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When asked what she is most proud of when it comes to the Hutchinson School District, Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson quickly pointed to the faculty and staff. “Educators are a unique lot. They’re a great lot, thank goodness for them,” Johnson said. “You just don’t stop being a teacher at 4 o’clock, you know, when you leave for the end of the day. So, so many of our teachers support in other ways in the community.” Teachers throughout the district volunteer at community organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, and are actively involved in supporting students and their families outside [...]

Jessica Thompson isn’t often prone to hyperbole. But she can’t help but gush when talking about a housing rehabilitation initiative, made possible through a $1.4 million grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka. “We’re just really excited about it,” said Thompson, chief strategy and development officer for Thrive Allen County. “This is going to change a lot of lives, for the better.” With the grant, Thrive plans to assist at least 50 Allen County homeowners with critical repairs to their houses. The program is targeted for those who fall within the low-to-moderate income brackets. Special considerations will be given to [...]

An Iola city councilman says the city should consider adding columbariums at Highland Cemetery, as a low-cost option for families to hold loved ones’ cremated remains. Columbariums can be considered as a low-cost alternative for loved ones who turn to cremation instead of traditional burials for funeral services. Dying can be expensive. And it’s often unexpected. “A lot of people don’t plan for that situation,” Iola City Councilman Mark Peters noted at the Council’s Jan. 20 meeting. Faced with assorted funeral costs for a traditional funeral, many opt for a less expensive option — cremation. Read more: The Iola Register

The Garden City Commission approved a preventative maintenance treatment for some asphalt roads in the city at its regular meeting on Tuesday. The treatment, an asphalt street rejuvenation product known as Reclamite, made by Proseal Inc., was approved for a total of $72,642.32 and will treat approximately 3.11 miles of road in the Chappel Heights neighborhood as well as Susan Street, Park View Drive, Jenna Lane, and sections of Warrior Street, Cole Circle, and Amy Street. Tyler Patterson, Public Works Operation Manager, said in August of 2023 the Professional Engineering Consultants, the city’s engineering firm, conducted a Street Evaluation & Rating [...]

Reporting sexual assault can be difficult because of the trauma involved. To help survivors, the Riley County Police Department now offers “Seek Then Speak,” an online tool that provides a safe, private way to explore options and start the reporting process. The tool works on a smartphone and connects users to resources, medical exams, and support services. The “Seek” section helps survivors gather information and consider their options, while “Speak” guides them in documenting evidence for a police report at their own pace. Users can share as much or as little as they want, and the program creates a PDF that [...]

The City of Sedgwick broke ground on its new fire and EMS station on Friday. City officials say the project was roughly 10 years in the making. Fire and EMS Chief Zane Hansen, for the City of Sedgwick, said the new building will provide essential support to the city’s emergency services. He estimates the current station was built in the 1970s, adding that due to its age, it cannot adequately support all of the department’s needs. “Some of the equipment barely fits by inches, and so we’re building a facility that’s going to be able to grow with us into the [...]

A developer is sharing new details about a $50 million “luxury” apartment complex coming to Topeka’s downtown area. We got in touch with David Wingerson, a developer with Flaherty & Collins Properties, to learn more about what Topeka locals should expect from “The Hutch,” a new 192-room apartment complex with a price tag of $50 million. The four-story complex is set to be constructed in the city’s downtown area between Southwest Van Buren Street and Southwest Jackson Street along with between Southwest Sixth Street and Southwest Seventh Street. Read more: KSNT 27 News

Overland Park Police could begin releasing body camera footage in critical situations involving police officers, like shootings or instances of potential misconduct — something, historically, the department has rarely done. This week, the department announced it was rolling out a revised policy on body cameras, crafted with input from department leadership, community stakeholders, the civil rights group ACLU and legal professionals, Police Chief Doreen Jokerst said. “I wanted to make sure that it was clear and defined that we would be releasing [footage] post-officer-involved shooting [and] critical incidents,” she said. The new policy, which became official Tuesday, takes effect a couple [...]

As dozens of local officials and advocates recently took a peek at Maura Heft’s new three-bedroom home, she proudly showed off her spacious kitchen with dark wood cabinets and joyfully explained that the home came with a finished basement. Heft and her 6-year-old daughter were moving into their first home that they own. They are the first tenants to move into a new type of affordable housing constructed by Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City on the southern edge of Olathe in Johnson County. It’s a 14-home neighborhood built on a community land trust. That’s a real estate tool that allows [...]

Property owners in Wyandotte County who want to cash in on World Cup demand will navigate a new application system that includes third-party inspections but promises to be faster. Read more: Kansas City Business Journal