Municipal News & Jobs

Johnson County is developing a transportation connection plan for the rural, southwestern fringe, all in response to the new Panasonic Energy Electric Vehicle Battery Plant in De Soto about to come online at the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. The county’s transportation plan — the draft of which can be found here — seeks to connect the site of the former plant, now dubbed Astra Enterprise Park, to neighboring southwest communities Olathe, Gardner and Edgerton as well as Douglas County to the west.
Source: Johnson County Post

Residents may soon get a chance to tell the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, what they think about using added sales tax dollars to finance the rodent-logoed, multipurpose gas station and convenience store that’s making its way into KCK.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

The countdown has officially begun to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across North America, including in Kansas City. Local officials on Monday morning unveiled a World Cup countdown clock in front of the fieldhouse at Overland Park’s Scheels Soccer Complex near 135th Street and Switzer Road. The event followed a weekend World Cup kickoff party at the Aspiria campus in Overland Park.
Source: News

The countdown to the World Cup is on, and cities throughout the Kansas City metro are eager to showcase their offerings while hosting visitors from around the world. Shawnee is considering hosting a music and beer festival to attract World Cup visitors as well as metro families to the heart of downtown Shawnee.
Source: KSN-TV

Firefighters in Columbus are taking advantage of this week’s summer heat to train in their newly constructed facility. They were out in the 90-degree heat today training in the department’s new “burn boxes” The containers simulate many of the conditions crews might face during a structure fire.
Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Blinking red lights on Sunflower Wind turbines have vexed some county residents since the wind farm was built, and the lights once again are in county commissioners’ crosshairs. Commissioner Clarke Dirks brought up Monday that Sunflower promised weeks ago to switch to aircraft-activated lights that blink only when an aircraft is in the vicinity.
Source: Marion County RECORD

An Iola city councilwoman wants to bring up discussions about doing away with voting wards in Iola, and filling the Council with all at-large seats. The size and makeup of the Iola City Council is once again under the microscope. On Monday, Councilwoman Kim Peterson said she’d like to see Iola take a closer at doing away with the city’s four voting wards, and instead look at an all at-large governing body.
Source: The Iola Register

After hearing feedback from members of the Design Review Board and a lengthy discussion, Fort Scott City Commissioners on June 17 approved a motion to establish a historic preservation commission and move toward a Certified Local Government.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune Headlines

The Kansas Sampler Foundation’s Big Kansas Road Trip (BKRT) is more than just a travel event—it’s a statewide effort to introduce Kansans and visitors to the heart of rural communities. Beginning in 2018, BKRT is designed to help the public learn about rural life by experiencing it firsthand.
Source: KCLY Radio

Within Clay Center city limits, four tornado sirens are located throughout the town – one for each direction. The county further maintains sirens in Wakefield, at Clay County Park, Longford, Morganville, Green, and Clifton.  Running off radio waves, the sirens are tested weekly between March and November to ensure they are working as they should. However, if there is a threat of inclement weather, the sirens are not deployed to avoid confusion. 
Source: KCLY Radio

Travelers hitting the road this summer in Kansas may come across a turtle or two trying to cross the street. But do they need any help from people? Turtles are on the move in Kansas as they look for mates or places to lay eggs. Drivers may occasionally spot one making slow progress across the road this summer and feel the need to lend a helping hand.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Very soon, fireworks can be legally bought and shot in the Emporia city limits. Emporia Fire Marshal Stephen Beemer joined KVOE’s Morning Show this week to discuss the run-up to the official sales and discharge window beginning at 10 am Friday, as well as the do’s and don’ts of Emporia’s fireworks ordinance. Beemer says this is a busy week as he and other inspectors take a look at the different fireworks stands to make sure everything is up to snuff.
Source: d2430

As of June 20, Goddard officially started fireworks sales for the Fourth of July — taking advantage of new state legislation. Fireworks will be sold in Goddard through July 5, with discharge allowed from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on…
Source: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article

Crosswinds Casino in Park City, off of Interstate 35 and 77th Street North, is expanding. On Thursday, a groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place, which will add a 15-story, Four Diamond hotel with 238 rooms. The hotel will have suites, a pool, an outdoor bar, a party area, private meeting rooms and a ballroom. The project will also add more space for gaming, including room for 1,400 slot machines, a high-limit room, a VIP lounge, a sports bar, a coffee shop, various lounges, and a gift shop.
Source: KSN-TV

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Kansas Tourism today announced that more than 230 tourism attractions across the state are participating in the 2025 Sunflower Summer program. The lineup includes something for every interest and region of the state —  museums and historic sites, zoos, arboretums, art centers and more. “With such a wide variety of exceptional attractions participating this year, Sunflower Summer continues to open doors for Kansas families to explore and connect with every corner of our state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “This program not only creates unforgettable memories for students and parents — it also fuels local economies by drawing visitors to main streets, museums and hidden gems across Kansas.”
Source: Press Releases – Kansas Department of Commerce

Certified divers will soon plunge into Arkansas City’s drinking water tanks. The Arkansas City Commission approved a $18,924 contract this week with Midco Diving & Marine Services, Inc. to clean and inspect several of the city’s water storage tanks while they remain fully in service. Instead of draining the tanks, professional divers in sealed dry suits will enter the active potable water system to carry out required maintenance. Their gear will be sanitized, and the divers themselves will be disinfected with a chlorine solution before entering the tanks to eliminate any risk of contamination.
Source: KSN-TV

At a town hall discussing the state of the Harvey County Jail, Sheriff Chad Gay mentioned that the department also houses Larned State Hospital patients. Brian Huntley, the detention center captain, gave more insight into the reasons for this. Huntley explained that when they receive people who have been arrested, some of them stand out as potentially needing a psychological evaluation. Huntley said this is normally up to the attorney assigned to the person to flag and ask for an evaluation in court.
Source: Harvey County Now

On June 10, Allen County commissioners approved a resolution that allows for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). The facilities store electrical energy in batteries for later use. The resolution was the product of months of research and deliberation by the county’s Planning and Zoning Board after the county received a request by Mission Clean Energy to build a $300 million battery storage system in Allen County. 
Source: The Iola Register