HorseThief Reservoir receives state tourism grant

5 Saturday, November 5

HorseThief Reservoir receives state tourism grant

info2022-11-07T12:39:24-06:00November 5th, 2022|

Kansas Tourism, in partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation, is providing nearly $2 million to eight tourism projects across the state to enhance the state’s growing tourism industry. Tourism Attraction Sub-grants for Kansas (TASK) were presented by Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland and Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe at an event on Thursday at Strataca: Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson. HorseThief Reservoir Benefit District in Hodgeman County, is one of eight recipients to receive TASK awards. The tourism industry is the 9th largest employer in the state, generating $11.8 billion in economic output annually and saving the [...]

4 Friday, November 4

Municipal Bond Trends for November 3, 2022

Henry Schmidt2022-11-04T09:24:18-05:00November 4th, 2022|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

4 Friday, November 4

WPD, Bike Walk Wichita handing out free bike lights

info2022-11-04T06:54:12-05:00November 4th, 2022|

The WPD’s Broadway Corridor Team and Bike Walk Wichita are working to hound out free lights for cyclists. Lights are being handed out on Friday, November 4, at Broadway and Orme, from 7 to 8 pm. More lights will be given out on Friday, November 11, at the Walgreens at Broadway and Murdock, also from 7 to 8 pm. Kansas law requires people riding a bike at night to have at least a front light and a rear reflector. Bike Walk Wichita is using grant money from the Kansas Department of Transportation to distribute lights and reflectors to bicyclists who do [...]

4 Friday, November 4

CodeRED notifications come to city of Emporia

info2022-11-04T01:55:41-05:00November 4th, 2022|

Emporia residents have a new option to receive city notifications, according to city communications manager Christine Johnson. Johnson told the Emporia City Commission that the CodeRED Mass Notification System will allow the city of Emporia to send notifications by text, email, and automated phone call to any residents who sign up for the service via text message or the city website. She said the system was adopted to “create a way to get messages to residents,” about non-emergency issues like waterline breaks and street closures and just general information. Right now, the program will not be used for weather notifications or [...]

4 Friday, November 4

Emporia to allow residential chickens beginning Jan. 1

info2022-11-04T06:55:00-05:00November 4th, 2022|

The Emporia City Commission approved an ordinance allowing residents to keep up to four chickens on their properties within city limits Wednesday morning. Chickens have not officially been permitted within city limits since 2012. City attorney Christina Montgomery said Ordinance 22-48 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023 and allows a resident to keep up to four chickens in residential districts with a domestic farm animal permit. The permit includes a $50 per year application fee, mandatory annual inspections and requirements for size, location and maintenance standards when it comes to chicken enclosures. Source: Emporia Gazette

4 Friday, November 4

Ellinwood awarded construction funds for new hospital

info2022-11-04T06:56:09-05:00November 4th, 2022|

Ellinwood’s work to secure funding for a replacement hospital through the USDA has proven to be worth the hard work and efforts. The Ellinwood Hospital District Board of Trustees has been notified that the $25 million in requested funding has officially been obligated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Construction of a new hospital and clinic and is expected to begin late this year or early in 2023, CEO Kile Magner stated in a news release. “This has been quite a process to say the least, and we are thrilled that all of the team’s hard work has paid off,” Magner [...]

4 Friday, November 4

KDOT shortages could hinder efforts this winter

info2022-11-04T06:56:34-05:00November 4th, 2022|

The Kansas Department of Transportation is committed to keeping the highways cleared when inclement weather impacts the state, but staffing shortages continue to affect the agency with not enough snowplow operators in many areas. These ongoing shortages could affect KDOT’s ability to clear snow and ice from highways in a timely manner, said Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz. “We want motorists to know ahead of time – it’s not a matter of if the highways will be cleared this winter, but when,” Lorenz said. “KDOT crews will be proactive by shifting crews and pretreating surfaces whenever possible but having fewer employees could [...]

4 Friday, November 4

Schwan’s to build new distribution center in Salina, bring more jobs

info2022-11-04T01:47:33-05:00November 4th, 2022|

Schwan’s Company announced Thursday it plans to build a 140,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution center at its pizza-manufacturing facility in Salina. Company leaders joined government and civic officials in Salina to share details of the new project and thank the Salina and greater Kansas community. The distribution center is a new project in addition to the 400,000-square-foot expansion currently underway, the company said. The project, which is expected to begin in 2023 and be completed in early 2025, will expand the total distribution center space to 245,000 square feet. The new distribution center space will be used to store food produced by employees [...]

4 Friday, November 4

Wichita Superintendent Alicia Thompson plans to retire at end of school year

info2022-11-04T06:57:13-05:00November 4th, 2022|

Alicia Thompson, the first woman and first Black superintendent of Wichita Public Schools, will retire at the end of the school year, district officials said on Thursday. Thompson, 53, has held the top position for the state’s largest school district since 2017. She has worked for USD 259 for 31 years, starting as a kindergarten teacher at Ingalls Elementary School. In a letter sent to parents on Thursday afternoon, Thompson said she will be eligible to retire through KPERS — short for Kansas Public Employees Retirement System — at the end of the school year. Source: Wichita Eagle

4 Friday, November 4

Parsons voters to decide fate of public safety sales tax increase

info2022-11-04T01:39:55-05:00November 4th, 2022|

Next week Parsons voters will decide the fate of a public safety sales tax. Parsons voters will be asked to increase the current half-cent sales tax to a one-penny sales tax that would go into effect on January 1st, 2024. This will provide money for both the Parsons Police Department and the Fire Department for things like ensuring competitive wages to retain staff, modernizing and replacing old equipment, as well as house fire and police together in a new modern facility. "The sales tax, again it is critical for police and fire this year that an increase will help us to [...]