Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Wind farm approval process might change

Future wind farms — and one with an approved conditional use permit — were discussed at Monday’s county commission meeting.

Commissioner Randy Dallke said he’d listened to enough discussion about, and opposition to, development of Expedition Wind Farm, and said some of the comments made by opponents should perhaps be considered in future wind farm propositions.

Although Expedition’s proposal was processed according to current planning and zoning regulations, Dallke said perhaps the plan should be reconsidered so more steps are taken during the planning commission’s consideration.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Electric car charging stations introduced at turnpike service areas

Electric vehicle drivers will be able to travel the entire 236-mile length of the Kansas Turnpike without ever having to exit to recharge their car’s batteries, thanks to the addition of “fast-charging” stations at the Topeka, Lawrence and Towanda service areas.

The announcement came during a news conference Wednesday morning at the turnpike’s Topeka Service Area, located just east of the capital city along Interstate 70.

Gov. Laura Kelly, who spoke at the news conference, called the charging stations “a game changer” for electric vehicle drivers.

Winfield wins Battle of the Badges drive

The Battle of the Badges blood drives in both Winfield and Arkansas City had great turnouts despite the low appointment numbers.

Winfield collected 89 units and Ark City collected 86. Congratulations to Winfield.

Those 175 units will help up to 525 patients.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Paola City Clerk honored for service

Dan Droste began his tenure as Paola city clerk under difficult circumstances after the untimely and sudden passing of City Clerk Jill Holmes in 2004.

“That was a very difficult chapter in Paola’s history, and a very big challenge for me,” Droste said.

During the past 15 years though, Droste has established himself as one of the most reliable and essential components of Paola City Hall.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Topeka officials hear from outsider on riverfront, hope to spur development soon

Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla sees riverfront development as the city’s next big win.

De La Isla was part of conversations Monday between city government, Greater Topeka Partnership members and out-of-towner Carol Coletta, president and CEO of the Memphis River Parks Partnership. Coletta visited Topeka to survey the city’s development and offer constructive criticism about how the city plans to make the Kansas River a focal point of its community.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity you have here, and I saw a tremendous commitment today — people who hung around all day long — to talk about the opportunity and figure out what are the next moves,” Coletta said. “I think they’re very practical, very action-oriented. I expect a lot of momentum to develop over the next several months to make this riverfront what it can be, ought to be, for Topeka.”

Big Pool gets one last year in the sun

Garden City’s Big Pool will see another season after the city commission on Tuesday voted to keep the pool open for the 2020 season.

That will be the final season for the historic pool before it is reconstructed into another water recreation feature.

The near 100-year-old facility has been seeing issues related to its age over the last few years, resulting in pipes needing replaced, cracks in concrete needing resealed — but most importantly, significant water loss. More than 200,000 gallons of water a day is lost from the pool when filled.

Lawrence approves ordinance requiring bars to train staff on sexual violence intervention

A new ordinance will soon require some bar and and restaurant workers in Lawrence to undergo sexual violence intervention training in order for the establishments to keep their local liquor licenses.

Despite opposition from several local bar and restaurant owners, the Lawrence City Commission approved the ordinance with a unanimous 4-0 vote on Tuesday. Commissioner Leslie Soden was absent from the meeting.

The measure was originally on the meeting’s consent agenda, which would have allowed the commission to approve it without discussing it. But it was pulled out for discussion when Topeka attorney Tuck Duncan, who helps businesses acquire liquor licenses, said he and other stakeholders in the restaurant and bar industry had concerns about it.

South Hutchinson doesn’t bite on aerial mosquito spray

The South Hutchinson City Council voted 2-3 Monday night on a motion that would have authorized the mayor to sign paperwork allowing the city to be sprayed for mosquito control.

It was the only city in Reno County to turn down free aerial spraying to be conducted Thursday night, according to Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti.

Results of traps on June 5 prompted health authorities from the federal to the state to the county level to favor aerial spraying. Federal dollars will cover the cost.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

USDA agencies may relocate to KC, but few existing employees may follow

The Kansas City area has celebrated the prospect of more than 500 new jobs with the relocation of two U.S. Department of Agriculture units. But few of the units’ existing employees may come along for the ride, The Hill reports.

Employees of the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture have until midnight Monday to decide whether to move from the Washington, D.C., area to Kansas City.

