Registration is now open for the 3rd annual Rural Health and Prosperity Grants 101 Workshop. At the workshop, agencies will share valuable information on grant opportunities to support your community and organization, as well as discuss application best practices. This year’s workshop will be held April 8-9 in Emporia at the Granada Theatre.
Learn more here.

The Marion County Board of Commissioners met on Monday, March 10 to discuss the Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS) lighting in the Sunflower Wind project area, which is located between Marion, Peabody and Florence. Planning/Zoning/Environmental Health Director Sharon Omstead opened the session by giving background to the packed room which included the board, Marion County Administrator Tina Spencer, Country Attorney Brad Janz, Orsted (the company that handled the Sunflower Wind project) representatives Danny Sears-Greer, Jase Sherwood, Joshua Svaty and Zoe Weinstein and members of the public. Omstead explained that the wind farm was required to install the ADLS lights and use them, which they did. “However there was a warranty issue, and the lights weren’t working as we had hoped. And so they default to blink so that’s a safety factor,” said Omstead. “This has been going on for a while, and Orsted has been kind of battling out this warranty issue. It’s a new technology, it’s just taken a long time to work out the kinks. So the commission requested that Orsted come in and talk about why it has taken so long.”g.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

The Kansas Supreme Court, overturning decisions by two lower courts, has ruled in favor of a developer who sued the city of Shawnee five years ago over the city council’s denial of a large apartment project. The high court announced its ruling on Friday in favor of Austin Properties, a development company that wants to build the 29-acre Woodsonia West multi-family development off Kansas Highway 7. The decision throws the project’s fate back to the city, though it’s unclear when Austin might bring the plan back before the city council. The decision stems from a lawsuit Austin Properties filed in 2020, alleging the city acted unreasonably and unlawfully by denying the Woodsonia West plan.
Source: Johnson County Post

Iola has an official flag. Councilman Max Grundy helped design the flag, which incorporates blue and white stripes emanating from a clock face, styled in the manner of Iola’s distinctive courthouse clock. The time shown on the clock — 3:04 — was set to note Kansas was the 34th state inducted into the Union, Grundy said.
Source: The Iola Register

The Kansas Department of Commerce made a deal with officials in Peabody to allow completion of a $1.5 million infrastructure improvement project designed to spark economic renewal in the central Kansas town. The community of less than 1,000 people was deeply shaken six months ago by alleged financial mismanagement of economic development aid and the mysterious death of a local consultant involved in monitoring state grant funding awarded to the Peabody Main Street Association.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Retaining and recruiting young, aspiring teenagers and adults looking to enter law enforcement can be a tough challenge for any rural police department. Looking to tackle the challenge, the Girard City Council and Girard Police Department have continually explored several options in an effort to grow its force.
Source: – Latest Stories

Across the globe, Women’s History Month is traditionally celebrated each March. And in this corner of the world, there is certainly some history to take note of – particularly on the Derby City Council. For the first time ever, the Derby City Council features three female council members – with Elizabeth Stanton, Kristi Truitt and Jenny Webster all serving out terms currently. Per the city’s records (dating back to 1961), they make up three of the 14 total female city council members in Derby’s history – accounting for 12% of all council members who have served in that same timeframe.
Source: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article

Starting this week, Lenexa voters will begin receiving ballots in the mail to determine the future of a key funding stream for some of the city’s most visible infrastructure projects. From March 12 to April 1, residents will be able to vote on renewing Lenexa’s 3/8-cent sales tax through a mail-in ballot. Originally approved by voters in 2008, the sales tax has served as a funding source for some major city projects over the past decade-and-a-half. Revenue generated by the tax has helped fund ongoing street maintenance projects, park improvements, city facility renovations and trail construction.
Source: Johnson County Post

A new year turns over a new page for the Towanda Public Library who welcomed a new director last month. The rural town of Towanda grappled with drama over the winter as residents filed complaints against the Towanda Public Library with claims of rude staff and minimal operating hours. During a heated City Council meeting, it was agreed upon by the residents’ demands that change needed to be made to ensure the library is inclusive, welcoming and open during times that residents are able to access it. In addition to the resignation and reappointing of the board’s president and a board member, a new director was hired. Since then, the library has taken on new hours and expanded their activity offering with aspirations to host even more. These steps were taken to secure the library’s future and to work towards bringing the community together.
Source: Butler County Times-Gazette

A Senate bill seeks to prohibit conflicts of interests by banning local government officials from voting on major development projects in which they have a “substantial interest.” Senate Bill 66, introduced by Republican Sen. Mike Thompson of Shawnee, attempts to increase local-level transparency. Thompson, and other proponents, argue that local officials often vote on projects that would personally benefit them because they’re not required to recuse themselves. Supporters see the bill as increasing government transparency and constituents’ confidence, while opponents see the bill as overly broad with its definition of “substantial interest” and hypocritical, since the Legislature would not have to follow the same rules.
Source: Butler County Times-Gazette