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Former Ottawa city manager Richard Nienstedt to fill in as Topeka city manager goes on leave

info2023-06-07T12:51:04-05:00June 7th, 2023|

Topeka city manager Stephen Wade ... had requested a leave of absence, for reasons that aren't being made public, [Mayor] Padilla said. The leave will last for an "extended" and "undisclosed" amount of time, the city said in a news release. ... The mayor and council voted 10-0 Tuesday to temporarily name Richard U. Nienstedt, of Ottawa, as acting city manager. Neinstedt retired in March from the city of Ottawa, the city of Topeka said in a news release. The mayor and council also voted 10-0 to authorize Padilla to negotiate an employment agreement with Neinstedt. Source: CJonline

Bids reach $5 million in hotel auction; Topeka doesn’t intend to own property long-term

info2023-06-07T12:49:22-05:00June 7th, 2023|

The top bid reached $5 million Wednesday morning as the end neared for a three-day auction in which participants that include Topeka's city government are seeking to buy The Hotel Topeka at City Center, 1717 S.W. Topeka Blvd. The auction's reserve, which is the minimum price a seller will accept as the winning bid, had not yet been reached. Meanwhile, City Councilman Spencer Duncan said the city doesn't plan to own the hotel long-term. ... Topeka city manager Stephen Wade said in a news release last week that the city, if it acquires the hotel, will look to experts and team [...]

Council OKs chicken ban

info2023-06-07T12:17:27-05:00June 7th, 2023|

The current city code prohibits the harboring of chickens within the city limits, Great Bend City Attorney Allen Glendenning said, addressing the City Council Monday night. But, recently citizens have expressed a desire to keep “backyard chickens” in the city, arguing the present regulations don’t ban the birds. So, to clarify the city’s will to prohibit chickens, the council Monday approved a revised ordinance specifically prohibiting the fowl. However, it passed on a 4-3 vote with some council members sympathetic to those wanting to keep chickens on their properties. Source: Great Bend Tribune

Area commissioners share thoughts on financial access

info2023-06-07T12:19:04-05:00June 7th, 2023|

After Harvey County Commissioner Becky Reimer requested read-only access to the county’s accounting system (that was denied by the other two commissioners) two weeks ago and then followed it up by saying she wanted to continue to try to get that access, Harvey County Now reached out to some area counties to learn if this was something done elsewhere. None of the commissioners we spoke to had access to their county’s financial records, but at least one is considering it. Source: Harvey County Now

Train derailment causes damage to tracks, highway near Dodge City

info2023-06-07T11:35:03-05:00June 7th, 2023|

A highway near Dodge City was reduced to two lanes Monday night following a train derailment. Ford County Sheriff Bill Carr said the derailment caused "major damage" to the tracks and U.S. 400 at the tracks between Ft. Dodge and Cargill. The highway was reduced to two lanes. The westbound lanes were closed. Sheriff Carr said the Cargill plant is open for employees. "Please consider an alternate route if you plan on traveling east on Trail Street towards Ft. Dodge and west on Highway 400 from Ford to Dodge City," the sheriff said on Facebook. Source: KAKE - News

‘A really tragic series of events.’ In six hours, three fentanyl overdoses in Lawrence

info2023-06-07T11:32:21-05:00June 7th, 2023|

In a little more than six hours, Lawrence police responded to three overdose calls, with one person dead and another in critical condition. The first call came in at 9:30 Monday night and the third about 3:45 Tuesday morning. In each of the three calls officers found evidence that led them “to believe fentanyl was the cause,” according to Lawrence police. “Overnight we had a really tragic series of events here in Lawrence,” Police Chief Rich Lockhart said as he began a Tuesday afternoon news conference. “... One of the things that we really want to emphasize here is that fentanyl [...]

Russell fire chief to leave Wichita hospital

info2023-06-07T11:29:45-05:00June 7th, 2023|

Russell Fire Chief Dylan Riedel returned home Tuesday afternoon after spending four days in a Wichita burn unit. On Friday night, Riedel was injured in a fire and explosion in the 1700 block of N. Main St. and transported to Wichita. The City of Russell said there will be a welcome home at the Sale Barn supporting his recovery. Residents are asked to bring flags, horns and signs in support. The time on return will be posted on the City's Facebook page. "They are on the road headed home! Hopedully by 5:45-6:00pm - we will update again as they get closer," [...]

City of Emporia receives more than $600,000 from federal government to assist with at-grade rail crossing improvements

info2023-06-07T11:26:15-05:00June 7th, 2023|

The City of Emporia was recently informed that it has received needed funding to support work at the community’s various at-grade railroad crossings. City Manager Trey Cocking says he was informed the Federal Train Administration had approved a recently submitted application to support planning and development for grade separation projects at the city’s 12 at-grade crossings. At-grade crossings are where the railroad crosses with roadways and Cocking says the impending improvements will better help with flow for both vehicles and trains and will also make crossings much safer for residents. Over the past 18 months, the city has had three fatal [...]

USD 232 shifts 2 middle schools’ boundaries to head off future overcrowding

info2023-06-07T12:20:17-05:00June 7th, 2023|

USD 232 in De Soto will send some students in future west Lenexa neighborhoods to Lexington Trails Middle School as a way to combat projected overcrowding at Mill Creek Middle School. The move pushes the current border between the Mill Creek and Lexington Trails attendance zones to the east, sending more students from the central area of the district west to De Soto for middle school. On Monday, the school board voted 6-0 to adopt the new middle school attendance boundaries for the 2023-2024 school year. Source: Prairie Village Post

De Soto mapping out housing demand around Panasonic Plant

info2023-06-07T12:25:45-05:00June 7th, 2023|

De Soto City leaders say they’re getting a better idea of where workers and the homes they’ll live in will be when the Panasonic Electric Vehicle Battery Plant opens around 2025. The plant is expected to eventually employ about 4,000 people with advanced manufacturing skills inside the plant, with another 4,000 people taking similar or related jobs outside the facility. De Soto City Administrator Mike Brungardt says the region has about 107,000 of those workers already, with more than 60,000 within a commutable drive of De Soto. Source: KSN-TV

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