The City of Wichita said its doing its best to work through more than 2,000 backlogged applications for its emergency rental assistance program (WERAP). Dozens of Wichitans have reached out to KAKE News since the program launched in February, weighing in on problems that they were experiencing. One of the most common questions KAKE received revolved around the wait time for assistance. Some Kansans reported waiting anywhere from three months for their funds, to still not having them at all. “I’m not sure how much they’re gonna help with,” said Jorge Garcia of Wichita. “If they’re gonna help with anything.” Many people have echoed Garcia’s comments, stating that even with the CDC’s new extension of the eviction moratorium they’re left feeling helpless.
Source: KAKE – News

A four-person crew from the Hutchinson Fire Department spent two weeks battling wildfires in Idaho. Another team was sent to relieve them on Thursday. “They were really tasked with scouting the fire, providing lookout for those that were operating. This area, what they’re telling us is a very mountainous range, not much access with roads,” says Doug Hanen, HFD division chief of fire operations. Kansas firefighters were working to get anything that would burn out of the way. But many people in the area depend on the logs as their livelihood, so preservation is just as important. “It’s just helping out where we can. We got the resources and we’re not using them so it’s best to send them where they’re needed,” says Hanen. People in Kansas want answers about the smoke filled skylines, directly resulting from the wildfires.
Source: KAKE – News