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A southwestern Kansas county plans to sue the state for more than $2 million after nearly a decade of mistaken payments, mounting concern for democratic processes. Voters in Morton County, which borders the Oklahoma panhandle and Colorado, approved a countywide sales tax in 2015 that directed funds to their local hospital. But an early administrative error that the county tried to fix resulted in the Kansas Department of Revenue sending checks to the county’s cities, which spent the money. Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

The only major grocery store in downtown Kansas City, Kansas will close its doors in less than two weeks. The announcement of The Merc Co+op, a community-owned grocery store, closing came as quite a hit for leaders trying to fill a food desert. The parking lot at 501 Minnesota Avenue was already a bit of a ghost town on Wednesday. Mostly empty shelves and freezers inside likely play a part. Dedric Moore was there in 2020 when they cut the ribbon on Downtown KCK’s Merc Co+op. “It was a big step for the community that we were going to have a [...]

When Gallery Mostaza came to downtown Newton, promoters of the city’s core hoped to have scored a coup. The hand-thrown pottery store had a history of drawing crowds to Harper, Kansas, with its events. Yet the question remained: could it do the same in Newton? Anecdotally, that answer following its October pumpkin event was very much yes. The store sold a huge amount of goods, saw lines at opening, and resulted in a downtown that looked much fuller than normal. Businesses reported upticks. With its big Christmas event scheduled, businesses in the downtown organized and remained open for their own events. [...]

A program that gives property tax relief to eligible low-income homeowners in Johnson County is headed for a major expansion that is intended to open it up to more people next year. County commissioners last Thursday voted to remove the 65-and-older age restriction and disabled veteran requirement while also increasing the maximum home value to qualify for the county property tax relief program. A qualifying home’s value can now be no more than $500,000 next year, an increase from $384,600 currently. However, the income eligibility remains at or below the “very low” benchmarks set by the federal Department of Housing and [...]

When the city of Gardner in eastern Kansas ordered Aspen Place apartments closed for unsafe living conditions last May, Candice Montgomery came home to a frantic neighborhood. She and other residents of the Gardner housing complex only had 48 hours to leave their homes. “It was total chaos,” Montgomery said. “My neighbors are everywhere, people are crying. My elderly neighbors didn’t know what they were going to do.” Gardner officials had warned the owners of the property dozens of times that the apartments were not safe, largely because of water and sewage issues. The final straw came when a firetruck sank into a street in [...]

A new pharmacy residency program is being developed at the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas with the goal of training and retaining pharmacists in rural communities. The community-based, postgraduate year one residency is currently working toward accreditation through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

As last-minute shoppers crowd Wichita stores before Christmas, police are stepping up patrols, which includes officers on horseback as part of an effort to crack down on shoplifting. Mounted officers can see over crowds, spot suspicious behavior faster, and respond quickly if someone tries to make a run for it. While some shoppers are rushing from store to store, others are stopping to notice something a little different. “Our kids love animals. When they were pulling in, we saw them, and we said, ‘Hey kids, look at the horses,'” said Rader. Those horses belong to the WPD’s mounted patrol unit. They [...]

The Morton County attorney and the county commissioners want a new sheriff in town. County Attorney David Thompson and the Board of County Commissioners released a joint statement Thursday saying Sheriff Thad Earls and his staff have refused to resign. So they want the attorney general to step in and force Earls out of office. The officials said in a news release that their grounds for the ouster are misconduct and neglect of duty. Read more: KSN-TV

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a state of disaster emergency declaration impacting the entirety of the Sunflower State. Kelly issued the declaration for all 105 counties in Kansas on Dec. 17. She cited delays in the delivery of propane for heating purposes as the cause for the declaration. “As every Kansan knows, our winters can become dangerously cold at times,” Kelly said. “We want to make sure every person has access to a steady supply of heating fuel throughout the winter months, particularly those in rural areas who depend on propane to warm their homes.” Read more: KSN-TV

Marion is now considering changing a city logo it has used in one form or another for a couple of decades. The city is asking members of the public to create their own designs and submit them by the end of January to a city logo design competition. “Maybe it’s time to do something fresher,” economic development director Megan Jones said. Read more: Marion County RECORD