hcj

Top 5 Kansas news stories

November 3 2025

Greg Loving

03 Nov 2025 • 5 min read

Coronado Heights Castle, a tourist attraction built in 1936 on a hill northwest of Lindsborg in McPherson County in central Kansas, at a site thought to be near where Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1541 gave up his search for the fabled seven cities of gold and started back to Mexico.

ACA Premiums Expected to Jump Up to 34% for Kansas Buyers

Kansas Poll Shows Strong Support for Medicaid Expansion Despite GOP Opposition

Eleven Historic Castles Dot Kansas Landscape from Topeka to Wichita

Warm Weather Expected for Election Day with Temperatures in Low 70s

Kansas Weekend Sports Summary

ACA Premiums Expected to Jump Up to 34% for Kansas Buyers

Kansans purchasing health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace face premium increases of up to 34% in 2026, with potential for even steeper costs if Congress fails to reinstate federal subsidies. Open enrollment for 2026 plans began Saturday, leaving many consumers uncertain about affordability as national estimates suggest rates could double. Maci Mishler, owner of Rural Health Advisors in Ness City, expressed concern that marketplace customers may be unprepared for the subsidy expiration's impact on their monthly costs.

Kansas Reflector

Kansas Poll Shows Strong Support for Medicaid Expansion Despite GOP Opposition

A new survey from Fort Hays State University reveals continued broad support among Kansans for Medicaid expansion, with 70.1% of respondents backing the policy despite ongoing Republican opposition and the elimination of federal financial incentives. The Docking Institute's annual Kansas Speaks poll, released Oct. 27, found that 74.4% of respondents believe expansion would help rural hospitals stay in business, while 72.2% agree Kansans deserve access to health coverage through the program. Medicaid expansion has been a cornerstone of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's two terms, but Republican candidates for governor in 2026 showed little support during an Oct. 11 forum hosted by the Cowley County Republican Party. The disconnect between public opinion and GOP leadership positions highlights the ongoing political divide over healthcare policy in Kansas. Support levels have remained relatively stable over recent years, with the 2025 poll showing 70.1% support compared to 72.4% in 2024, 69.6% in 2023, and 71.9% in 2022, indicating persistent demand for expansion among Kansas voters.

CJOnline

Eleven Historic Castles Dot Kansas Landscape from Topeka to Wichita

Kansas is home to 11 castles scattered across the state, structures typically associated with European landscapes but built by settlers bringing Old World architectural traditions to the Great Plains. These buildings range from tourist attractions to private residences, with the oldest dating to 1871 and many now serving as museums or public venues. The castles include:

Coronado Heights Castle near Lindsborg in McPherson County, built in 1936 at a site where Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado reportedly ended his 1541 search for the seven cities of gold;
Nichols Hall on the Kansas State University campus, constructed in 1911, destroyed by fire in 1968, and rebuilt in 1985;
Cray Castle in Atchison, built in 1882 and operating as a historical home museum;
Caenen Castle in Shawnee, built in 1907 and now home to Wandering Vine restaurant;
the Fossil Station Museum in Russell, constructed in 1907 as the Russell County Historical Society's main office;
the former Castle Tea Room in Lawrence, built in 1894 as Col. John Roberts' home;
Campbell Castle in Wichita, privately owned and built between 1886-1888;
Sauer Castle in Kansas City, Kansas, privately owned and built in 1871;
Eaves Castle in Sedgwick, also privately owned;
Matrot Castle in Topeka, built in the 1880s by a French architect fleeing political oppression;
Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, built in 1890 as Wichita's original City Hall

CJOnline

Warm Weather Expected for Election Day with Temperatures in Low 70s

Kansas woke to chilly temperatures in the upper 30s and lower 40s Monday, with northwest Kansas cooling into the lower 60s while the Wichita area reaches the mid-60s this afternoon. Election Day Tuesday will bring milder overnight lows in the 40s followed by afternoon temperatures in the lower to middle 70s—10 to 15 degrees above average for early November—with mainly sunny skies and light winds continuing through Friday before a weekend cold front drops temperatures back into the 40s and 50s with gusty winds.

KWCH

Kansas Weekend Sports Summary

In Lawrence, the Kansas Jayhawks surged past the Oklahoma State Cowboys 38-21. After a sluggish first half, quarterback Jalon Daniels orchestrated four second-half touchdown drives to snap KU’s two-game slide.
In Manhattan, the Kansas State Wildcats were defeated by the Texas Tech Red Raiders 43-20. K-State committed five turnovers that led to 27 Texas Tech points and saw their eight-game win streak against the Red Raiders come to an end.
In the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs fell on the road to the Buffalo Bills 28-21. Bills quarterback Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another, while the Chiefs’ inability to convert late down-and-distance opportunities sealed the deal.

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 15 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!)