For over a century and half, it has been serving up mouth-watering fried chicken and biscuits to travelers from across Kansas and the globe. But on Wednesday, the restaurant once known as the Brookville Hotel announced that it is closing its doors. A specific reason was not provided. Read more: KSN-TV

Sedgwick County commissioners unanimously decided on Wednesday to extend the county’s pause on data center development until Sept. 11. The moratorium was set to expire on June 11, and this is the second time the commission has voted to extend it. The purpose is to continue to allow county staff to come up with zoning regulations for data centers. Read more: KSN-TV

Since 1997, Chingawassa Days has been a yearly highlight for the city of Marion. Arguably, the biggest attraction is the more than 70 concrete rhino statues around the town that serve as mascots for this annual festival. So, what made this small town adopt dozens of these rhino statues? Read more: KSN-TV

A home that has been owned by a family in Dighton for five generations is on to new beginnings. The McMillen family is working with the Lane County Community Foundation to fix up the home and sell it at a fair price. Proceeds from the sale will go into the foundation’s “Dighton Builds the Future Fund,” which supports housing initiatives that attract and retain residents. “We’re kind of hoping that maybe this starts a chain reaction,” said Matt McMillen, co-owner of the home. “Hopefully, other people will be inspired to give in the way that makes sense for them as well.” [...]

The Kansas State Department of Education says there is a real lack of early childhood options across the state, rural and urban. But a new facility opening in Hutchinson aims to fix that and could play into a larger trend. After more than a year in development, Hutchinson’s Lil’ Hawks Child Care Center’s is enrolling students. The result of multiple groups cooperating and raising funds, the facility comes as a relief to some parents, as it nearly doubles the school district’s early childhood capacity. Read more: KSN-TV

The Wichita City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to install a Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 9 near Kellogg and Edgemoor. The box will be like the one added in Garden City last year. It would allow a parent or parents to give up a baby legally, anonymously and safely. The boxes are strategically placed in places like fire stations. Read more: KSN-TV

Monday marked 19 years since the first recorded EF5 tornado hit Greensburg, destroying 95% of the town. The “EF” stands for Enhanced Fujita, which replaced the original Fujita scale in 2007. The last F5 tornado to hit the U.S. was the 1999 Oklahoma City tornado. The Greensburg tornado struck on May 4, 2007, killing 12 people and injuring 63 more. The storm destroyed 961 homes and businesses, left 216 with major damage, and caused minor damage to another 307 structures. In months and years following the tornado, the city devoted itself to building back as a green community. Just one year [...]

The El Dorado City Commission is giving voters the chance to decide the fate of a 1% sales tax. The commission voted 5-0 on Monday to put the question on the August ballot. If approved, the tax would help support the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital. City officials hope it can sustain access to quality healthcare and support the town’s growth. David Dillner, El Dorado’s city manager, said the private hospital may not be top of mind for most residents, but to some, its services could mean the difference between life and death. Read more: KSN-TV

Kansas politicians are grappling with how to lower property taxes. Pratt thinks it has a solution, trading one tax for another. The city commission is considering putting a sales tax question in front of voters in an August special election. The commission is considering two options to raise Pratt’s current 9% sales tax, according to Mayor Kyle Farmer. The first would increase the sales tax by 0.5% with a city property tax reduction of 13.285 mills. The second is a 1% sales tax increase with a city property tax reduction of 26.570 mills. The city calculates that a half-cent sales tax [...]

Students and staff of schools across the U.S. are reeling after learning that a well-known hacking group breached private information in the database of Instructure, which powers education technology systems like Canvas. The breach poses security risk to dozens of colleges and universities, as ShinyHunters, the gang taking credit for the incident, has reportedly sent extortionary messages to Canvas users. Canvas is used by schools nationwide for assignments and grade tracking. TechCrunch reported on the news on Tuesday, after a member of the group shared a sample of the data they’d allegedly accessed. Read more: KSNT 27 News