Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

This JoCo district wants to tear down and rebuild more schools. Why not just renovate?

In the past couple of years, the Shawnee Mission school district has torn down five grade schools and constructed six new ones. Now officials are eyeing which ones to rebuild next.

In Johnson County, it’s an issue that doesn’t come up as much in the newer school districts to the south and west, where buildings are generally decades younger than the half-century-old schools that were recently demolished across Shawnee Mission. Districts such as Blue Valley and Olathe are either constructing brand new schools are updating and refreshing existing buildings.

But in Shawnee Mission, it’s simply more cost effective to knock down the aging, problematic buildings and replace them with bright, modern schools, complete with flexible classrooms and the latest technology, said district spokesman David Smith. Voters in 2015 approved a $233 million bond issue to help pay for the six new buildings.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Hundreds convene on JCCC campus for first-ever Metro KC Climate Action Summit

Hundreds of local officials and residents came together on the campus of Johnson County Community College on Saturday for the inaugural Metro KC Climate Action Summit, which brought together elected leaders and climate experts to discuss ways the region can take action on climate change.

“We hope that people obviously leave inspired,” said Mike Kelly, Roeland Park mayor and Climate Action KC co-founder, of the event. “We hope they can understand a little bit more about what they can do in their own sphere of influence — whether that is in their home, in their business or in their city — but also that we inform people and engage people in our larger process, which is a climate action plan for all of metropolitan Kansas City.”

Registered attendees had a day packed with breakout sessions, guest speakers and an environmental expo. Experts in a variety of fields shared their views on how and why others in their areas should take action against climate change. For example, Christopher King, a retired brigadier general, discussed how climate change affects the United States’ national defense system.

Newton Fire/EMS receives grant

After several attempts to secure grant funding for new equipment, the Newton Fire Department was successful in getting an Assistance to Firefighters Grant that will mean new breathing equipment.

Newton Fire/EMS has received a $154,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant will be used to purchase National Fire Protection Association-compliant self-contained breathing apparatus, spare bottles and masks.

Newton’s application was one of more than 8,400 in a competitive process. Chief Steve Roberson gave credit to the department’s budget support team for their diligence in pursuing grant funding.

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Reduction in homeless shelter capacity raises question: Where can people legally sleep?

For Lawrence’s homeless with nowhere to go at night, their new beds consist of a park gazebo, the dry concrete next to a building or a patch of ground along the Kansas River. Others opt not to sleep at all.

“Some walk the streets to stay awake, for safety, because they don’t want to lie down to go to sleep,” said Loring Henderson, director of a downtown drop-in center for the homeless at 10th and Kentucky streets. Those homeless people, Henderson said, opt to take short naps during the day because they fear being assaulted or having their possessions stolen if they sleep out in the open at night.

Fair board’s group chat conflicts with KOMA

The Kansas State Fair Board has been using a group chat for the past two years to communicate with its members during the fair.

While the conversations were “inconsequential,” State Fair general manager Robin Jennison said, he acknowledged its use is likely a violation of the Kansas Open Meeting Act.

Max Kautsch, an attorney who advises for the Kansas Press Association, said use of such an app or group chat is clearly a violation of the law.

“It’s a classic example of why the Open Meeting law exists and is interpreted the way it is: to prevent a body from doing the business of the body behind the public’s back, which is what is happening here,” Kautsch said.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Citizens help seek the direction for Derby’s future

Derby resident Lisa O’Hair spent a bit of a recent afternoon examining concepts for the city’s future at the Vision Derby 2040 Design Studios event.

She said it was time well spent and got to make a point of wanting to make the city a more environmentally friendly one.

“We love Derby but it’s not that ‘green,’” she said.

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O’Hair said she and her family, who have lived here for 4-1/2 years, would like to see more emphasis on the environment, including opening up space for community gardens and additional stress on recycling.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

UTVs soon will be allowed on Paola city streets

The ordinance defines a UTV as any vehicle designed for off-highway use which has: a width no less than 48 inches; an overall length, including the bumper, of not more than 135 inches; four or more wheels; low pressure tires; side-by-side seating; a steering wheel; non-straddle seating; manufacturer-provided foot controls for throttle and braking; occupant restraints and rollover protective measures.

Under the revised ordinance, which council members unanimously approved, UTVs will be allowed on city streets with posted speed limits less than 45 miles per hour. There are a number of conditions listed, including the fact that the UTV must be equipped with lights, turn signals and reflectors and be inspected each year.

Drivers must have a valid unrestricted license, and the UTVs must be registered with the Paola Police Department, which will give the owner a registration sticker to place on the vehicle. The sticker will be valid through Dec. 31 of the year that it is issued.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Derby passes conditional smoking ban in parks

It’s going to be tougher to smoke in Derby’s parks.

At its Sept. 10 meeting, the City Council approved an ordinance banning smoking and vaping from outdoor gathering areas and within 20 feet of those spaces.

The ordinance also added e-cigarettes to Derby’s Clean Indoor Air Ordinance and put the same restrictions on vaping as smoking. That part, however, didn’t spark the same examination as the subject of smoking in the parks.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Reno County administrator input session draws just one

Just one person showed up Friday for a public input session with the group helping Reno County select its next county administrator.

The resident emphasized a need for experience and someone with the ability to communicate at all levels…

The man, who Commissioner Ron Hirst said was a former volunteer with the Reno County Health Coalition, also suggested a need for someone able to coordinate equally well with department heads and elected officials, someone who has clear leadership ability and who can direct projects and staff.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Parsons talks about plan to check on rentals

The first step in a rental inspection program in Parsons likely will be creation of a registration list, which could begin as early as January.

Rob Gartner, city building inspector and code enforcer, talked to city commissioners about the research he has done in other cities’ programs Thursday during a work session.

After years of intermittent discussion, the city of Parsons took a step toward instituting a rental inspection program to ensure units in town are safe for tenants. The commission approved a 2020 budget in August after adding money for a part-time building inspector with the goal of starting inspections next year.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

‘This is spiraling downward:’ Overland Park questions if Metcalf blight will ever be fixed

When Overland Park officials last year approved tax incentives to revitalize a blighted area off Shawnee Mission Parkway, they expected to replace two crime-ridden motels with a new luxury hotel, restaurants and retail.

Instead, they’re getting a car wash.

City Council members called it the latest broken promise from the developer who pledged to clean up the Metcalf Crossing site, at 7240 Shawnee Mission Parkway, at the northwest corner of the intersection with Metcalf Avenue. The developer was supposed to demolish the two run-down motels by last December. But they’re still standing, empty.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

County’s 5-year plan for waste management addresses plastic bags, food waste

Grocery store plastic bags won’t be taxed any time soon, but the county will likely look into it in the next couple of years because of the high level of public interest.

County commissioners on Thursday approved a five-year strategic plan for managing waste that goes into the landfill. Among the items in it was a feasibility study to find the best way to reduce the number of single-use plastic bags that end up in the landfill or, mistakenly, in the recycling bin.

Managing the loose plastic bags generated some of the most impassioned discussion among county staff and members of the Solid Waste Management Committee who wrote the recommendations, said Craig Wood, solid waste management coordinator. The committee is made up of local government leaders, environmental organizations and private waste-related businesses.

Winfield to map out future

Public meetings will be held in the future to gather information from Winfield residents on the city’s comprehensive plan update and a master plan for parks, trails and recreation.

More details were discussed about the comprehensive plan update and the master plan during the commission work session Thursday afternoon.

This process of creating the plans will involve the governing body, the city planning commission, steering committees, the public and the city park board, said David Foster of Foster Design Associates in Wichita, which is helping the city with the plans.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Kansas Offers Plenty Of Jobs, But Not Enough People To Take Them

Over the last five years, almost 15,000 workers disappeared from the Kansas workforce.

During the same timeframe, the state is growing economically, with a recent monthly report showing 14,000 jobs created in the last year and unemployment at 3.3%. That’s below the national rate.

