The new “2026 State of Homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County Report” from the Coalition to End Homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County was recently released, revealing that the growing affordability crisis for local households is contributing to an increase in homelessness. More than one in three households (38%) in Sedgwick County were living paycheck to paycheck in 2024, according to United for ALICE in partnership with United Way of the Plains. ALICE (which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) represents working households who earn above the federal poverty line but not enough to cover the cost of basic necessities. As the costs of [...]

When a fire destroyed her hometown’s only grocery store in January 2024, Marjory James felt a loss of independence. Like other residents of her rural west Kansas town, James — who turns 99 years old on July 7 — faced a harsh reality: Travel 23 miles one-way from Dighton to the grocery store in Scott City or get by with less-healthy and less-available items from the local variety store or gas station. Through a gargantuan effort by the community, Dighton will open an 8,000-square foot grocery store on June 27, spurred by the Lane County Community Foundation and with assistance from [...]

After initial discussions regarding data centers, Riley County commissioners on Monday still weren’t ready to provide any direction on the future of those facilities in the area. “The more I learn about this, the more I’m just confused,” commissioner John Ford said. “It literally changes on a dime. You figure out one thing, and then it changes. There’s so much depth to it. It’s insane.” While the data center topic heats up in Kansas, including a proposal in Pottawatomie County, Riley County is in the midst of a six-month moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage centers. That moratorium is [...]

The Emporia City Commission spent more than an hour Wednesday discussing a proposed Large Volume Water Service policy designed to protect existing water customers while establishing rules for future industrial users with high water demands. Read more: www.emporiagazette.com/*

The Hutchinson Planning Commission began its work on long-term zoning regulations for large-scale data centers Tuesday by laying out the process and timeline for developing those regulations. Director of Community Development Matt Williams said the Hutchinson City Council will hear the planning commission’s June 9 recommendation during the Tuesday, July 7, council meeting. The recommendation was to require conditional use permits for data centers and utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in commercial and industrial zoning districts and ban them in residential districts. Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

An anti-data center and battery energy storage system (BESS) group, Steward It Well, held an informational meeting in Haven on Monday, June 22. Nearly 100 people attended, including public officials like state Senator Michael Murphy, County Commissioner Don Bogner, Hutchinson City Council Member Steve Garza, as well as gubernatorial candidate Stacy Rogers. Steward It Well’s goals involve “working to preserve our God-given land, air and water of Reno County, Kansas.” The group had John Hecht and Mike Betzen present information and take questions from the public. They both have backgrounds in industrialization, engineering and agriculture in Kansas. They first presented information [...]

Iola police and residents discussed with the Iola City Council how best to boost education, enforcement and safety measures. June has been a dangerous month for Iola area cyclists, with three serious accidents involving bikes and motorists. Iola Police Chief Jared Warner addressed City Council Monday evening, saying it was imperative the police department “bring to the public’s attention the safety and responsibility that come with riding bicycles, e-bikes, e-scooters within our community.” Read more: The Iola Register

Iola City Council members voiced support Monday for hosting bare-knuckle fighting events. Bare-knuckle fighting was green-lighted Monday at Iola’s City Council meeting. Camille Lavon, Thrive Allen County’s vice president of economic development, had requested the council discuss the topic to gauge interest in hosting fights in Iola. Council members seemed eager to support the idea. “I’m fine with it,” Council member Jon Wells said. “For a while there was a big boxing community here, and a lot of sparring. If we’re going to let some 18-year-old strap himself to a bull for entertainment, I don’t see this as any more dangerous, [...]

A tradition dating back more than a hundred years is returning this weekend to Jefferson County. The Oskaloosa Old Settlers’ Reunion is celebrating its 124th year. The story goes that a group of people passing through Jefferson County stopped at the courthouse lawn. They reflected on the hardships of settling Kansas during its territorial period and the struggles they overcame to make it a free state. That one gathering evolved into what is now the Old Settlers Reunion. Read more: KSNT 27 News

People in Emporia voiced concerns Tuesday night over rezoning proposals that could open the door for data centers to move into the city. Many of those who opposed the proposal raised concerns about water and electricity demands. However, Mike Law, interim CEO of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, says a data center would bring much needed investment into the community. “Emporia needs the momentum right now, and quite honestly, there’s not a lot of opportunities, not a ton of people knocking on the doors to bring business to Emporia,” Law said. “It’s just been a rough time for the past [...]