BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansans who receive food assistance or are furloughed from federal jobs are scrambling to pay bills and feed their families as the federal government shutdown drags on.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tuesday was the deadline for the federal government to reopen so that November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments could go out to beneficiaries. It takes 72 hours for the payments to process, according to the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

More than 93,000 Kansas households — nearly 188,000 Kansans — use SNAP benefits to put food on their tables, DCF said in a press release. The bulk of those using SNAP are children.

As politicians on both sides exchange barbs on social media and in news releases about who is at fault for shutting down the government, Kansans like Daniel Scharpenburg, of Overland Park, are carefully tracking their bank account balances. He’s worried about a teenage son with a big appetite and the possibility of empty kitchen cabinets.

Scharpenburg, 45, is furloughed from the Internal Revenue Service office in Kansas City, Missouri. He worked the first five days of the shutdown, leaving Oct. 8 and receiving a paycheck in mid-October for those days of work.&nbsp;

“I have to be very careful with my bills, because I have now missed a paycheck,” he said. “I’m having to rely on food banks and things like that to make sure I have food. If I start thinking about my car payment and my phone bill and my rent, I’m gonna go crazy. I really do have to focus on the next bill that’s due and hope for the best.”

Scharpenburg is applying for jobs in the Kansas City area but isn’t having much luck. He said all furloughed workers in the area are competing for jobs.

The IRS location employs about 6,000 people, and reports from the federal government indicate about half of IRS workers have been furloughed, he said. Housing and Urban Development also has a Kansas City office, and those employees are affected by the shutdown too, Scharpenburg said.

Scharpenburg’s ex-wife is also a furloughed IRS employee, and he worries that his 15-year-old son at home will eventually be affected by the situation.

“I really thought it would be over before now,” Scharpenburg said. “In another week, it’s going to break the record for longest shutdown if it keeps going, and that’s not a record I want to see broken. So, yeah, I am worried that it will go on longer.”

Scharpenburg is first vice president in the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 66, which covers Kansas City, Missouri. In that role, he’s hearing daily from furloughed employees who are scared and frustrated.

The union put together lists of food banks and other local resources, he said.&nbsp;

“But you know, it’s hard times for a lot of people, so it seems like the resources we lean on to help us are being stretched thin, just like just like our dollars are,” he said.

Scharpenburg said union members tell him that landlords and bankers have been willing to work with furloughed employees, knowing that eventually they’ll get back pay. The idea floated in Washington of withholding back pay was like a “slap in the face,” he said.

“When a politician says something like that, it feels like, oh, they don’t respect our work at all,” he said. “I am nervous. The law is clear that we will get paid at the end of this, but that being said, if Congress could pass something to change that … I don’t know what will happen if the executive branch were to decide just to not pay us. They’d have to go to court, but I don’t know if that would be resolved quickly.”

Many pantries statewide are stretching to meet community needs generated by rising prices and furloughed employees. Now, missing SNAP payments are expected to intensify the situation, said Debbie Johns, director of the Geary County Food Pantry.

Located in Junction City, the food pantry has been adding 12 to 15 new families each time it has a food distribution, Johns said. Typically, the organization sees just three to five new families each time it opens its doors, she said.

“It’s a little scary,” Johns said. “We’ve got a pretty good stock but you just see it go each time. If they clear the shelves, how long are we going to be able to keep up with this?”

Johns said the food pantry adapted its guidelines to make sure they are able to serve furloughed federal employees. Many of them work at Fort Riley and would exceed income guidelines.

Johns is grateful many in the Geary County area are donating food and holding food drives to help out. The county has the highest child food insecurity rate in Kansas, she said, so all of the challenges this year have made the problem worse.

Gov. Laura Kelly added food drives to the remaining stops on her statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/796/55#!/" target="_blank">“The People’s Budget” listening tour</a>&nbsp;because of the widespread need. Working in partnership with the Kansas Food Bank and Harvesters — The Community Food Network, she encouraged anyone attending the town hall events to bring nonperishable, nonglass food items.

“As the federal government shutdown continues to drag on, Kansans who are furloughed, and especially those who receive SNAP and WIC benefits, are caught in the crossfire,” Kelly said.&nbsp;

Kelly also announced this week that she joined a coalition of 22 states and two governors in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins for “unlawfully suspending” SNAP funds during the government shutdown.&nbsp;

“States cannot, and should not, take on the federal government’s responsibility to fund SNAP,” Kelly said in a news release. “Cutting off SNAP payments is an unprecedented choice made by the Trump Administration and Congress that will harm millions of families across the country. I joined this lawsuit to protect Kansans, because the federal government has a legal and moral responsibility to fund this program, not to take food out of the mouths of Kansas children.”

Grocery stores are planning for changed buying patterns as SNAP funding cuts off, said Jon McCormick, president and CEO at Retail Grocers Association, Kansas and Missouri.

SNAP benefits put nearly $33 million each month into the Kansas economy, according to the USDA.&nbsp;

The effect on grocery stores of missing SNAP payments will be “immediate,” McCormick said, although multiple factors determine the effect in specific stores.

“A store in Lenexa is going to have minimal SNAP recipients shopping,” he said. “A store in the urban core of Wichita is totally different.That could be 40% of the business. It certainly is going to affect the urban core stores and the very small rural stores.”

McCormick serves on the National Grocers Association government relations committee, and he visited Washington, D.C., last week to discuss resolutions to continue SNAP funding.

“For us as an industry, including all food manufacturers and providers, it is disruptive for the customer. It’s disruptive for the supply chain. It’s disruptive for the retailer,” he said, adding that he’s confident retailers will be able to manage through this challenge.

“The independent retailer is rather resilient and creative when it comes to adversity,” McCormick said.

Grocery store owners and managers across the state are unsure exactly how they will be affected when SNAP payments stop. Some, like Pam Budenbender, owner of Onaga Country Market, don’t expect to see many changes because her store doesn’t serve many people using SNAP.&nbsp;

However, she said she’s worried about a customer who is deaf and needs the benefit to buy food. Budenbender already helps her out as much as she can.&nbsp;

Scott Bird, co-owner of Family Market in Quinter, said his store definitely will be affected, as it participates in eWIC, part of the Women, Infant and Children’s program that offers supplemental nutrition for mothers and infants.

“It definitely will have an effect on small-town stores and people who need those services,” he said.

He isn’t yet adapting inventory but is in a “wait-and-see” mode, Bird added.

Others affected by the federal government shutdown include banks, mortgage companies and property management companies that rent apartments.

“Kansas banks and bankers stand ready to work with and support their customers who may be facing any hardships due to the current federal government shutdown,” said Doug Wareham, president and CEO of the Kansas Bankers Association.&nbsp;

In a statement, he encouraged federal employees to reach out to their banks as soon as possible to discuss their personal situation and see what help may be available, including potential fee waivers, payment deadline extensions, or other accommodations.

“The banking industry will continue to support Kansans through major challenges such as this shutdown just as we did during the pandemic and previous interruptions in government operations,” Wareham said.

Gary Olds, with the Geary County Landlords Association, said it is early in the shutdown to determine how landlords will manage missed rental payments. The Junction City area is military-dependent, he said.&nbsp;

“I think in general, landlords are going to try to work with military with regards to the rent, but that’s a broadbrush statement on my part,” he said. “Most landlords can probably weather about 30 days because they have the security deposit. Hopefully at least some of the tenants that are military have some level of savings that can make a payment or make a partial payment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761760838341.png" alt=" Julia Loper works at the Geary County Food Pantry in Junction City, stocking shelves and helping customers. Like many food pantries across Kansas, the organization is struggling to meet community needs. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption> Julia Loper works at the Geary County Food Pantry in Junction City, stocking shelves and helping customers. Like many food pantries across Kansas, the organization is struggling to meet community needs. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansans who receive food assistance or are furloughed from federal jobs are scrambling to pay bills and feed their families as the federal government shutdown drags on.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tuesday was the deadline for the federal government to reopen so that November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments could go out to beneficiaries. It takes 72 hours for the payments to process, according to the Kansas Department for Children and Families.More than 93,000 Kansas households — nearly 188,000 Kansans — use SNAP benefits to put food on their tables, DCF said in a press release. The bulk of those using SNAP are children.As politicians on both sides exchange barbs on social media and in news releases about who is at fault for shutting down the government, Kansans like Daniel Scharpenburg, of Overland Park, are carefully tracking their bank account balances. He’s worried about a teenage son with a big appetite and the possibility of empty kitchen cabinets.Scharpenburg, 45, is furloughed from the Internal Revenue Service office in Kansas City, Missouri. He worked the first five days of the shutdown, leaving Oct. 8 and receiving a paycheck in mid-October for those days of work.&nbsp;“I have to be very careful with my bills, because I have now missed a paycheck,” he said. “I’m having to rely on food banks and things like that to make sure I have food. If I start thinking about my car payment and my phone bill and my rent, I’m gonna go crazy. I really do have to focus on the next bill that’s due and hope for the best.”Scharpenburg is applying for jobs in the Kansas City area but isn’t having much luck. He said all furloughed workers in the area are competing for jobs.The IRS location employs about 6,000 people, and reports from the federal government indicate about half of IRS workers have been furloughed, he said. Housing and Urban Development also has a Kansas City office, and those employees are affected by the shutdown too, Scharpenburg said.Scharpenburg’s ex-wife is also a furloughed IRS employee, and he worries that his 15-year-old son at home will eventually be affected by the situation.“I really thought it would be over before now,” Scharpenburg said. “In another week, it’s going to break the record for longest shutdown if it keeps going, and that’s not a record I want to see broken. So, yeah, I am worried that it will go on longer.”Scharpenburg is first vice president in the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 66, which covers Kansas City, Missouri. In that role, he’s hearing daily from furloughed employees who are scared and frustrated.The union put together lists of food banks and other local resources, he said.&nbsp;“But you know, it’s hard times for a lot of people, so it seems like the resources we lean on to help us are being stretched thin, just like just like our dollars are,” he said.Scharpenburg said union members tell him that landlords and bankers have been willing to work with furloughed employees, knowing that eventually they’ll get back pay. The idea floated in Washington of withholding back pay was like a “slap in the face,” he said.“When a politician says something like that, it feels like, oh, they don’t respect our work at all,” he said. “I am nervous. The law is clear that we will get paid at the end of this, but that being said, if Congress could pass something to change that … I don’t know what will happen if the executive branch were to decide just to not pay us. They’d have to go to court, but I don’t know if that would be resolved quickly.”<h2>Food pantries struggling</h2>Many pantries statewide are stretching to meet community needs generated by rising prices and furloughed employees. Now, missing SNAP payments are expected to intensify the situation, said Debbie Johns, director of the Geary County Food Pantry.Located in Junction City, the food pantry has been adding 12 to 15 new families each time it has a food distribution, Johns said. Typically, the organization sees just three to five new families each time it opens its doors, she said.“It’s a little scary,” Johns said. “We’ve got a pretty good stock but you just see it go each time. If they clear the shelves, how long are we going to be able to keep up with this?”Johns said the food pantry adapted its guidelines to make sure they are able to serve furloughed federal employees. Many of them work at Fort Riley and would exceed income guidelines.Johns is grateful many in the Geary County area are donating food and holding food drives to help out. The county has the highest child food insecurity rate in Kansas, she said, so all of the challenges this year have made the problem worse.Gov. Laura Kelly added food drives to the remaining stops on her statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/796/55#!/" target="_blank">“The People’s Budget” listening tour</a>&nbsp;because of the widespread need. Working in partnership with the Kansas Food Bank and Harvesters — The Community Food Network, she encouraged anyone attending the town hall events to bring nonperishable, nonglass food items.“As the federal government shutdown continues to drag on, Kansans who are furloughed, and especially those who receive SNAP and WIC benefits, are caught in the crossfire,” Kelly said.&nbsp;Kelly also announced this week that she joined a coalition of 22 states and two governors in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins for “unlawfully suspending” SNAP funds during the government shutdown.&nbsp;“States cannot, and should not, take on the federal government’s responsibility to fund SNAP,” Kelly said in a news release. “Cutting off SNAP payments is an unprecedented choice made by the Trump Administration and Congress that will harm millions of families across the country. I joined this lawsuit to protect Kansans, because the federal government has a legal and moral responsibility to fund this program, not to take food out of the mouths of Kansas children.”<h2>Economic challenges</h2>Grocery stores are planning for changed buying patterns as SNAP funding cuts off, said Jon McCormick, president and CEO at Retail Grocers Association, Kansas and Missouri.SNAP benefits put nearly $33 million each month into the Kansas economy, according to the USDA.&nbsp;The effect on grocery stores of missing SNAP payments will be “immediate,” McCormick said, although multiple factors determine the effect in specific stores.“A store in Lenexa is going to have minimal SNAP recipients shopping,” he said. “A store in the urban core of Wichita is totally different.That could be 40% of the business. It certainly is going to affect the urban core stores and the very small rural stores.”McCormick serves on the National Grocers Association government relations committee, and he visited Washington, D.C., last week to discuss resolutions to continue SNAP funding.“For us as an industry, including all food manufacturers and providers, it is disruptive for the customer. It’s disruptive for the supply chain. It’s disruptive for the retailer,” he said, adding that he’s confident retailers will be able to manage through this challenge.“The independent retailer is rather resilient and creative when it comes to adversity,” McCormick said.Grocery store owners and managers across the state are unsure exactly how they will be affected when SNAP payments stop. Some, like Pam Budenbender, owner of Onaga Country Market, don’t expect to see many changes because her store doesn’t serve many people using SNAP.&nbsp;However, she said she’s worried about a customer who is deaf and needs the benefit to buy food. Budenbender already helps her out as much as she can.&nbsp;Scott Bird, co-owner of Family Market in Quinter, said his store definitely will be affected, as it participates in eWIC, part of the Women, Infant and Children’s program that offers supplemental nutrition for mothers and infants.“It definitely will have an effect on small-town stores and people who need those services,” he said.He isn’t yet adapting inventory but is in a “wait-and-see” mode, Bird added.Others affected by the federal government shutdown include banks, mortgage companies and property management companies that rent apartments.“Kansas banks and bankers stand ready to work with and support their customers who may be facing any hardships due to the current federal government shutdown,” said Doug Wareham, president and CEO of the Kansas Bankers Association.&nbsp;In a statement, he encouraged federal employees to reach out to their banks as soon as possible to discuss their personal situation and see what help may be available, including potential fee waivers, payment deadline extensions, or other accommodations.“The banking industry will continue to support Kansans through major challenges such as this shutdown just as we did during the pandemic and previous interruptions in government operations,” Wareham said.Gary Olds, with the Geary County Landlords Association, said it is early in the shutdown to determine how landlords will manage missed rental payments. The Junction City area is military-dependent, he said.&nbsp;“I think in general, landlords are going to try to work with military with regards to the rent, but that’s a broadbrush statement on my part,” he said. “Most landlords can probably weather about 30 days because they have the security deposit. Hopefully at least some of the tenants that are military have some level of savings that can make a payment or make a partial payment.”

