Riley County will pay more for gravel and road salt next year, increasing costs for road maintenance and winter operations, public works director John Ellermann told county commissioners Monday. Gravel prices will increase about 10%, from $16.60 to $18.31 per ton. Road salt prices also have climbed, rising from 49 cents to 57 cents per unit delivered. The county purchased additional gravel last week to build stockpiles before the higher prices take effect.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

A proposal to dissolve the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board and replace it with a new Manhattan planning board with expanded duties and Pottawatomie County representation prompted questions from Riley County commissioners Monday about the city’s annexations into Pott County and the potential impact on county residents and services. Riley County commission chairwoman Kathryn Focke on Monday questioned why county-appointed representatives should have a role in planning decisions involving another county.
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The City of Salina is ending its legal fight over the Cozy Inn’s mural – and turning its attention to changes in the city’s sign code. Staff will now be tasked with crafting amendments to the city code that mirror the court’s decision. Mayor Mike Hoppock says the City Commission has reviewed the appellate court’s decision and will not pursue further legal action in the case. The court ruling leaves the city facing changes to how it regulates murals and signs painted on exterior walls.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Lyon County residents raised concerns about water use, noise and long-term community benefits during a Nov. 5 informational meeting on potential county regulations for data centers and battery energy storage systems. Lyon County Planning, Zoning, Floodplain Management Director Sam Seeley answered questions and calmed concerns about the rise of the upcoming data center. While city voters passed proposed ordinances banning high-impact data centers and some BESS during the Nov. 3 election, the county has only issued a moratorium on the developments. The moratorium is set to expire sometime in January.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

Will Casey’s conform their development plan to Halstead’s downtown regulations? That’s the question that Halstead’s Planning and Zoning Commission is waiting to have answered. The design review committee recently met with representatives for Casey’s to talk about the company’s site plan, according to Halstead City Manager Ethan Reimer. “We will see if they are planning to resubmit and add some additional context on some of the design they did and then obviously reflect things that they feel that they can’t do,” Reimer told the P&Z commissioner Monday evening. Casey’s is interested in the land along First Street between Main and Spruce. Last month, P&Z approved a conditional use permit for Casey’s to sell fuel.
Read more: Harvey County Now

It’s been a hot topic buzzing throughout the city streets. During the regular Hesston City Council meeting on Nov. 9, a topic of discussion was passing a resolution regarding helmets being required for electric bikes, scooters, skateboards and even unicycles for anyone under 18 years of age. Eilert said the police department would be educating riders on the laws but stated if someone kept being stopped, they could be cited. Citations would go to the rider or the person breaking the ordinance. According to the regulations, the e-bikes are divided into three classes, with two of the three being allowed to be ridden on the sidewalks.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Two citizens spoke up regarding wanting to have the North Newton City Council address Shield AI coming to Harvey County. This was during the regular Monday night meeting of the North Newton City Council. One of those people was Duane Friesen of North Newton. “The planned production and testing at the Newton City/County Airport of a new category of armed military aircraft by Shield AI is an ominous and alarming development of modern warfare,” he said. “The airport serves North Newton. It is just two miles to the east, just south of 24th Street. This planned development will have a major impact on the citizens of North Newton.” Shield AI is a military drone manufacturer.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Scooter safety again drew concern during commissioners’ closing comments at the Nov. 5 Hays City Commission work session, with Sandy Jacobs urging parents and drivers to help prevent injuries before additional regulation becomes necessary. Jacobs said a local bicycling group had contacted commissioners about unsafe situations and requested that they look at other ordinances. She also described encountering riders in dark clothing on scooters without lights around dusk following the time change. “I was congratulating parents because for a while there, all these little kids were in helmets. And all of a sudden, they’re not in helmets anymore,” Jacobs said.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Holton’s municipal swimming pool will be open for the 2027 summer swimming season, but as Holton Parks and Recreation Director Mike Reichle reminded members of the Holton City Commission, it’s time to give more consideration to the future of the pool.
Read more: The Holton Recorder

Beginning Dec. 15, riders of bicycles, electric-assisted bicycles and other “micromobility devices” will have to stay at or below 15 miles an hour on sidewalks and trails in Leawood, the city council has decided. In unanimously voting to update its traffic ordinance on Nov. 2, Leawood became the latest city to adjust its regulations on small electric-assisted vehicles to be closer in alignment with a model recommended by the Mid-America Regional Council. The speed limit was one of several changes that the Leawood City Council approved in the hope that consistency across city boundaries would improve compliance, said Councilmember Julie Cain. She added that she’s heard from many in the city who are worried about the dangers of these kinds of devices “flitting in and out” among traffic.
Read more: Johnson County Post