Top 5 Kansas news stories
April 3 2026
High Plains Aquifer Groundwater Levels Rise for First Time in Years
Five Killed in Hodgeman County Two-Vehicle Crash
Marshall Hopes U.S. Avoids Boots on the Ground in Iran
KCK Strikes Public-Private Deal to Reopen Downtown Grocery in Food Desert
Kansas Launches Pilot Grant for Rural Industrial Building Renovation
High Plains Aquifer Groundwater Levels Rise for First Time in Years
TOPEKA, Kan. — Groundwater levels in parts of the Kansas High Plains Aquifer rose an average of two and a half feet in 2025, marking the first increase in years, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. Brownie Wilson, a water data manager with the survey, said favorable rainfall timing aligned with crop demands, reducing the need for irrigation pumping. Nearly 90% of water used in Kansas comes from the ground, with about 85% of that going to irrigation. Despite the gains, portions of the Ogallala High Plains Aquifer have declined by 60% or more in some areas over time. Wilson said whether the improvement becomes a trend depends on future weather patterns and how the state manages its water resources. He added that growing public attention to the state's water supply in recent years could help build positive momentum.
WIBW
Five Killed in Hodgeman County Two-Vehicle Crash
JETMORE, Kan. — Three children and two adults were killed Thursday in a two-vehicle crash on K-156 between Jetmore and Hanston in Hodgeman County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The crash occurred at about 1:21 p.m. near mile marker 64 when an eastbound 2005 Dodge Dakota left the roadway, overcorrected and spun into the westbound lane, striking a 2023 Ford Ranger. Killed were Brianna Mae Katherine Kauffman, 29, Raleah Mae Kauffman, 3, Ryder Keith Kauffman, 7, and Ryker Kole Kauffman, 5, all of Garden City, along with the Ranger's driver, Adam William Edwards, 45, also of Garden City. The Dakota's driver, Rony Baxter Martinez-Meneses, 48, of Garden City, was flown to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita in critical condition. None of the occupants in either vehicle were wearing safety restraints, according to the crash report. The highway remained closed until 9 p.m. while the KHP CHART team reconstructed the scene.
KWCH
Marshall Hopes U.S. Avoids Boots on the Ground in Iran
TOPEKA, Kan. — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall said he hopes the United States does not send ground troops to Iran as the conflict stretches into a second month. Speaking with reporters following an April 1 event in Topeka, the Kansas Republican said he is mourning the loss of 13 soldiers and noted that 20 to 25 more have been seriously injured so far. Marshall, whose family has a long history of military service, said he hopes the war comes to a quick end with minimal American casualties. His comments came hours before President Donald Trump delivered a prime-time address updating the public on the conflict. Marshall did not indicate whether he believed a ground deployment was under active consideration.
CJ Online
KCK Strikes Public-Private Deal to Reopen Downtown Grocery in Food Desert
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, voted 9-0 Thursday to enter a public-private agreement with Santa Fe Grocers LLC to reopen the former MERC Co+op grocery store at 501 Minnesota Ave. in downtown KCK, a neighborhood classified as a food desert since the co-op closed Dec. 30. Under the deal, the county-owned building — originally built with roughly $7 million in public financing including general obligation bonds, new market tax credits and TIF district funds — will be offered rent-free through April 30, 2027, with $150,000 in public money for building improvements. Operator Anthony Estrada takes on all business risk, pays taxes and assessments and plans to rebrand the space as United Market with a full-service meat department and scratch bakery. The arrangement mirrors the structure that supported the MERC, which failed commercially under a similar publicly subsidized model; Estrada himself helped open that store while working for Associated Wholesale Grocers. Starting in the third year, Santa Fe Grocers would have an exclusive option to purchase the building, subject to a restrictive covenant requiring continuous grocery operations for 10 years. Estrada, who has more than 35 years in the Kansas City grocery market, said listening to the community and tailoring inventory to its demographics will be the difference this time.
FOX4 KC · KCTV · KSHB
Kansas Launches Pilot Grant for Rural Industrial Building Renovation
TOPEKA, Kan. — Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced the launch of the Industrial Renovation for Opportunity and New Economic Development (IRONED) pilot program, offering $200,000 in grants to help rural Kansas communities revitalize underused industrial and manufacturing buildings. Grants of up to $100,000 are available to communities with populations of 50,000 or fewer for projects already in the planning phase that aim to bring new economic activity to vacant or dilapidated facilities. The grants are intended to close financing gaps and prepare sites for new or expanding businesses. The application window opened March 18 and closes at 5 p.m. June 17, with awards expected in August. The program is administered by the Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity at the Department of Commerce.
Kansas Commerce
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