Hutch considers proposal for $18 million hotel and conference center

A hotel proposal to address the city’s needs for additional rooms to retain large events like the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is on the agenda for the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday. … According to agenda documents, the City of Hutchinson has been in need of additional hotel accommodations for the activities and events which occur within its City limits. Further, the City of Hutchinson is in need of a functioning conference center for meeting space for community groups and guests of hotel properties.
Source: Hutch Post

2022-12-04T08:50:58-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

St. Lucia Festival keeps tradition alive in Lindsborg

For the people of Lindsborg, learning about and taking part in the traditions of Swedish culture becomes second nature, and the St. Lucia Festival, coming up on Dec. 10, is no exception. Holly Lofton, director of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that while the festival, which commemorates St. Lucia of Syracuse, wasn’t widely celebrated in public in the city until the 1960s, the festival most likely was taking place privately much before that. “Because of the Swedish heritage of Lindsborg…it was celebrated, I know, many times in people’s home,” Lofton said.
Source: Hutch News

2022-12-04T08:37:09-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

Payrolls and wages blow past expectations, flying in the face of Fed rate hikes

Job growth was much better than expected in November despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive efforts to slow the labor market and tackle inflation. Nonfarm payrolls increased 263,000 for the month while the unemployment rate was 3.7%, the Labor Department reported Friday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for an increase of 200,000 on the payrolls number and 3.7% for the jobless rate. … The numbers likely will do little to slow a Fed that has been raising interest rates steadily this year to bring down inflation still running near its highest level in more than 40 years. The rate increases have brought the Fed’s benchmark overnight borrowing rate to a target range of 3.75%-4%. In another blow to the Fed’s anti-inflation efforts, average hourly earnings jumped 0.6% for the month, double the Dow Jones estimate. Wages were up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis, also well above the 4.6% expectation.
Source: CNBC

2022-12-02T10:33:13-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

Scott vs. City of Leawood: Building Inspector Authority

Dennis and Kristine Scott appeal the district court’s ruling in favor of the City of Leawood in a dispute that arose after the Scotts placed two stone columns in the public right-of-way of a newly constructed cul-de-sac that is required to be dedicated to the City as part of a residential construction project. Although the Scotts submitted plans and specifications to the City of Leawood for the cul-de-sac that depicted the required public right-of-way, those plans and specifications did not show that they intended to place stone columns in the right-of-way. Ultimately, the City of Leawood informed the Scotts that one of the two stone columns must be removed from the public right-of-way before it would accept dedication of the cul-de-sac. In response, the Scotts filed a petition in district court seeking a declaratory judgment and other relief. On appeal, the Scotts contend that the district court erred in concluding that a building codes inspector employed by the City of Leawood did not have authority to authorize the placement of the stone columns in the public right-of-way of the required cul-de-sac. The Scotts also contend that the district court erred in concluding that they had failed to exhaust administrative remedies. Based on our review of the record in light of Kansas law, we conclude that the building codes inspector did not have actual authority to authorize or approve the placement of the stone columns in the public right-of-way of the cul-de-sac to be dedicated to the City. As a result, it is unnecessary for us to reach the issue of exhaustion of administrative remedies. Thus, we affirm the district court.
Source: Kansas Court of Appeals

2022-12-02T10:15:07-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

New weapon scanners arrive at Wichita high school

Wichita West High School is the first in the district to use weapon screening detectors as students enter the building for class. Students demonstrated the new safety measure Thursday afternoon as they left the building, and the detectors will be used Friday morning. The scanners will be placed at three entrances that are open at the start of the school day: the main entrance, the athletic entrance and a west entrance used by students who ride buses.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

2022-12-02T09:43:28-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

Labette County OKs grandfathering in septic system

The Labette County Commission Wednesday approved grandfathering in a sewer/septic tank at 3830 Main, just outside of the city limits of Parsons. This commercial property is located in a flood plain, according to County Emergency Operations Manager Charlie Morse. Morse is also the county’s sanitation officer. Earlier this year, commissioners updated the county’s code to disallow new septic systems in floodplains.
Source: Parsons Sun

2022-12-02T09:42:25-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

What makes a nuisance? How Midwest cities, including Wichita, approach a developer’s halted projects

In Wichita, Chris Labrum, director of the city-county Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department, said in general, situations that present a nuisance condition with a building project site include:

  • Causing an environmental hazard or concern, such as contamination or excessive erosion
  • Causing a public safety and/or security hazard — to include if the job site is abandoned and unsecure
  • Excessive storage of junk and trash or other materials not related to the construction or the allowed zoning/uses of the property
  • Excessively tall grass and weeds that may harbor vermin, insects, or other hazards to neighboring properties

“They are the property owners and exercising a legal use of the property,” Labrum said. “While we will continue to do what we can to advance the project, the only legal expectations of the developer at this point are to maintain safety and progress enough to keep their permit open and valid.” Other communities in the Midwest have taken different approaches.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

2022-12-02T09:39:42-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

Crews battle large grass fire in Marion County

Crews from several fire departments were involved in battling a large grass fire Thursday afternoon in southeastern Marion County. The fire broke out south of Florence, and strong south winds pushed the fire and smoke to the north, creating a hazard for drivers on Highway 50.  There was no word of any structures that were threatened or damaged, and no injuries were reported. The fire was 90 percent contained by evening, and firefighters were watching for hot spots.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

2022-12-02T09:35:39-06:00December 2, 2022|News|

Reno County daycare survey sees issues

During a Reno County Commission meeting on Tuesday, a professor from Kansas State University told the commissioners the result of a child care survey in the county. He said Hutchinson is lacking in both childcare and housing, but he thinks housing can take care of itself through attrition. He also said enforcement of policies is an issue. Bradford Wiles, Ph.D. in human development, said the county needs to create a new position to help bring change and implement childcare practices in the county. He said this person should make from $80,000 to $100,000 annually. However, he said, the highest salary an in-home childcare provider would make each year is about $25,000. The average salary in Reno County is $33,000.
Source: Hutch News

2022-12-02T07:54:14-06:00December 2, 2022|News|
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