Visit Emporia receives $11,600 in tourism grants for local projects

Visit Emporia is pleased to announce we have awarded $11,600 in tourism grants to 10 entities to assist with events/projects taking place in Emporia. The recipients are: $1,000 Awarded to Emporia Freedom Fest for 2022 Emporia Freedom Fest. $500 Awarded to Natural Resources Advisory Board for Emporia Earth Day Extravaganza. $500 Awarded to Flint Hills Beef Fest for Flint Hills Beef Fest. $1,500 Awarded to Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow for HOTT Cinco de Mayo Festival & 5K. $1,500 Awarded to No Coast Film Fest for No Coast Film Fest. $2,000 Awarded to National Teachers Hall of Fame for NTHF Induction Week.
Source: Emporia Gazette

2022-03-14T00:28:35-05:00March 14, 2022|News|

Derby not offering public storm shelters this year, tells community to plan ahead before tornado season

The City of Derby is discontinuing its public storm shelter program. City Manager Kiel Mangus said it’s because the city could not find enough volunteers to staff the shelters. It was also struggling to tell residents when the shelters were open. “It’s either, you know, we may be open some of the time or part-time, or we are not operating,” Mangus said. “I think that’s where you kind of had to be very direct to tell people, create your plan, that’s set on sheltering in place.” Derby resident Beau Hastings said he had never heard of the program. “I don’t know anyone who knows about it,” Hastings said. The city said it is telling residents now about not having shelters available so people can plan ahead. Hastings lives in a mobile home park, and he said he’s always felt safe.
Source: KAKE – News

2022-03-14T00:26:20-05:00March 14, 2022|News|

Community members restarting Parsons Community Garden

The Parsons Community Garden will be coming to life again after a few years of laying dormant and becoming overgrown with weeds and trees. Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways, the Wildcat Extension District and the city of Parsons are partnering to bring this asset back to the community. BCBS Pathways coordinator Lauren Coover is behind reviving the garden at 15th and Clark in hopes of it providing additional access to fresh produce for residents. She had initially intended to prepare the garden for planting in 2023, but she said James Coover, an agronomist with K-State, contacted her and told her about a special family gardening group he wanted to start to raise children’s interest. Through their discussions of plans and potential grants for both of their projects, Lauren decided to push up her plans to this year.
Source: Parsons Sun

2022-03-14T00:24:24-05:00March 14, 2022|News|

Lawsuit challenges proposed sober living home in Overland Park’s Shannon Valley neighborhood

An Overland Park couple has filed suit in Johnson County District Court asking a judge to review the city’s decision allowing a respite house for sober living in Shannon Valley Estates. The suit, filed Feb. 22 by David and Cynthia King, claims the city denied them due process by not properly reviewing plans for the Concord House, which is separated by one house from their property on West 113th Street in the Shannon Valley subdivision. The Kings ask that a judge find the city’s actions “unlawful and invalid.” The Concord House is a project envisioned by the nonprofit Artists Helping the Homeless for 9119 W. 113th Street. It is the family home of Kar Woo, founder of the charitable group.
Source: Prairie Village Post

2022-03-14T00:21:58-05:00March 14, 2022|News|

KPERS hope stirs debate

The year is 1998. Bill Clinton is headed toward impeachment for the most infamous affair in U.S. political history. Shania Twain and Next dominate the Billboard charts. And John Elway leads the Denver Broncos to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. It is also the last time Kansas retirees saw their pension benefit checks adjusted for inflation, a move called a cost-of-living adjustment. The 24-year wait is among the longest of any state in the country. After years of work from legislators to stabilize the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System, there is optimism that the situation is finally improving after a quarter-century gap in which the state didn’t meet its obligation to pay its share.
Source: CJonline

2022-03-13T08:00:55-05:00March 12, 2022|News|

Angus sale heads back to downtown Marquette

After the success of last year’s event, downtown Marquette will have livestock take over its streets for another cattle auction this week. Barta Farms, based out of Little River, will bring angus bulls and females to the city center Friday for its fourth Annual Bull Sale. Ryan Barta, the owner of the farm, said this is the second year that Marquette is hosting the event. “Last year, we were kind of out of a spot to have it due to COVID,” Barta said. He said after talking with Stan Von Strohe at the Smoky Valley Distillery in Marquette, they thought it could be a good experience for the people and businesses in downtown Marquette as many events were not happening during the pandemic.
Source: Salina Journal

2022-03-13T07:59:24-05:00March 12, 2022|News|

New pickleball court to open in Hutchinson

Hutchinson Parks Director Justin Combs reports long-awaited pickleball courts in Rice Park should be ready for action by the end of the month. While a long-time coming, Combs said, it likely is just the first facility the city will construct for the paddle-ball sport that’s been growing in popularity for at least the last decade. Under Combs’ direction, and in response to pressure from local pickleball players for a place to play, the city converted a set of deteriorating tennis courts in Rice Park into four new concrete- surfaced courts for the alternative game. Depending on their level of use, the remaining tennis court also may eventually be converted.
Source: Hutch News

2022-03-11T11:36:35-06:00March 11, 2022|News|

Muni yields climb, one-year hits 1%

Municipal yields rose up to seven basis points Thursday pushing the one-year triple-A muni to 1%, a level not seen since April 2020 during the initial COVID-led selloff. U.S. Treasuries pared back some losses near the close, but the two-year hit its highest level in over two years after inflation hit its highest in 40. “The bond market seems to foresee more trouble ahead as Treasury rates rose all along the curve,” noted John Farawell, managing director and head of municipal trading at Roosevelt & Cross. “Obviously, all commodities are under pressure with the troubles in Ukraine, especially oil which has a direct effect on the consumers and the economy.” While he expects a 25-basis-point rate hike when the Federal Open Mark Committee meets, Farawell isn’t ruling out a 50-basis-point increase. “This is a new paradigm for the Fed and the administration with so many challenges prevalent.”
Source: The Bond Buyer

2022-03-10T22:23:25-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Three counties renews StormReady status

The National Weather Service (NWS) has announced that three counties close to Wichita — Butler, Sedgwick, Cowley — have renewed their StormReady status. The StromReady program helps arm America’s communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property–before, during, and after the event. StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local safety programs.
Source: Andover American

2022-03-11T08:34:24-06:00March 10, 2022|News|
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