Kansas Municipal News
‘This is home and this is family’: Garden City woman leads nearly a century-long Hispanic celebration
Hispanic heritage is deeply rooted in western Kansas. Communities in the Kansas triangle, Garden City, Dodge City, and Liberal, make up the densest Hispanic populations in the state according to the U.S. Census. “Garden City is a melting pot,” said Angelica Castillo Chappel, Garden City Hispanic Community Leader. The Mexican Fiesta, or La Fiesta, began in 1926. People from all across the western half of Kansas and into Colorado, poured into the streets of Garden City, to celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spain.
Source: KSN-TV
Growing together: McConnell AFB gives Derby a leg up on economic development
“We have really embraced the Air Force base,” says Dan Squires, director of planning and engineering for the city. McConnell, he says, is always involved in planning decisions within certain zones near the base by requirement — but the base is often consulted on planning and projects even outside of those areas. The impact of McConnell is felt all across town, from jobs and housing to local spending by base personnel, all helping to give Derby a large portion of the half-billion dollar economic impact the base has within the 50-mile radius surrounding it.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Hutch Fire sends second crew to relieve volunteers at Wyoming wildfire
On Wednesday, Hutchinson Fire Department Cpt. Craig Walle, Cpt. Travis Kerschner and Mark Penner from the Kansas Forest Service departed to relieve the Hutch crew offering assistance on the Mullen fire in Wyoming. They will be deployed for two weeks and continue operations that our current crews are performing. Currently that fire is over 128,000 acres and has over 1,000 personnel assigned to it.
Source: News – The Hutchinson News
B-29 bomber ‘Doc’ returns to Great Bend
The Great Bend Municipal Airport will host the World War II B-29 superfortress “Doc” for ride flights on Saturday, Oct. 24, Airport Manager Martin Miller announced Friday. The plane, based in Wichita, has scheduled two rides for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., before flying to Olathe that afternoon. Each flight offers nine seats, positioned at different locations on the aircraft, Miller said. Tickets are now available for purchase ranging in price from $600-1,500 at www.etix.com/ticket/o/5476/docs-friends. Great Bend Municipal Airport, formerly Great Bend Army Airfield, was built in 1943 and dedicated to aircrew and maintenance training on the brand new B-29 bomber.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Municipal Bond Trends for October 8, 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.
Small-town bike shop serves large area
Not many people who pull into the north-central Kansas town of Osborne, population 1,291 (as estimated in 2018), will expect to find a working bicycle shop. After all, many larger Kansas communities can’t claim a bicycle shop. “I’ve had it happen a dozen times. People will stick their head in the door, with a little trepidation, and then notice the tools, smell the oil, before they finally exclaim, ‘This is a bike shop,’ ” said John McClure, proprietor and mechanic at Blue Hills Bikes.
Source: Leavenworth Times
Wichita’s high-end homes are selling faster than they have in a decade
The most expensive homes in the Wichita area are selling fast and the number of them available has fallen to levels not seen since before the Great Recession, according to a real estate analyst at Wichita State University. Stan Longhofer, director of WSU’s Center for Real Estate, said the demand for homes that cost more than $500,000 and a limited supply of them were standouts of the 2021 Kansas Housing Markets Forecast, an annual report released this week. The change comes despite a pandemic and global recession that hasn’t yet negatively impacted home sales but could catch up in the next couple of years, Longhofer said. For now, the housing market is booming, often causing “bidding wars.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Liquor-by-the-drink? Question will come up during the Nov. 3 general election season
Voters throughout Johnson County will consider a liquor-by-the-drink question during the Nov. 3 general election season, while Leawood and Roeland Park are asking residents to approve sales taxes. If approved, the liquor amendment will allow individual drinks to be sold without requiring establishments to serve food as well. Current law, described as archaic by its detractors, requires that food account for 30% of the gross receipts of a business if it is to sell liquor by the drink.
Source: Joco 913 News
Casino begins construction near Park City
Crosswinds Casino near Park City is breaking ground. After more than 30 years of having the ten acres of land, Wyandotte Nation has had a goal to build a casino and it’s now underway. “We’re exercising our right to game on our property there,” said Wyandotte Nation Chief Billy Friend. Wyandotte Nation Chief said it’s been a long time coming.
Source: KSN-TV
Western Kansas counties running out of water – conservationists look to recharge the aquifer
It’s a multi-million dollar project aimed at restoring the aquifer and preserving the future of communities experiencing a decline in groundwater…. Phase VI continues the effective Kansas Playa Initiative and is now enmeshing Playa Lakes Joint Venture’s “Municipal Water” campaign which aims to help recharge areas of western Kansas being impacted by a rapidly depleted water source. … The current focus area is in Greeley and Wichita counties, parts of the state in a severe drought. “Water is the driving force of the economy here in southwest Kansas,” said Bill Simshauser, Farmer and Kansas Association of Conservation Districts Board Member. It is estimated that the two counties combined have nearly 5,000 playas. But experts say within the next 50 years, the area won’t have enough water to sustain the cities of Leoti and Tribune. “Wichita and Greeley county are running out of water,” said Simshauser.
