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Municipal News & Jobs

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

Kansas Municipal News

Lenexa makes an unusual hire to deal with a landscape problem.

The storm water drain in Lenexa’s Sar-Ko-Par Park was teeming with invasive plants. Roughly 60% of the vegetation surrounding the drain was species considered to be threatening to the local ecosystem. Lenexa struck a deal with Goats on the Go KCMO to bring in a herd to tackle the issue. The four-legged eating machines moved across 2.5 acres of rocky terrain and steep slopes mowing through the vegetation. Now, in the wake of the visit, the area lays clear and free of invasive plants. Margaret Chamas of Goats on the Go KCMO oversees the goats and other livestock at Storm Dancer Farm in Smithville, MO. She takes on grazing projects across the Kansas City metro area.
Source: KCUR

There’s no legal weed in Kansas yet, but a new Cannabis Chamber of Commerce says that’ll change soon

Kansas is one of three states that has not yet legalized medical marijuana. But, banking on the idea that legalization is inevitable, one organization is gearing up to focus on what the growth of that industry will look like. “It (marijuana) isn’t something to be feared. It’s something to be regulated,” said Barry Grissom, a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas and member of the Kansas Cannabis Chamber of Commerce. “I’ll use Colorado as an example,” Grissom said on Up to Date. “In 2017, total cannabis related sales in that state was $1.5 billion. What that tells me as a prosecutor is that $1.5 billion didn’t go to criminals. It went to entrepreneurs who created 20,000 new jobs. Kansas should be able to do that.”
Source: KCUR News

Wichita’s water crisis brings aging water infrastructure issues to a boil

What happened Thursday could have been much worse. And it was no surprise. The water main break that threatened to contaminate the whole system, closing schools and hobbling restaurants was a crisis, but it could have happened at any time. The city of Wichita’s water system has been flirting with disaster for years. This time, the failure of a power pole’s insulator, one of the most common, cheapest and most reliable parts of an electrical system, was the trigger point in a cascade of events that broke a corroded, 52-year-old water main near downtown Wichita. A 2017 assessment found 99% of Wichita’s water treatment plant was in poor condition and the entire raw water pipe system was in very poor condition. The Eagle reported in 2019 that Wichita’s entire water system has a “significant risk” of failure and lacks redundancy, meaning if a major asset fails, it can’t be fixed without shutting the whole plant down.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Boil water advisories over for most Sedgwick, Butler county areas affected by pipe break

The boil water advisories for most areas in Sedgwick and Butler counties affected by a major water pipe break last week are over. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Sunday lifted advisories for Bel Aire, Derby, Rose Hill, Benton, Kechi, Valley Center, McConnell Air Force Base and Sedgwick County Rural Water Districts 1 and 3. The city of Wichita’s advisory was lifted Saturday. Residents in Sedgwick County Rural Water District No. 2, however, should continue to boil their tap water before drinking or cooking with it until further notice, the KDHE said.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Wichita water passes KDHE test, boil-water advisory over 36 hours after pipe break

In Wichita, it’s safe to drink the water again. A boil-water advisory that closed Wichita’s schools and hampered many of the city’s restaurants has been lifted, about 36 hours after a water main break that had threatened to contaminate the system. The advisory issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Thursday afternoon ended after all the city’s water samples turned up negative for contamination.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Galena makes way for new tradition to benefit city project

Downtown Galena was blocked off on Saturday to make way for a celebration as the first “Bloktoberfest” kicked off on Main Street. Proceeds raised from the event will be going towards the construction of a new splash pad in the city. Organizers from the “Galena Parks and Recreation Committee” also wanted to use Bloktoberfest as a way to bring community members downtown to shop locally. “We have quite a few craft vendors in the park. I think that it’s good to have everyone come out, especially on a beautiful day like this and check our stuff out,” says Renee Charles, Galena Parks and Recreation Board, “And we still have some of the businesses on main street open so people can go in and see the items and see what they have for sale.”
Source: KSNF/KODE

Utility disconnects for Kansas City, Kansas, residents will resume in November

The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities announced it will be lifting the moratorium on disconnects for its utility service for non-payments starting in November. As of Nov. 3, the BPU will start disconnecting those who have yet to pay their utility bill, according to a release. The board will work with customers who are behind on payments to assist them with payment plans. Utility disconnects have been suspended since March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began affecting people’s ability to pay their bills, with several businesses closing and others laying off or furloughing workers.
Source: KC Star Local News

‘Ready to go to war’: Wind power grows in Kansas and Missouri. Why do some oppose it?

