Kansas Municipal News
Things got a little festive this weekend in Southeast Kansas
Things got a little festive this weekend in Southeast Kansas. Businesses throughout Girard decked the halls for the city’s first Christmas in July. Some small businesses often notice a decrease in sales during the summer months due to people often traveling out of town. So businesses in Girard decided to work with the Girard Area Chamber of Commerce, and host their own Christmas in July, to promote local business. Jessica Riper, Girard Area Chamber of Commerce Exec. Director, says, “It get’s people out and about, obviously with Covid there was a slowdown with a lot of our retail businesses and people are just starting to get out and about, they’re really excited to come to any kind of event.”
Source: KSNF/KODE
Prairie Village poised to give 8 weeks paid parental leave to city employees, surpassing other cities’ policies
The city of Prairie Village will consider amending its employee handbook to include eight weeks of paid parental leave within the first 12 months of a new birth or adoption. Why it matters: If approved, Prairie Village would join Mission, Roeland Park and Shawnee as other Johnson County cities with paid parental leave policies on the books. County employees also currently receive paid parental leave. But Prairie Village’s proposed policy appears to be the most generous in the county. Mission and Roeland Park currently both offer six weeks for both parents, and Shawnee offers six weeks for the birthing parent and three weeks for a parent who doesn’t give birth, according to city documents.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for July 8, 2021
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Treasury yields stabilize Friday morning after steep decline on Thursday
Treasury yields plunged Thursday as investors sought havens… The decline reflects concerns about prospects for economic growth and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, coupled with low vaccination rates in parts of the country. Yields stabilized this morning, and equity futures bounced back, with the 10-year Treasury trading at 1.33%, down from 1.78% in March.
Source: SIFMA
‘I have big dreams for this.’ Edgerton’s fundraiser to help kids get school supplies
An afternoon of summer fun brought smiles to many around Edgerton Elementary School. Teams from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Johnson County Fire District 1 played a softball game June 19 to raise funds for school supplies and registration fees for students. It raised approximately $35,000, which will cover every student at the school this year. The idea came from county sheriff’s deputy Brad Johnson. “Basically, I was just driving around town, trying to figure out the best way that we could make an impact on the community,” Johnson said. “I came up with idea of doing a fundraiser and taking care of the kids at school. That would directly impact everybody. The parents wouldn’t have that financial burden.”
Source: KC Star Local News
Raising the roofs: Sharing a vision for housing
Matt Godinez has the recipe for success in housing. He’s director of the Chanute Regional Development Authority (CRDA), an organization working to revitalize and rebuild not only Chanute, but communities throughout the region. “We can all be feeding off of each other,” he said, and contended that regionalism is a key ingredient to economic development projects of all kinds, where county borders and city limits matter less than perhaps they used to. Consider the following example. “OK developer,” Godinez said, “you won’t build five houses in Chanute, but what if I can get you to build 100 houses in southeast Kansas?” “Maybe 10 in Iola, 10 in Chanute, 10 in Parsons,” and so on. “Our buying power is in all of us together, not in standing alone,” he added.
Source: The Iola Register
Two dozen transportation infrastructure projects announced for critical Kansas roads
Construction on nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars in modernization and expansion projects for critical Kansas roadways will soon be underway across the state, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday. Eight projects are planned in eastern Kansas, nine out west, six in the south-central region and one significant project in the Overland Park area, Kelly said during a stop in Topeka. Efforts include expanding historically deadly road shoulders, adding new passing lanes on narrower highways and updating interchanges. Out of every $10 spent by the state in the 1950s and ’60s, as much as $3 was spent on transportation, Kelly said. By 2018, that number had dropped to 70 cents out of every $10, she said. To ensure future generations have adequate infrastructure, reversing that trend is critical, Kelly said.
