Kansas Municipal News
Sumner County Conservation District celebrating 77 years
The 77th Bankers Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting of the Sumner County Conservation District will be held Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Raymond Frye Complex, 320 N. Jefferson in Wellington.
The theme for this year’s event is “Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators.” Conservation Awards will be presented to Jay Zimmerman of South Haven and Kyle and Lane Bruce of Argonia.
Other awards to be presented will include the Coloring and Poster Contest and the Teacher Appreciation Awards.
Following the meal and awards presentations, the Board of Supervisors for the Sumner County Conservation District will conduct the Annual Business Meeting. Business to be conducted will include the annual report of the District’s 2019 activities, the financial report and the election of two Board Supervisors. The seats currently held by Douglas Hisken of the Belle Plaine area and Leon Becker of the Conway Springs area are the available seats to be filled.
(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)
Johnson County voters approve $186M for school construction and safety
Johnson County voters on Tuesday approved a $186 million bond issue for Blue Valley schools that will help fund security improvements, classroom additions and a new elementary school.
More than 26,200, or 30%, of voters in the district cast mail-in ballots in the bond referendum, with 73.8% in favor of the new spending, according to unofficial results from the Johnson County Election Office.
“It was another outstanding show of support from our community for this bond election. We are blessed to live in a community that strongly supports public education and the Blue Valley school district,” said Mike Slagle, deputy superintendent.
(Read more: KC Star Local News)
Municipal Bond Trends for January 29, 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 Advisors.
Pittsburg Lank Bank helping make disused properties productive again
Nine new, moderate-income homes are set to be completed in Pittsburg this year.
Land Bank parcels are filling a gap in the current offerings in the market.
Brian Jones, Land Bank Board of Trustees, said, “They’ll be two bedroom, two bath, nice new houses for somebody to own in Pittsburg”
The city of Pittsburg Land Bank Program saw a lot of success in 2019 and is hoping to continue that streak in 2020
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Group organized to build Hispanic community’s trust in Wichita Police Dept.
The Wichita Police Department guides an organized effort aimed at building trust with the city’s Hispanic community.
The Asociación de Graduados de Los Talleres Comunitarios (AGTC), also known as the Hispanice — Latino Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association is “the first ever alumni association for Spanish speaking community members of Wichita,” the WPD says.
Created under the direction of Wichita Police Officer Paul Cruz — a public information officer for the department — the volunteer-driven organization consists of citizens who graduated from the Spanish Citizens Police Academy.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Citizens Bank of Kansas funds Cosmosphere Camp scholarships
As Cosmosphere marks its 35th year of summer space camps, Citizens Bank of Kansas will again provide scholarships to eight students to experience hands-on STEAM learning at a camp this summer.
STEAM learning is an approach that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.
Scholarship winners will attend the Cosmosphere’s Mars Academy Camp, a four-day/three-night overnight camp where students will focus on building a habitat for another world, understand and overcome the challenges of gathering resources necessary for life, and practice skills like operating robotics and drones. The camp activities culminate in a team mission to orbit Earth.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Leavenworth partners with power company to offer charging stations
After the reconstruction of a downtown parking lot was completed this past fall, a new feature was added to the parking lot – a charging station for electric vehicles.
The new charging station was installed in a parking lot across the street from Leavenworth City Hall at Fifth and Seneca streets.
The charging station, which is owned by the power company Evergy, was installed in a public parking lot owned by the city.
Evergy previously was known as Westar Energy.
“With more people currently driving electric cars, and advances in technology leading to more prospective buyers, we are excited about the partnership with Evergy to provide this service to residents and visitors of Leavenworth,” Assistant City Manager Taylour Tedder said in an email. “While vehicles are charging people can take advantage of the nearby attractions, restaurants and shopping in the downtown.”
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)
Kansans Can’t Bet The House On Super Bowl LIV, But LV Is A Possibility
Kansans thinking about wagering a few bucks on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl appearance this weekend would have to go to one of 14 states to do it legally.
