Memorial Day marked the beginning of concert season for one of Reno County’s oldest institutions, the Hutchinson Municipal Band. The musicians gathered at Fairlawn Burial Park for American Legion Post 68’s Memorial Day remembrance ceremony with a setlist of patriotic songs and kicked off the 151st year of the institution. “There’s history, and then there’s lore,” said Charles Johnston, the municipal band’s personnel manager. “The Hutchinson Municipal Band started as a group of community members back in 1875. We’re not exactly sure what that looked like, but there was a band present.” Johnston said that, eventually, in the early 20th century, local industrialist and State Senator Emerson Carey got a state law passed that allowed municipal bands to be organized under the city. All these years later, the group is still a place for Hutchinsonians to exercise their talents.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Just shy of 200 residents showed up to the PSU soccer pitch to pose for an aerial photo depicting the number “150” for Pittsburg’s birthday celebration on Wednesday.
Read more: Morning Sun

A series of fast-moving wildfires fueled by lightning, strong winds, and extremely dry conditions has scorched large portions of southwest Kansas this week, prompting a state disaster emergency declaration and a massive multi-agency firefighting response across the region.
Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe

The City of Emporia announced several leadership appointments Tuesday as officials prepare for the departure of Deputy City Manager Mark Detter and restructure key administrative roles. Detter will leave the city effective May 22 to become city administrator for Rose Hill. City officials thanked him for his service and wished him success in his new position. Following Detter’s departure, Tayler Wash has been promoted to deputy city manager. City officials said the promotion recognizes Wash’s growing leadership role and contributions to several major city initiatives.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

People in Great Bend will have one more day to set off fireworks this Independence Day. The Great Bend City Council voted Monday to designate July 3-4 as days to legally discharge fireworks in town between the hours of 10 a.m. and midnight.
Read more: Great Bend Tribune

Overland Park could completely overhaul its trash and recycling collection system in favor of a new framework that gives the city more control and potentially lowers rates for some residents. Though nothing is set in stone yet, Overland Park could look to switch to a completely city-run or city-contracted trash pickup system with one or more haulers. The city could also allow homeowners associations that are content with their current trash collection to opt out. Those are all options pondered in the city’s recently completed Solid Waste Study, which looked at potential improvements to how trash is collected in Overland Park.
Read more: Johnson County Post