Derby votes to approve a higher sales tax

8 Wednesday, November 8

Derby votes to approve a higher sales tax

info2023-11-08T10:23:32-06:00November 8th, 2023|

Derby voters approved a sales tax increase expected to generate around $4 million to $5 million annually with the aim of alleviating property taxes while supporting public safety, streets, sidewalks, parks and trails. The tax increase was approved by 55% of voters, according to Sedgwick County unofficial election results Tuesday night. The “1% Derby Difference sales tax” will replace the current half percent sales tax that expires on Dec. 31, 2024, according to the city’s website. The new 1% sales tax would start on Jan. 1, 2025 and run through Dec. 31, 2034. Derby’s overall sales tax rate now is 8%, [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

Leawood sends funds to Israeli sister city amid ongoing war

info2023-11-08T10:12:12-06:00November 8th, 2023|

The city of Leawood has stepped in to help Israelis during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The Leawood City Council on Monday approved a $25,000 donation to its sister city, the Gezer Region of Israel. The donation goes to the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, which will send the funds directly to humanitarian efforts in Gezer. The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City has already raised roughly $2.6 million for Israel through its own efforts, according to representatives from the organization. Leawood and Gezer officially became sister cities in September 2003, after Leawood city representatives visited Gezer in 2002. In 2009, the [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

Stop Rezoning-backed candidates win four seats on Prairie Village City Council

info2023-11-08T10:24:18-06:00November 8th, 2023|

In some of Johnson County’s most-watched general election races this year, Prairie Village candidates backed by the Stop Rezoning group won four city council seats. A fifth Stop Rezoning-backed candidate remains in a close contest and will need to wait until provisional and mail-in ballots are counted for a final result. This year, the Prairie Village City Council election was in the spotlight as the 11 candidates vying for six seats were split on the hotly contested housing discussion, which has divided the city for more than a year. More than half of the candidates were supported by Stop Rezoning Prairie Village, the [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

Darth Blader? Wichita has named its winter snow plows and you can track their progress

info2023-11-08T10:25:08-06:00November 8th, 2023|

The weather may not feel like winter quite yet, but the first snow of the season could come sooner than you think. In preparation for slushy streets, the city of Wichita held a news conference Monday to discuss its plan for inclement winter weather and highlight some changes for the coming season. When the city experiences inclement weather that requires snow plows, it prioritizes the first 1,500 emergency routes and emergency facilities, major arteries, hospitals and schools. Wichita has 148 hired snow plow drivers to respond to roadway conditions, officials said. The city does not maintain state highways, like Kellogg and Interstate 135. [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

KwiKom cuts ribbon for $1 million fiber internet project in Paola

info2023-11-08T10:07:55-06:00November 8th, 2023|

A recent ribbon-cutting event marked the completion of KwiKom Communications' installation of 23 miles of new fiber optic infrastructure that will offer high-speed internet to residents and businesses in northern Paola. The project was made possible by a grant that KwiKom and the city of Paola received in May of 2022 from the Kansas Office of Broadband Development Acceleration Grant program. The 50-50 state grant allowed for up to a 50 percent co-investment of the matching funding, and KwiKom asked the city of Paola for a co-investment commitment of $250,000, which is 25 percent of the project’s nearly $1 million total. [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

Louisburg in the running for $50,000 grant for dog park

info2023-11-08T10:06:35-06:00November 8th, 2023|

Louisburg is one of 25 finalists for the PetSafe Unleashed Contest that offers a $50,000 grant to the winning community to build a dog park. Local residents can help Louisburg win the grant by voting online through the PetSafe Unleashed Contest website at petsafeunleashed.petsafe.com. The community that receives the most votes between now and Nov. 30 will be awarded the $50,000 grant, according to a news release. People can vote once per day. Louisburg entered the PetSafe Unleashed Contest as part of a community project led by a group of residents who formed Friends of Louisburg Dog Park, which has a [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

What nickname do you use for Topeka?

info2023-11-08T10:04:18-06:00November 8th, 2023|

Topeka has more than a few nicknames in the local lingo, depending on who you ask. Kansas' capital has gone by several names over the years. Some exist as playful renditions of the city's name while others pay homage to the history of the Sunflower State's capital. The color of gold has long been a staple symbol of Topeka going back many years. It can most commonly be seen on the city's seal and flags. But where does this come from? The phrase, "The Golden City," was established by early settlers of the area due to the beauty of the city's sunlit rolling hills [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

McPherson school bond vote fails

info2023-11-08T09:43:37-06:00November 8th, 2023|

McPherson residents voted against an $88.5 million bond that would have gone to improve schools. The vote was 1,843 yes and 2,149 no. The $88.5 million bond would have created a new academic building at the high school, replacing the old structure from the 1960s. It would have connected to an updated fine arts section. The bond would have provided HVAC updates to every school in the district. McPherson County Clerk Hollie Melroy said they replaced their central counting machine Monday night to make sure they were ready to count ballots for the school bond. Melroy said it was working Tuesday morning, [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

Grant Co. will not get a new jail, two ballot issues fail

info2023-11-08T10:26:50-06:00November 8th, 2023|

Two issues on the ballot in Grant County revolved around a new jail. The current facility was built in 1972. Grant County Commissioners wanted to pass a $15,500,000 bond project to replace the jail. That issue failed, with 64% of voters saying "no." The other issue would have created a 1% citywide retailers sales tax to pay for the facility. That issue also failed by 64%. District 3 Commissioner Mark McGaughey believes voters did not understand why a new jail is needed. "A lot of people didn't attend our Q/A sessions that we had in the community. We wish more people would have came [...]

8 Wednesday, November 8

America’s first female mayor came from a tiny town in Kansas. And she got the job by accident

info2023-11-08T09:34:53-06:00November 8th, 2023|

These days, it’s common to see women on the ballot for school boards, city council and mayoral races in Kansas. The state’s top official, Gov. Laura Kelly, is in the middle of her second term. But women running for office — heck, even women voting — is only a little more than 100 years old in most of the country. Except in Kansas. There, women were allowed to vote in school board elections in 1861. By 1887, women could vote in Kansas in a municipal election. And by 1912, women had full suffrage — a full eight years before the passage [...]