McPherson

• Prosecutors charged Daniel T. Hawkinson with voluntary manslaughter in the death of Joshua Soden using two alternative versions — heat-of-passion and unreasonable self-defense — to preempt a likely self-defense claim, with a preliminary hearing set for April 22 and a maximum sentence of 20.5 years if convicted. →
• McPherson Public Schools hosted a community meet-and-greet for its first superintendent finalist, Ty Rhodes, with two additional candidates scheduled to be introduced later this month. →
• Kansas journalists and student editors met for a 'Law Day' forum to discuss the decline of local newspapers, the impact of AI on reporting, and the growing legal pressures on news organizations. →
• McPherson city officials are urging homeowners to verify permit requirements and consult with city staff before starting summer renovation projects to ensure compliance with local safety and building codes. →
• Authorities arrested three individuals and dismantled an active drug manufacturing lab during a Wednesday morning search warrant execution in Moundridge. →
• Tammy M. Gipson of St. Joseph Catholic School has been selected for the 2026 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award for her innovative civic duty programs. Gipson will receive a professional development grant and funding for her school during the national convention in 2026. →
• The State Board of Education appointed Jake Steel, a current KSDE director and Harvard graduate, to succeed retiring commissioner Randy Watson on June 1. →
• A 'Crafts with Cara' session on April 15 will teach participants Tataki Zome, a technique using hammers to transfer natural plant pigments onto fabric or paper. →
• Kevin Jones, a musical supervisor for international cruise lines, will host a public photographic presentation about the cruise ship entertainment industry at The Cedars on April 16. →
• The McPherson girls varsity soccer team secured a 2-1 overtime victory against Rose Hill, one of Class 4A's top teams, with goals from Allison Randa and Caysen Blake. →
• The McPherson varsity girls softball team swept a triangular meet, run-ruling Liberal 15-0 before defeating host Maize 11-8 behind strong offensive performances from Pavlovich and Doile. →
• It’s going to be a beautiful, mostly sunny day in McPherson with a high near 80, though expect it to be a bit breezy with southwest gusts reaching up to 22 mph.

🌾 Kansas

• The Kansas Legislature passed House Bill 2043 early Saturday, April 11, capping annual spending increases by local governments at 3% or the inflation rate, whichever is lower. With lawmakers not reconvening until Jan. 11, 2027, they cannot override a potential veto by Gov. Laura Kelly. →

• The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday named Jake Steel as the state's next commissioner of education, with seven of 10 board members voting in favor and Steel assuming the role June 1. →

• The Kansas City Council's Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a plan to contribute up to $600 million in city funding toward a new downtown Royals stadium at Washington Square Park. →

• The Kansas Legislature on April 9 overrode Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes on five bills that collectively shift power away from executive-branch agencies, local governments and outside legal counsel and toward the statehouse. →

• Gov. Laura Kelly on April 9 signed bipartisan legislation that permanently updates eligibility thresholds for the state's Children's Health Insurance Program, adjusting the household income threshold to 250% of the current federal poverty level. →

🇺🇸 US

• U.S. Central Command said it had completely stopped all commercial trade to and from Iranian ports less than 36 hours after implementing a naval blockade, while the Pentagon sends thousands of additional troops to the region as a fragile ceasefire set to expire April 22 holds. →

• Maine legislators have passed the first statewide data center construction ban in the United States, with the bill now heading to the governor's desk as public opinion turns sharply against the facilities. →

• Voters in South Hadley, Massachusetts, decisively rejected a steep property tax hike by a 65 percent to 34 percent margin in a preview of financial pressures expected to hit municipalities nationwide. →

• The average federal tax refund issued to early filers this year climbed more than 10 percent over last year, reaching $3,462, largely because of the Republican tax law that increased the standard deduction and created new deductions for tip income, overtime pay and certain car loan interest. →

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his country's forces captured a Russian position using only unmanned ground robotic systems and aerial drones, with no infantry involvement and no Ukrainian casualties — a first in the war. →

Weather

APRIL 16, 1972: APOLLO 16 DEPARTS FOR MOON

Apollo 16 lifted off from Cape Canaveral on a 238,000-mile journey, the fifth U.S. mission to land astronauts on the lunar surface. Command module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly stayed in orbit while John W. Young and Charles M. Duke later spent nearly three days exploring the moon and collecting over 200 pounds of rock samples.

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