info

The Lyon County Commission approved a premium pay policy for exempt employees who go above and beyond during certain emergencies. The premium pay option requires that an exempt employee, a salaried county employee who typically does not receive overtime pay, work 60 or more hours in a week. This work may include time spent in Lyon County or assisting other counties with emergency response. Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

Sedgwick’s newest police officer isn’t a typical rookie. At 35 years old, Kyle Woods comes with experience in ballistics lab testing, forensics training, and insight from long-time law enforcement family members. Sedgwick Police Chief Bryan Hall worked with Woods at the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) and in the NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network) program. Hall said that when he hires officers, he first looks for high integrity and then to see if there is a cultural fit. He said that without a servant’s heart and caring for the community, they won’t be a good fit for [...]

Leawood officials are asking the public to weigh in on a more specific plan for the site of its earliest government buildings, now that the city council has decided to raze the original city hall at 96th Street and Lee Boulevard. The public will get a first look at a preliminary site plan for public gathering and green space at an open-house meeting 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at The Wave at 106, 10603 Lee Blvd. The preliminary plan, drawn up by BBN Architects and based on a city council discussion last month, will be a more detailed [...]

Shawnee recently awarded a grant loan to help a local coffee shop bring its business downtown. On Monday, the Shawnee City Council voted 5-3 to approve a $50,000 grant loan to Current State Coffee Roasters to help with renovations at its future location at 11217 Johnson Drive. Councilmembers Tony Gillette, Mike Kemmling and Jacklynn Walters were in dissent. The money comes from the Shawnee Entrepreneurial and Economic Development grant program, or SEED, which is a city-run program that provides one-time payments in the form of forgivable loans to businesses as part of the city’s efforts to encourage expansion of existing businesses [...]

Do you have pumpkins from the Halloween Holiday sitting around your house, and you’re not sure what to do with them?  The Clay Center Zoo would be happy to take them off your hands for the zoo animals. Garett Payne, Zoo Curator, said pumpkins are a special treat for most all the animals at the zoo, either for eating or playing with. Donating pumpkins to zoos or farms helps reduce food waste while providing many animals with a nutritious food source at no cost. Read more: KCLY Radio

Even as electric vehicle sales decrease, the mayor of De Soto, Kansas, says the investment already made in the Panasonic battery plant has already benefited local residents and is helping the town as a whole grow. The plant opened earlier this year and is employing about 1,500 people. Read more: KCUR

Cherokee County, with a population of about 19,000 people, faces a significant challenge known as a "food desert." This term refers to areas where access to affordable and nutritious food is limited. In Cherokee County, residents can only find two grocery stores: a Harps in Baxter Springs and an Apple Market in Columbus. According to Hunger Free Kansas, 15.7 percent of the county's population experience food insecurity, highlighting the severity of the issue. The limited number of grocery stores poses a particular problem for people who rely on WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

The future of a western Kansas school district is up in the air after years of funding cuts. Mathew Hendricks, superintendent of Dighton Public Schools, said the district has lost about 10% of its budget over the past two years due to declining valuations and enrollment. On top of that, the HVAC system isn’t working properly. While the district continues to make repairs, Hendricks said it would take a bond to fully fix the problem. The district will hold a community forum at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the Dighton High School auditorium to discuss its financial future. Read more: [...]

In Ottawa County, residents will soon decide whether to ban certain types of swine facilities. Voters will be asked if corporations, companies, trusts, or partnerships should be allowed to own or lease agricultural land—directly or indirectly—to operate a “swine production facility.” The question stems from a proposed farm about 30 miles north of Salina that would house roughly 45,000 pigs. Read more: KSN-TV

Topeka city leaders are scheduled to discuss a change to the controversial "readiness to serve" utility charge at an upcoming meeting. The Topeka City Council is set to meet on Nov. 12 and take action on a proposed ordinance regarding the city's utility rates. Approval of this new ordinance would amend sections of the Topeka Municipal Code, 13.05.020 and 13.05.050, regarding the city's water and wastewater rate structure, including the readiness to serve charge. Topeka's readiness to serve charge is a monthly fee for people on all water meters, regardless of whether they are used or not. City councilmembers discussed the [...]