Columbus school district Superintendent Brian Smith has spent the week hauling furniture out of classrooms to make more space for social distancing as students prepare to return next week after a five-month COVID-19 imposed break. “It is almost like you are preparing for war,” Smith said. “And there is so much that can go wrong and so many unknowns.” His 950-student district is among several dozen mostly rural Kansas school systems to resume classes next week after a handful tested the waters this week.
via Derby Informer

Roxy Callison grew up on a farm in Mayfield, and though she’s lived in Winfield many years, she loves open spaces and the wide skies of the prairie. The west side of her home on East Eighth Avenue is probably big enough to be another house lot. But to keep the area open and to satisfy her love of prairie, she is turning the area into what she calls a “prairie garden.” “I’ve wanted to do it since I lived here,” Callison said. She said she’s often thought she is “without purpose,” and developing the prairie garden is providing that purpose.
via Cowley CourierTraveler

A small town in Texas is going up against streaming giants Netflix and Hulu with a class-action lawsuit over utility fees. New Boston, Texas says the streamers use broadband infrastructure to reach their residents, and should in turn pay the town 5% of the revenue generated from those residents as a fee. “When a Netflix subscriber wants to view Netflix programming, the subscriber’s Internet service provider will connect the subscriber to the closest Netflix Open Connect server offering the fastest speeds and best video quality,” writes attorney Austin Tighe in the complaint. “According to Netflix, that means that most of its subscribers receive Netflix’s video programming from servers either inside of, or directly connected to, the subscriber’s Internet service provider’s network within their local region.” New Boston’s argument is based on the state law that video service providers are required to get certified with an application to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and that neither Hulu nor Netflix has filed the application. Failing to file doesn’t mean they are exempt from paying the quarterly franchise fee to the cities in which they operate.
via Cord Cutters News

Governor Laura Kelly has announced businesses will soon be able to apply for a total of more than $130 million in grants to serve those most affected by the pandemic and for companies that can expand broadband access in the state. Information on SPARK economic development and connectivity grant programs can now be found online at kansascommerce.gov/covidrelief. Grant applications will be accepted beginning at 12:00 p.m. Wed., Aug. 19, 2020. “These funds will both provide necessary immediate relief to businesses and contribute to a more strategic, competitive Kansas economy in the future,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I want to thank the SPARK Taskforce for recommending these strategic investments and the State Finance Council for approving the use of these funds.”
In addition to providing financial relief, grants will be available to businesses whose products and services will be needed in greater volume to help combat the virus and its effects. Funding is also being made available to expand broadband access both through infrastructure improvements and by partnerships with internet service providers to serve low-income households. These grants are funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund of the federal CARES Act.
via Kansas Department of Commerce

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

As students return to Manhattan this month in preparation for a new school year, they will be greeted with a new mode of transportation. K-State has partnered with LINK, bringing 150 e-scooters to Manhattan this fall. “Many students, faculty and staff  have been asking for an e-scooter share program as an easy and energy-efficient way to move about campus and the community. After extensive research of similar programs in other university communities and in collaboration with the City of Manhattan, we’re excited to partner with LINK because we believe that they will provide our students, faculty, and visitors with the safest and most reliable e-scooter share program in the industry” said Linda Cook, K-State Chief of Staff and Director of Community Relations.
via KSNT News

Topeka police are asking for the community’s feedback to find out what they can do better. The Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships (SPCP) council for Topeka met on Thursday for a forum and discussion between community members and police officers. “People don’t feel like there’s an open line of communication. They don’t always understand how to voice concerns or talk about what they feel like is going on,” said Chrissy Russel, SPCP council member. The council is made up of community members, leaders and police officers and they work to bridge the gap between local law enforcement and the community they serve.
via KSNT News

In the heart of Bourbon County, Kansas, there’s a town of only about 8,000 residents. But the land it sits on has great significance to American history, stretching back more than 170 years — which is 19 years before Kansas was even a state. Here’s is the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Tucked between Kansas City and Pittsburg is the town of Fort Scott, Kansas where Historic Fort Scott is rooted in deep American history. Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation & Resource Management, Fort Scott National Historic Site, said, “The growth and development of Fort Scott was the growth and development of the United States. Everything that was happening across America was happening right here, right on this parade ground behind me.”
via KSNF/KODE

Kansas is known for its prairies, but now we’re connecting you to an ancient wonder of the prairie, Little Jerusalem Badlands, Kansas’ most dramatic Niobrara chalk formation. Take a step back in time. Imagine a vast sea, waves crashing, water as far as the eye can see. Now, fast forward nearly 85 million years. The ocean is gone, and what’s left behind has been drawing the eyes of people from across the region. “My sister came to visit from Austin and we said, ‘You need to come and see Little Jerusalem,’” said tourist Adrian Price. Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park is Kansas’ newest state park. This is its first summer to be open to the public. Some say it got its name because it resembles the ancient walled city of Jerusalem.
via KSN-TV

On Wednesday, the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office announced a partnership with the DCF. The DCF, using federal funds, placed two people within the WPD and one at the sheriff’s office. Law enforcement supervisors also now have access to the DCF’s child abuse and neglect information system, which will let officers know interactions families have with the DCF. “I think one of the things we know that really led to this partnership is obviously, sometimes, officers or deputies may be the first ones to have contact with the family,” DCF secretary Laura Howard said during a news conference. “So the question for DCF was how to get important information and resources into the hands of law enforcement agencies who are interacting with families who might be in crisis.”
via Local News | Wichita Eagle