Kansas
Permit changes approved to allow Kansas Children’s Discovery Center expansion
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Topeka’s governing body approved permit changes Tuesday night to allow an expansion project for the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center.
The city is not funding the project, but they needed to amend the center’s existing permit granted in 2009. Shawnee County approved the project in April. Funding from the Gage Park Improvement Authority sales tax is being matched by private donations to support the project, according to KCDC President/CEO Dene Mosier.
The expansion is a $10 million, 16,000 square foot project that will add three new classrooms, a traveling exhibit space, a storm shelter, and 75 new parking stalls.
The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center saw record attendance in 2023, with over 120,000 visitors. It even welcomed its one millionth visitor just a couple days after the expansion was approved.
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The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship today announced the recipients of the 2026 Kansas Apprenticeship Awards, recognizing the outstanding leaders, organizations and programs that are driving innovation and expanding Registered Apprenticeship opportunities across the state.
“Our apprenticeship partners have played a tremendous role growing our workforce over the last several years,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These apprenticeship awards honor what truly is possible when bold leadership and strategic collaboration align — and how, together, we can continue reimagining the Kansas workforce of the future.”
Since 2022, the Kansas apprenticeship program has experienced remarkable growth, including a 240% increase in new apprentices. This momentum reflects the strength of Kansas’ statewide apprenticeship ecosystem — and the commitment of the employers, education partners and workforce leaders to build sustainable talent pipelines.
Honorees were chosen based on innovation, measurable growth and long-term impact, with particular emphasis on forward-thinking strategies and sustained apprentice engagement.
The 2026 Kansas Apprenticeship Award recipients:
- Excellence in Kansas Apprenticeship Award – Dr. Joel Gillespie, Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE): Recognized for his visionary leadership in expanding teacher apprenticeship programs to 391 participants, helping transform educator pathways and remove barriers to the profession.
- Kansas Business of the Year – Panasonic: Committed to workforce development through the Industrial Manufacturing Technician Registered Apprenticeship. The company has grown from 96 apprentices to 125.
- Outstanding New Program of the Year – HCA Midwest Health: Launched Kansas’ first pre-licensure Registered Nurse Apprenticeship program. The program has 146 active apprentices.
- Outstanding Program of the Year – Western Missouri & Kansas Laborers District Council: Recognized as one of the most robust apprenticeship models. The Council has 445 active participants, working to support an array of backgrounds and strengthen the workforce.
- Youth Apprenticeship Development Partner of the Year – City of Winfield: Honored for its leadership in youth apprenticeship, bringing together K-12 education and higher education partners to create classroom-to-career pipelines for Kansas students.
The 2026 Kansas Apprenticeship Awards were presented during the state’s National Apprenticeship Week Celebration on April 29 in Topeka, highlighting the continued progress and future success of apprenticeship programs and opportunities in Kansas.
“Our apprenticeship partners are making a huge contribution to our state — and to our goal of connecting 10,001 apprentices by 2031,” Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship Director Shonda Anderson said. “Their contributions not only are changing the lives of individual Kansans but strengthening our state for generations to come.”
To view photos from the 2026 Kansas Apprenticeship Awards event, click here.
For additional information about the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship, visit here.
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – The University of Kansas Medical Center is set to receive $5 million from the state to build a new network aimed at improving dementia diagnostic capabilities.
Officials at the University of Kansas Health System said the funding — which supporters intend to be annual if the state’s appropriation process allows — will help build the Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network.
The network will be located at KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and will begin this July. It will bring specialist-level dementia diagnostic capabilities into primary care practices across Kansas.
“Kansas has a unique responsibility here. Our geography creates barriers that other states don’t face the same way. We built the tools to address this at KU — and the legislature recognized that these proven care models should be implemented to benefit all Kansans across our state,” said Jeffrey Burns, M.D., co-director of KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Burns said the funding comes as, for the first time, clinicians have access to blood-based biomarker tests to accurately detect Alzheimer’s disease without an invasive procedure.
The KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is one of 35 centers designated by the National Institutes of Health and one of eight institutions in the world participating in the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative.
KU Medical Center said 55,000 Kansans are living with dementia and Wednesday’s announcement of funding will help specifically rural Kansans, who face months-long waits for specialist appointments.
“This initial investment reflects a thoughtful investment in both innovation and accessibility,” said Kansas State Sen. Jeff Klemp (R-Lansing), who supported the funding. “This investment leverages the strength of the University of Kansas Medical Center and extends that expertise across Kansas into our rural hospital network. This opportunity makes meaningful progress in how we approach brain health and ensures these advancements are available to all Kansans, not just those near major medical centers.”
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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