News

The fate of Wichita’s 1% sales tax will soon be in voters’ hands, after the city council unanimously voted Tuesday to put it on the ballot. Wichita Forward, the organization that originally brought the sales tax proposal to the council, celebrated the decision. “[Citizens] have an opportunity to support investments in our homelessness challenges, to invest in our first responders, to lower property taxes,” Matt Burchett, a Wichita Forward board member, said after the vote. “With this opportunity city council provided, the citizens get to choose those opportunities for the city.” Read more: KSN-TV

Three of Seward County's five commissioners announced their resignations Monday night. Seward County Chair and District 3 Commissioner Scott Carr, District 4 Commissioner Tammy Sutherland-Abbott, and District 2 Commissioner Presephoni D. Fuller made the announcement during the comments portion of the meeting. “I never dreamed that this community would have acted like it did just because they didn’t agree with the three of us votes. We had been ridiculed, mocked. Cartoons drawn about us. It’s pretty pathetic when the three of us in that aspect were givers to this community … This was my second recall in the last few weeks,” [...]

As expected, the county commissioners approved a proposed moratorium on nuclear development in the county, citing the need to complete the new comprehensive plan before making any decisions about whether to allow it in or not. This expands the existing moratorium passed last week that includes not only solar and wind development, but also data mining facilities. Read more: - Morning Sun

A changing of the guard has happened in Kansas City, Kansas. And with that, Mayor Christal Watson said she’s ready to get to work. “It will take all of us to do this work,” Watson told residents who filled Memorial Hall on Monday. “It is going to take more than just one day. We won’t see change happen overnight, but we will see the change you’ve been wanting to see.” Officials swore in Watson — the newly-elected mayor/CEO and the first Black woman to lead the city — during an evening ceremony. Judge Candice Alcaraz, who in 2023 was the first [...]

The Kansas Supreme Court endured a crossfire of claims and counterclaims Monday about whether an association of Edwards County irrigators can try to thwart plans by Hays and Russell to make use of water rights acquired decades ago to pipe water drawn from a rural aquifer to the cities. Attorney Daniel Buller, representing the two cities, urged members of the Supreme Court to view the protracted legal battle through the lens of state law. He said transferring a large amount of water from an aquifer by pipeline to the cities rather than using the resource to grow crops was acceptable under [...]

The Kansas City Royals still haven't committed to a location for their new stadium, but the Aspiria campus at 119th and Nall in Overland Park is under consideration. Residents living in that neighborhood say they have concerns about local businesses, traffic and affordability. Read more: KCUR

Crawford County commissioners vote on a resolution to adopt a moratorium on nuclear power. Commissioners approved it today, Dec 16, and it will be uniform across all unincorporated communities in the county. The moratorium stops any nuclear power projects from being constructed within those communities. It is an extension of the moratoriums currently in place for solar and wind projects, following the November 13 decision by commissioners to block the annexation of Mulberry. Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Ark City schools superintendent Ron Ballard announced last week he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 school year, concluding a 28-year career with USD 470. Ballard shared the decision in a message to staff, saying the choice was not easy but that the timing felt right for both him and USD 470. He said he is proud of the work accomplished during his tenure and grateful to serve alongside staff committed to students. Read more: Cowley Post

The post Iola City Administrator Matt Rehder on Iola’s new data center appeared first on The Iola Register. Read more: The Iola Register

Kansans will no longer pay personal property taxes for such things as off-road vehicles, small trailers and boats. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, Kansans who own off-road vehicles, small trailers, and boats will see their personal property tax bills drop thanks to new exemptions approved under House Bill 2231. While many residents may welcome the savings, the tax relief doesn’t come without some trade-offs. After all, those taxes help public entities provide services. Read more: The Iola Register