So far, only 27 of 250 ERS employees have committed to relocating, The Hill reports, citing employee tallies. Overall, employees say that 70 percent of ERS workers will not make the move to Kansas City, and 45 percent of NIFA employees will not move.

Redesign plans approved for Haviland district

The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday approved 71 schools in 30 districts – including Haviland Grade School – to launch their Kansans Can School Redesign Project plans during the 2019-2020 school year.
The schools/ districts were announced Tuesday, July 9, during a Kansas State Board of Education meeting. The schools/districts are a mix of Gemini I and Gemini II schools that applied to be a part of the Kansans Can School Redesign Project.

Gemini I schools applied to be a part of the project prior to the 2017-2018 school year, and upon acceptance, were given the option of planning for one year or two years prior to launching. Gemini I schools cleared for launch during the upcoming school year chose to take two years to plan before launching.

The Gemini II schools applied and were accepted into the project prior to the 2018-2019 school year and were given one year to plan prior to launching.
The approved Gemini I and Gemini II schools participated in regional redesign workshops during the 2018-2019 school year and were cleared for launch by a Launch Readiness Committee, which was comprised of representatives from the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and educational service centers. At the last workshop in May, schools presented their launch plans to the committee, and then the committee recommended a “Go” or a “No Go” (or not yet) for launch in the 2019-2020 school year.

(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

Riverfront Legacy Master Plan leaders set open house date

The community groups, governmental bodies, design and real-estate firms collaborating on a plan for the Arkansas River’s east bank area downtown have set a date and time for the first public engagement.

The Wichita Boathouse, 515 S. Wichita, will play host to an open house from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on July 31. Residents will receive information on what is planned over the next few months and may ask questions of the local groups and Populous, a Kansas City-based design firm.

Residents will be encouraged to offer ideas for the area, which is bounded by Kellogg, the river, Douglas Avenue and Main Street. A short presentation is scheduled for 5:15 p.m.

(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)

FCC approves nearly $40 million for rural broadband in Kansas

The FCC authorized nearly $38.7 million on Monday to fund broadband access for 10,864 unserved rural Kansas homes and businesses.

The Federal Communications Commission says the money is part of the third wave of support from last year’s Connect America Fund Phase II auction. Providers will begin receiving funding this month.

In Kansas, nearly $6.2 million was authorized in May and June. Today’s authorization brings the total to $44.86 million, which will connect 13,354 homes and businesses to modern broadband.

Nationwide, the auction last fall allocated $1.488 billion in support to expand broadband to more than 700,000 unserved rural homes and small businesses over the next 10 years. The FCC has already authorized two waves of funding in May and June, and funds from those first two waves are expanding connectivity to nearly 100,000 homes and businesses that lack service. Today’s action, which provides funding in 23 states, brings total authorized funding to nearly $803 million, or over half of the $1.488 billion allocated through the auction, expanding connectivity to 305,518 homes and businesses.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Flag Design Contest Winner

Congratulations to Kim Medvid whose design “Little Apple on the Prairie” was selected as the City of Manhattan flag contest design winner. A total of 3,021 ballots for the new flag were cast through online and in-person voting. The Little Apple on the Prairie design won with 29% of the votes.

“This has been a good process that generated a lot of community interest,” said Assistant City Manager Dennis Marstall. “It’s clear that people embrace the ‘Little Apple’ nickname and want to celebrate the City’s location in the Flint Hills.”

Artists as young as eight years old and as far away as Sweden participated in the contest, submitting 120 designs for consideration. All of the designs had meaningful symbolism that reflected the spirit of the heartland and Manhattan’s unique heritage. The winning design represents Manhattan as a land of growth and opportunity, with the “Little Apple” rising out of the Flint Hills. The colors of the original design were adjusted and represent the following:

(Read more: Manhattan – News Flash)

Lagging sales tax collections, ‘dark store’ appeals on commercial property put Overland Park officials on edge

An unexplained lag in sales tax collections and the prospect of losing commercial property tax revenues in a court battle had Overland Park officials on edge as they set the public hearing for the 2020 budget.

City Manager Bill Ebel told council members Monday that more bad news on either issue would likely mean spending cuts, even though the latest property valuation estimates are higher than anticipated.

Ebel’s comments came in a committee meeting before the council set Aug. 5 as the public hearing date for a 2020 budget that is largely unchanged from the one he recommended in June. The $304.8 million budget estimates that the tax rate will remain flat at 13.566 mills. The rates won’t become final until this fall, after appeals are finished.

