News

Western Johnson County is experiencing a significant housing boom. Developers are betting on a surge in interest in the area thanks to the $4 billion Panasonic electric-vehicle battery plant. Source: KC Star

The tourism district Loretto Companies has planned in Olathe, featuring an ultra-accessible amusement park and a sports complex focused on youth sports, is still happening, the developer says, but the timeline is uncertain. Source: Johnson County Post

The city of Wichita opened its first accessible playground on Wednesday, marking the first of a series of planned improvements to L.W. Clapp Memorial Park. At a ribbon-cutting late Wednesday morning, city leaders celebrated the opening of the playground and the installation of a piece of public art. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Wichita school district leaders say some student records at Southeast High School were changed — possibly to meet graduation requirements — and the district is investigating allegations of grade fixing at the school. Southeast High’s principal, Claudia Cooper, was replaced unexpectedly last week. In an email to employees, Lauren Hatfield, assistant superintendent of secondary schools, said Connie Redic would serve as Southeast’s principal for the coming school year. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Major energy provider Evergy has filed a rate increase that could lead to higher bills for customers in the Wichita area, and stakeholders will soon have the chance to comment on the request. Evergy is requesting a $196.4 million rate increase for Evergy Kansas Central, which includes customers in Wichita, Manhattan and Topeka. The new rates would begin in September and come out to a 8.62% rate hike for residential customers, about $13 more per month. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

A town about an hour and a half drive from Wichita has a main street you might not want to miss, according to USA Today readers. Emporia, Kansas, with a population of just exceeding 24,000 residents, was recognized by the publication as having the second best main street in the U.S., ranking just behind Pennsylvania city. “Whether you’re looking for unique shopping, mouthwatering dining, or a lively night out, Commercial Street in downtown Emporia is the place to be,” the April 16 10Best Readers’ Choice piece reads. Source: Homepage

Reviving a department after a 12-year layoff can be a daunting task for any city operation, but once in a while, things just fall into place. Larned City Manager Brad Eilts noted that for some time, he and the city council had realized not having a department for regular repair and maintenance of city vehicles and equipment was a drawback. Source: Homepage

With seven measles cases now on record in Pawnee County, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday added the current total to its outbreak status. Its latest dashboard posting noted that last week, seven more cases were added to the state’s list, bringing the total to 71 since the beginning of the year. Measles was first reported in a Pawnee County resident by the Pawnee County Health Department to KDHE the last week of May. Source: Homepage

The so-called “dark store” controversy over big-box property values may have seemed settled with a Kansas Supreme Court ruling in Johnson County’s favor three years ago. But in Johnson County, haggling over big box property valuations has returned in a big way over the site of one of Olathe’s most highly visible stores — the Bass Pro shop at 12051 South Renner Blvd. Phoenix-based Arciterra BP LLP, the owner of three parcels of land where the outdoor retailer is located just off Interstate 35, is delinquent on property taxes for every tax year since 2018, according to county records. Source: Johnson [...]

Supporters of Prairie Village’s new city hall project came out in force at Monday’s city council meeting, this time urging the city to pay for “green” sustainable features that critics say is driving the cost up. Those same critics also mobilized at the meeting to outright oppose the entire $30 million project altogether, arguing that it’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and that Prairie Village voters should get a say in whether the plan should move forward. Source: Johnson County Post