Public officials are fond of pointing out that all of Kansas City International Airport’s electricity is now generated from wind — namely the Cimarron Bend wind farm in Clark County, in far western Kansas. But as wind power development grows across Kansas and Missouri, not everyone is happy. About an hour’s drive north of Kansas City, the Osborn Wind Project has divided neighbors since its 2017 opening. Here, one hears the familiar arguments about wind towers: Some call them eyesores, and some detest the constant noise and flickering red lights at night. Among the strongest opponents has been the nearby Shatto Milk Company, a local favorite known for its reusable glass jugs. The owners were concerned that the turbines could affect the health of their animals.
Source: Kansas City Breaking News & Sports | The Kansas City Star

Saline County Sheriff’s K-9 and deputy win competition

The Saline County Sheriff’s Office announced that its K-9 unit was top dog during a regional competition. Sheriff Roger Soldan said Maggie and her handler, deputy Craig Norris, attended a certification hosted by the Heart of American Police Dog Association in Ankeny, Iowa that ended Oct. 1. “As part of the week that they were there, they had a patrol dog trophy run,” Soldan said. Soldan said Maggie and Norris were among 10 teams to be put through a scenario run of four disciplines.
Source: Salina Journal

From Topeka to Bemidji, Minn., localities try to boost populations with offers of cash, free coffee and grandparent stand-ins

Shara Gaona didn’t know much about Topeka when the pandemic struck. But the remote-working United Airlines analyst, untethered from her Chicago office, decided to move to the Kansas capital and collect $10,000 in local government incentives. Topeka is on a growing list of locations—from Bemidji, Minn., to the state of West Virginia—dangling incentives to entice remote workers. Many companies are offering office-free jobs, and some workers are willing to relocate for cash, cheaper housing or other perks. “I’ve had a lot of people ask me, ‘What the hell are you doing in Topeka?’ ” Ms. Gaona said. “Well, they’re giving me $10,000.” The 41-year-old sold her Chicago condo early this year, and she and her fiancé, Matt Gordon, are renovating a house in Topeka they plan to move to soon. The couple, who had office-based jobs at United Airlines Holdings Inc. before the pandemic, can continue working remotely, Ms. Gaona said.
Source: Wall Street Journal

Dodge City supports Amtrak Heartland Flyer rail extension

Dodge City Commissioners passed a resolution in support of extending the Amtrak rail system through the Southwest Chief line with the Heartland Flyer rail line which goes into Oklahoma and other parts of Kansas. According to city officials, the city supports the continuation of Amtrak passenger rail service along the Southwest Chief line, which operates between Chicago and Los Angeles. By approving the resolution, the city feels the Heartland Flyer extension complements the Southwest Chief line as it will likely increase passengers.
Source: Dodge Globe

The Pittsburg State University’s Capital Campaign comes to a successful end with 136 million dollars raised

After six years of hard work, Pittsburg State University’s Capital Campaign has come to an end in a big way. Originally the “Proven, Promise, Pitt State” campaign was designed to last only three years and help raise 55 million dollars. It was later extended by another three years and the goal was raised to 100 million dollars. Not only was the goal met, but the university surpassed it, raising 136 million dollars. The money has already been put to good use, helping expand access to PSU with 155 scholarships for incoming students.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Overland Park considers extending e-bike pilot program and could also add rental scooters

Overland Park experiment with electric bikes received mixed reviews from residents, as the city’s 18-month pilot program nears an end this November. The pilot project allowed certain types of motorized bikes on trails throughout Overland Park. With the project’s end date approaching, the city council’s Community Development committee on Wednesday heard a report about the pilot’s impact, including citizen feedback. The report concluded that there are some concerns with how the e-bike program currently runs, but overall, seem to appreciate having the bikes in the area.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Wichita taking water samples but no results Thursday night, city manager says

