TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) – The Sunflower State will receive more than $2 million to expand job training and education programs for formerly incarcerated residents.

The Kansas Department of Corrections announced on Wednesday, Jan. 14, that it has joined a 4-year national initiative aimed at breaking barriers that prevent those with criminal records from finding work.

“Kansas has long recognized the profound impact education and workforce programs have on our incarcerated population, and our state’s selection for the Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks is true recognition of the strides we have made,” said Governor Laura Kelly.

Kansas is 1 of 4 states chosen for Jobs for the Future’s Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks. The state beat out 30 other applicants.

What Kansas Will Receive

Over the next four years, state leaders said Kansas will receive:

• Up to $2.1 million in funding
• $1.8 million in technical assistance
• Access to a secure data-sharing platform
• Participation in a national learning network

Officials indicated that Maine, North Carolina and Oregon also joined the program.

Why it Matters

State leaders noted that more than 70 million Americans have records of arrest, conviction or incarceration. Many face discriminatory hiring practices and legal restrictions that limit job opportunities.

“States play a critical role in creating education and workforce systems that open doors to opportunity,” said Molly Lasagna, Senior Strategy Officer at Ascendium Education Group. “When leaders align policy, funding, and data around a shared commitment to economic mobility, they can build pathways that work for learners and employers alike—especially for individuals with histories of incarceration that have been traditionally excluded from those opportunities.”

Kansas officials said connecting formerly incarcerated residents to education and employment reduces recidivism and address workforce shortages.

“Connecting returning citizens to training, education, and employment opportunities sets them up for success upon their release and reduces recidivism,” Gov. Kelly noted. “Our efforts are rooted in the core belief that when we invest in people, we create safer communities, a thriving workforce, and a stronger state for all.”

How Kansas Will Use the Funding

The state plans to:

• Strengthen collaboration among state agencies
• Improve reentry metrics and tracking
• Expand employer engagement
• Connect education programs during incarceration to job opportunities after release

“As Kansas experiences significant economic growth and workforce demand, state leaders are showing interest in how fair chance employment can contribute to the state’s future‚” said Rebecca Villarreal, Senior Director at JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement.

Get Involved

State leaders said they are forming a 5-person advisory board of people directly impacted by incarceration. Applications are now open.

“We are excited to collaborate with the bipartisan, inter-agency leaders from across Kansas who are committed to strengthening the state’s workforce, supporting businesses, and creating pathways to quality jobs for learners with histories of incarceration,” Villarreal said.

According to KDOC, the Coleridge Initiative, a nonprofit focused on data-driven public policy, will provide technical support. Mathematica will evaluate the program.

Jobs for the Future launched the initiative in 2024 with support from Ascendium Education Group.

Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.

OAKLKEY, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.

The collision was reported at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday on K-25 highway just south of County Road D. The location was about 15 miles northwest of Oakley.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s online crash log, a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was northbound on K-25 when it left the roadway to the right — or east — side and overcorrected back onto the roadway.

The vehicle then began sliding sideways into the east ditch, where it rolled once.

The minivan then came to rest upright facing southeast in a field.

The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, Terri Threlkeld, 50, of Page City, was transported to Logan County Hospital in Oakley with serious injuries. The patrol said Threlkeld wasn’t wearing her seat belt.

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.

The Kansas Jayhawks hosts No. 2 Iowa State Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. The Cyclones are 16-0 this season, but the Jayhawks won’t be an easy out at home, led by star freshman Darryn Peterson.

Iowa State vs. Kansas will air on ESPN, and streams live on DIRECTV (free trial).

What: Men’s college basketball regular season

Who: No. 2 Iowa Cyclones vs. Kansas Jayhawks

When: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial)

Here’s a recent college basketball story via the Associated Press:

WACO, Texas (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures for No. 7 Houston, which overcame two extended shooting slumps before halftime in a 77-55 win at Baylor on Saturday. The Cougars set a school record with their 16th consecutive road win.

Joseph Tugler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in a row for defending Big 12 champion and national runner-up Houston (15-1, 3-0 Big 12). Isiah Harwell also had 12 points, while true freshmen Chris Cenac had 11 and Kingston Flemings 10.

The Cougars haven’t lost a true road game since at No. 8 Kansas on Feb. 3, 2024. That road winning streak is the longest active run in the country, with all of them Big 12 games for a league record.

Cameron Carr had 18 points for Baylor (10-5, 0-3), and Tounde Yessoufou had 10.

Houston missed 10 shots in a row over a 5 1/2-minute span early, then had another 0-for-10 span in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half. But the Cougars took control of the game with a 23-3 run in the six minutes between those droughts.

Sharp and Harwell both had two 3-pointers in that big spurt. The Cougars trailed 14-6 before Sharp ignited that run, and a 3 by Harwell put them ahead to stay. The lead was 29-17 after Tugler’s dunk off a Baylor turnover with 6:34 left. That was their last field goal of the half, when they still led 33-26 before a 13-3 run to start the second half.

The Cougars shot 39.2% overall (29 of 74) from the field, with only five turnovers and 23 offensive rebounds. They scored 31 points off 16 turnovers by Baylor, which got 33 fewer shots.

Up next

Houston: Home Tuesday against West Virginia.

Baylor: At Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

Can I bet on the game?

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