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McPherson daily brief

McPherson, Kansas and US news for busy people - Feb 9, 2026 edition

We're releasing a new brief format, to be released daily by 8a cst. We have more content on our website, so make sure to check regularly for updates. Some articles can be clicked on to launch more details if you're interested. Please provide feedback, we're very excited about this change! -Greg

Note: we are aware of a few bugs in our app with this format and a patch has been released, expect automatic updates this week.

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McPherson

Superintendent Dr. Shiloh Vincent is advocating for a March 2026 bond proposal to renovate McPherson High School’s technical education labs and repurpose Eisenhower Elementary into a modern middle school to address aging infrastructure and improve operational efficiency. →
Administrators of McPherson's largest online forums voted to block an interview with the USD 418 Superintendent regarding an upcoming school bond election, raising concerns about the gatekeeping power of social media moderators in rural communities. →
The deadline to register for the March 3 McPherson USD 418 school bond election is Tuesday, Feb. 10, with advance voting scheduled to begin on Wednesday. →
The USD 418 Board of Education will discuss a new manufacturing education initiative and review critical dates for an upcoming $62.5 million bond election. →
McPherson fire crews extinguished a blaze that heavily damaged a detached garage and a parked vehicle on Friday afternoon, reporting no injuries and no signs of foul play. →
The McPherson Bullpup Boys secured a 58-49 road victory over Andale, led by Jett Pyle's 28 points and Eli Reasoner's 21 points. →
The Lady Pups fell 47-41 to Andale after a tied halftime, dropping their season record to 8-9 ahead of their upcoming 'Think Pink' night home game against Hays. →
Expect a beautiful, clear day with a high of 76°F and light south winds before temperatures drop to a chilly 36°F tonight.

🌾Kansas

Property Tax Overhaul: House Republicans introduced HB 2745 requiring voter approval before local governments can increase property tax revenue collections year-over-year, marking the latest attempt to limit property tax growth after years of similar GOP efforts.
Medical Cannabis Legalization: House committee introduced HB 2752 to legalize medical marijuana in Kansas, establish a state-run program with patient ID cards, and expunge past cannabis convictions—though its fate remains uncertain in the conservative-dominated legislature.
Crime Package Signed: Gov. Kelly signed bipartisan HB 2347, which raises minimum fines for soliciting sex to $2,000, makes car theft a felony, adds gift card fraud protections, and criminalizes aiming laser pointers at police or aircraft.
Conservation Funding: House committee advanced HB 2063 to redirect $50-66 million in annual casino revenue toward conservation, wildlife, and outdoors programs through 2031—tapping the same gaming funds used to lure the Chiefs.
Vaping Marketing Restrictions: Senate committee approved amended SB 355 banning e-cigarette marketing to minors through cartoons, celebrity images, and entertainment features like games or music, as federal data shows 1.63 million teens vaped in 2024.

🇺🇸 US

Tech Giants' $650B AI Spending: Amazon, Meta, Google, and Microsoft will spend $650 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026—a 70% increase from 2025 and more than the inflation-adjusted cost of building the entire Interstate Highway System over 40 years.
AI Writing 20% of Code: Anthropic's Claude Code now generates 4% of all code commits on GitHub and is projected to produce over 20% by year-end, marking a fundamental shift toward AI independently authoring software.
Chinese Glass Factory Threatens Ohio Jobs: Taxpayer-supported Chinese-owned Fuyao Glass in Ohio is undercutting American competitor Vitro through alleged unfair practices, threatening 250 jobs and forcing closures of U.S. plants.
SpaceX Targets Moon City First: Musk is pivoting SpaceX's primary focus from Mars to building a lunar city within 10 years, citing the Moon's logistical advantage of 10-day launch windows versus Mars' 26-month cycles.
Starlink Cuts Off Russian Troops: SpaceX disabled Starlink access for Russian forces in Ukraine after Kyiv's request, disrupting battlefield communications for troops who relied on smuggled terminals.
Seahawks Win Super Bowl: Seattle defeated New England 29-13 to capture their second Super Bowl title, holding the Patriots scoreless through three quarters.

Weather

February 9 1942: Daylight saving time instituted

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