Top 5 Kansas news stories
June 1 2026
Schwab Files for Governor, Names Rahjes Running Mate
Voter Registration Outage Hits Kansas Before Party Deadline
Kansas Awards Nearly $80 Million for Rural Health Care
Wichita Flight Crash Spurs Fight Over $50,000 Cockpit Fix
Lightning Delays Push State Track Meet Past 10 P.M.
Schwab Files for Governor, Names Rahjes Running Mate
TOPEKA, Kan. — Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab filed for Kansas governor May 29 in Topeka, naming state Rep. Ken Rahjes of Agra as his lieutenant-governor running mate ahead of the noon June 1 filing deadline. Rahjes, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, dropped his own bid for the Republican secretary of state nomination to join the ticket. His departure leaves Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Leavenworth, as the only Republican still seeking that office. Schwab enters a crowded GOP primary that also includes Senate President Ty Masterson, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, businessman Philip Sarnecki, Charlotte O'Hara and Stacy Rogers. The primary is set for Aug. 4.
WIBW
Voter Registration Outage Hits Kansas Before Party Deadline
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Secretary of State's online voter registration system was unavailable for roughly 24 hours beginning the evening of May 30, after a system-wide outage of Kansas Department of Revenue platforms that jointly verify identities for the portal. The disruption arrived just before the noon June 1 statewide deadline for voters to change party affiliation ahead of the Aug. 4 primary. Officials directed voters to paper registration forms at votekansas.gov, to be returned to local or state offices by noon Monday. The system was restored by the evening of May 31.
WIBW
Kansas Awards Nearly $80 Million for Rural Health Care
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced $79.1 million in grants Friday to bolster rural health care, with five hospitals and health centers across Reno, Saline and Ellis counties sharing more than $10 million. The awards flow through two channels: $50 million for the Regional Partnerships Grant Program, supporting collaborative and preventive care among 22 organizations, and $29.1 million for 17 facilities under the Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Transformative Capital Investment Program. Children's Mercy Hospital received the largest regional partnership grant at nearly $6.1 million, followed by Topeka's Stormont Vail Health at about $5.5 million, while Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System and Gove County Medical Center each drew $3 million in capital funds. Gov. Laura Kelly said the investments will help communities strengthen local health systems and improve access to care. Officials selected awardees from 152 applications based on community need, innovation and financial viability, as studies indicate nearly two-thirds of the state's rural hospitals are at risk of closing.
Greg Loving
Wichita Flight Crash Spurs Fight Over $50,000 Cockpit Fix
WASHINGTON — More than a year after a midair collision near Washington killed 67 people aboard a Wichita-to-Washington American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter, federal officials and the aviation industry remain at odds over a potential fix that could cost about $50,000 per airplane. The dispute centers on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, technology that lets pilots see nearby aircraft on cockpit screens; the National Transportation Safety Board determined such equipment could have helped the two aircraft avoid the collision. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford clashed over the issue in a closed-door meeting in early May, with Bedford declining to impose an FAA mandate without action from Congress. Lawmakers have spent months weighing competing House and Senate bills, the Senate version more prescriptive on retrofitting aircraft and the House version offering more flexibility in how to comply. The Air Line Pilots Association backs the Senate measure, while the Association of Value Airlines favors the House bill, citing cost and time concerns for discount carriers. The NTSB has pushed for required ADS-B technology for about 20 years.
WSJ
Lightning Delays Push State Track Meet Past 10 P.M.
WICHITA, Kan. — The 2026 KSHSAA State Track and Field Championships ended late May 30 at Wichita State University's Cessna Stadium after two lightning delays pushed competition into the overnight hours. The first delay began at 6 p.m., with action resuming at 7:45 p.m., and a second halt at 8:30 p.m. lasted until 10 p.m.
KVOE
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