At a county staff meeting earlier this week, Sedgwick County commissioners spent nearly an hour discussing residential lot sizes and access to municipal water. Read more: KSN-TV

Although it's been 15 years since the last race, the hope and determination to bring live horse racing back to the town remained strong. Read more: KSN-TV

City commissioners approved a six-month option for HyperDatagrid to explore building a data center in Parsons. Read more: The Iola Register

Pawnee County, Kansas, in partnership with neighboring Stafford County, is thrilled to announce that they have been awarded $20,255,000 from the BUILD Grant Program (Better Utilizing investments to Leverage Development) offered through the U.S. Department of Transportation. This generous funding, in conjunction with a $2 Million investment from the State of Kansas, will significantly improve infrastructure by strengthening and supporting the regional freight network and economic activity in Central Kansas. Read more: Ad Astra Radio

The Pretty Prairie Rodeo, known for decades as Kansas’ Largest Night Rodeo, is in its 89th season this year. Pretty Prairie native Julie Graber has been involved with the rodeo her entire life. For the past 27 years, she has been a member of the Pretty Prairie Rodeo’s Booster Club Board of Directors and the booster club secretary for about 15 years. The rodeo was first held on Julie’s grandparents’ farm in 1934. Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Chanute City Commissioners Monday approved an amended ordinance related to Food and Beverage vendors at the Santa Fe Sports Complex. Under a new policy that is part of this change, vendors shall receive permission to set up during sports events at the complexes from either Chanute Recreation Commission Director Monica Colborn or Sports Director Ryan Ortiz, who will submit the request on behalf of the vendor to the Commission. Set-up will be allowed on a first come, first served basis on one of four designate spots near the west side campground. The policy change also revises the per event charge to [...]

During the July 6 Mulvane City Council meeting, Public Safety Director Gorden Fell discussed the need for regulations on electric mobility devices (scooters, e-bikes, etc.) given their increasing usage. Proposed regulations included helmet requirements for anyone under 18, downtown sidewalk restrictions, setting a 10 mph maximum speed limit on sidewalks, etc. The council then unanimously approved a motion directing staff to research and create an ordinance and codebook modifications regarding the operation of electric/micromobility devices. Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

The data center continues to be a hot topic in the Emporia area and it has now expanded out of Emporia into Lyon County as many residents oppose the data center coming into Emporia. The Americus City Council heard from the community and members of the Emporia Neighbors United about the impact of high-impact data centers. Over the past week, the Emporia Neighbors United gathered almost 1,850 signatures on a petition asking for no high-impact data centers or battery energy storage. At the Americus City Council meeting, they weren’t going to file a motion on the resolution, but they used it [...]

The Overland Park Police Department is increasing its enforcement efforts regarding e-bikes and e-motorcycles. This comes after a video raised concerns about two young riders on a busy roadway near 159th Street and Metcalf. The video shows two children, ages 10 and 11, riding electric motorcycles down the busy road when one of the bikes stalls The children in the video were unharmed, and their parents loaded the bikes into a vehicle to take them home. This incident highlights the need for parents to understand the key differences between e-motorcycles and e-bikes. Electric motorcycles, also known as e-motos, are high-performance vehicles [...]

The Newton Police Department will roll out 11 Flock cameras at entrance points within the city. Police Chief Craig Dunlavy stated the city will spend $33,000 annually on the cameras. The cameras record license plates into a searchable database and provide law enforcement with alerts of flagged plates. “Our focus is the City of Newton,” Dunlavy said. “This is our home. It’s no different than someone’s security camera, a Ring, or Nest. This is just a snapshot in time.” Dunlavy provided a list of camera locations, and all are at exits of major highways, except for one on U.S. 50. Dunlavy [...]