National

U.S. Senate votes overwhelmingly to renew farm programs

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for a sweeping agriculture bill that will fund key farm safety net programs for the next five years without making significant changes to the food stamp program. The vote was 87-13. The House is expected to pass the measure soon and send ...

U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear Kansas’ appeal in Planned Parenthood case

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday avoided a high-profile case by rejecting appeals from Kansas and Louisiana in their effort to strip Medicaid money from Planned Parenthood, over the dissenting votes of three justices. The court's order reflected a split among its conservative ...

Kobach says he worries voter fraud occurred in North Carolina race

WASHINGTON — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach worries fraud might have tainted a North Carolina congressional race that a fellow Republican appeared to have narrowly won. The Washington Post reports that Kobach said during an interview that his concerns are "based on what I have read" ...

In Kansas City, Trump demands border wall money as shutdown showdown nears

KANSAS CITY, MO. — President Donald Trump said Friday that Congress should provide all the money he wants for his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, and he called illegal immigration a "threat to the well-being of every American community." Trump spoke hours after signing a short-term ...

Dole’s salute stands out amid funeral events for former president Bush

WASHINGTON — A salute by former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole at the casket of late President George H.W. Bush stood out among a host of tributes leading up to a state funeral Wednesday. As long lines wound through the hushed Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, Dole was helped out of his wheelchair by an ...

Top doctor-recommended toys for kids? Empty boxes

Skip the costly electronic games and flashy digital gizmos. Pediatricians say the best toys for tots are old-fashioned hands-on playthings that young children can enjoy with parents — things like blocks, puzzles, even throwaway cardboard boxes — that spark imagination and creativity. “A ...