Paxico’s 20th annual blues festival draws in their largest crowd

23 Monday, September 23

Paxico’s 20th annual blues festival draws in their largest crowd

info2024-09-23T09:50:22-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

Main street in Paxico was filled with people from all over for the 20th annual Paxico Blues Festival. Festivals have always been a big part of what Paxico does and a music festival was on that list. So, when one of the festival co-founders took a trip back to his hometown, following owning blues clubs of her own in Kansas City, Kansas, he knew they had a hit event in the making. “I’ve had people describe it as ‘well it’s kind of like being with your family,” Bud Hund, one of the co-founders said. “It’s like all your family, go to [...]

23 Monday, September 23

$100,000 in grants will revitalize barns for Kansas agritourism

info2024-09-23T09:49:04-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

Kansas Tourism has announced that $100,000 in grants will be distributed to businesses across the state to promote agritourism. The businesses are the first recipients of the new Barn Adaptation and Restoration Needs (BARN) grant program. The program was created to help restore and revitalize old barns across the state and further efforts to expand agritourism across Kansas. The state began promoting agritourism in 2004 after the passage of the Kansas Agritourism Promotion Act. The act provides free agritourism promotion through the Kansas Tourism office, a layer of limited liability for agritourism businesses and education and resource opportunities. “The BARN grant [...]

23 Monday, September 23

Forums for Sedgwick County Commission candidates will focus on affordable housing

info2024-09-23T09:47:36-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

The Wichita Journalism Collaborative is organizing candidate forums for the Sedgwick County Commission races in Districts 2 and 3. The forums, which will be in the Alumni Auditorium at Friends University, will focus on housing issues within the commission’s purview. District 3 candidates Celeste Racette and Stephanie Wise will participate in the forum on Monday, Sept. 23, while District 2 candidates Sarah Lopez and Jeff Blubaugh are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 24. Both forums start at 6 p.m. When the collaborative hosted a listening session on housing earlier this year, participants who completed a post-event survey highlighted affordability issues, such as [...]

23 Monday, September 23

An update from the Nemaha County Administrator, Part 1

info2024-09-23T09:46:27-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

To everybody who calls Nemaha County home, as I come to the close of my first year in my role, I appreciate your patience as I build relationships and gather the necessary information to execute the role of County Administrator. This includes diagnosing the situation, energizing others, managing myself, and intervening thoughtfully and skillfully. This first year has fully met my expectations with all the challenges and rewards that were promised. I was asked frequently during my first few weeks if I’m quitting or if I am disappointed coming here. I am not quitting, and I am not disappointed. I’ve met [...]

23 Monday, September 23

Municipal Bond Trends for September 20, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-09-23T08:55:33-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

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.

20 Friday, September 20

12 schools in NE Kansas have been targeted by school threats

info2024-09-20T10:19:03-05:00September 20th, 2024|

Law enforcement agencies across Kansas have been on high alert after a series of school threats that have targeted at least 12 schools in the northeast Kansas area. Six northeast Kansas school districts have had threats made against them recently, prompting some law enforcement agencies to heighten enforcement efforts. Source: 1350 KMAN

20 Friday, September 20

‘A breakdown’: Kansas missed signs dead ex-official worked both sides of $425k grant

info2024-09-20T10:09:52-05:00September 20th, 2024|

A former Kansas Department of Commerce official suspected of embezzling public funds handled money for a community foundation that received a $425,000 grant while he oversaw the same grant at the state agency that awarded it, an apparent conflict of interest now coming under scrutiny. Two top Commerce officials — Lt. Gov. David Toland, who leads the agency, and Robert North, the agency’s general counsel — signed off on the grant amid warning signs that the official was working on both sides of the grant. The former official, Jonathan L. Clayton, died in August in a single-vehicle crash as he faced [...]

20 Friday, September 20

Lawrence adds 11 new city services for residents to request in city’s app, including pothole repairs

info2024-09-20T10:07:41-05:00September 20th, 2024|

The city of Lawrence’s app now allows residents to make 11 new types of service requests, including pothole and pavement repairs and stormwater issues. The city announced the expanded service requests offered by the web app, called SeeClickFix... Source: LJWorld

20 Friday, September 20

Wichita to continue Stage 2 water restrictions, increase enforcement

info2024-09-20T10:06:45-05:00September 20th, 2024|

The City of Wichita said it will increase enforcement as it continues Stage 2 water restrictions. ... “During the last two months, efforts on education were prioritized over issuing fines,” said the city. “Going forward, staff plans to increase enforcement, including issuance of fines if warranted, while still continuing educational efforts on ways to cut back on water use.” Source: KWCH

20 Friday, September 20

Lyon County Commission discusses VisionFirst Economic Development report

info2024-09-20T10:03:43-05:00September 20th, 2024|

The Lyon County Commission reviewed the findings and recommendations found in the VisionFirst Economic Development Report, Thursday morning. The report outlines recommendations for streamlining economic development efforts in Emporia and the surrounding areas by bringing entities like RDA, the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, Emporia Main Street, and Visit Emporia under one umbrella organization. The report, which was commissioned by the City of Emporia, was recently presented to the county and several key stakeholders, including the Regional Development Association and Emporia Enterprises. According to Chair Rollie Martin, the VisionFirst report outlines a more unified, strategic direction for economic development in Emporia [...]