Shawnee hosts first ‘imagineering’ session to collect public input on future of city

The city of Shawnee on Monday night conducted the first of three imagineering sessions as part of a visioning process for the city’s first ever strategic plan.

Their initial findings: Many residents like the city’s sense of community and amenities, and many others want to see economic development and better infrastructure.

Residents filled Transport Brewery in downtown Shawnee and broke off into groups to discuss the city’s strengths, opportunities and what they like about Shawnee, while deliberating on its weaknesses, threats and areas where they would like to see change.

GBCF 2019 youth grant opportunity

Golden Belt Community Foundation invites proposals for its upcoming competitive grant cycle focused on the health and well-being of youth, funded through the Kansas Health Foundation Youth Endowment and the Children’s Endowment. These funds support the health and well-being of youth and include, but are not limited to, enhancements to public play spaces, educational projects, recreation, safety, nutrition and physical activity.

Applications now are being accepted from qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations and public institutions, including schools, government entities, and other charitable organizations in Barton, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford counties.

Applications are available online by clicking Receive, and then Grants on the foundation website at www.goldenbeltcf.org. Grant guidelines also are posted on the website. If you have any questions, please contact the GBCF office.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Governor appoints three members to Kansas Water Authority

Governor Laura Kelly appointed three members to the Kansas Water Authority (KWA). The Kansas Water Authority plans for the development, management and use of state water resources by state or local agencies.

Kelly appointed the following members:

David Stroberg (R), Hutchinson, for the central Kansas groundwater management district seat, from names provided per statute K.S.A. 74-2622 by districts #2 and #5.

Chris Ladwig (U), Derby and Spirit Aerosystems, for the industrial water users seat, from names provided per statute K.S.A. 74-2622 by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce.

State Senator Carolyn McGinn (R), Sedgwick, for the environment and conservation seat, replacing Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Secretary Brad Loveless.

(Read more: Hays Post)

July 11 ceremony proclaimed De Soto ‘the fastest town in Kansas’ for internet

De Soto is seeing the fruits of its quest to bolster internet service, after being years behind the rest of the Kansas City area.

In fact, an invitation to a July 11 ceremony proclaimed De Soto “the fastest town in Kansas.” The occasion marked some early milestones in a venture that has brought 10-gigabit fiber service to the city, where some areas have had no land-based service at all.

The ceremony celebrated the first customer connections, as well as service to City Hall, a project that includes free internet for city government, a new phone system for the administrative offices and free Wi-Fi in the community center gym, the senior center and the aquatic center, said City Administrator Mike Brungardt.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Growing our own: Community expands entrepreneurship

Two years in, members of a local task force formed to try to grow entrepreneur-led business in Hutchinson and Reno County continue to sharpen their focus on how to create paths to homegrown success.

“It’s not just a technical fix,” said Kari Mailloux, program officer with the Hutchinson Community Foundation. “It’s not just one company here or one there. To get to our goal, we’ve got to build an environment and understand the environment that leads to more business.”

“Many, many people are working on this, and a critical mass is building in the community,” she said. “It’s not an exaggeration to say any day of the week there are a couple of high-level conversations going on regarding economic development and downtown revitalization.”

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Proponents mobilize to support Topeka Metro Bikes

Supporters of a bicycle sharing program set to be discontinued Dec. 1 are mobilizing in an effort to keep it alive.

Meanwhile, the Topeka Metro bus service announced Monday it would hold public meetings in August to gain public input and provide information on its plans to raise fares, reduce services, eliminate jobs and discontinue its bike sharing program. Specific dates haven’t yet been set.

Proponents of the Topeka Metro Bikes program will hold a rally Wednesday to encourage “continued dialogue and fiscal compromise between the City of Topeka and the Topeka Metropolitan Transportation Authority,” the rally’s organizer, Michaela Saunders, said Monday.

Electric scooters are here, Wichita, for you to rent

The company that put the bikes in Bike Share ICT became the first company to deploy electric rental scooters on Wichita streets Monday.

It’s only the beginning.

Zagster, based in Boston, is starting with 500 scooters in Wichita.

