A hundred people packed the Sedgwick County Commission Chambers and even more filled an overflow room on Wednesday as county leaders considered approving two major solar projects. After an 11-hour meeting where commissioners heard more than 100 public comments, they denied both solar projects. Solar project discussions like this have been happening across the state, drawing a large community response. Both of these projects were considered despite the Sedgwick County Commission passing a six-month moratorium on new applications for large-scale solar projects in June. Commissioners said the projects would be used as a case study to test regulations and the application [...]

The Pratt city manager said Wednesday that city projects will continue without the 1% sales tax that voters rejected in the primary election. The final vote for the sales tax was 841 “no” votes to 563 “yes” votes. City manager Regina Goff said that money for city functions and future projects had already been budgeted. The goal of the sales tax was to relieve the burden of property taxes. She said that there had been robust debate between community members, so city leadership was not entirely surprised by the outcome of the vote. “There really were pros and cons to both, [...]

Voters in Towanda want the city to establish a 1.5% sales tax. More than three-quarters of those who cast ballots in Tuesday’s election voted for the tax. The city administrator said the sales tax is estimated to bring in $275,000 a year. The revenue from the sales tax will be used to improve roads. The city currently has a 1% sales tax that funds these projects, but it ends in 2027. The money could also be used to start the city’s own police department. Right now, law enforcement services are handled by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. The city administrator said [...]

A $15 million school bond in a small Kansas town got a thumbs-down in Tuesday’s election. Voters in Lakin, a city of about 2,200 people west of Garden City, rejected the bond issue by about 63% to 37%, according to the most recent results. The money would have gone toward repairs and improvements at the district’s facilities. Tony Salcido, president of the USD 215 board, said there is a lot that needs fixed at the district’s facilities. The high school needs new windows and doors and roofing upgrades, according to Salcido. He said the grade school has similar needs. Plumbing and [...]

Allen County commissioners heard a proposal Tuesday to change how burn bans are enacted. The proposal would give county fire chiefs the ability to enact bans as well. Allen County commissioners are taking a closer look at how countywide burn bans are declared. A proposed resolution presented Tuesday would allow fire chiefs in the county to enact burn bans more quickly when conditions warrant. Emergency Management Director Jason Trego said the proposal was developed to address situations when fire danger increases between the commission’s weekly meetings. “Typically in Allen County, it’s the Commission that enacts burn bans,” Trego said. “We have [...]

The rapid expansion of data centers across the United States is bringing new economic opportunities to rural communities, but it is also creating a host of legal, financial and property rights issues that many landowners have never faced before. As technology companies search for large tracts of affordable land with access to electricity and water, farmland is increasingly becoming a target for development. Read more:

Federal Judge Kathryn H. Vratil has ordered USD 497 Lawrence to pay over $113,000 in attorneys’ fees for a group of student plaintiffs after the district was found to have violated KORA (the Kansas Open Records Act). According to the Lawrence Times, the ruling is part of “a broader dispute that began with the district’s use of Gaggle, an AI tool that sifts through anything attached to the district’s Google Workspace and flags content it deems a safety risk.” The Times reported that nine current and former students sued over the tool saying it was a privacy violation. In November 2025, [...]

Integra Technologies shelved its $2 billion Bel Aire semiconductor facility after failing to secure federal CHIPS Act funding, leaving 350 acres available for development. Read more:

An Olathe developer is going to build townhomes that will address the “missing middle” gap in housing. At below market value, they’ll be priced under $500,000. Olathe City Council approved a rezoning request and preliminary site plans Tuesday that will make way for the mixed-use development featuring 44 townhomes and commercial space. The project, which the city council unanimously approved, will be located at an approximately 5-acre site at the southeast corner of 133rd Street and Black Bob Road. The project comes just months after the city council approved Olathe’s new comprehensive plan, “Elevate Olathe,” which outlines priorities for housing, transportation, [...]

With the Cozy Inn's lawsuit against the city still ongoing — and while the painting on the north side of its building is now complete — Salina is using an alternate definition for "sign" after a court ruled its own code's definition is unenforceable. A severability clause in the city's code allows it to invalidate one part of the law while keeping the rest intact. Read more: Salina Journal