On Tuesday night, leaders of three central Kansas counties met to discuss a proposed energy corridor that has landowners concerned. The National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) is a route designated by the federal government to expand projects to transport electricity. The federal proposal could take a five-mile-wide path of land through Kansas or future energy transmission needs. Many residents are worried that their land will be taken through the eminent domain. “They want to know that their family’s safe, or that their business, if it runs across a business, that their business is safe,” said Barton County District 2 Commissioner [...]

Starting Oct. 1, Norton County residents will see a change in the cash register as a 1% sales tax increase to support health care goes into effect. Kevin Faughnder, Norton County Hospital’s CEO, said it’s tough for rural health nationwide to succeed financially. Faughnder says he is excited as a hospital employee, but understands the importance of the change. “From a taxpayer perspective, it’s always tough to pay more taxes, and I think that’s why it’s really important for us to be responsible with how we use this money,” Faughnder said. “So both excited and mindful of the fact that we [...]

Arkansas City has launched its new Drinking Water System Improvement Master Plan. The city says the initiative is critical to address aging infrastructure and improve efficiency. “We are excited to take this next step toward modernizing our water system,” City Manager Randy Frazer said in a news release. “While the new treatment facility was a tremendous achievement, we recognize the need to continue investing in our infrastructure to ensure reliable water service for our residents and businesses. This master plan represents a long-term commitment to sustaining our water system and distributing costs equitably.” While the city has recently improved the water [...]