News

The lights, the dust, and the roar of the crowd are back in Pretty Prairie this week, as the community hosts the 2025 Pretty Prairie Rodeo. Now in its 89th year, the four-night event attracts thousands of spectators and competitors from across the country and around the world. Read more: KSN-TV

A “battle” is brewing between first responders in Butler County. Andover’s police and fire departments are competing in the Battle of the Badges to see who can get the most people to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. Read more: KSN-TV

Firefighters used oxygen to save a dog injured in a house fire Thursday. The Neodesha Fire Department says it happened at a home in a rural area north of Elk City shortly before 12:30 p.m. The department was called to assist the Montgomery Rural, Elk City, and Wilson Rural fire departments in battling the fire. Neodesha firefighters rescued a dog found inside the home. The dog received oxygen from firefighters and was later transported to a veterinarian for evaluation. Read more: KSN-TV

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum is throwing a birthday party Sunday, July 20, to celebrate 155 years since Sedgwick County was founded—and since Wichita became its first city. The free event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. and includes music, an ice cream social, activities, and access to the museum’s exhibits and Heritage Square. Read more: KSN-TV

The Harvey County Sheriff's Office is sick of people illegally dumping their trash along rural roads. The sheriff's office reports that over the past week, deputies have responded to four reports of trash dumping in the county, bringing the total for the year to 19. While the dumping has included the kind of trash one would expect to find, such as cans or yard waste, some of the items have confounded the department. Among the illegally dumped items were a washing machine and a Viking fishing boat that appears to be loaded with furniture. Read more: KSN-TV

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Over 10 years have passed since enough candidates filed for any of the Great Bend’s four City Council wards to force a primary. That is not the case this year, and this runoff rarity is causing some confusion for voters, said Bev Schmeidler, Barton County clerk and election officer. Read more: Homepage

A Prairie Village resident has refiled in federal court his lawsuit challenging the city’s plans to issue bonds to finance a new city hall project. Originally filed last month in Johnson County District Court, Marc Vianello’s petition seeks to block the city from issuing $27 million worth of bonds for the municipal complex project without taking the matter to a public vote. Late last week, Vianello withdrew that lawsuit and refiled it in the U.S. District Court of Kansas. Read more: Johnson County Post

Shawnee is getting in on World Cup fever, moving forward with a plan to hold a one-day music and beer festival aimed at drawing tourists to the city’s downtown next summer. The concert is scheduled for June 20, 2026, in downtown Shawnee during one of the group stage matches in Kansas City. It is a collaboration between the city, the Shawnee chamber, business developer Eddie Crane and musician Andrew Morris. Read more: Johnson County Post

Clusters of empty land with a few small houses sit scattered along 151st Street in Overland Park. The long grass is bright green, with shrubs overgrown and tangled. While it’s vacant now, the city, a developer and landowner are looking at the property to potentially build a new workforce housing project in Overland Park’s Stanley annexation area. Read more: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |