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Municipal News & Jobs

Municipal News & Jobs2026-08-07T10:07:18-05:00

Kansas Municipal News

States, cities face deadline for proving how quickly they’ve helped renters in crisis

States, cities and counties that excelled at distributing emergency federal aid to renters struggling during the pandemic may soon be rewarded — with yet more cash. Their new funding would be drawn from sluggish states and localities that didn’t move as swiftly to help people facing eviction and homelessness, who were targeted for billions in assistance in relief legislation passed by Congress. The potential redistribution comes during a year in which Americans who risked losing their housing looked to government for help and a federal eviction ban expired. Meanwhile, state and local leaders struggled to ramp up their rental relief programs—and now a major deadline looms. The process for sorting out which states and cities may receive more federal rental aid money and which may see reductions begins Monday.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Electric car drivers are growing in the Midwest, now chargers need to keep up

Keeping an electric vehicle charged can be a challenge. Even for the editor-in-chief of a website focused on electric vehicles. Just consider the range anxiety of Bill Moore. He was scheduled to talk about the cars at the Nebraska Wind & Solar conference. The 12-volt auxiliary battery on his Nissan Leaf had gone dead. He’d thought, well, he could manage the drive in his backup, an all-electric Fiat 500e. “Unfortunately, Bill had to get a hold of us at about 11 o’clock this morning,” panel moderator and Lincoln Electric System manager Scott Benson said. “It dawned on him, ‘I don’t have enough range to get to Lincoln with that car.’” Growing numbers of people face the same problem.
Source: KCUR News

Infrastructure bill’s funds for water systems will be drained quickly

The just-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill will provide the EPA with more than $50 billion for improving the nation’s water systems. Anyone who doubts the need for such funding should take a peek at the inbox of Tommy Holmes, legislative director for the American Water Works Association, which represents public and private drinking water utilities across the country. “I have been getting a relatively steady stream of emails and phone calls from water utilities large and small asking ‘all right, how do we apply for the money?’” Holmes said. “And I have to point out that, well, the president hasn’t signed it into law yet, so EPA can’t officially roll out the program.”
Source: The Iola Register

Toland: Emporia’s upper-story RHID project will ‘supercharge’ efforts around state

Lt. Gov. David Toland toured the location of the state’s first upper-story Rural Housing Incentive District Thursday morning, right here in Emporia. The project, located in the 700 block of Commercial Street, was approved by the Emporia City Commission last month. Local realtors and developers Jamie Sauder and Kristi Mohn are bringing 10 loft apartments to the building. They are also rehabilitating the three first-floor storefronts and possibly adding a fourth storefront that would have access through the breezeway. There will be a climate-controlled storage space in the basement.
Source: Parsons Sun

Parsons to review pit bull ordinance

Parsons city commissioners Monday will discuss the city’s animal ordinance. The discussion will pertain to pit bulls and vicious dogs. … Pit bulls are prohibited in the city of Parsons. Commissioners passed the ban in 1997. The city defines pit bull breeds as Staffordshire bull terriers, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers or a combination of these.
Source: Parsons Sun

Parsons to name industrial park for Wiener

Instead of changing a street name, the city of Parsons is looking at renaming Industrial Park No. 2 in honor of the late William “Bill” Wiener. Laura Moore, the city’s community development director, requested feedback about the idea from Parsons city commissioners Wednesday during the commission meeting. “We looked at several options and this was like a nice way to still honor his memory in changing the name of the industrial park,” Moore said. City Manager Debbie Lamb added that changing the name of a street is expensive. “That costs people a lot of money when you go changing names of streets,” Lamb said.
Source: Parsons Sun

A new exhibit makes its way to Route 66 in Galena

On Thursday Route 66 celebrated its 95th birthday, and today, almost like a birthday present, a new set of wheels was revealed in Southeast Kansas. The Kansas Historic Route 66 Association, unveiled its newest addition to Luigi’s Pit Stop, a replica of the movie Cars main character Lightning McQueen. The exhibit is located on East Front Street in Galena, and features other replicas and paintings from the Cars franchise. The Cars character Tow Mater was inspired after members of Pixar were driving through Kansas and noticed a boom truck at what would eventually become Cars on the Route.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Dickinson Co. deputy tracks down suspect with thermal imaging drone

