Kansas Municipal News
As 60% of Johnson County schools report COVID cases, guidance for returning is eased
The Johnson County health department has issued more lenient guidance on whether school districts should allow older students back into classrooms when there is high community spread of COVID-19. Unlike under the previous criteria, districts could now allow middle and high schoolers to return to in-person learning in a hybrid model — going to class part time and taking online classes for the rest of the week — as long as safety precautions are implemented. The guidance for elementary students has remained the same, as officials continue to recommend they can return to classrooms full time.
Source: Joco 913 News
If the speed limit is 25 mph or less, here’s a new way to get around in Spring Hill
Spring Hill is now allowing golf carts to be driven on streets where the speed limit is 25 miles an hour or less. The ordinance, approved by the City Council on Sept. 24, took effect on Sept. 30. No permit is required to operate the carts, but the operator must have a valid, unrestricted driver’s license.
Source: Joco 913 News
The historic Brookville Hotel announces closure
The Brookville Hotel, known for its family style chicken dinners, announced after generations under family ownership, it would close its doors. Owners Mark and Connie Martin announced on Facebook on Thursday that the restaurant would be closing due to COVID-19 and lack of traffic. “We hung on as long as we could , but the writing was on the wall,” the Facebook post said.
Source: KAKE – News
New Derby arts facility a hub of activity
Nothing in 2020 has been “normal,” and the opening of the new Hubbard Arts Center certainly falls into that category. Originally scheduled to have a grand opening in April, those plans had to be put off and the center – an extension of the Derby Recreation Commission – didn’t officially open for programming until mid-June. Even with those delays, the market for the Hubbard Arts Center and the programs it offers has been clear from the start – with the center drawing a number of individuals from Derby and the surrounding area for its classes since its summer opening.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Derby preparing for transition to city of the first class
As Derby prepares to transition to a city of the first class, staff is managing the inherent changes to operations – with that process coming before the Derby City Council at its Sept. 22 meeting. With that first class status – a mandatory transition once a city’s population reaches 25,000 – comes a number of statutes that apply to cities of that size. Those statutes though, City Attorney Jacque Butler pointed out, predate the Home Rule Amendment of the Kansas Constitution, which allows cities to exempt themselves from non-uniform statutes. Charter ordinances allow for those exemptions, but Butler pointed out Derby’s current ordinances will be invalid after the transition as they apply to second class cities.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Spirit Aerosystems to close Oklahoma plant, some work will move to Wichita
Spirit Aerosystems has announced it will be closing its plant in McAlester, Oklahoma. The closing is due to the downturn in the commercial aviation market caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX jetliner. The company said it now has an excess of production capacity. Spirit plans to consolidate some operations over the next few months and the work in McAlester will be moved to facilities in Wichita and Tulsa, Oklahoma. The McAlester plant has had around 175 workers.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Emporia moves forward with expanded COVID-19 testing initiative, discusses library reopening
The City of Emporia may soon be getting increased access to close-contact COVID-19 testing. During Wednesday’s meeting of city commissioners, City Consultant Jim Witt updated the board on his efforts to increase availability, saying the initiative would be a partnership between Newman Regional Health and Lyon County Public Health. As with other necessary health resources during the pandemic, Witt said the added tests will also be funded through SPARK funds and are expected to total around $105,000. “We’re at the point where [the organizations] would like to be able to start the close contact testing by Monday …” Witt said. “There were questions from the commission that came up as to how this would affect our overall positivity rate, and I received an answer which was more or less that it should, but might not depending on who’s tested … If you’re doing just people that have been in close contact, you could see an upswing in positivity rate.”
Source: Emporia Gazette
Johnson County health department updates school gating criteria
The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment has updated their school gating criteria after some districts opted out of following previous guidance, saying it was too strict. The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment will now include the incidence rate category, or the number of new COVID-19 cases added per 100,000 people over the prior two-week period, as well as the positive percentage rate in the county. The new guidance comes after several districts opted out of previous guidance to move students to in-person learning and allow extracurricular activities, like sporting events.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Kansas has $73 million tax surplus; official still sees uncertainty
Kansas reported Thursday that it collected nearly $73 million more than expected in taxes in September but its top revenue official said the economic outlook in coming months remains uncertain because of the coronavirus pandemic. The state Department of Revenue said Kansas collected nearly $729 million in taxes last month, when it expected to take in $656 million. The surplus of 11% for the month was tied largely to better-than-expected income tax collections. The September collections allowed the state to finish the first three months of the 2021 budget year that started July 1 with $108 million more in tax collections than anticipated. The state collected $2.25 billion during those three months, 5.1% more than projected.
Source: KAKE – News
NEJC communities receive grants to improve walkability, major corridors
Projects in Overland Park, Merriam and Westwood that address walkability and improvements to major corridors have earned grant funding from the Mid-America Regional Council. “It is exciting to see local governments focus on planning for and creating vibrant assets for their residents,” said Beth Dawson, a senior land use planner at MARC. MARC’s Board of Directors and Total Transportation Policy Committee approved $877,825 in grant funding for 14 projects in the Greater Kansas City area, including eight in Kansas and six in Missouri. The grant funding is directed at efforts to create sustainable development.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Near-zero interest rates may be needed for up to 3 years, says Dallas Fed’s Robert Kaplan
Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan told CNBC on Wednesday that it is likely appropriate to keep interest rates anchored near zero for up to three years to aid the U.S. economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. “I think we’re going to need to keep the Fed funds rate at zero for the next probably 2½ to three years years,” Kaplan said on “The Exchange.” ” It could be that long that until we get on track, to have weathered the crisis and are on track to meet our full employment and price stability goals.” Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve’s policymaking committee voted to keep short-term rates targeted at 0%-0.25%, where they have been for the last six months, and indicated they would remain there until inflation rises consistently. Kaplan was one of two Federal Open Market Committee members to vote against the policy action, but he stressed Wednesday it is due to his desire for the central bank to have more leeway to its monetary approach.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Cowan appointed Assistant City Manager in Independence
During a special Independence City Commission meeting Wednesday evening, City Manager Kelly Passauer announced the appointment of long-time City leader David Cowan as Assistant City Manager. Prior to this promotion, Cowan served as the City’s Director of Safety and Code Enforcement. In his new role, Passauer explained, Cowan, who is now in his 34th year of service, will oversee the operations of Fire/EMS, Park & Zoo, Public Works, Utilities, the Building Department, Code Enforcement and Memorial Hall – some of which have already been under his supervision for several years. “David is a hard worker, is passionate about the City and has excellent customer-service and problem-solving skills. I am excited to see David in his new role,” Passauer said.
