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Shawnee recently awarded a grant loan to help a local coffee shop bring its business downtown. On Monday, the Shawnee City Council voted 5-3 to approve a $50,000 grant loan to Current State Coffee Roasters to help with renovations at its future location at 11217 Johnson Drive. Councilmembers Tony Gillette, Mike Kemmling and Jacklynn Walters were in dissent. The money comes from the Shawnee Entrepreneurial and Economic Development grant program, or SEED, which is a city-run program that provides one-time payments in the form of forgivable loans to businesses as part of the city’s efforts to encourage expansion of existing businesses [...]

Do you have pumpkins from the Halloween Holiday sitting around your house, and you’re not sure what to do with them?  The Clay Center Zoo would be happy to take them off your hands for the zoo animals. Garett Payne, Zoo Curator, said pumpkins are a special treat for most all the animals at the zoo, either for eating or playing with. Donating pumpkins to zoos or farms helps reduce food waste while providing many animals with a nutritious food source at no cost. Read more: KCLY Radio

Even as electric vehicle sales decrease, the mayor of De Soto, Kansas, says the investment already made in the Panasonic battery plant has already benefited local residents and is helping the town as a whole grow. The plant opened earlier this year and is employing about 1,500 people. Read more: KCUR

Cherokee County, with a population of about 19,000 people, faces a significant challenge known as a "food desert." This term refers to areas where access to affordable and nutritious food is limited. In Cherokee County, residents can only find two grocery stores: a Harps in Baxter Springs and an Apple Market in Columbus. According to Hunger Free Kansas, 15.7 percent of the county's population experience food insecurity, highlighting the severity of the issue. The limited number of grocery stores poses a particular problem for people who rely on WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

The future of a western Kansas school district is up in the air after years of funding cuts. Mathew Hendricks, superintendent of Dighton Public Schools, said the district has lost about 10% of its budget over the past two years due to declining valuations and enrollment. On top of that, the HVAC system isn’t working properly. While the district continues to make repairs, Hendricks said it would take a bond to fully fix the problem. The district will hold a community forum at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the Dighton High School auditorium to discuss its financial future. Read more: [...]

In Ottawa County, residents will soon decide whether to ban certain types of swine facilities. Voters will be asked if corporations, companies, trusts, or partnerships should be allowed to own or lease agricultural land—directly or indirectly—to operate a “swine production facility.” The question stems from a proposed farm about 30 miles north of Salina that would house roughly 45,000 pigs. Read more: KSN-TV

Topeka city leaders are scheduled to discuss a change to the controversial "readiness to serve" utility charge at an upcoming meeting. The Topeka City Council is set to meet on Nov. 12 and take action on a proposed ordinance regarding the city's utility rates. Approval of this new ordinance would amend sections of the Topeka Municipal Code, 13.05.020 and 13.05.050, regarding the city's water and wastewater rate structure, including the readiness to serve charge. Topeka's readiness to serve charge is a monthly fee for people on all water meters, regardless of whether they are used or not. City councilmembers discussed the [...]

The city of Lawrence has confirmed that Costco is planning to open a new store in the area. "We can confirm a site plan has been submitted and is currently in review," a spokesperson for the city told FOX4 Monday in an email. The company submitted its site plan on Oct. 24; the plan number is SP-25-0038. According to the online portal, the plan is 33% completed. Read more: KSNT 27 News

The University of Kansas Health System's Care Collaborative and Medical Center announced new initiatives to create specialty care delivery networks to increase access in rural communities across the state. The project is supported in part by a $12.1 million grant from The Patterson Family Foundation. This initiative will include: Researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center will conduct a statewide assessment of specialty and sub-specialty care, as well as therapies and testing needed to support this care.   Read more: KSNT 27 News

After more than 25 years as the head of the cemetery ministry at Colwich’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church, John Weber is stepping down, but not before leaving a couple of markers to assist people in the search for the final resting place of their loved ones. Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune