Kansas Municipal News
Ottawa County Municipal Court will end all in-person appearances
The Ottawa Municipal Court will cease in-person appearances effective immediately until February 3, 2021. The move was made due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement released by the court on Tuesday, Dec. 8, the court said it will continue to resolve cases during this time by phone or mail. As to outstanding warrants, the court gives discretion to all law enforcement officers that they may execute the warrant and have the person taken into custody, or in the alternative, may obtain from the individual their current address and phone number, provide that information to court staff, and court staff will notify the court, have the warrant withdrawn, and send the individual a notice to appear for a date after February 3, 2021.
Source: KSNT News
Topeka City Council to consider adding additional sales tax to Downtown Ramada
The Topeka City Council will hear a proposal Tuesday night to turn the Downtown Ramada Hotel into a Community Improvement District. This would add an additional two percent sales tax to the hotel. According to city documents, the hotel is looking at starting $4 million worth of improvements. These include things like replacing windows, improving parking lots, replacing sprinkler systems and upgrading elevator controls. The plans also include converting 50 hotel rooms into apartments. City Manager Brent Trout said the hotel’s owners will having their own financing for the project. The sales tax funds would help offset that cost as the money comes in.
Source: KSNT News
Oxford community excited for new family-owned grocery store
The Oxford community will be welcoming a new grocery store in the coming days. The store is located at 417 West main street in Oxford, Kan. “We want to help the community and have our services available to where they can at least not have to drive so far or go out to larger communities,” said Stacie Gilliland, co-owner at Hometown Market. “It kind of boils down to the opportunity to serve the community,” said Beau Gilliland, co-owner at Hometown Market. The store’s soft start date is Wednesday, December 16. Stacie Gilliland said they will offer fresh food items such as produce, meat, dairy, health and beauty items, and much more.
Source: KSN-TV
Some of the biggest names in Wichita bar scene press lawsuit challenging COVID-19 rules
A lawsuit in federal court challenging Sedgwick County’s rules to slow the spreading of COVID-19 lists some of the biggest names in Wichita’s bar and nightlife scene, suing most of the city and county’s top elected and appointed officials. If it succeeds, the suit will essentially take Sedgwick County back to business as it was pre-pandemic, negating county health orders mandating the use of protective face masks in public places, an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew on bars and restaurants, and any limitations on the size of public gatherings. The suit is partially crowd-funded by “Unmask the Truths,” a Facebook and web-based group of mask opponents raising money to pay lawyer David Miller to challenge the county and city mandates on constitutional grounds.Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
As virus spreads, Kansas hospital runs out of staff
The radiology technician slept in an RV in the parking lot of his rural Kansas hospital for more than a week because his co-workers were out sick with COVID-19 and no one else was available to take X-rays. A doctor and physician assistant tested positive on the same day in November, briefly leaving the hospital without anyone who could write prescriptions or oversee patient care. The hospital is full, but diverting patients isn’t an option because surrounding medical centers are overwhelmed. The situation at Rush County Memorial Hospital in La Crosse illustrates the depths of the COVID-19 crisis in rural America at a time when the virus is killing more than 2,000 people a day and inundating hospitals.
Source: Wichita Breaking News, Sports & Crime |
Wichita firefighters hose off cancerous chemicals
Imagine getting doused in water in the winter! Wichita firefighters have been hosing off policy meant to save lives. While firefighters risk their lives everyday to stop fires in our community, it’s cancer that is a big risk. Studies show they have a 9% higher chance of getting cancer. “All of our members are well aware of the dangerous things that we are exposed to and accept that risk, but with that being said there are things that we can do to help try to alleviate some of those things and this is certainly one of them,” said Battalion Chief Kelly Ross. Battalion Chief Kelly Ross is talking about the Wichita fire departments new decontamination station.
Source: KSN-TV
Municipal Bond Trends for December 7, 2020
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.
Lawrence library now offering laptop and hot spot lending program, as well as expanded internet access
The Lawrence Public Library is now offering laptop and hot spot lending, free internet service for qualifying low-income households and permanent outdoor wireless internet service around the building’s perimeter. A news press release from the library, 707 Vermont St., said the library received the funding for its Digital Equity Project though a federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Kansas City, Kansas, police warn against fentanyl use as overdoses double since 2019
The number of suspected overdoses in Kansas City, Kansas, have more than doubled since last year, police said, warning of the potentially fatal effects of fentanyl. In 2019 in Kansas City, Kansas, the city saw 23 overdoses, according to the police department. So far this year, there have been 41 suspected overdoses and nine deaths, Capt. Richard Harris said in a department news release Monday.
Source: KC Star Local News
Remote learning sends kids to alternative classrooms, like the Sedgwick County Zoo
What does a fuzzy cow have to do with successful remote learning? And, how is she helping keep essential workers on the job? The Sedgwick County Zoo knows the answers to those questions. The classrooms at the zoo’s Cargill Learning Center were put to a new use Monday, helping kids log onto their remote learning classes, in an effort to help their parents keep working. Mid-morning, the sounds of children’s laughter and the mooing of a Highland Cow could be heard floating out of the barn at the zoo’s farm. The children were visiting during a scheduled break from their remote learning classes just a short walk away.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita teachers ratify new union contract after district adds one-time bonus
Wichita Public Schools teachers voted to accept a new union contract proposal from USD 259 after the district offered a one-time bonus to those who weren’t otherwise going to receive a raise during the pandemic. In all, 64.5% of district teachers voted. Of those voting, 67.3% chose to approve the new collective bargaining agreement. All teachers are eligible to vote on the union contract, regardless of whether or not they are union members. Last month, teachers voted overwhelmingly to reject the tentative agreement between the United Teachers of Wichita and the district over concerns about lack of salary increases, teacher workload and building safety in the pandemic.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Sedgwick County passes 30,000 cases of COVID-19 as Wichita hospital ICUs remain full
Sedgwick County has now surpassed 30,000 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 since the coronavirus pandemic began. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday reported 174,025 total confirmed and probable cases in Kansas. Sedgwick County has had the most of any county, at 30,881.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Shawnee County commissioners approve permit for 1 million gallon water tower
A conditional use permit for a 1 million gallon water tower, which local government officials said will accommodate future growth and potentially prevent boil water orders, was approved by the Shawnee County Commission. Commissioners held a virtual public hearing at Monday morning’s meeting, where Braxton Copley, deputy director of the city of Topeka’s utilities department, spoke in favor of the project. “This is a very important project for us,” Copley said. “We only have a single tower of 500,000 gallons (in that area), so having a second tower in a pressure zone is best practice throughout the industry.”
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
Shawnee County commissioners extend disaster declaration until summer
Shawnee County will be in a “state of local disaster emergency” until June 30, 2021, after the resolution declaring a state of emergency was extended for the third time. “Given our continued battle with the COVID-19 crisis this will allow us continued access to potential CARES Act funding, or any other potential funding sources, as well as the requisition of additional PPE and other resources that may be needed,” said Errin Mahan, interim director of Shawnee County Emergency Management Department at Monday’s county commissioners meeting.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
Kansas trails receive national designations
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Flint Hills Trail and Prairie Spirit Trail state parks recently received America’s highest trails honor when they were designated National Recreational Trails by the National Park Service. Both state park trails are operated by KDWPT’s Parks Division. “This is significant, not only for those parks and our state parks system, but for the state of Kansas,” said Linda Lanterman, KDWPT’s Parks Division director. “This is going to draw valuable attention to two great state parks and all they have to offer. And, ultimately, help the local economies that are developing along those trails. This is a big deal.” The designation brings no monetary prize, but the parks can now use signage that denotes their high quality.
Source: Gardner News
An empty desk and a moment of silence
An empty desk at the front of the Barton County Commission’s courthouse chamber spoke volumes Monday morning. The name plate still read Kenny Schremmer, chairman. It was a tribute to Schremmer, the longtime First District commissioner who died at his home on Thanksgiving Day. “Let’s pause for a prayerful moment of silence for our friend and colleague Kenny Schremmer,” Commissioner Jennifer Schartz said. The room fell silent before the weekly meeting proceeded as normal. As part of the agenda, Schartz was named as commission chairperson, to replace Schremmer. Jim Daily was named chairman pro tem, the post formerly held by Schartz. “He had quite an influence,” Daily said. “He had a real impact on a lot of people.” He served as a leader, not only at the county level, but in the business community as an auctioneer, he said. “We will miss Kenny.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Potential cell tower gets poor reception from Derby
During a public hearing at a special meeting of the Derby Planning Commission Dec. 2, feelings of Derby residents were made very clear – as a handful spoke up in opposition to a proposed cell tower near High Park and the neighboring Spring Ridge development. Falling within the urban area of influence, a conditional use application for a communication structure (AT&T cell tower) submitted to the Wichita Metropolitan Area Planning Department was required to come before the Derby Planning Commission – as well as the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission – for review.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Municipal Bond Trends for December 4, 2020
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.
Sedgwick County asks Legislature for power to clean up eyesores and stinky nuisances
This could be the year that Sedgwick County gets the authority to go in and clean up neighborhood nuisances that have persisted for years, including an unsightly pile of debris near west Wichita and a stinky house in Oaklawn south of the city. Nuisance abatement is high on this year’s Sedgwick County legislative agenda, an annual wish list of laws and funding policies the county wants to see enacted when the Legislature returns to session next month. While cities have fairly broad authority to force a cleanup of local eyesores and health hazards, that power largely stops at the city limits.
Source: Wichita Breaking News, Sports & Crime |
Thieves target car part as new ‘gold rush’ in Wichita, deputy chief says
Yassine Sadkhi had a customer looking at a used truck last month at his Atlas Motors on South Broadway. At first, the truck wouldn’t start, but when it finally did it made a loud but familiar noise. The catalytic converter had been stolen. The car lot owner said employees checked the lot and found converters missing on two other vehicles as well. He had five stolen last year and 21 have been so far this year, costing the business between $16,000 and $20,000. “All of the businesses, in general, have suffered in a way or another with the pandemic. Dealerships are no exceptions,” he said. “It has been really tough. It’s pretty slow already and then we have to keep going with these costly repairs.”
Source: Wichita Breaking News, Sports & Crime |