Kansas Municipal News
Wichita Fire comes to agreement over service cuts
The city and the fire departments union have reached a compromise.
After weeks of taking between 2 to 5 fire trucks off the streets, now they’ll park just two at any one time.
“We started taking squads, two people units, off track, out of use, during those shifts when we had too many people off,” Wichita Fire Marshal, Stu Bevis said.
In other words, they had more equipment than firefighters. Bevis said a lot of it has to do with more firefighters taking off for unexpected reasons, like injury or illness. “The underlying issue is the fact that due to the leaves and where we are on our budget, that we were going to overspend our budget and bust our budget come the end of the year,” Bevis said.
But some were concerned that in cutting these services, the department may take longer to respond to emergencies.
Previously the city and the fire union agreed to a goal of having 117 firefighters on the clock at all times, to make sure there are enough for any and all emergencies that the city may have. The new agreement puts 115 firefighters on the clock.
“There’s been some concern,” Bevis said.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Senior Services department provides meals, opportunities for seniors in Saline County
During an update before the Saline County Commission Tuesday morning, Senior Services Director Rosie Walter said her department is expanding the number of meals it provides and is offering seniors a variety of opportunities to stay active and involved.
Walter said the Saline County Department of Senior Services has increased the total number of meals provided through sales at the Salina Senior Center, Meals on Wheels and Sunflower Adult Day Services. In January, the department provided an average of 295 meals a day. In May, that increased to 338 meals a day.
The Meals on Wheels program provides food to Salina residents who are home-bound and limited in their ability to prepare their own meals. Walter said a woman who had fallen and couldn’t get up was discovered last week after she didn’t answer the door for someone delivering Meals on Wheels.
“They know these people and they know when something isn’t right,” Walter said.
Walter encouraged more people to volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)
Battle of bids in Saline County
Saline County commissioners accepted a bid Tuesday for a truck from Midway Motors, in McPherson, after a higher bid from Salina’s Long McArthur Ford failed to qualify for the county’s local preference policy.
The Saline County Road and Bridge Department accepted bids for a truck to replace one used to pick up parts and supplies, transport employees to and from job sites and transport mail. Road and bridge Administrator Darren Fishel said the current truck is in need of repairs that would cost more than the vehicle is worth.
Midway Motors submitted the lowest bid, $23,221. Long McArthur Ford bid $23,596.36. Two other companies submitted higher bids.
Local preference
Two weeks ago, commissioners approved a policy that states a local bid will be accepted if it is within 1 percent of the low bid; the local bidder agrees to match the low bid by filing a written agreement within 72 hours of notification; and the quality, suitability and usability of the materials or goods are equal.
Commissioners began considering giving preference to local bidders a few months ago after accepting a bid for a vehicle from Midway Motors that was about $60 lower than a bid from Long McArthur Ford. A week later, Long McArthur’s general manager, Derek Lee, expressed his disapproval, saying that his company pays property and sales taxes in Saline County and donated a vehicle for the Saline County Sheriff’s Office Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)
Beyond closing Clapp, Wichita considers blackouts and furloughs for all golf courses
Wichita’s golf system is in such dire straits that even if the city closes Clapp Golf Course as expected, there still might be winter blackouts and employee furloughs at the other four courses, the city’s parks director said Tuesday.
The Park Board has called a special meeting on Friday to act on a recommendation to close Clapp and sell off part of the site for commercial and residential development. The course, at 4611 E. Harry, has frontages that can be developed on Harry, Oliver and Mount Vernon.
Golf finances are so shaky that even beyond the closure of Clapp, officials are considering rolling closures of the other four courses during the winter months when only the hardiest golfers venture out onto the links. The plan is to close one or two courses at a time for two weeks at a time, starting in December and continuing into January, said Hillman and Park and Recreation Director Troy Houtman.
“Instead of having four or five courses open with 20 rounds a day, (the idea is to) funnel them all to one golf course that would be operating at 80 to 100 rounds,” Houtman said.
Staff would be furloughed when their course was closed for the rolling blackout, Houtman said.
“That’s what would save us some money,” Houtman said. “That would be a hardship on staff.”
