hcj

Top 5 Kansas news stories

August 15 2025

Greg Loving

15 Aug 2025 • 3 min read

One person died Wednesday evening after a crash at Harry and Rock Road in Wichita - KWCH

Kobach Seeks Kelly's Removal From Federal Funding Lawsuit

CoreCivic Hires Staff For Empty Leavenworth Detention Center

Federal Investigation Targets Four Kansas School Districts

Police Search For Driver In Fatal Wichita Crash

Dangerous Heat Wave Continues Across Kansas

1. Kobach Seeks Kelly's Removal From Federal Funding Lawsuit

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach asked a federal court Thursday to remove Gov. Laura Kelly from a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to withhold grant money from states. The Republican attorney general argues the Democratic governor lacks authority under Kansas law to represent the state in federal litigation without his involvement. Kelly joined 22 states and the District of Columbia last month in suing the Office of Management and Budget over billions in terminated federal funding that Congress had allocated for programs including crime prevention, education, public health, clean water protection, medical research, school meals, and unemployment benefits.

Kansas Reflector

2. CoreCivic Hires Staff For Empty Leavenworth Detention Center

Private prison company CoreCivic continues hiring employees for a Leavenworth detention center that remains empty two months after a Kansas court blocked its reopening. The company is advertising positions ranging from administrative clerks at $17.75 per hour to a lead psychiatrist earning up to $300,000 annually, despite ongoing legal challenges over the facility's special use permit requirements.

CJ Online

3. Federal Investigation Targets Four Kansas School Districts

The Trump administration is investigating Topeka Public Schools and three other Kansas districts following a request by Attorney General Kris Kobach over transgender student policies. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights announced investigations into Topeka USD 501, Kansas City USD 500, Olathe USD 233, and Shawnee Mission USD 512 regarding allegations about gender-related school policies affecting sports participation and facility usage.

CJ Online

4. Police Search For Driver In Fatal Wichita Crash

Wichita police are seeking a 19-year-old man accused of driving in a high-speed crash that killed 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa Wednesday evening near Harry and Rock roads. The BMW traveling at high speed struck a power pole and utility box, which then fatally injured the teenager, while two occupants fled the scene before being apprehended by Kansas Highway Patrol.

KWCH

5. Dangerous Heat Wave Continues Across Kansas

Kansas faces another day of dangerous heat with temperatures reaching the upper 90s and heat index values climbing to 105 degrees under mostly sunny skies. Heat advisories remain in effect statewide, with little relief expected through the weekend as the heat wave continues with afternoon temperatures feeling like 100 degrees or higher.

KWCH

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 12 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!