Derby Public Schools is exploring a pay-to-ride busing program with hopes of having it in place for next school year. Under the potential program, parents who live less than 2.5 miles away from their child’s school would be able to pay for busing services. Currently, the state only reimburses each school district for bus riders who live 2.5 miles or more away from their designated school building.
Source: Derby Informer | News
More than half of Kansas students are now required to wear masks in school as cases the delta variant increase, leading to widespread quarantines and forcing one district to call off classes because of a COVID-19 outbreak. An Associated Press analysis has found that 30 of the state’s 50 largest districts have mask mandates in place, with most passed in the last month during often heated meetings and protests. Those 30 districts educate a combined 262,585 of the state’s 476,435 public schoolchildren. Several other smaller districts also have mandated masks as well, including Atchison and Wamego.
Source: KAKE – News
The dog days of summer may be wrapping up, but one special Dog Day is still yet to come at the Paola Family Pool. The annual Dog Day at the Paola Family Pool will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30. As long as local dog owners have a printed vaccination certificate from the vet and a signed waiver, they are encouraged to bring their pooches to the pool that evening. There will be no entry fee.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
One of the most affordable cities in Kansas could be closer than you think. It’s really close if you live in Pittsburg — because we’re talking about Pittsburg. We are — in general, major urban areas in the state like Manhattan and Wichita have a lower cost of living — 10-percent below the national average. Pittsburg takes it a step further. It sits at 18-percent below the national average. And this has been a motivating factor for some people to move to the area. “You go to the movies it’s like 12 to 13 dollars a person, you go out here it’s less than five dollars a person,” said Stephanie Watts, Pittsburg Resident. When compared to 258 urban areas across the country, Pittsburg has the lowest cost of living in Kansas according to the Center for Economic Development and Business Research.
Source: KSNF/KODE
On Thursday, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution they hope will address reckless shooting across property lines. The resolution now makes it a code violation for a person to shoot a gun and have the bullet enter a neighboring property without the property owners’ permission. Last week, Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden made a presentation to the commission in support of the resolution. “What it amounts to is if you recklessly shoot a bullet and it leaves your property, you are responsible for that. We want to hold people accountable if we need to,” Hayden said.
Source: KSN-TV
Agriculture is part of the legacy of the historic northwest Kansas town of Nicodemus in Graham County. In the late 1870s, freed slaves headed west and started a farming community in Nicodemus, the oldest and only remaining African American settlement west of the Mississippi River.
Descendants of those early settlers highlight the town’s history during an annual agriculture camp for students ages 10 to 17. The 2021 Switzer/KSU Ag Camp was held July 19 to 21. JohnElla Holmes, Ph.D., retired Kansas State University instructor, is the founder and director of Nicodemus Educational Camps.
Source: Hays Post
Carrie Gingerich grew up in Yoder. Each year, she would attend Yoder Heritage Day with her family. Now a mother and living in Partridge, she is excited to introduce 2-year-old Kendall to the celebration of her hometown’s heritage. “There’s a lot of fun stuff to do here,” Gingerich said. “I like the small town feel of it.” Gingerich also wanted to introduce her husband, who grew up in Illinois, to her city’s special event, which brought in more than10,000 people on Saturday. Because the family of three is Amish and must maintain certain customs, they could only drive their horse and buggy or their big red tractor to Yoder. “We choose the tractor,” Gingerich said. “I said this is the morning there will be a row of tractors driving down the highway.”
Source: Hutch News
In the Kearny County town of Lakin, an old tennis court has had it’s last volley and is now being turned into a community garden. Putting in the work to make the beautification transition are students from Lakin High School. The work is possible from the Kearny County Wellness Coalition’s reception of a grant in 2019 to start the garden. “We just started thinking, ‘we are an agriculture community, that’s kind of what the industry is around here, and it just really felt right to repurpose the courts in that manner,” said Kearny County Wellness Coalition Director Jenny White. The hope is to give community members a place to grow fresh produce and also to educate students.
Source: KWCH
Derby has its next city manager, and it didn’t have to search far and wide to find him. In a special meeting on Aug. 27, the Derby City Council formally approved an employment agreement with current deputy city manager Kiel Mangus to serve as the next city manager – following Kathy Sexton’s pending retirement. Sexton announced her intent to retire (on Dec. 10, 2021) in mid-July, leading the city council to start the search for her replacement.
Source: Derby Informer
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