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City of Chanute puts offer for former Spirit building on hold

info2018-08-15T06:31:06-05:00August 15th, 2018|

Chanute commissioners held off Monday evening on a quarter-million-dollar offer for the former Spirit AeroSystems building while they look at what it may be worth. The city received an offer from Michael Morris of $251,000, which is the county appraisal on the building at 615 W. Cherry. Commissioner Phil Chaney said he would prefer to see the building marketed for sale, and Mayor Sam Budreau said he is not in favor of letting it go for that amount. Commissioner Randy Galemore said the building should be appraised. “I’d like to get rid of it as well,” Chaney said, but he added [...]

Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties now under drought emergency

info2018-08-15T06:29:20-05:00August 15th, 2018|

A drought emergency was declared in 22 additional counties in Kansas on Tuesday, including Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Miami and Douglas. A total of 72 counties — virtually the entire eastern half of the state — are now under a drought emergency. The city of Gardner has issued water-use restrictions. “Counties in emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes,” according to an announcement from the Drought Response Team in Gov. Jeff Colyer’s office. “They also become eligible for water in some federal reservoirs.” All 105 Kansas counties are either in a drought emergency or under [...]

Recount requested in Sedg. Co. District 4 Primary

info2018-08-15T06:23:57-05:00August 15th, 2018|

Hugh Nicks has formally requested a recount in his Primary race against Richard Ranzau for Sedgwick County 4th District County Commission. In a letter to Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Tabitha Lehman, Nicks requested a hand-count of all ballots, cast on either machines or by hand - including advance and provisional ballots. Ranzau won that election by a slim margin. The final count from the canvass in Sedgwick County has Ranzau winning that race with 3,513 votes to Nicks' 3,438. In his letter, he appointed a representative to watch over the official recount process, and requested that Ranzau be asked to recuse [...]

Community Policing Program in Hutchinson put on hold

info2018-08-15T06:19:27-05:00August 15th, 2018|

After efforts to save the Hutchinson Citizens Police Acedemy Program from the budget tax, the police department sent out notice to its officers that the program is being put on hold. Captain Troy Hoover says, the continued shortage of officers has forced the department to postpone the program. Hoover expressed his disappointment over the news, saying that the program provided close interaction between the department and citizens. Hoover says the program isn’t dead and they hope to bring it back once the department can get their numbers up. The officers who were in charge of the program will likely be moved [...]

Water rights are discussed in Pratt County

info2018-08-15T06:16:55-05:00August 15th, 2018|

Some water rights in Pratt County have not been used and could be lost if action is not taken. Pratt leaders met last week with Jeff Lanterman, Department of Agriculture water commissioner, and learned the City of Pratt does have an option to apply for a five year extension on water rights with the chief engineer of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The 40-year perfection period for water rights in Pratt County will expire on Dec. 31, 2019. At that time, Pratt County could lose some water rights that might be needed for unknown future development in the county. Pratt County [...]

Shawnee County crews removing collapsed 200-year-old tree from park

info2018-08-14T07:19:43-05:00August 14th, 2018|

Crews with Shawnee County Parks and Recreation worked Monday to remove a massive tree, estimated to be about 200 years old, that split and collapsed over the weekend. The tree, a bur oak, stood in the east part of Crestview Park near S.W. Shunga Drive and Gage Blvd. It was never formally measured, but parks officials estimated the tree was as tall as 60 feet before it collapsed. It fell Sunday, said John Day with Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, after struggling with rot problems. As Day touched part of the exposed bark, it crumbled. Day said crews had been out [...]

Shawnee County approves Frito-Lay tax exemption

info2018-08-14T07:17:48-05:00August 14th, 2018|

The Shawnee County Commission approved a resolution exempting certain Frito-Lay property from taxation for economic development purposes. A public hearing was held during the commission meeting Monday with Jim Crowl, Shawnee County counselor, saying the “exemption is an investment in our community.” Frito-Lay plans to purchase vacant land adjecnt to the current facility south of Topeka with plans for a 86,000-square-foot warehouse. The project includes creation of seven new jobs at the facility and retention of six other positions. The tax exemption is not for existing property only the new value of the land, Crowl said. The projected economic impact of [...]

New Great Bend admin eyes city/county cooperation

info2018-08-14T07:16:10-05:00August 14th, 2018|

The Barton County Commission Monday morning took time to welcome a new government officials to town. They were introduced to Kendal Francis, who was appointed recently by the City of Great Bend as the new city administrator, and it could be a cozy connection. “I am excited to be here,” Francis said. “I look forward to serving the City of Great Bend, but also building a relationship with Barton County.” Francis, who was hired by the City Council July 16, has served the cities of Beloit, Lakin and Coffeyville. Historically, he said, he’s enjoyed a good rappot with county officials where [...]

Shawnee community center discussion moves forward

info2018-08-14T07:10:48-05:00August 14th, 2018|

A community center has been on the city of Shawnee’s wish list for well over a decade, and now, the dream is becoming a little more concrete. After months of conducting surveys, public forums and in-depth research, the consultants pieced together a facility encompassing the most desired amenities among Shawnee residents. Financing of the community center would be left in the hands of Shawnee citizens. The city plans to build and maintain the facility using revenue from a proposed mill levy increase, which would be voted on during a spring ballot question, whether by in-person or by mail. The future [...]

Counties get conflicting advice from Kobach, Colyer camps as they begin ballot review

info2018-08-14T07:28:48-05:00August 14th, 2018|

Gov. Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach turned over squabbling duties to their proxies Monday as counties began tallying provisional ballots, extending Kobach’s lead in the GOP primary to 206 votes. Kobach assistant Eric Rucker and Colyer’s chief counsel, Brant Laue, offered competing views of Kansas law governing provisional ballots completed by unaffiliated voters. The issue is whether votes should count if a volunteer poll worker made a mistake. County canvassing boards are weighing those arguments as they sort through 9,000 provisional ballots this week. They don’t have to finish their work until Aug. 20, but the deadline for [...]

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