Kansas Municipal News
Neighbors bring trucks and tractors to help area tornado victims in Overbrook
Ethan Steenback said he was away in the greater Kansas City area when the tornado hit the farm where he lives with Ashley Steenback and their 7-year-old daughter, Paisley. … He expressed amazement at how many area residents came afterward to check on their family and see how they might be able to help. “There were people I didn’t even know,” he said. Overbrook resident Rae Colson said it brought tears to her eyes to see how much support she and her husband got from their community.
Source: CJonline
Largest Belt Buckle a successful tourist attraction in its first year
“It surpassed my wildest imagination,” said Julie Roller Weeks, Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau director. Towering beside the rodeo stadium at 19 feet 10 1/2 inches wide and 13 feet 11 1/4 inches tall (even taller since it rests on a frame) is the World’s Largest Belt Buckle. While the buckle outsizes the previous record by several feet, the buckle also was the center of one Kansas’ greatest social media campaigns in 2023. The campaign, run by the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, won Midwest Travel Network’s 2024 best social media campaign.
Source: Abilene RC
‘Gunsmoke Trail’ encourages trips to western Kansas towns
Images of cowboys and gunslingers still resonate with the public, long after the Old West came to an end. Tourism professionals for Wichita, Dodge City, Abilene and Hays announced an effort last week seeking to capitalize on that. They said they were launching the “Gunsmoke Trail” to encourage tourists to take a road trip through those four cities, each of which was mentioned on the long-running, Emmy Award-winning TV western series “‘Gunsmoke.”
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for April 16, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. 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.
Municipal Bond Trends for April 15, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. 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.
Investors weighed the path ahead for interest rates
Investors weighed the path ahead for interest rates as they considered the latest economic data and comments from Federal Reserve officials. Retail sales figures for March, which were published Monday, came in far higher than expected at 0.7%… Meanwhile, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said there was “no urgency” for the Fed to cut interest rates.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Meet the two finalists for Topeka City Manager
On Thursday, the City of Topeka announced it had narrowed down the applicants for city manager. The City of Topeka has narrowed down the field of candidates to Alan Howze and Robert Perez. The search started with 42 candidates.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Kelly vetoes plastic bag bill second time in three years
For the second time in three years, Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill barring local governments from regulating plastic grocery bags and other material. “I believe in local control and that local officials should be held accountable by their constituents, stakeholders, and businesses,” Kelly said in a statement. “This bill lacks sufficient protection to ensure local units of government are able to play a meaningful role in decision making on issues impacting their communities,” she said.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Panasonic plant spurs 800-unit apartment and retail proposal in once-quiet De Soto
A large mixed-use development in De Soto aims at alleviating housing concerns for workers and families near the new Panasonic electric vehicle battery plant. At a meeting last month, the De Soto City Council discussed an Economic Incentive Application from Lawrence-based Williams Management LLC for a $250 million, 78-acre mixed-use development that will include multifamily residential units and commercial retail space. No action was taken by the council. The development is planned for a site along the southwest side of 95th Street, a half-mile west of Lexington Avenue. Adam Williams, owner of Williams Management, said there is a need for housing in De Soto, especially with expectations that the $4 billion, 300-acre facility will employ an estimated 4,000 employees. “I’m not sure many people were looking at De Soto for development prior to Panasonic,” he said. “Now that it’s been announced and with the activity that’s there, I think it’s going to do nothing but grow the area, and we want to be a part of that.” De Soto Mayor Rick Walker expects employees at Panasonic will be a mixture of local residents and commuters living outside the city. Regardless of where they’re coming from, he said the need for housing is something that’s been weighing on the city. “There’s been a lot of residential pressure for (housing), even before the Panasonic announcement,” he said. “(Panasonic) has heightened it.” At last month’s city council meeting, Williams provided a preliminary sketch of the 1-million-square-foot development. It will feature about 800 housing units, including one- and two-bedroom apartments, housing for older adults and townhomes. If approved, it would be built in four phases, with an anticipated completion date of 2030.
Source: Johnson County Post
Douglas County Commission approves permit for solar farm north of Lawrence
Following a nearly 10-hour meeting Saturday, Douglas County commissioners voted to approve a permit for the Kansas Sky Energy Center, a massive solar farm to be built north of Lawrence. The meeting drew dozens of public commenters. Commissioners planned the special Saturday meeting knowing that there would be numerous members of the public wishing to speak on the topic. A unanimous (3-0) vote was required to approve the project because planning commissioners had tied in their vote and a protest petition had been filed against the project. The 159-megawatt solar farm will be built, owned and operated by Evergy with designs provided by Savion LLC, a division of Royal Dutch Shell based out of Kansas City. The commission will consider additional studies and plans related to the project as it gets further along. Plans call for the solar farm to be located on parcels that constitute 1,105 acres north of Lawrence, west of the airport and south of Midland Junction. The site area will include about 604 acres, and if all the solar panels were laid edge to edge, they’d cover about 218 acres. All but 6 acres will remain vegetated, according to the agenda materials.
Source: The Lawrence Times
KDOT holds town hall on K-96 renovations
Richard Zrubek lives in Bel Aire, an area of suburban Wichita that’s seen growth in the last few years. “Now it’s getting to the point where during rush hour traffic, you’ll find pretty much every exit on 96 from Woodlawn, Hillside, Rock Road, and now they’re backed up clear to the highway when people are trying to exit the road,” Zurbek said. As this growth continues, the Kansas Department of Transportation is proposing several new changes to the K-96 highway. “We’re taking seven interchanges; five of them are going to become diverging diamond interchanges. And then toward K 15, where it meets us 54, we’re gonna be expanding from four to six lanes,” says KDOT representative J.B. Wilson. Since the last public town hall last February, some of the public’s input was used to update the plan. Jake Borchers helped design the current version with those diamond interchanges and said that those working on the project continue to be open to suggestions. “It’s not like if we miss something tonight, there’s no more chances,” Borchers said. “So we’re open to those comments, that input to the life of the project.” Although many residents agree that new interchanges would work well and be safer, people like Zrubek say they’d like to see additional renovations, like new stoplight technology.
Source: KAKE – News
Abilene places 3rd in USA Today 10Best Historic Small Towns
Abilene has placed 3rd in USA Today’s 10 Best Historic Small Towns. Abilene has placed in the top 10 list for the last 6 six years. “Abilene’s consistent Top 10 ranking is a testament to our community’s relentless commitment to preserving and promoting its history,” says Julie Roller Weeks, Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau Director in a news release. “Our enthusiasm to promote and share Abilene is contagious and inspires thousands of voters each year to vote for Ike’s hometown.” A USA Today panel of expert submits town nominations each year and then USA Today selects 20 for the public to vote on for the Top 10. In order to be selected, the towns must have a population below 25,000 people. Abilene has also received awards and recognition from multiple publications including True West and The Smithsonian Magazine.
Source: KSN-TV
6,000 acres burned in Ellis County wildfire on Thursday
According to Darin Myers, Ellis County Fire Department, the fire started around 11:30 a.m. in the far northeast corner of Ellis County near Codell Road. Kansas State Fire Marshal Mark Engholm says the wildfire burned southeast through grass and brush. Ellis County Fire reports mutual aid was requested from fire departments in Russell, Rooks, Trego, Lincoln, and Osborne counties, and the Hays Fire Department. Public works provided water trucks, fuel, graders and supervisors. Two tankers from the Kansas Forest Service provided aerial assistance and made 11 trips to drop water on the fire. The fire was under control around 6:30 p.m. Crews stayed on the scene until midnight to put out hot spots. Crews will monitor the sites for hot spots on Friday. Ellis County says the fire burnt approximately 1,750 acres, was nearly 5 miles long, and about a third-mile wide. One vacant structure was burned. There were no injuries reported. Engholm originally stated the fire burned through around 6,000 acres but later clarified the acreage.
Source: KSN-TV
Seward County Community College receiving federal funds
Seward County Community College is receiving $1.2 million in new federal funding. The funding comes from the Department of Labor as part of a line item in the labor, health, and human services bill sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran. The funds are earmarked for the school’s expanding truck driving program. Demand for the SCCC CDL program has increased for several years, leading to a waitlist. In 2021, the college received a $1.81 million grant from the state to expand its CDL and Diesel Technician programs. “We’re excited about the impact this program can have in our community and everywhere truck drivers are needed,” said SCCC President Brad Bennett in a news release. “Sen. Moran’s support for our vision underscores the way this can change the game for individuals, business and industry, and communities in our service area.” In January, SCCC received a $335,625 match grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Kansas Innovative Technology Program. In late 2023, the community college purchased a 42,000-square-foot existing building and 12 acres of land north of Liberal High School. “This facility creates more opportunities for the college,” said Bennett. “The building will be used for the two programs that are the focus of state and federal funding. In addition, space will be dedicated for a partnership with USD 480 to provide access to technical education.”
