Wilson County is one step closer to housing what would be — at least for now — the largest solar farm in the state. The Wilson County Commission approved earlier this month a special use permit for what’s been dubbed the Sunflower Sky Solar Project. If approved, the 65-megawatt plant would cover more than 500 acres of farmland south of Altoona in rural Wilson County. For comparison’s sake, the state’s current largest plant — the Johnson Corner solar farm — covers 144 acres in Stanton County in northwest Kansas and generates 27.5 megawatts of power. Source: The Iola Register

Kansas has once again seen net domestic out-migration, with a net loss of 4,700 residents to other states in 2024, the latest year for which United States Census Bureau figures are available. Domestic migration is defined as legal U.S. residents moving into or out of a state. This is part of a long-running trend of population loss from domestic migration in the Sunflower State. According to the Kansas Policy Institute Green Book, between 2000 and 2023, Kansas lost 197,492 residents — roughly 7% of the total population — ranking 39th in the nation. KPI owns the Sentinel. Source: The Sentinel

People of all ages got creative in the new location of Manhattan’s skate park Saturday. No, they weren’t doing kickflips or grinding the rails, but took part in a “Paint the Park” event co-hosted by Switch Wicked — a screen printing and apparel business founded in 2021 — and the Manhattan Parks and Recreation department. During a three-hour timespan, attendees of all experience levels used spray paint cans to colorize the setting dominated by a solid gray. Source: themercury.com - RSS Results in news of type article

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

The Kansas Department of Commerce will celebrate National Community Development Week (April 21-25) with the inaugural Community Impact Tour – a five-day, 26-stop tour highlighting transformative projects across Kansas. National Community Development Week was established in 1986 to recognize the impact of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This year, Kansas is expanding the celebration to honor Community Development and Quality Place initiatives that are driving progress in housing, childcare, downtown revitalization and infrastructure. Source: Press Releases – Kansas Department of Commerce

Florent Wagner — Overland Park’s unofficial city historian and beloved keeper of countless stories — died late last month at the age of 87. Wagner, who never actually lived in the city of Overland Park but in neighboring Leawood, was integral in forming what is now the Overland Park Historical Society and worked for decades at the former Overland Park State Bank and Trust Company downtown. “We are extremely saddened by Florent’s passing,” Mayor Curt Skoog said in a statement to the Post. “Florent was not just a devoted steward of Overland Park’s rich history, he was a part of it.” [...]

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has announced the results of the 2025 Kansas National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament. The event took place on March 28 and 29 at the Kansas State Fair Grounds in Hutchinson. Nearly 400 students from across the state participated in the bullseye and 3D archery events for a chance to qualify for the national tournament, which will take place in June in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The KDWP says a record-setting $20,000 in scholarships was awarded to student archers at the tournament, thanks to contributions from the National Archery in the Schools [...]

The Pittsburg Police Department gets approval for safety improvements. At Tuesday's meeting—city commissioners gave approved the purchase of 13 in-car cameras for patrol cars. Hardware, equipment and software will run the city about 114-thousand dollars—and is covered by the public safety sales tax. Deputy Police Chief Major Ben Henderson says this will help with transparency and earning public trust. Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Thanks to Senate Bill 199, fireworks can now be sold year-round in Kansas, and retailers are deciding if it's worth it or not. The law was signed on Wednesday, April 9, but retailers may be opting out. One retailer tells 27 News that shipments are now more expensive because of tariffs, and that some sellers have even stopped their shipments all together. Source: KSNT 27 News