What does it mean to be represented? That’s a question facing residents of Johnson County, Kansas, who could soon find themselves in new congressional districts. Although Tuesday evening, Kansas’ Republican House leader dropped efforts to force a redraw of U.S. House districts, Republican lawmakers want to split up the county to make it harder for Democrats to win. But mid-decade redistricting would bring big changes to the state’s richest county.
Plus more on these stories:
- Joseph Shepard won Wichita’s District 1 City Council seat. We have more on the results of yesterday’s election.
- Two incumbent Wichita City Council members were elected to a second term last night.
- A retired teacher and a public education activist ousted incumbents to win seats on the Wichita school board yesterday.
- Mulvane voters narrowly approved a $45.2 million dollar school bond issue yesterday, but school bonds failed in two other area districts.
- Voters in McPherson County have approved a half-cent sales tax to fund emergency medical services and fire departments.
- Halstead has voted to ban the construction of a Battery Energy Storage System in unofficial election results.
- A program that helps low-income Kansas residents pay their energy bills is on pause because of the federal government shutdown.
- Welfare advocates say Kansans are still waiting for federal food assistance despite a recent court order to fund the program. Nearly 190,000 residents receive food stamps.
- A smaller percentage of Wichita students scored in the lowest levels on state assessment tests last spring.
- Middle school students from across the area will compete in a global robotics competition at Century II this week.
Producers: Beth Golay
Editors: Beth Golay and Suzanne Perez
Contributors: Jennifer Anima, Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Daniel Caudill, Zane Irwin, Dylan Lysen, Suzanne Perez, Piper Pinnetti and Mya Scott
Theme music: Torin Andersen
Digital editor: Beth Golay
