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Public financing plan for derelict Olathe shopping center gets OK from county

info2024-09-30T09:06:50-05:00September 30th, 2024|

In a rare discussion of a city redevelopment deal, Johnson County commissioners declined last Thursday to challenge tax increment financing for the Rosebud Plaza Shopping Center in Olathe. The Olathe City Council recently gave the go-ahead to start negotiating an incentive package for the $26 million development at the northeast corner of Santa Fe Street and Mur-Len Road. The developer has proposed a maximum $7 million reimbursement from a TIF in the area, possibly with a Community Improvement District — another type of incentive — to be added later. The shopping center was formerly anchored by a Hobby Lobby, which moved [...]

Southeast Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial revitalized by local crews

info2024-09-30T09:05:36-05:00September 30th, 2024|

The Southeast Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial gets a revamp. The memorial was built in 2003, and the statue put in place in 2017. Firefighters began cleanup at 9:00 a.m. at the Girard Fire Department. Teams from across Southeast Kansas also helped put down new rocks, felt paper, and edging. A memorial service is held each October, but this year they wanted to make the memorial look more fresh. Girard Fire Department Captain, Daulton Crays, says it’s also a way to continue paying tribute. “This is important to us. The memorial is to honor all of the fallen firefighters for Southeast Kansas. [...]

Retention bonus approved for Shawnee County dispatchers

info2024-09-30T09:04:05-05:00September 30th, 2024|

Shawnee County dispatchers are getting pay bonuses for their hard work and dedication after local leaders approved a one-time retention payout Thursday. Shawnee County commissioners approved of a new contract on Sept. 26 for people serving as dispatchers. Part of this plan includes a one-time retention bonus of $3,000 while also providing various pay rates for different shifts. The decision comes as the county looks to hire and keep dispatchers. Buddy Cordero, president of the local CWA Union, touched on the issue in a talk with commissioners. Source: KSNT 27 News

County governments are often overlooked

info2024-09-28T08:27:08-05:00September 28th, 2024|

Part of this is because Kansas, like the rest of the country, is quite urban, at least if you count where people actually live. For decades, the rural expanses of Kansas have emptied, with people moving to cities and their surrounding suburbs, increasing the focus on — and increasing the partisan competition over — city governments and municipal elections. Source: Salina Journal

Roeland Park adopts tree preservation ordinance

info2024-09-27T12:28:25-05:00September 27th, 2024|

Trees in Roeland Park right-of-ways and front yards are now protected in the city code. The Roeland Park City Council last week voted 7-1 to adopt a tree ordinance that intends to preserve the city’s tree canopy by protecting trees in the rights-of-way and front yards. Source: Johnson County Post

A return on investment is coming to De Soto residents fatigued by Panasonic construction

info2024-09-27T12:28:07-05:00September 27th, 2024|

Residents in De Soto, Kansas, are being affected by major infrastructure improvements spurred by the construction of a Panasonic battery plant. With $250 million in public works projects underway, community members are experiencing "construction fatigue," but city leaders say they're already seeing a return on investment from construction of the 300-acre battery factory. Source: KCUR

City works to get driver’s licenses reinstated for some Wichitans

info2024-09-27T12:27:55-05:00September 27th, 2024|

Wichita announced a new program to help residents get their driver's licenses back after suspension. The program is called the Wichita Area Restoration Program (WARP), and it offers the following... Source: KSN-TV

ACLU warns Shawnee councilmember for deleting residents’ Facebook comments

info2024-09-27T12:27:16-05:00September 27th, 2024|

A Shawnee city councilmember’s alleged actions on social media have drawn the attention of a civil rights advocacy group and sparked a conversation about online interactions.... The issue goes back to the First Amendment... which protects free speech in a public forum. Because [the councilmember] operates both a personal Facebook page and a public one for updates on his work as a councilmember, the latter is considered an open forum. Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Wichita preps ‘more aggressive’ anti-camping ordinances aimed at homeless encampments

info2024-09-27T10:37:37-05:00September 27th, 2024|

The city of Wichita is drafting two new anti-camping ordinances in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that held local governments can impose civil and criminal penalties on homeless people for camping on public land — even if the city doesn’t have enough shelter space to house those people. City Manager Robert Layton said last week that the City Council has called for changes so Wichita can be “more aggressive” at policing homeless camps on public property. While the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers Wichita one of the most affordable metro areas in the nation, the number [...]

Commission fields more homeless questions

info2024-09-27T10:36:06-05:00September 27th, 2024|

Pittsburg resident Roger Lomshek approached the commissioners on Tuesday during public input to see if any had read the federal guidelines he passed out at the previous session. According to Lomshek, federal law allows any organization issuing housing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to set up local preferences prioritizing distribution of vouchers based on residency or employment. “Federal law explicitly allows a restriction to prevent somebody from just coming here after being issued a HUD voucher,” Lomshek said. In the past, Lomshek has provided the commissioners with a number of policy changes for the Pittsburg Housing [...]

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