NW Kansas News

Senator Jerry Moran, U.S. Senator representing Kansas, shared updates on his recent engagements across the state in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter).

On August 9, 2025, Moran highlighted a visit to a new distribution center in Salina. He wrote, "It was great touring CJ Schwan’s new distribution center in Salina. This new addition expands Schwan’s footprint by adding nearly 140,000 square feet of space for storage and distribution all over the country and creates 225 jobs. Thank you, Schwan’s, for your continued".

Two days later, on August 11, 2025, Moran commemorated astronaut Jim Lovell during an event at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. In his post he stated, "Jim Lovell, @NASA astronaut & Navy veteran, was an American hero. Jim & I met at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Apollo 8 mission. He was one of the astronauts who made the historic 10-orbit journey around the moon on Apollo 8. Jim was".

Later that day, Moran described his tour of Viega's manufacturing facility in McPherson and discussions about export growth: "This morning, I toured the Viega manufacturing facility in McPherson. Jordan Rose showed me around the facility, and we discussed the importance of expanding global exports of U.S. products to maintain the country’s position as a global market leader.

I appreciate Viega’s".

Schwan’s expansion is expected to have economic impact locally through job creation and increased capacity for national distribution efforts. The commemoration with Jim Lovell underscores Kansas’ connection to significant moments in U.S. space history; Lovell is widely recognized for his roles in both Apollo 8—the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon—and Apollo 13 missions as noted by NASA sources. Manufacturing facilities like Viega play a role in supporting regional economies and promoting U.S.-made goods internationally.