(Read more: Local News |)

Leawood family donates 1911 home to Shawnee Town 1929

The city of Shawnee is growing Shawnee Town 1929 in the coming years, with the addition of a few “new” century-old buildings and a storm sewer system underneath a portion of the outdoor museum and downtown area designed to mimic the city’s early 20th century society.

One of the newest additions coming to Shawnee Town is an old house built in 1911 in what is now Leawood. The owner of the house, Stu Sharp, is donating it to Shawnee Town to the city for free.

Shawnee must then cover costs, currently estimated from $95,000 to $125,000, to move the house and install it in Shawnee Town.

Leawood council will discuss possible non-discrimination ordinance at future meeting

The Leawood City Council on Monday moved to place discussion of a possible non-discrimination ordinance granting legal protections to LGBTQ+ individuals on the agenda of next month’s city council meeting.

The unanimous decision by the council came after a man named Rob Groves presented the city with a petition he’d circulated among residents asking for the governing body to consider passing an NDO like several neighboring cities have in recent months and years.

Amended petition filed in Fire District No. 1 lawsuit

Attorneys for the Delaware and High Prairie townships have filed an amended petition in a lawsuit related to Leavenworth County Fire District No. 1.

Leavenworth County is now named as one of two defendants in the lawsuit. An earlier petition had named the city of Lansing as the only defendant.

The case initially was filed in January by attorneys for the Delaware and High Prairie townships.

The governing bodies of the townships are seeking a declaratory judgment regarding a section of a 2003 interlocal agreement that established Leavenworth County Fire District No. 1.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Wichita police officer raises more than $1,000 for 75-year-old purse-snatching victim

A Wichita Police Officer is making us Kansas Proud after he helped raise more than a $1,000 to help a woman who was the victim of a purse snatching.

(Source: Officer Jason Lane)
Officer Jason Lane posted about the incident on his Facebook page July 9. He said the 76-year-old, Carolea Creekmore, called 911 on July 4 to report she was walking home from a family member’s house when two men ran up behind her and took her purse from her walker.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Governor appoints 3 members to Kansas Board of Regents

Gov. Laura Kelly has appointed three members to the Kansas Board of Regents.

The governor’s office announced in a news release Friday her picks for the governing body of the state’s six Regents universities and other educational institutions.

Her three appointees are Cheryl Harrison-Lee, Jon Rolph and Shellaine “Shelly” Kiblinger.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Vaccinations for school enrollment required by state law

School begins soon and that means your child will need to be vaccinated. Kansas state law requires all students to be vaccinated before attending school each year or to provide annual documentation of an exemption. The list of vaccinations has been updated for this 2019-20 school year.

The Hutchinson school district doesn’t consider a student enrolled and the student will not be allowed to attend school in August until the school receives documentation of the current vaccinations or a letter citing the exemption.

Vaccinations are available from a family physician, Prairie Star Health Center, The Little Clinic inside Dillons on East 30th, Reno County Health Department or local pharmacies.

Since vaccination providers do not automatically share this information with the district, parents and guardians will have to provide it before the first day of school. Additionally, families who enroll online will still need to bring the paper documentation for vaccinations or exemptions to the district office or school. Walk-in enrollment is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 31 for Pre-K through eighth grade and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 5 at Hutchinson High School.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

A 95-year-old film just discovered in a junk shop shows glimpse of life in 1920s Wichita

A rare — and remarkably clear — piece of footage that was recorded at a parade on Wichita’s Douglas Avenue on May 1, 1924, was recently discovered in an Arkansas City junk shop and shared with the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum under one condition:

Make sure everyone can see it.

The five-minute clip, now posted on the museum’s YouTube Channel, shows a snapshot of life in Wichita 95 years ago. In it, hundreds of people in dresses, suits and hats fashionable in the day are lined up along the 100 block and 200 blocks of East Douglas watching as men and boys in suit jacks, ties and page boy caps proceed down the street representing various groups, including schools like Hamilton, Allison and Horace Mann and groups like the Lions Club and Boy Scouts.

(Read more: Local News |)

Rental electric scooters to hit Wichita streets Monday

Wichita’s first electric rental scooters will be rolling on downtown streets starting Monday.

Zagster, the company that provides the bikes for Bike Share ICT, will begin operation using Spin scooters Monday morning, said Mike Tann, Wichita Transit director.

Zagster obtained city permission to deploy as many as 500 e-scooters in Wichita.

Two other companies, VeoRide and Slidr, have also obtained city permits to operate on the streets.