A Dickinson County Sheriff’s deputy used a drone to track and catch a suspect that had fled from the police. The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office was called by the Geary County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday morning to tell them they were in pursuit of a 2015 Ford Mustang that had been reported stolen in Wichita. Geary County units had lost sight of the vehicle as it entered road construction near the Chapman exit on I-70. Dickinson County deputies later found the vehicle on I-70 in the north ditch, just before the bridge under construction. A Dickinson County deputy used a drone with thermal imaging and found the suspect one-quarter mile north of the interstate.
Source: KSNT News

Derby bringing back Holiday Lights contest

This holiday season the city of Derby is looking for all the best and brightest holiday decorators, as it will be holding the second annual Holiday Lights contest from Dec. 4 to 25. Participants who register to take part in the contest will be entered to win a prize. Nearly 50 lighting enthusiasts took part in the contest in 2020. Residents are invited to decorate their yard, house or both for the contest. Judges will pick their favorite displays, and the public will vote for the People’s Choice winner on Facebook. Prizes include gift cards to local restaurants and a Derby Proud prize pack. Anyone who lives within the Derby city limits is eligible to participate. Registration for the contest can be completed at derbyks.com/holidaylights. Deadline for entry is Nov. 24.
Source: Derby Informer | News

USDA Invites Applications for Grants to Improve Access to Healthy Foods While Creating Jobs for People Living in Underserved Rural Areas

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small has announced that USDA is inviting applications for at least $4 million in
grants to improve access to healthy foods while creating jobs for people in underserved rural areas. … To apply, applicants must submit a letter of interest by Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. If invited to apply, applicants must submit a full application. Additional information on how to apply is available at www.investinginfood.com. USDA and the Reinvestment Fund are hosting an informational webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 12 Noon for interested parties to learn more about the program.
Source: USDA

Calling 9-1-1 isn’t just for emergencies anymore (in Cities of Sedgwick and Haven)

If you need to speak to a police officer, call 9-1-1. That’s the message from Chief Brian Daily in Sedgwick and Chief Stephen Schaffer of Haven. Daily said the people call the police department’s landline when they should be calling 9-1-1. Most small towns only have one officer on duty at a time and some don’t have twenty-four-hour coverage, so leaving a message at the police department could mean a delay of hours before that message reaches a law enforcement official. When Sedgwick renovated their police department last year, Daily had them install a call box in the lobby. At the push of a button, a person can reach dispatch, which will notify the officer. The lobby is open whenever an officer is on duty in Sedgwick.
Source: Harvey County Now

Ready for air taxis? Here’s why Kansas could be a player in the future of aviation

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill sponsored by Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids that would create a working group to study what the federal government needs to do in regards to the fledgling industry. It now heads to the U.S. Senate, where it’s being shepherded by Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran. The bill is an attempt to get the government prepared for what will likely change the future of transportation. It will mean everything from new safety regulations, to infrastructure in the form of “vertiports,” to getting the public onboard with the concept of drone-like planes flying around their neighborhoods. It’s also an attempt to keep Kansas — with its well-established aeronautics industry — at the forefront of the next generation in flight.
Source: Kansas City Breaking News & Sports | The Kansas City Star

Fuel, housing costs boosted October’s inflation. Here’s what it means for the Fed’s stance on interest rates

October’s surge in consumer prices was driven by some factors that may linger. Market pros say the Federal Reserve may be forced to move up the timeline on its ultimate inflation-fighting tool: interest rate hikes. The consumer price index jumped 0.9% on a monthly basis, and was up 6.2% year-over-year, the fastest pace in 30 years. According to Dow Jones, economists had expected a 5.9% gain. Excluding food and energy, the increase was still high, up 0.6% or 4.6% year-over-year. CPI measures inflation based on a basket of products from rents and groceries to gasoline and medical services. After the October report Wednesday, Treasury yields rose and markets began to price in more aggressive Fed tightening, or interest rate hikes.
Source: Economy

What Johnson County residents will enjoy in 2022: enhanced bus and van transit

Johnson County residents can look forward to enhanced bus and van transit starting in the second quarter of 2022. On Nov. 4, the county commission approved several pilot programs for transit, paid for by one-time infusion of federal money — $3.85 million annually for four years. “The board has established strategic priorities for transit, which include creating a transit system that is accessible, effective and efficient; is regionally coordinated; and connects housing, workforce and jobs,” Commission Chairman Ed Eilert said in a news release.
Source: Joco 913 News

