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

Downtown building owners told the Fort Scott City Commission during their Sept. 1 meeting that the penalties in the city’s historic preservation ordinance could push businesses out of the district. Commissioner Julie Buchta opened the discussion, saying she had spent two weeks visiting downtown businesses after the codes department told her it had been directed to enforce Ordinance 3782 “to the full degree.” The 2025 ordinance created the Fort Scott Historic Preservation and Resource Commission under the state’s Certified Local Government program, or CLG. Buchta read from the enforcement section of the version then posted on the city’s website, which made any violation a Class B misdemeanor “punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months in jail, or both,” with each day a violation continued counting as a separate offense. “In the hands of someone extreme, this is an absolute sledgehammer to the temple of our businesses,” Buchta said. “I know that is a dramatic statement, but this is a dramatic ordinance.”
Read more: The Bourbon County Monitor

Riley County commissioners considered significantly higher penalties for short-term rentals operating without a valid license as part of proposed changes to the planning and development fee schedule during a work session on Thursday. Short-term rentals (also called vacation rentals) are commonly rented on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. The proposal is intended to encourage compliance rather than generate revenue, Riley County planning and special projects director Amanda Webb said.
Under the proposal, an unlicensed short-term rental would face a $500 penalty. If the owner does not pay the assessment or resolve the violation within 30 days, the penalty could increase to $1,000.
Read more: themercury.com