‘Hope for the best’: Government shutdown strains Kansas food resources, local businesses

The first freeze for the fall 2025 season is expected to occur tonight as sub-freezing temperatures are anticipated.

According to the US National Weather Service, freezing temperatures are expected for Salina and portions throughout Central Kansas.

Salina is recorded to have a low of 32 degrees Wednesday evening. Russell is reported to have the lowest temperature of 30 degrees.

Moreover, a Freeze Watch is in effect after midnight.

Following the Freeze Watch, low&nbsp;temperatures will be in the 30s, with Russell reaching as low as 26 throughout the rest of the week (Thursday, October 30 - Sunday, November 2).

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNWSWichita%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0PnzMsfsGyZ3LqJyeWVitfGNtxHxDAeyoohqSopw75MFn6q9NwacgZwWMsARkcvqKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="392" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Salina PostThe first freeze for the fall 2025 season is expected to occur tonight as sub-freezing temperatures are anticipated.According to the US National Weather Service, freezing temperatures are expected for Salina and portions throughout Central Kansas.Salina is recorded to have a low of 32 degrees Wednesday evening. Russell is reported to have the lowest temperature of 30 degrees.Moreover, a Freeze Watch is in effect after midnight.Following the Freeze Watch, low&nbsp;temperatures will be in the 30s, with Russell reaching as low as 26 throughout the rest of the week (Thursday, October 30 - Sunday, November 2).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761749988990.png" alt="Salina Weather Forecast | Wednesday, October 29 - Saturday, November 1. Courtesy of US National Weather Service" />
 <figcaption>Salina Weather Forecast | Wednesday, October 29 - Saturday, November 1. Courtesy of US National Weather Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Salina under Freeze Watch as freezing temperatures return 

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Tuesday failed for the 13th time to advance a stopgap spending bill that would fund the government until Nov. 21 and end the nearly one-month government shutdown.

Tuesday was also the day when air traffic controllers, who are working without pay, missed their first full paychecks. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today" target="_blank">FlightAware delays tracker</a>&nbsp;reported 7,404 delays within, into or out of the United States on Monday and 161 cancellations within the U.S. A temporary ground stop&nbsp;<a href="https://abc7.com/post/ground-stop-issued-lax-due-staffing-issues-faa-reports/18073981/" target="_blank">was issued&nbsp;</a>at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday morning due to staffing issues.

In the nation’s capital, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00590.htm" target="_blank">54-45&nbsp;vote</a>&nbsp;was nearly identical to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-day-22-sets-record-second-longest-us-history-no-sign-deal" target="_blank">previous 12 votes,</a>&nbsp;as Republicans and Democrats stuck to their positions. The legislation needed at least 60 votes to advance, under the Senate’s legislative filibuster.&nbsp;

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and&nbsp;Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, both Democrats,&nbsp;and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with Republicans to advance the legislation. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted no.

Democrats are under increasing pressure to pass the House-passed GOP stopgap measure, with 42 million Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/upcoming-federal-food-assistance-pause-intensifies-shutdown-fight" target="_blank">at risk of losing food assistance</a>&nbsp;for November, many federal workers beginning to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pay-trump-and-congress-continues-shutdown-unless-they-ask-it-be-held" target="_blank">miss their paychecks&nbsp;</a>and one of the largest unions representing federal workers calling for an end to the government shutdown, now at day 28.&nbsp;

Amid the government shutdown, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-tried-lay-more-2000-interior-staff-shutdown-plan-now-hold" target="_blank">has moved to lay off federal workers,</a>&nbsp;and a federal judge is holding a Tuesday hearing to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-broadens-order-blocking-trump-administration-layoffs-during-shutdown" target="_blank">consider a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;to block the mass Reductions in Force, or RIFs.

As President Donald Trump continues his overseas travel throughout Asia meeting with foreign leaders, Vice President JD Vance&nbsp;joined&nbsp;Senate Republicans during their Tuesday caucus lunch meeting.&nbsp;

Vance defended USDA’s decision to not tap into its contingency fund provided by Congress to continue food assistance benefits amid a funding lapse.

“We’re exploring all options,” Vance said.&nbsp;

Congress provided USDA with the multi-year contingency fund, which totals about $6 billion — short of the roughly $9 billion needed to cover a full month of SNAP benefits. USDA would have to reshuffle funds to provide November payments.&nbsp;

“We are trying as much as possible to ensure that critical food benefits get paid,” Vance said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-ags-governors-sue-trump-over-snap-benefits-shutdown-hits-day-28" target="_blank">A coalition of Democratic state officials Tuesday sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration and urged a federal judge to force the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release SNAP benefits for 42 million people.

Vance called on five Democrats to join Senate Republicans in approving a short-term funding bill.

“If the Democrats just opened up the government, then we wouldn’t have to play this game where … we’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole with the budget,” Vance said.&nbsp;

Democrats have continued to vote against the House’s GOP short-term spending bill to draw attention to and force negotiations on tax credits that will expire at the end of the year for people who buy their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Republicans maintain the government must reopen before they begin any talks.

Republicans are also weighing whether to pass a stand-alone bill by GOP Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley to approve funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.&nbsp;

Ten Senate Republicans have joined to sponsor the bill, including&nbsp;Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins of Maine.&nbsp;One Democratic senator also cosponsored the bill, Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats would also introduce their own separate bill to provide funding for not only SNAP, but for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC.

During a Tuesday press conference, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., did not seem receptive to scheduling a Senate vote on a stand-alone bill to address SNAP.&nbsp;

“I mean, this piecemeal approach where you do one off here, one off there, to make it seem more politically palatable to somebody…that is just a wrong way to do this,” Thune said.&nbsp;

Instead, he argued that Democrats should just support the stopgap spending bill.&nbsp;

Another critical deadline is approaching. Active-duty military members will miss their paychecks by Friday if the government is still in a funding lapse. The Trump administration already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pentagon-shift-research-dollars-pay-troops-during-shutdown" target="_blank">reprogrammed $8 billion&nbsp;</a>earlier this month from multi-year research funds from the Defense Department in order to pay the troops.&nbsp;

However, Vance said the Trump administration expects to be able to pay troops this Friday, although the vice president didn’t detail where those funds would come from.

Before Tuesday morning’s vote, Thune said Democrats should listen to calls for an end to the shutdown from the&nbsp;American Federation of Government Employees, or AFGE, labor union, which typically aligns with Democrats.&nbsp;

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, also cited the call from AFGE, telling Democrats “you have an off-ramp,” during a Tuesday press conference.

“The largest unions are saying, ‘Please do this,’” Johnson said. “You can claim that as cover and say that you had to do it.”

Last week, there were dueling bills from both parties related to paying federal workers amid the shutdown,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-fails-move-ahead-bills-extending-pay-federal-workers-during-shutdown" target="_blank">but those efforts failed to meet the 60-vote threshold to move forward.</a>

The end of the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, was in part due to shortages of air traffic controllers that upended air travel across the country and forced lawmakers to strike a deal.&nbsp;

Schumer critical of administration shutdown decisions

During a Tuesday press conference, Schumer slammed the Trump administration for refusing to tap into its contingency fund for SNAP.

“The money is there,” the New York Democrat said. “The hungry people, the hungry children, the hungry veterans, the hungry elderly, could be fed, but Trump’s using them as hostages.”

Of the 42 million people on SNAP, roughly 40% are children 17 and younger.&nbsp;

He also criticized Trump for traveling abroad and for his administration’s priority to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-press-secretary-defends-white-house-ballroom-project-amid-east-wing-teardown" target="_blank">demolish the East Wing of the White House</a>&nbsp;for a ballroom.&nbsp;

“His number one priority is his ballroom,” Schumer said. “When people are suffering, what kind of president is this?”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761667643773.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran casting his vote on Tuesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran casting his vote on Tuesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Tuesday failed for the 13th time to advance a stopgap spending bill that would fund the government until Nov. 21 and end the nearly one-month government shutdown.Tuesday was also the day when air traffic controllers, who are working without pay, missed their first full paychecks. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today" target="_blank">FlightAware delays tracker</a>&nbsp;reported 7,404 delays within, into or out of the United States on Monday and 161 cancellations within the U.S. A temporary ground stop&nbsp;<a href="https://abc7.com/post/ground-stop-issued-lax-due-staffing-issues-faa-reports/18073981/" target="_blank">was issued&nbsp;</a>at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday morning due to staffing issues.In the nation’s capital, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00590.htm" target="_blank">54-45&nbsp;vote</a>&nbsp;was nearly identical to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-day-22-sets-record-second-longest-us-history-no-sign-deal" target="_blank">previous 12 votes,</a>&nbsp;as Republicans and Democrats stuck to their positions. The legislation needed at least 60 votes to advance, under the Senate’s legislative filibuster.&nbsp;Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and&nbsp;Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, both Democrats,&nbsp;and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with Republicans to advance the legislation. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted no.<h2>Vance defends SNAP cutoff</h2>Democrats are under increasing pressure to pass the House-passed GOP stopgap measure, with 42 million Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/upcoming-federal-food-assistance-pause-intensifies-shutdown-fight" target="_blank">at risk of losing food assistance</a>&nbsp;for November, many federal workers beginning to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pay-trump-and-congress-continues-shutdown-unless-they-ask-it-be-held" target="_blank">miss their paychecks&nbsp;</a>and one of the largest unions representing federal workers calling for an end to the government shutdown, now at day 28.&nbsp;Amid the government shutdown, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-tried-lay-more-2000-interior-staff-shutdown-plan-now-hold" target="_blank">has moved to lay off federal workers,</a>&nbsp;and a federal judge is holding a Tuesday hearing to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-broadens-order-blocking-trump-administration-layoffs-during-shutdown" target="_blank">consider a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;to block the mass Reductions in Force, or RIFs.As President Donald Trump continues his overseas travel throughout Asia meeting with foreign leaders, Vice President JD Vance&nbsp;joined&nbsp;Senate Republicans during their Tuesday caucus lunch meeting.&nbsp;Vance defended USDA’s decision to not tap into its contingency fund provided by Congress to continue food assistance benefits amid a funding lapse.“We’re exploring all options,” Vance said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761740650260.png" alt="After attending a caucus lunch meeting with Senate Republicans, Vice President JD Vance briefly speaks with reporters on day 28 of the government shutdown, Oct. 28, 2025. (Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsoom)" />
 <figcaption>After attending a caucus lunch meeting with Senate Republicans, Vice President JD Vance briefly speaks with reporters on day 28 of the government shutdown, Oct. 28, 2025. (Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsoom)</figcaption>
 </figure>Congress provided USDA with the multi-year contingency fund, which totals about $6 billion — short of the roughly $9 billion needed to cover a full month of SNAP benefits. USDA would have to reshuffle funds to provide November payments.&nbsp;“We are trying as much as possible to ensure that critical food benefits get paid,” Vance said.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-ags-governors-sue-trump-over-snap-benefits-shutdown-hits-day-28" target="_blank">A coalition of Democratic state officials Tuesday sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration and urged a federal judge to force the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release SNAP benefits for 42 million people.Vance called on five Democrats to join Senate Republicans in approving a short-term funding bill.“If the Democrats just opened up the government, then we wouldn’t have to play this game where … we’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole with the budget,” Vance said.&nbsp;Democrats have continued to vote against the House’s GOP short-term spending bill to draw attention to and force negotiations on tax credits that will expire at the end of the year for people who buy their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Republicans maintain the government must reopen before they begin any talks.<h2>Votes possible on SNAP funding</h2>Republicans are also weighing whether to pass a stand-alone bill by GOP Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley to approve funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.&nbsp;Ten Senate Republicans have joined to sponsor the bill, including&nbsp;Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins of Maine.&nbsp;One Democratic senator also cosponsored the bill, Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont.&nbsp;Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats would also introduce their own separate bill to provide funding for not only SNAP, but for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC.During a Tuesday press conference, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., did not seem receptive to scheduling a Senate vote on a stand-alone bill to address SNAP.&nbsp;“I mean, this piecemeal approach where you do one off here, one off there, to make it seem more politically palatable to somebody…that is just a wrong way to do this,” Thune said.&nbsp;Instead, he argued that Democrats should just support the stopgap spending bill.&nbsp;Another critical deadline is approaching. Active-duty military members will miss their paychecks by Friday if the government is still in a funding lapse. The Trump administration already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pentagon-shift-research-dollars-pay-troops-during-shutdown" target="_blank">reprogrammed $8 billion&nbsp;</a>earlier this month from multi-year research funds from the Defense Department in order to pay the troops.&nbsp;However, Vance said the Trump administration expects to be able to pay troops this Friday, although the vice president didn’t detail where those funds would come from.Before Tuesday morning’s vote, Thune said Democrats should listen to calls for an end to the shutdown from the&nbsp;American Federation of Government Employees, or AFGE, labor union, which typically aligns with Democrats.&nbsp;House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, also cited the call from AFGE, telling Democrats “you have an off-ramp,” during a Tuesday press conference.“The largest unions are saying, ‘Please do this,’” Johnson said. “You can claim that as cover and say that you had to do it.”Last week, there were dueling bills from both parties related to paying federal workers amid the shutdown,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-fails-move-ahead-bills-extending-pay-federal-workers-during-shutdown" target="_blank">but those efforts failed to meet the 60-vote threshold to move forward.</a>The end of the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, was in part due to shortages of air traffic controllers that upended air travel across the country and forced lawmakers to strike a deal.&nbsp;<h2>Schumer critical of administration shutdown decisions</h2>During a Tuesday press conference, Schumer slammed the Trump administration for refusing to tap into its contingency fund for SNAP.“The money is there,” the New York Democrat said. “The hungry people, the hungry children, the hungry veterans, the hungry elderly, could be fed, but Trump’s using them as hostages.”Of the 42 million people on SNAP, roughly 40% are children 17 and younger.&nbsp;He also criticized Trump for traveling abroad and for his administration’s priority to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-press-secretary-defends-white-house-ballroom-project-amid-east-wing-teardown" target="_blank">demolish the East Wing of the White House</a>&nbsp;for a ballroom.&nbsp;“His number one priority is his ballroom,” Schumer said. “When people are suffering, what kind of president is this?”&nbsp;

US Senate again rejects bill ending shutdown, as air traffic controllers miss paychecks

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761748475563.png" alt="Three day weather forecast Salina, October 29 - October 31.&nbsp;Courtesy of US National Weather Service" />
 <figcaption>Three day weather forecast Salina, October 29 - October 31.&nbsp;Courtesy of US National Weather Service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Three day weather forecast Salina, October 29 - October 31

TOPEKA — Kansas farm leaders are pushing Congress to get back to work and solve problems facing the agriculture industry, pointing out that a closed government doesn’t mean U.S. lawmakers can’t be in session.

“I’m up here in Republic County and there’s a lot of activity going around harvest,” said Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union. “And then, of course, wheat drilling and all that, too, and getting ready to move cattle off of pastures. The work doesn’t stop for farmers. We don’t pause, we don’t shut down. We have to keep going.”

Levendofsky, speaking earlier this month in a virtual press conference arranged by Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids, echoed comments from Kansas agriculture secretary Mike Beam to get Congress back to work.

“It’s time to get back to work on and really address some things, particularly some things that really don’t cost money — it’s just public policy that we need to address,” Beam said on the same call.

Levendofsky said the farm bill was allowed to expire, and even though some agricultural issues were addressed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, much is left to do.

“I’ve talked with farmers in our organization, farmers in my area, and farmers all across the state, and they’re very frustrated with what’s going on right now,” he said.

As farmers are grappling with increased input expenses, tariffs and weather, Davids said she was “p***ed” about President Donald Trump’s expressed intentions to import more Argentinian beef.

“I think we need to be doing everything we can to support American ranchers and producers and farmers and not importing in stuff that we’re growing here,” she said.

Matthew Steele, CEO and executive director of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, listens to news every day with a strong dose of caution and “trying to read through the lines.” As an engineer with a compliance background, he’s always looking deeper, he said.

“You’ve got to always be thinking about this is the black and white, what does all the gray around it mean?” he said in a call with the Kansas Reflector.

For instance, outcry about the potential of Mexico reopening its U.S. border to import feeder cattle doesn’t have as big of an impact as people might expect, Steele said.

About 1 million head a year come in from Mexico, out of 83 million head produced in the U.S., he said.

“It’s not that big of a number,” Steele said. “They’re still anywhere from three to eight or nine months from being ready for harvest anyway. Where the impact comes is those aren’t prime animals that are coming up. It’s not like they’re bringing in certified Angus roasts and steaks. It’s lower quality we grind up and serve as hamburgers.”

Still, the market took that news and went “crazy,” he said. Live cattle contracts fell Monday, dropping about $7 on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/lc00?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqe5Xw6SQAaUNwGs9A2aB5ASjPdCoXZgWQjhkC7P1xNSJF4pjUBVwcdsSUxoQ54%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6900dd4b&amp;gaa_sig=Lbzoo0bAhVTAV00lcfxF6snutG3jmoxhqzu_x9PHRP9kDvieAxABx0qDmPz3uZmoJfgkA4qY-GOI_WMvS5ytDA%3D%3D" target="_blank">according to Marketwatch</a>.

Steele said his organization is telling farmers to call their representatives to share stories and help them understand how the system works. Although organizations like Kansas Cattlemen’s are advocating, it means more coming from the people who are doing the work, he said.

Adam Phelon, a Kansas Soybean Association board member who farms with his family near Garnett, joined Davids’ call to share his frustration with the shutdown and what a challenge it can be throughout rural communities with a “snowball effect” that hits many areas.

Phelon said farmers need consistency and certainty to make plans, and they don’t have that right now. He also pointed to families that need support from programs like Women, Infants and Children payments and a friend in the Navy who is stationed in Germany and wasn’t able to make their house payment that was due in October.

“The difficult thing is that even when the government does get back up and running, we’re going to be so far behind,” Phelon said. “We applaud the Congress for getting the renewable fuel standards up to where they should be, but those should be implemented at the beginning of November, and because of this government shutdown, it may be pushed back into the following year.”

Although Davids said the Farm Service Agency announced last week it would resume partial operations, that wasn’t enough to help Kansas farmers.

“This is just a Band-Aid on a larger problem of a government shutdown, and our farmers, ranchers, producers are hurting,” Davids said. “They haven’t received some of their farm subsidies or loans. Conservation projects are stalled, like one that’s near Baldwin City, Kansas, they can’t move forward because no one is in the office to simply process the paperwork. Without crop or market reports, producers are being forced to make major financial decisions in the dark. These programs are truly a lifeline for rural America.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761674362747.png" alt=" Kansas ranchers are concerned about statements out of Washington, D.C., about importing more beef from Mexico and Argentina and how that affects market prices. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas ranchers are concerned about statements out of Washington, D.C., about importing more beef from Mexico and Argentina and how that affects market prices. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas farm leaders are pushing Congress to get back to work and solve problems facing the agriculture industry, pointing out that a closed government doesn’t mean U.S. lawmakers can’t be in session.“I’m up here in Republic County and there’s a lot of activity going around harvest,” said Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union. “And then, of course, wheat drilling and all that, too, and getting ready to move cattle off of pastures. The work doesn’t stop for farmers. We don’t pause, we don’t shut down. We have to keep going.”Levendofsky, speaking earlier this month in a virtual press conference arranged by Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids, echoed comments from Kansas agriculture secretary Mike Beam to get Congress back to work.“It’s time to get back to work on and really address some things, particularly some things that really don’t cost money — it’s just public policy that we need to address,” Beam said on the same call.Levendofsky said the farm bill was allowed to expire, and even though some agricultural issues were addressed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, much is left to do.“I’ve talked with farmers in our organization, farmers in my area, and farmers all across the state, and they’re very frustrated with what’s going on right now,” he said.As farmers are grappling with increased input expenses, tariffs and weather, Davids said she was “p***ed” about President Donald Trump’s expressed intentions to import more Argentinian beef.“I think we need to be doing everything we can to support American ranchers and producers and farmers and not importing in stuff that we’re growing here,” she said.Matthew Steele, CEO and executive director of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, listens to news every day with a strong dose of caution and “trying to read through the lines.” As an engineer with a compliance background, he’s always looking deeper, he said.“You’ve got to always be thinking about this is the black and white, what does all the gray around it mean?” he said in a call with the Kansas Reflector.For instance, outcry about the potential of Mexico reopening its U.S. border to import feeder cattle doesn’t have as big of an impact as people might expect, Steele said.About 1 million head a year come in from Mexico, out of 83 million head produced in the U.S., he said.“It’s not that big of a number,” Steele said. “They’re still anywhere from three to eight or nine months from being ready for harvest anyway. Where the impact comes is those aren’t prime animals that are coming up. It’s not like they’re bringing in certified Angus roasts and steaks. It’s lower quality we grind up and serve as hamburgers.”Still, the market took that news and went “crazy,” he said. Live cattle contracts fell Monday, dropping about $7 on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/lc00?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqe5Xw6SQAaUNwGs9A2aB5ASjPdCoXZgWQjhkC7P1xNSJF4pjUBVwcdsSUxoQ54%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6900dd4b&amp;gaa_sig=Lbzoo0bAhVTAV00lcfxF6snutG3jmoxhqzu_x9PHRP9kDvieAxABx0qDmPz3uZmoJfgkA4qY-GOI_WMvS5ytDA%3D%3D" target="_blank">according to Marketwatch</a>.Steele said his organization is telling farmers to call their representatives to share stories and help them understand how the system works. Although organizations like Kansas Cattlemen’s are advocating, it means more coming from the people who are doing the work, he said.Adam Phelon, a Kansas Soybean Association board member who farms with his family near Garnett, joined Davids’ call to share his frustration with the shutdown and what a challenge it can be throughout rural communities with a “snowball effect” that hits many areas.Phelon said farmers need consistency and certainty to make plans, and they don’t have that right now. He also pointed to families that need support from programs like Women, Infants and Children payments and a friend in the Navy who is stationed in Germany and wasn’t able to make their house payment that was due in October.“The difficult thing is that even when the government does get back up and running, we’re going to be so far behind,” Phelon said. “We applaud the Congress for getting the renewable fuel standards up to where they should be, but those should be implemented at the beginning of November, and because of this government shutdown, it may be pushed back into the following year.”Although Davids said the Farm Service Agency announced last week it would resume partial operations, that wasn’t enough to help Kansas farmers.“This is just a Band-Aid on a larger problem of a government shutdown, and our farmers, ranchers, producers are hurting,” Davids said. “They haven’t received some of their farm subsidies or loans. Conservation projects are stalled, like one that’s near Baldwin City, Kansas, they can’t move forward because no one is in the office to simply process the paperwork. Without crop or market reports, producers are being forced to make major financial decisions in the dark. These programs are truly a lifeline for rural America.”