Wichita won’t have answers Thursday night on whether the water is safe to drink, a city official confirmed. More than 500,000 people in south-central Kansas — including all of Wichita and many of the surrounding towns and rural areas — fell under a boil water advisory after a main waterline broke near McAdams Park around 3 p.m. Boil water advisories are required within 24 hours under federal law when a water system loses pressure.
Read more at: Local News | Wichita Eagle

New Olathe library brings ‘vitality to the downtown.’ It’s all part of a master plan

With shovels in hand, library employees, city council members and others working on Olathe’s new downtown library broke ground for the project Sept. 18. The building will sit between Poplar and Santa Fe streets, two blocks east of the Johnson County District Courthouse. The Downtown Library is now located in a temporary space at 1078a W. Santa Fe St. It’s been there since April 2020, as the city has already sold its old location. Sara Eccles, branch manager, said that the new building is part of a master plan that started more than five years ago as a result of a study that showed the two Olathe libraries were not big enough to adequately serve the population of Olathe.
Source: Joco 913 News

Barton County Commission OKs more facade grants

In the ongoing effort to spruce up downtowns countywide, the Barton County Commission Tuesday morning approved more projects as part of Facade Improvement Grant program.
The goal of the program is to provide financial assistance to businesses and property owners for downtown building front improvements to increase economic prosperity, accessibility, and quality of life in Claflin, Ellinwood, Great Bend and Hoisington, Grant Coordinator Sue Cooper said. It is having the desired impact, said District 3 Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson.
“We were hoping it would have a ripple effect,” he said. After one owner applies, neighboring owners may feel like they have to follow suit.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

City of Wichita working to address underlying reasons of why hundreds are experiencing homelessness

City leaders are working to get hundreds of homeless people off the streets to help address a problem with people camping downtown and leaving a mess. “We can do a better job than just having folks who are living unhoused right now. We should be doing a better job at getting people the resources they need so they can get back on their feet,” Wichita’s Mayor Brandon Whipple said. Wichita’s Mayor Whipple says the city is looking at why so many people are still homeless.
Source: KAKE – News

Water main break creating water problems across Wichita

A boil water advisory is expected to remain in effect through at least Saturday for the city of Wichita and many surrounding communities after a major water main break. Late Thursday night, the city announced it was working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to get water testing results back before a decision can be made on whether to lift or keep the boil water advisory in place. The tests are to make sure no bacteria is in the system.
Source: KAKE – News

Audit finds Kansas schools unprepared for a cyberattack. What is the risk?

Kansas schools are unprepared for a cyberattack and are not doing enough to protect student data, state auditors found. A Legislative audit of IT security in K-12 schools released earlier this week found that, of the 147 districts (roughly half the school systems in the state) that responded to a survey 69% did not have a response plan in the event of cyber attack and 28% had not even installed anti-virus software on all school computers. The result is a financial and privacy risk for Kansas, students and families, said Alex Bardas, an assistant professor in the computer science department at the University of Kansas.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Mayor asks Wichitans not to hoard bottled water; urges patience during water crisis

Mayor Brandon Whipple is asking residents of Wichita and the surrounding area to remain calm after one of the city’s main waterlines broke near McAdams Park, placing all of the city’s water customers under a boil water advisory. “I’m asking folks to make sure that they not only follow the recommendations to boil water but also reach out to people you’re close to and let them know that they should be doing the same,” he said. “We are utilizing all of our outreach efforts to get the word out because we want to keep people safe,” he said. “I’m asking Wichitans to make phone calls to people you know, to your family, and pass on this message as well.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Sedgwick County Sherriff’s Office implements professional therapy dog program

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday a new tool to support citizens in the Sedgwick County community who are affected by trauma, mental health and crime. The new tool? Cherokee the dog! She is just over a year old and is an Aussie mix with brown and red fur, with one brown eye and one blue eye, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Wichita Animal Action League, is implementing a professional therapy dog program.
Source: KSN-TV