Douglas County sheriff wants to adapt space at the jail to give women more time outside their cells

Douglas County Sheriff Jay Armbrister wants to consider how to reuse space in the local jail — without adding any new beds —  to help address inequities.  Men in minimum security at the jail get 16 hours a day of free time within their housing unit, Armbrister said; in that time, they can have visitors, be on the phone or watch TV. Women in minimum security, on the other hand, have about three and a half hours of free time each day, he said.  “It’s just not fair, and I can’t fix it,” he told Douglas County commissioners Wednesday. “… This is something that we want to see addressed and rectified.” Women constituted about 15% of the jail’s population as of Nov. 3, according to the county’s data dashboard, and the jail was built to house a small number of women. Having only one pod of 14 cells for women in minimum, medium and maximum security classifications has long been problematic.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Lawrence City Commission approves next steps toward long-term parklet program

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday unanimously voted to move forward with an extension of the city’s temporary “parklets” while staff develops a long-term program. The temporary right-of-way program, which occupies some downtown parking spaces for outdoor dining, was implemented to help restaurants stay in business amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was set to expire at the end of this year, but commissioners moved Tuesday to extend the program through March 31, 2022.A “Lawrence Listens” survey, which yielded 2,000 submissions, drew a largely positive response. Lawrence residents who visit downtown comprised 82.1% of respondents, and the survey showed that 85.6% of all respondents said if the city creates a long-term parklet program, they were either somewhat more likely (17.9%) or much more likely (67.7%) to use the businesses that have parklets.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Staffing shortages could impact KDOT for winter

Kansas Department of Transportation offices in northeast Kansas are committed to keeping the highways cleared whenever inclement weather occurs. In line with workforce shortages across the nation, KDOT does not have enough equipment operators – the agency’s primary snowplow operators – in a number of areas across Kansas. These shortages create the potential for highways to not be cleared of snow and ice as quickly as in the past. The agency has dealt with reduced staffing in the past, but the shortages are greater this year. Northeast KDOT offices are about 25% short of snowplow operators needed to be fully staffed, with a 30% shortage of needed equipment operators statewide.
Source: Atchison Globe Now

Sedgwick County looking at impact of proposal to end the food sales tax

Sedgwick County Commissioners had a brief discussion at their regular meeting Wednesday on the impact of a proposed elimination of the food sales tax in Kansas. Commissioner Jim Howell said he favors tax cuts, but he wants to know what the financial impact will be on the county’s budget.   The county’s Chief Financial Officer, Lindsay Poe-Rousseau, said legislative research has indicated that there would have been a $4 million loss to the county in 2020 and a $4.3 million loss for this year. County Manager Tom Stolz said the Finance Department began looking at the numbers when Governor Laura Kelly announced her proposal this week.   Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor next year, recently called on lawmakers to reduce or eliminate the tax during their 2022 session.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Kristi Northcutt selected as the next Lindsborg city administrator

Mayor Becky Anderson and city council members of Lindsborg announced the appointment of the city’s next administrator. Kristi Northcutt, will succeed longtime City Administrator Greg DuMars with the appointment effective Dec. 22, 2021. The city said Northcutt’s career includes extensive experience in community management for the past eight years, serving as Senior Director of Community Relations for Anthem, Arizona – a master planned community with 29,000 residents north of Phoenix.
Source: Salina Journal

The first Fed rate hike is now expected as early as July following the hot CPI data

Traders in the futures markets moved up their expectations for the first Federal Reserve interest rate hike to July from September, following a hotter than expected inflation report. “It’s a very sharp move we’re seeing the back end of 2022,” said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group. October’s consumer price index came in at a scorching 6.2% year-over-year, higher than the 5.9% expected. Traders are now fully pricing in a first rate hike for September, but they are pricing in much higher odds that the Fed starts to raise rates sooner. The Fed has said it would complete tapering its bond buying program by the middle of the year, and then begin raising interest rates. “The effective fed funds rate is currently at 8 basis points and the fed funds July contract is priced at 27 basis points,” said Boockvar. Each rate hike is assumed to be a quarter of a percentage points.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Governor Laura Kelly Announces $3.5 Million in New Funding for Kansas Tourism Initiatives

Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas has received $3.5 million in grant funding from the United States Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to distribute to local partners across the state. These funds will accelerate travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation in the state. “Kansas’ tourism industry is an economic driver for our state, which is why my administration relocated the State’s Tourism Division to the Department of Commerce last year,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “This $3.5 million will accelerate our efforts to boost travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation across Kansas – improving quality of life for Kansans and growing our economy along the way.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Harvey County employees to receive raise in premium pay

Harvey County employees will be receiving an additional $4 per hour in premium pay for the time they spent in their office during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Harvey County Commissioners on Tuesday approved premium pay on a 2-0 vote, with Commissioner Randy Hague abstaining. The total for all employees could cost up to nearly $1.2 million, all of which will be funded by the America Rescue Plan Act. Hague said he thought employees deserved premium pay, but he noted that the proposal was the first time constituents had heard about it. He questioned whether the matter should be tabled a week to see what kind of feedback commissioners might receive.
Source: Harvey County Now

Newton updates sound ordinance

The City of Newton will change its sound ordinance, which will now be in effect 24 hours a day. The commission approved updating the ordinance at its Monday meeting, following complaints from a resident. The new ordinance establishes a rule to be in effect at all residentially owned properties limiting sound if: “It creates a nuisance or injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health or safety of others, or which interferes with the use or enjoyment of property of any person of reasonable sensibilities residing in or occupying the area unless the making and continuing of such noise is necessary for the protection and preservation of property or the health and safety of some individual.” Some sounds are exempt, including publicly approved parades, fireworks, sports events, festivals, or musical productions.
Source: Harvey County Now

Newton’s dream of Amtrak hub moving forward

Newton’s Amtrak hopes now just need a presidential signature. The House of Representatives voted this week to move forward on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill already approved by the Senate. The bill includes $120 million in funds available for rail improvements in Oklahoma and Kansas that would connect the Heartland Flyer, which serves Texas and the southern U.S., with the Southwest Chief in Newton. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re basically greenlit for Amtrak Service,” Newton Community Development Coordinator Zach McHatton said. Amtrak has indicated that the connection is a priority. Newton would become a hub for the two lines and a transfer station for riders. With the lines up and running, an estimated 100,000-200,000 people would be in the Newton downtown switching trains over a yearlong period. The hub status could mean a change in train times as well to the evening instead of the early morning, according to past reporting we’ve done on the issue. Some 340,000 people passed through Newton on the existing Southwest Chief line in 2019.
Source: Harvey County Now

It’s clear-skies for Topgolf’s Wichita location after FAA, City Council approve tall nets near Jabara Airport

It’s no secret that Topgolf is planning to open its first Wichita location on the northeast side of town in just over a year, but it ran into a bit of a unique obstacle, and being the Air Capital of the World, you may not be surprised to hear that’s it’s related to aviation. “It’s a good sign for the community, and just that we’re drawing those kinds of nationally-known entertainment attractions,” said Daniel McCoy. McCoy is a reporter with our news partners at the Wichita Business Journal, and he’s talking about the long-anticipated Topgolf expected to open by March of 2023. But the company hit a bit of a snag. “They were within the hazard zone of Jabara Airport out there in northeast Wichita,” said McCoy.
Source: KAKE – News

New Kansas revenue forecast predicts $2.89B surplus, bolstering push to cut food tax

Kansas lawmakers from both parties welcomed new revenue forecasts Wednesday that project a $2.89 billion surplus to the state general fund as evidence the state can afford to exempt groceries from the state sales tax. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat seeking re-election, called on lawmakers to “axe” the food tax earlier this week and promised to introduce corresponding legislation in January. By exempting groceries from 6.5% sales tax collections, the state would lose an estimated $450 million in annual revenue. Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is expected to win the GOP nomination for governor in next year’s election, also asked lawmakers to eliminate or reduce the tax burden on food.
Source: Kansas Reflector

$15M in federal funds for JoCo Transit will pay for new bus routes, expanded services

Public transit in Johnson County is getting a boost with a series of six new pilot programs funded by federal COVID-19 relief money aimed at expanding access to public transportation, which is usually not a first option for county residents. The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners last week approved the pilot programs, which include the addition of a new bus route along the busy 87th Street corridor, expansion of micro-transit services in which users can schedule individual pickups and the addition of Saturday routes for some existing bus lines. The pilot programs are being paid for with $15.2 million in federal COVID-19 funding. The county says it is on track to launch the pilots during the second quarter of 2022.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Mission Hills to install license plate readers at several busy intersections