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
Bourbon County looks to change its juvenile detention agreement
In response to changes in state law regarding juvenile detention, Bourbon County Commissioners are looking for a change with its 26-year old contract with the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Crawford County.
Following five consecutive executive sessions June 28, commissioners signed a letter addressed to the facility stating “Bourbon County Commissioners will have no obligation under this interlocal cooperative agreement after Jan. 1, 2020 if changes are not made to the billing system, which include the daily rate and monthly rate to counties in and out of this interlocal program.”
Currently, Bourbon County houses only a handful of juveniles each year at the center, but pays $10,029 per month under the contract. The number of juveniles to be detained in the future will decrease because of changes in state law that strengthens the requirement for detaining a juvenile.
Commissioners said the monthly rate charged by the facility is expected to decrease to the $9,000-range, but no exact figure has been presented to them yet. Commissioners said they also expect the county’s need to house juveniles at the facility to decrease.
Commissioners said the decision to end their participation in the agreement did not come easily.
(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)
Proposed Reno County wind farm renamed
The company developing a 220-megawatt wind farm in eastern Reno County is renaming the development Pretty Prairie Wind Farm, Reno County Commissioner Dan Deming advised Tuesday.
Deming and Commissioner Bob Bush both had individual private meetings with officials of NextEra Energy last week to get an update on the proposed project, which the company initially dubbed Silver Lake Wind, after the name of a road running through the project.
Pretty Prairie being near the center of the proposed 84- to 88-turbine farm, and the familiarity the public has with the town when compared to Silver Lake Road likely led to the change, Deming said.
The company advised its goal is to sell all the energy generated in the county to Kansas utilities.
The company is about halfway “from where it needs to be” on signing land contracts for the project to go forward, Deming said he was told.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Historic downtown Ark City resurveyed
Arkansas City’s historic downtown is a diamond in the rough.
It could be developed into a great marketing tool, a consultant who recently completed a resurvey of the district said.
Downtown property owners have not been taking full advantage of the financial resources available for maintaining the historical quality of their buildings, said Brenda Spencer, of Spencer Preservation, based in Wamego.
Her resurvey of Ark City’s historic downtown district and adjacent areas follows up on a survey conducted 35 years ago. It resulted in the downtown being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The resurvey was conducted after the City of Arkansas City approved a resolution authorizing it last October. A state historic preservation grant of $13,000 was awarded for the cost of the project.
The city’s cost share consisted of in-kind volunteer time and staff time. All matching funds are reimbursable through the Historic Preservation Fund Grant, administered by the National Park Service.
“If you take a look at the buildings downtown, you have a pretty impressive collection of buildings for a community this size,” Spencer said.
(Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com – RSS Results)
Hutch City Council eases parking and zoning regulations
It was expected to draw a lot of discussion and it certainly did.
The Hutchinson City Council chewed over a list of planning issues during Tuesday’s agenda session. The changes were put in place after the council and others felt certain guidelines and restrictions were hampering redevelopment in the city.
The one that has always seemed to gather the most attention is parking. There have been times when the city had to turn away a business owner because the property owner did not follow parking guidelines, most notably when it comes to paving.
The current code requires paved parking for all businesses. Under the new code, any existing building that will be redeveloped will not need paved parking except for ADA areas and driveway approaches. The issue was met with a lot of discussion by the board and outgoing Planning Director Janna McCarron.
(Read more: Hutch Post)
City of Derby to host transit feasibility town hall
The City of Derby is hosting a Regional Transit Feasibility Town Hall to gather feedback and ideas from Derby residents. The town hall is part of a broader study called Connecting Communities on the support and demand for transit services in Derby, Haysville, Andover, and Maize. The study is sponsored by Wichita Transit and funded by the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Findings from the study will result in a strategic plan for transit services in each city.
(Read more: DerbyInformer.com – news,news/)
‘The Rocks’ Roeland Park concept shows adventure course, hotel
CBC Real Estate Group is still looking for the “right fit” for developer opportunities at Roeland Park’s old pool site, now known as The Rocks.