T-Mobile awards Fort Scott $50K grant to develop Market Street

T-Mobile is working to help improve 25 communities across the country, including one in southeast Kansas. Fort Scott was awarded a $50,000 dollar check from the company as part of its “Hometown Grant” initiative. The money will go towards creating a downtown greenspace and entrance pavilion at Market Street on Skubitz Plaza. “The Urban Renewal did away with Market Street, so with the fort down there, and just Skubitz Plaza, there’s a nice space to bring the community back together, the farmer’s market and just bring people back to Market Street,” said Josh Jones, Fort Scott Mayor.
Source: KSNF/KODE

City of Wichita issues boil water advisory impacting Derby

A boil water advisory issued by the City of Wichita on Thursday will remain in effect until at least Saturday, the city said in a tweet Thursday night. Wichita city staff are working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), per the tweet, and are expecting to get water testing results from KDHE on Saturday morning. At that point, KDHE will determine whether the boil water advisory will be lifted or remain in effect.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Citing the need for denser growth, city leaders approve proposal to bar more housing near Lawrence unless the city expands

Calling for denser and more efficient growth, City of Lawrence leaders have approved regulations that prohibit new neighborhoods in rural areas near the city’s boundaries unless that land is ready to be added to the city. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted unanimously to approve an amendment to subdivision regulations for Lawrence and the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. The amendment bars the development of additional rural subdivisions, and instead requires potential developers to request that the land be added to city so the neighborhood is subject to city lot sizes and other standards.
Source: LJWorld.com

White lines a little less bright

Due to a shortage of glass beads triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the white lines being painted on Kansas highways this year tend to not reflect light as well as state officials would like. Still, the smaller glass beads being used to accomplish that purpose should nevertheless be “adequate” and “safe,” said Tony Menke, bureau chief of construction and materials for the Kansas Department of Transportation. “We’ll just probably need to touch them up sooner rather than later,” he said.
Source: Salina Journal

Mulvane Public Library hosting Crocktober event

Crocktober is returning to the Mulvane Public Library at 6 p.m. Oct. 19, with the event encouraging patrons to learn a new crock pot recipe and showcase their creations at a potluck sampling. Registration is required for the adult-only event, which will allow patrons to use a recipe from a book or magazine checked out at the library. Recipes from home are welcome as well. On top of the dish, attendees are asked to bring their recipes – as all participants will go home with a copy of each recipe at the end of the night.
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Hinz excited for opportunities as new Burrton police officer

Burrton’s new full-time police officer, Mason Hinz, sees the community as a good fit for him. “I’m excited to be here and bring a new set of eyes to everything,” he said. Hinz’s first day with the department was Sept. 30, and he said he is liking his new job so far. “The first couple days have been kind of some admin, paperwork, and taking care of some stuff,” he said. “I went and walked around the schools and drove around town, kind of some introductions to faces around town. So far, it’s been an awesome experience. I’m excited to be here.” Hinz comes to Burrton after working for Halstead Police for the past two years. Through that job, he assisted Burrton Police on some calls. “So I’ve been a few times but haven’t really had a chance to just drive around and learn a lot about the city or the community,” he said.
Source: Harvey County Now

Resident voices concerns about proposed wind farms

Kathy Hisel requested that the Board of Harvey County Commissioners and members of the Harvey County Planning Commission sign affidavits that they have no conflicts of interest before signing off on any wind farms. Hisel, who addressed commissioners during the public comment portion of the meeting Tuesday, said it was harder to make a dirty deal in the sunlight. She said it was important for commissioners to get a proposal for wind farms in the county right and not lose out to greed. NextEra Energy announced its intent to develop wind energy here last month. Hisel said NextEra protected its own interests and she asked commissioners to protect those of county residents. She said her initial concern was protecting the water supply from turbidity and contamination. She said she also was concerned about who would remove the turbines if they became obsolete in a few years.
Source: Harvey County Now

Housing Conference seeks solutions for affordable housing problem in McPherson County

