Senate votes to extend Kansas rural workforce recruitment and retention tool

A year after the House chose to continue offering financial incentives to Kansans moving to rural areas that are struggling with workforce, state senators followed suit, with their own added flair. The proposal would extend the Rural Opportunity Zone program by five years and expand eligibility to any county with a population less than 40,000. The program provides these designated counties the opportunity to offer income tax credits and student loan repayments to reverse population decline. Supporters said the bill provides for the program to continue while allowing the Legislature to focus on any needed tweaks.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

2022-03-10T22:16:25-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Strother Field receives state funding for generator replacement

A $270,000 grant to replace a generator that powers airfield lighting and navigation aids at Strother Field is among the 36 projects recently selected for Kansas Airport Improvement Program funding, according to a press release from the Kansas Department of Transportation. The generator is a backup power source for the airport in the case of a power outage, according to Strother Field manager Shawn McGrew. He said the current generator has been there since at least 1984, and is in need os replacement. “We appreciate KDOT’s help with it,” McGrew said of the replacement. “Any time we can replace aging infrastructure, it’s good.”
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

2022-03-10T22:12:58-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Consumer prices rise nearly 8% causing major inflation fears

Inflation continued to soar in February, making a range of goods and services even more expensive for Americans, according to newly released federal inflation data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Thursday reported that the Consumer Price index, a major marker of inflation, rose 7.9% in the previous 12 months. “The 12-month increase has been steadily rising and is now the largest since the period ending January 1982,” BLS said. “The all items less food and energy index rose 6.4 percent, the largest 12-month change since the period ending August 1982. The energy index rose 25.6 percent over the last year, and the food index increased 7.9 percent, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending July 1981.”
Source: Atchison Globe Now

2022-03-10T22:10:35-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Emporia discusses fireworks policy

The city of Emporia is reexamining its fireworks policy but initial discussions among the city commission Wednesday morning did not seem to indicate that changes are on the horizon. Commissioner Susan Brinkman said it was her understanding that there were few fireworks-related complaints last year in late June and early July. “I genuinely don’t see anything wrong with leaving it stand the way that it is, from the time that they’re sold,” Brinkman said. “Not having had (police chief Ed Owens) come to us with a lot of complaints and not seeing anyone here today really advocating for (changes) tells me that I’m okay leaving it as it is.”
Source: Emporia Gazette

2022-03-11T08:29:04-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Kansas State to study cost-effective ways cities can reduce exposure to lead in soil

A new study being conducted by Kansas State University researchers is looking at ways to reduce the risk of exposure to lead in soil in the hopes of finding affordable methods that could be replicated around the country. Ganga Hettiarachchi is a professor of soil and environmental chemistry and is leading the research with her team through a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Hettiarachchi said conversations with officials with the health department and Brownfields program in Kansas City, Missouri, made her realize the scope of the issue. “I came to know that the elevated blood lead levels in children in (the) urban core in Kansas City is about nine times higher than the national average,” Hettiarachchi said. “And then nearly 50% of the parcels they tested, tested soil lead concentrations greater than 400 parts per million.”
Source: Kansas Reflector

2022-03-11T08:35:53-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Lawrence listed as fast-growing tech hub in recent study; that could snowball, industry leader says

Lawrence is making an impact on America’s technology landscape. Data from the Brookings Institute revealed the latest trends in technology across the country and how the pandemic has disrupted the geography of tech jobs. It listed Kansas City as a “rising star” metro, and also showed how Lawrence has grown substantially in recent years. Lawrence lost 1,570 tech workers from 2015-2019; however, in 2019-2020, Lawrence saw growth of 151 workers, according to the data.  A closer look at the report from Axios shows that, at 19.3%, Lawrence is the No. 1 city for growth in tech workers per capita for 2019-2020. Per capita growth shows how much a population is increasing in proportion to the general population — in other words, Lawrence’s tech worker population rose rapidly even when taking general population growth into consideration.
Source: The Lawrence Times

2022-03-10T21:44:05-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Lawrence’s police review board looks for path forward as city moves to establish a new task force

Lawrence’s Community Police Review Board is set to review a draft proposal that could reconfigure the board, leading one member to resign over what she sees as an effort to turn the board into little more than “window dressing.” At its meeting Thursday, the CPRB will review a project charter for a new Community-Police Oversight Task Force that would review ordinance revisions proposed by the CPRB and assess the existing complaint policies, procedures, and systems. CPRB members had sought direction from the city commission last fall after working for months on a revised ordinance that would have expanded its duties. The CPRB was established in 2018 to review racial or other bias-based complaints made against the police department. But under the current ordinance, the CPRB doesn’t review a case unless it is appealed within 14 days of a decision. The CPRB has yet to review a complaint since the board was launched.
Source: The Lawrence Times

2022-03-10T21:42:19-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Black Squirrel City funds approved in Marysville

A $10,000 allocation for marketing, merchandise and logistics for the celebration of the 50th anniversary designation of Marysville as the Black Squirrel City was approved recently by the Marysville City Council…. Toby Carrig, Marysville tourism director, made the presentation on behalf of the Black Squirrel Committee, which has planned events all year through Black Squirrel Day in October. Events so far have included naming of the Honorary Black Squirrel Citizens of Marysville and a panel discussion about the science and lore surrounding black squirrels.
Source: The Marysville Advocate

2022-03-11T08:30:51-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Governor announces $160 million to support child care providers

On Thursday, March 3, Governor Laura Kelly announced $160 million in grants available for child care providers in Kansas. The third round of Child Care Sustainability Grants will aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their businesses through the remaining impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we grow the economy, these grants will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care,” Governor Kelly said. “This support will help our child care facilities, it will help Kansas parents, and it will help our economy.” Qualifying child care providers are guaranteed nine months of payments ranging from $1,800 per month for family child care programs to $18,000 per month for large centers. In addition, the providers will be eligible for an additional five months of funding either in the same amount or more, depending on the utilization of the grants during the first nine months.
Source: Sabetha Herald

2022-03-10T21:39:05-06:00March 10, 2022|News|

Manhattan searches for ways to combat housing problems identified by study

Consultants who conducted a housing needs analysis said Tuesday that the city government should consider a program to help people convert rental properties into single-family homes. Commissioners on Tuesday discussed the analysis. In April 2021, the city government hired a consulting firm, Development Strategies, to conduct a study for $94,000. In addition to assessment of the housing situation, the firm provided suggestions for the city government to consider. Andy Pfister of Development Strategies suggested the city government create a reconversion loan fund to provide some financial support for people who want to convert rental properties into single-family homes. He also talked about reducing barriers to housing affordability by establishing an affordable housing fund for home repairs and renovations.
Source: themercury.com

2022-03-11T08:31:46-06:00March 10, 2022|News|
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