Kansas Municipal News
Johnson County cities crack down on Airbnb
Prairie Village is considering a 30-day minimum stay rule for short-term rentals, which would essentially ban most Airbnb and Vrbo properties. It’s the latest city in Johnson County to take up the issue. Fairway, Shawnee, and Merriam have all considered the issue in recent months, especially as local governments look towards the potential influx of visitors to the Kansas City metro for the 2026 World Cup. Up To Date’s Steve Kraske discussed short-term rentals with reporter Juliana Garcia, who has been covering the story for the Johnson County Post.
Source: KCUR News
Voters in Valley Center, Haysville approve ballot questions
Voters in Valley Center and Haysville have approved ballot questions on a school bond issue and a sales tax. In unofficial results from a special election on Tuesday, Valley Center voters approved a $59 million school bond issue that will provide for a new elementary school and improvements to Valley Center High School and the Valley Center Intermediate School. The improvements are planned to address higher enrollment in the district. The bond issue received 1,173 yes votes and 1,031 no votes in the special election. Valley Center Superintendent Greg Lehr issued a statement on social media, saying “Members of the communities we serve have determined that now is the time to provide adequate space for learning for current and future students. Once the ballots have been canvassed and the results finalized, we will move forward with the planning and implementation phases, ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparency throughout the process.” In Haysville, voters approved the extension of a one cent sales tax that was about to expire. The tax will be used to improve local streets, parks and recreational facilities. The city also plans to use 10 percent of the tax revenue for property tax reduction. The extension received 557 yes votes and 387 no votes. The results are unofficial until they are certified by the Sedgwick County Election Office.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
What Wichita services have been affected by cyberattack outage
Almost every single department in the city of Wichita has been impacted by the cyberattack that happened Sunday night. “Every department within the city of Wichita is just trying its best right now to go about day to day operations,” said Wichita Mayor Lily Wu. The Wichita fire fighter’s union says the system that alerts fire fighters when there’s a call in their area is down so now the department is having to monitor their radios 24/7 to make sure they don’t miss a call. “We’re on for 24 hours so having to monitor the radios when normally you’d be sleeping is a hardship,” said the Union’s vice president Dustin Winter. He says usually firefighters can sleep throughout the night because if something happens all the lights will turn on and an alarm will sound but that’s not happening right now. The Fraternal Order of Police says the Wichita Police Department is also having to change things up a bit to work through changes the outage caused. “The Fraternal Order of Police is aware of the cybersecurity incident and have been working closely with Chief Sullivan and his command staff to ensure that our officers have the necessary resources to maintain exceptional service standards. While the incident has caused some more traditional methods to get the mission accomplished, rest assured that the dedicated men and women of the Wichita Police Department are diligently working to uphold our commitment to exceptional customer service and public safety,” said the FOP’s president in a statement to KAKE News. (…) First responders aren’t the only ones being impacted.
Source: KAKE – News
Sedgwick County proposal would block incentives for Genesis Sports Complex apartments
The Sedgwick County Commission will consider vetoing Goddard’s plan to give a developer $3.5 million in state incentives to build apartments at the Genesis Sports Complex, documents show. The commission’s May 8 agenda was published Friday afternoon, several hours after a Wichita Eagle report found $1.2 million of the incentive package would be used to fund a land transfer from an LLC owned by Rodney Steven II and Brandon Steven to an affiliated LLC with unknown ownership and unclear ties to Rodney Steven II. The land would be the site for 100 garden-style apartments near baseball and softball diamonds at the Genesis Sports Complex south of Kellogg in Goddard. It would be the second time Goddard has used state incentives to buy the 7.57 acre site for a developer. Three commissioners, the number needed to reject the incentives, have signaled their opposition to the Goddard’s plan: Republicans Jim Howell and David Dennis, whose district includes Goddard, and Democrat Sarah Lopez. Republicans Ryan Baty and Pete Meitzner said they were still researching the project Friday afternoon. “My job is to protect all taxpayers in the county, not just special interests of a few,” Lopez said in a statement. “Goddard could benefit from those housing units, but not on the backs of everyone else.”
Source: Wichita Eagle
The city of Burden cleans up after serious wind damage
Burden, Kansas is in clean up mode on Tuesday following high winds that caused thousands of dollars worth of damage and debris. In fact, some of the damage was so severe that a local high school took it upon themselves to send out some of their students to help the community. “The wind, I’ve never heard wind like that in my life,” said Rey Kehr, Burden resident. Kehr is dealing with the aftermath of Monday’s severe weather. His lawn is now littered with tree limbs. County officials estimate winds reached 80 miles per hour during the storm; and the damage is clear throughout town. Driving down Main Street you see an abandoned building now mostly bricks. That isn’t the worst of it. The most damage in Burden took place at storage facilities at Cowley County’s public works district three building. At least two structures were almost totally destroyed by wind. “Sadly the building behind me was one of the originals for this. It dates back to the 30s and 40s,” said County Administrator Lucas Goff. The damage at the public works property could be upwards of $750,000 to fix. This serves as a reminder that tornadoes aren’t the only kind of severe weather you should be watching out for. In fact, high winds can often be just as damaging. It’s not all bad news though. The community came together in a big way. High school students from USD 426 decided to volunteer their time and load up 5 trailers full of branches and debris from yards in need.
Source: KAKE – News
Ellsworth delays opening of splash pads
The City of Ellsworth is delaying the opening of its splash pads. Ellsworth is currently under a voluntary water watch due to drought conditions. The voluntary watch has been in place since last year. The city is postponing opening the splash pads until at least May 13 so they can have a discussion with the city council about current drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows Ellsworth County and much of the state is in a severe drought. However, that is based on data as of April 30 and doesn’t include recent rainfall.
Source: KSN-TV
Caldwell celebrates its Chisholm Trail history
The town of Caldwell celebrated its legendary history over the weekend with the Caldwell Chisholm Trail Festival. The town proudly calls itself the Border Queen as it is so close to the Oklahoma state line. It also is where the Chisholm Trail entered Kansas. In the late 1800s, cowboys drove two million cattle along the trail from Texas to railroad towns in Kansas. The festival this weekend included a cattle drive. One participant said he is grateful to be able to reenact history. “We always want to try to remember where we came from and what got us to where we are today, so the cattle drives bringing the cattle to the railhead in Kansas,” Sam Wylie said, who brought cattle. Now in its 30th year, the festival included music, a pet parade, gunfights, and dance hall girls. Tourists are invited to explore Caldwell year-round. Visit the Trails, Rails, and Scales Visitor Center, go on the downtown historical sign walking tour, or visit the Border Queen Museum.
Source: KSN-TV
Photo album-inspired arch in Garden City reflects an artist’s gratitude and community’s history
In Garden City — the rural heart of the high plains — stands “El Arco,” a 14-foot-tall sculpture erected in 2023. You can find the artwork on 8th Street, in Garden City’s historic downtown, across from Central Cup Coffee House. Clad in a yellow-orange ombre of ceramic tiles printed with a “photo album” of the city that helped mold the artist — Armando Minjárez Monárrez — the sculpture both reflects the life of the artist and our own lives and times. It suggests both the opportunities and restrictions of 2020s rural America, and most of all a very American tale of cobbling together our futures with the support and guidance of our communities. Since his days studying art at Garden City Community College in 2005, western Kansas has held a soft spot in Minjárez’s heart. In early 2021, he heard from longtime mentor Carole Geier about a Garden City Arts grant cycle with a nearing deadline. Ideas of what forges community quickly generated a proposal submission. He has known Geier since he lived in Garden City, he said. “She is someone who has made an effort to stay in touch with me — I wouldn’t have been able to participate in (this grant) it wasn’t for her,” he said. “I’m grateful for her.” Minjárez’s submission was selected, and the execution of the project started. This pandemic project took longer than expected. Garden City Art’s director, Caty Guthrie, said they faced “supply chain issues,” with the ceramic arch originally meant to be constructed from steel.
Source: Kansas Reflector
KCK voters soundly reject district’s $420 million plan to improve, build new schools
Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a request to issue $420 million in bonds for capital projects in Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, sending district officials back to the drawing board on a plan to address the challenges of dated school buildings. Roughly 8% of registered voters participated in the single-issue special election over the fate of the district’s proposal, according to unofficial results from the Wyandotte County Election Office. The measure received support from 42% of voters as 58% cast ballots against. There were 5,071 ballots cast, with 2,136 supporters and 2,935 opponents. The plan before voters called for three elementary and two middle schools to be built. Some additional costs included a $15 million district aquatic center, a $20 million expansion of early childhood capacity, up to $20 million for a new main public library and $44.5 million to cover deferred maintenance. District officials had pointed to the plan as one to address many needs, including aging school buildings and a lack of sufficient space.