Roeland Park has been looking into avenues to develop the site, which the city owns, since 2015. In early 2017, the city signed a letter of intent with a developer hoping to bring a project to The Rocks. Also in 2017, Roeland Park approved the creation of a new hotel tax in anticipation of a hotel being part of the development.
At a worksession Monday, CBC’s Jason Glasrud told the city council he’s been working to attract a hotel, full-service restaurant and bar, and extreme sports venue.
Glasrud said the site vision leverages the “unique natural environment of the limestone quarry” featuring rock as a major design element. Glasrud said the Quarry Park Adventures site in Rocklin, Calif., was an example of what The Rocks could look like after it was fully developed.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Coffee with the Lansing city administrator part of Facebook Live broadcast
Lansing City Administrator Tim Vandall and other City officials will participate in an informal discussion during “Coffee with the City Administrator” at 8 a.m. on Sat., July 7 at City Hall, 800 1st Terr. The event will be part of a “Facebook Live” broadcast as well, so those who cannot attend in person can join via social media.
Now, more than ever, it is important to get information directly from the source. All topics and issues are on the table for discussion. Refreshments will be provided.
(Read more: Lansing – News Flash)
Spring Hill appoints city administrator
At the June 28 city Council meeting, the Governing Body approved Mayor Steven Ellis’ appointment of Jim Hendershot to city administrator, a position left vacant in 2017 with Jonathan Roberts’ resignation. Hendershot was selected from a pool of more than 50 applicants and nine top candidates, who were ultimately refined to four finalists. Other finalists included Darrin Tangeman, Kiel Mangus and Fred Sherman.
Eager to get to work, Hendershot already has a first project in mind, he said.
“I’d like to set up individual meetings with every staff person so that I can get to know them better,” he said. “I have a pretty good understanding of what everybody does now but I just want a little better understanding of what they do and what they feel their role is and how that ties in with the rest of staff.”
With high expectations and a high excitement level, Hendershot has goals of engaging both residents and businesses, he said.
“I want to get very involved with the business community. I want to find out how the City can help in promoting business in the city and attracting new business. We all know what we want but also what do we need? That could be either retail or industrial. I, along with the Mayor, will be meeting with business owners in an one-on-one or a group setting.
(Read more: Gardner News)
Haysville settles employment discrimination lawsuit
On Friday, June 15, the city of Haysville and former Haysville police officer Robert Crites reached an agreement to settle Crites’ employee discrimination lawsuit, which began more than a year ago. In the lawsuit, Crites argued that the city of Haysville discriminated against him because he suffered from a disability, post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the Haysville Sun-Times, Mayor Bruce Armstrong said that “the city paid no money,” implying that any payment to Crites was fully covered under the city’s liability insurance policy.
No information has been shared about the terms of the settlement, but more information could be released once the agreement is finalized.
(Read more: Area | derbyinformer.com)
Leavenworth County Commission expansion question to appear on ballot
A ballot question that could increase the number of Leavenworth County commissioners will be put before voters in the fall.
The County Clerk’s Office has determined that enough valid signatures have been collected to place the question on the ballot for the Nov. 6 general election, according to County Clerk Janet Klasinski.
The question will ask voters if they approve of increasing the number of Leavenworth County commissioners from three to five.
The signatures were collected by a group known as Give Me Five, which supports the expansion of the County Commission.
On Friday, the group submitted petition forms with 3,010 signatures to the county clerk. By late Monday morning, the Clerk’s Office had verified that at least 2,153 of the signatures belong to registered voters in Leavenworth County.
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)
Salina OKs three school resource officers
The Salina City Commission agreed the Salina Police Department should again provide three uniformed officers to work in Salina public schools during the next school year.
Officers will be stationed at Salina Central High School and Salina South High School, and a third will work at Lakewood and South middle schools.
The school district will pay the salaries of the officers during the school year, with the city paying their salaries over the summer.
Commissioner Melissa Rose Hodges asked about providing a fourth. She said she would like each middle school to have a full-time officer.
There had been four in the past, Police Chief Brad Nelson said, but his department no longer has enough officers to provide four.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)
Harvey County getting recycling back for Waste Connection Customers
Recycling should soon return to county Waste Connection customers.
