Kansas Municipal News
Walton continuing to evaluate sinkhole problem
After multiple sinkholes opened up on Osage Road, the Walton Township has been doing what it can to find out how to move forward with fixing the problem. Mike Spangler, the Walton Township trustee, said he’s working with a Wichita contractor to find out how deep the sinkhole is. Spangler said they completed a core drill a couple weeks ago that drilled down 30 feet into the Earth to complete a check of the ground structure underneath the sinkhole. He is still waiting on the results of the core drilling. Kelsea Abney, the township clerk, is also working on the issue. Abney reached out to the University of Kansas’s geological survey. “They specialize in everything geological,” Abney said. Abney got in touch with Rick Miller, who is a sinkhole expert with 40 years of experience dealing with them. Abney said she’s waiting to hear what the next steps will be but was told they needed to know how much solid soil is under the road. Walton initially came to Harvey County for help with the sinkhole at the end of May, saying they weren’t sure how to deal with it. At the time, they were just dealing with one. Since then, another sinkhole appeared on the other side of the road. The sinkholes are on Osage Road, which is the road between Harvey and Marion counties, making it the township’s responsibility to manage. According to past reporting from Harvey County Now, the road was closed temporarily at the beginning of June. It has stayed closed ever since. Spangler last visited the sinkhole a couple weeks ago. “It’s still growing,” Spangler said.
Source: Harvey County Now
Lengthy Walton boil advisory from lack of kits
Boil advisories generally last no more than a couple days at most, but delays in testing kits extended the advisory in Walton to a week. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil advisory on Wednesday, Aug. 14, but it wasn’t lifted until the following Wednesday, Aug. 21. Walton City Clerk Stephanie Ashby said the delay was caused by a lack of available testing kits. Ashby said they hadn’t dealt with a boil advisory in so long that the test the city had on hand was expired. The city had the kits overnighted on Thursday but didn’t receive them until late Friday, meaning they had to wait over the weekend to turn the kits in. The city tested four different sites across town. On Monday, Ashby drove the tests to the testing center in Topeka. On Tuesday, the city got the results back and found that one of the four tests had shown up with coliform bacteria. Ashby said it was the tap they used for testing that was the issue. “That was the fault of the faucet that had a dirty tap,” Ashby said. “It shows something in the water.” The next day the city found a testing site in Wichita and sent the second round of tests there. Ashby said it was more expensive, but the city was able to rush one-day tests that way. Those results came back clear, and the department of health and environment lifted the advisory. The waterline the city was repairing during the incident was fixed by Thursday, Aug. 15. “It wasn’t a major leak,” Ashby said. She thanked the EMS in the county for helping spread the word about the advisory. Ashby said she’d been going to every house individually to give notices, but the EMS was able to put out a phone notification. Ashby said the reason for the advisory was a standard caution. While city employees worked to repair a water main break, the water pressure decreased at the distribution center. This lack of pressure can lead to bacterial contamination in the water. “When we don’t have pressure, we can’t guarantee safety,” Ashby said. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing, just a precaution.”
Source: Harvey County Now
Pickleball Court Comes To Uniontown
Pickleball has come to Uniontown, with equipment provided by community members and a court provided by a grant. Pickleball resembles tennis in which players use paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a net, according to Oxford Languages Dictionary A grant provided the concrete court to play the sport on. Recently, the court had been marked for pickleball play. Last Thursday, pickleball equipment was made available in a storage container located under the community bulletin board at Uniontown’s City Hall on the east side of the town’s square. “There is no charge to use the equipment and we ask that you put it back, or the community loses it,” City Clerk Sally Johnson said. “Return it and take care, so everyone can use it.” “All the equipment has been donated,” Johnson said. “The bin, which houses the equipment was donated by Amber Kelley; the net, paddles and ball were donated by the Frank Johnson family; and the benches around the pickleball court was supplied by Skeet George.” A grand opening/ribbon cutting is scheduled during the Old Settler’s Picnic at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 1 at the pickleball court, located west of the new public restrooms in Uniontown. The grand opening falls between two family activities that day at the town square, bingo is slated for 2 p.m. at the southeast shelter house, and then the Family Fun Night starts at 6 p.m. at the gazebo, Johnson said. “They will incorporate the ribbon cutting in the family fun time,” she said. “The public is invited to all the events.”
