Since before World War II, in 1936, there has been a rodeo in Pretty Prairie, Kansas. Known as Kansas Largest Night Rodeo, the rodeo in this rural Kansas town has hosted many greats. But this year, because of COVID-19, more high-profile contestants threw their hat in the ring. With an entry of more than 550 contestants, Pretty Prairie doubled their roster – and brought in world-ranked contestants.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Police officers currently need all the help they can get, Lisa Baker-Zirbel said Saturday. So she said she considered it important for her to take part in a rally held that day to show support for law enforcement in front of Topeka’s City Hall at 215 S.E. 7th. “We call on them in our times of need,” Baker-Zirbel said. “This is their time of need, and I believe that we need to give back. About 40 people took part in Saturday’s peaceful “#SilentNoMore!” rally.
(Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)
The Mission City Council on Wednesday evening approved an unmanned aircraft systems, or drone ordinance that outlines rules and regulations throughout the city’s public and private spaces. …. The ordinance makes it illegal to operate a drone on public or private property without the owner’s consent. As long as operators comply with all other provisions — as well as city, state and federal regulations and laws — drones can be operated in a city-owned park.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
The City of Winfield, in partnership with the Kansas Power Pool, plans to install at least two public-use electric vehicle charging stations, Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall said Tuesday. The Level 2 charging stations will cost around $3,000 each. The city will pay for half the cost with electric utility funds, and the KPP will cover the other half, Wall said. The station locations are still being discussed, but will be placed in areas where they will most likely be used by travelers to Winfield.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Logan, population about 540, and Phillips County are an illustration of rural America during the global coronavirus pandemic. For months, the county had managed to dodge the wrath of COVID-19, with only a handful of confirmed cases cropping up even as the large metropolitan counties saw them explode. County officials, believing the threat was minimal, lifted all restrictions at the end of May.
(Read more: Kansas City News)
Use of force will never be eliminated from law enforcement because there will always be people who do not cooperate when being placed under arrest, but Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens said discussion about change is necessary and changes must come in a thoughtful and methodical manner. “We can change things. We can try to make it better,” Kitchens said, in a forum last week that focused on the Leavenworth Police Department’s use of force. The chief spent time during the forum reviewing the law and court decisions that guide use of force by law enforcement officers. He also reviewed the Leavenworth Police Department’s policy on use of force. He also answered questions from the audience.
(Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe)
The rural economy in the middle of the country is not booming – but it’s moving upward. The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index, or RMI, increased in July. According to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy, July’s overall index climbed to 44.1, well below growth neutral, but up from June’s 37.9, and April’s record low 12.1. The index ranges between 0 and 100 with a reading of 50 representing growth neutral.
(Read more: WIBW News Now)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Kansas Lynne Hinrichsen today announced that USDA is investing $7,200 for community infrastructure in the city of Independence. … The Independence Area Library District will use a $7,200 Community Facilities Grant to purchase new mobile book shelves, storage and extra seating for the Independence Public Library. The library was built in 1907 and expanded in 2007. Existing furniture is deteriorating and unsafe. The improvements announced today will help modernize the older portion of the facility, enhancing the children and teen areas, and allow more space for classes and large events.
Read more: USDA.
Olathe teacher Amy Hillman said she was “given a gift” when Gov. Laura Kelly announced Kansas schools would stay closed until after Labor Day due to skyrocketing coronavirus cases. “These three weeks are giving us a leg up. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a lifetime for teachers,” said Hillman, a science teacher at Santa Fe Trail Middle School. Like other teachers, she has spent the summer taking online courses, learning how to use new technology and researching the virus — preparing to drastically transform her classroom for students returning during the worsening pandemic.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
With everything going on during the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of fast and easy communication with the public is at an all-time high. For this, most turn platforms like Facebook, but for now, that’s no longer an option for the Butler County Health Department. “We’re just stunned and with what’s going on right now that is, you know, Facebook is our main means of communicating with our citizens,” said Jamie Downs, Administrator of the Butler County Health Department. Downs was shocked Wednesday when she saw a notification from Facebook saying it unpublished the county’s official health department page because it violated the company’s community standards policy.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
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