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The Little Apple Brief

Local, state, and US news for busy people - Feb 9, 2026 edition

Greg Loving

09 Feb 2026 • 3 min read

Downtown Manhattan KS/Facebook

Manhattan

The board split 3-3 on a proposal to buy student iPads, though it successfully approved a separate $162,000 purchase for staff devices. →
Board members voiced opposition to Senate bills that would mandate instruction on certain political ideologies and restrict school-issued device usage. →
Board members reported that the district must use general funds to cover a shortfall because state funding fails to meet the statutory requirement for special education costs. →
The Manhattan High School Scholars Bowl team clinched its fifth league championship title. →
Expect a gorgeous, mostly clear day with highs reaching 77°F, though you'll want a jacket this morning after a chilly start in the upper 20s.

🌾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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