Despite the good news, Kansas officials see a long-term challenge: having enough employees to fill the state’s jobs, especially in high-demand careers like nursing and accounting.

The total labor force in Kansas peaked in 2009 at 1.521 million, likely driven by the economic downturn that caused people to enter the labor force who otherwise wouldn’t be working. That tapered off, and by the middle of 2014, Kansas’ workforce was 1.493 million.

(Read more: Hays Post)

$750,000 grant to WPD for state of the art gun crime center

Wichita police are hoping a new federal grant will help curb violent crime in the city.

Police say this grant has been in the works for months, and now, it is finally approved.

“The gun crime intelligence centers have been in formation for the last couple of years and the cities where they’ve been started, there’s been a significant decrease in crime,” says Chief Gordon Ramsay.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Students provide ‘miracle’ for Ellis homeowner

For the dozen Fort Hays State University students in Ellis on Saturday morning, it was a day of giving to the surrounding community.

For Evelyn Fisher, it was much more.

“In my world, this is a miracle,” she said, as she watched the students painting the exterior of her home on 10th Street.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Kiowa County communities come together to support 12-year-old

The communities of Mullinville and Greensburg in Kiowa County came together Labor Day to support one of their own. Twelve-year-old Brogan Tweedy, of Greensburg, was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia on July 31 after a routine visit to the eye doctor resulted in a visit to a specialist in Wichita the next day.

That doctor ordered an MRI and the doctor who read the results informed the family that Brogan had M0 acute myeloid leukemia.

Brogan, who will turn 13 on Oct. 16, has been in Wichita since that day, getting treatment for the rare form of leukemia that, according to his doctors, hasn’t been recorded in 20 years. It is so rare it is being documented in two medical journals in hopes of helping others.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Pittsburg may soon get rentable scooters

If approved by the city commission at its next meeting, Pittsburg residents and visitors will soon have access to a fleet of electric scooters that riders can easily rent using a mobile app on their phones for $1 per 15 minutes.

The scooters will be owned and serviced by the company VeoRide. Deputy City Manager Jay Byers said similar mobile app operated scooter companies such as Bird and Lime might be reluctant to come to Pittsburg because they generally offer their services in larger cities.

“We tend to be on the smaller side of the market,” Byers said, “and VeoRide was the company that was first willing to come to Pittsburg, and they came to us and asked us if they could put scooters in play, and we said sure, but we have to pass the ordinance first.”

(Read more: News – The Ottawa Herald)

Osawatomie hires interim city manager

A former city administrator for the city of Lansing for 16 years has been selected to serve as interim city manager until the city of Osawatomie can find outgoing manager Don Cawby’s successor.

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday, Sept. 12, to hire Michael Smith as interim city manager. Smith served as city administrator of Lansing from 1999 until his retirement in 2015. Prior to that post, Smith served Lansing for two decades as the community’s police chief.

Smith is the current mayor of Lansing and also is president of the Kansas Mayors Association.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

WSJ ANALYSIS: When Negotiated Underwriters Flip Municipal Bonds, Local Governments Pay the Price

When the West Contra Costa Unified School District in California needed money to repair and upgrade deteriorating classrooms, it hired [a “negotiated” underwriter] to sell $191 million of municipal bonds.

As far as school officials knew, the March 2016 sale went off flawlessly, enabling the district to refinance older debt and tackle tasks such as removing asbestos and upgrading science labs.

However, within a day of the initial sale, the original buyers sold, or “flipped,” $35 million of the district’s bonds for a profit of $306,000, a Wall Street Journal analysis of trading in the bonds found.

Within 10 trading days, the post-offering trading had generated $1.24 million of market-adjusted profits. [The “negotiated” underwriter] participated in some of that trading, buying back bonds and reselling them.

Newly issued municipal bonds, which are marketed as long-term investments, aren’t supposed to trade like that. The post-offering buying and selling suggests West Contra Costa’s bonds—sold in what is called a negotiated offering—were initially underpriced. That means the district will pay more in interest over the life of the bonds than it would if the bonds had been priced closer to what subsequent investors paid.

“That’s money being left on the table that costs taxpayers and rate payers and governments,” said Patrick Clancy, who recently retired after 30 years as a financial adviser to local governments issuing bonds. “That’s not the way it’s supposed to go.”

Some Kansas cities and schools still use an Underwriter as their “financial advisor”! Here’s how to find out if you do [in 3 EASY STEPS]

Although it’s widely considered a “best practice” to use an independent advisor (i.e., not an underwriter-broker/dealer) when issuing municipal bonds, some local governments still use an underwriter as their advisor!

Key reasons to NOT use an underwriter/broker-dealer as your advisor:

Underwriters sometimes don’t take competitive bids, and dictate the interest rate in a “negotiated” bond sale!
Underwriters have other clients (bond buyers) who want a high interest rate (the opposite of what you want!)
Underwriters have an incentive to put higher interest rates on your bonds so they can more easily sell them
If an underwriter takes competitive bids, federal law prohibits them from bidding, so your pool of bidders may be significantly smaller

For all these reasons (and others), it’s often considered a best practice to use an independent advisor (i.e., not an underwriter-broker/dealer) when issuing municipal bonds.

Here’s how to find out if your Financial Advisor is independent — or a broker-dealer.

Click here to go to the MSRB website to check the qualifications of your Municipal Advisor.
Type in the name of your advisor
When the name pops up, look at it’s “Registrant Type”

If the Registrant Type is “Municipal Advisor“, that means the advisor is independent and putting your community’s interests first!

If the Registrant Type is “Municipal Advisor/Broker Dealer”, that means the advisor may have the above concerns and conflicts!

At Ranson, we are independent advisors, NOT underwriter-advisors. So we will always put your interests first!
For more information, contact Larry Kleeman or Beth Warren.

Cowley College WCT to host Workforce Employer Summit on Sept. 24 in Wellington

Cowley College Workforce and Community Education is hosting a Workforce Employer Summit that will bring local industry and business partners together to learn how Cowley WCE can help them train incumbent workers and build a future talent pipeline.

The event will take place from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Cowley’s Sumner Campus in Wellington and from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Cowley’s main campus in Arkansas City.

(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

Family thanks Miami County EMS for road-side delivery

Miami County paramedic Jeff Watts smiled as he held 1-year-old Caroline Ferrero for a second time.

On this occasion — the celebration of her first birthday with pizza and cake Friday, Sept. 6, at the Louisburg fire station — was in more pleasant surroundings than the first time Watts held Caroline.

Stephanie Ferrero gave birth to Caroline on the side of U.S. Highway 69 north of Louisburg on Sept. 6, 2018. Watts held Caroline for the first time after cutting the umbilical cord on that cool and wet night.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Making Sense of Municipal Budgets

When it comes time to begin the development of your jurisdiction’s annual budget, which song immediately pops into your head: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” or “Don’t Cry Out Loud”?

We suspect that the answer to this question will be the same whether asked of staff or elected officials.

For most, the budget process is viewed as an accounting exercise that involves a multitude of spreadsheets, request forms and formulas all leading to a “balanced budget”. Oftentimes, the process seems to be cloaked in mystery because no one is quite sure what happens between the time budget requests are submitted and the point at which a draft budget is presented for review. From our experience as a Finance Director and an Elected Official, it felt like a laborious effort that detracted from our actual job responsibilities andwasted a lot of time and paper. The end result is a final Approved Budget document that is full of numbers and graphs, which often falls short of clearly communicating how resources are being allocated to achieve the goals of the organization and meet the needs of community.

(Read more: CitiesSpeak)

City could drop undefined EMS lawsuit

The Haven Community EMS Board is taking steps to hire a professional accounting firm to handle day-to-day operations of the ambulance service – a move that could prompt the city to end its lawsuit against the cooperative service, according to one source.

Now operating with just half of a board, because the city no longer sends its four representatives to EMS board meetings, the group is moving ahead with constructive action, said Dale Kaufman, chairman of the EMS board.

“We are hoping to meet next week with the accountant,” Kaufman said.