Source: Kansas Reflector
County, City eco devo team up
Barton County will join forces with Great Bend Economic Development Inc. to the tune of $40,000 for a national campaign aimed at bolstering the county’s and Great Bend’s profile, and making them more competitive. The County Commission approved the funding Wednesday morning for advertising and project development support, doubling what was sought by GBED. While all commissioners favored the initial $20,000 requested, support for the increased amount was not unanimous. GBED requested the $20,000 to help with targeted advertising to aid in recruiting new businesses and individuals. With county funds included in the overall marketing budget, GBED would have the funding necessary for professionally created video and print campaigns, said GBED President Sara Hayden.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Downtown Great Bend loft project a go
Although it did not garner unanimous support, the Great Bend City Council Tuesday night approved spending half of the city’s $2,271,654.71 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for a downtown rehabilitation project to assist in sprinkler system installation and other improvements to downtown lofts. The city will receive two equal ARPA installments, with the first direct payment coming by July 31. The second half will come about a year later. Great Bend Economic Development Inc. President Sara Hayden proposed using half of those funds to reimburse owners of multi-story buildings in the downtown district on an application basis. The council action granted this up to $1 million with half coming from each of the ARPA payments. “There are 18 buildings that want to move forward with this,” Hayden said.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
COVID’s Delta Comeback In Southeast Kansas Has Health Officials Pleading People To Get Vaccinated
Just a few weeks before COVID-19 vaccines became available, Teddi Van Kam got sick from the virus. The director of the Crawford County health department, in far southeast Kansas, was laid out for four weeks. As the pandemic became increasingly dire in her community, she was too sick to work. “I was scared,” Van Kam said. “I couldn’t breathe.” By the time she recovered, the vaccines were available. She got her shot and went back to tackling the pandemic. And she became a vaccine evangelist. But lately, converts have become hard to find. A year and a half into the outbreak, less than half of Crawford County residents are fully inoculated with a potentially life-saving vaccine. “You wish you could convey to them how bad this could be,” Van Kam said, “but you have to be careful how you do those things.” Now, she faces a new challenge: convincing vaccine-hesitant, pandemic-weary people in her community that the danger remains, that things are getting scarier.
Source: KCUR News
Lack of accessible parking attracts threat of suit
Marion’s lack of fully accessible downtown parking despite a recent streetscape project has resulted in a warning from a lawyer representing a disabled Marion resident. The lawyer’s letter demands the city tell, by Tuesday, what it plans to do to resolve the problem. “Failure to do so will result in continued escalation of this matter,” lawyer Josh Boehm wrote. “Our client is committed to seek an appropriate resolution through continued escalation of this matter, including but not limited to filing suit if necessary.”
Source: Marion County RECORD
Cowley County to conduct drive-thru Q-Box distribution
The Coronavirus Relief Funds, as part of the CARES Act, provided Cowley County with the opportunity to purchase and distribute Q-Boxes to those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. While COVID numbers are trending in a positive direction and the infection rate is low, some county residents are still feeling the impacts of the pandemic, including not enough to eat. Cowley County will be offering Q-Boxes to those in need on a drive-thru basis behind the Cowley County North Annex in the 300 block of East Eighth Avenue in Winfield. The distribution is from 8 to 11 a.m. Friday and again July 17. The effort is being called the Bret Smith Memorial Community Care Drive. Smith died at age 35 in May.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Wichita is debuting flashing yellow left turn signals
The City of Wichita is implementing a new type of traffic signal in an effort to provide a safer, more efficient left turn for drivers. The city said Thursday that flashing yellow arrows will begin debuting on West Street at Walker and at Harry. At signalized intersections, the city said there is often a separate signal indicator to let drivers making a left turn know when they either have and are protected from opposing traffic, which is stopped. But in a permissive left turn, drivers can only turn when there is a safe gap in oncoming traffic, which has historically been conveyed to motorists by a circular green light.
Source: KAKE – News
Douglas County cuts funding for group bringing high-tech jobs to town; future discussion likely about county’s role in eco devo funding
Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday agreed to cut $50,000 in funding from the Bioscience & Technology Business Center for the 2022 budget year. That ended up being a less significant cut than the $100,000 that county commissioners were discussing on Tuesday. The significance, though, probably is best measured in sentiment, not dollars. The sentiment on Wednesday included some commissioners openly wondering whether part of the money they spend on trying to attract high-wage bioscience jobs — the county this year is spending a little more than $400,000 on the BTBC — would be better spent on trying to foster more blue-collar job opportunities.
Source: LJWorld.com.
