Kansas Municipal News
Douglas County Commission to consider proposal to bar more housing near Lawrence unless the city expands
County leaders will soon consider approving regulations that would prohibit new neighborhoods in rural areas near the City of Lawrence unless that land is ready to be added to the city. As part of its meeting Wednesday, the Douglas County Commission will consider an amendment to subdivision regulations for Lawrence and the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. The proposed changes represent a turnaround from the relative ease of subdividing rural or agricultural land into residential lots in recent decades, and would prohibit subdivisions for rural residential developments going forward unless the city approves expanding its boundaries to incorporate the land.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Bird scooters now available in Prairie Village
Residents and visitors can now ride Bird scooters throughout Prairie Village. After the city council approved a one-year pilot program with Bird Rides, Inc., the scooters are now available throughout the city. Riders can use the scooters in bike lanes and on the road, but not on sidewalks.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
10-year Treasury yield tops 1.54%, reaching highest point since June
The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield topped 1.54% on Tuesday morning, its highest point since June, amid concerns around persisting inflation. … Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, in prepared remarks to be delivered on Tuesday, warned that higher inflation may last longer than anticipated. … In the prepared speech, he said that economic growth has “continued to strengthen” but has been met with upward price pressures caused by supply chain bottlenecks and other factors. “Inflation is elevated and will likely remain so in coming months before moderating,” Powell said.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
City of Altamont welcomes new city administrator
The city of Altamont is appointing a new city administrator. During last week’s city meeting, council appointed LeaAnn Myers to the role. Myers has been with the city for eleven years and has secured grants to upgrade Altamont City Park.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Midwesterners Are Breathing Smoky Air From California Wildfires, New Research Shows
Blood-red sunsets in the Midwest are striking but ominous illustrations of new data: Parts of the Midwest are being exposed to more wildfire smoke from the West Coast and Canada compared to more than a decade ago. Experts say the impact of the smoke on health in the region is a concern. Meteorological patterns — weather, air currents, fronts — sweep wildfire smoke hundreds of miles across the country. Nowhere in the Midwest is this increased exposure to wildfire smoke more pronounced than in western Nebraska.
Source: KCUR News
Hutch Fall Fest aims to celebrate the Hutchinson community
Hutch Rec is partnering with the Hutchinson Chamber’s Downtown Hutch and the Downtown Hutchinson Rod Run to create a new two-day Hutch Fall Festival, set for next weekend, to celebrate Hutchinson and the community that surrounds it. The inaugural event will include a multitude of activities for everyone in Hutchinson, children to adult, to enjoy. HutchFest used to be held in June each year, during the week leading up to July 4th. Due to hot weather and limited success in recent years, it was decided to replace that with one held in the fall, said Amy Conkling, director of marketing and development at the Hutch Rec.
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for September 27, 2021
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Iola Festival: A fine time for Buster
It’s a scene we’ve all seen: The hero floats down a raging river toward a waterfall and certain doom. Imagine watching something like that for the first time, in a movie on a big screen, nearly 100 years ago. “Our Hospitality,” a feature-length silent film made by Buster Keaton in 1923, includes just such a dramatic scene. Both Keaton and his co-star and then-wife, Natalie Talmadge, survive near-death experiences in thrilling style and some acrobatic action on the edge of a waterfall. The Buster Keaton Celebration, “In Changing Times,” offered that movie for their Friday night feature presentation. Along with the edge-of-your-seat, heart-pounding action, a six-piece orchestra added to the adventure with exhilarating music. Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra performed a film score for both “Our Hospitality” and Saturday’s feature, “The Three Ages.”
Source: The Iola Register
Sedgwick County announces plans for administering Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines starting Wednesday
Starting Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, no-cost Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines will be offered by the Sedgwick County Health Department at the community vaccine clinic at 223 S. Main in Wichita. SCHD mobile clinics will not provide boost doses at this time. Due to anticipated demand for booster doses, several changes are occurring at the community vaccine clinic beginning Sept. 29: Clients must schedule appointments for all vaccine doses. There will be no walk-ins at the community
vaccine clinic. People should also bring documentation of their first and second doses to the vaccine site. Clinic hours will change to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The clinic is closed Tuesday, Sept. 28.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita State University offers free counseling to everyone in Wichita
Wichita State University says a relatively new mental health clinic on campus is offering comprehensive free counseling services to everyone in the Wichita community. “We wanted to be able to reach out to the community and try to break down the stigma around seeking mental health services,” said Dr. Jody Fiorini, chair of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education for Wichita State’s College of Applied Studies. WSU says counseling is different than psychology in that it’s more about wellness and preventative services than acute conditions. The clinic helps empower people to take control of their mental health and, at the same time, it gives WSU counseling students real-world experience. The WISE Clinic is staffed by graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Wichita State, and the student clinicians are supervised by the six faculty members who also work at the clinic. Most services are offered in-person or virtually.
Source: KSN-TV
Manhattan Regional Airport receives $6M from Department of Defense for runway
Manhattan Regional Airport will receive nearly $6 million from the federal government to reconstruct its runway. The Department of Defense awarded the airport with $5.925 million earlier this week for its runway project. Defense officials said the money, which comes from the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, will support military use of the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration approved funding 90% of the cost for a 100-foot-wide runway, so the city government has been seeking additional money to cover costs for a 150-foot-wide runway, which better accommodates larger aircraft takeoffs for K-State and Fort Riley.
