AGP Executive Report

Senate Race: Vice President JD Vance returned to Topeka to rally for Sen. Roger Marshall, whose close contest with Democrat Adam Hamilton has drawn national attention. Voting: Nearly 78,000 Johnson County residents had voted early through Saturday; Sedgwick County opens 17 additional voting sites Tuesday. Education & Culture: New Haskell Indian Nations University President Alex Red Corn says collaboration and communication will guide his plans for the school. Local Arts: Kansas City comedian Tio Pepe has joined The Glaeser Group’s management roster as he pursues more comedy and media opportunities. Museums: Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum will remain open after its planned December closing was rescinded, while the university develops a long-term plan.

Kansas Politics: Vice President JD Vance returned to Topeka to rally for Sen. Roger Marshall as his race against Adam Hamilton remains unusually tight. Kansas early voting is up about 69% from the same point in 2022. Small-Town Heritage: McPherson’s Victorian buildings, 1889 opera house and limestone courthouse preserve the town’s late-19th-century ambition to become the state capital. Kansas Culture: Eureka Downs is set to host its first races in 16 years, and KU held its first homecoming parade in seven years. Faith & Public Life: Retired Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann was among the bishops pictured praying with President Trump. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob apologized, saying the White House publicized the gathering without participants’ consent, close to Election Day. Rural Kansas: The Kansas Livestock Association joined farm groups warning that immigration enforcement is disrupting agricultural labor and could raise costs. Education: Kansas reported improvement in state English and math assessments, while a USD 435 school board reviewed classroom AI guidelines.

Classroom Technology: Abilene USD 435 approved guidance for using AI responsibly, with student privacy and critical thinking at the center. Youth & Sports: A Kansas City-area tournament brought nearly 400 girls together to honor 14-year-old Maliyah LeBeau and raise money for a scholarship in her name. Career Pathways: Kansas City firefighters gave 17 middle and high school girls hands-on experience, building confidence and introducing them to firefighting. Rural Life: Small-town grocers may need new approaches to stay open; one Kansas example is a 24-hour store with limited staffed hours. Kansas Outdoors: Hutchinson’s Boo at the Zoo brings families together for Halloween activities and a close-up look at native animal pelts. Local Travel: Lindsborg’s Swedish heritage, festive traditions and historic downtown make it a distinctive winter getaway.

Community Building: A summit in Kansas City, Kansas, brought neighborhood leaders, nonprofits and businesses together to connect Wyandotte County residents with support for families, small businesses and local projects. Things to Do: Kansas City is set for concerts, markets and a fan festival this weekend. Kansas Traditions: Eureka Downs has reopened for the state’s first horse races in 16 years. Campus Life: KU revived a Lawrence tradition with its first homecoming parade in seven years. Local Creativity: A $10,000 folklore grant helped a struggling small business.

Health & Household Costs: Nearly 27,000 Kansans are set to receive notices that their medical debt has been forgiven after a nonprofit bought more than $42 million in balances. The groups have not disclosed where the accounts came from or what they paid. Youth Programs: Patrick Mahomes’ foundation pledged $1.625 million to Boys & Girls Clubs, supporting programs and facility improvements for children, including in Greater Kansas City. Campus Traditions: KU held its first homecoming parade in seven years. Culture & Community: A South Dakota museum’s Halloween fundraiser is sending half its donations to Kansas’ Sternberg Museum, which faces possible closure amid budget cuts. Local Life: Eureka Downs reopened for Kansas’ first horse races in 16 years. Schools: Wichita voters are weighing a $615 million school bond proposal for district buildings.

Halloween Around McLouth: Families can find a Trunk or Treat and community party on Oct. 31, followed by a chili supper and bake sale on Nov. 4. Jayhawk Homecoming: KU brought its homecoming parade back to Jayhawk Boulevard for the first time since 2019, drawing students, alumni and local families. Kansas Horse Racing: Eureka Downs has reopened, bringing live racing back to the state for the first time in 16 years. Career Pathways: Seward County Community College received a $125,000 grant to expand workforce education, while KU Innovation Park is being promoted as a local launchpad for student careers in cybersecurity and biomedical fields.

Workforce & Innovation: U.S. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling visited KU Innovation Park in Lawrence, calling it a pipeline for local jobs and talent in cybersecurity and biomedical research. Manhattan Music: Sisters of Sound Records has served the community for nearly 22 years, filling a gap left by the closure of an earlier record shop and keeping local music lovers connected. A Kansas Tradition Returns: Eureka Downs is hosting the state’s first horse races in 16 years, with three weekends of racing planned through early November. Community Spotlight: Kansas Public Radio is opening applications in November for its 2027 program, which promotes local nonprofits working in arts, education, health, sustainability and diversity.

College Trends: Newly highlighted fall 2024 figures show enrollment rose at colleges in Sedgwick County (29,889 students), Riley County (21,542), Shawnee County (7,733) and Douglas County (32,824). Kansas Politics: Sen. Roger Marshall and challenger Adam Hamilton clashed in their final debate over Trump, immigration, AI and gender issues, as the close race draws national attention. Schools & Families: Olathe is holding boundary meetings for families affected by six school closures, while metro districts weigh budget pressures amid declining enrollment. Community Life: Chanute’s God’s Pantry has reopened at First United Methodist Church, and a student-run coffee shop at Pinckney is bringing new activity to its community center.

