KS - March 20 2025

Kansas Voters to Decide on Electing Supreme Court Justices in 2026

Ethics Complaints Filed Against Wichita Mayor Over Transgender Proclamation Refusal

Kansas Reports Six Measles Cases in Unvaccinated Southwest Residents

Wichita Welcomes March Madness Fans for NCAA Tournament Kickoff

U.S. Cattle Herd Hits Smallest Size Since 1951, Decline Slows

GET THE CITIZEN JOURNAL APP - FREE!

1. Kansas Voters to Decide on Electing Supreme Court Justices in 2026

Kansas voters will decide next year whether to rewrite the state’s constitution to turn the Kansas Supreme Court into an elected office. The House on Wednesday narrowly endorsed a Senate resolution to place the question on the August 2026 ballot, rejecting concerns that the change from a merit-based selection system for justices would result in a more politicized court. Republicans have pursued the change for years in response to rulings that require lawmakers to fully fund public schools and that established a right to terminate a pregnancy. But they defend the change as a way to empower voters.
Source: Kansas Reflector

2. Ethics Complaints Filed Against Wichita Mayor Over Transgender Proclamation Refusal

A. At least three ethics complaints have been filed against Wichita Mayor Lily Wu for not signing a proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility, according to the city. One complaint that was obtained by the Wichita Eagle alleges that Wu violated the city’s code of ethics by not signing the proclamation. “I just wanted to do something. I just needed to do something,” Wichita resident Helen Reicher said about filing the complaint. Wu refused to read and sign the proclamation at Tuesday night’s meeting, duties the mayor traditionally performs while presiding over meetings. Wu did read and sign proclamations at the same meeting for Developmental Disability Awareness Month and Into the Light Day.

B. Several days after she refused to sign a proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu defended her decision by saying the proclamation “segregated” the transgender community. The mayor gave additional comment on her inaction at her weekly media briefing Thursday morning. “I did not vote for this proclamation, which was the first time ever Wichita has segregated the transgender community,” Wu said repeatedly, reading from a prepared statement.
Source: Kansas

3. Kansas Reports Six Measles Cases in Unvaccinated Southwest Residents

Kansas public health officials report the state is now up to six confirmed cases of measles — all in unvaccinated people — but it is unknown if the patients have any connection to outbreaks elsewhere in the country. Kansas Department of Health and Environment chief of staff Matt Lara told The Capital-Journal that all six confirmed cases are in southwest Kansas. He said epidemiologists haven't been able to establish a link to the outbreak affecting west Texas and New Mexico.
Source: CJ Online

4. Wichita Welcomes March Madness Fans for NCAA Tournament Kickoff

March Madness and all that comes with it has landed in Wichita, including eager fans. As planes touched down at the Dwight D. Eisenhower International Airport, fans from each of the eight teams playing in the upcoming tournaments could be seen flooding the lobby and gathering to plan the next steps.

Source: KAKE

Wichita, Kansas, is set to host the first and second rounds of the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 20 and 22. The opening day features four games: top-seeded Houston faces 16th-seeded SIU Edwardsville at 1:00 p.m. CST (Houston won), followed by 8th-seeded Gonzaga against 9th-seeded Georgia at 3:35 p.m. CST. The evening session includes 6th-seeded Missouri versus 11th-seeded Drake at 6:35 p.m. CST, and 3rd-seeded Texas Tech taking on 14th-seeded UNC Wilmington at 9:10 p.m. CST. Second-round matchups are scheduled for March 22, with game times to be announced following the conclusion of the first-round games.

5. U.S. Cattle Herd Hits Smallest Size Since 1951, Decline Slows

For the sixth consecutive year, the United States cattle herd started the year smaller at 86.6 million head in January, down more than 495,000 head from the previous January, according to the January U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cattle report. Since 2020, the herd count is down more than 8 million head. This is the smallest count since 1951 when the herd totaled 82.1 million head. A silver lining in the ever-shrinking herd is a slowing rate of decline. This year’s herd shrunk less than 1%, while the 2024 herd was down nearly 2% and the 2023 herd down more than 3%. The slower rate softens the blow on beef production. However, will this be the bottom? The herd has been shrinking on challenges raising cattle in hot, dry or extreme cold conditions, shifting land use and feed availability, regulatory matters, and the time to rebuild the herd.
Source: HPJ

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TO GET THE HEARTLAND CITIZEN JOURNAL IN YOUR INBOX - FREE!

Sponsors (click me!)

Sources

1. https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/19/kansas-house-endorses-plan-to-elect-supreme-court-justices-placing-question-on-august-2026-ballot/ (Kansas Reflector)
2. A https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article302460519.html, B https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article302440494.html (Kansas)
3. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/healthcare/2025/03/19/kansas-has-6-confirmed-cases-of-measles-amid-texas-outbreak/82548457007/?tbref=hp (CJ Online)
4. https://www.kake.com/home/eager-basketball-fans-arrive-at-wichita-airport-ahead-of-march-madness/article_57652a82-a4f0-45d6-90f3-07bbb15bed97.html (KAKE)
5. https://hpj.com/2025/03/14/cattle-herd-shrinks-prices-go-higher/ (HPJ)