Top 5 Kansas news stories
January 21 2026
Arctic Blast Brings Dangerous Subzero Wind Chills and Widespread Snow to Kansas Friday
Kansas Lawmakers Propose Redistricting Reforms While Advancing Marriage Age and Campus Speech Legislation
Hutchinson Council Approves STAR Bond Plan to Fund Tourism Projects Through Sales Tax Revenue
Kansas Basketball Extends Big 12 Win Streak as Assistant Vaughn Leads Team Past Colorado
Wichita Heights Students Join Nationwide Walkout Protesting Immigration Enforcement and Campus Access Policies
Arctic Blast Brings Dangerous Subzero Wind Chills and Widespread Snow to Kansas Friday
WICHITA, Kan. — Kansas residents face dangerous conditions starting Friday as an Arctic air mass sweeps across the state, bringing wind chills as low as twenty degrees below zero and several inches of snow to southern regions. Thursday's calm weather with temperatures in the upper 30s and lower 40s will give way to a winter storm Friday afternoon, with temperatures plummeting to the teens and overnight lows in the single digits. Wind chills will create frostbite risk in as little as thirty minutes. Light snow is expected along and north of Interstate 70, while areas farther south will likely see several inches of accumulation. The snow will begin in western Kansas Friday afternoon, spread east through the evening, and continue Saturday before ending Saturday evening or night.
KWCH
Kansas Lawmakers Propose Redistricting Reforms While Advancing Marriage Age and Campus Speech Legislation
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas legislators introduced a constitutional amendment Tuesday establishing new redistricting requirements while the House advanced bills raising the minimum marriage age and protecting campus speech. Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, introduced a concurrent resolution that would mandate equal-population legislative districts, preserve communities of interest, and restrict redistricting to regular sessions following U.S. Census years or by court order. Separately, the House introduced eleven bills including the FORUM Act prohibiting postsecondary institutions from restricting freedom of speech on campus, and legislation requiring both parties to be at least eighteen years old to marry in Kansas, eliminating current exceptions for sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds with parental consent. Gov. Kelly also submitted appointments for Senate confirmation: Dwight Keen as Kansas Corporation Commission commissioner and Christi Smith as director of the Kansas Office of Early Childhood.
Greg Loving
Hutchinson Council Approves STAR Bond Plan to Fund Tourism Projects Through Sales Tax Revenue
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council unanimously approved a STAR Bond project plan Tuesday that will finance improvements to the Cosmosphere, Memorial Hall, and Landmark Apartments building through incremental sales tax revenue rather than property taxes. The approval marks the second phase of a state-required process following the district's 2024 creation and enables staff to finalize development agreements and engage underwriters ahead of bond issuance requiring final council approval in coming months. The plan includes a one million dollar allocation requested by Lt. Gov. David Toland to advance space tourism initiatives. Bond counsel from Gilmore and Bell clarified during a public hearing that bonds are backed solely by increased sales tax revenue generated by new developments, placing financial risk on bondholders rather than taxpayers if projected revenue fails to materialize.
Greg Loving
Kansas Basketball Extends Big 12 Win Streak as Assistant Vaughn Leads Team Past Colorado
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The nineteenth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks extended their conference winning streak to three games with a 75-69 road victory over Colorado Tuesday, securing the win without head coach Bill Self who missed the matchup due to a health issue. Assistant coach Jacque Vaughn served as acting head coach as Kansas improved to 14-5 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play. The victory follows home wins against now-ninth-ranked Iowa State and Baylor, though the Jayhawks found less comfortable margins against Colorado than in their previous two conference matchups. Road victories have presented consistent challenges for Kansas this season.
CJOnline
Wichita Heights Students Join Nationwide Walkout Protesting Immigration Enforcement and Campus Access Policies
WICHITA, Kan. — Students at Wichita Heights High School walked out of class Tuesday holding signs in opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, joining a nationwide movement of high school protests against heightened federal immigration enforcement. The demonstration aimed to support classmates concerned about deportation raids occurring across the country and to challenge Wichita Public Schools' policy allowing ICE agents on campus with judge-issued warrants. The Trump administration recently revoked guidelines designating schools as sensitive locations where ICE could not access. Wichita is among several cities where dozens of students have participated in or are planning walkouts to voice opposition.
KWCH
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