Source: KSN-TV
Kansas to increase wastewater testing for covid-19
The state is expanding its testing of wastewater to predict the coronavirus. The testing helps show where the virus is commonly found and how it spreads across the state. KDHE plans to expand water testing to 95 rural counties and Johnson and Wyandotte County to help predict the next spike in coronavirus cases. According to the state’s top doctor, the testing can help identify the virus up to a week before it shows in the case numbers.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Derby’s next plan for the future puts deeper emphasis on mixed-used development, walkability
A 40-year comprehensive plan being developed by Derby city leaders takes input from residents gathered through community events and online engagement. It’s a roadmap designed to help guide city decisions and policy, as well as a helpful tool for developers to find inspiration for growth. It replaces the last one adopted in 2006. “There’s been a lot learned and a lot done in communities all over the country and really all over the world that we’re learning from people’s mistakes, capturing the best practices and trying to accomplish that here in Derby,” city planner Scott Knebel said.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Gardner city council discusses, amends social media policy
Gardner’s social media policy was amended by the council at their Oct. 5 council meeting. The changes to the policy give the city administrator and public information officer more authority to oversee social media for boards, commissions, committees, the city Council and mayor. … Amended language to the policy includes allowing the city administrator or public information officer to contact an elected or appointed official requesting they stop commenting on a particular issue.
Source: Gardner News
Wichita State releases 2021 employment forecasts for Kansas and Wichita
Wichita State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research has released updated employment forecasts for Kansas, Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City. Total employment in Kansas increased to 1,423,200 workers in 2019, with 0.5% growth, as unemployment declined 3.2%, its lowest level since 1978. Nine consecutive years of declines in unemployment ended in the second quarter of 2020, as employment fell 8% in the second quarter of 2020. This was the single largest one-quarter drop in state history, with a reduction in employment of more than 113,000 workers.
Source: KSN-TV
City of Wichita conducts pilot program for new scooters
With Zagster’s departure from Wichita earlier this year, Wichita lost its orange Spin scooters along with its bike ride share program. VeoRide scooters remain, and now there’s a second option for scooter fans through a new pilot program with Santa Monica-based Bird scooters. “There was a new opportunity in the market,” spokeswoman Jasmine Wallsmith said.
Source: Carrie Rengers: Business Columns & Blogs |
Renowned architect Moshe Safdie remembers Exploration Place as ‘a seminal project’
World-renowned architect Moshe Safdie probably could be forgiven if he didn’t remember many details of his time in Wichita designing Exploration Place two decades ago. After all, the 82-year-old has gone on to do acclaimed, massive international projects in many more exotic places, such as Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport and its Marina Bay Sands development, Brazil’s Albert Einstein Education and Research Center and Israel’s Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Still, Safdie not only has what he called vivid memories of his time in Wichita, he regularly checks back on Exploration Place.
Source: Carrie Rengers: Business Columns & Blogs |
Shawnee County makes $93,000 investment in mail-in ballot equipment
Shawnee County Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of a ballot sorting machine and scanner to aid the elections office with the “record number” of mail-in ballot requests. Election commissioner Andrew Howell said at the Oct. 8 county commissioners meeting, 701 N. Kansas Ave., the county already received over 20,000 requests for mail in ballots, which is a sharp increase from the 8,000 requests in 2016. Howell said the sorting machine will increase the efficiency of ballot sorting, and the scanner will help the county match signatures on ballots with election office records. If any signature is not similar, election office staff will review the signature to determine its authenticity.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
Saint Luke’s to close community hospitals in Overland Park
Saint Luke’s Health System says it will close its two community hospitals in Overland Park at the end of the year. Both hospitals opened just a couple of years ago. The health system, which took over management of Allen County Regional Hospital in Iola in July, said declining patient volumes were behind the decision. “Overall, our community hospital model has performed remarkably well and has allowed us to effectively expand access in a critical segment of our market,” Bobby Olm-Shipman, CEO of Saint Luke’s South and East, said in a statement.
Source: The Iola Register
South central Kansas could provide new Space Command headquarters
At the start of September, four Kansas cities were announced as potential sites for the new U.S. Space Command headquarters – with Derby and Wichita among that short list. The U.S. Air Force announced its search for a new location for Space Command – currently operating out of Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo. – back in May, distributing screening information to governors across the country. Criteria in order to be considered included being within the top 150 metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S., being within 25 miles of a military base and scoring at least 50 points (out of 100) on a livability matrix created by the American Association of Retired Persons.
Source: Derby Informer | News
After repeated warnings, Topeka police make camping violation arrest
Topeka police on Wednesday arrested a man they said repeatedly refused to stop violating a city ordinance by camping beneath the Interstate 470 overpass that crosses over Wanamaker Road, where he was blocking the sidewalk. Eugene Frank Richardson, 63, was being held on a $500 bond Thursday after being booked at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday into the Shawnee County Jail in connection with unlawful camping in public infrastructure, according to jail records. The arrest came in connection with an alleged violation of an ordinance Topeka’s mayor and city council approved last December banning camping in some locations.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal