A dramatic shift in population density in Kiowa County, due to the May 2007 Greensburg tornado, has county commissioners discussing redistricting for the next election. With an estimated 700 residents displaced, the make-up of the three districts in the county has changed. According to U.S. Census figures, the population in Kiowa county has been steadily …
I have friends who send their children to this school, and say that it is amazing. I guess the word has gotten out about the Walton 21st Century Rural Life Center, as there is now a waiting list to get in. The rural charter school, located in Walton, is a part of the Newton School …
According to U.S. Census figures, the median age of folks in McPherson is 41, older than the national average of 35.1, and older than any other metro or micropolitan area in Kansas. Who knew? But McPherson is a wonderful community with a number of nice public amenities, so I can certainly see why folks might …
We’ve recently included stories about Wichita and Sedgwick County’s trash discussions, so when I saw this story in the Lawrence Journal World, I thought it was both useful and interesting because they’ve gathered trash information on several mid-to-large size cities in the state. The City of Lawrence is in the beginning phase of discussing their …
Cities and counties all over the country are looking for ways to make their operations more efficient in order to save money. Budgets are tight with decreasing revenues and increasing costs. This story outlines police departments in Utah and Pennsylvania, who have successfully merged several departments into one. Public safety is often the last place …
Newton Medical Center has donated land on it’s campus on the south side of town (visible from I-135) for a new $15 million YMCA facility. The community has about a year to raise $5 million in public funds, so that construction can begin around the second quarter of 2013, with a projected opening of Jan. …
HB 2212 was debated yesterday. The bill originally required publication of the K.S.A. 79-2925b resolution (declaring that taxes are rising due to increases in valuation), or else local governments would have to lower the mill levy. During the debate, there apparently was some confusion according to the Topeka Capital-Journal… Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, offered an …
Midwest Scrap Management Inc. would like to start a large recycling operation in Park City, similar to their plant that is located in Kansas City. The facility would accept everyday scrap and break it down to ship out to steel mills. Park City has agreed to apply for a grant on the company’s behalf, to …
The City of Wichita, together with the Arts Council, has launched a new website that allows individuals to donate money to specific art projects in town. The site accepts applications from individual artists and non-profit organizations, and if the projects meet certain criteria, then they are posted on the website for up to 30 days, …
This week CNN produced a story spotlighting Ulysses as a town dealing with immigration and the blending of cultures: Ulysses, Kansas (CNN) – Out on the broad west Kansas prairie the tiny farm town of Ulysses is undergoing a quiet revolution. About 15 years ago Ulysses, like many small rural communities, was slowly dying as …
While Reno County and Hutchinson leaders are supporting term limits, Shawnee County commissioners are doing just the opposite. Yesterday, they voted to have county counselor Rich Eckert testify on the county’s behalf against HB 2190: Shawnee County is taking a stance against two bills before the Kansas Legislature regarding term limits for county commissioners … …
Reno County Commissioner Dan Deming, and Hutchinson Mayor Ron Sellers will be in Topeka today to testify before the House Committee on Local Government on behalf of House Bill 2190. The bill addresses term limits for county commissions. Commissioner Deming campaigned for the Reno County Commission in 2010 on a platform that favored term limits. …
The Finney County Convention and Tourism Bureau collected $713,567 in hotel and motel taxes for 2011. It’s due, in part, to a new 6% transient guest tax that took effect in July of 2010. The CTB is projecting another big year, forecasting at least $700,000 in 2012. They plan to use some of the new …
The area around Junction City has been the fastest growing part of the state during the past 10 years, according to census data. Much of that growth can be attributed to the return of 1st Infantry Division to Fort Riley. To prepare for the unit’s return, the Army asked Junction City, and surrounding communities to …
The Kansas Geological Survey has collected it’s yearly data of approximately 1,400 water wells in 47 western and central Kansas counties, and it shows a continual decline in groundwater levels. This news isn’t surprising to most of us, considering the the persistent drought conditions in the southwest part of the state, however, significant declines have …