News

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the agency has awarded $75,000 in Rural Mural funding to support 12 public art projects in rural communities across the state. “Our rural communities are the backbone of what makes our state so great — they’re rich in culture, resilience and unique identity,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Investing in these large-scale public art pieces allows communities to signal not only hometown pride but a commitment to harnessing creativity to drive economic growth across Kansas.” Read more: Press Releases Archives - Kansas Department of Commerce

Elizabeth Ramsey has been hired as the new Assistant City Administrator for the City of Lyons.  Ramsey, who took her oath of office at the Lyons City Council meeting on Sept. 15, grew up in a small town in eastern Oregon. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics from George Fox University and her Masters of Public Policy and Public Administration, with a concentration in local government management, from Colorado State University. Read more: Ad Astra Radio | Your Hometown Radio Stations & Local News Source

Bourbon County Commissioners have put a cap on the length of commission meetings. On Monday, commissioners discussed putting in place procedures for shortening meetings, many of which have run three to four hours. The commission ultimately voted unanimously to adopt procedures which include starting meetings at 5:30 p.m., following the agenda until 7:30 p.m.; moving those people who have traveled for the meeting to the top of the agenda; setting the agenda for the following week’s meeting prior to adjournment, otherwise adjourning the meeting at 7:30 p.m. Read more: Fort Scott Tribune

At its recent meeting, the Bentley City Council reluctantly passed water restrictions forced by the City of Wichita, the sole supplier of water to the city. While drought conditions persist throughout the area, Wichita has been increasing pressure on customers of its untreated water supply to implement water conservation plans that limit outdoor water use. The most recent restrictions limit watering lawns to three specific days per week, before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., at each address. The particular days are based on each residence’s even or odd house number. City Administrator and Police Chief James “Tim” Bryan read out [...]

Holton Community Hospital (HCH) officials are asking Jackson County residents for their support during the Nov. 4 general election. Registered voters in Jackson County will be asked on the ballot whether they support a special .25 percent retailers’ sales tax specifically for hospital services. To help the public understand the need for the sales tax, several public town hall meetings will be held throughout the county this month and next, it has been reported. Read more: The Holton Recorder

Another Johnson County city is cracking down on e-bikes by adding new rules for younger users. In the city of Fairway, e-bike users must now be at least 15 years old, or under the direct supervision of an adult. The city also now requires minors to wear helmets. The new rules went into effect Tuesday, a week after the Fairway City Council voted Sept. 8 to adopt the new e-bike regulations. Recently, e-bikes and e-scooters have grown in popularity among Johnson County children and, as such, have become the subject of new restrictions in Prairie Village as well as outright bans [...]

The Overland Park Police Department is about to get a multimillion-dollar technology overhaul, including new body cameras and drones. The new technology from Axon Enterprise will replace many of the police department’s independent programs with an integrated platform that department officials say will be more efficient and easier to use for evidence management, data storage and other functions. In addition to software, the department will also get new body cameras and other digital recording devices, tasers, training, drones and more. Read more: Johnson County Post

From luxury single-family homes to for-sale villas, western Lenexa is seeing a surge in residential development that caters to a wide range of homebuyers and renters. Here's a look at five residential projects that, together, aim to add more than 1,700 housing units. Read more: Kansas City Business Journal

People new to Marysville will have the chance to get connected and find out how things work in their community. Welcome to Marysville: Newcomers & Networkers takes place Thursday, September 25, from 5–7 p.m. at Venue 36, 1195 Pony Express Highway. The event is sponsored by OneMarysville.  The gathering is designed for those who have lived in Marysville five years or fewer. It’s a casual, come-and-go evening where people can meet others, learn about local organizations and discover community traditions—from the Black Squirrel Fall Fest to when Santa will be in his house.  Read more: KCLY Radio

Picture three-and-a-half football fields with earth piled onto them — piled as tall as the Empire State Building. That’s how much sediment flows into Tuttle Creek Lake each year. After decades of this, mud has eaten up so much space that about half of the lake near Manhattan has disappeared. Put another way, about half of its volume for storing water is gone. That’s why the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Kansas Water Office will start a first-of-its-kind pilot test this week to try to clear out some mud. They’ll use an underwater dredging technique that they hope will [...]