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The Harvey County District Court could soon move to Walton for three years. County Administrator Kevin Frymire provided more information about county remodel plans during a meeting with the Newton Board of Education on Monday. The county is looking at using the Walton Rural Life Center to house the courts, as well as attached staff and court services. “We’ve been to several places and haven’t marked them all off yet, but the Walton school came out as a potential option for us,” he said. “When I heard that, the first words out of my mouth were ‘This is a great idea.’” [...]

StartUp Hutch announced Monday that it will launch a new Housing Entrepreneurship Program, supported by a $50,000 grant from the Hutchinson Community Foundation. The two-year pilot program’s purpose is to strengthen the local contractor and skilled trades pipeline and thereby support housing development in Hutchinson and Reno County. A shortage of local contractors, subcontractors, and skilled trades entrepreneurs is a critical gap in the community’s housing ecosystem, according to the announcement. Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The robotic dogs are different than the robots the department already uses. “These robotic systems provide capabilities that address current operational gaps, including the ability to open and close doors, navigate stairs, and move over uneven terrain and obstacles commonly encountered in real-world environments,” Wichita Police capt. Aaron Moses said in an email. “These capabilities allow officers to manage high-risk incidents more safely and reduce risk to both the public and responding personnel.” Read more: Wichita Eagle

Sedgwick County’s siren system is undergoing a six-year improvement, and currently, two different system communicate with the sirens. The devices are split into zones so sirens can target various parts of the county. In this week’s case, the wrong zone was activated. “Because the city of Mulvane falls in both counties and the programming challenges we have with two systems, it did activate our zone in the southeastern part of the county,” ... When a tornado warning is issued, it’s for a specific area. In weather broadcasts, the area under a warning will appear as a polygon. That polygon is issued [...]

The leading proposals this year are similar to the bills and resolutions that failed just a year ago. But lawmakers are more optimistic that relief will come this time around. Here are the two leading proposals: Constitutional amendment to cap valuation increases, and Spending caps on local governments. Read more: Johnson County Post

Hillsboro City Council approved an agreement Thursday with Michael Webb to serve as interim city administrator after Matt Stiles steps down until the city recruits a permanent replacement. Read more: Marion County RECORD

The updated definition states that owner-occupied means the owner lives on the property at least 180 days during the calendar year. New language states that a rental unit must be located within the primary residential dwelling on the property and may not be located in an accessory building unless the main dwelling is owner-occupied. Read more: Marion County RECORD

Since launching in 2023 as a grant‑funded initiative, the program has brought more than 80 new landlords into local housing programs and helped remove barriers that often prevent property owners from participating in federal rental assistance. The incentive program offers landlords a sign-on bonus and access to a damage reimbursement fund. Read more: Johnson County Kansas