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Newton BOE contracts for future planning
A company will soon begin work drafting an overarching plan for the future of the Newton School District and its facilities. The Newton Board of Education approved spending $93,500 at its Aug. 26 meeting to contract with RSP and Associates of Overland Park for the work. “There’s boundary analysis, enrollment analyses and they look at utilization of the facilities,” Superintendent Fred Van Ranken stated. “It’s a facility master plan, essentially.” The group will provide data and analyses to predict enrollment and help the Board of Education evaluate future needs, according to its presentation. The data could be used in redrawing building boundaries as enrollment and demographics change. It could also be used for other future planning. Van Ranken said the information could show if the district needs a future bond issue and also direct it toward the right questions to ask moving forward.
Source: Harvey County Now
Bus drivers needed in Hesston as routes cut
It’s a skeleton crew when it comes down to the USD 460 bus driver situation, and the problem doesn’t just exist in Hesston, but rather across the state. With very few bus drivers, the USD 460 transportation crew is stretched to the thinnest of levels. This lack of drivers forced the district to eliminate the in-town school bus routes. “A few parent emails had some concern,” Superintendent Kevin Logan said. “It’s a change and there’s not an easy solution for us, unless we can find a driver. There is a lot of emotion because it’s a change.” One driver would fill in routes much like USD 460 had a year ago, but it’s not a full solution. This problem is plaguing districts. A driver has to have a CDL with passenger endorsement and districts, including Hesston, would actively take applications. For more information along with the list of requirements, interested parties can contact the transportation department of USD 460. “Right now we should be good on activity drivers,” Logan said. Ideally, Logan said two to three drivers could split the morning and afternoon routes, too. “We can share routes, as long as people are licensed and willing to learn and to be good to kids and have their best interests at heart,” Logan said. Logan was going to be part of a Zoom meeting with Safe Routes to Schools to see if routes for children were ideally safe for children walking to school or if Safe Routes could give options for walkers and bike riders but a time had not be finalized. He was looking forward to learning more about the rubrics of the safest routes to school.
Source: Harvey County Now
Lenexa commission deals big blow to Johnson County homeless shelter plan. What happens now?
A plan to convert a Lenexa hotel into Johnson County’s first permanent, year-round homeless shelter will head to a City Council vote next month — without the support of city staff and planning commissioners. On Monday night, the Lenexa Planning Commission voted 9-0 to deny a request for a special use permit to operate a homeless shelter at the La Quinta Inn and Suites hotel off of Interstate 35 and 95th Street after a public hearing when more than 70 members of the public spoke. It’s a significant blow, though not necessarily fatal, to the county’s plan to address a growing need in Kansas’ most affluent and populous county. City Council will make the final call. The decision came after city staff recommended denying the permit, writing in a 540-page dossier that the proposed shelter was “inconsistent with the character of the neighborhood” and would draw “negative external impacts” to nearby homes and businesses. Staff also said it anticipated needing increased law enforcement to oversee the proposed shelter, which they said the city doesn’t have money for. And they wrote that the shelter was too close to Johnson County’s temporary winter shelter.
Source: Joco 913 News
Wichita school board approves $450 million plan to rebuild some schools, close others
The Wichita School Board has unanimously approved a plan to significantly reshape the state’s largest school district — a plan filled with school closings, consolidations and new “right-sized” buildings as the district braces for shrinking future enrollment. School district officials also laid out the stakes of a $450 million bond issue that would be needed to pay for the plan. The specifics of the bond issue are expected to be discussed and voted on by the board on Sept. 9. A bond issue would require approval from voters during a special election. Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld said the “newer and fewer” plan is necessary because the district has $1.2 billion in future deferred maintenance needs that it can’t afford and declining enrollment. The school district already closed two middle schools — Hadley and Jardine — and four elementary schools — Clark, Cleveland, Park and Payne — earlier this year. The plan approved Monday calls for closing L’Ouverture, OK, Pleasant Valley and Woodland elementary schools and converting Isely and Cessna elementary schools to K-8 schools. Adams, Black, Caldwell, Irving and McLean elementary schools and Truesdell middle school would be demolished and rebuilt. The district would also build a new Coleman Middle School while the old school would be renovated and repurposed for relocated Chester Lewis, Gateway, and EI Academy schools. Little Early Childhood Center, Sowers and Dunbar would also be relocated. Sowers would relocate to Wells, placing the two alternative schools on one site. The plan also calls for building a new Future Ready Center at East High School for construction trades such as plumbing and HVAC. “More closures are inevitable,” Luke Newman, director of facilities for the district, said. “This plan positions us for more sustained future-ready success by providing new and innovative spaces for our kids to learn, and it’s an investment in the future of our city, communities and kids.” Newman also said the district is working to offload some of its closed schools, including Jardine, for other community needs. It has approved selling Park Elementary School to the city of Wichita for $1. That will be the site of the future homeless shelter and service building called the Multi-Agency Center. “We’re in really early discussions with the city and some community groups down there that have some pretty strong interest in the Jardine building. And that was something that, as we got into this plan, that was really important, that something meaningful happened with that building, with that land, you know, particularly in that community and what’s done to serve them.” Newman also said the district is in discussions with the city of Wichita about possibly swapping Columbine Park – and possibly other city parks – in north Wichita for the closed south Wichita middle school. “My preliminary discussions with a city representative has been potentially a sale. We’re also looking at trading some parkland. McLean is one where we’re actually, they’re appraising the parkland adjacent to McLean, and we’re appraising Jardine, and we’re going to look at numbers and see what makes sense. And then there might be some other parkland that makes sense to swap to make it an even trade.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Inclusive playground opens at Newton elementary school
Slate Creek Elementary in Newton officially opened its inclusive playground, designed for all students to play together. The kids started the project by raising $20,000 in the spring of 2021. “It’s absolutely wonderful to hear the screaming and the laughter to see them all playing together. It just brings my heart so much joy. I’m so proud that the students noticed this was an issue, and this is where we ended. It’s amazing,” Lenae Alfaro, Slate Creek Elementary principal, said. The principal says the original goal was just to have a swing, but the idea grew, and the entire playground cost over $450,000.
Source: KSN-TV
K-9 helps find lost hearing aids after man thrown from horse
A sheriff’s K-9 helped recover the lost hearing aids of a man thrown from a horse. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says over the weekend, deputies responded to a report of a man being thrown from a horse in a pasture out in the county. As the man was being assessed at the scene for injuries, deputies learned that he had lost both of his hearing aids after being thrown.
Deputy James Regaldo and his K-9 partner Klesto began searching the pasture. Klesto found both hearing aids 10 feet apart, and they were returned to the injured man.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita mayor: Paid parking plan target date on pause for now
Wichita’s mayor says the implementation date of Jan. 1 for paid parking in downtown, Old Town, and Delano has been paused. City council members, business owners, and community members met at a town hall on Monday to discuss their expectations for the policy. The town hall conversation was somewhat heated. Nortons Brewing Company organizers tell KSN that their goal with this meeting was to facilitate a more solution-minded discussion. “What we’ve done is put a complete pause. And getting feedback,” said Wichita Mayor Lily Wu. People and business owners are still not happy with the proposed switch to paid parking, which led to Monday’s discussion. “I think that we need parking for our customers to come and eat with us,” said Natasha Gandhi-Rue, chef and co-owner of The Kitchen. “If we don’t have places for them to park, to come to our locations, that is going to be a huge hindrance.” “We want to find some solutions that don’t put the burden on the people that patronize these businesses downtown or are employed by these businesses,” said Nico Leitner-Goddard, a brewer at Nortons Brewing Company. Mayor Wu says that she understands concerns, and the city council has halted movement on the proposed parking change. “We heard some, even, innovative ideas from some of these community members of how parking can be paid, but in a more innovative way,” said Mayor Wu. City council members say innovation is necessary, and the money still needs to come from somewhere Now, the conversation has shifted to finding solutions to the deficit while still keeping affected citizens and businesses happy. “I think that a solution is the next step. We want to be a big part of that step. This is our way of making our voices heard in terms of coming to a solution,” said Leitner-Goddard. The Wichita City Council members who attended this town hall say they hope to continue the conversation on paid parking. Some of the proposed ideas include allowing businesses to validate parking or offering a parking day pass. The next information meeting will be held on Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. at Envision, 610 N. Main. The public will not be able to ask questions during this meeting.