(Read more: Local News |)

Wichita police planning to put Clydesdale horses on patrol

The Wichita Police Department expects to put Clydesdale horses on patrol for the first time later this summer thanks to two nonprofit civic foundations.

The pair of Clydesdales will replace two horses that soon will be retired. The yet-to-be named Clydesdales from a Goddard farm are in training. The Wichita Eagle reports that they’re scheduled to make their public debut Aug. 7 in the farmers market in the historic Old Town district downtown.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Old Abilene Town Gunfighters return

His face is on billboards, brochures and You Tube videos promoting Old Abilene Town and its summer gunfights.
But this Saturday Wade Tuxhorn will not be giving his usual lesson to kids on the dangers of guns nor participating in the ensuing gunfights, portraying Marshal Wild Bill Hickok.
The gunfights in Old Abilene Town have been turned over to a new group, one that left in 2016.

Tuxhorn said he believes gunfights in Abilene started 60 years ago in 1959. He has been participating in the unscripted all volunteer event for 20 years.

Geary County needs at least 15 additional volunteer firefighters, chief says

A recent change in the number of first responders available to fight fires in Geary County has spurred a need for additional volunteers.
Deputies from the Geary County Sheriff’s Department previously fought fires alongside volunteer firefighters. But a recent policy change was made — due to training, certification and liability concerns — and deputies will no longer fight fires. That change has necessitated a need for additional volunteer firefighters, Geary County Fire Chief Garry Berges said.

Abilene adapted after cattle trade left

While some may have mourned the loss of the trade, others were celebrating all across the county.
On Feb. 29, 1872, the Abilene Weekly Chronicle reprinted an article from the Solomon Weekly Times that congratulated Abilene emphatically for finally ending the cattle trade. According to the Solomon Weekly Times: “our Abilene friends deserve credit for the effective manner in which they are clearing out the town of vagabonds, cut-throats, and prostitutes that have infested it in the past.

They have never been tolerated by the citizens of Abilene, but flocked in there on account of the great number of Texas cattle drivers that have made Abilene their headquarters. It is now an orderly, respectable city, filling up with the best of law abiding citizens. The Texas cattle trade is among the things of the past, and the Abilene of today is not the Abilene of the past.”

State pulls back on STAR bonds for North Campus Corridor improvements

The City of Manhattan will not receive the much anticipated $25 million STAR bonds from state government to fund improvements along the north campus corridor around Kansas State University.

City officials announced this week that the state had reversed course and is not supporting the proposal. According to City Manager Ron Fehr, the primary reason was the separation distance and the expanded district not being adjacent to the original STAR district in downtown Manhattan. That original area includes Third and Fourth streets as well as the tourism generating Flint Hills Discovery Center.

Because it is projected the city would have its debts paid down earlier than expected, with the district performing well, it had hoped that the $25 million generated in the redevelopment district could be diverted to fund improvements along Kimball, North Manhattan Ave., College Ave. and Denison. Part of the project would also create a proposed museum honoring K-State coach Bill Snyder.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

DSNWK receives grants to renovate, expand group home

A $279,000 grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and a $50,000 grant from the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation will help Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas make needed repairs and improvements, the most costly being the renovation and expansion of an Ellis County group home.

The renovation and expansion of the home will allow for needed updates, and increase the service capacity from 5 to 7 individuals. This group home is one of 15 in DSNWK’s residential services.

The grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation will also go towards replacing parts of the roof at Frontier Developmental Center in Norton, and at the DSNWK administrative offices in Hays.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Towne West Square gets new owner

Towne West Square, called a “ghost town” by a tenant manager less than a year ago, has sold to a New York investment group for $14 million — far less than a $44.8-million loan on the property.

Kohan Retail Investment Group, of Great Neck, N.Y., has purchased the mall and bills itself as a redeveloper of aging malls nationally. It lists 27 malls on its website, including Towne West.

The sale, which sells the collateral behind the loan on the mall, is the latest chapter in the saga of the 39-year-old mall located at Kellogg and I-235.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Reno Commission agrees to fund new entrepreneur post, but cuts TECH funding

While supporting the creation of a new entrepreneur-focused position at the Quest Center, the Reno County Commission on Tuesday decided to take a bite out of funding for TECH and eliminate all funding for the Welcome Channel.

The commissioners agreed to grant budget increases in whole or in part for seven outside agencies that receive some county funding, but declined hikes sought by two others.

