KS - February 13 2025

1. GSA Cancels KC Federal Leases Under Musk's DOGE Initiative
2. Amazon to bring distribution facility and 100+ jobs to Salina
3. Kansas GOP Moves to Rescue Food for Peace Program
4. Senate Confirms Rollins as Agriculture Secretary
5. Chiefs Set March Deadline for Kelce's Retirement Decision

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1. GSA Cancels KC Federal Leases Under Musk's DOGE Initiative

Kansas City real estate veterans are waiting to see what the future holds for the metro's federal offices as a near-daily cavalcade of executive orders and mandates emanate from President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk. At least one Kansas City property received a lease termination notice from the General Services Administration, among at least 22 leases ended nationwide under Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, CoStar reported last week. Excluding industrial properties, the GSA leases or owns at least 6.3 million square feet at 63 properties throughout the metro, federal data shows. The prospect of GSA lease cancellations is new for many office landlords, for whom federal agencies historically have been reliable long-term tenants. In more than 30 years, Greg Swetnam said he cannot recall a federal tenant walking away from a local building.

Article Source: KC Biz Journal

2. Amazon to bring distribution facility and 100+ jobs to Salina

Amazon will build a 90,000-square-foot distribution facility that will bring dozens of jobs to Salina, the local airport authority announced Thursday. According to a release from the Salina Airport Authority, Amazon purchased 20 acres in the Airport Industrial Center Subdivision No. 3 and will construct a facility at 1850 West Water Well Road. The new facility is expected to generate at least 100 new jobs.   "The new facility will help power the last mile of Amazon’s fulfillment process by enabling fast, everyday delivery directly to customers’ doorstep," the release said. "Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers and then employees process customer packages for last-mile delivery, helping to speed up delivery for customers in more rural communities." Employees in customer fulfillment and transportation earn at least $17 per hour. The release said the facility will anchor the 80-acre industrial subdivision, which is currently undergoing infrastructure development. The airport authority has begun construction to support Amazon’s site and the future expansion of the industrial park.

Article Source: KAKE

3. Kansas GOP Moves to Rescue Food for Peace Program

Two Kansas Republicans pitched legislation to safeguard the Food for Peace program by moving management of the international humanitarian aid from the embattled U.S. Agency for International Development to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran recommended the program — initiated by President Dwight Eisenhower, amplified by President John Kennedy and championed by U.S. Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas — be relocated to USDA. The switch was a response to action by President Donald Trump to dismantle USAID amid allegations the agency was mired in corruption. Elon Musk, who leads the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency, said USAID had to be shut down because it was “beyond repair.” Administrative chaos led to a pause and resumption of USAID food aid, while thousands of USAID employees were targeted for layoffs. Moran and Mann, along with several Republican colleagues in Congress, introduced bills in the Senate and House to provide a safe harbor for Food for Peace. The program has been relied on to combat hunger for 70 years by feeding 4 billion people in more than 150 countries. Moran said food aid had proven its value in fostering political stability abroad, bolstering U.S. national security and providing markets for U.S. crops. Bean, corn, soybean, rice, sorghum, peanut and dairy associations endorsed maneuvering in Washington, D.C., to keep Food for Peace operational by transferring it to USDA.

Article Source: KS Reflector

4. Senate Confirms Rollins as Agriculture Secretary

On Feb. 13, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Brooke Rollins as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under the Donald Trump administration. The Senate vote was 72-28 in favor of installing Rollins to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In January, the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously voted to advance Rollins to the full Senate vote. She will be sworn in at a later date and will get to work uniting Congress to pass a farm bill, handle the impacts of tariffs and slow the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza—which has been a detriment to the poultry and dairy industry.

Article Source: HPJ

5. Chiefs Set March Deadline for Kelce's Retirement Decision

The Kansas City Chiefs are hoping Travis Kelce, their star tight end, decides to remain with the team for the 2025 season, which could be the last in his illustrious career. If Kelce chooses to retire, the Chiefs, as they head into an intriguing offseason, want to know of his decision around March 14, according to a team source. Based on the deadline, the Chiefs are going to give Kelce a month to decide his future. Kelce’s contract, which runs through next season, includes an $11.5 million roster bonus that is due March 15, according to Over The Cap. The NFL’s free agency period begins March 10. Kelce, 35, has had one of the best careers among receiving tight ends in NFL history. He is third all-time in career receptions (1,004) and receiving yards (12,151) and fifth all-time in career receiving touchdowns (77).

Article Source: NYT

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Sources

1. https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2025/02/13/federal-gsa-office-reduction-doge-market-leases.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search

2. https://www.kake.com/home/amazon-to-bring-distribution-facility-and-100-jobs-to-salina/article_faa08e8c-ea3b-11ef-ac32-f3216d0bfe98.html

3. https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/12/mann-moran-sponsor-bills-to-secure-safe-harbor-for-food-for-peace-program-at-usda/

4. https://hpj.com/2025/02/13/rollins-confirmed-as-u-s-secretary-of-agriculture/

5. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6134788/2025/02/13/travis-kelce-retirement-decision-timeline-chiefs/?source=user_shared_article