Source: KSN-TV
‘He was extraordinary’: Arkansas City Fire Department remembers fallen firefighter Trevor Rusk
The Arkansas City Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of its own this weekend. Trevor Rusk died while off-duty. KSN spoke with several firefighters about the outsized impact Rusk had on his brothers and sisters. Rusk is described in many words, which is fitting given that one of his brothers called him a man of many words. He was known around the station for his wicked sense of humor and the many pranks he’d pull. He was also a respected, integral part of the team with an instinct and passion for the job. Rusk was a firefighter and EMT who joined the ACFD on June 5, 2023. Despite his relatively short tenure at the department, he took on a leadership role in firefights and around the station. “That was just Trevor. He would do anything for anyone, any time of the day. It didn’t matter,” said firefighter James McIntosh. “I came in and immediately, Trevor just felt like an older brother. Kinda took me under his wing and started showing me the ropes,” said Cutter Plush, ACFD firefighter/EMT. Rusk often came in during his off time to help around the station. He’d also regularly check in on other firefighters, asking about their families and cheering them up when something upset them. He was simply a joy to be around. “He was like a magnet. If he was in the building or in the area, it just seemed like you wanted to be around that guy ’cause, I mean, you know, he was gonna say something funny every 10 seconds, or he would say something you’d have to think about for a week before you even figured out what it meant,” said Plush. “It’s definitely not gonna be the same. We’re not going to have our 3 a.m. Trevor in his boxers and helping clean out the ambulance when he doesn’t have to,” said Lacey Willinger, ACFD firefighter/advanced EMT. “I don’t know it will never be the same; a huge part of this department died with him,” said Joe Camara, ACFD firefighter/EMT. Rusk remains part of the team. “We’re gonna put his name right here ’cause this is where he always sat. That way, we can keep his legacy alive, and he’ll be with us on every call,” said Camara. “He was extraordinary, and there’s no other Trevor. We’re a family at the end of the day, and you know he’s our brother,” said McIntosh. The firefighter loved his work, but what he loved most was his role as a father to his daughter. “He was trying to plan a vacation with him and his daughter that she’ll never get to experience. He loved that girl more than what he ever had,” said Willinger. “He would move heaven and hell just for her, and I just hope that she knows if she ever needed anything, his shift will be able to help her,” said Camara.