Three other agencies received full funding requests that were unchanged from 2019.
Much of Tuesday’s discussion centered on budgets for TECH and the Quest Center.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Reno County budget requires no tax levy hike for 2020

The Reno County Commission received a budget proposal this week that allows employee raises, adds one new staff member to the sheriff’s office and sets aside $1 million for a courthouse weatherization project without increasing the county’s property tax mill levy.

Even with a flat levy, however, county commissioners tentatively agreed on Tuesday to trim budget requests from several outside agencies to limit new tax growth.

The commission will take up the budget again next week to see the impact of changes suggested this week and then likely schedule a public hearing on the document Aug. 13.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

USD 447 board hears future plans

The Cherryvale USD 447 Board of Education met Monday in regular session and conducted business to close out last fiscal year and begin the new year.

The board voted to continue the terms of current board president Joe Marchant and vice president Randy Studebaker until January, at which time newly elected board members will be seated and the board can then elect individuals for positions.

Kristi Houston will remain the clerk of the board and Kathy Reed the district treasurer.
The board then heard from Superintendent Shelly Kiblinger concerning the state of the district report.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Florence changes auditors after 15 years

Change is in the books for Florence, which voted to switch accounting firms for auditing services after more than a decade at a special council meeting Monday.

The city has been using the services of accountant Vonda Brecheisen of Knudsen, Monroe and Company for 15 years.

Council members interviewed accountants from three firms, and chose Scot Loyd of Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk and Loyd.

(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)

Wind farm approved in part

Commissioners approved a conditional use permit for development of a wind farm, but took no action on a development plan submitted by the company Monday.
Audience members had been told earlier there would be no public comment at Monday’s meeting because meetings were earlier held for people to voice their opinions.
Commissioners Randy Dallke and Kent Becker voted in favor of the application. Dianne Novak voted against.

(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)

$8.9 million renovation of Eighth Street YMCA into lofts moves forward; Indian Springs project tabled

The renovation of the former Eighth Street YMCA building at 8th and Armstrong Avenue moved forward at a committee meeting earlier this week.

A neighborhood revitalization special project application for the YMCA project moved forward and is on the 7 p.m. July 11 Unified Government Commission meeting agenda at the Commission Chambers, City Hall, lobby level, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The neighborhood revitalization application for the renovation project moved forward from the Monday night UG Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting.

(Read more: Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!)

Recycle or Burn? Local Governments Must Choose for the Long Term.

One of the great responsibilities of public office is to know when and how to use its power to change a dangerous trend. At this time of recycling disruption and municipal-waste crisis, local governments have an urgent challenge and opportunity to steer America in the right direction. Their decisions about whether to invest in recycling or regress to just burning our trash will impact environmental trends for decades to come.

Over the past 30 years, recycling went from being an aspiration to an American habit and a significant waste-management practice. When I was governor of Indiana in the early 1990s, I worked with the legislature to create and implement local recycling grants to encourage that nascent trend. There was bipartisan interest in recycling at the time, and Indiana’s grant program is still robust today.

Indiana was part of a nationwide phenomenon that benefited from good public-policy decisions. But as much as Americans came to understand and appreciate recycling, most did not know that our wholesome blue-bin habit was overly dependent on the appetite of China’s recycling industry. It was so affordable to ship recyclables overseas that a strong American recycling industry never developed. Our environmentally healthy habit had a dangerously unstable foundation.

(Read more: GOVERNING)

CrossWinds partners with USD 253 to address mental health in schools

The USD 253 Board of Education heard from CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness representatives at its Wednesday meeting.

CrossWinds provides behavioral health services to Emporia’s school district as part of a partnership between the two organizations.

During the meeting, members were briefed on several measures CrossWinds officials are taking in local schools, which board member Mallory Koci appreciated.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Halstead residents sign petition to legalize golf carts

Halstead residents want a new way to get around town.

Last week, an online petition was started to legalize the use of golf carts in city limits. Organizer Cory Harrington said he decided to seek public opinion on the topic after hearing a number of people mention the idea to him.

The online petition went live last week on Tuesday and quickly gained just over 300 signatures. Harrington said the names on the petition are a “fairly decent representation” of Halstead residents.

He estimated that about 80 percent of the signatures were actual Halstead residents, while others were former residents.

(Read more: Newton Now)