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Top 5 Kansas news stories

August 22 2025

Greg Loving

22 Aug 2025 • 4 min read

Before you head out, it’s best to check a farm’s Facebook page, where the operators usually post updates on field conditions. Jaime Green The Wichita Eagle

Rain Affects Kansas Sunflower Fields, but New Options Open for Visitors

Hawkins Leads Early GOP Race for Kansas Insurance Commissioner

Wichita Businesswoman Rogers Joins Crowded GOP Governor Field

Van Gogh Immersive Art Experience Opens Friday in Wichita

Topeka VA Hospital to Receive Infrastructure Improvements

1. Rain Affects Kansas Sunflower Fields, but New Options Open for Visitors

Heavy rains have forced some popular Kansas sunflower farms to cancel public viewing this year, but two new farms are opening their fields to visitors for the first time. Klausmeyer Farm & Pumpkin Patch in Clearwater and Cedar Creek Farm in Maize won't offer sunflower visits due to weather damage, while Peterson Farms near Lindsborg and an Augusta farm experienced delays but plan to open soon. Meanwhile, A to Z Farm and Flower in Rose Hill and Red Barn Acres in Peck are welcoming visitors to their sunflower fields for the first time this summer, giving Kansas residents new options within an hour's drive of Wichita.

Kansas.com

2. Hawkins Leads Early GOP Race for Kansas Insurance Commissioner

State Representative Dan Hawkins of Wichita has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the 2026 Republican insurance commissioner primary, securing endorsements from U.S. Representatives Derek Schmidt, Tracey Mann and Ron Estes. The House Speaker is currently the only candidate from either party to formally announce his campaign or file paperwork for the race, giving him significant early momentum nearly a year before the primary election.

CJOnline

3. Wichita Businesswoman Rogers Joins Crowded GOP Governor Field

Wichita-area businesswoman Stacy Rogers has announced her candidacy for Kansas governor in 2026, becoming the eighth Republican to enter the race. Rogers told The Capital-Journal she's running to "give a voice back to the people in the state" and believes her status as a political outsider will help her better represent Kansans rather than special interests.

CJOnline

4. Van Gogh Immersive Art Experience Opens Friday in Wichita

Wichita will host its first major immersive art exhibition when "Van Gogh: The Immersive Exhibit" opens Friday at 3535 N. Rock Road, running through at least the end of 2025. The experience uses 4K digital projection mapping to animate the famous artist's paintings across a 5,000-square-foot gallery, and includes exhibits about Van Gogh's life, optional virtual reality components, and a gift shop. Tickets range from $21.90 for students and military to $32.90 for adults, with the exhibit open daily except Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Kansas.com

5. Topeka VA Hospital to Receive Infrastructure Improvements

The Colmery-O'Neil Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Topeka will benefit from $800 million in federal funding realigned toward infrastructure improvements at VA facilities nationwide. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the maintenance program will update aging facilities and technology to better serve veterans, with VA Secretary Doug Collins stating that "improved facilities, equipment and infrastructure help improve care for Veterans."

CJOnline

Sources

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