The city of Mission Hills on Monday agreed to install more than license plate readers at more than a dozen intersections within its boundaries, at a cost of more than $230,000. License plate readers are insalled in other cities throughout Johnson County and are used by law enforcement agencies throughout the Kansas City metro as part of a collective database. This summer, Mission Hills approved the installation of its first license plate reader at 63rd Street and Mission Road. A second reader had already been approved for Tomahawk and Mission roads prior to Monday’s meeting, according to city documents.
Source: Prairie Village Post

KDOT officials warn with workforce shortages, roads may not be cleared as quickly this winter

The Kansas Department of Transportation offices in south-central Kansas is committed to keeping the highways cleared whenever inclement weather occurs. In line with workforce shortages across the nation, KDOT does not have enough equipment operators – the agency’s primary snowplow operators – in a number of areas across Kansas. These shortages create the potential for highways to not be cleared of snow and ice as quickly as in the past. The agency has dealt with reduced staffing in the past, but the shortages are greater this year. Southcentral KDOT offices are about 29% short of snowplow operators needed to be fully staffed, with a 30% shortage of needed equipment operators statewide. “KDOT is facing significant staffing shortages in some areas and will work proactively to clear Kansas highways by shifting crews to affected areas and pretreating highways and bridges whenever possible,” said Secretary Julie Lorenz. “Our snowplow operators work 12-hour shifts and do their best to keep the roads open and the public moving.”
Source: Sumner NewsCow

Lawrence City Commission approves new regulations to increase number of rental inspections

Lawrence city leaders have approved changes aimed at strengthening the inspection program that is meant to oversee the thousands of rental properties in the city. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 5-0 to adopt an ordinance that includes several changes to the city’s regulations for property rentals. Commissioners previously discussed a draft of the regulations and agreed that the ordinance addressed their concerns. “I don’t think that we’ll ever have a perfect system, but I do think this brings us forward in that system and is worth giving a try and seeing what tweaks we need to make in the future as well,” Commissioner Jennifer Ananda said.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence City Commission votes to develop long-term version of downtown outdoor dining program; fees, design and parking to be considered

With considerations given to issues such as aesthetics and parking, the City of Lawrence will look to develop a long-term version of a program that has allowed downtown businesses to construct patios and outdoor dining areas in parking stalls during the coronavirus pandemic. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 5-0 to authorize the development of a long-term “parklet” program and directed staff to consider elements such as fees, design standards, safety and parking in the new regulations. The city has waived permit fees for the temporary program, and Mayor Brad Finkeldei said while it may not make sense for some businesses, he expected others would continue using the program under new regulations, and that developing those as quickly as possible was important.
Source: LJWorld.com.

The people running Kansas prisons have never seen a staffing crisis this bad

By 8 p.m. on a Friday, David Gorges has already clocked 48 stressful hours counseling and guarding inmates at the state prison in town. His work week isn’t over. He’s working security at The Alley, an arcade and bowling alley in Hutchinson. He takes on extra work so he can be debt-free when he retires, though he said he is close to paying off his farm. “I don’t go out and drive a Corvette,” Gorges said. “My wife doesn’t have a Cadillac Escalade, or anything like that. We live a humble lifestyle. We don’t go on these lavish trips out of state. We just believe in good hard work.” He needs the extra job because his checks from the Kansas Department of Corrections aren’t big enough.
Source: KCUR News

Fort Scott CC announces termination of football program

Fort Scott Community College has terminated its football program, according to a release from the school on Monday night. The release reads: “The termination of the historic and legendary FSCC football program was a difficult and emotional decision. A competitive football program at FSCC is not sustainable due to the cumulative effect of limited resources, changes in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) football eligibility rules in 2016, and the changing ethos of football in general. We simply do not have the resources to maintain a football team that would be competitive in the Jayhawk Conference.
Source: KOAMKOAM

Baxter Springs converts old substation into new Liberty Park for residents to enjoy

