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Municipal News & Jobs

Municipal News & Jobs2018-08-05T16:28:50-05:00

Kansas Municipal News

Kansas Gov. Kelly announces statewide stay-at-home order to halt spread of COVID-19

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly imposed a statewide stay at home order Saturday in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
Kelly said the measure, which follows similar orders in the state’s most populous counties, is necessary to give health care workers the time to prepare for the peak of the virus and soften its impact on the state.
“We’re simply not ready for what we anticipate will be the peak of this pandemic,” Kelly said at a news conference Saturday.
The order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday. It will end on April 19.
Under the stay-at-home order, people can still leave their homes to get food, medicine or other household necessities; receive medical care; take care of other household members in another location; and to exercise.
Businesses performing essential functions can still operate through the stay-at-home order.
(Read more: Local News |)

City of Wichita employees furloughed due to Coronavirus

City employees received an email Friday telling them to stay home: they were furloughed. The city came to the decision because the city’s workforce needed to be adjusted to what is essential at this time.
According to Jim Jonas, the strategic communications director for the City of Wichita, “The city is trying to be thoughtful, prudent, responsible about how we manage the work of the city.”
With Sedgwick County putting in place a stay at home order due to the Coronavirus earlier this week, it put organizations in a bind on what to do with non-essential employees who were working. The city furloughed 301 employees on Friday because they could not complete their work at home and were not essential enough to come in.
(Read more: KAKE – News)

Criminal citations and fines: Johnson County prepares to enforce coronavirus orders

Johnson County law enforcement could issue criminal citations and fines if residents or businesses violate the metrowide stay-at-home order, Assistant County Manager Joe Connor said Friday — although he does not expect that to be a common occurrence.
Violations of the order — which went in effect Tuesday — would first come with a warning, he said. But police departments could issue citations, or even take action to close a business, if violations continue and are severe enough.
“Nobody is interested in issuing a ticket. We’re not planning on closing any businesses at this time,” Connor said. “But we’re trying to provide education and get people to understand they need to comply for a lot of reasons. We’re trying to minimize the effect (coronavirus) is going to have on our community. We can’t just ignore what is happening.”
(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Health officials say the pandemic could peak in Kansas in April

The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the Kansas City area continued to rise Friday as Kansas health officials predicted an April peak for the virus and area governments took unprecedented action to stem the spread of the virus.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Friday afternoon that 34 new cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed, bringing the state’s total to 203.
Missouri health officials reported that 670 cases had been confirmed, up 168 from Thursday. In Kansas City, officials on Friday afternoon said 77 cases have been confirmed in the city, an increase of 19 from the day before.
Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, on Friday predicted cases of the virus will peak in the state in mid-to-late April.
(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Sedgwick County coronavirus cases double in two days, now at 42. Kansas tops 300

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Sedgwick County has more than doubled in two days as the state number has topped 300.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials said in a Sunday news release that there are 42 known cases of COVID-19 in Sedgwick County. The new number comes after 20 cases had been confirmed on Friday and 33 cases on Saturday.
County health officials said on Friday that the disease had officially reached the point of “community spread” in Sedgwick County, meaning that it was being spread primarily from resident to resident.
Read more: Local News |)

Labette Health collects masks, other supplies

Labette Health is gearing up for a potential influx of sick patients from the COVID-19 pandemic and has received supply donations from local residents and businesses to help with that preparation.
Areas of the country where patient numbers have climbed rapidly are struggling to get needed supplies of N-95 masks, face shields, gowns and gloves because of supply shortages and bottlenecks. “Our leadership team, physicians, providers and staff have been doing a remarkable job of getting in the necessary supplies and equipment beforehand,” said Kerri Beardmore, Labette Health’s marketing director. “We currently have an adequate supply of protective equipment; however, we have to be prepared for the unknown. In a crisis such as this, there is never too much.”
(Read more: Parsons Sun)

‘They’re scared’: Doctors lack safety gear in fight against coronavirus in KC region

Expecting a surge of patients from the new coronavirus pandemic, doctors and nurses across the Kansas City area are being forced to do things they haven’t done before.
They are sterilizing disposable face masks and bleaching gowns, items they used to throw away immediately. They’re trying to reuse as many as they can and stretch the critical gear that protects them from the virus as they care for patients.
Some hospitals say they have enough personal protective equipment, or PPE, for now. But about half of Missouri’s hospitals report they have shortages and many in Kansas are scrambling to find supplies.
(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Johnson County moves all court hearings, including emergencies, to video or phone

Johnson County District Court on Monday will start holding all hearings remotely in a continued effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, according to a news release issued Friday.
The Kansas Supreme Court canceled all but emergency hearings last week. The Johnson County order goes one step further moving even emergency hearings to video or phone.
Only a judge and administrative assistant will be allowed into the courtrooms, the release said.
“The number of positive cases is escalating at a rapid pace here in our county and throughout the metropolitan area. We cannot jeopardize ourselves or the citizens who would otherwise be in the courtroom for emergency hearings,” Chief Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan said in the release.
(Read more: KC Star Local News)

City of Garden City implements Emergency Fund to help local business

Local small businesses are currently feeling the unprecedented pressures from the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. In order to help alleviate some of these pressures, the City of Garden City has financial assistance (as available) for working capital through recaptured Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under the Economic Development Category. Funds will be in the form of a short-term loan and must be used by existing businesses for working capital needed to retain jobs. Working capital is defined as salaries/wages, inventory purchase, utilities, rent, insurance payments, etc. Retained jobs must meet the 51% low-to-moderate income requirement of the CDBG/RLF program.
Applications may be found at: https://www.garden-city.org/government/covid-19-updates. All applications will be submitted to the governing body for approval.
(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Kansas Lottery Extends Suspension of State Casino Operations

The Kansas Lottery has announced it is extending the temporary suspension of state-owned casino gaming until further notice. This is an extension of the Kansas Lottery’s March 17, 2020 decision to temporarily suspend state-owned casino gaming.
The decision was made following Governor Laura Kelly’s March 24, 2020 executive order to ban gatherings of more than 10 people based on updated guidance from the White House Coronavirus Task Force and modeling from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment showing a possible sharp increase in Kansas cases by the end of March. Additionally, local governments, including Sumner and Wyandotte counties, have issued stay-at-home orders for 30 days.
The four casinos in Kansas with state-owned gaming are the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas Crossing in Pittsburg, Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, and Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)

Ark City, Winfield announce pause in recycling program to June

In response to global pressure on the recycling markets, the City of Arkansas City and City of Winfield will implement new changes to the recycling programs in each community beginning June 1.
As has been publicized, Ark City and Winfield recently agreed to changes in the way the two cities provide recycling efforts. In response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Arkansas City recently put a pause on its recycling collection efforts. Beginning April 6, Winfield also will pause its current collection system until the new program begins June 1.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Can Bass Pro stay open amid pandemic? Johnson County says yes, Jackson County says no

Most of the parking lots surrounding the intersection of I-70 and I-470 in Independence sat vacant Thursday as tens of thousands of metro residents stayed home. But dozens of cars still occupied part of the expansive Bass Pro Shops lot there.
That store, which sells everything from boats to fishing gear to athletic clothing, stayed open, despite stay-at-home orders issued across the Kansas City metro to help slow the spread of the worsening coronavirus pandemic.
Two Bass Pro Shops — the one in Independence and another in Olathe — stayed open through Thursday, along with the Cabela’s at Village West in Kansas City, Kansas (Bass Pro Shops owns both brands).
(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Sedgwick County says Starlite Drive-In is ‘not an essential business,’ can’t open this weekend

There’s some late-breaking confusion about the Starlite Drive-In’s plans to open this weekend.
Early on Thursday, the drive-in theater at 3900 S. Hydraulic said on social media and on its recorded information line that that it had been cleared by county and city officials to open the drive-in Friday through Sunday of this weekend and that it planned to keep the concession stand closed, not pass out handsets and ask customers to buy their tickets online. It announced ticket prices and the four movies it would show on its two screens.
But late on Thursday, county spokesman Van Williams said that the Starlite is “not considered an essential business” under the Sedgwick County’s stay-at-home order, which took effect on Wednesday. He said county officials were in the process of contacting the drive-in but that it would not be permitted to open this weekend.
(Read more: Local News |)

City of Salina Closing Playgrounds & Picnic Shelters

Due to COVID-19 and in keeping with best practices for the continued health of the community, all playgrounds and picnic shelters operated by the City of Salina are being closed to the public beginning Friday, March 27, and will remain closed until further notice….
While use of playgrounds and picnic shelters are restricted, open space in parks and trails are available for use. We urge you to actively practice social distancing and keep six feet away from other park users.
(Read more: Salina KS News)

Gove County in northwest Kansas reports its first COVID-19

The Gove County Health Department in Quinter, Kansas has announced its first case of COVID-19.
The case involves a young, healthy female who traveled out-of-state recently. The health department is actively working to identify any close contacts of the individual and those who were exposed will be contacted as soon as possible. We will be monitoring these contacts for fever and respiratory symptoms. No further information about the patient will be released.
(Read more: KAKE – News)

Kechi closes playground during COVID-19 pandemic

Kids in Kechi spend hours outside everyday, drawing on the sidewalk, playing in the sand and running around at the park. 
“We’re just trying to do things to keep them occupied during the day with all this confinement,” says Rachel Trumbull, parent. 
Because Kansas kids aren’t in school right now, parents are looking for ways to keep them active. Usually these moms bring their daughters to the playground. But the city closed off all the equipment, hoping to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
(Read more: KAKE – News)

Sedgwick County jail releases inmates being housed for low-level crimes

The Sedgwick County Detention Facility released about 200 inmates to make room for social distancing. All of those released were being held on low-level crimes.
The move comes as the number of coronavirus cases increase across Kansas and the United States.
Sheriff Jeff Easter said the jail is almost always at capacity and inmates interact with each other at a closer distance than six feet. The concern is that could easily help the virus spread.
(Read more: KWCH News)

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