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The City of Newton said two water towers will be getting a new look next year. At a recent meeting, city commissioners approved new designs for the towers on Spencer Road and West 17 Street. One tower will feature the City of Newton’s logo, and the other will feature the flag. The City of Newton said the paint project will help protect the towers against rust and extend their life. Read more: KSN-TV

Sumner County has rejected a conditional use permit for a battery storage facility near Oxford. After hours of public comment on Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to deny the permit for an energy storage facility near Webb Road and Highway 160. Close to a hundred people were present to protest the project, and over two dozen people spoke in opposition, raising environmental concerns. Read more: KSN-TV

A Garden City veteran lost a leg and his will to live after an accident with a train last summer. Thanks to the town’s fire marshal, he is now embracing life and trying to get back home. It’s been a long half-year of recovery for 88-year-old Garden City veteran Raymond Stroup, who lost a leg last summer after his car was hit by a train. “I’ve had a lot of discouraging thoughts,” Stroup said. After experiencing such a traumatic injury in his late 80s, Stroup was ready to give up on life, but Garden City Fire Marshal Gene Robertson, who met [...]

A metal swarm of eyes in the sky could soon by crowding the air in Wichita’s Old Town and downtown. The city council approved a $600,000 donation from QuikTrip to allow the Wichita Police Department to host a ‘drone hive’ on the roof of its Washington and Douglas location. WPD says the location is a hub for street racing downtown. They aim to improve response time and deter crime in the area, as it is densely populated and a ‘no chase’ zone, making drones ideal for following suspects without the same risks. Read more: KSN-TV

The Kansas City Chiefs have informed administrative officials that they will announce their move to Kansas today, according to sources who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Read more: KC Star

SEK Animal Advocates rescued 29 cats outside a residence in Altoona last weekend. An Altoona woman, Carol Sharp, died in a car crash last week, leaving dozens of cats without care. Volunteers with SEK Animal Advocates, a non-profit foster-based dog and cat rescue, spent hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday catching cats and setting traps for the more feral felines. By Sunday night, they had captured 29 cats, with more still in the area. Read more: -The Morning Sun

The Girard Department has a new high-tech tool that may assist with situational awareness and fire safety. Earlier this month, the Girard Fire Department announced that it received a donation of an advanced, top-of-the-line drone. The drone was donated by Heather Scales, alongside her daughter Maddie, as the two gave the piece of equipment, which will help the Girard Fire Department in numerous ways such as providing an aerial perspective and delivering real-time data during an emergency. Scales is the daughter of the late Ronald E. “Pete” Scales. An active member of the SEK Chiefs Association along with the Crawford County [...]

Riley County Police Department will be solely responsible for enforcing animal-related ordinances as of Jan. 1 after entering a new contract with the city. The Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board approved an agreement Monday for the city to transfer specialty vehicles and equipment for animal control needs. RCPD acknowledged and agreed that it will be the sole enforcement authority of animal-related ordinances within city limits. The Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board approved the contract Monday in a 5-2 vote, with Barry Wilkerson and Kathryn Focke voting against. Read more: News Radio KMAN

A new camera surveillance agreement will allow the Riley County Police Department to access city camera feeds in real time. Manhattan city commissioners approved the license agreement with RCPD and the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board on Tuesday. RCPD has a contract with the intelligence platform Axon Fusus to deploy a RealTime Intelligence Center program. Fusus allows RCPD to integrate with RCPD’s existing cameras and third party camera systems such as local business and now the city of Manhattan’s camera system, including its traffic cameras. Read more: News Radio KMAN

A newly-approved compensation tool will bring a salary increase for most City of Arkansas City employees and create a more unbiased method of setting compensation. Finance director Jennifer Waggoner said implementation of the new structure will cost $259,399 in 2026 and was included in the budget. Human Resource Director Marla McFarland said the approach will determine the proper compensation level for a position and then consider a number of factors to determine the proper pay for each individual employee in that position. Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com