The CPA firm of Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk and Loyd currently handles accounting work for the city of Haven and for the three townships in the EMS group. Now they will be considered for managing EMS accounts, he said.

(Read more: Rural Messenger)

Lenexa’s Complete Streets program recommends adding 139 miles of bike lanes, sharrows and trails in city

A review of Lenexa’s transportation system found that the city is doing well on serving vehicle transportation needs, but it could use some improvements on walkability and bikeability.

These were some of the findings presented to Lenexa city leaders on Tuesday when they got a first look at the results of Complete Streets, a year-long study on the development of a more complete transportation infrastructure in the city.

As a result, the Complete Streets program proposes adding 70 miles of bike lanes and sharrows, or 19% of the city’s 365-mile road network, as well as adding 69 miles of trails to the city’s 43-mile trail network.

Detter Resigns as Andover City Administrator; McCausland Named Successor

After the executive session of last night’s, September 10th, City Council Meeting, Mayor Ben
Lawrence and the members of the City Council accepted City Administrator Mark Detter’s letter of
resignation. Detter, who has been the City Administrator for Andover since March of 2015 has
accepted a new challenge, taking the City Manager position in Valdez, AK. His final day will be
September 20.

(Read more: Andover – News Flash)

Mission Police Department adding specialized unit to focus on analyzing crime trends, solving problems

The Mission Police Department is creating a special unit of two police officers dedicated to solving problems, building cases and analyzing crime trends in the community.

Cap. Dan Madden said the officers, who will likely be hired internally, will receive specialized training as the police department’s first Directed Patrol Unit.

“They’re essentially a problem-solving unit, being able to look at and interpret data, and know where to get it,” Madden said.

Flip a Felon campaign hopes to reduce crime in Kansas

Sedgwick County announced a campaign Thursday aimed at assisting law enforcement with the arrests of wanted persons with felony warrants in Sedgwick County, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

The campaign called “Flip-A-Felon” will target specific known individuals who have warrants for
violent crimes and/or felony weapons warrants. This campaign is in collaboration with the
Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Department of Corrections. Each agency has provided Crime Stoppers with a list of some of their most wanted persons featured in this campaign.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Butler County teachers receive state recognition

Several Butler County educators are among those nominated for the 2020 Kansas Teacher of the Year award.

Nominees were announced Tuesday via a Kansas State Department of Education news release and included recognition of Kansas teachers from four regions spanning the entire state.

Butler County falls in Region 4 with five educators being nominated from local schools: Tiffany Arnold, Augusta Middle School; Denise Johnson, Blackmore Elementary School, El Dorado; Carla Ryan, Remington Middle School, Remington-Whitewater; Shala Willis, Robinson Elementary School, Augusta; Kara Belew, Andover Central High School; and Chase Casteel, Flinthills High School.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

With JCPRD partnership gone, Roeland Park looks to private company for pool management services

The Roeland Park City Council is preparing for changes to management of its pool operations following the termination of the long-standing joint operating agreement between the city and Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

The city is looking to Midwest Pool Management to pick up some of the duties handled under the previous agreement with JCPRD. The city and JCPRD held a ceremony this summer marking the city’s assumption of ownership of the facility.

As teardown-rebuild wave continues, Fairway council asks for review of new home approval process

As the wave of teardown-rebuild projects in the city continues, the Fairway City Council has asked its planning commission to take a fresh look at the building code and review process. But one member of the planning commission is raising concerns that changes to the status quo could eliminate important checks on homebuilders.

The council on Monday directed the planning commission to conduct a review of chapter 15 of the building code, which last underwent a major rewrite in 2014. The city has approved a half dozen changes to it since then, but none of them have been major. The document serves as a guideline for development and redevelopment projects in regards to “health, safety and welfare,” said Mayor Melanie Hepperly, and city staff use the document on a daily basis to determine whether building plans meet the city’s standards.

Merriam approves transferring property to Johnson County Library to build Antioch branch on community center campus

Merriam has taken the next steps to transfer ownership of property on the new community center campus to the Johnson County Library as part of the library’s plans to locate the Antioch library branch on site.