County Administrator Anthony Swartzendruber said he met with Ryan Gatewood, a Vice President with Waste Connections and was told they will again offer recycling services. Previously, they informed customers in Harvey County that they would drop their recycling service, causing an issue since the county requires residents to recycle.
Swartzendruber asked them to keep up the service.
“They are back on board with what we’ve asked they provide in the past,” he said.
(Read more: Newton Now)
Derby Rec Commission working through initial stages of master plan
What do you do when 173 pages of community surveys end up on your desk?
While it’s plenty to consume, it represents the opening of a new chapter for the Derby Recreation Commission.
Pieces of the Strategic Master Plan survey have already fallen in place with adjustments made to facility hours as well as upgrades and repairs for the Hubbard Center. However, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The DRC board along with Superintendent Chris Drum and his staff have begun to tackle the pages, knowing it sets a straighter path for its future.
“What’s important for us is to determine the scale of these suggestions and recommendations,” Drum said. “Is it a community-wide thought or way of thinking? The first step for us in a lot of these things in our master plan is to survey our community in a more detailed version.”
How each recommendation will be processed remains to be seen, but the statistics represent a truth that Drum said they won’t ignore.
“There is nothing in here that we’re just going to throw away and say absolutely not,” he said. “It’s a plan that was put together specifically for our organization. We would be remiss if we didn’t at least consider everything.”
(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)
Family sells flowers in Little Sweden
If you were driving by Kaps gas station in Lindsborg yesterday (Monday), you may have seen two little ones, Oliver and Twyla Giesen, out with a red wagon with flowers in vases inside and a “Flowers for Sale” sign. Oliver, 3, and Twyla, 7, have received their mother and father’s green thumbs as they are now selling flowers for the second year in a row from their own garden, and a few from their grandmothers as well.
“Last year we just had a surplus of flowers and Twyla started making signs so we said, ’Sure, if you want to sell them go outside,” Zimmerling said. The children even had a special visit from the Lindsborg Police Department yesterday.
“They came out and even gave Oliver some baseball cards, he was so excited,” Zimmerling said.
Many Lindsborg residents spread the word all over social media saying how grateful they were for the cheerful flowers.
“We’ve had a lot of people out here today, it’s been great for them,” Zimmerling said.
The vases are from Tackle Thrift Store in Lindsborg and are often given back to the store as a way to recycle them.
“We just buy the vases from them every year and it’s just a great way to use them,” Zimmerling said.
(Read more: McPherson Sentinel)
“Growing pains” arising throughout Great Bend’s waterline replacement
As the water line replacement project in the City of Great Bend moves full speed ahead, Interim City Administrator George Kolb says there have been a few “growing pains.”
The estimated $6 million project is replacing water mains that are old, copper, cast iron, and too thin. As the new plastic pipes are installed it is causing more pressure and leaks are beginning to pop up throughout other parts of town as a result.
Kolb noted the City is finding out about some of the obvious leaks, but encourages residents to notify the City if they spot a leak or are having water issues. Kolb says water will always find a hole and repairing one pipe that had a leak only pushes the potential problem further down.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
Community hub dedicated in Valley Center
They needed multiple ribbon cuttings in Valley Center on the 4th of July, as the community came out to dedicate a new “community hub.”
The hub includes a new community center, library and dog park. The entire process taking about three years and costing a little more than two-million dollars.
“What we did is pretty astounding in the fact that in three years the people in this room and many more people that aren’t here today did something that we had worked 20 maybe 30 years, I’ve heard, to accomplish,” said Valley Center Mayor Laurie Dove.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
City of Derby wants delay in K-State research center closure
The city is on record asking Kansas State University officials to rethink their decision to close a horticultural center just southwest of Derby.The city is on record asking Kansas State University officials to rethink their decision to close a horticultural center just southwest of Derby.
At issue is the recently announced intent by the university to shut the John C. Pair Horticulture Center at 1901 E. 95th St. South due to budget shortfalls.
The Derby City Council passed a resolution at its June 26 meeting stating “that the the K-State president, provost and deans are encouraged to re-evaluate the long-term value of the John Pair Center to the economy and the prairie environment, delay for one year any decision to close the center, and support an effort by the faculty and stakeholders to develop a long-term plan for financial sustainability.”