Source: KSN-TV
Southeast Kansas student combats referee shortage
A local high school student is choosing to enter a field most are getting away from. Antonio Aita, 17, is a junior at Parsons High School, who’s says he’s been officiating competitive soccer games for more than seven years now. He first took the responsibility of the whistle when he was just 10 years old, after suffering a season-ending injury playing peewee soccer. Aita can now officiate any game in the U.S., at a club-level, after being certified last year through the United States Soccer Federation in Kansas. Today, he discussed the current nationwide referee shortage, as the game he was at would ideally be a three-man crew, but there were only two. According to a February 2022 report from the U.S. National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 50,000 officials have left the profession since 2018. “You know we want to be refereeing around 12 games a weekend, but we end up with 16 to 18 and so we are getting overworked and frustrated, but we love the game, and we are going to keep doing it so we can provide those opportunities and give back to the game,” said Aita. Aita plans to continue his officiating career after high school, with hopes of one day becoming a professional MLS official.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Law enforcement from around the state attend annual Lyon County Sheriff’s spring training seminar
The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office welcomed law enforcement professionals from across the state of Kansas for its annual spring training seminar this week. More than 200 law enforcement officers and professionals from more than 30 different agencies attended the three-day seminar which covered several areas of the profession including case reviews, investigation techniques and more. Lyon County Detective Eric Williams organized the seminar which he says is geared towards “smaller departments.” He adds that regular seminars such as this are extremely important as the world of law enforcement, contrary to popular belief, is always evolving. Lyon County Sheriff Jeff Cope, a near 30-year veteran in law enforcement, says regardless of how long one may have served in the profession, there is always something new to be learned. In addition to the techniques and information discussed throughout the annual seminar, Cope says having so many law enforcement professionals in town for a prolonged period provides a great economic boost to the Emporia community. The Sheriff’s Office holds its annual seminar every year in the second week of April.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
City in Kansas says it violated its own ordinance, will remove goats
Newton says it violated its own ordinance by using goats as weed control on city-owned industrial land. “We tried this with the best intentions on a property in a non-residential setting,” City Manager Daniela Rivas said in a news release Friday. “We wanted to get the job done in a better way and save some taxpayer dollars. We’re so sorry we put the cart before the goat.” The goats have been on the property since April 4 and were supposed to be there through the end of the month. They will be removed as soon as possible, the release says, adding the city may look in the future to allow animals grazing for property or vegetation management. “Newton City Code prohibits the harboring of livestock such as goats,” the release says. “City maintenance staff thought of the goats as a short-term contracted service rather than long-term residents, but City legal staff have advised that is not an exception to code.” The 190 yearling goats were supposed to “clear brush and saplings from the undeveloped property” on about 24 acres in the Kansas Logistics Park, which is on the east side of town. “City staff have burned the area every couple of years but hoped the goats would be more effective in keeping down saplings and be a more eco-friendly and cost-effective option,” the release says.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Andover YMCA announces opening day
The wait is over. After two years of recovery and renovations from the aftermath the 2022 F-3 tornado, the Andover YMCA has announced their opening day. The organization opened the water park feature of the fitness center in summer 2023, welcoming a line of guests ready to enjoy the park. On May 20 YMCA members and guests can finally step back into the new and improved Andover YMCA. Of those improvements made is the new 44-foot Luckey Climber that replaced the rock wall feature. The lucky climber is geared towards children, which allows them to safely climb with friends from the main floor of the facility to the second floor while looking out the large windows. While many aspects were replaced due to water damage and destruction from the tornado, staff says that guests can expect a familiar look. For those wanting to catch an early glimpse of the facility, a public open house will be held from 10am-7pm on Friday, May 17. Guests will be able to walk through the facility and speak with staff members. Equipment will not be available for use during this time. The organization has teased that the gymnastics area as well as a new space just for families named Farha Family Park. “We are very proud of what has been accomplished and can’t wait for the Andover Y to be full once again with youth and adults who inspire each other to be their best,” said Y President and CEO Ronn McMahon.
Source: Andover American
The City of Wichita could lift electric scooter riding curfew as early as next week
The City of Wichita is considering lifting the curfew for Veo Ride scooters. Currently, they shut off at 9 p.m. or dusk. “I normally start using them around six,” said Zidane Forbes, who uses the scooters. Forbes typically rides around on the scooters at night in Wichita. So when he heard they could soon be used after 9, he’s on board. “Most of the time, that’s when people actually want to use them. Like during the that’s a good idea. But later at night, you want to use them, ride around just have a little bit of fun,” said Forbes. The City of Wichita is considering lifting that 9 p.m. curfew that’s been in place since the scooters first came to the Air Capital in 2019. Veo Ride asked for the curfew to be lifted because more people seem to ride after 9. “A lot of your ridership is in the evening. We see people get on the scooters and have to get off at roughly at dusk or 9 pm, asked us to look into any revisions that we could make,” said Penny Feist, Interim Director of Wichita Transit. If the curfew for Veo Ride is lifted, every scooter is required to have headlights and reflectors.
Source: KAKE – News
Evergy scraps plan to run new power poles through central Wichita park, neighborhoods
Evergy has called off plans to run new, taller power poles through Riverside Park and nearby north-central Wichita neighborhoods after two years of vocal opposition from residents. The transmission replacement between the 17th and Emporia substation and the 11th and Jefferson substation will move forward, but the rebuild route will stop there instead of continuing across the river and through the park. “After further evaluation of the transmission line between the substation at 11th Street and Jefferson to the substation at 777 West Central Avenue, we determined the rebuild is not needed at this time,” Evergy Communications Manager Kaley Bohlen said in an email statement. “Infrastructure upgrades we have made throughout the city, as well as a planned substation upgrade (at Third and Mead), have allowed us to remove the project from the current schedule.” She said the existing transmission line connecting the two substations, which was built in the 1950s, will remain in place and continue to serve the area.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle