Wichita school district could consider bond issue, consolidation plan

24 Wednesday, April 24

Wichita school district could consider bond issue, consolidation plan

info2024-04-24T15:43:30-05:00April 24th, 2024|

Consultants hired by Wichita public schools say the district needs to reduce its number of buildings by more than 25% over the next two decades. That could involve a massive bond issue or series of bonds to build and renovate schools — though none of the options include price tags just yet. And it likely will mean closing many older, smaller schools. David Sturtz with Ohio-based Woolpert, formerly Cooperative Strategies, presented four options during community meetings Monday. They range from a “no bond” option to an extensive building and renovation plan that would take 15 to 20 years. All options include closing and consolidating [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

Baxter Springs Fire Department celebrates groundbreaking for new facility

info2024-04-24T15:42:02-05:00April 24th, 2024|

An empty lot on the corner of 17th and Military Avenue in Baxter Springs will soon be home to a new fire station. Ground was broken today on the new facility for the Baxter Springs Fire Department. U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner helped make sure one million dollars in federal funding was approved in the Fiscal Year 24 appropriations package to go toward building it. A representative from his office and Senator Tim Shallenburger were on hand for today's event, as both helped in the process of securing both federal and state funding for the three-million-dollar project. The new fire station will eventually replace the aging [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

Reining in the rogue pear trees

info2024-04-24T15:40:14-05:00April 24th, 2024|

Many Midwest ranchers, park workers and homeowners work nonstop to control disruptive plants from faraway places. In an excerpt from the podcast Up From Dust, Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service reports on policy changes meant to help. Biochar is a hot topic in sustainable agriculture — it looks like charcoal, but actually sequesters carbon through an ancient farming technique. Kate Grumke from Harvest Public Media has the story on how the old process is finding new life. Source: KCUR News

24 Wednesday, April 24

Valley Center works with pair of Wichita developers on 130-acre development

info2024-04-24T15:38:43-05:00April 24th, 2024|

For the past five years, some parts of Valley Center have seen some wet circumstances. City administrator Brent Clark tells the WBJ that he has been working on resolving a drainage issue from 93rd Street North to 7th Avenue since the winter of 2019. He explained that the lack of drainage causes stormwater drops from the west side of Meridian Avenue, causing concern for residents. "We've had quite a few residents that have been very upset over the years in our community," he said. Now that ownership of the property in the targeted area has changed, Clark and a pair of [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

Hillsboro makes progress in strategic goals

info2024-04-24T15:36:44-05:00April 24th, 2024|

Progress in the city’s strategic plan was the topic of conversation in the April 16 Hillsboro City Council meeting. The council discussed updates in the various sectors they have set goals in. For the childcare center, City Administrator Matt Stiles told the Council that they now have three bids. “They’re still over the budget but a little bit closer. So there’s still a gap in what’s been raised and what’s available through grant funds and what the project anticipated cost is. So the H4C group is now working to try to figure out how we’re going to close that gap,” said Stiles. “I [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

County clarifies EMS transfer policy

info2024-04-24T15:35:31-05:00April 24th, 2024|

The Marion County Board of Commissioners heard from EMS Director Chuck Kenney about the Interfacility Transfer Policy. “There’s been several different policies over the last couple years. Some conflicting with other agreements,” said Kenney. “We had a transfer policy that was adopted in August of ’22. And then we had the policy that the board adopted in December of ’22 that had some charges associated with it, like fees and everything that Brad [Jantz, county attorney] drafted. And then after that we had the service agreements with the hospitals. And so some of the things that are in those service agreements are in [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

A New Mural Welcomes Visitors to Fort Scott.

info2024-04-24T15:33:40-05:00April 24th, 2024|

Local artists who spent several days in the production of this mural on Wall Street, across from the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce office at 231 E. Wall Street. From left, Kadra Nevitt, Hayden Travis, Bre Eden, Katie Hueston, and Kate Freeman. For their part, five local artists worked on a mural to beautify downtown Fort Scott, during the Fort Scott Clean-up Day on April 22. The five artists began working on Friday, April 19, work continued until Monday evening. “This specific mural was designed to not only showcase the Bourbon County landscape, but be a beautiful backdrop and photo op next to the [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

Wichita looking at changes to animal regulations

info2024-04-24T15:32:36-05:00April 24th, 2024|

Wichita City Council members will be looking at changes to regulations governing pets and animal services. The recommendations were made by a subcommittee of the city’s Animal Services Advisory Board that looked at a variety of issues, and staff members presented the recommendations to the City Council during a workshop discussion on Tuesday. There was a recommendation to license dogs and cats, but assistant city attorney Jan Jarman said the staffing is not available to support the licensing of cats, and there is more work to do to license dogs in the community. She said the better option will be to work on [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

Topeka contemplates city manager in special meeting

info2024-04-24T15:30:52-05:00April 24th, 2024|

The city council had another special session to again discuss the two finalists for the vacant city manager position. The choice is down to Alan Howze of Kansas City, Kansas and Robert Perez of Dallas, Texas. Both candidates have over 20 years of experience working in leadership positions for local governments. At a press conference Tuesday morning ahead of the special session, Mayor Padilla and Nienstedt said they were confident no announcement would be made, which held true. No information was provided following the two-hour meeting. KSNT 27 News spoke to district 8 Topeka councilman Spencer Duncan, who says there is no need to [...]

24 Wednesday, April 24

Lenexa has a new master plan for parks and recreation — What’s in it?

info2024-04-24T15:20:54-05:00April 24th, 2024|

The framework for the next decade of development for Lenexa’s Parks and Recreation department is in place. On April 16, the Lenexa City Council unanimously accepted the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Last updated in 2012, the plan is a living document that sets goals and objectives, and shapes policies to help guide the future development of the city’s parks and recreation department over the next 10 years. “It’s certainly not something we just put on a shelf and never look at again,” said Logan Wagler, parks and recreation director. “It’s something we use on a daily basis, almost — how we plan our [...]