McPherson

• USD 418 McPherson Public Schools released the first renderings and timelines for $89.5 million in voter-approved school bond projects. →
• The McPherson County Commission will hear a funding request for McKIDS, an early-intervention program serving 112 local children. →
• Gas Monkey Garage founder Richard Rawlings visited McPherson College to tour its automotive restoration program and meet with students. →
• McPherson College opened an exhibit featuring art by Kansas artist Christina Lamoureaux at its gallery in McPherson through Oct. 12. →
• Three McPherson High School soccer players were named to the KSHSAA Covered Class 4-1A preseason statewide watch list. →
• McPherson High School fall varsity sports begin competition this week with volleyball, girls tennis, and boys soccer opening schedules. →
• The McPherson High School girls varsity tennis team announced its 2026 fall schedule, opening the season Aug. 27 at Hesston. →
• After a slight chance of an early morning shower, expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 92°F today.

🌾 Kansas

• Kansas officials held the fifth of seven public meetings Aug. 21 in Topeka to gather input for the state's Water Plan as the Ogallala Aquifer continues to decline. →

• A Butler County judge ruled Aug. 21 that El Dorado's City Commission must adopt or put to a vote a citizens' petition banning high-impact data centers and battery storage systems for 10 years. →

• Kansas City, Kansas, officials briefed the Planning Commission Aug. 10 on required zoning changes under a new state law mandating by-right approval of qualifying single-family homes, townhouses and accessory dwelling units. →

• The CDC and FDA reported Aug. 21 that an E. coli and Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts from Everything Sprouts of Minneapolis has sickened 55 people across 15 states, including Kansas. →

• The USDA reported Aug. 21 that Kansas cattle placements fell 14% in July to 375,000 head amid a nationwide drop to the lowest July placement total since 1996. →

🇺🇸 US

• President Trump announced Aug. 21 a 90-day suspension of out-of-quota tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of imported ground beef to lower grocery prices. →

• Interior Secretary Doug Burgum finalized a decision Aug. 21 requiring Arizona, California and Nevada to cut Colorado River water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually in 2027 and 2028. →

• Wisconsin health officials reported Aug. 21 that a measles outbreak in the state's southwest corner grew to 41 confirmed and seven probable cases, up from 15 confirmed a week earlier. →

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended his Aug. 3 freeze on new data-center approvals in comments published Aug. 23, saying developers brought public backlash on themselves. →

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Aug. 23 he would announce an "economic D-Day" of sanctions against Iran targeting buyers of its crude, as Iran's parliament advanced fees for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. →

Weather

AUGUST 24, 2006: PLUTO IS DEMOTED

On this day in Prague, the International Astronomical Union voted to strip Pluto of its long‑held status as the solar system’s ninth planet and reclassify it as a dwarf planet. The decision, based on a new definition of what constitutes a planet, sparked controversy among astronomers and a cultural backlash from a public attached to Pluto as a full-fledged planet.

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.