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This year marks the sesquicentennial-plus-four years birthday—or the 154th—of Newton. With that in mind, local organizations decided to celebrate the town’s birthday, possibly every year from now on—if this year’s event is successful. Those entities include the City of Newton and the Newton Convention and Visitors Bureau. Read more: Harvey County Now

The temporary closure of a small jail in north-central Kansas highlights problems facing counties across the state, officials say. Cloud County Sheriff Ken Davis blamed a lack of competitive pay and the sudden resignation of three employees for the closure. But officials in other, larger counties said those problems aren’t exclusive to Cloud County. Read more: KSN-TV

A new housing development will be built in Liberal. The City of Liberal is hosting a groundbreaking celebration in partnership with French Construction on Jan. 8 at 2 p.m. The new Doll Housing Addition will have 66 single-family homes. The homes will be built on East Hickory Street near Griffith Avenue. Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Newton said two water towers will be getting a new look next year. At a recent meeting, city commissioners approved new designs for the towers on Spencer Road and West 17 Street. One tower will feature the City of Newton’s logo, and the other will feature the flag. The City of Newton said the paint project will help protect the towers against rust and extend their life. Read more: KSN-TV

Sumner County has rejected a conditional use permit for a battery storage facility near Oxford. After hours of public comment on Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to deny the permit for an energy storage facility near Webb Road and Highway 160. Close to a hundred people were present to protest the project, and over two dozen people spoke in opposition, raising environmental concerns. Read more: KSN-TV

A Garden City veteran lost a leg and his will to live after an accident with a train last summer. Thanks to the town’s fire marshal, he is now embracing life and trying to get back home. It’s been a long half-year of recovery for 88-year-old Garden City veteran Raymond Stroup, who lost a leg last summer after his car was hit by a train. “I’ve had a lot of discouraging thoughts,” Stroup said. After experiencing such a traumatic injury in his late 80s, Stroup was ready to give up on life, but Garden City Fire Marshal Gene Robertson, who met [...]

A metal swarm of eyes in the sky could soon by crowding the air in Wichita’s Old Town and downtown. The city council approved a $600,000 donation from QuikTrip to allow the Wichita Police Department to host a ‘drone hive’ on the roof of its Washington and Douglas location. WPD says the location is a hub for street racing downtown. They aim to improve response time and deter crime in the area, as it is densely populated and a ‘no chase’ zone, making drones ideal for following suspects without the same risks. Read more: KSN-TV

The Kansas City Chiefs have informed administrative officials that they will announce their move to Kansas today, according to sources who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Read more: KC Star

SEK Animal Advocates rescued 29 cats outside a residence in Altoona last weekend. An Altoona woman, Carol Sharp, died in a car crash last week, leaving dozens of cats without care. Volunteers with SEK Animal Advocates, a non-profit foster-based dog and cat rescue, spent hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday catching cats and setting traps for the more feral felines. By Sunday night, they had captured 29 cats, with more still in the area. Read more: -The Morning Sun

The Girard Department has a new high-tech tool that may assist with situational awareness and fire safety. Earlier this month, the Girard Fire Department announced that it received a donation of an advanced, top-of-the-line drone. The drone was donated by Heather Scales, alongside her daughter Maddie, as the two gave the piece of equipment, which will help the Girard Fire Department in numerous ways such as providing an aerial perspective and delivering real-time data during an emergency. Scales is the daughter of the late Ronald E. “Pete” Scales. An active member of the SEK Chiefs Association along with the Crawford County [...]