$129M in improvements coming to Sedgwick County’s worst bottleneck, other traffic tangles
More improvements for Sedgwick County’s notorious North Junction and three other south-central Kansas road projects were announced Wednesday by Gov. Laura Kelly. The projects, totaling $129 million in construction costs, will address transportation needs in Sedgwick, Sumner, Harvey and Marion counties, including a historically deadly stretch of U.S. Highway 50 between Burrton and Peabody. The North Junction exchange ties together four highways: I-135, I-235, K-96 and K-254. It’s a commuter’s nightmare that backs up morning and evening on virtually a daily basis.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Emporia hires firm to find next manager
The Emporia City Commission selected a search firm to identify candidates to become the next city manager during its action session Wednesday afternoon. Osenbaugh-Deardoff Consulting out of Derby will assist the city in the process of replacing current city manager Mark McAnarney, who announced last month that he will retire by the end of this year. Osenbaugh-Deardoff was one of five candidates determined by special projects coordinator Jim Witt and was the firm that received his top recommendation “because of their location in Kansas, knowledge of Kansas, how non-metro service centers like Emporia function, and to me that’s an important factor.”
Source: Emporia Gazette
Sunflower Summer Program gives students chance to learn while visiting attractions
A new program will help children stay engaged in learning throughout the summer months while spending quality time with family members and friends touring some of Kansas’ greatest attractions – all for free. The Sunflower Summer program, which is being funded by federal COVID-19 money to offer summer enrichment activities for Kansas students, is a collaboration between the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), Kansas Department of Commerce, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research, and Greenbush Education Service Center.
Source: Local News | hiawathaworldonline.com
Prairie Village police chief warns against marijuana decriminalization
The Prairie Village City Council Monday evening agreed to move ongoing discussions about potentially decriminalizing marijuana possession to the city’s diversity committee, even as the city’s top law enforcement officer warned against the move in comments to the city council. Councilmembers Inga Selders and Ian Graves started Prairie Village’s marijuana decriminalization conversation in January. Soon after, city staff was directed to look into possible options, including possibly removing marijuana-related language from the city code and reducing municipal penalties for marijuana possession and other offenses.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Municipal Bond Trends for July 7, 2021
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Manhattan Commission Gets Development Code Update on “Non-Conforming” Properties
Another look into the revamp of the Manhattan City Code that’s underway was given the City Commission Tuesday night, including a view of how changes to the code have resulted in mismatching development in some areas. Assistant Director of Community Development Chad Bunger highlighted a home that had been built single-family in 1925 and turned into multiple units when zoning changed in 1969. Bunger says one change will be that a property where a non-conforming building suffers damage that totals more than 50-percent of its market value, the owner has to bring it into compliance, rescinding an adjustment made in 2003.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Atchison Approves Expanded Sunday Liquor Sale Hours
City Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance that will allow for the expanded hours for cereal malt beverage and liquor sales on Sundays beginning in mid-September during Tuesday’s meeting. The ordinance allows the retail sale of such beverages on Sundays to begin at 9 a.m., rather than noon, after the state legislature approved the change during the last session. Now approved, the ordinance will be published in the Atchison Globe, after which there is a 60-day waiting period to allow for any public petition that could force the issue onto a public ballot.
Source: Atchison Globe Now
State tax revenue eclipses Kansas projections by $758 million
The state of Kansas closed out June with unexpectedly strong corporate and personal income tax as well as sales tax collections to push revenue during the past fiscal year $758 million beyond receipts anticipated by analysts, the governor said Friday. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat seeking re-election in 2022, said the June report affirmed work to strengthen the state’s economy was paying off. “As we transition into the next fiscal year,” Kelly said, “my administration will continue moving our economy forward by prioritizing pro-growth policies that will support Kansas businesses and families.” The Kansas Department of Revenue said the state took in $8.9 billion during the fiscal year running from July 1, 2020, to June 30. The total was $758.1 million, or 9.3%, greater than projected by a panel of revenue forecasters.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Former hospital building officially belongs to the county
Bourbon County is now officially the owner of the former Mercy Hospital building. On Tuesday, Bourbon County Commissioners and Bourbon County Counselor Justin Meeks discussed finalization of the donation agreement between the county and Mercy Health Southwest Missouri/Kansas Communities that will transfer ownership of the former hospital building and $600,000 to the county.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune
Shawnee County health officials monitoring Delta variant as cases in Kansas rise
Cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant are on the rise throughout the state. There are currently 358 total cases in Kansas. Twelve of those are confirmed cases within Shawnee County, but health officials said they are pretty confident there are more. The Shawnee County Health Department is monitoring outbreaks in the area, but they can’t confirm them as the Delta variant just yet. Positive COVID-19 tests that check for the variant have to go through genome sequencing, which means they are tested a certain way in a lab and that takes more time. “They take that and they look at the whole viral genome which is everything that makes up the virus,” Derik Flerlage, the Infectious Disease Manager with the Shawnee County Health Department, said. “Compared to the positives that are occurring and the amount of testing that is going on we can’t sequence one hundred percent of the specimens.”
Source: KSNT News
Municipal Bond Trends for July 6, 2021
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Tourism getting better in Newton
Faith & Life Bookstore Manager Bethany Martin sees Newton as a meet-in-the-middle town for some customers. She said if a couple of friends want to see each other, with maybe one living in Andover and another in Lindsborg, they can meet in Newton, in the middle. When they meet in the middle, they spend money by shopping and eating in restaurants. Like recently, Martin said there was a group of women from out of town who had lunch together and shopped. Now that the pandemic is getting better, it’s helping with tourism in many towns across the nation, including Newton. … Regarding tourism, Martin said they’ve definitely seen more people from out of town. “I feel like this is the first time we’re consistently getting people from Wichita and the surrounding areas,” she said.
Source: Harvey County Now
Hillsboro officially opens new walking trail
Local kids walk along the new paved walking trail in Hillsboro. The trail provides a safe place for people to walk in town. Hillsboro has had plans for several years to have a paved walking path and this spring the path was completed. The new paved walking trail runs on the north end of town from Main Street between Hillsboro State Bank and Central National Bank to the front doors of Hillsboro Community Hospital. While the trail has been completed for several months now, it became officially recognized last week when the City of Hillsboro hosted a “Trail Gate Party” on Friday, July 2 to dedicate it. The event included information about the hospital’s Walk with a Doc program and healthy snacks from local restaurants. The event was sponsored by Hillsboro CVB, TCW, Hillsboro Community Hospital and Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press
Wichita Fire Department issues 88 fireworks citations over holiday weekend
The Fourth of July weekend was popping for many people, but it kept both the Sedgwick County Emergency Management and the Wichita Fire Department busy. “There was a lot more fireworks going on,” said Denise Bashline. “Just quite a bit of fireworks. A lot of fireworks going up in the air and a lot of individuals have a lot of fun,” Nicholas Bennington. An explosive end to a Fourth of July weekend after the COVID-19 pandemic stunted celebrations in 2020 and Wichitans noticed a boom in fireworks popping off.
Source: KAKE – News
Allowing minors to attend late-night events: Wichita approves first reading of measure
On Tuesday, the Wichita City Council approved the first reading of a measure that allows minors to attend late-night events where alcohol is served. The measure will be placed on first reading and still needs final approval. “This creates a category that allows us to work within our business model,” said Jessie Hartke, operating partner at WAVE. Qualifying venues must provide entertainment, have a capacity of at least 850 people, provide a stage, and allow minors to be on the premise until midnight. If an event goes past that time, they must ask minors to leave. Businesses must provide advance notice to Wichita police of any event that caters to more than 500 people. “This will help by just allowing all members of our community to be able to come out and enjoy the culture and the arts,” said Hartke.
Source: KSN-TV
Local leaders, state officials connect on broadband needs
City, county and school district officials stressed that affordable broadband infrastructure is critical to continued growth when they met with Lt. Gov. David Toland during his recent visit to Miami County. “We’re in an extremely good pattern of growth right now in Spring Hill, and we’re very excited about it, but broadband is a critical part of that growth. It’s as important as water,” said Jim Hendershot, Spring Hill’s retiring city administrator. He was joined by other city and county officials, school superintendents, and local service provider MoKan Dial for a meeting with Toland and state broadband officials June 17 at Louisburg City Hall. The roundtable discussion was organized by Miami County Economic Development Director Janet McRae.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
In Wichita, more fireworks tickets & complaints but fewer ER visits this July 4
Emergency and medical crews in Wichita saw a mixed bag in the week leading up to and on the July 4 holiday, with fewer people reportedly visiting local emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries but more citizens receiving citations for banned items and more nuisance complaints phoned into 911 dispatchers compared to last year. It was also a better year for house fires during the nine days fireworks could be legally discharged in the city, with fewer than half the number reported in 2020. Fire crews monitoring the city for illegal fireworks over the July 4 holiday weekend wrote a total of 88 citations and confiscated several items banned under local ordinance, Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Jose Ocadiz said Tuesday during an afternoon news briefing held at downtown’s Fire Station No. 1. Mortars and artillery shells were confiscated most often, he said. Some illegal fireworks taken had been discharged while others were unopened.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Mission residents to vote on citywide sales tax increase in special mail-in election this September
The city of Mission will ask residents to increase the current one-quarter cent sales tax to a three-eighths cent sales tax with a special election in September. Why it matters: The city uses the current one-quarter percent sales tax for budget items related specifically to transportation, according to city documents. Mission residents have repeatedly identified streets and maintenance as a top priority, prompting the conversation about a sales tax renewal, according to the city. Background: Mission’s quarter-cent sales tax will sunset in March 2022 and is currently used to pay off previous street improvements.
