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The Kansas Department of Commerce will celebrate National Community Development Week (April 21-25) with the inaugural Community Impact Tour – a five-day, 26-stop tour highlighting transformative projects across Kansas. National Community Development Week was established in 1986 to recognize the impact of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This year, Kansas is expanding the celebration to honor Community Development and Quality Place initiatives that are driving progress in housing, childcare, downtown revitalization and infrastructure. Source: Press Releases – Kansas Department of Commerce

Florent Wagner — Overland Park’s unofficial city historian and beloved keeper of countless stories — died late last month at the age of 87. Wagner, who never actually lived in the city of Overland Park but in neighboring Leawood, was integral in forming what is now the Overland Park Historical Society and worked for decades at the former Overland Park State Bank and Trust Company downtown. “We are extremely saddened by Florent’s passing,” Mayor Curt Skoog said in a statement to the Post. “Florent was not just a devoted steward of Overland Park’s rich history, he was a part of it.” [...]

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has announced the results of the 2025 Kansas National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament. The event took place on March 28 and 29 at the Kansas State Fair Grounds in Hutchinson. Nearly 400 students from across the state participated in the bullseye and 3D archery events for a chance to qualify for the national tournament, which will take place in June in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The KDWP says a record-setting $20,000 in scholarships was awarded to student archers at the tournament, thanks to contributions from the National Archery in the Schools [...]

The Pittsburg Police Department gets approval for safety improvements. At Tuesday's meeting—city commissioners gave approved the purchase of 13 in-car cameras for patrol cars. Hardware, equipment and software will run the city about 114-thousand dollars—and is covered by the public safety sales tax. Deputy Police Chief Major Ben Henderson says this will help with transparency and earning public trust. Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Thanks to Senate Bill 199, fireworks can now be sold year-round in Kansas, and retailers are deciding if it's worth it or not. The law was signed on Wednesday, April 9, but retailers may be opting out. One retailer tells 27 News that shipments are now more expensive because of tariffs, and that some sellers have even stopped their shipments all together. Source: KSNT 27 News

The City of Arkansas City is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Chad Gleason, who died Thursday morning while on duty—doing the work he cared deeply about and took great pride in every day.  Chad had been a valued member of the City’s Sanitation Division since January 2024. More than a colleague, he was a trusted friend and an essential part of the Public Services Department. His strong work ethic, positive attitude, and dedication to serving Arkansas City will be profoundly missed by all who had the honor of working  with him.  Source: Local – Cowley Post

Concern over the behavior of an Ark City area man – who’s been seen taking walks in the nude in his neighborhood – has led to an effort to bolster the law against public nudity. The same issue involving the same person has come up before in the IXL neighborhood south of Ark City where the walks have occurred. Warmer weather seems to be more suitable for the displays which neighbors don’t care for and have tried to get stopped. Attempts have been made to speak with or otherwise confront the man, without success. Now, Pam Crain, a local woman known [...]

A three-judge panel from the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals appeared unconvinced Friday that five Sedgwick County juvenile detention officers should be immune from an excessive force lawsuit in the 2021 death of 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton. The county officers were appealing an Oct. 3 ruling by Eric Melgren, chief judge of the U.S. District Court of Kansas, who denied the officers’ petition to dismiss all claims against them, saying that a jury must decide who to believe about what happened inside a small cell at the Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More [...]

The Coffey Health System Board of Trustees has voted to cease obstetrics care at Coffey County Hospital, according to a report from the health system’s marketing department published in the Coffey County Republican. Labor and delivery services incurred a $1.3 million annual loss for the health system in 2024, the report noted. In the last five years, the hospital averaged 65 births per year. Projections for 2025 are less than half that. The change aggravates a growing maternity desert in southeast Kansas. Only Neosho, Labette, Montgomery and Crawford counties have hospitals with obstetrics services.  Source: The Iola Register

Manhattan may see more charging stations in the near future for electric vehicles as they become more common. At Monday’s meeting, Riley County’s MPO planning manager told officials to expect some changes in infrastructure to accommodate the gradual rise in EV use. Tremblay said drivers with electric vehicles tend to pass through the Manhattan area and having charging stations can accommodate those visitors. There are currently 12 EV charging stations in Manhattan. Tremblay said possible locations for new charging stations may be on privately owned parking lots such as the Westloop area or the Stratford village. He said people coming into [...]