Top 5 Kansas news stories
December 15 2025
Warm Air Mass Drives Kansas Temperatures 20-25 Degrees Higher After Cold Weekend
Kansas Jobless Rate Holds at 3.8% as National Unemployment Climbs to Three-Year High
Website Spotlights Nine Kansas Buildings for Unusual Architecture
Google Antitrust Settlement Promises Payouts to 750,000 Kansas Android Users
Mahomes Suffers Torn ACL as Chargers Eliminate Chiefs from Playoffs with Late Interception
Warm Air Mass Drives Kansas Temperatures 20-25 Degrees Higher After Cold Weekend
Kansas will see a dramatic warm-up this week, with Monday afternoon temperatures climbing into the upper 40s and lower 50s—some 20 to 25 degrees warmer than Sunday's highs in the 20s and lower 30s. Tuesday and Wednesday will push even warmer as southerly winds drive afternoon readings into the 50s and lower 60s, running 10 to 20 degrees above the mid-December average. A weak cold front Thursday will briefly cool temperatures back into the 40s and 50s without bringing precipitation, but the warming trend returns this weekend with highs in the 50s Saturday and Sunday, followed by 60-degree temperatures next week that will feel more like Easter than Christmas.
KWCH
Kansas Jobless Rate Holds at 3.8% as National Unemployment Climbs to Three-Year High
Kansas maintained a 3.8% unemployment rate in September—unchanged from August and matching the rate from one year earlier—while the national jobless rate climbed to 4.4%, the highest level since October 2021, according to the Kansas Department of Labor. The national rate increased from 4.3% in August and 4.1% in September 2024, with 7.6 million Americans unemployed. Kansas' civilian labor force totaled 1.56 million workers in September, with approximately 59,900 unemployed. Local unemployment rates varied across the state, with McPherson's micropolitan area at 2.8%, Wyandotte County at 4.5%, and some smaller counties posting higher rates, including Chautauqua County in southeast Kansas at 5.1%.
Greg Loving
Citizen Journal
Website Spotlights Nine Kansas Buildings for Unusual Architecture
A national website celebrating hidden and wondrous places has featured nine Kansas buildings for their unusual architecture, including Frank Lloyd Wright's Allen House in Wichita, Topeka's rainbow-colored Equality House, and several historic Lindsborg sites. The article "Architecture in Kansas" on www.atlasobscura.com highlights the Swedish city's dugout dwelling, stone house, and the 1904 World's Fair Swedish Pavilion among structures that showcase the state's diverse architectural heritage.
Topeka Capital-Journal
Google Antitrust Settlement Promises Payouts to 750,000 Kansas Android Users
An estimated 750,000 Kansans—roughly one-quarter of the state's population—could receive money from a $700 million nationwide settlement after attorneys general in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico reached an agreement with Google over allegations the tech giant monopolized app distribution and in-app billing on Android devices. The settlement stems from a 2023 class action antitrust lawsuit, with most funds expected to go to consumers who made Google Play Store purchases between August 2016 and September 2023. Google is also expected to change its business practices as part of the agreement announced this week by the Kansas Attorney General's Office.
Kansas Reflector
Mahomes Suffers Torn ACL as Chargers Eliminate Chiefs from Playoffs with Late Interception
The Kansas City Chiefs' playoff hopes ended Sunday when quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his left ACL and backup Gardner Minshew threw a late interception to Los Angeles safety Derwin James, sealing a 16-13 Chargers victory. Mahomes, who was helped to the locker room with a white towel draped over his head in the game's final two minutes, will miss the remainder of the season. The loss eliminates Kansas City from postseason contention and marks a stunning end to the Chiefs' championship pursuits.
KWCH
Sources
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