Sedgwick residents turn out to defend their chickens

19 Sunday, March 19

Sedgwick residents turn out to defend their chickens

info2023-03-19T22:34:41-05:00March 19th, 2023|

A full council room of residents concerned about a proposed city ordinance to regulate chickens convinced the Sedgwick city council to table the matter until further changes were made. City staff drafted the proposed ordinance and presented it in January to the council, who chose to hold off until they could get public input. The prior ordinance limited the number of fowl to six but didn’t address coop setback limitations, according to City Administrator Kyle Nordick. He said his research showed neighboring cities with coop structure regulations ranging from 30-50 feet from neighboring dwellings, regulations of the location to include only [...]

19 Sunday, March 19

Wichita looking at plan to shape downtown parking options

info2023-03-20T07:12:32-05:00March 19th, 2023|

If you look around downtown Wichita and you’ll see cars parked everywhere, on the street or in lots. It is something that often goes unnoticed by most but the city of Wichita thinks about parking a lot. Councilman Brandon Johnson says the city has “been looking at downtown streets and parking for quite some time and trying to get more efficient. So looking at where parking is needed, compared to where all it is, what that looks like this plan.” On Tuesday the City Council will vote on a parking plan that looks to improve parking in the city, mostly in [...]

19 Sunday, March 19

Wichita just updated its tobacco ordinance. What’s changed?

info2023-03-20T07:13:39-05:00March 19th, 2023|

Retail stores, not cashiers, will now shoulder fines and fees when caught selling tobacco to underage customers after the Wichita City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to update the city’s tobacco retail licensing. Previously, individual cashier clerks who sold tobacco, e-cigarettes or vapes to someone under the age of 21 were fined $55 for a first offense, $100 for a second, and $150 for any subsequent offenses — an approach that critics say inappropriately shifted blame away from management. Source: KLC Journal

19 Sunday, March 19

Why Sedgwick County plans to burn parkland

info2023-03-19T22:28:10-05:00March 19th, 2023|

Sometime in the next three weeks, drivers may see smoke coming from the northeast corner of Sedgwick County. The Sedgwick County Parks Department plans to do a controlled burn at Northeast Sedgwick County Park, at 127th Street East and 77th Street North. Many people may not realize there is a park in that corner of the county. It's 600 acres of grass and woods. The County website encourages people to use it for hiking, walking dogs, and riding horses. There's even a YouTube video for the park. Source: KSN-TV

19 Sunday, March 19

Southeast Kansas museum celebrates railroad history

info2023-03-19T22:25:52-05:00March 19th, 2023|

More people are now able to check out a museum in southeast Kansas that celebrates railroad history. The Heart of the Heartlands Railroad Museum in Carona has expanded its hours. It had only been open a few weekends during the summer. It's now open 5 days a week -- Wednesday through Sunday -- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on those days. Museum Director John Chambers says the railroads played a important role in developing the area. Source: KSNF/KODE

19 Sunday, March 19

City of Emporia enters home stretch in search for next Assistant City Manager

info2023-03-20T07:14:40-05:00March 19th, 2023|

The search for Emporia’s next Assistant City Manager has reached the final stages. Finalists for the position met with four panels as part of the selection process Friday morning. The city is not releasing the names of the finalists in order to protect current employment, regardless, City Manager Trey Cocking tells KVOE News this will not be an easy decision as each candidate brings a unique set of skills to the table. Cocking says the chosen candidate will be stepping into the role at a time when several large-scale projects are currently in the works or underway and will have to [...]

19 Sunday, March 19

Residents of Lawrence’s Pinkney neighborhood concerned about plans for homeless shelter site

info2023-03-20T07:15:06-05:00March 19th, 2023|

Residents of Lawrence’s Pinkney neighborhood and staff at a nearby preschool are questioning the site where the city plans to place a “village” for people experiencing homelessness, and how the project would be managed. The city has its sights set on the former location of Veritas Christian School, 256 N. Michigan St., for its Pallet Shelter Village. The land purchase and project, estimated at $1.84 million and to be paid from federal COVID-19 relief funds, is now on a timeline to provide temporary cabin-style sheltering for up to 75 people starting this July, pending Lawrence City Commission approval. Source: The Lawrence [...]

19 Sunday, March 19

Local businesses playing a role in Hutchinson economy after recent layoffs

info2023-03-19T22:15:35-05:00March 19th, 2023|

Recent closures and layoffs in Hutchinson have brought up questions about the local economy and the future of the town. The director at StartUp Hutch says that local businesses are often overlooked in how they drive the local economy, and those businesses are providing jobs that are different than those at a corporation. Jackson Swearer says the local businesses are typically run by people right there in the community, having an impact on more than just their customers. Source: KSN-TV

17 Friday, March 17

Fed poised to approve quarter-point rate hike next week, despite market turmoil

info2023-03-17T13:43:02-05:00March 17th, 2023|

Even with turmoil in the banking industry and uncertainty ahead, the Federal Reserve likely will approve a quarter percentage point interest rate increase next week, according to market pricing and many Wall Street experts. Rate expectations have been on a rapidly swinging pendulum over the past two weeks, varying from a half-point hike to holding the line and even at one point some talk that the Fed could cut. However, a consensus has emerged that Chairman Jerome Powell and his fellow central bankers will want to signal that while they are attuned to the financial sector upheaval, it's important to continue [...]

17 Friday, March 17

Municipal market contemplates fallout from banking crisis

info2023-03-17T13:42:18-05:00March 17th, 2023|

"The failure of Silicon Valley Bank along with Silvergate Bank and the Signature Bank of New York has created what is possibly an inflection point in the bond markets," John Mousseau, president and director of fixed income at Cumberland Advisors, wrote in a commentary Wednesday noting the flight to quality. "The effect on the fixed-income markets has been nothing short of astonishing." The crisis cut a wide swath across the market with ... daily shifts in tax-exempt movement sometimes aligned with Treasury fluctuations and sometimes against. Some believe regional banks could face intensified scrutiny that stands to impact their role in the [...]