KS - April 1 2025

Cell Phone Ban Boosts Student Interaction in Scott County Schools

Forbes Field Among Finalists for KC-46 Pegasus Basing

Proposed Federal Cuts Threaten Missouri, Kansas Medicaid Funding

Tabor College Launches $90M Next Century Campaign

Severe Storms, Tornadoes Possible in Northwest Oklahoma, Southern Kansas

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1. Cell Phone Ban Boosts Student Interaction in Scott County Schools

USD 466 Supt. Jamie Rumford still recalls the time he entered the Scott Community High School cafeteria after a cell phone ban had been put in place. “It was so loud because you had kids talking to each other. It was awesome,” he says. “I’ve seen kids playing cards. One time I saw a couple of kids having a milk chugging contest. It was old-school kind of stuff and it was fun to see.” What Rumford has seen in the district since a bell-to-bell cell phone ban took effect in 2021 should serve as an example of what’s possible under the Kansas State Department of Education’s goal of seeing a similar policy adopted in all school districts. A majority of the 36-member Blue Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time voted to recommend that districts prohibit students from using cellphones for the entire school day, including during lunch and passing periods. In response, the Kansas State Board of Education offered guidelines to districts, but stopped short of imposing restrictions.
Scott County Record

2. Forbes Field Among Finalists for KC-46 Pegasus Basing

The 190th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) at Forbes Field Air National Guard Base will welcome a site survey team consisting of members from the National Guard Bureau and active-duty Air Force at the beginning of April 2025. The team’s visit is a crucial step in determining the final selection for the next KC-46 Pegasus basing, with the 190th ARW among the seven finalists under consideration. The 190th ARW will highlight key advantages that make it an ideal choice for KC-46 operations during the site survey. The wing’s central location, cost-effective operations, growth potential, strong partnerships, existing infrastructure, and proven capability will be at the forefront of discussions.
KWCH

3. Proposed Federal Cuts Threaten Missouri, Kansas Medicaid Funding

As Congress looks to cut billions of dollars in federal spending over the next decade, states are anxiously awaiting how current proposed cuts to Medicaid and other programs may impact their own budgets and benefits their residents receive. Missouri could see a $2 billion reduction in federal funding across Medicaid and SNAP over the next decade, according to the report. Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and receives less federal money as a result, stands to lose $485 million in federal funds over the same period. Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, a group that studies health care access, also found that the downstream economic effects of potential cuts could mean more than a $2.4 billion hit in Missouri’s gross domestic product in 2026 alone. In Kansas, the cuts could amount to $556 million in economic losses through ripple effects such as cuts to jobs in hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, agriculture and more. “If a nurse in a hospital loses her job because of a cutback, then that means she can’t afford to do things like pay her rent or pay her grocery bills,” said Leighton Ku, one of the study’s lead researchers and the director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University. “So there are repercussions that ripple through the rest of the economy.”
The Beacon

4. Tabor College Launches $90M Next Century Campaign

HILLSBORO, Kan. (KSNW) — Tabor College is trying to raise $90 million by 2030. It calls the fundraising effort the Next Century Campaign. Religion is a major theme in the campaign. The liberal arts college is affiliated with the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Tabor says the fundraising initiative is “to celebrate God’s faithfulness, raise key funds across campus, and build on a rich legacy to secure a thriving future for generations of students.”
KSN

5. Severe Storms, Tornadoes Possible in Northwest Oklahoma, Southern Kansas

[4:30pm Tuesday update] – Still monitoring Northwest Oklahoma for storm development along the dryline in the 6pm to 8pm time frame and could potentially affect Southern Kansas. Any storms that develop during that time frame would quickly become severe with tornadoes and large hail likely. If storms are not able to develop along the dryline through 8pm, then they will likely wait until the cold front surges southeast, generally after 10pm. These storms would first develop over Central KS, near I-70, and try and build southwest through the overnight hours. Damaging winds, large hail and a brief tornado would be possible with this activity.

NWS Wichita (X)

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Sources

1. Scott County Record
2. https://www.kwch.com/2025/03/31/kc-46-pegasus-basing-among-finalists-forbes-field/ (KWCH)
3. https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/25/missouri-kansas-medicaid-snap-cuts-2025/ (The Beacon)
4. https://www.ksn.com/news/state-regional/tabor-college-seeks-90m-for-its-campus-and-mission (KSN)
5. https://x.com/nwswichita/status/1907188546827350449?s=46&t=nVb-5uC_WM3Cp0R0dGiqHQ (NWS Wichita)