(Read more: DerbyInformer.com – news,news/)
Positive feedback from interview format for Great Bend City Administrator finalists
The Great Bend City Council spent 45 minutes in executive session at Monday night’s meeting to review the three candidates for the Great Bend City Administrator position, but no decision was announced following the executive session.
Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Jan Peters commended the City Council for the interview format last week with the finalists meeting the public through a pair of meet-and-greets. Candidates include Larry Collins who served as Fire Chief and Interim City Administrator in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Kendal Francis who served as City Manager in Coffeyville; and Scott Hildebrand who currently serves as City Administrator for Valley Center.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
Former city manager Hannes Zacharias: R9 Ranch was opportunity not to be passed
More than 20 years ago, in the midst of drought and a long-standing need for long-term water supply, the City of Hays, later joined by the City of Russell, purchased a 7,000-acre Edwards County ranch originally known as the Circle K, now called the R9 Ranch, giving the city the potential for more than 7,000 acre-feet of water.
The city manager at the time, Hannes Zacharias, was one of several city officials involved in the purchase and planning to bring water from the Arkansas River Basin to Hays, a process that involves unprecedented regulatory moves that are just now getting underway. The Dodge City native saw the sudden change as a chance to follow a dream. In 1976, at the age of 21, Zacharias made a solo kayak trip on the Arkansas River from his hometown to New Orleans. Today, Zacharias is following the entire length of the river from its Rocky Mountain headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico — traveling by foot, ATV and even horseback where necessary where there is no river flow in western Kansas.
On Sunday, Zacharias reached Edwards County and spent some time on the R9 Ranch. I talked with him Monday by phone about his impressions of the ranch and the journey of Hays and Russell to obtain a long-term source of water.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)
Marion County extends relocation incentive for new graduates
Marion County is extending for five years its participation in a program that can repay up to $15,000 in student loans for non-resident college graduates willing to relocate here.
The Rural Opportunity Zone program costs the county considerably less than the $15,000 total might suggest.
The county sponsors only two students at a time, pays only half of the loan forgiveness, and spreads those payments over five years, making the county’s total contribution $6,000 annually.
The rest of the money comes from the state, which also forgives state income taxes for relocated graduates in the program.
The county already has a lengthy waiting list of relocated new graduates wanting to participate.
(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)
Fountains finally flowing at park in Marion
A torrent of fountain problems in Central Park seemed to subside Friday when the large fountain on the west side of the park began flowing again after a lengthy period of being dry.
Workers installed a new motor and pump and changed a fuse that feeds electricity to the pump.
Parks and recreation director Margo Yates said the deluge of fountain woes began before Chingawassa Days.
“First it was a pump, then it was a motor, now it’s a pump,” Yates said.
The larger fountain has had the most issues, Yates said.
A pump made in 1970 was the root of them, she said.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
What was that huge explosion in Clay Center some 50 years ago? The teenager responsible finally comes clean
No one knew what it was or how it got there, but 50 years ago, something gouged a hole in the Clay Center, Kan., high school roof.
One newspaper called it a “mysterious piece of metal” that had fallen from the sky. Authorities sent it to the nearby Air Force base in Topeka for analysis. No one could explain it.
Well, some mischievous teenagers could have, but they kept their mouths shut for decades. Now, with the golden anniversary of their adventure on July 4, 1968, they are finally coming clean.
“I’ll have to suffer any consequences now as an old man for my youthful indiscretions,” said Richard Klocke, now 65 and living in Lawrence.
(Read more: KC Breaking News, Sports & Crime |)
Arkansas City firefighters retrieve a retriever
The Arkansas City Fire Department is making us Kansas proud.
Firefighters responded to a call of a dog that was stuck in the mud Sunday night. The call came in from the 900 block of South 1st Street.
Several neighbors tried to rescue the Labrador retriever that had fallen into a canal but had no luck.
Firefighters responded with a ladder and quickly freed the pup from the mud and delivered it to safety.