Source: Prairie Village Post
As Shawnee’s western half grows, resident-led group aims to preserve city’s open spaces
Shawnee resident Jim Magaziner has started an advocacy group dedicated to conservation efforts and preserving open space in his growing city. His group, Shawnee Open Space, urges city leaders to consider implementing ordinances that support “Conservation Subdivision,” a design concept that, in general, advocates for developers to dedicate part of their project sites — up to 50% of more in some cases — to natural, open space. The result would preserve the natural beauty of Shawnee’s countryside, protect wildlife and allow space for a comprehensive trail system throughout the city’s neighborhoods, Magaziner says. The main point of “Conservation Subdivision” is to shrink the size of each plat in a residential subdivision, and dedicate the extra space to preserve the natural landscape and allow contiguous green spaces throughout the city.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Wichita passes anti-discrimination ordinance after marathon hearing on religious liberty
For the second time in three weeks, the Wichita City Council has approved an anti-discrimination ordinance by the barest of majorities, after five hours of debate and dozens of residents saying it would infringe their religious liberty. The ordinance is designed to prevent discrimination within city limits on the basis of “age, color, disability, familial status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin or ancestry, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other factor protected by law.” It bans discrimination in employment, housing and businesses that serve the general public. The new ordinance would replace an anti-discrimination law that mysteriously disappeared from the city code in 1999.
Source: Wichita Eagle
New brewery opens in downtown Great Bend
Although Kevin Burkey and Ryan Fairchild have brewed beer for years, last month the two men took a gigantic step and opened a brewery, Dry Lake Brewing, on Main Street in Great Bend. They wanted to open the brewery last year, but because of COVID-19, the opening was postponed. After visiting breweries around the state, ripping up carpet, drilling into the concrete to make drains, and building a kitchen in the town’s old shoe store, the two were ready to go. … Burkey and Fairchild wanted to open their brewery in downtown Great Bend. Staying local and becoming an anchor was crucial to their business plan. Along with breweries in the main hubs of Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka, Wichita and the greater Kansas City area, these hometown businesses can be found in Beloit, El Dorado, Ottawa, and Pittsburg.
Source: Salina Journal.
Wichita drops mask mandate in City Hall, libraries, rec centers and other facilities
In a sign of a continuing return to normalcy, the city of Wichita on Friday dropped the mask mandate that has been in effect in municipal facilities since early in the COVID pandemic. “City employees and members of the public who have been fully vaccinated by one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines and are not otherwise at-risk, are no longer required to wear a mask within City of Wichita facilities,” the new policy states. Masks will still be “strongly encouraged” for the unvaccinated, but “there’s not an outright mandate, City Manager Robert Layton said.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Mapping out a vision for Paola’s future
A vibrant downtown shopping area with family-friendly restaurants… a bustling town Square full of apartments and businesses… a variety of entertainment options ranging from bowling and miniature golf to a movie theater. These are just a few of the things on the wish lists of Paola residents who attended an interactive workshop Tuesday, June 29, to help the city update its comprehensive plan. The update process has been dubbed “Planning Paola 2050,” and city leaders are working with the consulting firm Confluence to map out a vision that will help guide the city’s growth and development over the next three decades.
