Top 5 Kansas news stories
April 2 2026
Kansas Supreme Court Punts on Kelly-Kobach Lawsuit Authority
Potent Synthetic Opioid Found in KC-Area School Wastewater
Oracle Cuts Over 500 KC Jobs in AI Pivot
Wichita Police Fatally Shoot Man Wanted on Child Sex Charges
Bill Self Announces Return to Kansas Basketball
Kansas Supreme Court Punts on Kelly-Kobach Lawsuit Authority
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed Gov. Laura Kelly's lawsuit against Attorney General Kris Kobach without resolving the central question of which official holds authority to sue the Trump administration over federal funding cuts. The justices declined to rule on whether the governor or attorney general may represent the state in federal court, leaving that determination to a judge in Massachusetts overseeing a multistate challenge to cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency. The court's ruling suggests Kobach controls litigation brought on behalf of the State of Kansas, while Kelly controls cases brought on behalf of the governor's office or state agencies under her authority, but it offered no guidance on where the line falls between those categories. The dispute stems from two real-world conflicts: a now-resolved fight over millions of dollars in SNAP funding the Trump administration threatened to withhold over a data-privacy disagreement, and an ongoing federal lawsuit challenging DOGE cuts that Kelly joined over Kobach's objection.
CJ Online
Potent Synthetic Opioid Found in KC-Area School Wastewater
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wastewater systems at four Kansas City-area schools have tested positive for nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids five to 10 times stronger than fentanyl, the Missouri Department of Public Safety confirmed Tuesday. The testing is part of a voluntary statewide school wastewater surveillance program that has screened 37 schools in 28 Missouri counties since January; of those, at least 26 tested positive for the drug. Two of the KC-area schools that tested positive are Frontier School of Excellence and Frontier STEM High School, both in Jackson County. Nitazenes, first identified in the illicit drug supply around 2019, are commonly found in counterfeit pills, unregulated cannabis products and vape liquid, often without the user's knowledge. Missouri recorded at least 14 overdose deaths linked to nitazenes in 2024, more than triple the total from the previous five years combined. State officials are urging residents to keep naloxone on hand and to administer it in any suspected opioid overdose, noting that multiple doses may be needed given the drug's potency.
FOX4 KC
Oracle Cuts Over 500 KC Jobs in AI Pivot
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oracle is eliminating 539 positions at its Kansas City campus as part of a nationwide restructuring driven by artificial intelligence on two fronts: funding a massive AI data center build-out and reorganizing around roles that AI is rendering obsolete. According to a WARN Act filing, the layoffs are expected between May 26 and June 1, and affected employees were notified between March 27 and March 31. The cuts span software developers, program managers, systems analysts, product management and consulting roles. The Kansas City reductions are part of a broader round of cuts announced Tuesday that may number in the thousands nationally as Oracle pours billions into AI infrastructure, including the Stargate data center project with OpenAI and SoftBank. Local workforce analysts said the layoffs also reflect a hollowing out of mid-level tech positions as companies restructure around what AI can now do, forcing displaced workers to seek new certifications to stay relevant. The company said the campus will remain open and that it plans to work with state and local agencies to assist employees during the transition; the layoffs account for more than half of Missouri's 1,021 reported job losses so far in 2026.
FOX4 KC
Wichita Police Fatally Shoot Man Wanted on Child Sex Charges
WICHITA, Kan. — A 45-year-old man wanted on eight counts of sexual exploitation of a child was shot and killed by a Wichita police officer Wednesday in a southeast Wichita neighborhood near Pawnee and Webb Road. WPD Capt. Aaron Moses said officers, the SWAT team and U.S. Marshals began searching for the man around 9 a.m. after receiving information that he was armed and had threatened to engage in a shootout with police. The man was believed to be at an apartment on East Harry, and when he left the location around noon, officers attempted to stop him in the 8900 block of East Cherry Creek Drive. Officers identified themselves and informed the man he was under arrest, at which point he produced a firearm, according to police. One officer fired multiple shots, fatally wounding the man, who died at the scene. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office is expected to take over the investigation.
KWCH
Bill Self Announces Return to Kansas Basketball
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Hall of Fame head coach Bill Self announced Wednesday that he will return to lead the Kansas Jayhawks for the 2026-27 season, ending weeks of speculation about his future following KU's exit from the NCAA tournament in March. Self, who has coached at Kansas for more than 20 years, revealed after the loss that he had not decided whether he would continue coaching. Health issues in recent years had brought the question of his future into sharper focus. In a statement posted on the team's social media account, Self said he remained focused on competing for a national championship and expressed excitement about returning to Allen Fieldhouse. Self has previous head coaching stops at Illinois, Tulsa and Oral Roberts, and ranks among the winningest active coaches in college basketball.
CJ Online
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