(Read more: KWCH News)
More than 100 first responders called in to control El Dorado prison uprising
The uprising at El Dorado Correction Facility Sunday warranted a larger response than past incidents, according to emergency responders.
The Kansas Department of Corrections says about 100 inmates refused to come in from the yard and started several small fires. Everything was resolved within a few hours without any injuries. We know up to 125 emergency responders were called in to help get the situation under control.
This is the second straight year flare ups have caused concern at the prison. But first resopnders say Sunday’s situation was different and called for a much larger response.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Growing population brings changes to Garden City hospital
A growing population means changes for Garden City’s hospital as, for the first time in years, its emergency room is getting a makeover.
More than 18,000 visitors come through the doors at St. Catherine Hospital each year and the hospital says it was time for a change.
“We have to grow with the population,” St. Catherine COO Joben Rieth says. “So one of the things that we were seeing is our ER volumes were growing about 3 to 4 percent in every year. So we knew we needed to make changes in processes, our flow and also, just update the department itself.”
The last time St. Catherine’s emergency department saw any renovations was in the late 1980s. Hospital administration say changes to the emergency room have patients feeling more welcomed. The remodeling comes with a new computer system to help the ER run more efficiently.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Harvey County looks at Wichita water plan
Water, and who is using what from the Equus Beds, was one of the top topics of discussion for the Harvey County Commission July 2.
Members of the commission and county staff attended a meeting in Halstead last week to learn about proposed changes to the Wichita aquifer recharge project — and those in attendance left a bit confused.
“My concern is they changed their bottom line number three times in their meeting,” said Commissioner Chip Westfall. . ”… What we have heard from them in the past year, it has changed a lot.”
The city of Wichita has the state’s only ASR project, developed and approved in two phases within the Equus Beds Aquifer. Wichita has proposed changes to the conditions associated with its existing permits for Phase II of its ASR project including a new method to accumulate recharge credits during times of limited recharge capacity, as well as a series of new applications to allow the city to recover recharge credits at existing production wells.
(Read more: Newton Kansan)
Lawrence officials to consider marijuana law changes
City leaders in Lawrence say they will consider lowering fines for people caught in possession of marijuana.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the current city law allows for fines of up to $1,000 for first-time offenders. A resident, Laura Green, recently presented a proposal to the Lawrence City Commission that would call for reduced fines and make other changes.
The commission agreed to discuss the issue at an upcoming work session.
Lawrence adopted its marijuana ordinance more than a decade ago. Green says attitudes toward marijuana have shifted in recent years.
(Read more: Politics & Government News |)
Fireworks permits fund various budgets in Hutch and surrounding towns
Fireworks stands are in full operation as the Fourth of July approaches.
In Hutchinson, the city took out five permits for fireworks stands. The permits cost $2,500. All the proceeds will help fund the city fireworks display at the fairgrounds. Sales and discharge of fireworks in Hutchinson is limited to six feet in height.
In South Hutchinson, the city processed seven permits at $2,500 each. That $17,500 in revenue goes straight into the general fund. The city of South Hutchinson is not under the safe and sane rule, so aerial fireworks can still be discharged.
Nickerson has just one fireworks stand. That permit cost $250. Buhler has none. Both allow aerial fireworks. Residents are asked to check community guidelines to make sure they are following all ordinances.
(Read more: Hutch Post)
How many tickets has Wichita written for illegal fireworks?
Wichita has gone through its first weekend of enhanced fireworks regulations with nobody getting cited for illegal celebration, a city fire official said Monday.
The promised crackdown on things that go boom in the night hasn’t really started yet, said Deputy Fire Chief Stuart Bevis.
Fireworks sales began in and around Wichita on Friday and some skyrockets did fly over city neighborhoods, even though they’re illegal here. In May, the Wichita City Council rewrote its fireworks ordinance to make it easier to enforce.
Illegal use of fireworks can now be punished with a $250 citation against the user or the owner of the property where the violation occurs.
Upgraded enforcement won’t start in earnest until Tuesday night, Bevis said. He said City Hall authorized enough funding for as many as 22 extra employees to patrol for illegal fireworks and to write citations. But the actual number will depend on how many want to work night shifts on overtime pay to do it.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
Local government suits accuse opioid makers of turning ‘patients into drug addicts’
Cities, counties and Native American tribes across the nation are filing lawsuits against opioid manufacturers in an effort to recover damages from the widespread opioid epidemic.
