A small town in Texas is going up against streaming giants Netflix and Hulu with a class-action lawsuit over utility fees. New Boston, Texas says the streamers use broadband infrastructure to reach their residents, and should in turn pay the town 5% of the revenue generated from those residents as a fee. “When a Netflix subscriber wants to view Netflix programming, the subscriber’s Internet service provider will connect the subscriber to the closest Netflix Open Connect server offering the fastest speeds and best video quality,” writes attorney Austin Tighe in the complaint. “According to Netflix, that means that most of its [...]

Governor Laura Kelly has announced businesses will soon be able to apply for a total of more than $130 million in grants to serve those most affected by the pandemic and for companies that can expand broadband access in the state. Information on SPARK economic development and connectivity grant programs can now be found online at kansascommerce.gov/covidrelief. Grant applications will be accepted beginning at 12:00 p.m. Wed., Aug. 19, 2020. “These funds will both provide necessary immediate relief to businesses and contribute to a more strategic, competitive Kansas economy in the future,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I want to thank the [...]

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

As students return to Manhattan this month in preparation for a new school year, they will be greeted with a new mode of transportation. K-State has partnered with LINK, bringing 150 e-scooters to Manhattan this fall. “Many students, faculty and staff  have been asking for an e-scooter share program as an easy and energy-efficient way to move about campus and the community. After extensive research of similar programs in other university communities and in collaboration with the City of Manhattan, we’re excited to partner with LINK because we believe that they will provide our students, faculty, and visitors with the safest [...]

Topeka police are asking for the community’s feedback to find out what they can do better. The Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships (SPCP) council for Topeka met on Thursday for a forum and discussion between community members and police officers. “People don’t feel like there’s an open line of communication. They don’t always understand how to voice concerns or talk about what they feel like is going on,” said Chrissy Russel, SPCP council member. The council is made up of community members, leaders and police officers and they work to bridge the gap between local law enforcement and the community they [...]

In the heart of Bourbon County, Kansas, there’s a town of only about 8,000 residents. But the land it sits on has great significance to American history, stretching back more than 170 years — which is 19 years before Kansas was even a state. Here’s is the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Tucked between Kansas City and Pittsburg is the town of Fort Scott, Kansas where Historic Fort Scott is rooted in deep American history. Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation & Resource Management, Fort Scott National Historic Site, said, “The growth and development of Fort Scott was the growth and development [...]

Kansas is known for its prairies, but now we’re connecting you to an ancient wonder of the prairie, Little Jerusalem Badlands, Kansas’ most dramatic Niobrara chalk formation. Take a step back in time. Imagine a vast sea, waves crashing, water as far as the eye can see. Now, fast forward nearly 85 million years. The ocean is gone, and what’s left behind has been drawing the eyes of people from across the region. “My sister came to visit from Austin and we said, ‘You need to come and see Little Jerusalem,’” said tourist Adrian Price. Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park is [...]

On Wednesday, the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office announced a partnership with the DCF. The DCF, using federal funds, placed two people within the WPD and one at the sheriff’s office. Law enforcement supervisors also now have access to the DCF’s child abuse and neglect information system, which will let officers know interactions families have with the DCF. “I think one of the things we know that really led to this partnership is obviously, sometimes, officers or deputies may be the first ones to have contact with the family,” DCF secretary Laura Howard said during a news conference. [...]

Wichita musician Jenny Wood has filed a lawsuit against the city government, claiming a police officer’s bad decisions in a high-speed chase caused a deadly crash that killed two of Wood’s family members and left her with severe disabilities. The lawsuit stems from a pursuit that ended when the fleeing driver of a stolen BMW sport-utility vehicle T-boned the Wood family’s car at the corner of Broadway and Douglas on May 5, 2019. Wood’s mother, Maria, and her 12-year-old niece Rosemary “Rosie” McElroy died from injuries sustained in the crash. Jenny Wood was critically injured and barely survived, but with permanent [...]

Sedgwick County is moving forward with plans to buy COVID-19 saliva tests, a move commissioners said could make it easier to test children when school starts. The Sedgwick County Commission directed staff to work out a contract with Clinical Reference Laboratory, a Lenexa, Kan.-based company that was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to test samples taken at home. With saliva testing, children could spit in a vial rather than have a nasal swab shoved up their noses. via Local News | Wichita Eagle