Source: KSN-TV
Wolf Creek officials assuage commissioners’ concerns
Coffey County commissioners whether a wind farm or a solar farm in the county were negatively affecting the nuclear power plant’s level of production. An official said no, it would be a problem if renewable energy sources were not available to help meet demand. Coffey County commissioners questioned Evergy officials at their meeting last week whether neighboring wind and solar plants were posing undue competition to the Wolf Creek Generating Station, which Evergy has 94% ownership, according to the Coffey County Republican. Commissioners Don Meats and Jesse Knight asked, respectively, whether a wind farm or a solar farm in the county were negatively affecting the nuclear power plant’s level of production. Cleve Reasoner, vice president and chief nuclear officer for Evergy, Inc., with oversight of Wolf Creek, said the wind and solar farms were not a threat, adding, “I worry if we are not going to allow different sources to exist, that could actually be a problem for us.” All three — nuclear, wind and solar — produce carbon-free energy. “The grid is moving toward more renewables — wind and solar. That, I believe, is a reality as we move away from fossil fuels,” Reasoner said. “The opportunity it provides for nuclear is that we are a dispatchable source of non-carbon-emitting power. .. I think the value of nuclear has turned and recognition of that is more appreciation in the industry,” Reasoner said. Reasoner said there currently are periods in the spring and fall when temperate climates prevail that Wolf Creek reduces its power output to 70% because “there is more power being generated in this region than what customers need.” Reasoner termed that oversupply as “congestion.” But added those cutbacks happen rarely. “We almost always run 100%,” he said. The upcoming NextEra transmission line that extends from Wolf Creek to southwest Missouri will put an even greater demand on the nuclear power plant, Reasoner said. Last year, Coffey County commissioners enacted a one-year moratorium on commercial solar projects, the Republican reported. That expires Sept. 5. Commissioner Knight said he was worried about the competition additional solar projects would mean to the nuclear power plant. “We want to protect Wolf Creek and the people who work there,” he said. Reasoner said he appreciated Knight’s concern but that the playing field was big enough for everyone. “Somebody has to put power on (the grid) when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun is not shining,” said Reasoner. “Even if we ran less in the future, without us, there is not a good option I couldn’t see for decades.” WOLF CREEK will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2025, the Republican reported. The plant is licensed to operate until 2045. In the early 2030s, Wolf Creek management will consider asking for an additional 20-year extension. “Our plant is good enough to do that,” Reasoner said. “Our plant is later vintage than a lot of the nuclear plants out there … it is a newer, more robust design.”
Source: The Iola Register
‘Non-resident homeless’ people will be sent to their ‘place of origin’ under Lawrence policy
The City of Lawrence released new details Tuesday about its policy to serve primarily people who are from Douglas County with homelessness resources, and to send others elsewhere. Under the policy, the city provides “non-resident homeless individuals” with short-term assistance and helps them return to their “place of origin,” according to a city news release. Service providers working with the city are expected to follow suit. “We’re not servicing individuals long term that cannot prove that they’re residents, and that’s going to start going into our contracts, because we just don’t have the bandwidth to do that,” Misty Bosch-Hastings, director of the city’s Homeless Solutions Division, said during a meeting last month. The policy has been publicly discussed for at least a month, but the formal announcement of the policy comes a week after the Lawrence City Commission approved putting a question on the ballot to ask Lawrence voters to approve a sales tax to support homelessness services. The majority of people experiencing homelessness who agreed to answer the point-in-time count survey in January reported that they have lived in Lawrence or Douglas County for 12 months or more, according to data from Kristen Egan, Douglas County regional coordinator for the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition. Of the 414 respondents counted in this year’s survey, 289, or 71%, said they’d been in Douglas County for more than 12 months; 51, or 13%, said seven to 12 months; and 69, or 17%, said they’d been here for zero to six months. “Our new policy ensures that we prioritize Douglas County residents while offering short-term support to those from other areas,” Bosch-Hastings said in the city’s release. “By focusing on local needs and providing a pathway for non-residents to return home, we can manage our resources effectively and help more people find stability. This approach reflects our commitment to compassionate, practical solutions for everyone in need.”
Source: The Lawrence Times
Hesston told grocery store two years out
With a crowd of standing-room-only and overflow to the outdoors, several hundred people turned out to receive an update on a long-discussed grocery store project at a community conversation at Hesston’s Dyck Arboretum. Brad Heppner, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Beneficient, was the featured speaker of the conversation, during which he gave a long talk about the history of grocers in Hesston, his vision for the store and revitalization of Main Street, before opening the floor to questions. Hesston has been without a grocery store since 2018. “I’m Hesston,” he said. “My family was one of the 26 founding families in Hesston.” Currently, Heppner said the project cannot move forward until Golden Plains Credit Union has a new building.