But by later this year, sports betting could be legal in Kansas. This year’s bill is a compromise — allowing people over 21 to gamble on sports through the companies that run the state-owned casinos and via online apps. And it has some critical support.
“I feel confident that this year there will be a bill done, a solution passed,” said Republican Sen. Bud Estes, chairman of the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee.
Lawmakers are taking another crack at the issue after sports gambling legislation struck out at the end of the 2019 session, held up by disagreements over who’d run the betting and manage mobile-gaming apps.
(Read more: Here)
Looks like tee time finally is scheduled for Wichita’s new golf entertainment concept
After a couple of false starts over the past few years, it looks like the new multimillion dollar golf entertainment complex just north of Greenwich Place finally is going to tee off. It just won’t be a DRIV Golf Lounge & Brewhouse or a Swings complex as once planned.
Springfield, Mo., businessman Tim O’Reilly is bringing a BigShots Golf franchise to the southeast corner of 29th North and Greenwich, which is across from the Stryker Sports Complex, along with a hotel.
“We think Wichita’s a great place to develop a concept like this,” O’Reilly says.
(Read more: Carrie Rengers: Business Columns & Blogs |)
Derby Historical Society receives $20,500 in grant funds
The Derby Community Foundation recently awarded a total of $20,500 in grants to the Derby Historical Society.
A Community Enrichment Grant was awarded in the amount of $2,500 and will help fund renovations to the restrooms at the Derby Historical Museum. The Enrichment Grant program is a competitive grant process which annually awards up to $10,000 in grants to local non-profits and is funded by the proceeds of Uncorked, the DCF’s annual gala event.
An anonymous Field of Interest Fund of the Derby Community Foundation awarded $18,000 to the Derby Historical Society. $2,500 will be used for museum restroom renovations. That amount is matching the Community Enrichment Grant.
(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)
Wichita plans to demolish 20 properties west of stadium for parking
The city of Wichita has put out a formal bid for the demolition of 20 properties on a three-acre chunk of land just west of the under-construction baseball stadium…
The city purchased the land for $3 million earlier this month with plans to build a surface parking lot. The sale was laid out in a development agreement approved by City Council Jan. 7 with Riverfront Partners LLC, the development team behind the planned $127-million Riverfront Village north of the ballpark.
The city’s Public Works & Utilities department will accept bids for the demolition work until 10 a.m. Feb. 14, and the project will be awarded Feb. 18, according to the city’s website.
The 20 properties that will be demolished in the project take up three blocks between Maple and Texas Avenue and Oak and Sycamore streets, city documents show. The buildings range from 792 to 6,448 square feet. The oldest buildings on the list were built in 1900. They are single-family homes, warehouses and commercial properties.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Proposed Kansas bill will require medical providers to give patients a breakdown of costs before receiving treatment
Medical bills can be expensive and stressful — especially when the bill is much higher than one anticipated. One Kansas lawmaker has a plan to help prevent these surprise medical bills.
This week, Senator Richard Hilderbrand (R-Galena) has proposed two bills — one for insured patients and one for uninsured patients.
Each bill would require medical providers to give patients a breakdown of costs before receiving treatment — if the patient asks.
Hilderbrand says this gives patients the ability to compare costs with other providers and budget or plan ahead as needed. “It’s just like when you go in anywhere else, you can look up at McDonald’s and see a menu, you know
what a big mac is going to cost…”
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Kansas introduces bills which would make discrimination based on hair texture or style illegal
A Kansas bill has been introduced that would make it illegal to discriminate based on hair texture or style.
The CROWN Act stands for ‘Creating A Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
It has been passed in three US states and Senator Olethe Faust Goudeau is looking to add Kansas to that list.
