A new park in North Newton will have a variety of features to mimic the natural surroundings. That’s according to North Newton City Council Member and North Newton Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Marissa Murphy. She said those could include logs, grasses, moveable parts and water. The structures still are yet to be determined, Murphy said. The proposed park is north of Kauffman Museum’s main entrance, as well as around the sidewalk there into the trees. Read more: Harvey County Now

A strange smell prompted a call to the Hesston Police Department. Coming from the area of Emma Creek Road and Hesston Road, the HPD was notified of a possible gas odor. When officers responded, it was quickly determined the smell was not gas but rather the application of chicken manure to fields to be used as fertilizer. Read more: Harvey County Now

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and the Mid-America Regional Council partnered to host workshops for cities and other community partners in the region to develop a model policy for e-mobility devices - which includes e-bikes, e-scooters and more. A copy of the model policy is available online. The initial convening in January 2026 highlighted the need for consistent policy throughout the region that improved safety and was easy for the public to understand. Representatives from local municipalities have provided feedback multiple times to shape the final version of model policy. Read more: Johnson County Kansas

To Christopher Kaberline’s two young girls, Dolly Parton isn’t an iconic global music legend. She’s “Grandma Dolly.” That’s because they’ve grown up reading books provided for free by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, titles like “I Am A Rainbow,” “Ice Cream Face” and “Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?” On Tuesday, after news of Parton’s death at age 80, Kaberline of Prairie Village took to social media to honor the singer and philanthropist and her impact on his daughters and other children who have received books over the years. Read more: Johnson County Post

Olathe’s industrial footprint continues to expand. The Olathe City Council unanimously approved up to $239.8 million in industrial revenue bonds for three facilities that will manufacture electrical and power systems for data centers on Aug. 18. The buildings, operated by Wisconsin-based Faith Technologies, will be about 500,000 square feet each. The development will cover more than 118 acres southwest of 167th Street and Lone Elm Road. The council also approved an 80% property tax abatement for 10 years. Faith Technologies would receive a full property tax exemption but make payments in lieu of taxes equal to about 20% of what it [...]

Two years after Prairie Village’s housing debate was effectively put to rest, a new state law is forcing the city to delve back into housing discussions. Senate Bill 418, known as the by-right housing bill and signed into law earlier this year, removes barriers to home building that might slow down the process or increase costs for home builders. The goal of SB 418, spearheaded by Kansas Sen. TJ Rose, Republican, of Olathe, is to bring back “starter homes.” SB 418 eliminates some administrative steps in the home building process, opens up the definition of what qualifies as a single-family home and [...]

De Soto is weighing new rules for how it handles public disclosures for economic development projects. The City Council will consider adding a process for the city to follow when asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) related to potential economic development opportunities. The city has not set a date for a work session to review the policy proposal, which Councilmember Zack Bradley originally proposed. Read more: Kansas City Business Journal

The Dickinson County Commission recently passed a three year moratorium on data centers, battery storage and alternative/renewable energy sources in the county. Kenny Roelofsen, commissioner and chairman of the Board of Commissioners, explained what the moratorium means. “This isn’t a prohibition on these different industries. This is an exploratory moratorium so that we can better define and better regulate these types of industries,” he said. “I think a lot of people think of a moratorium as a ban, and that’s not what it is. It’s a brief period of time to allow the planning and zoning to develop adequate, and accurate more [...]

The city of Coffeyville is asking residents to report the city’s worst potholes to help public services crews prioritize repairs on paved city streets. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

A recent study shows that many Kansas rural hospitals are at risk of immediate closure. Some Kansans are working together to modernize rural healthcare through the use of drone technology. Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems hosted its Third Annual Kelly Hills Field Day on Wednesday, where they demonstrated different drone types. In 2024, Kelly Hills began using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a way to potentially help farmers. Company officials said the goal was to simplify agricultural processes using drone technology. Founder of Kelly Hills Lukas Koch began to wonder what other aspects of rural life could be made easier through drone [...]