The property conveyance agreement approved by the city of Merriam this week outlines the following:

An anticipated timeline for construction and opening

Permission for Merriam to use the property as open space until library construction begins

Shared maintenance and ongoing use of shared infrastructure on site (plaza area between buildings, parking structure, internal access roads)

As population ages, county government needs to prepare for serving more seniors’ needs

Each week we provide a member of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners the opportunity to share an update on what issues are catching their attention. This week, we have a column from 3rd District Commissioner Steve Klika. He’s co-authored the following with Pam Shernuk, vice-chair of the Johnson County Commission on Aging.

Earlier this year the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) identified three strategic priorities for 2019-2020:

1. Complete/advance existing projects approved by voters and the Board of County Commissioners with efficiency and effectiveness.

2. Strengthen and finance the appropriate level of service to meet the needs of the county’s vulnerable populations, pursuing innovative strategies.

3. Develop a creative and innovative vision for a transit plan that is financially sustainable.

For the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on priorities two and three.

Early Shawnee Mission facilities proposal calls for rebuilding Pawnee, Rushton and John Diemer Elementaries

Information presented at the first meeting of the district’s new Facilities Task Force on Tuesday suggested Pawnee, Rushton and John Diemer Elementaries could all be slated for demolition and reconstruction in the coming few years.

The task force is fleshing out a detailed analysis of the district’s current facilities, and developing a plan for what projects could be funded by a new bond issue if it were to be approved by district voters.

At present, the district is considering a possible $177 million bond issue in 2020. An issuance at that level would not require an increase in the tax rate needed to pay off the bonds using local option budget funds. Under Kansas law, such locally raised funds cannot be allocated to “in the classroom” expenses like teacher salaries, and can only be used on capital expenditures like facilities projects.

Mission, Roeland Park push for negotiations on deannexation process along shared border

Mission and Roeland Park are struggling to resolve a conflict over the terms to switch ownership of seven-tenths of an acre along a shared border of the two cities. But out of an effort to value the two cities’ history of working together on other issues, the cities have agreed to revisit negotiations on those terms in the next several days.

The plot of land in question is located on the northeast corner of Johnson Drive and Roe Boulevard. Both cities agree that under a deannexation agreement, Roeland Park would take over half of the financial responsibility for the traffic signal at Johnson and Roe, and Roeland Park would pay for expenses incurred in the deannexation process.

School board discusses busing concern in town

The Hiawatha School Board met for their regular session Monday night and among discussions was a concern by a patron about teachers’ kids being bused across town to the middle and high schools.

Superintendent Lonnie Moser said he was contacted by a patron who lives near the elementary school about this issue. He said she was concerned that the district allowed only the teachers’ kids to make use of this bus transportation, but that it wasn’t offered to other students.

(Read more: hiawathaworldonline.com)

EcoDevo approves two Small Business grants

The Stevens County Economic Development board met at noon in the craft room of the Senior Center for their monthly meeting August 13, 2019. Attending the meeting were board members Jack Rowden, Doug Martin, Neal Gillespie, Jonathon Pearcy and Curtis Crawford. Also present at the meeting were EcoDevo Director Jan Leonard, secretary Alisha Owens and Hugoton Hermes reporter Ruthie Winget. Board members absent were Judy Parsons, Adrian Howie, Walt Beesley and Ron Honig.

The board reviewed and approved the minutes of the July 9, 2019 meeting.

Treasurer Jack Rowden reported a checking account balance of $6,018.79 and the Special Projects balance of $23,612.67. He reported the Small Business Grants to 3LG Holdings and MC Oil of $2,500 each have not yet been paid out.

(Read more: Hugoton Hermes News)

County acquires land for new 911 towers

In an effort to improve the emergency 911 communications system in McPherson County, five new towers will be constructed in McPherson County, according to Emergency Management Director Julie McClure. The county has purchased several five-acre pieces of land to construct towers, ranging in height from 135 to 300 feet.