Student Opportunity: Lawrence’s new Empowering Brew coffee shop gives recent graduates with disabilities hands-on work experience and job-readiness skills. Schools: Olathe will hold Nov. 16–18 meetings on new boundaries after voting to close six schools; metro districts are also weighing cuts as enrollment falls. Public Art: Russell officials approved moving ahead with a proposed 75-foot Big Easel displaying Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. Organizers are seeking grants and say they won’t ask the city to fund it. Community Support: Chanute’s God’s Pantry has restarted at First United Methodist Church, continuing a food-assistance program that has served the community for nearly 30 years. Around Lawrence: Weekend picks include downtown ghost tours, a farmers market, live music and KU football against Baylor.

Kansas Senate Race: Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton clashed in their final debate over fuel prices, tariffs and immigration as the unexpectedly competitive race heads toward Election Day. Hamilton plans a 10-day bus tour with more than 20 Kansas stops. Schools & Learning: Hays USD 489 enrollment fell 3.68% to 3,071 students, a drop that could bring short-term budget cuts. Hays High FFA students packed soil-science kits for classrooms nationwide, while Kansas City Kansas Community College ranked second-lowest in the state for in-district tuition. Arts & Community: Topeka poet Annette Hope Billings, a 2026 Governor’s Arts Award recipient, is featured in a new Poets on the Plains installment. KU will recognize alumni, students and faculty at its Oct. 24 Homecoming game. Youth Opportunity: Travis Kelce helped Kansas City teens convert a 1969 Chevelle to electric as part of a youth job-training effort.

Community Service: Olathe volunteer Susie Mize received AARP Kansas’ top volunteer honor for a decade leading free tax-help services. Last year, her Johnson County team prepared 1,900 returns and secured more than $2 million in refunds. Libraries & Arts: Abilene native Jan Johnson is back as the public library’s children’s librarian and hopes to bring more children’s art into the space. Food & Family: Dodge City schools’ Spanish-language Cafecito gatherings pair healthy cooking, like making licuados, with chances for caregivers to connect with school staff and neighbors. Kansas Culture: Eureka Downs held the state’s first horse races in 16 years, bringing live racing back to the Sunflower State. Local History: Coffeyville’s past stretches from an Osage trading post to the Dalton gang’s 1892 bank robbery attempt—a story the town still celebrates during its annual Dalton Defenders Days. Hands-On Learning: The Kansas Aviation Museum opened a new STEAM space, giving students another local spot to explore science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

Childcare: Lawrence families, staff and advocates are brainstorming ways to fill the gap as Hilltop Child Development Center prepares to close at month’s end. Ideas include fundraising and converting an available facility into a new center. Kansas Traditions: Live horse racing returned to Eureka Downs for the first time in 16 years, drawing a packed grandstand and bringing a long-awaited event back to the state. Music & Community: KU music professor David Earll joined the 1st Infantry Division band in Poland for a performance mixing Kansas songs with Polish pieces. Education: Kansas students showed overall improvement in state English language arts and math assessments. Around Lawrence: A free Oct. 25 event will introduce residents to portable plug-in solar systems and efforts to make them easier to use in Kansas.

Agriculture & Community: Southeast Kansas’ first Farm Show is set for Nov. 5–7 at the former dog track in Frontenac, bringing producers together with farm businesses, equipment displays and demonstrations. Arts & Halloween: Topeka’s Helen Hocker Theater opens its fairy-tale-themed Adventures in Once-Upon Woods on Oct. 22, with sensory-friendly hours on Fridays. Schools: Emporia Public Schools recognized local principals and assistant principals for National Principals Month, while Kansas reports improved statewide English and math scores. Sports & Tradition: Live horse racing has returned to Eureka Downs for the first time in 16 years, and Kansas City is hosting Big 12 basketball media days. Local Life: Salina organizers are working to bring veterans’ service banners to downtown.

Farm Costs & Politics: President Donald Trump announced an $8 billion federal relief program for farmers at a Wichita-area rally, as high diesel costs add pressure ahead of a close Kansas Senate race. Payment rates are expected in November. Racing Returns: Eureka Downs welcomed 2,036 people for its first races in 16 years. For former jockey Martin Triana, who was paralyzed in a 1989 racing accident, the reopening was a family homecoming 37 years in the making. Kansas Heritage: A history of St. Joseph’s Church traces Damar’s roots to French-Canadian settlers who built a close-knit Catholic community in western Kansas. Schools & Community: Kansas students’ math and English scores improved, while Frontenac celebrated a new childcare facility aimed at easing a local shortage. Fall Outings: Lawrence still has October events on the calendar before Halloween, and the University of Kansas has kicked off its homecoming week.

Family & Community: Frontenac’s new early-learning center is set to clear its childcare waitlist and serve infants as young as six weeks, after a decade-long effort by local leaders. Education: Kansas students improved in reading and math in 2026, with fewer scoring at the lowest level and more reaching proficient or advanced levels. Young Kansans: The Kansas Historical Society has revived its student photo contest after a four-year break; entries should capture the people, places and traditions that make the state distinctive. Community Safety: A pickup truck struck a Wichita youth soccer gathering, killing a 6-year-old and an adult and injuring 10; the driver was released without charges. Trans Kansans: A new state law invalidating IDs with updated gender markers has left some trans residents weighing whether to leave Kansas or stay and fight.

Wichita Community: Students and families from Kansas City-area Catholic schools gathered to pray after a pickup truck crashed into a crowd at a Wichita soccer complex, killing two people and injuring others. Police say the driver was released without charges as the investigation continues. Halloween Plans: Wichita’s College Hill neighborhood will close several streets during its popular trick-or-treating celebration, with traffic restrictions planned around Douglas Avenue. Arts & Attractions: Kansas’ Garden of Eden, built by retired teacher and farmer S.P. Dinsmoor from concrete sculptures, remains a roadside draw rooted in one man’s vision. Skilled Trades: Barton Community College plumbing instructor Jeff Meyer was honored for his work preparing students for skilled-trades careers.