The change is now official after the Lawrence City Commission approved it during its final meeting of 2024. Porter Arneill, an assistant director with the department, told the Journal-World that the department’s work today encompasses many cultural programs, and that the name change was intended to reflect that.
Source: LJWorld
City Manager Toby Dougherty announced the promotion of Jami Breit as the new Hays City Clerk. … Mrs. Breit was previously the Deputy City Clerk for the City of Hays and has worked in the City Clerk office since 2012. She fills the position left vacant by the recent retirement of Brenda Kitchen, who served 44.5 years for the city.
Source: Hays Daily News
“Hays has gone to that … and they haven’t had any reported issues,” Police Chief Smith said. He stated that as long as the Council handled the matter responsibly and required the same safety features as are currently required with utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) and that sober drivers followed the rules of the road, he did not anticipate any problems with legalizing golf carts on the streets.
Source: Hays Daily News
Grocery bills will get a bit cheaper Jan. 1, once the state sales tax on groceries tics down from 2% to 0%. The tax cut is the third installment of a gradual elimination of the state’s sales tax on groceries that was 6.5% before the Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly approved the tax cut in 2022.
Source: CJonline
Four Cowley College Main Campus students from Sumner County are one step closer to achieving their career goals thanks to a generous initiative supported by Sumner County… The initiative was made possible through the Sumner County Grant Program, which secured funding to provide tools for students.
Source: Cowley College
For assistance with grant applications and administration, contact Rose Mary Saunders or Crystal Hinnen.
Members of Kansas’ congressional delegation celebrated the federal government’s decision Monday to remove a proposed electric transmission line route from a program offering assistance for power infrastructure projects. But the project will still move forward.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Tourism is a vital economic driver for Abilene. According to the most recent data from Tourism Economics, Dickinson County saw more than $22.2 million in tourism spending in 2023, spanning lodging, food and beverage, retail, recreation and transportation. Transient Guest Tax (TGT) revenue—a key indicator of visitor activity—totaled $206,149 in 2024, a 24.31% increase from 2023.
Source: abilene-rc.com
The City of Holcomb has announced the appointment of Randy Ralston as the Chief of Police in December. Ralston, who has been serving as Interim Chief since Oct. 15, 2024, officially steps into his new role following unanimous approval from city officials. Ralston brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to public safety to the position. With a career spanning 30 years in law enforcement, including leadership roles and community engagement initiatives, he has earned a reputation as a dedicated, innovative, and approachable leader.
Source: Garden City Telegram
Halstead residents shared a variety of concerns about both a potential battery storage facility and Concurrent, LLC, the company looking to build in Halstead at a recent public hearing. After over a year of deliberation and back and forth between residents, the city and Concurrent, the Halstead Planning Commission introduced the latest proposed regulations for a battery energy storage system, or BESS as it is commonly referred to, facility. The proposed regulations are available on the city’s website.
Source: Harvey County Now
After considering the City of Newton’s request from last week for assistance covering the costs of a road pavement, the Board of Harvey County Commissioners decided against it. At the previous county commission meeting, Newton Mayor Rich Stinnett, City Manager Daniela Rivas and City Engineer Suzanne Loomis requested that the commissioners assist with the costs to pave South Hillside Street from East First to Southeast 12th Street. With GAF Materials moving into the Kansas Logistics Park, the city is looking to pave that mile of road. Because of the heavy traffic and types of vehicles that will be using the road, Loomis said the pavement project was using a specific heavy duty type of asphalt.
Source: Harvey County Now
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