Top 5 Kansas news stories
January 5 2026
Venezuela Military Strike Splits Kansas Delegation Along Party Lines
Federal Tariff Relief Package Provides Kansas Farmers Temporary Aid Amid Market Disruptions
Warm Dry Weather Continues Through Midweek Before Rain and Possible Snow Return
Kansas Abortion Total Surpasses 19,000 for Second Year as Neighboring State Restrictions Drive Patient Travel
Teen Dies Following Friday Shooting at South Salina Home
Venezuela Military Strike Splits Kansas Delegation Along Party Lines
Kansas political leaders split along party lines Saturday following President Trump's authorization of U.S. military operations in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro. Republican Senator Roger Marshall and Senate President Ty Masterson praised the action as necessary to combat drug trafficking affecting Kansas communities, while Senator Jerry Moran commended forces and called for congressional briefings on future operations. Democratic Representative Sharice Davids criticized the overnight strike as lacking congressional authorization and potentially endangering U.S. troops, calling for answers about the operation's planning and implications.
KWCH
Federal Tariff Relief Package Provides Kansas Farmers Temporary Aid Amid Market Disruptions
Kansas farmers are preparing to receive payments from a $12 billion federal aid package designed to offset losses from tariff-related market disruptions, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture planning to distribute funds by February 28. Payment rates vary by crop type per acre, covering Kansas staples including corn, soybeans, sorghum and wheat that have experienced depressed prices over the past year. Sedgwick County farmer Kent Winter, who grows wheat and fall crops on his fifth-generation operation, said the relief will help producers purchase fertilizer, herbicides, seed and maintain equipment to continue operations another season. While farmers welcome the immediate assistance, Winter said long-term market solutions remain necessary to restore competitive grain pricing and stabilize the agricultural economy beyond the one-time payment.
KWCH
Warm Dry Weather Continues Through Midweek Before Rain and Possible Snow Return
Kansas will experience warm, dry conditions through Wednesday with temperatures reaching the 60s before a weather system brings 30-50% chances of precipitation Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Wichita. Patchy fog may develop Monday morning across south-central and southeast Kansas but should clear by late morning, with temperatures remaining above freezing throughout the foggy conditions. A cold front will move through the region Thursday, dropping temperatures to the 30s by Friday morning when rain may transition to snow, with the greatest potential for more than one inch of snowfall extending from southeast Colorado through north-central Kansas.
National Weather Service
Kansas Abortion Total Surpasses 19,000 for Second Year as Neighboring State Restrictions Drive Patient Travel
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported more than 19,000 abortions were performed in the state during 2024, with three-fourths of patients traveling from other states where access to the procedure has been restricted through judicial and political decisions. The total represents a continued sharp increase from previous years, driven primarily by patients from neighboring states with restrictive abortion laws. Out-of-state patients came predominantly from Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma, with smaller numbers arriving from Arkansas, Louisiana and Nebraska.
Kansas Reflector
Teen Dies Following Friday Shooting at South Salina Home
A 14-year-old boy died Saturday night from injuries sustained in a shooting at a south Salina residence Friday evening, according to Salina Police. The victim was pronounced dead at 9:19 p.m. at a Wichita hospital, and investigators arrested a 15-year-old acquaintance on charges of aggravated battery and criminal use of a weapon. Police said the department will work with the Saline County Attorney's Office on additional charges as the investigation continues.
KWCH
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