Midwest
Kansas bill cracking down on foreign land ownership vetoed by Democratic governor
Proposed restrictions in Kansas on the foreign ownership of land died Friday when the state’s Democratic governor vetoed a bill that top Republican lawmakers argued would protect military bases from Chinese spying.
The Kansas House’s top GOP leader accused Gov. Laura Kelly of “apathy” toward serious national security threats from China and other nations declared by the U.S. government to be adversaries “of concern,” including Cuba, Iraq, North Korea and Venezuela. The bill would have prohibited more than 10% ownership by foreign nationals from those countries of any non-residential property within 100 miles of any military installation — or most of Kansas.
A Kansas State University report last fall said Chinese ownership accounted for a single acre of privately owned Kansas agricultural land and all foreign individuals and companies owned 2.4% of the state’s 49 million acres of private agricultural land. The bill would have required the university to compile annual reports on all foreign real estate ownership, including non-agricultural business property.
GOP LAWMAKERS HIT WITH ‘GUT PUNCH’ AS RED STATE’S DEM GOVERNOR EKES OUT WIN IN TRANSGENDER BILL BATTLE
Kelly said in her veto message that while Kansas needs stronger protections against foreign adversaries, the bill was so “overly broad” that it could disrupt “legitimate investment and business relationships.”
“I am not willing to sign a bill that has the potential to hurt the state’s future prosperity and economic development,” Kelly said in her veto message.
Kansas exported $14.1 billion worth of products in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. China was its fourth-largest trading partner, with $848 million worth of exports, behind Mexico, Canada and Japan.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill to limit foreign land ownership. (Rich Sugg/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
But Kansas already limits corporate ownership of agricultural land. More than 20 other states restrict foreign land ownership, according to the National Agricultural Law Center.
Early in 2023, before being shot down, a Chinese spy balloon floated across U.S. skies for several days, including over northeast Kansas, home to Fort Leavenworth, home to the U.S. Army’s college for training commanders. That intensified interest in restrictions on foreign land ownership in Kansas, though concerns existed already because of the construction of a national biosecurity lab near Kansas State University.
Kansas House Majority Leader Chris Croft, a Kansas City-area Republican and retired Army officer who was among the most vocal supporters of the bill, said Kelly’s veto leaves its military bases and other critical infrastructure “wide open for adversarial foreign governments.”
“The assets of this state are too important for us to sit on our hands and wait until it’s too late,” Croft said in a statement after the veto.
Some conservative Republicans, including Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, pushed for even stronger restrictions. Kobach backed a plan to ban all foreign ownership of more than 3 acres of land, with a new state board able to make exceptions.
“Despite the governor’s apathy, we’ll continue to work to protect Kansas and its citizens from those foreign bad actors who wish to exploit land ownership loopholes,” House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican said.
A few Republicans in the state Senate balked at the restrictions, and the bill appeared to be just short of the two-thirds majority necessary to override a veto. The bill would have given affected foreign individuals and companies two years to divest themselves of their Kansas properties.
Critics suggested attributed support for the bill to xenophobia. They suggested the main effect would be to force immigrants — including those fleeing repressive regimes — to sell their shops and restaurants.
“To the extent that this bill affects anyone, it affects everyday people, those who are trying to live the American dream,” Democratic state Rep. Melissa Oropeza, of Kansas City, Kansas, said ahead of one vote on the bill.
Read the full article from Here
Badgers writer Mark Stewart on UW quarterback transfer Colton Joseph
What should Badgers fans know about transfer-portal quarterback Colton Joseph? Mark Stewart discusses on the Terrace View podcast.
MADISON – When it comes to grabbing offensive linemen in the transfer portal, Wisconsin is going with what it knows.
Blake Cherry is the latest example.
The rising sophomore guard, who announced his commitment to the Badgers on Tuesday, Jan. 6, played for new UW offensive line coach Eric Mateos at Arkansas.
Cherry announced his commitment on X. He joins former Oklahoma State center Austin Kawecki, who was recruited by Mateos when Mateos was at Baylor, as the first two offensive line pickups for Wisconsin during this portal cycle.
Cherry, who was listed as 6-foot-5 and 316 pounds, played in 11 games at Arkansas in 2025 with the bulk of the work coming on special teams. He was the top backup to second team all-SEC selection Fernando Carmona.
Cherry was a three-star prospect coming out of Owasso High School in Oklahoma. He joins an offensive line room that underperformed in 2025 but featured some promising young players like tackle Emerson Mandell and guard Colin Cubberly, who will be a redshirt sophomore next season.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Kansas authorities are issuing a warning to both parents and homeowners regarding a “dangerous new TikTok trend” in which teenagers throughout the country are putting their lives at risk for the sake of social media fame.
According to the Merriam Police Department, residents in the area have reported several instances of teens rushing up to the front of their homes and kicking the doors to appear as though someone is breaking in, as part of the “door kick challenge.”
“We’ve received multiple reports about a reckless TikTok challenge called ‘The Door Kick Challenge,’” the department said in a Facebook post. “This trend encourages pounding and kicking on doors to mimic a home invasion.”
Since last weekend, four people in the local Georgetown apartment complex have made reports of teens partaking in the challenge, FOX 4 reported.
