McPherson

• Emergency crews from McPherson and several surrounding towns extinguished a fire at Midway Motors early yesterday morning, with an investigation now underway as authorities urge drivers to avoid US-56 and Centennial Drive to prevent collisions. →
• A $9,427 contract was approved to install AI-tracking security cameras at the Noxious Weed Department building to monitor chemical storage and entrances. →
• Bethany College hosts its 145th Messiah Festival this weekend in Lindsborg, featuring community-driven performances of Handel and Bach led by Director Dr. Troy Robertson. To increase participation, the live events have moved to the weekend preceding Easter, with radio broadcasts scheduled to air on KSAL for the holiday. →
• Federal officials are encouraging local governments to monitor and manage the heavy water and power consumption associated with data center operations. →
• The McPherson High School orchestra performed its festival pieces during a pre-festival concert at the MHS Theater as a final rehearsal before competition. →
• The McPherson County jail has reached its 60-inmate limit, forcing law enforcement to transfer inmates to Rice County at an additional cost to local taxpayers due to state-level bottlenecks for mental health evaluations. [OLD NEWS, NEW CONTENT] →
• The McPherson City Commission unanimously approved an agreement with the State Fire Marshal to deploy equipment and personnel for wildfires through 2028, with full state reimbursement and the flexibility to decline deployments if local resources are low. [OLD NEWS, NEW CONTENT] →
• It's going to be a hot and windy one today with bright sunshine and a high near 93, so watch out for those southwest gusts reaching up to 33 mph.

🌾 Kansas

• The Kansas Legislature has overwhelmingly approved new regulations on pharmacy benefit managers, sending a bill to Gov. Laura Kelly that bans spread pricing and requires equal reimbursement rates for independent pharmacies. →

• The Kansas Legislature marked the 50th day of the 2026 session Wednesday with late-session negotiations stalling as both chambers appointed new conferees to resolve differences on high-profile measures including housing voucher requirements, juvenile detention limits and sex offender school bans. →

• The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued an air quality health advisory Wednesday for central and eastern Kansas as prescribed burning continues across the Flint Hills. →

• The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday it will temporarily allow nationwide sales of E15 gasoline, a move aimed at tamping down fuel prices that have surged since the start of the Iran war. →

• The Kansas Senate adopted a conference committee report Wednesday in a 23-17 vote restricting municipalities from limiting short-term rentals during the summer of 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. →

🇺🇸 US

• A federal jury awarded $6 million against Meta and YouTube for addictive design features that harmed a young woman, applying a legal strategy modeled on Big Tobacco cases and sidestepping Section 230 protections. →

• Iran rejected a U.S. cease-fire proposal and demanded an end to attacks, recognition of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, financial reparations and guarantees against future aggression. →

• Iran sent a letter to International Maritime Organization members declaring non-hostile ships may pass through the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Tehran, with the IRGC extracting fees from at least two vessels at Larak Island. →

• First lady Melania Trump appeared at the White House with Figure 3, a humanoid AI-powered robot, to promote integrating robotics into children's education before an audience of international first spouses. →

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced legislation to halt new data center construction until national safeguards are established to protect workers, consumers and the environment. →

Weather

March 26 1945: Fighting on Iwo Jima ends, island declared “secure”

The Battle of Iwo Jima was a brutal U.S. assault on a heavily fortified Japanese island that cost about 6,800 American lives and 19,000 wounded, while nearly all of the roughly 21,000 Japanese defenders were killed. Securing the island gave the U.S. a crucial airbase within fighter range of Japan, allowing emergency landings for damaged B‑29 bombers and supporting the broader island‑hopping strategy to tighten pressure on the Japanese home islands.

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