Book critic Suzanne Perez says 2026 is shaping up to be a great year for readers, with several big-name authors returning after long breaks. We'll also hear about one of Wichita's most loved holiday traditions, Botanica's Illuminations, the light show that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Plus more on these stories:
- A Kansas woman donated stem cells that helped save a stranger’s life.
- A collaboration between a western Kansas university and a casino could encourage more people to stay in the region for tourism and hospitality jobs.
- Many farmers are entering 2026 in a tight spot. Producers across the Great Plains and Midwest are seeing record-high prices for beef while facing dismal crop prices.
- Organizations working to provide testing and information about a toxic groundwater spill in Wichita will now operate under a shared umbrella.
- While Kansas Governor Laura Kelly was chair of the national Democratic Governors Association, Democrats won key races in New Jersey and Virginia in the 2025 elections.
- Kansas agriculture officials are warning hunters and people who keep chickens and other birds outdoors to take precautions against the spread of bird flu.
- The penguin exhibit at the Sedgwick County Zoo has reopened after a months-long closure for repairs and upgrades.
Producers: Lu Anne Stephens
Editors: Lu Anne Stephens and Suzanne Perez
Contributors: Haley Crowson, Zane Irwin, Calen Moore, Suzanne Perez, Anna Pope, Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga and Tom Shine
Theme music: Torin Andersen
Digital editor: Haley Crowson
