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A draft ordinance by the Lawrence Transparency Project would require more public oversight and put up safeguards on the use of camera integration technology rolled out by the Lawrence Police Department this year. The Lawrence Transparency Project organized following the police department’s adoption of the Axon Fusus program, a new system asking residents and businesses to register their security cameras on a list or integrate them for realtime access by police. The draft ordinance is the group’s input on the program and suggestions on how the city should approach similar technology moving forward. Community members and privacy experts raised concerns about [...]

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved the Kansas Office of Broadband Development’s (KOBD) $166.6 million final proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The approval represents a significant milestone toward delivering high-speed internet access to the 26,673 eligible households and businesses across Kansas. Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

People in one of Kansas’ southernmost counties noticed in 2014 their local hospital was struggling, so they voted to create a sales tax that would direct funds to keep their health care system afloat. In the decade that followed, the Morton County hospital only received about half of the sales tax revenue it was owed, missing out on nearly $2 million. The cities of Morton County received the money instead. The Kansas Department of Revenue, for nine years, sent checks to Elkhart, population 1,726; Rolla, population 356; and Richfield, population 30, and the cities spent that money. David Thompson, the county [...]

Learning twice as fast. That is the promise the Newton Board of Education will consider as it decides whether to implement an artificial-intelligence-driven pilot program aimed at improving student learning. The service would be provided by Studient, a company that has rolled out similar pilot programs in public schools in five other states and will soon be present in many more. Newton would be the first school to use the program in Kansas. Read more: Harvey County Now

Actress Cate Blanchett calls them “everything that is wrong with the human race,” and says they “should be eradicated from the face of the earth.” Comedic actor Ricky Gervais also hates them, per an October story in The Guardian, as do actors Danny DeVito and Hugh Grant. So maybe it’s unsurprising that California, home to the stars, has been at the forefront in regulating leaf blowers. Beverly Hills was reportedly one of the first to ban sales of gas-powered leaf blowers — and that was in 1978. California Gov. Gavin Newsom followed that up with a statewide ban on the sale [...]

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall joined fellow Republicans to introduce the Back the Blue Act, led by Senator John Cornyn. The bill is designed to strengthen protections for law enforcement officers and provide them with new tools to stay safe. It creates tougher federal penalties for anyone who kills or tries to kill a law enforcement officer or judge, including life in prison or the death penalty, and imposes stricter punishments for assaults on officers. Read more: KCLY Radio

The Federal Reserve is poised to deliver its third straight interest rate cut Wednesday, while simultaneously firing a warning shot about what's ahead. Following a period of remarkable indecision about which way central bank policymakers would lean, markets have settled on a quarter percentage point reduction. If that's the case, it will take the Fed's key interest rate down to a range of 3.5%-3.75%. However, there are complications. Read more: CNBC Bonds

Ron Ballad, who has led the Arkansas City public school district since 2005, announced at the school board meeting Monday that he plans to retire in July next year. Before being hired as superintendent, Ballard was business manager and assistant superintendent at USD 470. He's been with the district for 27 years. Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com

The City of Emporia has released its 2026 Annual Budget Book, a new resource aiming to help its citizens better understand the annual budget. The 86-page document defines several key terms involved in the budgeting process, explains the calculations used to determine property tax liabilities, details each fund included in the budget, and lists the major changes that contributed to the allocations made. The resource also highlights planned city projects for 2026. Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

The Wichita City Council on Tuesday decided to move forward with a possible special election on a 1-cent sales tax. Council members voted 7-0 to pass an ordinance that would put the question on the ballot. But that was just the first reading; the council will need to vote again next week. During the meeting, dozens of residents spoke in favor of and against the sales tax vote. Read more: KSN-TV