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Wichita is set to sell another list of properties scattered around the city as it sheds public housing inventory. The City Council is expected to approve the sale of eight single-family homes located in the south, southeast, north and northeast parts of the city during Tuesday's consent agenda meeting and workshop. According to an agenda report, the single-family homes are part of 61 homes that the Wichita Housing Authority approved to remove from the city's 352-home public housing portfolio in June 2024. Source: Wichita Business News - Local Wichita News | The Wichita Business Journal

After a developer investing in a key site in Roeland Park questioned a city policy that puts them on the hook for spending $800,000 on public art, the city tweaked its policy to be more accommodating. At the same time, Roeland Park is creating a public art master plan that will guide the city’s arts committee on future public art opportunities. The city’s old public arts policy had required new developments, like Aldi and the Sunflower Medical Group in recent years, to contribute public art equivalent to 1% of the total project costs. Source: Johnson County Post

The NCAA has come and gone for Wichita. From Wednesday to Saturday, Intrust Bank Arena saw around 46,000 people in and out of the tournament, with even more on the streets outside. Such a big event comes with days of cleanup, and things are moving swiftly. Event Elements, which helped set up and maintain many tents and party venues, estimates they'll be done by Tuesday. That gives them and the arena plenty of time to reflect on how Wichita handled the national stage. According to Boleski, the tournament went smoothly, with only a few minor hitches. He and his team intend [...]

Working for you, 27 News confirmed that a major reusable packaging manufacturer is closing its Osage City facility. ORBIS Corporation announced on Friday, March 21 that it made the decision to shut down its Osage City facility. The 200,000-square-foot plastic manufacturing and warehouse space employs 79 people, according to a press release from ORBIS Corporation. ORBIS Corporation said the plant closure was decided due to the size, age and configuration of the Osage City plant. The company said modernization and reconfiguration isn’t viable for the warehouse. Source: KSNT 27 News

The City of Galena names a city park after two of its own. City leaders voted at Monday’s council meeting (3/17) to name the park, “The Schwartz Park” after longtime residents Charles “Corky” and Mary Schwartz. The couple lived on a hill just beside the park and volunteered their time to oversee it — including picking up trash and keeping up the park’s well-being. Along with two pavilions already donated and named after the couple, the park is home to the city pool, a new splash pad, basketball and volleyball courts, a playground, and walking track. Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Manhattan city commissioners on Tuesday will consider a common consumption area (CCA) ordinance that would allow consumption of alcohol from licensed establishments within a particular boundary. They’re having a special legislative meeting in place of the scheduled work session. The proposal follows a Sept. 24 work session involving city, Aggieville and Downtown business association officials, as well as the Riley County Police Department and Kansas Alcohol Beverage Control. Downtown Business Association officials have drafted an approach for an ongoing common consumption area daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Source: News Radio KMAN

Conflict over urban expansion into rural areas of Johnson County has inspired an effort in the Kansas Legislature to restrict city annexation authority elsewhere, including for Topeka, at a time when the capital city is looking to grow. Source: CJonline

The Federal Reserve in a closely watched decision Wednesday held the line on benchmark interest rates though still indicated that reductions are likely later in the year. Faced with pressing concerns over the impact tariffs will have on a slowing economy, the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee kept its key borrowing rate targeted in a range between 4.25%-4.5%, where it has been since December. Markets had been pricing in virtually zero chance of a move at this week's two-day policy meeting. Along with the decision, officials updated their rate and economic projections for this year and through 2027 and altered the [...]

Wichita took steps this week to protect its public drinking water supply in case of a catastrophic failure at its new $574 million water treatment plant. The new plant — Wichita Water Works — is expected to be certified and permitted for safe operation within the next few months. It would replace the city’s Main Water Treatment Plant as the sole provider of drinking water for about 500,000 residents. Demolishing or mothballing the old plant would have undercut a major reason the city built the new plant: to address concerns that its water plant is a single point of failure, meaning [...]

After much back and forth, the Wichita City Council has approved a law that allows golf carts to be driven on some city streets. In January, the council passed a more restrictive ordinance, then withdrew it and sought feedback from residents at district advisory board meetings. “This will save police time. It’ll legalize golf carts so police don’t have to go out when somebody calls and says ‘somebody’s riding a golf cart,’” councilmember J.V. Johnston said. State law prohibits the use of golf carts on city streets unless a city passes its own ordinance regulating golf cart use. The new ordinance [...]