Kansas Municipal News
Colorful Wamego water tank wins People’s Choice award
A colorful water tank just west of the Pottawatomie County town of Wamego has come in first place in a national contest that generated nearly 20,000 online votes. The tank, painted in various shades of red, yellow and green with the word "Wamego" in black lettering, came out on top of voting that included more than 300 water tanks. According to the www.tankoftheyear.com website, the "People’s Choice" portion of the contest that the Wamego tank won was conducted …
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Farmers face water right issues in Central Kansas
Three local counties are facing water right issues in Central Kansas and it has young farmers worried about their future.
“It’s not right,” said farmer Darrell Wood.
Fourth-generation farmer Darrell Wood is worried about the future for his sons.
“I will survive, but these two boys won’t because they both bought land assuming things would be okay and uh they’ve got land payments,” he said.
Pratt, Stafford, and Kiowa counties discussed water rights on Monday from the Rattlesnake River Basin and farmers said it could impact the economy if they lower their usage.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Ten Ways to Protect Your City from Cyberattacks
Every hour, 26% of local governments report a cyberattack. But according to a new NLC analysis, done in partnership with the Public Technology Institute, nearly a quarter don’t have a cybersecurity plan that is designed to protect government information systems from attack/provide steps for recovery in case of attack.
[NLC has] recommendations for how you can keep your data secure…
(Read more: CitiesSpeak)
Kansas schools receive federal grants for student safety
Three Kansas school systems have received federal grants to help make students safer, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
The money for Kansas is part of more than $85 million the Department of Justice has awarded nationally to bolster school security – including funding to educate and train faculty – and support first responders who arrive on the scene of a school shooting or other violent incident.
“Schools should be safe places to learn and grow,” McAllister said. “We’re listening to students, parents, teachers and law enforcement officers throughout Kansas who told us they need help.”
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Hays Symphony Orchestra presents 4th annual Halloween concert
Looking for a fun, free and educational Halloween celebration that people of all ages will enjoy? Join the Hays Symphony Orchestra at the upcoming Halloween Children’s Concert at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Fort Hays State University’s Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
This year’s program is titled “Beethoven Lives Upstairs” and features a delightful combination of music, story and theatre.
The story begins when young Christoph writes to his uncle about a wild-haired, cranky stranger who has moved into the apartment upstairs. Who could it be? None other than Ludwig van Beethoven! Christoph comes to understand the genius of Beethoven, the beauty of his music and the torment of his deafness.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)
Liberal School District copes with losses, plans to rebuild in wake of arson fires
The Liberal School District is working to return to normalcy and plans to rebuild after two arson fires destroyed its bus barn, elementary gymnasium and former high school building last month.
Liberal students came back to school on Oct. 8 after being out for 11 days. Bill Harvey, superintendent of schools, said faculty and staff are continuing to push through as best they can and are keeping their morale up, despite the situation.
“All of the debris from the fire has been cleaned up, as of last week,” Harvey told the Globe last week. “Our kids have been back in school. We had to put all of our students in the high school building for two days last week, but since last Thursday, we’ve been back to school as normal.”
(Read more: www.joplinglobe.com)
Accreditation team set to visit Derby police
Not many Kansas police departments are accredited, but Derby’s police are hoping to gain that status.
There’s been a lot of work to get to the point of having an accreditation team visit town – and it will be here soon. Assessors will be in Derby from Nov. 4-6 reviewing policies and procedures and talking with community members, making sure the department is on the right track.
It’s about taking the department to the next level, said Police Chief Robert Lee.
(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)
Sedgwick County starts Red Ribbon Week to combat drug abuse
The Drug Enforcement Administration introduced Red Ribbon Week to Wichita with a flag raising ceremony on Monday, Oct. 21.
The ceremony started with the president of the Wichita Metro Crime Commission declaring Oct. 23-Oct. 31 as Red Ribbon Week.
All Sedgwick County law enforcement will start to spread awareness about the dangers of drugs within the community this week.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Lanes dedicated to bikes and scooters in downtown Wichita
Downtown Wichita is going to continue seeing changes, this time with safety in mind.
The Wichita city council is expected to accept a $25,000 grant on Tuesday morning. The money will help launch a pilot project, adding lanes for bikes and scooters. Some residents are concerned about what this could mean for traffic.
“It just seems like it can get congested pretty easy, so I think if they limit the lanes, then it’s just going to get really backed up,” says Jeff Walden, Wichita resident.
The trial will run on Douglas, from Main Street to the railroad tracks. The outside lanes will be painted, adding a lane dedicated to bikes and scooters.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Johnson County Community College awarded Top 10 Sustainable Community College recognition
What happens when you save $3.6 million in utility costs over eight years, compost 659,857 pounds of food waste and divert 60% of your waste stream from landfills in a single year? Not only do you make Mother Nature smile, but one of North America’s most prestigious collegiate sustainability advocate groups takes notice!
Johnson County Community College has been named a Top Performer in the 2019 Sustainable Campus Index, provided by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). JCCC boasts the No. 10 spot among associate college institutions and No. 6 in the United States overall.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
KanCap Elected Officials Training (Osawatomie) on October 23
Water is a business! City Council and rural water district boards have a lot to consider: water pressure, meeting all federal and state regulations and standards, and making rates affordable. In fact, their job is making the right choices about complex managerial, financial, and technical aspects of running a high quality water utility. Yes, it takes time to keep up on the laws, regulations, and rules. However, as a board/council member, you are personally responsible. Water is the foundation of your community’s jobs and future.
Like any business, there are risks and options, but is your board/council keeping them in mind? Boards/Councils need to know the pros and cons concerning your managerial, financial, and technical decision about water. That is why KanCap, a component of the Kansas Capacity Development Program, was established by the state of Kansas. KanCap is designed to be an educational tool to assist board/council members in operating their water business.
‘Get Big Or Get Out’ Farming Has Left Kansas Towns Struggling For Survival
A billboard along Interstate 70 boasting about the productivity of Kansas farmers may say more about what’s happening in agriculture than those who put it there realize. The message seems simple and straightforward: “1 Kansas Farmer Feeds 155 People + You!” A closer look reveals it’s been crudely updated — an indication that the tally changes with some frequency. The steady escalation of the number of people fed by a single Kansas farmer — from 73 in the 1970s to 155 today — reveals how lots of small farmers have been replaced by large farmers intent on getting even bigger. That trend threatens scores of small towns that sprouted on the prairie in a different time, when larger numbers of small farmers depended on them. Many of Kansas’ small towns look weathered, worn and neglected after more than a century of exodus.
(Read more: KCUR)
What Rural Kansas Child Care And Cafes Say About Shrinking Smart, Rather Than Withering
The opening of a child care center attracts little notice in a city or suburb. In rural Kansas, it’s cause for celebration. The focus on young families, and the hope that represents, is remarkably rare in small towns fighting for survival against forces largely beyond their control. No matter how scarce, said Iowa State University social scientist Dave Peters, it’s an essential ingredient in what he and his research team refer to as a “shrink smart” town. A place residents remain committed to improving even as it gets smaller. “Shrink smart communities are those that saw faster than average declines in population but also had above-average gains in quality of life,” Peters said. Small, rural communities can do little to reverse decades-long population trends, Peters said. But they can improve the quality of life for the people who stay.
(Read more: KCUR)
Reno County zoning debate not imminent
The Reno County Planning Commission wants to know more before it dives into discussing the expansion of zoning beyond portions in the eastern third of the county. Commissioners on Thursday asked county staff to reach out to nearby counties that have adopted countywide zoning, to glean what they learned. Also, commissioners want to schedule meetings to get input from Reno County residents.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Wichita prepares to reduce lanes on Douglas for bike, scooter experiment
Wichita City Hall is poised to take the first steps toward skinnying Douglas Avenue down to two lanes through downtown, to make the street more friendly for bicycles and electric scooters.
Called the “better block” concept, the plan also appears to be contemplating speed bumps at corners that would allow enough space for trucks to turn, while keeping car turns slow.
“I feel like city leaders and people who are really engaged in the community already know about things like this, but it’s still going to come as a big surprise because most people are not engaged, including most people who drive through Douglas,” said Chase Billingham, a Wichita State University sociologist who has followed the process closely for several months.
(Read more: Local News |)
Man shot by Lawrence police officer in 2018 sues department, city in federal court
A Lawrence man shot by a police officer during a traffic stop for a seat belt violation last summer is suing the city and police department in federal court.
The suit, which was originally filed in Douglas County District Court last month, was removed to federal court this week.
Akira Lewis claims officers from the Lawrence Police Department used excessive force when attempting to take him into custody after he asked to speak to a supervisor when he was pulled over in the 100 block of West Sixth Street in May 2018.
(Read more: KC Star Local News)
Group trying to get Century II on National Registry
Save Century II leaders are meeting on Tuesday of next week. They will be talking about the latest move by the group of make sure it is a part of the future of downtown.
“We have already filed the preliminary site assessment for National Registry status,” said Celeste Racette with Save Century II. “And we are now moving on to phase II which is to get it nominated.”
Racette says if the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, it will make it difficult to tear it down and build something new.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Pittsburg fire department holds fire safety demonstration
A local fire department uses their equipment to teach people about fire safety.
The Pittsburg Fire Department held their annual fire safety demo in conjunction with Fire Safety Week.
Kids participated in the mini combat challenge, using hoses to put out fires, while learning how to safely extinguish a grease fire.
This event helps community members get to know the fire department, as well as, take away important safety tips.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
South Hutch could join Haven in Sunday sales
Most Kansas counties and cities do not permit retail sales of packaged alcohol on Sunday. In Reno County, the only place where Sunday sales are allowed is in the city of Haven.
That could change after the Nov. 5 general election …
This spring, Greg Dovel, part-owner of 505 Tobacco & Liquor … asked the South Hutchinson City Council to authorize Sunday sales. When the council didn’t, Dovel spearheaded a petition drive to put the issue on the ballot.
Dovel had to collect 50 signatures of registered voters for the ballot question. He collected more than twice that number.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Ellis County dips below 2 percent as jobless rates fall across NW Kan.
Preliminary estimates reported by the Kansas Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.2 percent in September. This was unchanged from 3.2 percent in August and down from 3.3 percent in September 2018.
“Kansas job growth shows a 1.5 percent gain over the last year which is on par with the national job growth,” said Secretary Delía García. “Additionally, Kansas posted a significant gain in the size of the labor force adding 3,525 people in September.”
Jobless rates fell precipitously across northwest Kansas, with Ellis, Rawlins, Thomas, Wichita, Scott, Osborne, Gove, Norton and Lane counties all below 2 percent.
(Read more: Hays Post)