Source: Atchison Globe Now
Manhattan to review draft of strategic plan, to be released to public Friday
Manhattan city commissioners will discuss their five-year plan for Manhattan at their Tuesday meeting. … City staff members, with help from the hired firm Planning NEXT, are finalizing the first draft of the strategic plan, which they are calling Crossroads MHK. The plan lays out goals and priorities for local leaders, who are supposed to use those goals in their decision-making. The plan is set to be available to the public for feedback beginning Friday until Oct. 17. The plan will be available on the project website, engagemhk.org/crossroads, for review and comment, according to a city memo. The city government will have a public open house on the subject from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at City Hall.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article
USDA and HHS Launch Resource Guide to Help Rural Communities Increase Access to Child Care Services
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development Katie Hamm today unveiled a joint resource guide (PDF, 3.5 MB) to help people in rural and Tribal communities increase access to child care services. … The guide was developed in partnership by USDA Rural Development and the Office of Early Childhood Development in HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF). It provides useful information to help stakeholders in rural communities – including Tribes and Tribal organizations – address the need for improved access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning facilities through USDA and HHS funding and technical assistance resources.
Source: USDA
Restoration of Topeka’s Constitution Hall is speeding up thanks to a national grant
Grant Glenn began to think he wouldn’t see in his lifetime the historic Constitution Hall reach completion of its restoration process. The project has moved slowly and its momentum has stalled a few times through the years. When the rest of the world seemingly stopped in 2020, the restoration of Constitution Hall hit a turning point. Momentum picked up. That turning point was when the building’s facade was restored. The creamy white stone exterior is a replica of Constitution Hall’s original, 1855 facade. Glenn, a Friends of the Free State Capitol board member, said he now believes he will see the project’s end.
Source: CJonline.
Municipal Bond Trends for September 24, 2021
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Pilsen prepares for return of Fr. Emil Kapaun remains
The tiny town of Pilsen is preparing for the return of its most famous native son. Residents spent the day cutting the grass and painting parking lines outside of the church in town where Father Emil Kapaun’s remains will be taken after they arrive in Wichita Saturday morning. It’s a day many in the town never thought would happen. “It’s one of the greatest feelings I’ve probably ever had in my life,” said Marvin Tajchman, who has worked at the church where Kapaun’s remains are going to be taken for the last 20 years. Residents like Tajchman and others say they don’t know exactly how many people will be coming to town but there preparing to accommodate as many as possible. It has been an entire town effort to spruce the place up, something the director of the Fr. Kapaun Museum, Harriet Bina, says is what the priest would have wanted.
Source: KAKE – News
Rental housing program delivers $41.5 million in aid to struggling Kansas households
Olathe residents Sheryl and Gary Evert were among thousands of Kansans struggling to pay their rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. They eventually sought assistance under the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program authorized by Congress and financed through federal coronavirus relief legislation. Under KERA, the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, or KHRC, has granted $41.5 million in rental, utility and internet assistance to 7,800 eligible households across the state since March. “My wife Sheryl and I are in our 70s, and before we received our KERA funding, life was really stressful,” Gary Evert said. “We didn’t know when we would be able to pay our landlord, but we remained patient.” He said his questions about the application process were answered by KHRC staff operating from a processing center in a Topeka office building.
Source: Kansas Reflector
The community gathered to celebrate a big milestone for one southeast Kansas tradition
The community gathered to celebrate a big milestone for one southeast Kansas tradition. This weekend was the 75 annual McCune Fall Festival. The tradition was originally started to bring people into town to celebrate the start of the fall season. It started off with a few people, but eventually grew into what we see Saturday. Clint McCulm has been the parade marshall for the past 41 years and says this has been a great way for McCune graduates to reunite. Clint McCulm, McCune Fall Festival Parade Marshall, says, “We have a lot of classes coming back every year, like just coming by us is the class of 1950 that graduated, only one lady that’s celebrating, and then we have the 50 year class that comes every year, so you get to see a lot of people you haven’t seen in a long time.”
Source: KSNF/KODE
In Parsons the community was focused on paying tribute to the past, present and future of the city
In Parsons the community was focused on paying tribute to the past, present and future of the city. Saturday the city gathered in Forest Park for a dedication ceremony to celebrate the refurbishment of the park’s urns. The two urns were placed by the Ladies Improvement Association back in 1908. About a decade ago one of the urns were left on its side during the construction of a new bathroom in the park. It stayed like this until Mike Brotherton and Dave Mattox worked to fix the urn as part of the city’s 150th anniversary. Dave Mattox, Parsons 150th Anniversary Committee, says, “They just basically just destroyed the base and left the urn in the middle of the park and so our goal has always been to put it back so that there’s a pair of them again instead of one that’s standing like the one behind me and one laying around in the middle of the park, so that’s what we’ve done.”
Source: KSNF/KODE
Mission voters approve sales tax hike to pay for street maintenance
Mission voters overwhelmingly approved increasing the city’s sales tax in order to pay for road improvements, results from a mail-in election this month show. The Johnson County Election Office reports the measure to raise the city’s quarter-cent sales tax to three-eighths of a cent passed with 77% approval. A total of 1,634 ballots were mailed in between Sept. 1, when the ballots were sent out, and Sept. 21, when they were due. The total number of ballots cast produced a voter turnout rate of nearly 24%.
Source: Prairie Village Post