She says she has heard many stories of hair discrimination in Kansas and nationally.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Wellington Council contemplating Splash pads in the city
Splash pads and swimming pools were topics of discussion Tuesday evening at the Wellington City Council meeting. The idea of creating a splash pad was presented by Park Board member Annarose White. Later in the meeting, the council received information about the condition of the city’s pool. Splash pads are also called spray pools, and many cities have them. Caldwell has one along with a pool.
A proposal for funding in the 2022 budget has been made for a splash pad in the city, but there are no plans at present and no action has been taken.
A committee could be formed to investigate things like a location, actual costs, and what a splash pad would look like. That would need to be done before a formal proposal could be made to the council. The Park board was just making the city aware of its hopes and plans, City Manager
(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)
Wichita’s Eisenhower named a top-10 small airport in USA Today poll
Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport has been named the third-best small airport in country in an online reader’s poll conducted by USA Today.
The airport trailed Huntsville International Airport in Alabama and T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, R.I., in the top-10 list revealed by the publication Friday morning.
Eisenhower National was originally chosen last month as one of 20 similarly sized airports nationwide to compete in the contest.
(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)
Safe Streets brings neighbors together to reduce crime
A Topeka organization is helping neighborhoods get to know one another in order to prevent crime and they’re among the best in the country at doing it.
Rhonda Cathey and her husband Ron know the names of everyone in their 50 home neighborhood.
“Our neighborhood is an aging neighborhood, so we’re in a transition right now,” said Rhonda. “We have lots of new families coming in and so as new people move in, we reach out and introduce ourselves. “
They’re apart of the Country Club West neighborhood watch. Like many other neighborhood watch groups in Topeka, they work closely with the organization Safe Streets.
(Read more: KSNT News)
Two SEK law enforcement agencies receive awards
Two Southeast Kansas law enforcement agencies are among the highest ranked in the state for traffic safety.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Pittsburg Police Department both received the AAA Kansas Community Traffic Safety Award for 2019.
The agencies are among 51 across the state to receive the award, and both earned platinum level honors.
They are also among a smaller group of only 6 agencies statewide to earn the award every year since 2011.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Merriam voters approve renewing 1/4-cent sales tax for next 10 with 80% support
Merriam residents have approved the renewal of the quarter-cent sales tax, with nearly 80% of votes in favor of the renewal — the highest approval rate in the history of the city’s special sales tax votes.
The quarter-cent sales tax has funded Merriam infrastructure project for the last 20 years, as the funds can only be used for street, bridge and drainage improvement projects. Unofficial results from the mail-in ballot election released by the Johnson County Election Office Tuesday show just over 2,000 residents voted for a total voter turnout of 28%. Four hundred voters cast ballots against renewing the tax.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Emergency management volunteer groups consolidate, maintain shared focus
Restructuring of the Cowley County Emergency Management volunteer organizations went into effect Jan. 1, combining four groups into one large group with a shared vision and mission.
The four volunteer groups — Cowley County Emergency Auxiliary, the Community Emergency Response Team, the County Animal Response Team and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service — have consolidated in one group, retaining the name Cowley County Emergency Auxiliary (CCEA).
The change was made because a lot of the volunteers were members of multiple groups, said CCEM Director Brian Stone. This led to confusion from some members, who were unsure of which group they would work with if called upon during an emergency.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Labette law enforcement investigates heavy truck traffic en route to wind farm
Labette County law enforcement and road personnel are investigating trucks that may be illegally driving on roads in the north part of the county to service wind turbine sites in Neosho County.
Labette County Public Works Director Sandy Krider and Assistant Director Ralph George met with Labette County commissioners on Monday to discuss the issue.
The sheriff’s department on Wednesday and the Kansas Highway Patrol on Friday stopped gravel trucks that had been traveling on Gray or Jackson roads north of US-400 and 26000 Road for violating a county ordinance that prohibits commercial traffic and overweight vehicles on these roads.
(Read more: www.chanute.com – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article)