The McPherson tower will be 135 feet and located behind the McPherson Law Enforcement Center (LEC). The Lindsborg tower will be 300 feet and located on K-4 Highway on a five-acre purchased property. The Roxbury tower will be 300 feet and located on Smoky Valley Road on a five-acre purchased property. The Moundridge tower will be 300 feet and located on Buckskin Road on a five-acre purchased property. The Canton tower will be 175 feet and located in the 700 block of W. Railroad Street in a fenced compound on leased property.

The McPherson County Commission approved the tower locations at the Sept. 8 meeting.

(Read more: McPherson Weekly News » Feed)

BPU celebrates 50th anniversary

Hundreds of people flocked to Main Street on Thursday evening to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the founding of the McPherson Board of Public Utilities (BPU). BPU used the 50-year anniversary as a chance to thank customers for their support over the years.

“We just want to say thank you to the community, to our customers, since we have been a part here since 1969,” Carla Pearson with BPU said. “This is our way of saying thank you for supporting us.”

Paper or plastic? That may not be your choice much longer at Wichita stores

Paper or plastic? It’s not a choice you may have much longer.

Four women, including a fisheries scientist and a former City Council member, called on Wichita City Hall on Tuesday to ban single-use plastic bags at Wichita stores.

“Plastic bags are everyplace in our community and they are a hazard to our environment,” said former council member Lavonta Williams. “(We’re asking) that we put a task force together so we can look at the feasibility of putting a ban together.”

(Read more: Local News |)

Maize High students give back to community on 9/11 anniversary

It’s been 18 years since the world stopped.

Most of us remember exactly where we were on September 11, 2001.

But Maize High School students, most of whom weren’t even born yet, stepped out of the classroom Wednesday, to give back to the community.

Wednesday morning, trash, tires and overgrown weeds covered an alley by Pawnee and Broadway.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Kansas school district prepares to sue over e-cigarettes

Officials at a Wichita-area school district say they are preparing to sue the makers, distributors and sellers of electronic cigarettes and vaping products.

Goddard school board President Kevin McWhorter says the district has a responsibility to protect students from a “growing crisis.” He discussed the issue at a news conference Tuesday, the same day that health officials announced the first death in the state related to an outbreak of a lung disease linked to vaping.

The board passed a resolution Monday that allows a Kansas City area law firm to sue on the district’s behalf. McWhorter says the hope is that other schools and jurisdictions will file similar litigation targeting the e-cigarette and vaping industry.

Superintendent Justin Henry says the district doesn’t intend to seek class action status.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Kids belong in school – September celebrates National Attendance Awareness Month

Karla Martinez, attendance and behavior interventionist at Great Bend High School, spoke to Freshman and Sophomore JAG-K students during class on Friday. Before helping students set attendance goals for the school year, Martinez first explained what truancy is and how missing just two days of school each month ads up to 18 days or 10% of the school year.

The opening days of school conjure up images of backpacks stuffed with notebooks and unsharpened pencils, bulletin boards freshly decorated by teachers, and students showing off new clothes to old friends. But even in these early days of the new school year, some students already are heading toward academic trouble: They’re missing too many days of school.

Across the country, nearly 8 million students miss nearly a month of school every year—absences that can correlate with poor performance at every grade level. This trend starts as early as kindergarten and continues through high school, contributing to achievement gaps and ultimately to dropout rates. In our community, attendance rates reported in 2018 were 92.7, falling short of the State average of 94.5.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

‘It’s a manageable course.’ Lake Olathe Triathlon to highlight two-year renovation

On Sept. 21, the City of Olathe plans to put the spotlight on one of its newest attractions by drawing runners, swimmers and bicyclists to the area.

The city will host the Lake Olathe Triathlon to highlight a two-year renovation of the 170-acre lake and 258-acre community park. New amenities at this recreation destination include a beach and marina, paved trails, a nature playground and a 6,500 square-foot enclosed event pavilion with a glass front overlooking the lake.

Last year, while Lake Olathe was in the midst of its transformation, plans were launched for the triathlon at the suggestion of Parks and Recreation Director Michael Meadors.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)