After the Wichita Public Schools board voted to close six schools, parents are petitioning to have the decision reviewed on the state level. Parents KSN News has spoken to are upset, and you can see it. In the video above, you can see signs dotting a lawn, protesting the BOE decision and encouraging parents to get involved. On Tuesday, parents started going door to door to get a petition signed trying to stop these closures. Parents say closing the six schools was a decision they don’t feel they had a say in. “I think it’s pretty evident that most of us already felt like the decision was made when we walked in the building,” said Thomas Montiel, a parent at Cleaveland Traditional Magnet Elementary School. “We found out the same day the staff members found out and the staff members only got notified I think an hour or two before the news stations published their articles so we all were in shock together,” said Ruth Lehman, a parent at Cleaveland Traditional Magnet Elementary School. The district says no one likes to close schools and that their hands were tied.
Source: KSN-TV

The Wichita Fire Department will be hosting another Citizens’ Fire Academy this spring. Classes will be held every Tuesday evening starting in April and go through the beginning of June. Although the WFD has not released what time the classes start, they say the classes will last 2-3 hours and take place at the Regional Training Center, 4746 E. 31st St. S. #4494. The last meeting will be held at a City Council meeting to recognize the participants for completing the academy. (…) “The Wichita Fire Department Citizens’ Fire Academy is dedicated to increasing public awareness by familiarizing and informing the citizens of Wichita, our customers, and associates of the various divisions, duties, and responsibilities of the Fire Department,” said the WFD. “Through education, demonstration, and participation, class members will better understand what we do, how we do it, and why.” The WFD says after completing the program, participants will be able to use their knowledge to create a safer home and work environment as well as educate others about the Wichita Fire Department and the services it provides to the community.
Source: KSN-TV

A small town situated in the heart of Kansas is in the running for a national contest hosted by USA Today. The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau announced in a press release on Monday, March 4, that Abilene will be a finalist for USA Today’s Readers’ Choice ‘Best Historic Small Town’ contest. Abilene came close to the number-one spot in 2022 and 2023. “This honor is truly remarkable!” Director of the Abilene Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Julie Roller-Weeks said. “Achieving this recognition once is a significant accomplishment, and securing it for six consecutive years in a nationwide contest against other exceptional small towns is beyond imagination!” Abilene has routinely appeared in the top ten for the contest due to the town’s rich history. Places like the Seelye Mansion, Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, Old Abilene Town and more are part of what makes Abilene stand out. “Embracing Abilene as one of the nation’s best historic small towns also embraces the impact tourism plays: a positive ripple effect, boosting our local economy and enriching the lives of our residents,” said Jessica Goodale, Dickinson County Economic Development Corporation Director.
Source: KSN-TV