Municipal News & Jobs

One detail was unspoken during the Wichita City Council’s recent debate over stronger enforcement of an ordinance against homeless encampments: Cleanups are far more frequent than they were prior to the updated ordinance, according to a Journal analysis of public records, and they have been occurring, on average, at least daily since stricter enforcement began in March. After the council voted to crack down on illegal camping in the city last December, formal encampment cleanups are up from an average of 14 a month to 38 a month – a 171% increase compared to last year. Despite the acceleration, some council members are dissatisfied. Mayor Lily Wu unexpectedly expressed her frustrations with visible homelessness at a recent City Council workshop.
Read more: KLC Journal

Freeman Health System has decided against building a new hospital in southeast Kansas following its feasibility study. According to Freeman, the original purpose of the hospital was to fill a gap in quality healthcare services in the region. Freeman says the study considered multiple factors, including the impact of pending legislation, including the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” and evolving challenges in rural healthcare. Both of those variables contributed to the final decision.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is inviting Kansans to share their ideas and discuss transportation priorities during a series of local consultations scheduled throughout October.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

A new museum dedicated to farm toys has opened at the Dickinson County Heritage Center in Abilene, celebrating the state’s agricultural roots and history. The Farm Toy Museum features nearly 2,000 miniature farm implements, including tractors, combines, and plows, with a significant portion of the collection donated by John Gruber and his wife, Kathy. “You know it’s very unique in the fact that as far as we know, other than Dyersville, Iowa, we are the only farm toy museum kind of in the Midwest area that we are aware of,” said Austin Anders, Director of the Dickinson County Heritage Center.
Read more: KSN-TV

Sedgwick County and city leaders met with the Kansas Department of Transportation on Wednesday to discuss transportation priorities, including the proposed Northwest Expressway. The Northwest Expressway project would connect Maize, Goddard, and southwest Wichita. “We’ve already invested over $20 million into buying the right of way for the Northwest Expressway. We want to make sure that the state realizes this is important to the people in Sedgwick County,” said Ryan Baty, Sedgwick County Commission Chair. Baty said another important discussion was on the aging infrastructure of Interstate 135, or Wichita’s Canal Route, “a six-mile stretch through the heart of Wichita.” KDOT is working on plans to repair and ensure the long-term durability of the route, which is made up of many flyovers, bridges, and overpasses.
Read more: KSN-TV

The first Buc-ee’s convenience store in Kansas is now set to break ground late next week. The project has experienced several delays since June. The $95 million project was expected to start last Wednesday, but the company wanted to work on an official groundbreaking ceremony. Construction on the 74,000 square foot store was originally scheduled to begin in late June. The groundbreaking for the new Kansas City, Kansas store will be next to Kansas Speedway at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16.
Read more: KSN-TV

A Kansas community is rallying to help save its local drive-in theater. A Kanopolis couple purchased the Kanopolis Drive-In theater last year. The drive-in opened for the season on May 23. The theater had been operating throughout the season, that is, until Thursday, Oct. 2. The Kanopolis Drive-In’s projector broke down, and the cost to replace it is steep. The theater will need to raise at least $100,000, on the low end.
Read more: KSN-TV

Newman Regional Health was awarded a $485,000 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation to expand health care access to rural communities. The grant will be used to launch Newman’s two-year Telehealth for Rural Health Equity: Expanding Specialty Access Through Infrastructure Innovation program, which aims to serve residents in seven counties across east-central Kansas.
Read more: KSN-TV

A small town in southeast Kansas is getting a big new resource. Members of the healthcare and education communities in Humboldt gathered together Wednesday, October 8, for the opening of a new life services facility, holding a ribbon cutting ceremony and walkthrough of the Cubs Community Care Center, which officials say showcased their new community spaces and virtual learning opportunities. The building is a collaboration among Humboldt Schools, Southeast Kansas Mental Health, Ashley Clinic, and Allen Community College.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

