Nearly one-fifth of Americans relied on drinking water systems with elevated and potentially dangerous levels of nitrate in recent years, according to a new study released Thursday. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group examined test data collected by water systems across the country between 2021 and 2023, the most recent data available.  Water systems serving more than 3 million people exceeded the federal safety limit of 10 milligrams per liter over the three years, the research and advocacy organization found. The analysis also found that thousands of water systems serving more than 62 million people reported nitrate levels above 3 milligrams per [...]

The Geary County Historical Society recently hosted its 4th annual “History Alive” reenactment event. On Friday, April 17, organizers said more than 400 students in grades 8–12 attended a special school-day program. That Saturday, hundreds of community members visited the event at the Spring Valley Historic Site in Geary County, which covered nearly three acres. Reenactors from across Kansas and even other states helped bring history to life by showing what life was like in the mid-1800s. Visitors could watch and try activities such as spinning, weaving, archery, flintknapping, and pioneer household chores. There were also cultural demonstrations, including traditional Ojibwe [...]

Convention centers and their viability were big news in three Midwestern cities this spring. Omaha, Nebraska, officials have been celebrating a milestone in their $200 million convention center expansion project: the topping out of the refurbished CHI Health Center. Half the funding for the downtown center, expected to open in fall 2027, is coming from voter-approved general obligation bonds, while the other half is from private funding. Within a year or two after Omaha passed its bond issue, campaigns were underway to persuade residents of Wichita and Springfield, Missouri, to vote for taxes that would fund renovations and expansions to their [...]

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly executed her veto power Monday on five different bills, including a property tax relief bill. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate will need to achieve two-thirds majorities in order to defeat Kelly’s veto of the following bills: HB 2043 would have allowed Kansans to petition against increases in property tax revenues. It would also continue reimbursements from the taxpayer notification costs fund for an additional five years. HB 2111 would have exempted certain registered agritourism operations from local code and regulation enforcement. HB 2515 would have established the Kansas Legal Tender Act. This act reaffirms gold [...]

After years of preparation, Sedgwick County has the tools necessary to cut the public off from listening to law enforcement scanners. On Tuesday, law enforcement agencies in Wichita and across Sedgwick County will transition to encrypted radio channels. The change complies with an FBI mandate that went into effect in December 2022. Agencies were given time to purchase and install the necessary technology. The FBI said the policy aims to protect the privacy of victims, witnesses and suspects whose personal information may be transmitted over a law enforcement radio. Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Sylvia has worked through a slate of problems with its water system this month — the latest being a now-fixed leak that popped up on Tuesday. The city had another major leak earlier this month and has been continuing to work on cleaning the water tower as well. Last week, residents were told not to drink city water. Normally when a water line breaks, people are supposed to boil water before drinking it. But Sylvia’s water supply has high nitrate levels, and boiling can actually increase the concentration of nitrates. On Friday, the Kansas Department of Health and [...]

City officials are sharing the results of a recent budget survey as they try to find ways to address a $15 million deficit. City of Topeka spokesman Dan Garrett said in a press release that more than 1,000 people responded to the survey. He said a majority of residents highlighted a need for streets and infrastructure to be designated top priorities in the next budget. Other highlights included safety services, social services and affordable housing. Read more: KSNT 27 News

At their April 27 meeting, the South Hutchinson City Council ordered their city administrator to draft a six-month data center and battery energy storage system (BESS) moratorium. Some council members even expressed strong opposition to such a facility under any circumstances. City Administrator Jeff Schenk first explained to the council what a moratorium is: a temporary, but complete, restriction of development for a facility like a data center or a BESS. Schenk said that the question is coming up in the region because municipalities are wondering if such moratoriums are needed to create proper regulations. Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Earlier in April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $30 million in grant funding, as part of the agency’s RealWaterTA Initiative. The new funding will support technical assistance and training to benefit small drinking water and wastewater systems and private well owners. The newly available RealWaterTA funding helps connect small and rural drinking water and wastewater systems with tried-and-true services, such as engineering and design expertise, operational support, workforce development, and financial management. EPA said this funding will benefit Americans nationwide, especially in rural areas where small systems face challenges operating and maintaining vital water infrastructure.  Read more: Water Finance & Management

With a hearty cheer, a large crowd celebrated the unveiling of the new marquee, marking the first phase of the restoration of the old Iola Theatre in downtown Iola. Throngs of youngsters gather outside the old Iola Theater for the showing of “The Circus Clown” sometime in the 1930s. The ornate marquee has been rebuilt and was turned on for the public Friday. With the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood premiere mixed with the home-town folksiness of a county fair, droves of Iolans turned out for a party Friday. The occasion? Members of the Iola Theatre Association turned on the [...]