As of now, the engineers are in the design stage for the relocation of the bank to a corner of Old 81 Highway and Lancaster. One of Heppner’s Beneficient staff members stated they wanted to complete the design of the new credit union by November or December of this year, with the groundbreaking to begin in January or February of 2025. Once the bank is built, then the project can move into specifically grocery-store-related activity. The people in charge speculate the grocery store is probably two years away from opening, which puts the date sometime in 2026. “Right now, our main objective is to build Golden Plains a new building,” Heppner said. Heppner said he thought they were looking at around two years before the grocery store project could be completed. Heppner is the CEO of Beneficient, which will provide funding for the store through the Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions Act, passed in Kansas in 2021.
In exchange for a charter to operate within the state, the law requires Beneficient to dedicate 2.5 percent of the value of its transactions for the benefit of the Hesston area, as well as the Kansas State Department of Commerce. The Beneficient Heartland Foundation is to oversee the portion allocated to Hesston. According to information at Tuesday’s event, the money available to Hesston currently totals $13.9 million. This money is in the form of assets and not cash. “As long as the TEFFI makes money, we should be able to get to projects on the other side of the street,” Heppner said. “If there’s someone who wants to open a business, there are buildings available.” White’s Foodliner is still on board to operate the grocery store once it opens. They estimated it would bring 50 jobs to Hesston of both full- and part-time opportunity. The store will offer a mobile app, loyalty rewards and an endowment for 100 low-income families to be able to purchase groceries. Jordan White said their stores can offer as much inventory as Dillons and will have a deli. Heppner also spoke of plans for an underground parking garage with air conditioning, heating and elevators for the grocery store. Parking will still be offered along Main Street, as well, with a revitalized rustic store front on the east side of Main Street. A website will be launched and linked through the City of Hesston’s website so the general public can see the drawings and track the progress of the project.
Source: Harvey County Now
Newton Fire/EMS receives $500,000 grant
After resourcefully building their own tender to haul water years ago, the Newton Fire/EMS department received just over half a million dollars toward a new fire tender. This will be the first time in nearly 10 years the department has a traditional tender. In 2015, when the engine that hauled 1,000 gallons of water was replaced, the new one only carried half as much. For three years, the department went without a tender. “The city couldn’t afford it,” Deputy Chief Cory Lehman said. In 2018, the department worked together and transformed an old 1983 military truck into a new water tender. “We’ve got a bunch of talent in our department that put it together,” Lehman said. The department applied for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Department of Homeland Security last year, as well, but didn’t get it. This year, they were awarded $518,000. Lehman said they were happy to get it this year, because recipients are rare. “For all the apparatus, only about 10 percent get vehicles they requested,” Lehman said. The old tender no longer met National Fire Protection Association standards for water carrying capacity. Lehman said the city areas aren’t a problem because there are plenty of hydrants, but in the rural areas, it becomes an issue. “In town, you’ve got hydrants all over. Out of town, there’s no hydrants,” Lehman said. He said it would be used for this more. “It’s used a lot more for incidents out of town,” Lehman said. “For rural structure fires.” A release from the city added that the old tender didn’t have the dump valves needed to shuttle water in rural fires. The release said the city was responsible for covering a 10 percent match of $51,818.
Source: Harvey County Now
Washington School’s new lease on life
First built in 1887, the Washington School heard the pitter-patter of young feet for nearly 100 years. The original three-story building was replaced in 1937 with the current one-story structure that served Kindergarten through sixth grade until 1980. For a short while after, it was an adult reading center, then used for storage. In 2008, then-owner Randy Vilela had the building registered as a national historic landmark. In August 2023, Washington School got a new lease on life. Purchased by Point Forward, a local non-profit, the school is currently undergoing a radical remodeling and transformation into a childcare facility. On Tuesday, Point Forward Chairman Ron Scripsick gave a tour of the ongoing work to members of the Point Forward Board, Crawford County Commission, and the press. The transformation is immediate. What had been a deteriorating building is being revitalized into a modern childcare facility. Despite the water damage from a collapsing roof, the building’s masonry skeleton has withstood the years of neglect and has remained solid and firm. An entirely new roof now covers the old school. Inside, metal studs are spaced along exposed brickwork, waiting for the windows to be installed so the drywall can be hung. The new facility isn’t so much a single-building school, but more of a campus. Childcare will be in the old school while a second building is being constructed to the north for pre-K children whose next stop is Kindergarten. A pair of playgrounds will flank the old school and the alley behind it will be converted into a one-way drive for pick-up and drop-off with a parking lot to the east for faculty and parents. The old building, roughly 14,150 square-feet, will feature nine classrooms for children ranging in age from infant to three-and-a-half. The front entrance is flanked by the administrative office and a clinic with a nurse’s station at the south end of the main north-south hallway. Two parallel hallways, running east-to-west, branch of the main hall, bracketing an auditorium between them with the northern hall accessing the kitchen. The auditorium can double as a playground during inclement weather. The new 5,790-square-foot building, situated to the north, will feature five classrooms for children 3-5 years old. The two buildings will be connected by a covered walkway. The total capacity for the school is 256 students. Each class will have two sessions — one morning, one afternoon — with 20 children per session. In all, the project is estimated to cost $5.7 million. To build a similar, newer facility could cost upwards of two to three times as much, according to Point Forward. There are tentative plans to partner with Pittsburg State once the center is up and running. With the main campus a few blocks to the south and the new Gorilla Rising just to the north, Shawn Naccarato, vice president for Economic Development and Community Engagement at Pittsburg State, said there is opportunity for the two to work together, especially with the Reading Center being moved downtown to the Besse. “Many kids without pre-school take until third grade before they catch up to those with pre-school,” Naccarato said. “With the university’s reading center just down the street, we can introduce those programs at an earlier age to increase outcomes.” Naccarato also pointed out possible collaboration with the Kelce School of Business. “You never think about these things until they are right across the street,” he said. Those involved with the project said it will be nice to have children running down the halls of the historic building again. Source: Morning Sun
Debate on Brown County map at commission meeting, NIETC resolution discussed
The Brown County commissioners discussed a press release by Kansas Senator Jerry Moran about opposing the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) line and also discussing the Brown County map. Commissioner Richard Lehmkuhl was present during the meeting via Zoom video call. Commissioner Lamar Shoemaker brought up the subject of Senator Moran contesting the NIETC proposal and that there would be legislation created to go against the proposal, with the legislation involving banning federal funds to stop the line from going through private property. “The decision will be up to Kansas, not Washington,” Shoemaker said. Pollock asked if there was a moratorium regarding the NIETC line, with Shoemaker stating that a letter would be sent. Hill said that a letter or resolution of support could be done, and that a copy of either could be drafted and reviewed. Lehmkuhl also agreed that a resolution was needed to help give landowners a fighting chance in court against the NIETC line and even said there was a resolution from another county that they could look off and reference from. The next topic was about the land use map. Brown County Attorney Kevin Hill expressed puzzlement why Dick Horton Consulting was having trouble with the Brown County map and that more exploration was needed with the comprehensive plan. Lehmkuhl pointed out that there were volunteers in the Brown County Planning Commission involved in the map planning and said, “I think we already wasted more than $500 dollars talking about it every week and sending things back and forth. Those people come and volunteer their time for free. I think we need to get this accomplished.” Hill argued that the county did not waste any time as this issue as brought to Dick Horton himself three months ago. “The time wasting is not on the county, it’s on them,” Hill said. “I understand what’s everybody’s saying,” Lehmkuhl replied. “I’m just saying for a $35,000 project, we’re here holding up $500 for several weeks and we need to move forward so we can get our comprehensive plan doing. That’s all I have to say.” Hill argued again that the dilemma with the map was reflective of Horton, not on the Planning Commission and that Horton was working for the Planning Commission; he recommended using the map KDOT had and submit that map with towns missing written in. Shoemaker said that the Planning Commission needs to send a letter in written format to follow up and state that they were not using Dick Horton Consulting’s map. The next Brown County meeting will take place on Aug. 30 and it will involve the final decision on the budget for Brown County.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
Why is there a tuberculosis outbreak in Wyandotte County?