An area community and the utility that provides it’s electricity team up to provide a green space for residents and visitors to enjoy. What used to be called Substation 291 in Baxter Springs, is now known as Liberty Park. The substation, located near the fire department, dates back to the 1940’s. But Liberty built a new, more modern substation just west of the old one. So instead of leaving the spot bare, Shelby Stinnett says the utility decided to make the location into a new green space. “We worked in collaboration with the city to present this nice sitting area to the community so they can stop and have a picnic or take a walk around the trail or enjoy the pollinator plants that we planted, there are 400 in total that will soon bloom and kind of take over the area in green lush,” said Shelby Stinnett, Strategic Projects, Liberty Utilities.
Source: KSNF/KODE

“Imagine Pittsburg” website launched to attract new residents and businesses

An area community is taking to the internet and social media to attract new business, residents and encourage former residents to come back home. Imagine Pittsburg has launched a new website designed to promote the city. The website is dedicated to sharing positive stories about the people who made the community what it is today. Joe Dellasega is on the Imagine Pittsburg committee and says the goal is to create a consistent narrative about the positive things happening in the town. “We needed to be thinking about our story and what our story was, one of the things we said was we can really get better about telling our story, and one of the things is just helping our own citizens learning how to tell the stories, so that was when we started thinking about how do we do that, that’s when we conceived this a new uh this idea of a website that would just help focus on telling our story,” said Joe Dellasega, Imagine Pittsburg Committee.
Source: KSNF/KODE

ARPA funds will be used to fix Osawatomie water line project

The city of Osawatomie will seek to use some of Miami County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to help fix the water distribution system that supports Osawatomie Middle School. The Osawatomie City Council on Thursday, Oct. 28, approved an interlocal agreement with the county to use up $200,000 of the county’s ARPA funds to fix 100-year-old water lines that are failing to provide adequate water pressure to half of the school building’s fire suppression system. The County Commission is expected to take action on the agreement at its meeting Wednesday, Nov. 3. City Manager Mike Scanlon, Mayor Mark Govea, and USD 367 Superintendent Justin Burchett appeared before county commissioners in September to request the ARPA funding.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com

Topgolf requests exemption from airport regulation to build in Wichita

You can’t hit a golf ball in Wichita without coming across something related to aviation, including if hitting golf balls is your business. Topgolf has a request on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting of the Wichita City Council in which it is asking for an exemption from height regulations of structures in the vicinity of an airport that will allow the company to build its nets to planned specifications. The company has plans to build a golf entertainment complex on 22 acres …
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Of Johnson County’s large districts, only one is left with high school mask mandate

The Blue Valley school district will drop its mask mandate in high schools after Thanksgiving. After the neighboring Olathe district made the same move last week, the Blue Valley school board on Monday voted 6-1 to make masks optional for grades nine and above, including for high school staff and visitors. The change will go into effect on Nov. 29. Shawnee Mission is now the only larger district in Johnson County that has yet to change its mask mandate in high schools. Officials said the decision was made in response to declining spread of COVID-19, including in schools, as well as a higher number of students and adults receiving the vaccine.
Source: Joco 913 News

License plate readers continue to be utilized; Derby police next to install

New license plate readers are making waves across the Wichita area. When the new Flock cameras are installed in Derby, the city will be one of over 1,400 to use them. Flock says their safety cameras are shown to reduce crime by up to 70%. “It’s going to help solve crime for Derby residents and that’s our number one goal,” Captain Sarah Oldridge with Derby PD said. “Not only does the Flock camera pick up the license plate, but it can also allow us to search or obtain information by a vehicle description.” The City of Derby won’t be installing them for another six to eight weeks, but they can currently team up with surrounding departments that already have them, like Wichita PD, to fight crime.
Source: KAKE – News

Shawnee City Council airs frustrations over trash collection issues, including pickup delays

Shawnee city officials say they have received mixed feedback from residents since making significant changes to the city’s Tidy Town bulky item pickup program last year. That was the gist of a discussion Monday night between the Shawnee City Council and city staff, who reviewed the Tidy Town program and went over areas of concern that could be improved. Caitlin Gard, assistant city manager, said the city has “gotten overwhelming positive response” since the city made changes to the Tidy Town program last year. Instead of an annual event occurring in the spring, residents now schedule an individual pickup time with their trash hauler. This spreads the annual pickups throughout the year. Still, some residents say they continue to experience some problems with a lack of timely pickup of yard waste and bulky items, as well as a reduction in the frequency of curbside recycling pickup services.
Source: Prairie Village Post

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