Top 5 Kansas news stories
September 3 2025
Baseball-Sized Hail Batters McPherson Wednesday Night
Evergy Solar Projects Unaffected by New Federal Tax Credit Guidelines
Johnson County Businessman Enters GOP Governor Race
Federal Appeals Court Overturns Kansas Machine Gun Ruling
Global Air Cargo Faces Capacity Shortage as Fleet Ages
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1. Baseball-Sized Hail Batters McPherson Wednesday Night
A severe thunderstorm that swept through McPherson Wednesday night brought baseball-sized hail that shattered windows and caused property damage in the Turkey Creek area. The National Weather Service confirmed the storm produced hail measuring up to three inches in diameter, with city officials now assessing the full extent of damage from the 45-minute storm before it moved out of the county.
citizen journal
2. Evergy Solar Projects Unaffected by New Federal Tax Credit Guidelines
New federal guidelines limiting wind and solar tax credits took effect Monday, but Evergy's planned solar projects in Kansas and Missouri will proceed as scheduled, according to company officials. The utility received regulatory approval for two solar farms and says the projects will generate electricity in time to qualify for existing tax credits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress in July. Evergy received Kansas Corporation Commission approval for about $2 billion in new energy projects, including the solar field and two natural gas plants, as part of its three-year planning cycle for meeting expected electricity demand.
Kansas Reflector
3. Johnson County Businessman Enters GOP Governor Race
Businessman Philip Sarnecki announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for Kansas governor Tuesday, saying he's tired of Republicans losing statewide races to Democrats. Sarnecki joins a crowded GOP field that includes former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Senate President Ty Masterson, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt in the 2026 race to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. "President Donald Trump won Kansas in a landslide the last three elections, but Republicans keep losing in Kansas," Sarnecki said, referencing Kelly's victories over Republicans Kris Kobach in 2018 and Derek Schmidt in 2022.
Kansas Reflector
4. Federal Appeals Court Overturns Kansas Machine Gun Ruling
A federal appeals court has overturned a Kansas judge's decision to dismiss criminal charges against a man accused of illegally possessing a machine gun, reversing a ruling that cited Second Amendment protections. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that defendant Tamori Morgan failed to demonstrate that machine guns qualify as "arms" in "common use" for self-defense, sending the case back to U.S. District Judge John Broomes for further proceedings.
CJOnline
5. Global Air Cargo Faces Capacity Shortage as Fleet Ages
Major air cargo operators are warning of an impending capacity crunch as aging jet fleets approach retirement and aircraft manufacturers delay new deliveries, with Boeing's Wichita production facilities among those facing pressure to increase aircraft component manufacturing. Atlas Air CEO Michael Steen cited an "upcoming wave of aircraft retirements" affecting up to 150 of the world's 630 large wide-body freighters, which are 25 years or older. The shortage threatens the air cargo industry that moves one-third of global trade by value, or $8.3 trillion worth of goods annually, with rapid growth in e-commerce and Asian deliveries driving increased demand while new aircraft deliveries remain limited.
Financial Times
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