Topeka

• Topeka Police Department Press Conference on fatal shooting. →
• The Topeka USD 501 Board of Education received a draft five-year strategic plan focusing on student learning and career readiness. →
• Topeka USD 501 will expand enrichment programs in its strategic plan to challenge high-performing students whose growth plateaus. →
• Historic preservation rules pushed window replacement estimates for Topeka Fire Station No. 4 up to $250,000 for six windows. →
• Reconstruction of Southeast Sixth Street in Topeka transitioned to Phase 4, shifting traffic as crews repair northern lanes. →
• The Topeka Public Infrastructure Committee approved a $400,000 dry detention pond project in Westboro Park to curb stormwater flooding. →
• The Topeka Social Service Grants Committee approved $491,904 in 2027 grant allocations for local social service organizations. →
• It’s going to be a scorching hot day in Topeka with plenty of sunshine, light south winds, and temperatures climbing to a high near 103°F with heat index values reaching up to 111.

🌾 Kansas

• Kansas's Aug. 4 primary enters its final week, with Tuesday, July 28, the deadline for voters to apply for an advance mail ballot amid ongoing litigation over the repealed three-day grace period. →

• Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, a Republican, urged Kansans on Thursday to reject the Aug. 4 constitutional amendment that would switch the state to direct election of Supreme Court justices. →

• The Dickinson County Commission is expected to vote the week of July 27 on a three-year moratorium on data centers, alternative energy projects and battery storage, joining a wave of similar bans across Kansas. →

• Hays officials pegged the cost of the R9 Ranch water pipeline project for Hays and Russell at $120 million, pending Kansas Supreme Court and county zoning rulings. →

• Goodland hit a record 107 degrees Sunday as dangerous heat and worsening drought gripped Kansas, with more than 1,000 Evergy customers losing power near Kansas City. →

🇺🇸 US

• President Trump paused U.S. airstrikes on Iran for a second day as diplomacy resumed over Strait of Hormuz passage and officials warned of dwindling interceptor stockpiles. →

• The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to keep South Carolina as the first 2028 presidential primary contest, pending full committee ratification in August. →

• Four advanced reactor startups achieved criticality under a Department of Energy pilot program, beating President Trump's July 4, 2026 deadline. →

• SpaceX's Starship survived splashdown intact for the first time, giving engineers new data on its heat shield during the rocket's 13th test flight. →

• Tadej Pogačar won his fifth Tour de France title as wildfires forced organizers to shorten the race's final stage. →

Weather

JULY 27, 1949: FIRST COMMERCIAL JET MAKES TEST FLIGHT

On this day, the British De Havilland Comet, the world’s first jet‑propelled airliner, completed its maiden test flight in England. Powered by jet engines that allowed it to climb faster and fly higher than propeller planes, the Comet heralded a revolution in commercial air travel by dramatically cutting long-distance flight times.

This article was written using our proprietary AI system, Cronkite. The final decision to publish this article was made by a human. For more info, read our AI policy.