In hundreds of Kansas towns, the distance between neighbors is growing — not just in miles, but in access to the things that make community life possible. As more families consider moving to urban centers, communities across the state face a new question: How do you ensure people can reach work, healthcare and everything they need when the roads between them feel longer and the resources to maintain them are limited? One University of Kansas School of Engineering program is helping towns across the state maintain safer roads, preserve essential services, expand reliable transit and strengthen the ties that hold communities together.
Read more: University of Kansas Press Releases

At the Franklin County Commission Meeting on Sept. 2, the commission unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on data center activities in the county’s unincorporated areas from the meeting through Dec. 31, 2028. According to the commission, this means there is a temporary stop to the planning, establishment, construction, and applications for special use permits for data centers, or related activities and components associated with data centers. This was said in the agenda of the Sept. 2 commission meeting.
Read more: The Ottawa Herald

Data centers are popping up all over Kansas, but not in Cowley County. Amid growing anti-data center sentiment, the CT spoke with managers of area cities and other government jurisdictions to learn whether any data center plans were brewing locally. None are, at least not at the moment. None appear to be putting in restrictions for potential projects, either. Critics worry about how much power and water data centers consume, the noise they generate and the general advancement of artificial intelligence that data centers support. Others equate the opposition to something of a moral panic, and cite the potential economic benefits especially in poor, rural areas.
Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com

Maura Dwyer of Baltimore, Md., was one of the passengers who ended up stranded in southwest Kansas on Sept. 11, 2001 as the air space over the United States was shut down due to the terrorists attacks. She was one of the passengers transported to Dodge City after landing at Garden City Regional Airport. Here’s a look at her recounting the event and now wanting to go back to Dodge City in a Baltimore Banner story.
Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe

The City of Dodge City has released a comprehensive update on the proposed data‑center developments in Ford County, outlining what is known, what remains uncertain, and what must be addressed before any large‑scale projects move forward. According to the City, its involvement is limited to evaluating potential water and wastewater service, while land‑use approvals, development agreements, taxation, and electric‑service decisions fall under Ford County and other responsible entities. As the document notes, “Information below reflects current discussions and is subject to change as projects develop.”
Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe

Five independent Kansas hospitals are joining forces to improve care in rural communities, the collaboration announced on Tuesday. The group is called Astra Health. It is the result of a partnership between Amberwell Health, LMH Health, Salina Regional Health Center, Newman Regional Health and The University of Kansas Health System. Together, the hospitals serve more than 500,000 patients every year and cover nearly every county in Kansas.
Read more: KSN-TV