With a hearty cheer, a large crowd celebrated the unveiling of the new marquee, marking the first phase of the restoration of the old Iola Theatre in downtown Iola. Throngs of youngsters gather outside the old Iola Theater for the showing of “The Circus Clown” sometime in the 1930s. The ornate marquee has been rebuilt and was turned on for the public Friday. With the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood premiere mixed with the home-town folksiness of a county fair, droves of Iolans turned out for a party Friday. The occasion? Members of the Iola Theatre Association turned on the [...]

The Galena Solar Project will generate 260 megawatts and create 198 construction jobs by 2030. Planning commission will consider a conditional use request for the project. Read more: Wichita Biz Journal

The artificial intelligence boom has driven companies to search nationwide for space to build “hyperscale” data centers – and it turns out, Lawrence is actually a place they could go. Read more: LJWorld

The massive site near De Soto was once home to a factory that produced gunpowder for artillery shells in World War II and rocket propellants during the Vietnam War. But bit by bit, parts of the site have been deemed safe by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Almost 400 acres will be allocated to become part of what will be Johnson County’s biggest park. Read more: KC Star

In Harvey County – which is just north of Wichita – the lack of code language led to a two-year lawsuit with the landowner and the crypto company, which Harvey County eventually won. They’ve now approved a moratorium on all such projects, meaning no such projects can apply to locate in the county until the county finishes writing codes on the matter. Thus far, Douglas County officials are betting they don’t need a moratorium while they work to write language in their codes. The code-writing process though is proving to be a complex one. Read more: LJWorld

Harvey County Treasurer Amy Perkins told commissioners that her biggest complaint has to do with how the county applies property tax payments when someone gets behind. Perkins explained that a charter resolution in 2019 requires her to apply payments to the most current property tax bill, which means that in order to pay off the most delinquent tax, owners must pay off all of their taxes. If they can’t pay the whole thing, they often decide there’s no benefit in paying any of it off. Read more: Harvey County Now

Amelia Blackwood has been appointed as City Administrator, where she will manage daily operations, carry out city council policies, and lead efforts to support ongoing community growth and services. In addition, Lindsay Clark has been appointed as City Clerk. Read more: KCLY Radio

Anna Popp has created 15 murals in Great Bend and surrounding Kansas towns, with at least three more planned for summer 2026. The remarkable works of art have transformed areas throughout the community. Read more: KU Alumni

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced $16.3 million is available to improve broadband infrastructure through the Broadband Acceleration Grant (BAG) program. The program is designed to offset high costs that are required for building networks in places where distance and low population density make private investment difficult to attain. “High-speed internet is an industry standard and should be available for use on a daily basis by individuals and businesses alike,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The BAG program supports the prosperous future we’re building for all Kansas residents which includes having reliable and [...]

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday voted 3-1 to move forward with a plan for the Tenant Eviction Defense pilot program they approved in March. Once the program is up and running, a nonprofit legal service provider will attend the weekly answer docket, which is when tenants who have received an eviction notice have a chance to deny claims that a landlord has made in a petition. The provider and project team will work to speak with renters as well as property owners or landlords at the docket. They will hand out paper or online intake forms to tenants to assess their demographic [...]