Shawnee Mission brings on first-ever coordinator of diversity, equity and inclusion

2019-07-22T13:42:52-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

For the past several years, a group of Shawnee Mission parents have been urging the administration to improve diversity and inclusion efforts across the school district. On July 1, a new staff member joined the district with the task of addressing just that. Tyrone Bates, Ed.D., is the school district’s first ever coordinator of diversity, equity and inclusion. Bates comes to Shawnee Mission with nearly two decades of experience as a classroom teacher and administrator. He spent the bulk of his career as a teacher and building administrator in Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools, and spent a year as the principal [...]

Attorney General charges former Kan. county clerk with felony misuse of public funds

2019-07-22T13:34:29-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

The Kansas Attorney General’s office has charged the former Marshall County Clerk with felony misuse of public funds, according to Attorney General Derek Schmidt. The charges were filed against Sonya L. Stohs, 44, of Marysville, late Tuesday in Marshall County District Court, Attorney General Derek Schmidt said. The complaint alleges from May 2013 to April 2019, Stohs used funds belonging to Marshall County to pay for various personal items, in excess of $100,000. Stohs surrendered to law enforcement this morning at the Marshall County Jail and entered her first appearance this afternoon in Marshall County District Court. The investigation in this [...]

U.S. 281 temporarily closing for repairs

2019-07-22T13:32:39-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

The Kansas Department of Transportation will temporarily close a portion of U.S. 281 north of the city of Russell starting Monday, July 22. The highway will be closed to through traffic between Shoreline Road and Land Road, or from milepost 146 to 149, for crews to make partial repairs to a slide area that has affected the roadway. KDOT expects to reopen the road to one-lane traffic controlled by a traffic signal by the end of the week, weather permitting. The traffic signal configuration will remain in place until further repairs can be made and be removed once the additional work [...]

USD 309 hires Stroh as interim leader

2019-07-22T22:10:32-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309’s school board hired a former Hutchinson USD 308 administrator to serve as interim superintendent for 11 months.Jeanne Stroh was the director of elementary education and an assistant superintendent for the Hutchinson school district when she worked for the district from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, she left to become superintendent of Ottawa USD 290. She retired from that post at the end of June 2018. (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)

Curran named interim director

2019-07-22T02:15:06-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

Garden City Public Works Director Sam Curran has been named Interim Director for the Garden City Neighborhood and Development Services effective July 26 with the departure of Kaleb Kentner. City Manager Matt Allen said Curran will serve in the interim administrative capacity as he continues his duties as Director of Public Works until a new Neighborhood and Development Services Director has been named. “I have a great deal of confidence in Sam as a veteran member of the senior management team,” Allen said. “There is a considerable amount of cross-over in the projects and responsibilities of the Public Works and Neighborhood [...]

Wichita’s water plant: ‘Every hour that thing is running, it could fail’

2019-07-22T02:12:30-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

Next time water comes out of your tap, don’t take it for granted. Wichita’s only water treatment plant could fail at any moment. “It keeps me awake at night . . .” said Alan King, Wichita’s director of public works and utilities. “Every hour that thing is running, it could fail — right as we’re talking, right now.” Critical infrastructure at the plant is 80 years old and has outlived its useful life. To fully fix it, the city would have to shut it down. There is no backup. (Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Mulvane council tables proposal for bike share program

2019-07-21T22:46:40-05:00July 21st, 2019|

At its July 15 meeting, the Mulvane City Council voted to table a proposal to develop a bike share program in the city after a discussion about liability. After hearing the bike share proposal from Robert Brown at its July 1 meeting, city officials discussed potential liability for injury or damage with the city attorney. If the city chooses to endorse the program, the attorney’s suggestion is to take out a liability and property damage policy, which would cost about $2,000. (Read more: DerbyInformer.com - news,news/)

Olpe Fire Department receives $1,000 grant

2019-07-21T22:45:25-05:00July 21st, 2019|

The Kansas Pipeline Association awarded a $1,000 grant to the Olpe and District No. 1 Fire Department Thursday morning at the fire station. The funds will be used to purchase emergency response and safety equipment. “The Olpe Fire Department is going through a needs assessment for personal safety equipment, and we have a number of different items,” Olpe Fire Chief Wade Schmidt said. “We rate them on importance and age to be replaced. That’s what this grant will go toward, to better serve our community and anyone that needs our help and, most importantly, keep our own responders safe.” (Read more: [...]

City commission commends Hays FD

2019-07-21T22:42:50-05:00July 21st, 2019|

Hays city commissioners are proud of the Hays Fire Department. Commissioner Eber Phelps Thursday night suggested a letter of commendation and thanks should be sent from the commission to the city fire department for their recent assistance to the Plainville Fire Department. HFD took on fire coverage in Plainville to allow its firefighters to attend the funerals of two retired PFD chiefs. “I thought it was great that we had our firefighters and a truck over there to stand guard on the city of Plainville while they paid tribute to fire chiefs,” Phelps said. (Read more: Hays Post)

Mechanized Concepts hopes Russell will become a national hub for industrial hemp production with new facility

2019-07-21T22:42:19-05:00July 21st, 2019|

Thursday afternoon business leaders, along with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and area legislators joined with representatives from Mechanized Concepts for a ceremonial ribbon cutting for their Russell facility that has the potential to bring hundreds of jobs to the area and springboard Russell to become a regional hub for industrial hemp production. “To see it come to fruition is really, really exciting,” Kansas governor Laura Kelly told the large crowd that gathered in Cecil Bricker Park for the event. She said it was her hope legislation allowing industrial hemp production in Kansas would lead to economic development like what is happening in [...]

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