Source: The Miami County Republic
‘Our Market’ debuts in Humboldt
Residents of Humboldt now have a new option when debating where to purchase groceries, as Our Market made its debut with a soft opening Thursday. The grocery market is housed in the same building as the town’s only other former grocery store, Moon’s Hometown Market, which closed in 2019. “It’s huge for Humboldt,” said City Administrator Cole Herder. “I’ve seen so many people making comments about the opening on (the city’s) Facebook page, and that this is something they should not take for granted.”
Source: The Chanute Tribune
Municipal Bond Trends for July 2, 2021
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Real estate agents sometimes fail to disclose pending specials, frustrating home buyers
Kansas law requires that sellers disclose impending liabilities like special tax assessments to buyers before a sale. Across the region, most real estate agents use a standardized seller’s disclosure form created by the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors when marketing existing homes. In addition to asking about home repairs and damage, the form includes questions about bonds, assessments and special taxes. In addition to those disclosures, most title companies would find the tax liability upon researching a home for potential buyers, said Max Gordon, an Overland Park real estate attorney. “If a title company missed that, that’s another issue. But it’s pretty rare in my 40-some year career doing this,” he said, “especially because in our metro area and Johnson County in particular, subdivisions are platted and that information is pretty readily available.”
Source: Joco 913 News
Lifeguard shortage forces these Kansas City area pools and beaches to close this year
Last year, most Kansas City area pools closed because of the pandemic. This year, several pools and beaches can’t open for a different reason: a lifeguard shortage. Jackson County Parks + Rec couldn’t hire enough lifeguards this summer to staff both Blue Springs Beach and Longview Lake Beach. As a result, only Longview is open. Overland Park did not open the Bluejacket and Marty pools for the same reason. “Overall the effect is that pools are closed. Beaches are closed,” said Tina Spallo, Jackson County’s superintendent of recreation. “Therefore the general public doesn’t have as many aquatic centers to choose from.”
Source: KC Star Local News
Local businesses seek loans from Parsons city program
A new day care and preschool facility may get to borrow additional money from the city, while another local business wants funding from the same pool. The Parsons City Commission will consider the two loan requests during its regular meeting on Tuesday. The commission is meeting on Tuesday instead of Monday because the city offices will be closed Monday for the Fourth of July holiday. The commission already had approved a $60,000 loan for Kandy Rushing, owner of Grow at Eden LLC, 1503 22000 Road, through a revolving loan program. Now she is seeking an additional $30,000 because of underestimated construction costs, Jim Zaleski, economic development director, said during a Thursday work session. Rushing and her husband, Kyler, bought an empty building at the southeast intersection of U.S. 59 and 22000 Road. They remodeled the building and added about 2,000 square feet to double the space. The Rushings also had landscaping work done.
Source: Parsons Sun
Former Shawnee Mission Superintendent Mike Fulton reflects on leading district through pandemic
Mike Fulton officially stepped down as Shawnee Mission School District superintendent Wednesday, June 30, after leading the district for three years. He came to Shawnee Mission in 2018 from Pattonville Public Schools outside St. Louis, where he had been named Missouri Superintendent of the Year in 2016. He replaced interim superintendent Kenny Southwick. Fulton himself is being succeeded by Michelle Hubbard, who served most recently as SMSD’s Deputy Superintendent before formally taking over the district’s top job July 1. At the start of his tenure, Fulton focused on building relationships with staff and school board members in a district that had grown increasingly frustrated with the decision making and lack of transparency in the final years of former superintendent Jim Hinson’s administration.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Crawford County officials are hoping to make Arma a safer place by adding a local school zone
Crawford County officials are working to make a popular intersection safer for travelers. During today’s county commission meeting, officials agreed to work with “K-Dot” to hopefully create a school zone at the intersection of 69 and West South Street in Arma. The highway is near a local school and separates the city from its fire department and a “Dollar General” store, so people often try to cross the road on foot. Officials with “Arma Economic Development” hope a school zone could help reduce speeds and accidents.
Source: KSNF/KODE
If you don’t follow Wichita’s fireworks ordinance, you could get a $250 ticket
Wichita has some of the strictest firework regulations and most expensive tickets for violators in Sedgwick County, but that has not prevented problems, authorities said this week. During the past five full years, there has been nearly $500,000 in property damage and more than 230 injuries from fireworks, according to the Wichita Fire Department. The youngest injury was a 2-month-old.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle