Kansas Municipal News
New supermarket helps South Wichita neighborhood with “food desert” problem
El Mercado Fresco on Broadway and Harry in South Wichita was buzzing Sunday morning. The store has been open for just under two weeks and some shoppers, like Elizabeth Gallardo, say it’s already making a big impression. “It’s really good has a good variety both the Hispanic variety of the foods that Hispanics use a lot of and that other stores don’t carry and then has a good variety of just your American foods.” For Gallardo and other customers, this is more than just a new supermarket. It solves a problem many have been dealing with for a while. The area is part of a “food desert,” meaning there is no store with fresh produce for miles, at least, until now. “We missed it when it was Save-A-Lot and then it was the Dillon’s prior to that way way back. So it’s it’s been much needed,” Gallardo said.
Source: KAKE – News
Derby schools researching pay-to-ride busing program
Derby Public Schools is exploring a pay-to-ride busing program with hopes of having it in place for next school year. Under the potential program, parents who live less than 2.5 miles away from their child’s school would be able to pay for busing services. Currently, the state only reimburses each school district for bus riders who live 2.5 miles or more away from their designated school building.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Most Kansas students must mask up; COVID closes 1 district
More than half of Kansas students are now required to wear masks in school as cases the delta variant increase, leading to widespread quarantines and forcing one district to call off classes because of a COVID-19 outbreak. An Associated Press analysis has found that 30 of the state’s 50 largest districts have mask mandates in place, with most passed in the last month during often heated meetings and protests. Those 30 districts educate a combined 262,585 of the state’s 476,435 public schoolchildren. Several other smaller districts also have mandated masks as well, including Atchison and Wamego.
Source: KAKE – News
Dogs to have their day at Paola Family Pool
The dog days of summer may be wrapping up, but one special Dog Day is still yet to come at the Paola Family Pool. The annual Dog Day at the Paola Family Pool will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30. As long as local dog owners have a printed vaccination certificate from the vet and a signed waiver, they are encouraged to bring their pooches to the pool that evening. There will be no entry fee.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Municipal Bond Trends for August 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.
Pittsburg cost of living far below average, lowest among urban areas in Kansas
One of the most affordable cities in Kansas could be closer than you think. It’s really close if you live in Pittsburg — because we’re talking about Pittsburg. We are — in general, major urban areas in the state like Manhattan and Wichita have a lower cost of living — 10-percent below the national average. Pittsburg takes it a step further. It sits at 18-percent below the national average. And this has been a motivating factor for some people to move to the area. “You go to the movies it’s like 12 to 13 dollars a person, you go out here it’s less than five dollars a person,” said Stephanie Watts, Pittsburg Resident. When compared to 258 urban areas across the country, Pittsburg has the lowest cost of living in Kansas according to the Center for Economic Development and Business Research.
Source: KSNF/KODE
‘You are responsible for every bullet’: Johnson County approves new gun safety measure
On Thursday, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution they hope will address reckless shooting across property lines. The resolution now makes it a code violation for a person to shoot a gun and have the bullet enter a neighboring property without the property owners’ permission. Last week, Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden made a presentation to the commission in support of the resolution. “What it amounts to is if you recklessly shoot a bullet and it leaves your property, you are responsible for that. We want to hold people accountable if we need to,” Hayden said.
Source: KSN-TV
Camp exposes inner-city youth to agriculture, college experience
Agriculture is part of the legacy of the historic northwest Kansas town of Nicodemus in Graham County. In the late 1870s, freed slaves headed west and started a farming community in Nicodemus, the oldest and only remaining African American settlement west of the Mississippi River.
Descendants of those early settlers highlight the town’s history during an annual agriculture camp for students ages 10 to 17. The 2021 Switzer/KSU Ag Camp was held July 19 to 21. JohnElla Holmes, Ph.D., retired Kansas State University instructor, is the founder and director of Nicodemus Educational Camps.
Source: Hays Post
Yoder Heritage Day brings in the crowds
Carrie Gingerich grew up in Yoder. Each year, she would attend Yoder Heritage Day with her family. Now a mother and living in Partridge, she is excited to introduce 2-year-old Kendall to the celebration of her hometown’s heritage. “There’s a lot of fun stuff to do here,” Gingerich said. “I like the small town feel of it.” Gingerich also wanted to introduce her husband, who grew up in Illinois, to her city’s special event, which brought in more than10,000 people on Saturday. Because the family of three is Amish and must maintain certain customs, they could only drive their horse and buggy or their big red tractor to Yoder. “We choose the tractor,” Gingerich said. “I said this is the morning there will be a row of tractors driving down the highway.”
Source: Hutch News
Lakin turning old tennis court into community garden
In the Kearny County town of Lakin, an old tennis court has had it’s last volley and is now being turned into a community garden. Putting in the work to make the beautification transition are students from Lakin High School. The work is possible from the Kearny County Wellness Coalition’s reception of a grant in 2019 to start the garden. “We just started thinking, ‘we are an agriculture community, that’s kind of what the industry is around here, and it just really felt right to repurpose the courts in that manner,” said Kearny County Wellness Coalition Director Jenny White. The hope is to give community members a place to grow fresh produce and also to educate students.
Source: KWCH
Kiel Mangus tabbed to be Derby’s next city manager
Derby has its next city manager, and it didn’t have to search far and wide to find him. In a special meeting on Aug. 27, the Derby City Council formally approved an employment agreement with current deputy city manager Kiel Mangus to serve as the next city manager – following Kathy Sexton’s pending retirement. Sexton announced her intent to retire (on Dec. 10, 2021) in mid-July, leading the city council to start the search for her replacement.
Source: Derby Informer
Stephen King mentions Kansas towns in new book
The small Kansas town of Protection, about 140 miles southwest of Wichita in Comanche County, is excited about world-renowned author Stephen King’s newest book. In it, King mentions Protection’s motel and the town’s popular restaurant, Don’s Place, where two of his characters visited. The town of Quinter in Gove County has makes an appearance in the book. … Seeing Don’s Place featured in King’s latest novel, Billy Summers, shocked the restaurant’s owner, Don Dellinger.
Source: KWCH
Fiedler begins job as North Newton city administrator
Kyle Fiedler oversees entities in his personal and professional life. At home, he watches over his rural Harvey County property, which he said he calls a farm as it’s on five acres. … With his new job as North Newton city administrator, he oversees the town’s government. His first day was Aug. 9, and right now, the 2011 Newton High School grad is getting his feet wet, getting to know the duties of his job. … he worked on his master’s degree in public administration part-time, graduating in 2019. Then, he gained employment with the Sedgwick County Manager’s Office, working as an intern for nine months before being promoted to economic development analyst. He remained there until getting his current job with North Newton.
Source: Harvey County Now
Stray bullets fly in rural Johnson County. Now reckless shooters face $1,000 fines
In an effort to protect rural residents plagued by stray bullets, the Johnson County Commission decided Thursday to levy fines of up to $1,000 against reckless shooters. Many families in unincorporated areas of the county have reported bullets hitting their vehicles and homes and, in one case, even landing in a children’s play room. Last year, several residents joined together to demand the county stop the gun use that they say is putting their families in danger. Johnson County officials took up the issue, but Sheriff Calvin Hayden warned that county action was restricted because there is little state law regulating the use of firearms on private property in areas outside city limits.
Source: Joco 913 News
It’s designed to help firefighters. New station to open early September in Olathe
AA new fire station, expected to open the week of Sept. 6 to serve growing southwest Olathe, was built with firefighters, equipment and the surrounding neighborhood in mind, according to the Olathe Fire Department…. Fire department spokesman Mike Hall said the station is designed for firefighter convenience so crew members can work more easily. For instance, interior glass will allow employees to quickly locate materials and co-workers. In addition, the alert system features different volumes and light colors to reduce physiological stress on the firefighters. In their bunkrooms, firefighters can customize the alerts to what best suits them when awakened to answer a call.
Source: KC Star Local News
Baxter Springs police go high-tech to fight car break-ins
Chief Harper says the crooks are using a smart phone app to listen in on police scanners and determine what part of town the cops can be found…. But criminals aren’t the only ones using technology to get ahead in Baxter Springs. In addition to utilizing more plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles, the Baxter Springs Police Department is also upgrading their vehicles. “We’re now purchasing a new system that goes on our vehicles. It’s like a flare that you see on the helicopter systems that will pick up heat sensations at night. So anybody that’s out hiding from a mile away in the middle of the dark, in the middle of the night, we’ll be able to see them,” said Chief Harper.
Source: KOAMKOAM
Wellington School District closing all school buildings, school-related events until Sept. 7 due to COVID
Starting Friday, the Wellington School District will close all of its buildings, suspend sports practices and all other school related events until Sept. 7 due to COVID-19. The moves comes after the school district and the Sumner County Health Department determined three of the district’s six buildings had COVID outbreaks. “We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and provide regular updates via the USD 353 website, email, and text alerts,” the district said in a letter to families.
Source: KAKE – News
City of Golden could prevent warehouses
Petitioners for the proposed city of Golden have sought to create a city to keep intermodal warehouses from being built on land used primarily for rural residential living and agriculture in northern Miami County. Planning Director Teresa Reeves told county commissioners Aug. 18 petitioners could use that strategy if the County Commission votes in favor of incorporation. The vote would have to be unanimous. The approximately 9-square-mile proposed city would be located north of Hillsdale Lake. Reeves told commissioners in her testimony during their Aug. 18 study session — as well as in her written responses to commissioners’ questions — that formal approval by the Miami County Board of County Commissioners is not required if the city of Edgerton, or any other city, annexes land in Miami County by consent.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Municipal Bond Trends for August 26, 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.
Leadership Kansas tours in Pittsburg to improve communities
Community leaders from across Kansas are in Pittsburg this week. They’re hoping to take what they learn in Pittsburg to change their communities for the better. And this could even have an impact in places like Leawood and Wichita. For more than seven months, these leaders travel to regions across the state to see how the communities operate, and speak with local leaders about what makes the area tick. This week, the Kansas Chamber brought 40 community leaders to Pittsburg as part of its annual Leadership Kansas program. Over the next few days, participants will be exploring local attractions, restaurants and industries. They’ll also be speaking with city leaders to discuss local initiatives — including Pittsburg’s efforts to increase housing.
Source: KSNF/KODE