Top 5 Kansas news stories
October 1 2025
Government Shutdown Forces 600+ Furloughs at McConnell Air Force Base
Wichita State Reaches Record Enrollment of 25,147 Students
Kansas Expected to See Above-Normal Temperatures Through December
Judge Sides With Gov. Kelly in SNAP Data Privacy Lawsuit
Kansas City Man Defends World Hot Air Balloon Racing Title
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1. Government Shutdown Forces 600+ Furloughs at McConnell Air Force Base
The federal government shutdown has forced McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita to furlough more than 600 civilian workers. Military personnel will continue working without pay during the shutdown, while 606 civilian employees from the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings face temporary unpaid leave along with 184th Wing employees not engaged in essential activities.
KWCH
2. Wichita State Reaches Record Enrollment of 25,147 Students
Wichita State University and WSU Tech announced record-breaking enrollment this fall, with a combined 25,147 students marking the highest total in university history. WSU's main campus grew 4.3 percent to 18,458 students, continuing five consecutive years of growth, while WSU Tech reached 6,689 students for the first time, a 9.5 percent increase.
KWCH
3. Kansas Expected to See Above-Normal Temperatures Through December
Kansas will likely experience above-normal temperatures through December despite the stirring polar vortex bringing early fall weather changes, according to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center. While gradual cool-downs are expected and historical data suggests the state's first freeze could occur within the next month, Kansans may not feel significant chills quite yet.
CJOnline
4. Judge Sides With Gov. Kelly in SNAP Data Privacy Lawsuit
A Shawnee County District Court judge ruled in favor of Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday, dismissing Attorney General Kris Kobach's lawsuit seeking to force the state to turn over food assistance recipients' personal information to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Judge Teresa Watson rejected Kobach's argument that the state's refusal to comply with the Trump administration's data request could jeopardize Kansas SNAP funding, siding with Kelly's position that data privacy laws require protecting beneficiaries' personal information from unauthorized disclosure.
Kansas.com
5. Kansas City Man Defends World Hot Air Balloon Racing Title
Cody Robinson, 34, of Kansas City will compete for his second consecutive world championship at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta starting Saturday. The software engineer and father of two took first place overall in last year's balloon racing competition flying his "Grand Banana 2.0" and now aims for back-to-back titles at the world's largest annual hot air balloon festival in its 51st year.
Kansas City Star
Sources
- https://www.kwch.com/app/2025/10/01/government-shutdown-causes-furloughs-600-mcconnell-workers/
- https://www.kwch.com/2025/10/01/wichita-state-touts-highest-ever-enrollment/
- https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2025/09/30/heres-when-this-falls-first-freezes-may-happen-throughout-kansas/86424619007/?tbref=hp
- https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article312328378.html#storylink=cpy
- https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article312323184.html#storylink=cpy
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