The suits largely accuse pharmaceutical companies of aggressively pushing painkillers while falsely representing the danger of addiction, turning “patients into drug addicts for their own corporate profit,” one suit said.
In Kansas and Missouri, at least 16 cities and counties have filed suits. Nationwide, more than 400 separate lawsuits have been filed, according to The New York Times. The suits are reminiscent of those that led to the 1998 settlement between the five largest cigarette manufacturers and the attorneys general of 46 states, resulting in billions of dollars sent back to states and new restrictions on advertising, especially to kids.
But in the tobacco cases, a significant portion of that money never made it back to the communities that were directly affected.
So now, local governments are hoping to get a piece of potential billions in settlement money.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
Downtown brewery, city of Wichita agree to compromise in parking battle
Some old-fashioned political diplomacy has resulted in a compromise between the city of Wichita and a local brewery whose owners were upset over parking fees in the lot adjacent to their just-opened business.
Last month, I reported about a battle between Nortons Brewing Company, a new brewery and restaurant that opened in April at 125 N. St. Francis, and Wichita Transit, the city department in charge of enforcing parking in the lots that surround the brewery.
But the two sides have reached a temporary compromise thanks to the help of two Wichita City Council members who decided to intervene.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
Police drones could soon be flying over your backyard
Wichita police will soon have a drone to fly over crash scenes, SWAT standoffs and Riverfest. But could it also fly over your backyard?
That’s what members of the Citizen Review Board asked when police proposed a drone policy at last week’s meeting.
Capt. Doug Nolte said police are already purchasing one drone for the department. “Before we actually deploy it or ever use it, we want to have a policy in place so people are aware of the fact that we have it, what we are going to use it for, what they can expect, and I think if you listen to what (board members) were mentioning today, there are definitely concerns about privacy,” Nolte said.The nine-page proposed policy says drones will assist “the Department in the prevention of crime, the apprehension of criminals, the preservation of the public peace, and to protect the personal and property rights of the citizens of Wichita.”
“These operational procedures are designed to minimize risk to people, property, and aircraft during the operation of the SUAs (small unmanned aircraft) while continuing to safeguard the right to privacy of all persons,” the policy states.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
Missouri River at Atchison not likely to swell amid water release
Atchison isn’t likely to see any significant flooding from the Missouri River as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepares to release more water downstream, the corps says.
Corps spokeswoman Eileen Williamson said Monday the Corps will increase, throughout July, water flowing through the Gavins Point Dam in stages up to about 50,000 cubic feet per second (cf/s).
“In Atchison, you’re looking at five to six days before that release affects your area,” said Williamson, deputy chief of public affairs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division, based in Omaha, Nebraska. “It’s like watching a kink move down the hose.”
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
Poultry plant controversy signaled Tonganoxie’s demographic transformation
Last September, the ground shifted under the small town of Tonganoxie, Kansas, about 35 miles due west of Kansas City.
When word got out that Tyson Foods, Inc. was ready to announce it would soon break ground just outside town on a $320 million poultry complex — a processing plant, hatchery and feed mill — opponents organized immediately.
Allies multiplied exponentially as social media amplified their concerns. Within a stunning two weeks, Tyson had announced it was putting its plan “on hold.” But nine months later, residents are still grappling with some of questions the explosive controversy revealed.
(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)
Outdoor warning sirens upgrade complete in Spring Hill
All five of our outdoor warning sirens have received upgrades.
In March this year, City Council approved upgrading the siren software and equipment.
The outdoor sirens — which are designed to alert people outside of an impending storm — are now upgraded to a new two-way system, allowing the sirens to communicate with the Johnson County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The upgrade sends a signal back to the EOC, stating whether the siren sounded or not.
(Read more: City of Spring Hill news)
Inmate Workforce Program generates interest across northwest Kansas
Presently, across the state of Kansas, there are several non-prison-based workforce programs which are serving to reduce the likeliness of recidivism by allowing offenders the opportunity to develop and improve upon their job and life skills, and become tax-paying, law-abiding citizens.