Representatives from all aspects of the housing market were in attendance at the McPherson Housing Conference on Oct. 1 at the McPherson Community Building. Coordinated by the United Way of McPherson County, financiers, real estate agents, builders, landlords, government agency representatives and members of the faith community were all in attendance. Subject matter also covered a wide range of topics including government programs, non-profit organizations, gaps in information about the Fair Housing Act and the role of stable housing in raising children affected by trauma.
Source: McPherson Weekly News

Derby city attorney explains change in new AT&T franchise ordinance

To allow companies to provide services on the city’s dedicated right-of-way, franchise ordinances exist in Derby for said companies to operate uninterrupted. Currently, the city’s franchise ordinance with AT&T has expired, so City Attorney Jacque Butler presented a new one to the Derby City Council for a first reading at its Sept. 28 meeting. Given changes over the years, Butler pointed out that the newly proposed ordinance would be a little different. Per state law, cities can charge an access line fee or gross receipts fee as part of the franchise ordinance, with Derby using the former for several years. AT&T currently pays $2.50 per month per access line. With households no longer maintaining or using landline phone services, though, that franchise fee collected by Derby has steadily declined. At present, the city receives approximately $1,100 per month in franchise fees from AT&T. … As proposed, a move to a gross receipts franchise fee (equal to five percent of the company’s gross receipts) would bring in an estimated $1,500 per month. The structure is in line with the city’s 2020 franchise agreement with IdeaTek and mirrors those imposed on AT&T in Wichita, Bel Aire, El Dorado, Overland Park, Johnson County and more. “It’s just about changing how we’re doing business because people are changing the way they’re doing their telecommunications services,” Butler said.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Wichita cracking down on homeless camps on private property, new white lines mark boundaries

Hundreds and hundreds of people are living homeless and out on the streets in Wichita. Camping out and blocking public sidewalks is simply not allowed. City workers have painted white lines in front of the Open Door shelter on Topeka Street earlier this week. Wichita’s police say it’s in an effort to clean up homeless camps that have been causing problems. … Straight spray painted lines now mark what’s public and what’s private. “(The lines) Showing where the sidewalk is and anything outside of that is going to be trespassing,” Officer Nate Schwiethale with Wichita PD’s Homeless Outreach Team said in a video on Facebook.
Source: KAKE – News

How do white lines hope to deter homelessness in downtown Wichita?

Striping the sidewalks to curb crime. That is the latest push by Wichita police and city leaders. Around 700 to 800 a month is how many emergency calls the Wichita Homeless Outreach team said they get in the Open Door area in Downtown Wichita. They said the white lines will make a difference. “This is just us trying to do something else that eliminates the concern that stakeholders in that area have,” said Captain Wendell Nicholson, the Wichita Police Department Patrol South Bureau commander. Wichita police said drugs and violence are common at 2nd and Topeka. They said business owners reached out to them sharing their frustrations with people blocking their sidewalks, sleeping on their properties, and engaging in illegal activity.
Source: KSN-TV

Kansas housing market grows hotter

The steady rise in home prices that defined the housing market in 2021 looks to continue steadily into next year across Kansas, according to a new report forecasting the statewide housing market. The Wichita State University Center for Real Estate released its annual Kansas Housing Market Forecast Series report for 2022 Wednesday. The study projects statewide home sales increasing, construction will remain constrained by supply chain issues and home prices will continue to rise. “The supply of homes available for sale remains near historic lows,” Stan Longhofer, director of the WSU Center for Real Estate said in a release. “Although bidding wars may not be as intense as they were earlier this year, it will continue to be a sellers’ market across most market segments.”
Source: The Iola Register

Lawrence’s municipal services workers petition for election to unionize

Municipal Services and Operations workers are the latest City of Lawrence group to seek unionization with Teamsters Local 696. The union has filed a petition “with overwhelming support,” asking the city to conduct an election for the workers, according to a Wednesday news release from the Teamsters. “We are coming together to improve working conditions and secure better wages. We know that the Teamsters will give us the voice and strength to address the issues that matter most to us,” Dave Osborne, a utilities worker for the city, said in a press release. The MSO department includes three divisions — from the city’s website: infrastructure and maintenance (facilities and structures, street and stormwater maintenance, pavement management, water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment), engineering (engineering design and technical support, stormwater, utility and traffic engineering), and services (solid waste, water, wastewater, fleet management, and administrative functions).
Source: The Lawrence Times