‘AI HOMELESS MAN’ TIKTOK PRANK SPARKS PARENTAL PANIC, JUVENILE ARRESTS
Home surveillance video shared by the Merriam Police Department shows the moment two teens can be seen approaching the front door of a home. (Merriam Police Department/Facebook)
“They’re videotaping themselves going and attempting to kick open residential doors, presumably as a prank or to scare the homeowners,” Sgt. Kristin Jasinski said, according to the outlet.
Ring doorbell camera video released by the department shows a pair of teens approaching the front of a home, with one individual kicking the door while another stands with their cellphone out – presumably filming the act.
“I know it can seem funny,” Jasinski said, FOX 4 reported. “However, people do take things seriously like that if they’re not aware of these things happening, or they’re unsure what your intentions are. We would hate for there to be real-life consequences.”
GEORGIA HOMEOWNER CHARGED IN SHOOTING OF SUSPECTED TEEN PORCH PIRATES
In the video, the individual runs to the front door of the home and kicks it, mimicking a home invasion, before both teens run off. (Merriam Police Department/Facebook)
The trend is concerning law enforcement officials, who say the teens risk criminal charges – such as vandalism and trespassing – or homeowners may use force to act in self-defense.
In addition to the video, the police department shared images from a separate incident in which a group of suspected teens broke the frame of a resident’s entryway.
“There’s dangers on both sides of the door. Obviously, we want to keep the homeowners safe, as well as the people that are participating in these pranks,” Jasinski said.
VIDEO SHOWS MASKED TRIO IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES TERRORIZE FAMILY IN ATTEMPTED HOME INVASION
In a separate incident, a group of teens allegedly broke the frame of a homeowner’s front door while participating in the viral “door kick challenge,” according to the Merriam Police Department. (Merriam Police Department/Facebook)
“Our biggest concern is that someone would be injured in the course of thinking that this was a real home invasion.”
Bradley Cooper, a resident of Shawnee at Westbrooke Glen Apartment Homes, told FOX 4 a pair of teens also struck his friend’s door in the complex.
“The other day he’s like, ‘I literally had my headset on, but I saw the door and could hear it through what I was playing, just straight move, just boom,’” Cooper said.
TRAVELERS WARNED AS DANGEROUS AIRPLANE SLEEPING POSITION GAINS POPULARITY
The friend reportedly chased the teens down and ultimately caught up with one – who apologized.
“If someone had a gun they could shoot through the door,” Cooper said. “Stop, it’s not fun, you’re going to get yourself probably killed.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
However, authorities are urging homeowners to call the police if they believe they have fallen victim to the so-called “prank.”
“Don’t pursue these people,” Jasinski said. “There’s no way for us to know in real time, until we interact with them and figure out what’s happening, or what’s actually going on. We don’t want to put you or the people involved at greater risk, engaging in some sort of pursuit. So, just stay in the house, call police, let us do our job.”
The Merriam Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Read the full article from Here
Longtime Detroit sports radio host and columnist Pat Caputo has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, he announced Monday.
Caputo, a host on Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket, last published a column on Nov. 7. On Monday, he explained the reason behind his absence.
“For those wondering where I’ve been: I have been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, commonly referred to as a “death sentence” and had two other serious ailments which put me in ICU for several days,” Caputo wrote in a post to X. “It was sudden. I’ve literally been on my back for weeks. Bless you all.”
Caputo, 66, became a well-known personality in Detroit sports media during his time as an award-winning columnist for The Oakland Press from 1983-2020, according to the Detroit Free Press. He also was previously part of WXYT’s “Evening Sports” broadcast, and is an official voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame and college football’s Heisman Trophy award, according to his X bio.
Caputo is nicknamed “The Book” for his impressive memory retaining sports stats and information, according to FOX 2 in Detroit, where he has been a regular guest on its “Sports Works” broadcast.
Caputo’s social media announcement regarding his health drew support from fellow sports media professionals, including Brad Galli, sports director at WXYZ Detroit, and ESPN’s Dan Wetzel and Dave Pasch.
“Pat, we’re praying for [you],” Galli wrote. “Awful awful awful to read this, man. God bless you.”
“Legend. Stay strong my friend. So much support out here for you,” Wetzel posted.
“Book, praying for you my friend. So sorry to hear this,” Pasch wrote.
Former Texas Longhorns Fan Favorite WR Commits to Oklahoma
Traffic deaths decline overall on Utah roads, teen fatalities nearly double
Vermont lawmakers reconsider school funding law – Valley News
AG Miyares urges Virginia schools to adopt stricter definition of antisemitism
Deputies shoot armed suspect in Leesburg Walmart parking lot
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Video: Nvidia Shows Off New A.I. Chip at CES
Pelosi heir-apparent calls Trump’s Venezuela move a ‘lawless coup,’ urges impeachment, slams Netanyahu
EU Commission examines childlike sexual images created by Musk’s AI
Lawmakers split over Maduro’s seizure. And, CDC cuts childhood vaccine schedule
Federal officials to halt more than $10B in funding to 5 states over non-citizen benefit concerns: report
-
World1 week agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
News1 week agoFor those who help the poor, 2025 goes down as a year of chaos
-
World1 week agoPodcast: The 2025 EU-US relationship explained simply
-
Business1 week agoInstacart ends AI pricing test that charged shoppers different prices for the same items
-
Business1 week agoApple, Google and others tell some foreign employees to avoid traveling out of the country
-
Technology1 week agoChatGPT’s GPT-5.2 is here, and it feels rushed
-
Politics1 week ago‘Unlucky’ Honduran woman arrested after allegedly running red light and crashing into ICE vehicle