Nearly 50 cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed in Wyandotte County — more than the total number of cases in the state of Kansas last year. Still, experts say overall public risk is low. Health officials have confirmed 49 cases of the respiratory disease tuberculosis in Wyandotte County, more cases than the entire state of Kansas had last year. Tuberculosis is not widespread in the United States, but 40 states and Washington, D.C., reported increases in 2023. KCUR’s Steve Kraske spoke with Dr. Dana Hawkinson of the University Kansas Health System about the disease, how to treat it and why public risk remains low amid the latest outbreak.
Source: KCUR News
63% of rural hospitals in Kansas at risk of closing
Kansas has seen eight hospitals close since 2015. Now more than 90 hospitals in the Sunflower State are at risk or immediate risk of closing. The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (CHQPR) keeps track of rural hospitals that are at risk of closing. Last year, the organization found 600 rural hospitals were at risk of closing. This year, CHQPR is reporting 703 hospitals at risk across the nation. Kansas makes up 8% of the nation’s at-risk rural hospitals and 8% of those at immediate risk. CHQPR cited losses in patient services, insufficient revenue and low financial reserves as factors contributing to hospital closures. “Many hospitals have managed to remain open despite losses on patient services because they receive local tax revenues or state government grants. However, there is no guarantee that these funds will continue to be available in the future or that they will be sufficient to cover higher costs,” CHQPR wrote in the report. Last year, 27 News looked into rural hospital closings and found 58% were at risk of closing. Kansas has had eight rural hospital closures since 2015 and currently has 98 rural hospitals, down from 104 last year. In total, 84% of rural hospitals in Kansas are operating at a median loss with 84 hospitals impacted. There are 62 rural hospitals at risk of closing in Kansas with 63% of hospitals impacted, a 5% increase since last year. There are 31 hospitals at immediate risk of closure impacting 32% of rural hospitals in Kansas, according to the report. Since last year, three additional hospitals were added to the list of those at immediate risk. Expanding the Medicaid program in Kansas,” Senior Vice President for the Kansas Hospital Association Cindy Samuelson said. “That would not only help every hospital in the state, but also thousands of Kansans would have access to healthcare coverage. If we have more hospitals closures and more communities that don’t have close access to care, that really just hurts Kansans.” In 2023, Governor Laura Kelly cited the rural hospital closures as part of her efforts to expand Medicaid: “Already, too many rural hospitals have shut their doors. When that happens, the communities have been devastated. These Kansans have to drive hours now to receive their basic care. There is an obvious way to stop the bleeding: Expand Medicaid.” The last hospital to close down was in Herington last October. Residents in the area now need to travel more than 20 miles to receive emergency care. Last year the HQPR report said increasing payments to prevent closures of at-risk rural hospitals would cost about $4 billion per year and represent only a 1/10 or 1% increase in national healthcare spending. The report said spending would likely increase if more hospitals closed because care would cause residents in rural communities to be sicker and need more future services.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Ordinance discussed for electric vehicles
Chief Wahwasuck also discussed a potential ordinance needed for the electric vehicles around town. “We are looking at working on an ordinance for all the electronic vehicles around town… All the major municipalities have put one in place,” Chief Wahwasuck said. “From what I have gone through looking at them, you have to operate them just like you would a bicycle… Right now, they are restricted on roadways, but a lot of people don’t want them on sidewalks, so it comes down to what do we want? Do we want to keep them on the sidewalks for certain things? Do we want them on the streets? What do we want on the streets?” Wahwasuck said he would recommend possibly restricting electric vehicles from certain streets like Old Highway 75 and Main Street. Edelman also mentioned Oregon being considered as well. Wittmer and Aberle agreed that while rules are becoming necessary, they were hesitant about putting too many restriction on the electric vehicles. “The handful of kids that I know use them as their transportation,” Aberle said. “I think everyone is in agreeance that we don’t want too many rules and regulations, but helmets would be a key one. I think that makes them more visible as well,” Bletscher said.
Source: Sabetha Herald