Kansas wind energy just turned 20 and now it’s bracing for a quarter-life crisis

The wind farm business in Kansas has hit its awkward adolescence. It’s still growing 20 years in, but unsure what the near future might hold. If it wants to get through those tough years and continue to grow, it needs to find more workers, to figure out what to do with the dated-but-not-obsolete turbines erected two decades ago and to sort out a way to carry all that wind-harvesting muscle beyond the state’s borders. Consider the burly, newest version of wind farming at the Cimarron Bend wind farm south of Dodge City. “We just watch and listen to the towers,” said project supervisor Dewain Pfaff, who’s responsible for keeping about 300 turbines up and running. “If you can hear a noise we want to mitigate those issues as soon as possible.”
Source: KCUR News

Fort Scott to address loitering ordinance for vagrants

The Fort Scott City Commissioners on Tuesday discussed the creation of a loitering ordinance. Interim City Manager Mark McCoy said city hall and the police department have received several calls in recent weeks about an increase of vagrancy in the downtown area. He said people sleeping inside and outside Heritage Park at 1st Street.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune

Treasury yields continue to climb, 10-year Treasury yield tops 1.55%

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed back above 1.56% early on Wednesday, ahead of the release of ADP’s September employment change report due later in the morning. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose 3 basis points to 1.564% at 3:20 a.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond jumped nearly 4 basis points to 2.137%. Yields move inversely to prices and 1 basis point is equal to 0.01%. The 10-year rate topped 1.56% last week, which was its highest point since June, amid inflation and tighter monetary policy concerns.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

K-State receives $3.4 million to build new core research facility

Kansas State University received a $3.4 million grant from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services to create a new research and biosecurity development lab space. University officials announced the grant Friday. The money comes from the National Institutes of Health and will be used to build up K-State’s laboratory capacity and help the university become “a premier institution in advancing the discovery and development of biosecurity strategies for emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases,” according to a statement from KSU officials. More specifically, the grant will be used to bolster the KSU Biosecurity Research Institute, the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), and the USDA Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit. Bonnie Rush, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said in a statement Friday that the current labs are isolated from each other and “have limited access, research productivity, and collaboration” between faculty members.
Source: Atchison Globe Now

Senators Moran, Marshall Announce $750K Grant for Wichita Entrepreneurship Coalition

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall announced a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration for Wichita State University and the Wichita Entrepreneurship Coalition. The grant will support the resources needed to recruit, support, and enable regional entrepreneurs, and improve the coalition’s access to technology and startup resources.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Local governments struggle to hire public sector workers

Some local Kansas governments are operating with 10% of their positions unfilled, making it hard to deliver the services that citizens expect. Across the state, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that Kansas has seen a 4.7% drop in the number of public sector workers, which translates into about 12,000 vacant jobs, but some towns are being hit harder. The pandemic has made the situation worse because the competitive labor market has made it hard to replace older employees who decided to retire. And private companies, which are also struggling to hire, have more flexibility in pay and benefits that city governments generally do. In Concordia, city manager Amy Lange said the government is down to the bare minimum needed to perform city functions, but with six positions open — which accounts for 10% of the city’s workforce — workers are stretched thin.
Source: KAKE – News

From firehouse to concert venue, Kansas fire chief wears multiple hats

A Kansas firefighter is doing much more than protecting his community; he spreads joy through music. Colby Fire Chief Bob McLemore spends the majority of his day answering emergency calls. When he’s not at the firehouse, he is either planning or preparing for Colby’s bluegrass festival, Pickin’ on the Plains, or setting up the sound system for the city’s Picnic in the Park. “I do sound for Picnic in the Park every Wednesday,” said McLemore of the June and July event. Picnic in the Park, put on by the Colby Chamber of Commerce, invites people to enjoy their lunch outside while listening to local musicians. McLemore has been a part of the sound crew for the event for more than 20 years.
Source: KSN-TV

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