De Soto is weighing new rules for how it handles public disclosures for economic development projects. The City Council will consider adding a process for the city to follow when asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) related to potential economic development opportunities. The city has not set a date for a work session to review the policy proposal, which Councilmember Zack Bradley originally proposed.
Read more: Kansas City Business Journal

The Dickinson County Commission recently passed a three year moratorium on data centers, battery storage and alternative/renewable energy sources in the county. Kenny Roelofsen, commissioner and chairman of the Board of Commissioners, explained what the moratorium means. “This isn’t a prohibition on these different industries. This is an exploratory moratorium so that we can better define and better regulate these types of industries,” he said. “I think a lot of people think of a moratorium as a ban, and that’s not what it is. It’s a brief period of time to allow the planning and zoning to develop adequate, and accurate more importantly, regulations.” Roelofsen said the county will focus on one of the three areas per year, with the moratorium on each area ending after that year.
Read more: KCLY Radio

The city of Coffeyville is asking residents to report the city’s worst potholes to help public services crews prioritize repairs on paved city streets.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

A recent study shows that many Kansas rural hospitals are at risk of immediate closure. Some Kansans are working together to modernize rural healthcare through the use of drone technology. Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems hosted its Third Annual Kelly Hills Field Day on Wednesday, where they demonstrated different drone types. In 2024, Kelly Hills began using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a way to potentially help farmers. Company officials said the goal was to simplify agricultural processes using drone technology. Founder of Kelly Hills Lukas Koch began to wonder what other aspects of rural life could be made easier through drone use.
Read more: KSN-TV

Two Phoenix, Arizona, suburbs became the latest municipalities Wednesday to terminate their contracts with Flock Safety, cancelling their use of the company’s automated license plate readers that have drawn widespread privacy concerns. The city of Tempe, which had an $80,000 contract with the company, said it would turn off all of its Flock cameras due to mounting reports of data “misuse” in other regions. Three hours later, the nearby town of Cave Creek also announced it had ended its contract with Flock and completely removed the technology. Flock offers a system able to recognize license plates immediately. The technology uses cameras and audio devices to record plate numbers, as well as identify what the company calls a “vehicle signature.” Though ALPRs do not collect any biometric data or facial recognition. An early August Washington Post investigation found more than 50 law enforcement officers had been accused, charged with or convicted of misusing ALPRs for unauthorized purposes — including to stalk past partners without their consent.
Read more: KSN-TV

For months in 2003, Morgan Marler had a problem. A blue-green algae bloom had taken over Marion Reservoir, unlike anything the lake had seen before. Hillsboro’s water treatment plant, which gets its water from the reservoir and also supplies water to Peabody, was shut down for nearly a month.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

In an overwhelming show of civic unity, Tuesday, citizens of Pittsburg from all walks of life and backgrounds united against the city’s proposal to install parking enforcement cameras along five blocks of Broadway in the downtown area.
Read more: The Morning Sun

Although e-scooter and e-bike crashes have led some to advocate for statewide regulations, most regulations are decided on the local level. Ten-year-old Duke Ommert died after an electric scooter crash in Leawood last year when a car struck him as he crossed the street mid-block. Duke’s death, other e-scooter and electric bike injuries (a nearly 300% increase in emergency room visits from 2017 to 2024) and warnings from doctors have led to local authorities passing regulations — but Duke’s parents wanted statewide rules. The deaths and injuries are rising as electric mobility becomes more common and the vehicles are easily available from online retailers. But the issue is complicated by some vehicles sold as “e-bikes” actually being much closer to motorcycles and not fitting into established e-bike categories. Industry trade groups warn of that distinction and are trying to highlight the differences between true e-bikes and e-motorcycles.
Read more: The Lawrence Times