Top 5 Kansas news stories
April 17 2026
NextEra Proposes 100-Plus Wind Turbines in Rice County
Kansas Judicial Nominees Grilled on Marion Newspaper Raid
KCMO Council Clears Path for Downtown Royals Stadium
Sotomayor Apologizes to Kavanaugh After KU Remarks
Teen Charged With Murder in Death of Great Bend Girl
NextEra Proposes 100-Plus Wind Turbines in Rice County
LYONS, Kan. — NextEra Energy Resources has filed plans to erect more than 100 wind turbines in Rice County through a project called the Rice County Energy Center, which would generate up to 300 megawatts of renewable energy. The project footprint spans from Lyons south to Sterling, east toward Little River and Windom, with turbines standing approximately 600 feet tall. NextEra says the project would bring hundreds of jobs and additional tax revenue to the county, with operations targeted to begin in 2028, subject to county approval. An opposition group called Protect Rice County has collected more than 650 signatures on a petition, arguing the turbines would permanently alter the agricultural landscape and threaten nearby wildlife habitats at Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Last month, the Rice County Commission passed a one-year moratorium on wind and solar facilities in unincorporated areas to give staff time to develop regulations. An informational meeting about the project was held Thursday evening at the Celebration Centre and Bar K Bar Arena in Lyons.
KSN
Kansas Judicial Nominees Grilled on Marion Newspaper Raid
WASHINGTON — Two of three Kansans nominated by President Donald Trump to the U.S. District Court faced pointed questioning Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee about their connections to the August 2023 raid of the Marion County Record, which drew international condemnation for violating press freedoms. KBI Director Tony Mattivi was asked about the bureau's role in the raid on the newspaper office and publisher's home, which resulted in a $3 million settlement to resolve legal claims against Marion County. Great Bend attorney Jeff Kuhlman, the second nominee questioned, had been retained to represent the Marion County Sheriff's Office and county officials who were named as defendants in lawsuits following the raid. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, noted that Mattivi initially expressed support for the raid to investigate what he called credible allegations against the newspaper, though special prosecutors eventually cleared the journalists. Both nominees affirmed their commitment to the First Amendment and said they would apply established court precedent in press freedom cases if confirmed. The third nominee, Kansas Solicitor General Anthony Powell, was not questioned about the raid; the committee did not vote on any of the nominations Wednesday.
Kansas Reflector
KCMO Council Clears Path for Downtown Royals Stadium
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted 11-1-1 Thursday to pass an ordinance providing the financing framework for a $1.9 billion stadium project for the Royals at Washington Square Park near Crown Center. Councilman Nathan Willett voted no, and Councilman Crispin Rea abstained. The ordinance authorizes the city to enter lease and development agreements with the team for a new stadium, office tower and a Downtown Baseball District that would include publicly accessible parks and recreational amenities. Multiple funding sources will support the project: the city has committed up to $600 million through bonds and other financing, with additional contributions expected from the state under Missouri's Show-Me Sports Investment Act and from the Royals themselves. Mayor Quinton Lucas said no new taxes would be required, calling it a historic day for Kansas City. The Royals have not formally announced the stadium location but said they are "excited by the possibilities" the downtown opportunity presents.
KSHB
Sotomayor Apologizes to Kavanaugh After KU Remarks
WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued an unusual public apology Wednesday for remarks she made about fellow Justice Brett Kavanaugh during a recent appearance at the University of Kansas School of Law. Sotomayor said in a statement released by the court that she had referred to a disagreement with a colleague in a prior case but made comments that were inappropriate, adding that she regretted her hurtful words and had apologized directly. The remarks stemmed from a case last year in which the court allowed the Trump administration to conduct broad immigration sweeps in the Los Angeles area; Kavanaugh wrote for the majority while Sotomayor dissented. The court's 6-3 conservative majority has been a frequent source of tension in high-profile decisions. Sotomayor did not detail the specific comments she made at KU, but her willingness to issue a public apology to a colleague is rare in the court's history.
NBC News
Teen Charged With Murder in Death of Great Bend Girl
GREAT BEND, Kan. — A juvenile has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 14-year-old Rubi Perez, an eighth grader at Great Bend Middle School, Barton County Attorney J. Colin Reynolds announced Thursday. Perez was reported missing April 8 after attending a class at Holy Family School, and her body was found the following morning near Veterans Park, just blocks from her school. A 14-year-old boy was taken into custody that afternoon following an investigation involving the Great Bend Police Department, Barton County Sheriff's Office and the KBI's Crime Scene Response Team. Court records show the suspect made an initial appearance Monday and is scheduled for a detention hearing April 21. The Great Bend school district activated a crisis response team at the middle school, and Perez's funeral was held Wednesday in Great Bend. Fundraising efforts continue in support of her family through the Rubi Perez Memorial Fund.
KSN · KWCH · KAKE
Sources
Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:
citizen journal offers three flagship products: a daily national news summary, a daily Kansas news summary, and local news and school board summaries from 20 cities across Kansas. Each issue contains 5 paragraph-length stories that are made to be read in 5 minutes. Use the links in the header to navigate to national, kansas, and local coverage. Subscribe to each, some, or all to get an email when new issues are published for FREE!
Brought to you by (click me!)