A small town fire station is teaching kids the importance of fire safety. Staff from the Columbus fire department gave Park Elementary school students fire prevention and response tips. The kids were taught how to escape simulated smoke-filled rooms, use fire hoses, and how to work a smoke alarm. Today’s class was one of many; the Columbus Unified School District plans to send it to the station for Fire Prevention Week. The school’s principal, Matthew Crain, whose daughter recently went through the demonstrations, says the information has kids excited and better equipped.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The Lawrence Police Department (LKPD) shared that its beloved K9, Cheeseburger, had passed away. On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the LKPD shared that Cheeseburger had died in the morning, surrounded by his family. “Our family is forever grateful that the department and community of Lawrence trusted us to care for Cheeseburger in his retirement,” the LKPD wrote on social media. The LKPD said that Cheeseburger spent the last 2.5 years of his life to the fullest with toys, treats, car rides and love.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Officials from Sunflower Wind faced stiff questioning from county commissioner Clarke Dirks Plant manager Jase Sherwood and project manager Danny Sears-Greer told commissioners about repairing and replacing the blades, but Dirks had extensive questions. He wanted to know how much the blade and debris weighed and debris removed from the site so he could determine how much of the blades original material had not been disposed of.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Five Hillsboro Police officers will receive a lot more in retirement effective Jan. 1 because of Hillsboro City Council action Tuesday. Hillsboro police officers do not contribute to Social Security because they are in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Under the change they will switch to the KPERS affiliated Kansas Police and Fire retirement.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Marion’s new economic development director, Megan Jones, wants to develop a business plan for the city to follow. Jones, hired two weeks ago at an annual salary of $55,000, thinks her experience of working and owning Bill and Essie’s BBQ with her husband, Daryl, for a little more than one year will help in her new position. “I am assessing and planning,” she said. “I don’t want to jump off the diving board without knowing how deep the water is.”
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Zoning has been a hot topic for numerous years across northeast Kansas, and now, the Nemaha County Planning Commission has developed a zoning code titled, “Land Development Code of Nemaha County, Kansas.” This zoning code, which has been in the works for multiple months — or even years — is now scheduled for a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 27, in Seneca at the Nemaha County Community Center, located at 1500 Community Drive in Seneca.
Read more: The Sabetha Herald

While it appears there are more homeless visible around Hutchinson, it’s an issue not unique to Hutchinson or Reno County, local and state housing experts said, but a growing problem nationally and statewide. Based on signals in the economy, it could get worse. Local officials, agencies and churches haven’t been idle, working for decades to find solutions to age-old challenges. But the reasons for homelessness are myriad, and the solutions complex. The Tribune will take a deeper look at some of those issues and community responses in a series of articles beginning with this broader look.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce is attempting to court a nuclear power plant into the Hutchinson area. Chamber President and CEO Debra Teufel was presenting to Hutchinson City Council about ways the chamber is attempting to bring in jobs and workers into the city when she mentioned a communication she’d had with City Manager Enrico Villegas. The communication she had with Villegas was about the nuclear energy company Terrapower, and a memorandum of understanding they signed with Evergy and the Kansas Department of Commerce to bring a new, modular nuclear energy site into Evergy’s territory.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Reno County Director of Information Technology (I.T.) Tim McClatchey received a proclamation recognizing October 2025 as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Reno County by the County Commission. “All of I.T. staff work very hard to keep us safe,” McClatchey told commissioners. “I just wanted to spread that awareness further, not just in the county but to the community.” Each October the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance lead national awareness campaigns emphasizing the importance of data protection, he said.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Last October, the city of Partridge broke ground on what would become their new library and community center building. In the two weeks since they opened, they’ve welcomed over 100 guests and–this Tuesday–representatives from the Kansas Department of Commerce.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The plot of land on the southeast corner of East Avenue F and South Elm Street will soon belong to Jim and Heidi Unruh. The Hutchinson Land Bank Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to give the Unruhs this property after the Unruhs submitted an application that included a site plan that accommodates the needs of their wheelchair-dependent daughter. Interfaith Housing and Community Services is working with the Unruhs to construct a new house on this property.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune