info

The plan was for it to be open by the fall. And it beat the deadline. Freeman Fort Scott Hospital officially opened Thursday morning. It also marks the end of a dry spell for many Bourbon County residents. The last time they had access to a full-service hospital was 2018. Ascension Via Christi closed the ER in December of 2023. Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The Kansas Supreme Court is taking action as rural communities in Kansas are dealing with an attorney shortage. Forty-seven counties in Kansas are classified as "legal deserts." This means they do not have enough practicing attorneys to properly serve the population. The Kansas Supreme Court is taking a big step towards addressing this issue by establishing the "Rural Justice Initiative Committee." This committee will take action on previously identified recommendations on how to fix the attorney shortage. These include establishing a statewide rural attorney training program, as well as creating student loan repayment programs. Read more: KSNT 27 News

The City of Arkansas City has been awarded a $115,840 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the National Park Service, administered through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The funding will help convert the existing tennis courts at Wilson Park into new pickleball courts. Plans call for a concrete viewing pad, fencing, netting and poles, LED lighting, and wind break screens. Read more: Local – Cowley Post

Downtown Manhattan merchants are finding new ways to lure customers into their establishments. A new common consumption area was established in July, opening the opportunity for customers to freely roam a specified area with an alcoholic beverage. Jake Voegeli, co-owner of Manhattan Brewing Company, said after seven weeks in place, they’ve seen no issues. “For special events like the Third Thursdays, we set up on our patio, and we’ll serve people as they walk by,” he said. “We might get one or two people that want to walk around and finish their beer, and they just come up and they’ll grab [...]

Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed today announced that 27 local and off-system bridge projects across Kansas will receive a combined total of $40.5 million in state and federal funding as part of two local bridge improvement programs. “By funding bridge projects across our state, we are directly investing in the future of our communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Repairing and replacing aging bridges ensures people and commerce can move safely and efficiently throughout Kansas.” Read more: Western Kansas News

A Wichita developer who took on repurposing five downtown buildings has sued the city of Wichita over parking disputes that she claims led to the closure of the Jinya Ramen Bar last year and is impacting parking for her tenants. Through various LLCs, Sudha Tokala has filed two lawsuits over ongoing disagreements with the city on outstanding parking debt and access to city garages following construction of the Wichita Biomedical Campus kicking off in 2023. Read more: Wichita Business Journal - Local Wichita News

Visitors in Delano can walk around the neighborhood, alcoholic beverage in hand, starting Friday. Visitors can take advantage of the common consumption area Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. “Implementing common consumption isn’t just about being able to enjoy walking around Delano with a beverage,” Wichita City Council member Dalton Glasscock said. “It’s about creating a dynamic and walkable neighborhood and finding ways to draw patrons to the businesses of Delano.” Read more: Homepage

Creek Side Resort owner Aaron Dreher asked the Hays City Commission last week if city-owned land could possibly be donated to facilitate the building of affordable housing. Before making his request during the Citizen Comments of the Aug. 28th Commission meeting, Mr. Dreher drew laughs by identifying himself as “the maintenance guy at the trailer park and aspiring Chick-Fil-A owner.” He opened his comments by noting that there has been talk throughout the community that building $150,000 houses in Hays is not possible. Read more: Hays Daily News

Wichita is considering increasing fines — and adding more investigative tools — to crack down on illegal dumping. On Tuesday, the council will consider several items to increase enforcement of the illegal dumping ordinance, including using police surveillance technology to find offenders. That includes Flock cameras and closed-circuit television. Five cameras will also be installed in dumping hot spots across the city to catch offenders. Read more: Wichita Eagle

In late July, the Prairie Village City Council adopted new ordinances around the use of e-bikes and e-scooters. The new rules state that e-bike or e-scooter operators must yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and give an audible signal before passing or overtaking them. Riders also can’t operate their bike or scooter while distracted and must not ride in a “reckless, careless or negligent manner.” Read more: KC Star