Source: KC Star Local News
It’s illegal to let these 19 ‘noxious weeds’ grow in your yard in Kansas and Missouri
With summer on the way, many Kansas Citians are heading out to work the earth in yards, farms and community gardens around the metro. But as they contribute to the region’s strong agricultural tradition, some residents may find aggressive plants threatening to overtake the natural biodiversity of the local ecosystem. These plants, called “noxious weeds,” are at the center of an ongoing battle to maintain ecosystems in the Midwest. And local officials advise killing these plants on sight. “Noxious weeds are one of the greatest threats to the Kansas environment,” writes the Kansas Department of Agriculture. “They displace native plant species, interfere with the production of agricultural crops, increase erosion, destroy wildlife habitat and decrease property values.” Missouri and Kansas list a total of 19 plants that residents are advised to uproot. Here’s how to spot them, and what state laws say about preventing their spread. The Kansas and Missouri departments of agriculture maintain lists of noxious weeds that can spread aggressively and harm local ecosystems. Four are commonly found in the Kansas City area, according to Johnson County’s public works department.
Source: KC Star Local News
Several fire departments respond to fire near Cheney Reservoir
Several fire departments responded to a fire southeast of Cheney Reservoir Tuesday evening. The report of a building fire came in at 5:25 p.m. near the intersection of West 21st Street North and North 391st Street West. Cheney Fire said the first units to respond found a building fully engulfed in flames. They pulled a water line when the roof started to collapse. There were issues with electrical on the back of the building, Cheney Fire said. Because there were no fire hydrants in the area, crews brought 1,000-gallon tankers to get as much water on the scene as they could. Responding fire crews include Cheney Fire Rescue, Colwich Fire Department, Mount Hope Fire Department and Sedgwick County Fire Stations 31 and 32. The structure is a total loss, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Source: KSN-TV
Douglas County Commission approves strategic plan to end homelessness, discusses supportive housing
Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday voted to approve the joint city-county strategic plan to end homelessness and heard an update on supportive housing plans and projects. The strategic plan, “A Place for Everyone,” breaks the issues into five focus areas: Equity and Inclusion; Affordable Housing; Supportive Housing; Systems; and Emergency Shelter. Staff members first presented the draft plan to the county commission in March 2023. The commissions had a joint meeting in January to hear updates on the plan’s progress. The plan includes an estimate of about $267.77 million for the five-year plan — that breaks down into about $218.3 million for affordable housing; $28.4 million for supportive housing; $21 million for emergency shelter; $45,000 for equity and inclusion and $25,000 for systems. The county’s entire approved 2024 operating budget is $194.74 million, and the city’s total expenditures for 2024 are $472.33 million. Lawrence city commissioners approved the plan during their meeting Tuesday. Both commissions — and the city manager and county administrator — made clear that the approval does not obligate either government to spend the estimated cost to fully fund the plan. Both commissions will consider specific expenses as part of their annual budgeting processes. In a work session ahead of the commission’s regular meeting, Assistant County Administrator Jill Jolicoeur and others gave an update on supportive housing, which has been the county’s primary focus in the plan.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission will no longer broadcast public comment, which will be near ends of meetings
Lawrence city commissioners approved most proposed changes to public comment procedures, including no longer broadcasting general public comment live. Commissioners hear public comment on specific agenda items they’re considering, but people may also address the commission about any topics “germane” to city business that aren’t on the agenda during the general public comment period — which has been near the beginning of meetings for years. Commissioners voted to: (1) Move general public comment almost to the end of the meetings, but not the very end. Frequent commenter Chris Flowers told the commission that people often make points in general public comment that commissioners at the end of the meeting ask city staff to address. Some commissioners said they thought that was a good point. The general public comment period will be after all the regular agenda items and work sessions, but before commission items. (2) No longer broadcast public comment on the meeting livestreams, but still include public comment in recordings of meetings. It was not clear whether the broadcast of meetings will be turned back on at the end of public comment to publicly share commission items. (3) Strongly encourage public commenters to give their names and zip codes, but not require signing up in advance or requiring speakers to share their full addresses.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Pottawatomie County officials provide update on Westmoreland tornado cleanup
Pottawatomie County officials provided an update Wednesday on the recovery effort in Westmoreland following last week’s tornado. Public Information Officer Becky Ryan spoke about the county’s new landfill and recycling policy for those in Westmoreland. Ryan says residents can take their recycling to other nearby counties if needed, such as Nemaha and Riley County. Ryan also explains what residents can do with additional storm debris. The response from surrounding communities has been described as “overwhelming” by local officials. Ryan says that the county is pretty well set on items available for those in need and that the community center remains open for those who need items. Ryan also describes the morale in Westmoreland by many to be “overwhelmed” but “focused on helping one another in the recovery effort.” Additional information can be found at pottcounty.org/tornado.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Wichita to hold open house for Bicycle Plan update
The city of Wichita will have an open house Tuesday to get more input on an update of the city’s Bicycle Plan. The city began the process of updating the plan last summer, and city spokesperson Megan Lovely said that input was used to set the goals for the plan. The city is now taking input to get more into the details. The plan is updated every ten years and it’s a roadmap that identifies projects to increase bicycling safety, comfort and convenience. The city has put together a draft of a long-term bicycle network and options for bicycle facilities. The open house will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Friends University, in the Olive White Business and Technology Building at 2100 West University Avenue. Online commenting will be available at WichitaBicyclePlan.com through June 1st.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Kansas Tourism Announces New Grant to Assist Restoration of Historic Barns for Agritourism Businesses
Kansas Tourism today announced the Barn Adaptation and Restoration Needs (BARN) Grant Program is open for applications. This is the first grant program of its kind for Kansas Tourism. The grant has been created to support and expand agritourism businesses across Kansas through converting underutilized or vacant historic barns into new venues. “Transforming barns through the BARN program will preserve historical structures and repurpose them into vibrant hubs for agritourism activities, all while bringing new life and economic opportunities into Kansas communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By revitalizing these iconic buildings, we are honoring our state’s agricultural roots and planting seeds for future businesses to grow and prosper.” The BARN grant program is designed to spur economic growth and help create memorable visitor experiences by preserving a significant aspect of Kansas’ architectural history. These grants are specifically designed to rescue iconic barns from likely demolition or collapse and rehabilitate them into spaces conducive for new or expanding agritourism businesses.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Kansas students can soon enroll in new districts. What are top options around Wichita?
A new Kansas law will allow all students to enroll in districts other than the one they live in — as long as the district has availability. The state law was signed in 2022 and goes into effect this upcoming school year. Under the law, the only reason districts can reject students’ enrollment is if there is not a spot available. Nonresident enrollment will open June 1. If a district receives more enrollments than open spots, students will be randomly selected. Once enrolled, students will be allowed to stay in the non-district school through their graduation but are allowed to transfer to different schools at any time. Enrollment forms and information can be found on each district’s website. If a student is currently enrolled in the district they reside in and move outside the district, they would have to follow the open enrollment process to stay in their current school. All nonresident students will also be responsible for transportation to and from school. Wichita Public Schools, the largest district in Kansas, has 60 high school openings, 120 middle school openings and 275 elementary school openings across all their schools. Some individual schools have no space available, according to the district’s dashboard.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Ransomware group called ‘most prolific and destructive’ claims credit for Wichita attack
Wichita’s government operations appear to have been disrupted by a Russian hacker group, according to Eagle research and a cyber threat analyst. A notorious Russian cybercriminal group — LockBit — is claiming credit for the attack on the most populous city in Kansas. A dark web listing flagged by cyber threat analyst Brett Callow indicates LockBit is prepared to post the city’s data for other hackers if a ransom is not paid. LockBit’s demands are unclear. Wichita officials would not confirm whether LockBit or any other group has contacted the city about a ransom. The group is known to ask for multimillion dollar payouts in BitCoin, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
New logo chosen for City of Garden Plain
The City of Garden Plain has a new design for its official flag and community logo. The design was chosen in a contest that received 52 entries, and the Garden Plain City Council gave its approval during a meeting on May 1st. Designed and submitted by Garden Plain resident Pam Weber, the design, titled “Rolling Wheat on the Tracks” features the gold, black, and white color scheme associated with Garden Plain. According to Weber’s description of the meaning and symbolism of the design “It is a nod to the past, present and future of the community. Russian Mennonite settlers brought hard red winter wheat with them to Kansas; the harvesting of this wheat is still vital today and will continue to be so now and into the future. The wheat is arranged in a circle which could portray a locomotive wheel of the past rolling along the black tracks that run through the middle of the flag. The rolling wheat wheel could also be a wagon wheel of the settlers who carried the wheat to our prairie land. The round rolling wheat wheel also represents a town in forward motion.” City staff will be working to replace emblems and signs over the next few months to display the new logo.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Wichita water main break causes sinkhole; uprooted tree crushes one vehicle
A water main break on south Market Street in Wichita created a sinkhole that two vehicles fell into Monday morning. One was crushed under a large tree that had been uprooted. The main break occurred in the 1100 block of S. Market, near Morris. Part of Market is temporarily closed as crews from Wichita’s public works department remove the tree and repair the water line.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle