Topeka

• The Shawnee County Commission is urging residents to submit actionable spending reduction ideas ahead of its Sept. 3 budget hearing. →
• The Shawnee County Commission approved a contract for 50 biometric smartwatches to monitor vital signs of high-risk jail inmates in Topeka. →
• The Shawnee County Commission approved a $395,000 design contract for an estimated $8.5 million replacement of the Cypress Ridge Clubhouse. →
• Shawnee County finished replacing the Calhoun Bluff Road bridge over a Kansas River tributary nearly $200,000 under its $546,800 budget. →
• Topeka city leaders are exploring plans to develop a tiny home community on vacant land to provide transitional housing for the homeless. →
• Topeka City Manager Robert Perez proposed a half-cent sales tax to generate $20 million annually for essential city services. →
• Expect plenty of sunshine and breezy south winds today as temperatures heat up to a high of 100°F.

🌾 Kansas

• Republican Ty Masterson and Democrat Cindy Holscher debated property taxes, data centers and energy costs at a Kansas Chamber governor forum Thursday in Olathe. →

• U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall met with Stormont Vail Health executives Friday in Topeka to review Kansas's $221.9 million share of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. →

• A 20-year-old Kansas City man died early Sunday after being wounded near Seventh and Massachusetts streets in downtown Lawrence, and the suspect remains at large. →

• Wichita's Orpheum Theatre reopened Sunday after a $13.0 million restoration, marked by a solo piano concert from Grammy winner John Legend. →

• The National Weather Service extended heat advisories across central and eastern Kansas through 7 p.m. Monday, with heat index values forecast as high as 105 degrees. →

🇺🇸 US

• President Trump announced Friday that the U.S. will hold a 55% controlling interest in a venture to develop 17 Venezuelan oil fields containing more than 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. →

• Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Friday at Jackson Hole that inflation remains too high, pushing futures markets to about 57% odds of a September rate hike. →

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that state agencies are removing Flock Safety license plate readers, days after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott barred state funding for the cameras. →

• Michigan Democrats finalized their statewide ticket Saturday in Lansing, nominating Winnie Brinks for lieutenant governor and Eli Savit for attorney general as Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed apologized to Jewish Democrats and Attorney General Dana Nessel stayed away citing safety concerns. →

• U.S. Central Command said American forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island Sunday, prompting Iran to fire ballistic missiles at U.S. installations in Jordan. →

Weather

AUGUST 31 1955: GENERAL MOTORS DEMONSTRATES FIRST SOLAR-POWERED CAR

William G. Cobb of General Motors unveiled his 15-inch “Sunmobile” at the Powerama auto show in Chicago, showcasing the first automobile powered by photovoltaic cells converting sunlight into electricity. The tiny solar-powered car introduced the concept of photovoltaics to the gasoline-dominated automotive industry, hinting at a future of alternative energy vehicles.

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.