Lucas Sullivan has been selected as the new USD 363 Superintendent for the 2026-27 school year. The USD 363 Board of Education approved the hiring of Sullivan as the new Superintendent of Schools at its meeting on March 2, effective July 1. Sullivan replaces Scott Myers, the current Superintendent, who is retiring after 40 years in public education. Myers said he’s going to miss the job. “I love what I do and I love public education, but my wife is retired, so I’m going to join her in that,” he said. Sullivan currently serves as the Principal at Garden City Achieve. He’s excited to make the move to USD 363.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

On February 16, 2026 the Ellis City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 1504 which permits the safe and responsible use of electric scooters and e-bikes within city limits. The implementation of the safety guidelines was announced in this month’s Ellis community newsletter (The Town Crier) and by the Ellis City Police Department on social media on March 9, 2026. “As the popularity of alternative transportation continues to grow, City officials recognized the need to create clear regulations that promote safety while allowing residents to enjoy these convenient and eco-friendly modes of travel,” wrote Ellis City Clerk Ashley Scheibler in the introduction of Ordinance No. 1504 in the March 1, 2026 The Town Crier. She explained that the new ordinance provides a framework to ensure that riders of electric scooters/e-bikes, pedestrians, and motorists can safely share public spaces. The Ellis Police Department’s social media announcement of Ordinance No. 1504 states that it’s approach will be education before enforcement and, as with all Ordinances, the Department’s top priority is the safety of children and the community.
Read more: Hays Daily News

While Emporia Main Street competes in a nationwide contest to determine the best Main Street in the country, one area town is in a similar competition organized by the same group. Council Grove is one of 20 participants in the USA Today 10Best Small Towns in the Midwest. 10Best notes the 25 historic sites in the town, as well as the Madonna of the Trail statue, historic downtown and the close proximity to Council Grove Lake as attractions.
Read more: KVOE

Three automated miniature robots and pair of LEGO sets have been added to Aubrey Westhoff’s educational arsenal at Iola Elementary School, which she uses to spark students to use their imaginations. Armed with a $1,000 grant from Cox Communications, Iola Elementary School is primed to let its students’ imaginations run wild  through a pair of new tools. At first glance, the tools would appear at opposite ends of the technology spectrum. But look closer, and you’ll see how connected they really are. The first is a set of three new Dash Wonder Workshop Robots, named Dash (of course), Flash and Clash, which are capable of following simple commands from cell phones, or even by voice. The second is a set of LEGOs. Those simple bricks can provide the foundation to a world of creativity, noted Aubrey Westhoff, who runs a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) lab for IES fifth-graders.
Read more: The Iola Register

Marion County Commissioners Monday approved a resolution banning wind energy conversion systems in a portion of the county. The resolution covers the four townships in the southwest corner of Marion County, basically the area around Goessel and to the south of the city of Hillsboro. A separate resolution that would prohibit large scale solar systems in the same area is expected to come before Commissioners for action next week. Commissioners Monday agreed to sign a letter of support on behalf of an application being submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for tax credits in support of the restoration of the Sunflower Theatre in Peabody. During the meeting Commissioners signed a letter authorizing submission of a cost share grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for a project along Nighthawk Road between 190th Road. If funded, KDOT would provide half of the construction funding on the estimated $900,000 project.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Overland Park wants to make it easier to use its “missing middle” pilot program on lots that may not have been developable before. Several months after Overland Park launched its housing pilot program, the city is now considering whether to temporarily amend its development codes to encourage the use of the program, particularly on infill and atypical-shaped lots. The idea is to allow homes with a pre-approved design in the Portfolio Homes pilot program to be built on properties that might not typically pass legal muster for residential development due to their shape, size, setbacks or their inability to have public street frontage. It would also further streamline the process by reducing the number of steps required to get such a project approved, potentially lowering the price tag and moving developments ahead more quickly.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Overland Park wants to make it easier to use its “missing middle” pilot program on lots that may not have been developable before. Several months after Overland Park launched its housing pilot program, the city is now considering whether to temporarily amend its development codes to encourage the use of the program, particularly on infill and atypical-shaped lots. The idea is to allow homes with a pre-approved design in the Portfolio Homes pilot program to be built on properties that might not typically pass legal muster for residential development due to their shape, size, setbacks or their inability to have public street frontage. It would also further streamline the process by reducing the number of steps required to get such a project approved, potentially lowering the price tag and moving developments ahead more quickly.
Read more: Johnson County Post