Moody's Upgrades Kansas Credit Outlook to Positive

Wichita Airport Posts Record First Quarter

Boeing, WSU Tech Launch Aerospace Workforce Training Center

Wichita Bets on Middle Class, WSJ Reports

Moran Presses China on Soybeans Before Trump Summit

Moody's Upgrades Kansas Credit Outlook to Positive

TOPEKA, Kan. — Moody's Investors Service upgraded Kansas' credit outlook from stable to positive, citing improved governance, strong rainy day reserves, a reduction in state debt obligations and tax cuts the firm characterized as responsible. Gov. Laura Kelly tied the upgrade to her administration's fiscal practices, including closing the Bank of KDOT, building a $2 billion rainy day fund, applying surpluses to one-time projects and paying state bills on time. Budget Director Adam Proffitt said the recognition reflects a measured, forward-looking approach to budgeting that has restored structural balance. Moody's last moved Kansas' outlook from stable to negative in 2016, citing the inability to restore structural budget balance during the Brownback-Colyer tax experiment. The governor's office said maintaining fiscal discipline will be necessary to stay on the current economic path.

Office of the Governor

Wichita Airport Posts Record First Quarter

WICHITA, Kan. — Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport posted its strongest first quarter on record, with 195,341 passengers boarding flights between Jan. 1 and March 31. The figure represents a nearly 2% increase over the previous first-quarter record set in 2024. Airport officials attributed the growth to facility improvements, expanded air service, partnerships with airlines and continued expansion across the Wichita region. Director of Airports Jesse Romo said the airport's growth reflects the community's growth. The airport said the first-quarter performance could hint at a strong full year.

KSN

Boeing, WSU Tech Launch Aerospace Workforce Training Center

WICHITA, Kan. — Boeing and the Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology announced a 35,000-square-foot workforce training center near WSU Tech's South Campus at Harry and Olive. The Boeing Workforce Training Center will include classrooms, specialized training labs and employee testing areas, with capacity to support thousands of trainees annually. WSU Tech will lead instruction while Boeing provides curriculum input and equipment aligned to production needs. Boeing Wichita General Manager Sean Black said the investment reflects a commitment to developing aerospace talent, and Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., said the project reinforces Wichita's position as an aerospace hub. Boeing currently has an order backlog of more than 6,100 airplanes and produces major structures for every Boeing commercial jet in Wichita. The center is expected to be operational by the end of 2026, with an initial program milestone planned for spring 2027.

KWCH

Wichita Bets on Middle Class, WSJ Reports

WICHITA, Kan. — The Wall Street Journal profiled Wichita as a rare American city positioning itself around middle-income earners while Sunbelt boomtowns chase wealthier finance and tech workers. Businesses and city leaders are reaching out to workers in healthcare services, energy and manufacturing, with rows of affordable duplexes rising next to single-family homes and farmland for young families, retirees and empty-nesters. Median household income in Wichita is about $66,000 and average monthly apartment rent is roughly $950, about 45% below the national average of $1,750, according to figures from RentCafe cited by the Journal. Wichita State University sociologist Chase Billingham, author of a book on the city's economic development, said local leaders have tried to capitalize on inexpensive housing to attract new residents. The piece frames affordability as Wichita's central marketing pitch in an era of rising costs.

WSJ

Moran Presses China on Soybeans Before Trump Summit

WICHITA, Kan. — Sen. Jerry Moran has returned to Kansas from a bipartisan congressional delegation trip to China, days ahead of President Trump's planned Beijing summit with China's president late next week. Moran said the talks included tariffs, trade negotiations and a potential Chinese purchase of up to 500 Boeing 737 Max planes, but his top priority was pressing China to honor a November agreement to buy at least 25 million tons of soybeans through 2028. The Kansas Republican said tariffs imposed by Trump have driven heavy losses in Kansas markets for soybeans and grain sorghum, with China shifting purchases to Brazil and investing in Brazilian infrastructure. "Farmers in Kansas are in as a difficult position as they've ever been during my time as a public official," Moran said. He also said there are indications China, Iran's largest oil purchaser, is encouraging Iran to reach an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

KWCH

Sources

1. Office of the Governor of Kansas
2. KSN
3. KWCH
4. WSJ
5. KWCH

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