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The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced Apogee Power, a Taiwan-based energy technology and advanced battery manufacturer, has selected Liberal as the location for its new U.S. manufacturing and assembly facility. The company will invest almost $16 million over the next three to five years and create 80 new jobs. “In Kansas, we have a strong advanced battery ecosystem, talented workforce and central location that companies from around the world are eagerly looking to access,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Apogee’s decision to expand their work into Liberal highlights the strength of our rural communities and Kansas’ [...]

Undersheriff Jason Vanbecelaere and Finance Director Adam Harrison of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office approached the county commission, on Friday, about restarting an old program — work release. According to Harrison, a person can be incarcerated at the Crawford County Jail for up to a year and will be facing payment of fees and fines upon release. By allowing qualified prisoners the opportunity to work while serving their time, they can begin to pay those fines and fees before their release. It also allows them an opportunity to keep their present employment. Certain prisoners would not be eligible for the program, [...]

After the Governor vetoed HB 2745 on Thursday, HB 2043 passed the Legislature late Friday evening and would still allow voters (through a protest petition signed by 10% of voters) to effectively veto a budget with property taxes increased beyond the CPI (inflation index), or 3%, whichever is lower, with some exceptions. The Governor will have 10 days to decide whether to sign, veto or simply allow to become law. Some concerns with this legislation include: Cumulative Revenue Erosion: Because the 3% cap acts as a bottleneck during years of high inflation (it was 8.0% in 2022), property tax revenue could [...]

Republican legislators overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto to create a 25-foot buffer around law enforcement and emergency personnel, a move the Senate leader said ensures Kansas won’t become like Minnesota. Senate President Ty Masterson said in a news release that House Bill 2372, referred to as the Halo Act, keeps “radical protesters” from interfering with law enforcement and keeps officers and bystanders safe. Masterson referred to riots in Minnesota when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers injured and killed bystanders while detaining immigrants. The bill makes it a misdemeanor crime to go within 25 feet of a first responder while they are [...]

The Wamego Tulip Festival returns this weekend, bringing expanded events, live entertainment and nearly 300 vendors to one of northeast Kansas’ largest spring celebrations. The Wamego Chamber of Commerce’s tourism and events coordinator, Corey Reeves, said the festival saw significant growth in recent years and now offers something for visitors of all ages. “It really is a little bit of everything,” Reeves said. “If you’re looking for music, we’ve got it. If you’re looking for food trucks, local breweries and wineries, we’ve got it. And if you want arts and crafts for your home, we’ve got a whole lot of that.” [...]

Having a proper administrator will help Riley County have a “seat at the table” with other entities, Mike Dodson told commissioners at Thursday’s meeting. Dodson, a former legislator, mayor and commanding general at Fort Riley, spoke as part of the Citizen Group for Advancing Riley County Growth and Prosperity, to share its conclusions in a presentation. The commission in February hired a consultant to make a recommendation on changes to the county’s leadership structure. Read more: News Radio KMAN

Kansas State Fire Marshal Mark Engholm will be traveling across Kansas the new few weeks for public meetings where he will provide information about development of the 2026 Kansas Fire Prevention Code. Engholm says he will be listening to ideas about what should be included in the code to protect Kansans. Currently, Kansas has the oldest state fire code in the country, and his goal is to make it one of the most modern. The first of these meetings will be held Tuesday, April 14th at 2 PM at McPherson Fire Station 1 at 312. East Kansas. Other meetings will be [...]

A major downtown redevelopment project is set to bring new life to one of the city’s historic landmarks, as the City of Dodge City announced a partnership with Noble Hospitality, Inc. to develop the Marshal Hotel in the heart of the community. Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe

The Harvey County District Court will move outof the courthouse for remodels, and there’s a strong possibility of it landing in the closed Walton Rural Life grade school. The county continues to plan for a large-scale courtroom remodeling project and is currently seeking a location to house the court, court services, and possibly the county attorney’s office for up to three years. “We have done our due diligence to gather information on multiple publicly listed buildings in our county,” Harvey County Administrator Kevin Frymire said. “At this point, the Walton school building appears like it may be our most cost-efficient option. [...]

A project to provide housing for homeless and low-income people in Johnson County was previewed Friday with a ribbon cutting of an 1880s-era house converted to four apartments. The two-story house just east of downtown Olathe is the first of three locations of rental units developed by Metro Lutheran Ministry, a Kansas City nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty. The property at 510 E. Park Street is one of three locations that will yield a total of 16 rental units once the rental process is up and running. Another 10 units will be in a multi-family building in Overland Park, [...]