Top 5 Kansas news stories
November 20 2025
Federal Judge Rules Salina Violated First Amendment in Cozy Inn Mural Dispute
First-of-Its-Kind Dredging Project Aims to Combat Silt Buildup in Tuttle Creek Lake
Kansas Corporation Commission to Hold Public Hearing on Atmos Energy Rate Increase
Kansas Revenue Department Proposes Taxpayer Ombudsman for Property Tax Appeals
Coldwater Mayor Charged with Election Fraud Claims He Didn't Know Voting Was Illegal
1. Federal Judge Rules Salina Violated First Amendment in Cozy Inn Mural Dispute
A federal judge has ruled that the City of Salina violated the First Amendment when it ordered The Cozy Inn to stop painting a UFO-themed mural on its building, delivering a split decision in the nearly two-year legal battle. U.S. District Court Judge Toby Crouse granted partial summary judgment to both parties Tuesday, finding in favor of restaurant owner Steve Howard on two critical First Amendment claims while rejecting his request for a permanent injunction. Both sides are now considering their next steps, including whether the city will appeal and if the restaurant will seek to recover legal fees. The case has proven costly for Salina, with previous reports indicating the city has spent over $650,000 in litigation fees defending its sign ordinance, and The Cozy Inn's legal team at Kansas Justice Institute may pursue recovery of their own costs.
Salina311
Greg Loving
2. First-of-Its-Kind Dredging Project Aims to Combat Silt Buildup in Tuttle Creek Lake
Kansas organizations are participating in a pioneering project designed to remove silt from Tuttle Creek Lake using water injection dredging, a technique never before used in a lake environment. The collaborative study between the Kansas Water Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aims to address projections showing the lake will be 75% full of silt by 2074 by shifting accumulated sediment into the Big Blue River. The innovative approach pumps clear water from a 120-foot barge to the lake bottom, where the stirred-up muddy water naturally plunges and moves laterally due to density differences. Before Tuttle Creek Dam was built, about 5.3 million tons of sediment per year washed through the Big Blue River, but the dam now traps 98% of that sediment in the lake, reducing outflow to just 107,000 tons annually.
Kansas Reflector
3. Kansas Corporation Commission to Hold Public Hearing on Atmos Energy Rate Increase
The Kansas Corporation Commission will hold a public hearing on December 2nd at KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park to address Atmos Energy's request for a $19.1 million rate increase, which would raise the average residential bill by 11.2% or approximately $9.12 per month. The hearing begins at 6 p.m. with both in-person and virtual Zoom options available, and the Commission is accepting written comments through January 20, 2026, with a final decision expected by March 24, 2026.
KCC
4. Kansas Revenue Department Proposes Taxpayer Ombudsman for Property Tax Appeals
Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart offered to create an ombudsman position within the state agency to provide information and guidance to Kansans representing themselves in property tax appeal cases before the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals. The proposal, which received positive response from legislators including interim tax committee chair Sen. Caryn Tyson, aims to address dramatic growth in the board's caseload and may be implemented without requiring specific legislative approval in 2026.
Kansas Reflector
5. Coldwater Mayor Charged with Election Fraud Claims He Didn't Know Voting Was Illegal
Coldwater Mayor Jose Ceballos, who faces felony charges for voting in at least 25 elections since 2006 despite not being a U.S. citizen, believed he was allowed to vote and didn't realize he was committing a crime, according to his attorney Jess Hoeme. "He did not believe in any way that he was committing a crime. If he had known it was illegal to vote, he would've never voted," Hoeme said after Ceballos was charged with voting without being qualified and election perjury on November 4, the same day he was reelected mayor with 101 votes in the town of roughly 700 residents. The investigation revealed that Ceballos signed multiple documents falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, including a 1999 voter registration application and a loyalty oath when sworn in as mayor in 2022. Records show he received a permanent residency card in 1990 and most recently applied for naturalized citizenship in February 2025, and the Department of Homeland Security confirmed he committed a felony by lying on a naturalization application about never claiming to be a U.S. citizen. According to an affidavit from the Kansas Attorney General's Office, Ceballos requested removal from voter rolls on October 7 after the Kansas Secretary of State's Office referred the case to investigators. The affidavit indicates Ceballos appeared to have voted in 25 elections and signed documents under penalty of perjury affirming his citizenship status.
The Capital-Journal
Greg Loving
Sources
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