his release from medical treatment and faces prosecution in Pottawatomie County. →
• The mental health center reported an 84 percent diversion rate from emergency rooms since expanding its mobile crisis response team to operate 24 hours a day. →
• Riley County Emergency Services handled over 1,000 calls during December and January, attributed largely to seasonal illnesses and winter weather conditions. →
• Riley County is collaborating with state agencies to assess the feasibility of spearheading a task force to provide operational support for trafficking investigations across Kansas. →
• Manhattan officials are advising utility customers to contact the billing office if they have experienced postal delays with their paper bills. Residents are encouraged to switch to e-billing or automatic drafts to avoid future late notices. →
• It’s going to be a beautiful, mostly sunny day in the Little Apple with a comfortable high near 62 and just a light breeze out of the southeast.

🌾 Kansas

• The Kansas Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday to cap annual assessed property value increases at 3%, passing it 30-10 and sending it to the House where Speaker Dan Hawkins has indicated he may lack the 84 votes needed for required 2/3 majority. →

• The House failed Tuesday to pass the ROTOR Act, a bipartisan aviation safety bill responding to the Potomac River midair collision that killed 67 people, falling one vote short of the two-thirds majority as Rep. Tracey Mann cast the lone Kansas delegation dissent. →

• A 3.5-magnitude earthquake struck central Kansas Wednesday afternoon, centered about 3.1 miles east of Assaria in Saline County, with shaking felt as far as Wichita and Yates Center but no damage or injuries reported. →

• The Kansas House rejected Wednesday a series of Democratic amendments to increase funding for school meals and special education services, with votes falling largely along partisan lines. →

• Dozens gathered at the Hesston memorial site Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Excel Industries shooting in which employee Cedric Ford killed three coworkers and wounded more than a dozen others. →

🇺🇸 US

• At least 1,800 companies have filed lawsuits seeking refunds from $130 billion in tariff payments after the Supreme Court struck down many of President Trump's global tariffs, with the administration sending mixed signals on whether refunds will be issued. →

• Four armed Cuban citizens living in the United States were killed and six others wounded in a gunfight with Cuban border troops after their Florida-registered speedboat entered Cuban territorial waters Wednesday. →

• The Trump administration proposed new Affordable Care Act rules allowing insurers to offer policies with lower premiums but significantly higher deductibles, a change critics warn could expose millions to thousands more in medical bills. →

• Nvidia reported a 94% profit increase to $43 billion on record revenue of $68.1 billion for the fourth quarter, with data center hardware accounting for 91.4% of sales. →

• The United States and Iran began nuclear negotiations in Geneva Thursday, with U.S. envoys demanding Iran permanently dismantle its three main nuclear sites, surrender all enriched uranium and agree to restrictions with no expiration date. →

Weather

February 26 1616: The Roman Catholic Church warns Galileo Galilei against promoting the belief that the Earth orbits the Sun, an idea for which he was later convicted of heresy.

It took another 300 years for the church to admit he was right.

Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:

Contact Us