Kansas News Service

Rural communities have been turning to nonprofits and other strategies to keep grocery stores open. But one of those new stores is closing in Kansas, which shows how challenging it can be to provide food in small towns.

The new ban is part of a recent push to reconsider the effects of devices on the developing minds of students.

A mural depicting hamburger-like UFOs at the Cozy Inn in Salina, Kansas, is at the center of a dispute that could end up going before the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue: Is it a work of art protected by the First Amendment? Or is it an advertisement subject to the city’s sign code?

For many people, artificial intelligence and chatbots have become a part of daily life. That includes some Kansas lawmakers, who are using chatbots to help keep track of bills or gather information in a fast-paced legislative session — since they have no guidelines for responsible use of AI.

The Kansas News Service interviewed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about their use of AI chatbots in the legislative process. There are no restrictions on lawmakers using ChatGPT, Claude and other services.

The bill would require school districts to verify the income of students who qualify for free school lunches. That number determines how much more funding Kansas school districts can receive to serve academically at-risk students.

Dozens of people gathered at a meeting to hear from the company and share their opinions about the first of a new type of small nuclear reactor planned for the southeast Kansas community. The group was split, with many concerned about living near the underground reactor.

Three students at Derby High School, southeast of Wichita, tell us why they participated in an anti-ICE walkout at their school.

The city commission voted to grant a permit allowing private corrections company CoreCivic to hold over 1,000 federal immigration detainees in a shuttered facility.

A Douglas County District Court judge ruled that the law may be enforced during an ongoing lawsuit by transgender Kansans and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Child welfare advocates say Kansas foster care regulations unintentionally tear families apart. State law forced one family to decide between asking their adopted son to move out when he turned 18 or send four younger boys out of their foster home.

Many Midwest residents distrust their tap water. Some purchase water and ice from standalone kiosks. University of Iowa researchers found at least trace levels of lead in most of these kiosks.