test brief email 1
Kansas and US news for busy people - Jan 12, 2026 edition
🌾Kansas
• Kansas Legislature convenes facing pressure for property tax relief after last year's cuts saved homeowners only $17 annually on a $100,000 property, while Republicans break tradition by developing their own budget instead of using the governor's proposal.
• Ellis County solar farm faces unanimous vote requirement after neighbors filed a protest petition, meaning one commissioner could kill the 175-megawatt, 1,150-acre Tallgrass Solar Farm project.
• House Speaker Hawkins admits defeat on redistricting, lacking the votes needed to call a special session targeting Rep. Sharice Davids, and demoting 10 representatives who refused to support the effort.
• Wild turkey conservation groups commit $856,000 to habitat projects and research after Kansas banned fall turkey hunting in 2023 due to dramatic population decline.
• Southwest Kansas buried under nearly a foot of snow Friday, leaving highways icy and snow-packed with multiple accidents reported across the region.
Greg Loving
🇺🇸 US
- Iran Protests: Over 500 killed in Iran's two-week crackdown on economic protests, with verified videos showing bodies outside hospitals despite internet blackout—the gravest challenge to authorities since the Islamic Revolution.
- Trump-Iran Military Response: Trump meeting Tuesday on potential military strikes against Iran over protester deaths; Iran warns it will retaliate against U.S. bases in UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, plus shipping lanes and Israel.
- DOJ Subpoenas Powell: Justice Department issued grand jury subpoenas to Fed Chair Powell over congressional testimony, which Powell calls political intimidation to force interest rate cuts and end central bank independence.
- UnitedHealth Medicare Fraud: Senate investigation found UnitedHealth systematically added questionable diagnoses to Medicare Advantage patients to collect billions in extra federal payments, with multiple DOJ probes now underway.
- Phoenix Rental Glut: 54% of Phoenix rentals now offer at least one free month's rent due to pandemic-era luxury apartment oversupply, making it America's most renter-friendly market.
Greg Loving
Weather
January 2 1888: Blizzard brings tragedy to Northwest Plains
The sudden “Schoolchildren’s Blizzard” swept the Northwest Plains, dropping temperatures nearly 100 degrees in 24 hours and creating blinding conditions with high winds and heavy snow. Many—especially children heading home from rural schools and farm workers—were caught in the storm, leading to 235 deaths despite heroic rescues like teachers sheltering students and guiding them to safety.