Overland Park could become the latest Johnson County city to require kids on electronic bikes and scooters to wear helmets or else face a fine. It’s the latest step in a long line of discussions among residents and local officials in Johnson County about how to keep kids safe when they ride the increasingly popular devices. Just last month, Overland Park established a new set of city codes prohibiting anyone under the age of 16 from riding class 3 e-bikes, which are throttle-assisted bikes capable of reaching higher speeds. On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council Public Safety Committee voted unanimously [...]

After a month of deliberation, Edgerton made the move to deny an application Tuesday night for an $860 million data center in Logistics Park Kansas City. The Edgerton Planning Commission voted 3-2 to deny the data center application from Dubai-based DAMAC Digital on Tuesday night. Commissioners Adam Draskovich, Jeremy Little and Jordyn Mueller voted to deny the application, while Commission Chair Tina Mathos and Commissioner Ray Soemer voted against denial. “I feel like it’s a short-term victory,” said Kellie Wakefield, an Edgerton resident. “It’s not completely denied. We’re just going to have to continue voicing our preference for the direction of [...]

Yates Center city officials are asking residents to conserve water after Saturday night's storms. According to a Facebook post by the city, some pumps are not working properly after an electricity outage. While city water crews are working to fix the problem, residents are asked to conserve water as much as possible for now. Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

The lines were long but the people were happy Tuesday afternoon on the north side of Oak Park Mall. Sometimes a car or truck driver tapped hello on the horn. Sometimes a small group would spontaneously break out into applause. Who could complain? It was, after all, the line for the buses that would take these ticket holders to the first match in the first World Cup Kansas City has ever hosted. What’s more, Argentinian star Lionel Messi would be playing in what is likely his last World Cup. The vibe was, as they say, chill. Some of the riders had [...]

Finney County Economic Development Corporation President/CEO Lona DuVall spoke about data centers during her FCEDC update at the Finney County Commission meeting on Monday. DuVall said she hoped to give a quick timeline of where the county is at right now with data centers looking to come to the area. The FCEDC first contact regarding data centers was in November 2024, when the Lone Bison project and TED Renewables reached out and said they were looking at doing a project, but had not secured leases or anything else yet. They came out and met with Finney County Commissioners in January 2025, [...]

Sedgwick County commissioners unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new applications for large-scale solar projects at their meeting on Wednesday. The temporary red light comes as the county considers two applications for massive solar energy developments, though the pause won’t affect those projects. Commissioners supporting the moratorium said the current applications can be used as a case study to test the county’s regulations and application process. Commissioner Jeff Blubaugh said the public brought several concerns to his attention, which he felt called for more questions and prompted his support of the half-year break. Read more: KSN-TV

The Salina Police Department is investigating a crash that left an e-bike rider in critical condition. Shortly before 5 a.m. on Wednesday, police and fire crews were dispatched to the area of South Centennial Road and Sunflower Lane for a report of a cyclist struck by a car. Upon arrival, crews found a 66-year-old man with critical injuries. Police said the man was riding an e-bike south on Centennial Road when he was struck from behind by a vehicle. Read more: KSN-TV

Reno County commissioners spent nearly two hours at Monday’s meeting discussing whether to ban battery energy storage systems and data centers in certain parts of the county. After an intense debate, two proposed motions to impose the bans were ultimately rejected. Community members showed up and spoke from the audience, generating a back-and-forth between them and commissioners. Read more: KSN-TV

It’s been over a year since half of a Kansas town was wiped out by a powerful EF3 tornado, and now it’s receiving federal funds to help its recovery. On Wednesday, the federal Emergency Management Agency announced that Grinnell is receiving $300,000 for repairs or replacement of roads, curbs and road signs damaged by the May 18, 2025 tornado. The $300,000 was part of $77 million in federal funding approved by FEMA in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. Jewel Maier, Grinnell’s city treasurer and administrator, told KSN in April that the funding had been held up by staffing shortages at FEMA. [...]

At the end of a relatively short meeting early this week, the Girard City Council applauded the efforts of a former city councilman to help the city look its best. Mayor Nick Cheney noted former councilman Dennis Everett’s work to repair the fountain at City Hall. “I want to thank Dennis Everett for buying the pump for the water feature up front and installing it,” said Cheney. “He also fixed the broken light for the flagpole out front.” Summer officially arrives this weekend, which means more activities and more visitors in town. Read more: Morning Sun