As a girl, Dawn Buehler loved floating the Kansas River as it passed her family’s farm. As an adult, she’s floated all the major rivers of the Ozarks. Last summer she floated and camped along rivers in Washington and Montana. She hopes to keep floating new rivers. Some of the rivers she’d most like to float are just an hour or two from her home in rural Douglas County, and include the Elk, Marais des Cygnes and Verdigris. All begin amid the grand grasslands of the Flint Hills and eventually flow through prime forests near the Kansas border. But those rivers, plus dozens of other streams in Kansas, are off-limits to Buehler because of Kansas’ restrictive river and stream access laws. “Southeast Kansas has some of the most beautiful rivers nobody will ever see,” said Buehler. “It also adds to the frustration knowing that as soon as our rivers pass into other states (Missouri and Oklahoma), they can be enjoyed.” Indeed, nearly every state has more liberal river access laws than Kansas. Some professional estimates place Kansas within the bottom 10% when it comes to river access. Those more open-minded states are becoming even more accommodating to America’s growing interest in paddling. 
Read more: KLC Journal

Deep Fission announced Tuesday a partnership with Day and Zimmermann for the construction of a nuclear reactor in Parsons. Deep Fission is a company that makes small advanced nuclear reactors and chose Parsons, Kansas, to build a test version of its new underground reactor. The site will be in the Great Plains Industrial Park.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

Pittsburg’s only movie theater has permanently closed, leaving residents without a local option to watch films on the big screen as summer approaches. AMC Classic Pittsburg 8 shut its doors for the final time on Sunday, May 31, according to a statement from AMC Theatres. The closure came as a surprise to many regular customers who had no advance warning. AMC Theatres confirmed the closure in a statement to KOAM, saying the company “routinely reviews the theatres in our circuit and makes decisions based on what will strengthen the company going forward.” The sudden closure has left longtime patrons confused and disappointed. Budde said she doesn’t understand why the theater closed when it appeared to have steady business.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

A new dairy held its grand opening in western Kansas on Tuesday. Twin Circle Dairy, owned by Blue Sky Farms, opened its facility just south of Lewis. The $250 million facility houses about 23,000 to 24,000 head of cattle and will be able to produce roughly 19,300 gallons of milk each day. “We’re just very excited about this day, and finally everything is full, and we’re ready,” Blue Sky CEO Harry Dwit said.
Read more: KSN-TV

City leaders in Emporia are considering the addition of a specialized district that could hold future data centers. The City of Emporia announced in a social media post on Tuesday that its Planning Commission is considering a proposal to establish a new Digital Infrastructure Overlay District (DI-O). The Planning Commission will hold a special meeting and public hearings tied to this topic later this month.
Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Park City said it was a successful opening weekend, but it cautions that because of staffing shortages, there may be days when operations will be limited.
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To mark America’s 250th birthday, Wichita’s Cowtown has added a new exhibit honoring America’s pastime. The exhibit, titled the “155th Celebration of Base Ball in Wichita” opens Sunday at Old Cowtown Museum. The exhibit showcases early “base ball” as it was spelled back then, in Wichita and the city’s place as an innovator, not just in the sport, but in civil issues that were changing society.
Read more: KSN-TV

Residents gathered at the Perry Memorial Armory in St. Marys on Wednesday to learn more about a potential data center project that could be developed in Pottawatomie County. The informational meeting, hosted by the Kaw Valley Chamber of Commerce, aimed to provide community members with facts about data centers and answer questions about the potential economic benefits and challenges such a project could bring.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

The City of Arkansas City is inviting residents to help preserve a piece of local history through a new community time capsule set to be buried Friday, June 5, on the City Hall lawn. Community members are encouraged to submit photographs, letters, memorabilia, newspapers, school items and other small keepsakes that reflect life in Arkansas City in 2026. The capsule burial ceremony is scheduled for noon and comes just ahead of the June 6 opening celebration for Etzanoa, while also tying into the nationwide lead-up to America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Read more: Cowley Post