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Governor Laura Kelly has directed flags to be flown at half-staff on all state buildings, grounds, and facilities from sunrise to sunset on July 5, 2025, to honor Phillips County Deputy Brandon Gaede, who was killed in the line of duty on June 27. The order follows Executive Order #20-30. Source: KCLY Radio

Something out of this world brought about 1,000 people – mostly Kansans but some Nebraskans and Missourians, based on license plates – to the state’s UFO capital last summer. It may sound a bit out there, but not only has this community of 236 souls staked its claim, it’s raised its deflector shields to ward off any competitors. Add a guy with a daring and wacky sense of looking at things, plus a museum board’s vision, and you’ve got a happening. The end result is that Geneseo, about 100 miles northwest of Wichita in Rice County, is trying to take a [...]

City leaders and community members gathered Tuesday to break ground on a long-anticipated water treatment plant that will bring major changes to how Valley Center handles its water supply. Currently, the city sells raw water to Wichita, which treats it and sells it back. Once the new facility is complete, Valley Center will be able to treat its own water—providing up to 1.4 million gallons of clean drinking water per day. Source: KSN-TV

After a lot of concern from people in the community, a new truck stop in Topeka is going to have to pump the brakes. At Tuesday night's city council meeting, the governing body voted to send a request to rezone a west Topeka property back to the planning commission for more work. Maverik has more than 400 locations in 12 states, and wants to expand to Kansas. It's looking to add a location off of I-70 on Fairlawn where the old Holidome was located. Source: KSNT 27 News

Gary Scott retired from a long career serving as director of Parks and Rec to continue to serve the community in a different capacity – with lots of volunteering. “I think it’s because most people when they volunteer they get a lot back in return,” he said. Giving back to his community has always been important to him. When he worked with the Special Olympics, he saw the number of volunteers who made the event possible. Even though it was a paid job for him, it opened his eyes to how rewarding volunteer work was for everyone else. Source: The Eudora [...]

Dirt is moving on a new $200-million development as part of the Crosswinds Casino and Resort in Park City, located north of Wichita. Officials from the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma broke ground Thursday on a new 15-story hotel and casino expansion, which will feature 238 new rooms with 32 suites, food and beverage offerings, a pool and bar, and an 8,500-square-foot ballroom. Source: Wichita Business Journal - Local Wichita News

City and Riley County officials tried to find common ground in a meeting about RHIDs Thursday. After the county vetoed a resolution to create a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District on June 12, Manhattan officials asked for more specifics about what the county wants to see going forward. The RHID task force, composed of city, county and USD 383 officials, met again at the Lincoln Education Center. An RHID, or reinvestment housing incentive district, is a program to help communities support new housing by devoting the tax property revenue from a new development back to the developer to cover the cost of [...]

Wichita city officials are considering a cut to the city’s property tax rate for the first time in decades. But the cut is so small that the vast majority of homeowners would still see an increase on their city property tax bill as property valuations continue to soar. The proposal would lower the city’s mill levy from 32.816 mills to 32.316 mills. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Many towns in western Kansas lack gyms and fitness centers. Some small communities are building outdoor walking trails to encourage better health and attract new residents. Western Kansas towns are surrounded by land. Yet some communities have very few spaces to safely exercise and explore the outdoors. While most of the land in this region is used for agriculture, residents of the area want designated spaces to connect with the arid plains. Those spaces also can improve community health and help rural economies. Source: The Iola Register

Northeast Kansas will be on the international stage next summer and preparations are already underway. Topeka has already started preparations this year ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Kansas City. Local officials and business owners are expecting a bump in traffic from the big event. The City of Topeka is in the process of planning attractions as well as getting local businesses and hotels ready for the expected arrival of new visitors. 27 News spoke with the Greater Topeka Partnership (GTP) about what locals can expect when the World Cup arrives in one year. Source: KSNT 27 News