Zoning moratorium among items up for consideration when Lyon County Commissioners convene Thursday

26 Wednesday, June 26

Zoning moratorium among items up for consideration when Lyon County Commissioners convene Thursday

info2024-06-26T09:14:15-05:00June 26th, 2024|

Lyon County Commissioners will consider signing a resolution that would establish a moratorium and suspend any applications related to zoning, land use and building permitting within Lyon County during their regular action meeting Thursday. The purpose of the moratorium is to allow the Lyon County Planning and Zoning Board to review zoning regulations related to medical buildings. It was reported earlier this month that Stormont Vail Health had purchased land to build a new multi-million dollar medical facility in the county, however, calls for confirmation from KVOE to Stormont have not been returned. Commission Chairman Rollie Martin tells KVOE News the resolution being [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

Equipment super load coming to Emporia soon

info2024-06-26T09:13:14-05:00June 26th, 2024|

Just how big is the equipment super load moving through Emporia on Tuesday morning? The city of Emporia Facebook page says the boiler is 22 feet tall, 22 feet wide and 216 feet long — or over 70 yards. It also weighs 660,000 pounds. The equipment stopped in Madison overnight on its way from Oklahoma to California. It is using Kansas Highway 99 north to reach Emporia. The city of Emporia has already made several traffic adjustments, temporarily disabling the stoplights at 12th and Merchant starting Monday and detouring northbound traffic on Merchant — starting at 12th — east to Burlingame Road once the load [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

Diverse event schedule helping Emporia tourism efforts: ‘We have found our home in the unexpected’

info2024-06-26T09:11:26-05:00June 26th, 2024|

Late spring and early summer are typically busy times when it comes to Emporia’s event schedule, and this year has been no different. Emporia has seen record-setting participation with Unbound Gravel, as well as heavy attendance for the Pro Disc Golf Association Masters and Dynamic Discs Open disc golf tournaments. This week has the National Teachers Hall of Fame induction process and Emporia Pride overlapping. Next week has the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Visit Emporia Director LeLan Dains says it’s important to have what he calls diversity in the event schedule. That diversity has helped to drive Emporia’s transient guest tax receipts to record levels [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

City looking at staff reductions to address revenue shortfalls

info2024-06-26T09:10:29-05:00June 26th, 2024|

As Manhattan faces a revenue shortfall, one city official suggests staff reduction could be a solution. The city will have just over $1 million in revenue remaining near the end of 2025, and officials previously have said they’d rather not see numbers dip below $10 million in the general reserve. Interim city manager Jason Hilgers said reducing staff has been an effective solution in the past. “There are different ways we can look at revenue,” Hilgers said. “But I think historically, pressure really comes on reductions in people because people are primarily what compromises the city. It’s individuals out delivering services [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

City commission adopts 20-year parks and rec master plan

info2024-06-26T09:09:28-05:00June 26th, 2024|

The Manhattan city commission at Tuesday’s meeting unanimously approved the adoption of the Move MHK! parks and rec master plan. The plan includes long-term goals and visions, including updates to various parks and prioritizing the construction of an indoor aquatics facility. The plan and Tuesday’s vote didn’t approve any specific action. (City commissioners in recent meetings have been considering putting a sales tax measure on the November ballot to fund an indoor aquatics and rec facility. That specific proposal is separate from the master plan.) Commissioners adopted the master plan, which the Move MHK! steering committee and parks and rec advisory [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

Work set to begin this year on ‘Gorilla Rising’ improvements

info2024-06-26T09:03:43-05:00June 26th, 2024|

With a new downtown site chosen for Pittsburg State University’s Kelce School of Business, and funding secured from private and public sources, work is poised to begin on the Gorilla Rising project. The $50 million initiative, announced last year, will move the college of business downtown, embedding upper-level business students in the Pittsburg business community. It also will transform the historic Besse Hotel, which has been vacant for many years, into student apartments on the upper floors, with a mix of public and office space, including the Center for Reading, on the first floor. About 60 student housing units will be located [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

Parts of Kansas once tried to secede and form ‘West Kansas.’ It helps explain our politics today

info2024-06-26T09:02:54-05:00June 26th, 2024|

Secession movements in places like eastern Oregon continue to make headlines today, but back in the 1990s, parts of western Kansas made an effort to secede that previewed the political divisions that still cause people in the U.S. to consider cutting ties from their governments. In Kansas, the effort involving nine southwest Kansas counties all started with a disagreement over school funding policies. After people in western Kansas felt a new school funding law adversely affected rural schools, some residents of the nine counties were so upset that they petitioned to leave the state. They proposed a new state called West Kansas. [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

Olathe church’s plan to build splash pad and playground could fill parks ‘gap’

info2024-06-26T08:57:51-05:00June 26th, 2024|

Splash pads and pickleball courts may be on their way to south Olathe. During its meeting earlier this month, the Olathe Planning Commission unanimously recommended rezoning for a new recreational area on the property of Living Hope Church of the Nazarene, 18550 W. 175th St. The church’s plans envision a playground, splash pad, four pickleball courts, walking trails, canopies and parking for church congregation activities, all on the northwest corner of West 175th Street and South Ridgeview Road. Once complete, the area would be open to the public but owned by Living Hope Church. The city staff’s report on the proposal states, “This project [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

One key to a good life: Community helped Lenexa with details of this 2024 parks plan

info2024-06-26T08:56:31-05:00June 26th, 2024|

Trails, pools and pickleball courts all have big roles in how Lenexa exercises and plays. And those vital elements of a good life just got a refresh in the city. “The benefits and importance of parks and recreation are almost endless,” said Lenexa Parks & Recreation Director Logan Wagler. “Parks and recreation is vital for fostering healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities. It provides numerous physical, mental, social, environmental and economic benefits, making them essential components of urban and suburban planning. “Investing in parks and recreation facilities ensures a higher quality of life for all residents, promoting overall well-being and community cohesion.” [...]

26 Wednesday, June 26

City of Manhattan facing shortfall in revenues

info2024-06-26T08:53:37-05:00June 26th, 2024|

The city of Manhattan is facing a revenue shortfall, which could affect the city in several areas over the next few years. A number of solutions to the problem has been discussed such as raising the mill levy which was proposed by commissioner Karen McCulloh. Others like commissioner John Matta has cautioned against an approach due to the possibility of a tax increase. Commissioner Jayme Minton has said the city needs to get its financial situation under control. Interim city manager Jason Hilgers says that the solution that has been used in the past is reductions in staff. Hilgers says that [...]