Since its inception last fall, an Inmate Workforce Program agreement, entered into by the Norton Correctional Facility (NCF), a correctional facility of the Kansas Department of Corrections, and Husky Hogs, LLC, a private sector business located in Long Island, Kan. (Phillips County), has been met with a mixed array of opinions from members of the surrounding communities. The program has generated a plethora of interest – and, likewise, has sparked concern – as those unfamiliar with inmate employment have searched for answers to their most sought-after questions.
(Read more: Hays Post)
PrairieStar Health Center in Hutch readying for nearly $5 million expansion
Just three years after moving into new digs, PrairieStar Health Center is expanding.
The project at the federally-designated health clinic will grow the current 31,400-square-foot operation at 2700 E. 30th Ave. by nearly 60 percent, and add vision services to its already myriad healthcare offerings.
The center’s board of directors voted last week to award the project to Weins Constructions of Hutchinson, which submitted the lowest of about a half-dozen bids at $4.217 million, said Jackie Johnston, Director of Marketing & Public Relations.
Equipment to furnish the expansion is estimated at another $500,000 to $600,000.
Construction is expected to start by mid-July, with completion targeted for the fall of 2019.
The project will be financed primarily through 25-year notes from Prairie Bank, with the balance of it paid for with charitable gifts and PrairieStar reserves, Johnston said.
(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)
Hutch City Council will consider amendments to city planning codes
Long desired by area business owners, potential developers and some members of the Hutchinson City Council, some changes could be coming to city codes during the agenda session Tuesday.
The council had asked late last year to make planning and zoning regulations more user-friendly for potential developers.
Areas that will be amended include: parking regulations, landscaping requirements, site plan reviews, conditional and special use permits, and matters concerning the board of zoning appeals. It is hoped that the action will condense the broad range of categories and regulations currently in place.
(Read more: Hutch Post)
Sales tax pitch in Ark City
The first town hall meeting to inform voters about the proposed sales tax changes for South Central Kansas Medical Center was met with a small turnout on Thursday night at the Ark City Senior Center.
Fewer than 30 people gathered to listen to a presentation by Mayor Dan Jurkovich, more than half of the attendees were commissioners and medical center employees.
Jurkovich narrated a short slideshow presentation illustrating problems the hospital faces in meeting its construction debt.
He then discussed other suggested options, including closing the hospital down or selling it, which he said are not viable options because the city would still be saddled with the debt.
Voters will be asked to approve a one-cent sales tax — with no expiration date — through a mail-in ballot with a Sept. 6 deadline.
The campaign to educate voters has begun, with more town halls scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
(Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com – RSS Results)
Eureka community remains positive after tornado
Hundreds of people exhausted from cleaning up after Tuesday’s tornado gathered tonight in Eureka. The hope is to make sure everyone gets the help they need. “People remember what it was like last time, and they want to make sure that they get taken care of,” said Eureka resident JoAnn Craighead.
Joann and John Craighead moved to Eureka five years ago.
In their short time here, they’ve seen two tornadoes and straight-line winds damage the small community. “Surprisingly, with as hot as it’s been, long of days as we’ve been working, I’m still impressed, because everybody seems to just want to work, want to be getting stuff done,” said Greenwood County sheriff Heath Samuels.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Lansing plans to withdraw from fire district
The city of Lansing plans to withdraw from Leavenworth County Fire District No. 1 at the end of next year.
That is according to a letter signed by Mayor Mike Smith and most of the members of the Lansing City Council. Fire District No. 1 provides fire department services to the city of Lansing and Delaware and High Prairie townships. The district has a five-member governing board with three members from Lansing and one member from each of the two townships.
The district is supported financially through its own property tax levy.
The fire district has been in existence since 2004.
“The Lansing City Council feels a new start would best serve the people within our city limits as well as those just outside the City’s boundaries,” the letter from the mayor and City Council states. “From a financial standpoint, efficiencies would be gained through shared tasks including inspections and public safety cooperation at incidents covered by police, fire and EMS personnel.”
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)