KS - January 20 2025

1. Kansas Faces Loss of House Seat Over Immigration Count
2. Light Snow, Frigid Temps Trigger Emergency Reporting, Cancellations in Wichita Area
3. Senate Passes Immigration Bill; Marshall, Moran Support
4. New Cattle Disease Linked to Asian Tick Found in Kansas
5. K-State Gets $50M for Climate-Resilient Agriculture Research
Kansas Area Sports Report

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1. Kansas Faces Loss of House Seat Over Immigration Count

Attorneys general from Kansas and three other states filed a lawsuit alleging the method of counting population for allocation of U.S. House seats unfairly benefitted states with concentrations of people in the country without permission. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach was joined by attorneys general from West Virginia, Ohio and Louisiana in filing suit against the soon-to-depart administration of President Joe Biden. According to the lawsuit, the U.S. Census Bureau’s rule on population counts unlawfully required inclusion of people in the country illegally or holding temporary visas when apportioning seats in the U.S. House and the Electoral College. The objective of the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Louisiana was to stop the Census Bureau from continuing the policy when reapportioning the 435 congressional districts in 2030 and distributing Electoral College votes in the 2032 presidential election.

Article Source: KS Reflector

2. Light Snow, Frigid Temps Trigger Emergency Reporting, Cancellations in Wichita Area

Light snow falling on one of the coldest days of winter presented a challenge for Wichita area drivers as a blanket of snow from the previous winter storm two weeks ago remains on the ground. With visibility lowered and surfaces getting slick, the Cities of Wichita, Bel Aire and Derby implemented the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan for non-injury crashes. EARP goes into effect when conditions worsen to a point where a sharp increase in collisions becomes likely. If you’re in a wreck and there are no injuries, you can drive your vehicle, and no drugs or alcohol are involved, you do not have to call 911. Instead, swap phone numbers and insurance information, then fill out a report later. Extreme cold continuing through tomorrow (Tuesday) prompted a Storm Team 12 Weather Alert Day. Wichita is in a large band of Kansas expected to receive a trace to an inch of snow. One to three inches is forecast for much of southwest Kansas, including Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal. The cold and winter precipitation is prompting several school districts across Kansas to delay starts on Tuesday.

Article Source: KWCH

3. Senate Passes Immigration Bill; Marshall, Moran Support

Fresh off President Donald Trump's inauguration, the Senate on Monday passed a bill that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes, the first measure he likely will sign into law and giving more weight to his plans to deport millions of migrants. The bill passed 64-34.  Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority along with a dozen Democrats including  Cortez Masto, Fetterman, Gallego, Hassan, Kelly, Ossoff, Peters, Rosen, Shaheen, Slotkin, Warnock and Warner.

Article Source: Salina Post

4. New Cattle Disease Linked to Asian Tick Found in Kansas

A new red blood cell parasite, Theileria orientalis Ikeda, associated with the invasive Asian longhorned tick has been detected in Kansas. This parasite causes a disease called theileria, also called bovine infectious anemia.   When this parasite gets into the bloodstream, it destroys so many red blood cells that the animal becomes anemic. The reduction in red blood cells prevents the blood from carrying oxygen to the rest of the body.  This disease is usually spread through contaminated needles and insects, primarily the ALHT. This tick, also known by its scientific name, Haemaphysalis longicornis, originated in Eastern Asia and was most likely introduced to the United States in 2010, but was only confirmed in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It has mainly been found in the eastern U.S. and efforts have been made to slow its spread to other areas.

Article Source: HPJ

5. K-State Gets $50M for Climate-Resilient Agriculture Research

Kansas State University was recently awarded a $50 million grant that will draw upon research from around the world that can also help High Plains producers who deal with extreme weather events, drought and climate challenges. The funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development can be deployed over multiple years. Prasad said an important goal is to have crops that can efficiently use water and with proper genotypes can stretch limited water availability. In the High Plains, resilience might best be built with diversification. Fall-planted crops are limited to winter wheat and, in some regions, canola. Spring-planted crops can include corn sorghum, soybeans and, in some regions, cotton. The water requirements for sorghum are less than corn, but production is less under irrigated conditions. However, with water depletion, there are opportunities for sorghum and millet, and that will mean more research is needed, Prasad said. Sorghum and millet are efficient crops and can be used for food, biofuels and livestock feed, he said.

Article Source: HPJ

Kansas Area Sports Report (January 13-20, 2025)

Kansas City Chiefs (NFL):
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 23-14 on January 18 in the NFL Divisional Playoff round. The Chiefs advance to the AFC Championship game, where they will face the Buffalo Bills on January 25 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas Jayhawks Basketball:
The No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks secured an 84-74 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats in the "Sunflower Showdown" on January 18. The Jayhawks men's basketball team is ranked No. 12 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Kansas State Wildcats Basketball:
The Kansas State Wildcats had a tough week, also losing to Texas Tech 61-57 on January 14.

Wichita State Shockers Basketball:
The Wichita State Shockers experienced mixed results. They secured a 68-59 victory over Charlotte on January 14 but suffered a narrow 75-72 loss to East Carolina on January 18.

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Sources

1. https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/19/kobach-part-of-lawsuit-aimed-at-helping-kansas-avoid-losing-u-s-house-seat-in-2030/

2. https://www.kwch.com/2025/01/20/earp-effect-wichita-bel-aire-derby-winter-weather-slickens-roads/

3. https://salinapost.com/posts/81834f25-3e61-4196-9fa0-95274fca3f08

4. https://hpj.com/2025/01/17/tick-borne-disease-found-in-cattle-imported-to-kansas/

5. https://hpj.com/2025/01/17/u-s-aid-grant-to-k-state-has-a-goal-to-boost-food-security/