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As you have already heard, unemployment continues to rise for both Emporia and Lyon County as a whole and local leaders and experts have the answers as to what is causing the increase; however, when it comes to what will halt it, that’s a bit trickier to say. As KVOE News reported recently, Emporia’s unemployment rate remains the highest in the state for the second consecutive month, going from 5.8 to 6.5 percent between July and June. Meanwhile, the county’s unemployment rate is currently tied for third third-highest in the state at an even 6 percent — nearing levels last seen [...]

With a population of only 52, the town of Elsmore may be small, but its residents are determined to keep their community thriving. Thrive Allen County hosted a Community Conversation Tuesday evening, where locals reflected on what makes their town special and where improvements could be made. The discussion centered on three questions: What gives you pride in your community? What opportunities are missing? And where are the barriers or needs for growth? Read more: The Iola Register

Blue Rapids is preparing the footings for a new home, and city officials are excited. On Wednesday, Aug. 13, Blue Rapids City Council and city staff gathered to announce the groundbreaking for a new three-bedroom home at 904 Main St. Next spring, they aim to have it completed. If a buyer steps up sooner, they’ll hand the construction project over for the homeowner to finish. Read more: www.marysvilleonline.net - RSS Results in news,news/* of type article

The large solar farm planned for north of Clifton has been put on hold. Local rumors of the situation were confirmed by a spokesperson for NextEra Energy Resources on Tuesday. Laura Gies, who works in communications for NextEra, said “Further development of the Eagle Road energy project in Washington County has been paused.” Read more: Backroads News | Washington County News

Between 80 and 90 trains run through Olathe daily, halting traffic for four minutes on average, sometimes more — an issue the city is hoping to resolve. Olathe’s at-grade crossings on the city’s west side have been under watch for some time, and the city has been planning for nearly two years to do a limited, high-level study on them. Now that the city has secured federal funds for the study, Olathe can do a more in-depth analysis of the sites. Read more: Johnson County Post

Murals depict various themes, from Kansas' night sky and state symbols to local icons and historical figures like Chester I. Lewis. A comprehensive list of murals can be found on the Visit Hutch website, though some unlisted murals are hidden throughout the city. Read more: Hutch News

Topeka police chief Chris Vallejo said a big part of his new program PACT — Police and Community Together — is working on data-driven policing that accompanies community policing in crime hot spots. 911 calls is sorted into various categories to determine severity of the situation. The severity of a call will determine which calls get addressed first. Read more: CJonline

McPherson County Commissioners have adopted a six-month moratorium on new data centers in the unincorporated areas of McPherson County. As initially presented by Planning and Zoning Administrator Jon Kinsey, the moratorium would have been through January 1, 2028, but following an extended discussion that was reduced to about six months. Kinsey said the purpose of the moratorium would be to allow the county’s Planning Commission to study how data centers would fit into the county’s comprehensive plan and what zoning regulations changes might be required. Read more: Ad Astra Radio | Your Hometown Radio Stations & Local News Source

Over 18 years ago, Jason Thrasher made a change from the manufacturing world into the world of local government. Thrasher became the Hesston City Clerk in 2007 after leaving AGCO. Once again, Thrasher has made a change, only this time, his move was from Clerk to City Administrator, with his official start date being Aug. 12. “I had no municipal experience when I started, and local government operates differently than the private sector,” Thrasher said. “Fortunately, I worked with a knowledgeable administrator and staff who helped me learn the ropes.” Read more: Harvey County Now

Five-year-old Layne’s pretty young to work as a crossing guard. But, then again, Layne is a large half Maine Coon cat. The City of Newton recently honored Layne in social media posts as a Crosswalk Purr-tector for his work walking kids to school on the sidewalk and crosswalk on both sides of the street. Layne roams the neighborhood around the 600 block of East Fifth and East Fourth and down to Slate Creek Elementary and Chisholm Middle schools. He has a human family consisting of Pepper Stephey, her husband Jason Leal, and children Mackenzie, Maddi, and MaciRae. Read more: Harvey County [...]