Kansas Legislature on cusp of raising to 21 minimum age to buy tobacco products

28 Tuesday, March 28

Kansas Legislature on cusp of raising to 21 minimum age to buy tobacco products

info2023-03-28T07:12:03-05:00March 28th, 2023|

Members of the Kansas Senate raised modest objection to legislation raising the minimum age for buying, possessing or consuming tobacco products in the state from 18 to 21 to comply with a three-year-old federal law. If approved on a final vote Tuesday by the Senate, the bill adopted by the Kansas House in early March would be sent to Gov. Laura Kelly. If signed into law, Kansas could gain $2.1 million in federal enforcement funding and lose $7.6 million in sales tax and cigarette stamp revenue. Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, said previous attempts to achieve compliance in Kansas never survived the [...]

28 Tuesday, March 28

Commercial false fire alarm fees to increase in Garden City

info2023-03-28T07:07:03-05:00March 28th, 2023|

Fees for false alarms related to commercial buildings were increased at the Garden City Commission’s regular meeting on March 21. Gene Robertson, Garden City Fire Marshal, said the reason for the increase is that the Garden City Fire Department has seen an increase in the number of false alarms being transmitted from businesses across the city.... “Some of the alarm panels are older and require more attention to keep them functioning properly,” he said. “I identified these specific businesses and have requested to have the alarm panels inspected by certified fire alarm inspectors and provide a report on the status of [...]

28 Tuesday, March 28

In this southwest Kansas classroom, immigrant students’ goal isn’t graduation — it’s survival

info2023-03-28T07:06:01-05:00March 28th, 2023|

Every day, Corrina Carlos comes into her classroom and bids good morning to her pollitos. They chirp back not in English but in Spanish. And K’Iche’. And Q’eqchi’. For the most part, the pollitos — or “little chickens," as Carlos affectionately calls her students — understand Carlos as she switches between English and Spanish, but the students and teacher muddle through any parts of the conversation they might not understand. It’s the least Carlos can do to give her pollitos a basic education and a fighting chance at survival in a society and world new to them. Source: CJonline

28 Tuesday, March 28

NLC Releases New Report: How Cities are Using APRA’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds After Two Years

info2023-03-28T07:02:32-05:00March 28th, 2023|

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) delivered $65.1 billion of direct federal aid to cities, towns and villages across the country through the Coronavirus State and Local Government Fiscal Relief Funds (SLFRF) program. This funding has helped local governments make up for lost revenue, respond to COVID-19, and support residents and communities in need as they continue to recover from the pandemic. This new report by the National League of Cities (NLC) finds that SLFRF helped stabilize local governments and their communities and positively support residents through direct engagement. Additionally, SLFRF did not lead to excessive municipal spending or cause global or [...]

27 Monday, March 27

USD 232 De Soto poised to select next superintendent this week

info2023-03-28T06:56:39-05:00March 27th, 2023|

USD 232 may soon name its next superintendent. The board of education has scheduled a series of closed-door sessions early this week, after which they’re expected to announce their pick. A final decision is expected on or around Wednesday, according to a recent district update. Current superintendent Frank Harwood is retiring at the end of June after serving in the post for seven years. The search for his replacement began in the fall. Source: Prairie Village Post

27 Monday, March 27

A deep dive into how Harvey County stores its records

info2023-03-27T23:20:10-05:00March 27th, 2023|

Former register of deeds Margaret Hermstein said she made the decision more than 20 years ago to have the county’s records stored in the underground salt mines, both for security and preservation purposes. The climate-controlled environment operated by Underground Vault & Storage is perfect for preserving microfilm records of the county’s land records dating back to the county’s founding in 1872. “It’s a wonderful place to tour,” she said. “It’s very inviting. It’s a very safe place. … I encouraged all of our commissioners when I was register of deeds to take a tour.” Source: Harvey County Now

27 Monday, March 27

Osawatomie firefighters go ‘old school’ to rescue kitty from tree

info2023-03-28T06:57:37-05:00March 27th, 2023|

Pet owners might be surprised to know some fire departments still rescue cats from trees. Jade Cripe is one pet owner who is thankful the Osawatomie Volunteer Fire Department still provides that service. So is her cat Guinevere. “I was very pleasantly surprised they were willing to help,” Cripe said. “You see the movies where the fire department is called to save a cat in the tree, but you don’t think something crazy like that would ever happen to you until it does.” The fire department received a call from dispatch at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16, that a cat was [...]

27 Monday, March 27

City and St. Benedict’s Abbey negotiate Memorandum of Understanding

info2023-03-27T23:17:12-05:00March 27th, 2023|

In September of 2022, the Planning Commission reviewed and recommended to the city commission for approval of the re-zoning of the property, formerly the Youth Center, acquired by St. Benedict’s Abbey through a tax sale. The rezone requests the property be rezoned from A-1, General Agriculture, and R-3, Multiple Family Residential, to P-D, Planned Development. The city staff worked with representatives of St. Benedict’s Abbey to negotiate a permanent easement for access to utilities, in orders to allow the city access to the city’s water tower, water lines, and other utilities. Out of the meetings the representatives presented a Memorandum of Understanding memorializing [...]

27 Monday, March 27

This Shawnee Mission school has a new climbing wall thanks to local neighborhood group

info2023-03-27T23:12:32-05:00March 27th, 2023|

Roesland Elementary students can now enjoy a new way to get active in gym class: a climbing wall. The brainchild of physical education teacher Blair Bodermann, the climbing wall was made possible with the help of Neighbors for a Better Roeland Park. The citizen-led group, which originally formed out of the 2015 effort to pass the city’s non-discrimination ordinance, used donations from free summer concerts in 2022 to pay for a majority of the $5,000 cost of the climbing wall, which is now installed and being used in the school’s gymnasium. Source: Prairie Village Post

27 Monday, March 27

What should Overland Park residents do with ash trees in their yards?

info2023-03-27T23:10:53-05:00March 27th, 2023|

Overland Park is ramping up efforts to remove thousands of ash trees in public right-of-ways in an attempt to thwart the spread of the emerald ash borer pest. But how should homeowners handle potentially infested ash trees on their private property? The city has some recommendations for what residents can do with ash trees in their yards they believe are infested by the invasive beetle species, which lays larva that cuts off the passage of nutrients and water from the tree’s roots to its canopy. Source: Prairie Village Post