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Våffeldagen, or Waffle Day, is a traditional celebration in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, typically around the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25. For Lindsborg, Våffeldagen falls on the Saturday closest to that day, this year being March 22. Source: Salina Journal

Abilene is leading the pack in a USA Today poll of America's Best Historic Small Towns. The hometown of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Abilene is among 20 towns across the nation vying for the honor. Source: Salina Journal

Visitors to Old Town will likely have to start paying for parking starting this summer. After the Wichita City Council established paid parking for most of downtown in December, several Old Town building owners had sought to install an extra 2% sales tax to pay for parking in the area instead of asking visitors to pay when they park. But the council declined Tuesday to set a public hearing to establish the tax district, triggering implementation of $1 an hour parking. Parking would be free for the first 15 minutes someone is parked in a spot. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, [...]

Mulberry is the little town that refuses to quit. Once a popular rest stop for travelers along the Military Highway, the little burg has experienced some rough times. But the spirit of the town refuses to quit. Mulberry has always been a focal point for young athletes. Kids from the surrounding small towns, including Liberal, Missouri, still come to play on the city basketball court, recently refurbished with a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK). Mayor Pat Walden wants to capitalize on that momentum. Walden’s plan is to renovate the city’s baseball field at the City Park. Currently, [...]

The City of Lawrence has launched a new searchable database of burial records for Oak Hill, Memorial Park and Maple Grove cemeteries. The website allows people to search and locate burial sites, including walking and driving instructions. It includes functions to upload photos and add more information about the people buried there. There have been more than 64,000 burials, dating back to the city’s founding, according to a news release from the city. More than 1,000 Potter’s Field burials at Oak Hill are now viewable and searchable for the first time, according to the city. Source: The Lawrence Times

Newton Fire/EMS calls rose slightly in 2024, driven by an increase of grass fires. Calls for service increased from 4,303 in 2023 to 4,334 in 2024. “Probably the big highlight is our call volume stayed consistent,” Chief Steve Roberson said of a report recently released by Newton Fire/EMS. “We saw a slight increase but not near what we’d seen in years past.” EMS calls, which account for roughly 83 percent of service calls for fire/EMS, were down slightly on the year. Fire calls, however, increased by 80, he said. “Grass fires are way up,” Roberson said. “We’ll continue to see problems [...]

A normal 30-minute job turned into a three-day excavation search for Sedgwick Public Works last week on South Commercial. City maintenance was working on water service installs for the new houses north of the industrial park that Jimmy Sharbutt and his crew are building, but when they dug a hole to connect to the main line, they came up empty. Finally, the missing lines were located across the street from where they were expected. The problem wasn’t with public works but with the city’s map, something Nordick and Administrative Assistant Isaiah Chapman have been working on since last fall anyway. Last [...]

Kansas farmers are on alert, bracing for how tariffs against Mexico and Canada and retaliatory tariffs could affect their bottom line. Those working in agriculture are waiting to find out the full scope. Tariffs are coming in at an awkward time of year for growers. That's because the fertilizer industry relies heavily on Canadian imports. Source: KSN-TV

Kansas’ weather in the early 1990s was active, including large hailstorms and disastrous tornadoes. One of those tornadoes was the Hesston tornado in March 1990. Decades later, memories of that day are still fresh in the minds of meteorologists and storm researchers. An outbreak of tornadoes occurred early in the season 35 years ago. Ripping across Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas. Source: KSN-TV

Citing the rising price of eggs, Emporia is making it easier for residents to own and raise their own egg-laying hens. The city commission has voted to waive the Chicken or Fowl Pen and Domestic Animal Application fee for 2025. However, you must still apply to receive a permit and follow the city ordinance. Source: KSN-TV