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A fire west of Lakin and south of US Highway 50 Tuesday afternoon temporarily closed the highway down. According to the Kansas Forest Service and Kearny County Emergency Services on social media, aviation and ground resources from Kansas Forest Service, as well as the Wichita County Fire, Grant County Fire, Hamilton County Fire, Garden City Fire Department, Kansas Forest Service, Kansas Division of Emergency Management, as well as many others, assisted in fighting the wildfire. Source: Western Kansas News

The Kansas Department of Commerce today launched the Supporting Innovative Growth through New Signage (SIGNS) grant, a new initiative aimed improving the appearance and appeal of retail and commercial business signage in downtowns across the state. The total funding amount available is $250,000 and will be distributed to support innovative, high-quality signage projects. “Downtown districts are the heartbeat of our rural communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Through the new SIGNS grant, we’re directly investing in locally owned businesses and their ability to attract more customers while preserving the charm and character of their historic downtowns.” Eligible [...]

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today $250,000 is available under the Residential Opportunities on Main Street (ROOMS) grant program to support new upper-floor housing in commercial buildings in Designated Kansas Main Street communities. “Last year’s initial round of ROOMS funding resulted in 34 new housing units across the state and nearly $6 million in total investment,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Another year of funding allows for us to continue breathing life into communities across this state and growing economic opportunities for generations to come.” Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Municipals were firmer once more Tuesday, as U.S. Treasury yields fell and equities ended mixed ahead of the Trump administration's looming announcement Wednesday of even more tariffs. Source: The Latest

Lime Micromobility has removed its shared electronic scooters and bikes from Overland Park streets, the second major e-scooter and bike vendor to pull out of the city in the last year-and-a-half following a similarly abrupt exit from Bird. Lime was in the middle of a pilot program with Overland Park that had replaced the one ended early by Bird in November 2023. In its first year last year, Lime recorded upwards of 8,000 rides in Overland Park, and according to city officials, there was no indication that the company was thinking of permanently pulling its vehicles off city streets. Under the [...]

A recent incident in Prairie Village in which an infant was left in critical condition after being bitten by a pit bull has once again put the city’s breed-specific rules for dogs in the spotlight. Five years ago, after an emotionally fraught public discussion, the Prairie Village City Council opted to lift the city’s ban on pit bulls. Other Johnson County communities have also made this move in recent years. What has been the impact? Drawing firm conclusions is hard because dog bite incidents remain relatively rare in Prairie Village. Serious incidents like the one earlier this month that left the [...]

Lenexa will see its sales tax live for another 20 years after voters approved its continuance during the April 1 election. According to unofficial election results, 8,691 Lenexa residents approved the tax’s continuance, while 2,257 voted no — representing just 24% of the city’s registered voters. The measure needed a simple majority vote to pass. Lenexa’s three-eighths cent sales tax is a 20-year tax that takes three-eighths of one percent of purchases (38 cents in a $100 purchase) within the city limits. The funding goes toward road and sidewalk improvements, storm water facilities, street lighting, and the development and maintenance of [...]

The Gardner Edgerton School District will see several district-wide upgrades after voters passed its school bond — with 2,236 people voting in support and 1,581 people voting against the bond, according to unofficial election results. A little over 3,000 residents within the district’s boundaries cast their ballot for the April 1 election, representing just over 19% of the district’s registered voters. With voter approval, the $100 million bond will help fund construction of a new elementary school, convert Sunflower Elementary into an early childhood learning center for students with special needs, construct a new district office, upgrade security features across campuses, [...]

Westwood residents voted by a slim majority to reject the sale of a city park as part of a controversial commercial development project, a win for a group of citizens who had pushed for voters to have a say in the park’s fate through a petition and a months-long legal battle. According to unofficial election results, 441 people voted against the sale, while 394 people voted in favor of the change. Of Westwood’s 1,432 registered voters, 837 people turned out during this special election — representing a little over 58% of the city’s voters. Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas [...]

Some people have dreams of escaping their hometowns as soon as they can. Adam Jones was much the same. He graduated from Peabody-Burnes High School in 2004, leaving town and not returning until 2025. Now he's willing to put his body through the ringer to raise money for the community that raised him. He's taking his homecoming as an opportunity to become one part of the effort to support his hometown. Now that he’s back in town, he’s found new drive, working with the Peabody School District to find a way to help. They settled on the issue of food insecurity. [...]