News

Sedgwick County Commissioners, Wichita City Council members, and the Wichita School Board met Tuesday to brainstorm ways for more cooperation and to more efficiently use taxpayer dollars. The meeting was a response to a June town hall where the public submitted almost 140 ideas for improvements. Local leaders focused on ways to improve mental health services, decrease crime and homelessness, and grow the Air Capital economy. One of the ideas that could help in all those areas is one being developed by the Wichita Public Schools Board: Community schools. Read more: KSN-TV

Mountain lions, while still rare in the Sunflower State, are starting to become a more common sight in Kansas. KSNT contacted Matt Peek with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) this week to determine how many people have recently sighted the big cats in the state. The KDWP received 50 confirmed sightings of mountain lions from 2007 to 2023. But that number has more than doubled in the past two years to 110 reported mountain lion sightings since 2007. Read more: KSN-TV

After a lengthy discussion, the City of Salina moved ahead with a plan to remove a log jam in the Smoky Hill River. The Salina City Commission voted Monday to proceed with the plan to remove the debris from the river at a cost of $452,351. The work is expected to take approximately six weeks to complete. Read more: KSN-TV

Hutchinson firefighters were called to perform a rescue on the Arkansas River on Monday afternoon. Crews were called to an area behind Hobart-Detter Field near Carey Park around 2:30 p.m., where three people were holding onto a tree in the middle of the river and stranded by the quickly rising water. The Hutchinson Fire Department's Water Rescue Team launched its boat with a three-man team upriver and reached the three victims. They were brought safely to shore, where Reno County EMS treated them. Read more: KSN-TV

The “first family” of pickleball made their mark in Pittsburg, helping cut the ribbon for 12 new courts to the community. Monday’s ribbon cutting event, which signified the opening of a brand new pickleball facility, is also the culmination of decades of dedication the family has given to the sport. The Johnsons have long laid claim to professional pickleball, being one of the first families in the sport’s history to all compete professionally. And now they’re taking a step back from traveling the world – and decided to head back to where it all began. Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Starting this school year, all Topeka USD 501 schools will adopt a “cell phone-free instructional day” policy. This change follows recommendations from the state board of education. The district posted the new policy on its website earlier this month. According to the new policy, Topeka high school students are to keep their phones off and away from first bell to last to support a focused learning environment. This includes all personal electronic communication devices including smart phones, smart watches, tablets, personal computers, earbuds, and other devices. Read more: KSNT 27 News

City commissioners want to see the next city manager focused on managing city growth, tax relief for residents and community engagement. Commissioners and the mayor outlined to The Eudora Times what they are looking for as another manager search begins this fall. This story comes after we recently asked residents what they would like to see in a manager. Read that story here. Read more: The Eudora Times

Downtown workers encounter more roadblocks than almost anyone seeking to park in the area. Now, the City of Lawrence is considering proposals to increase the cost of finding a spot around Mass Street. The city’s parking department has recently started booting cars for unpaid citations. Proposals to increase rates for all paid downtown spots and to extend hours of enforcement on weekday evenings are also on the table. Read more: The Lawrence Times

Phase one of the $222 million, 350,000-square-foot biomedical campus began in May of last year and is expected to be fully operational by the summer of 2027. The project will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, the health care program at WSU Tech and the Wichita campuses of the KU School of Medicine and the KU School of Pharmacy. The campus aims to strengthen collaboration and professional health care learning.   Read more: The Sunflower

The Butler County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed a court hacking that took place on Wednesday morning. The message of the content was graphic and sent a racist message that was enough to stir fear into the community. During District Magistrate Judge Phyllis Webster’s court hearing on Wednesday, an unexpected and unsolicited photo appeared on the screen, shocking those in attendance. The content displayed is not fit for print or publication. Read more: Butler County Times-Gazette