After years of preparation, Sedgwick County has the tools necessary to cut the public off from listening to law enforcement scanners. On Tuesday, law enforcement agencies in Wichita and across Sedgwick County will transition to encrypted radio channels. The change complies with an FBI mandate that went into effect in December 2022. Agencies were given time to purchase and install the necessary technology. The FBI said the policy aims to protect the privacy of victims, witnesses and suspects whose personal information may be transmitted over a law enforcement radio. Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Sylvia has worked through a slate of problems with its water system this month — the latest being a now-fixed leak that popped up on Tuesday. The city had another major leak earlier this month and has been continuing to work on cleaning the water tower as well. Last week, residents were told not to drink city water. Normally when a water line breaks, people are supposed to boil water before drinking it. But Sylvia’s water supply has high nitrate levels, and boiling can actually increase the concentration of nitrates. On Friday, the Kansas Department of Health and [...]

City officials are sharing the results of a recent budget survey as they try to find ways to address a $15 million deficit. City of Topeka spokesman Dan Garrett said in a press release that more than 1,000 people responded to the survey. He said a majority of residents highlighted a need for streets and infrastructure to be designated top priorities in the next budget. Other highlights included safety services, social services and affordable housing. Read more: KSNT 27 News

At their April 27 meeting, the South Hutchinson City Council ordered their city administrator to draft a six-month data center and battery energy storage system (BESS) moratorium. Some council members even expressed strong opposition to such a facility under any circumstances. City Administrator Jeff Schenk first explained to the council what a moratorium is: a temporary, but complete, restriction of development for a facility like a data center or a BESS. Schenk said that the question is coming up in the region because municipalities are wondering if such moratoriums are needed to create proper regulations. Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Earlier in April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $30 million in grant funding, as part of the agency’s RealWaterTA Initiative. The new funding will support technical assistance and training to benefit small drinking water and wastewater systems and private well owners. The newly available RealWaterTA funding helps connect small and rural drinking water and wastewater systems with tried-and-true services, such as engineering and design expertise, operational support, workforce development, and financial management. EPA said this funding will benefit Americans nationwide, especially in rural areas where small systems face challenges operating and maintaining vital water infrastructure.  Read more: Water Finance & Management

With a hearty cheer, a large crowd celebrated the unveiling of the new marquee, marking the first phase of the restoration of the old Iola Theatre in downtown Iola. Throngs of youngsters gather outside the old Iola Theater for the showing of “The Circus Clown” sometime in the 1930s. The ornate marquee has been rebuilt and was turned on for the public Friday. With the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood premiere mixed with the home-town folksiness of a county fair, droves of Iolans turned out for a party Friday. The occasion? Members of the Iola Theatre Association turned on the [...]

The Galena Solar Project will generate 260 megawatts and create 198 construction jobs by 2030. Planning commission will consider a conditional use request for the project. Read more: Wichita Biz Journal

The artificial intelligence boom has driven companies to search nationwide for space to build “hyperscale” data centers – and it turns out, Lawrence is actually a place they could go. Read more: LJWorld

The massive site near De Soto was once home to a factory that produced gunpowder for artillery shells in World War II and rocket propellants during the Vietnam War. But bit by bit, parts of the site have been deemed safe by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Almost 400 acres will be allocated to become part of what will be Johnson County’s biggest park. Read more: KC Star

In Harvey County – which is just north of Wichita – the lack of code language led to a two-year lawsuit with the landowner and the crypto company, which Harvey County eventually won. They’ve now approved a moratorium on all such projects, meaning no such projects can apply to locate in the county until the county finishes writing codes on the matter. Thus far, Douglas County officials are betting they don’t need a moratorium while they work to write language in their codes. The code-writing process though is proving to be a complex one. Read more: LJWorld