We don’t shut down’: Kansas ag leaders tell Congress to get back to work

13/13&nbsp;Texas Tech at K-State

Date:&nbsp;Saturday, November 1, 2025

Stadium:&nbsp;Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

TV:&nbsp;FOX (<a href="https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/texas-tech-red-raiders-vs-kansas-state-wildcats-nov-01-2025-game-boxscore-42235?tab=odds" target="_blank">watch</a>)

K-State Radio:&nbsp;K-State Sports Network;&nbsp;<a href="http://k-statesports.com/" target="_blank">k-statesports.com</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/" target="_blank">Listen</a>)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stan Weber (Analyst)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Matt Walters (Sidelines)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 138 or 199, and on the SiriusXM App

<a href="https://tunein.com/radio/Big-12-Radio-s329464/" target="_blank">Big 12 Radio on TuneIn</a>

X Updates:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/kstatefb" target="_blank">@KStateFB</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/kstatestatsinfo" target="_blank">@KStateStatsInfo</a>

1)&nbsp;Coming off a dominating 42-17 win over in-state rival Kansas – its 17th straight win in the series – Kansas State returns home on Saturday as it hosts 13th-ranked Texas Tech inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m., and will be shown on FOX with Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst) and Alexa Landestoy (sidelines) on the call.

2)&nbsp;After starting the season with a 1-3 record, the Wildcats have rebounded the last four games by going 3-1 as their lone loss in that stretch was a one-point defeat at Baylor. The Wildcats have averaged 37.8 points per game over their last four games, as K-State is tied for third in scoring among Power 4 schools since September 27 with Tennessee, just behind Utah (41.0 ppg) and Pittsburgh (38.4 ppg).

3)&nbsp;Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 23rd-career start under center having thrown for 1,792 yards and 15 touchdowns with only two interceptions as his 0.8% interception ratio ranks 13th in the nation and second in the Big 12. He has thrown touchdown passes to six different receivers this season, with wide receiver Jayce Brown and tight end Garrett Oakley leading the way with four apiece.

4)&nbsp;Austin Romaine leads the team with 55 tackles, followed by 46 from Des Purnell, who over the last two games has recorded two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and five total passes defended. Cornerback Zashon Rich is tied for second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally with eight pass breakups, and the Cats rank second in the country with nine fumble recoveries.

5)&nbsp;Kicker Luis Rodriguez is 10-for-11 on field goals, ranking 15th in the country with a 90.9% conversion rate as his only miss was a blocked 56-yard attempt at the end of the Baylor game. Punter Simon McClannan ranks sixth in the Big 12 with a 41.7-yard average. The Cats rank 13th nationally with a 26.9-yard kickoff return average, led by Bryce Noernberg, who ranks third in the country with a 29.9-yard average.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS217.7&nbsp;– Pass efficiency rating by Avery Johnson at KU, the highest mark by a K-State QB in a conference game since 2014 (min. 15 att.)

139&nbsp;– Nation-leading non-offensive scores by K-State since 1999 after three in its last two games.

37.8&nbsp;– Points per game by the Wildcats over the last four games, which is tied for third among Power 4 schools since September 27.

17&nbsp;– Number of turnovers the Wildcats have forced this season, which ranks third in the nation and first in the Big 12.

1&nbsp;– The first-ever Big 12 game was a 21-14 K-State win over Texas Tech in Manhattan on August 31, 1996.

• Kansas State is coming off a dominating 42-17 win at Kansas, its 17th straight win over the Jayhawks.

• Avery Johnson was 11-of-17 for 231 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, while Jayce Brown caught four passes for 160 yards, including a 78-yard score.

• Defensively, the Wildcats forced four total turnovers and pressured quarterback Jalon Daniels most of the day. The Jayhawks averaged just 3.2 yards per snap in the contest.

• Prior to that, the Wildcats earned a 41-28 victory over TCU, a game that featured defensive touchdowns by safety Wesley Fair (15-yard fumble return) and linebacker Des Purnell (25-yard interception return).

• Purnell’s pick-6 came on the very next play after he had a sack and was part of a two-interception game with four total passes defended en route to Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

• Johnson threw three touchdown passes against the Horned Frogs, including two to tight end Garrett Oakley, which gave him 11 in his career to set the school record by a tight end.

• K-State and Texas Tech will meet for the 25th time on Saturday as the Wildcats hold a 15-9 advantage in the series.

• These two teams also hold a special place in the Big 12 record book as they met in Manhattan on August 31, 1996, in the inaugural Big 12 Conference football game, a 21-14 Wildcat win.

• Kansas State will play a ranked team for the second time this season in No. 13 Texas Tech. The Wildcats opened the season with a narrow 24-21 loss to No. 22 Iowa State.

• This is the first time K-State will face a ranked Red Raider team since a 49-26 win over No. 25 Texas Tech in Lubbock in 2013.

• The Wildcats are looking to defeat a ranked opponent for the first time since September 2024 when they topped No. 20 Arizona, 31-7, before a 42-20 win over No. 20 Oklahoma State two weeks later.

• The last time K-State defeated a top-15 team was in the 2022 Big 12 Championship, a 31-28 overtime victory over No. 3 TCU.

• Of Kansas State’s last 21 games dating back to Week 2 of the 2024 season, 11 have been decided by just one score.

• Last year, the Wildcats went 4-2 in one-possession games. All four of the victories were fourth-quarter comebacks, which ranked second in the nation to Illinois’ five.

• This season, K-State has played five one-possession games but has only come out on the winning side one time. In four of those games, the Wildcats had the ball with a chance to either tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

• The five one-score games this year are tied for the second most among Power 4 teams (Ole Miss – 6; Arizona State, Iowa State and Virginia – 5).

• K-State is one of only 10 Power 4 schools that have won at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee.

• Among those teams, only Kansas State, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon have accomplished that feat in addition to winning a conference championship during that time frame.

• The Wildcats are tied for second among current Big 12 teams and 18th among Power 4 teams with 32 total wins since the beginning of 2022.

• K-State has a total of 235 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (247), TCU (244) and Utah (239).

• Kansas State has totaled 147 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.

• The Cats are also rank first among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.5% (78-53), just ahead of Oklahoma State (58.8%; 77-54).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 44-21 (67.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 34-32 (51.5%) on the road/neutral.

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 124-45 career record, as his 73.4% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have completed at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 15 current Power 4 full-time head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 52-32 since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019.

• K-State enters this week’s game against Texas Tech ranked third nationally in fewest penalties per game (3.25) and seventh in fewest penalty yards per game (33.0).

• Since 2022, the Wildcats have averaged 42.23 penalty yards per game (48 games) to rank sixth among Power 4 teams, while their 4.87 penalties per game to rank ninth.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 139 since 1999, 11 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 128) and 20 more than the next Big 12 program (Utah – 119).

• K-State recorded four non-offensive scores during the 2024 season – its most since also recording four in 2020 – and has equaled that mark in 2025.

• The first non-offensive score of the year was Bryce Noernberg’s 99-yard kickoff return against Army.

• Against TCU, Wesley Fair had a 15-yard fumble return touchdown in the second quarter before Des Purnell recorded a 25-yard interception return. It was the first time since the 2023 Baylor game that the Wildcats had two defensive touchdowns in one contest.

• Then, last week at Kansas, Ralph Ortiz scooped up an errant snap on a punt and returned it 20 yards for a score.

OFFENSIVE NOTESTOTAL OFFENSE• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 36 of the last 48 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

• The 36 games with at least 375 yards are tied for ninth in the Power 4 and rank second among Big 12 schools (TCU – 39).

• Georgia and USC lead the way with 41, followed by Ole Miss, Oregon and TCU with 39, Washington and Tennessee with 38, and Texas with 37.

• During that stretch, K-State holds a 28-8 record when totaling at least 375 yards, while the Wildcats are 4-8 when going under that mark. Two of their wins when going under 375 yards of offense have come in the last two games.RED ZONE SUCCESS• Kansas State enters the week ranked 16th nationally and third in the Big 12 by converting on 92.0% (23-of-25) of its red zone opportunities.

• That included a streak of 22-straight red-zone scores, which was the second-longest active streak in the Big 12 until taking a knee at Kansas to run out the clock.

• Since Chris Klieman’s first season at K-State in 2019, the Wildcats have been the best in the Big 12 in terms of converting red-zone opportunities into points.

• The Wildcats rank first in the Big 12 with a 90.1% (292-of-324) success rate in the red zone since 2019, just ahead of Texas Tech (87.9%) and Oklahoma State (87.2%).

• K-State also ranks first in the league in touchdown success rate at 67.0% (217-of-324), ahead of Utah (66.0%) and Kansas (66.0%).LIMITED SACKS PER GAME• K-State has been one of the nation’s best in terms of limiting sacks since head coach Chris Klieman’s first season of 2019.

• The Wildcats rank fifth among Power 4 teams and second in the Big 12 by allowing only 1.43 sacks per game over the last six-plus seasons, a span of 84 games.

• K-State is seventh in the nation by allowing 0.75 sacks per game this season.T.O.P. TURNAROUND• Over its first four games of 2025, Kansas State averaged 24:28 in time of possession, ranking 131st out of 134 teams entering its Week 5 game against UCF.

• Over the last four games, K-State is averaging 33:24 in time of possession. The Wildcats now rank 91st nationally in that department – a 40-spot jump in the rankings – with a season average of 28:56 – a 4:28 rise in their average.VERY EFFICIENT• Avery Johnson tallied a career-best pass efficiency rating of 217.7 at Kansas. It was the 10th-best mark by a K-State quarterback 1996 (minimum 15 attempts), the best since Jesse Ertz had a 319.8 rating against Central Arkansas in 2017 and the best in a Big 12 game since Jake Waters had a 218.1 mark against Kansas in 2014.

• Johnson’s mark was the second-best mark by a Big 12 quarterback in a league game this season.MULTIPLE SCORING STRIKES• Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes against Kansas, his fourth-straight game with multiple touchdown passes and 17th in his 22 career starts under center. His performance at Kansas came on the heels of a three-touchdown game against TCU, the second time this season and sixth in his career he had three passing touchdowns in a game.

• Johnson is now in second place in school history with 45 career passing touchdowns, just three shy of the record held by Will Howard (2020-23).

• His 15 passing touchdowns this season are tied for fourth in school history by a junior – five shy of the record – and three shy of entering the school’s top-10 list among all passers.

• On the flip side, the Wichita, Kansas, product has done a tremendous job of taking care of the football. He has a 0.8% interception rate this season to rank 13th in the nation and second among Big 12 signal callers.

4,000/1,000• Avery Johnson became the fifth quarterback in program history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career as he went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark against UCF.

• He was the second-fastest player in school history to hit that mark as he did so in his 26th career game, just four games shy of Michael Bishop (1997-98). The others to accomplish the feat were Ell Roberson (2000-03), Collin Klein (2009-12) and Skylar Thompson (2017-21).AVERY ON THE RUN• Avery Johnson ranks fifth in school history among quarterbacks with 1,156 career rushing yards, while his 5.00-yard career average on 231 carries ranks ninth in school history among all players and second among quarterbacks (Jesse Ertz, 2014-17 – 5.46).

• When taking away sack yardage, Johnson has rushed for 1,320 yards on 211 true rushing attempts, good for a 6.26-yard clip.

BROWN DELIVERS• Wide receiver Jayce Brown leads the Wildcats this season with 36 receptions for 577 yards and four touchdowns.

• He had his best game as a Wildcat at Kansas, catching four passes for 160 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown. It was the most receiving yards by a Wildcat since Byron Pringle had 166 yards at Oklahoma State in 2017. His 40.0-yard average was the fourth-highest average nationally in a game this season (minimum four catches) and the third-highest average by a Big 12 player since 2018.

• A native of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Brown has a career receiving average of 16.70 yards to rank ninth in school history and fourth in the nation among active players.

HARD RUNNING BY JACKSON• Running back Joe Jackson tallied the first 100-yard rushing game of his career against TCU, going for 110 yards on a career-high 27 attempts. It shattered his previous bests of 61 yards on 13 carries the week prior at Baylor.

• It was the most rushing attempts by a Wildcat since DJ Giddens had 28 rushes against NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, while it was the most against a Big 12 opponent since Giddens had 31 totes in the 2023 regular-season finale against Iowa State.

• Most of Jackson’s damage against the Horned Frogs came in the second half when he tallied 88 yards on 21 carries.

• He backed that up with another solid outing at Kansas, rushing for 69 yards on 20 carries, including 35 yards on 13 attempts in the second half to help run out the clock.

CAREER RECORD FOR OAKLEY• Tight end Garrett Oakley had two receiving touchdowns against TCU to bring his career total to 11, which is the most in school history by a tight end.

• The previous record of 10 was shared by current Washington Commander Ben Sinnott (2021-23) and Henry Childs (1971-73).

• Each of Oakley’s four receiving touchdowns this season have come since September 27, tied for the most in the nation among tight ends since that date. He enters the week tied for seventh nationally in receiving touchdowns by tight ends this season.

K-State Hosts 13th-Ranked Texas Tech

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761522662240.png" alt="Three day weather forecast Salina, October 27 - October 29. Courtesy of US National Weather Service" />
 <figcaption>Three day weather forecast Salina, October 27 - October 29. Courtesy of US National Weather Service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.