Source: Independence, KS – News Flash
Governor Kelly orders flags at half-staff in honor of Rep. Leonard Mastroni
In accordance with Executive Order 20-30, Governor Laura Kelly has ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings, grounds, and facilities beginning today, Wednesday, Sept. 30, until the day of interment, in honor of Kansas Rep. Leonard Mastroni. Mastroni, La Crosse, has represented Kansas House District 117 since 2017. “I was saddened to hear of the passing of Representative Mastroni, who was a dedicated public servant during his tenure in the Kansas House of Representatives,” Governor Kelly said. “I respected and admired his commitment to working with his colleagues in the Legislature to improve the lives of his constituents. I offer my sincerest condolences to his wife, Linda, their four children, and all of his friends and loved ones during this difficult time. Leonard will be missed on the House floor, and throughout his district.” Representative Mastroni graduated from Fort Hays State University, and in 1981 was elected as a District Court Judge for the 24th Judicial District. After retirement he served as a Rush County Commissioner for six years before being elected as State Representative. He and his wife, Linda, lived in La Crosse for over 40 years.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Wichita police launch new program to catch drivers running red lights
Wichita police have launched a new program in hopes of reducing the number of drivers running red lights at a high-accident intersection. Capt. Brent Allred said Wednesday that the Blue Light Crash Reduction Project was funded by a grant through the Kansas Department of Transportation. Here’s how it works. WPD installed six blue lights on traffic signals at Kellogg and Rock Road. When a traffic light turns red, its corresponding blue light illuminates. That lets nearby officers in the area know that the traffic light is red and they can see who, if anyone, is running it. Capt. Allred said it’s difficult for officers to minor at the intersection because of its complexity and traffic volume.
Source: KAKE – News
Peabody seeking new logo design
Peabody will be taking contest entries for an updated city logo, and councilman Lindsay Hutchison is wasting no time getting the ball rolling. Entries are due by Dec. 15 to be approved by the council Dec. 28, and the new logo will be rolled out in January, according to Hutchison’s proposed plan. “It would have been great to do that in March when everybody was stuck at home and they could just color pictures for the whole day,” she said. “We don’t necessarily have to retire the logo we have currently but we need something that has fewer colors and less fine detail.”
Source: Marion County RECORD
Merriam seeks information about names found in time capsule at old community center
The city of Merriam is searching for interesting stories about — or living relatives of — the names found in the Irene B. French Community Center’s 1911 cornerstone time capsule. The city of Merriam is seeking information about names found in a time capsule at the Irene B. French Community Center. Denton Excavating crews stumbled upon the time capsule in the 1911 cornerstone when demolishing the old community center last month. Now, the city is looking for any information — interesting stories or living relatives — about the names of students and Merriam residents.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
New energy crucial to a town’s survival
Heather Horton has a few pandemic messages for her fellow Kansans. “Don’t give up. Take each day as it comes,” she says, which is good advice in any situation. But also: “Think about the people, not the profit margin, because that’s what matters in the end.” Horton and her husband, Roger, co-own two small businesses in Pittsburg. They opened Sweet Designs Cakery, where they bake party-type desserts, in 2009. A block away is Toast, which they opened last October, with a concept that was unusual for Pittsburg.
Source: The Iola Register
‘We’re still open’
With a smile and a wave, Paola Free Library Director Emily Burgdorf greets regular patron Bob Ayres as he takes a seat at one of the library’s computers. It’s a scene that’s happened countless other times at the library, but everything is just a little bit different during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ayres is wearing a mask, the computer next to him is off limits due to social distancing protocol, and the library is far from bustling with activity because there is a limit of 10 patrons at any given time. “The library is not closed, we’re still open” Burgdorf said.
Source: The Miami County Republic
Kansas airports face years of recovery after coronavirus slowdown
Katie Hansen’s recent trip from Columbus, Ohio, through Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Wichita felt pretty familiar. Sure, several restaurants sat closed, but O’Hare looked busy and her flights were full. “If people didn’t have masks on,” Hansen said, “there would be nothing different.” The sense of bustling airports is a mere illusion, the result of a smaller number of air travelers grouped into a reduced number of flights.
Source: News – Dodge City Daily Globe – Dodge City, KS
Extended unemployment benefits program to begin
Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that the state’s Lost Wages Assistance Program is set to start Friday. The program will give Kansans already receiving unemployment benefits an additional $300 per week. “Short term, the Lost Wages Assistance program will help provide critical support to unemployed Kansans due to the coronavirus pandemic,” the governor said in a statement. “I urge the Senate to pass legislation to extend federal benefits to those still in need.”
Source: News – The Garden City Telegram