New City Budget
The Wichita City Council passed last night an $800 million budget for 2027.
The budget maintains this year's mill rate, in anticipation of a predicted 7.5% increase in assessed property values.
Rising property tax revenue and a $3 million boost from the city's stabilization fund will help cover Wichita's growing employee costs.
Mayor Lily Wu was the lone 'no' vote, “Not in good faith can we continue sustaining this type of budget where we are outgrowing inflation....We're only balanced because we get again $3 million from the savings account."
The other council members called the budget a compromise after shifting money from police tech and employee benefits to additional library staff, violence reduction programs and tree plantings.
Union Pacific and KDHE open house coming about 29th and Grove contamination
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment -and- Union Pacific are hosting an open house next month to share the remediation construction designs to address contamination in the 29th and Grove area.
Widespread contamination was identified there about four-years ago in the soil and groundwater from a chemical spill that's believed to have occurred in the 1970's at a Union Pacific rail yard.
A class-action lawsuit by residents led to plans for clean-up and free health testing.
An open house with information booths, environmental experts and project leaders is planned for Saturday, September 12th from 1 to 4 at the Brewer Community Center.
Red Cross seeks new donors using Hello Kitty
The American Red Cross has come out of its emergency blood shortage but says it still needs donors.
Schedule changes this time of year can cause people to donate less, but a new promotion may help bring in a younger demographic.
The organization is partnering with Hello Kitty and Friends to provide an incentive when people donate. Donors have to be 18 or older.
From September 1-20 donors can receive a mystery bag with a Hello Kitty plush keychain and stickers while supplies last.
Donation sites include the Red Cross Office in Wichita on North Main near Murdock. Other sites can be found at www.redcrossblood.org.
Healthcare cost awareness campaign
Kansans are 10% more likely than the nationwide average to skip a medical procedure because of the cost.
That is according to a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It found rural areas are hit harder by rising medical costs.
Their ‘One Nation, Overcharged’ campaign looks to raise awareness about healthcare affordability. Things like higher insurance premiums and costly medical visits are driving up prices.
Camille Busette, with the foundation, says the goal is to draw attention to these challenges, “We are not endorsing any specific approaches. We are saying that no one should be denied needed care or driven into debt based on their income, race, or where they live, and that healthcare just has to be a lot more affordable.”
Kansas is one of 6 states the group studied. The campaign will hold an informational event on Thursday in Overland Park. More information is at OneNationOvercharged.com.
No more gender support for Topeka students
Topeka Public Schools will stop creating new gender support plans, allow parents to review existing plans and remove guidance that could limit information shared with parents.
The plans outline how staff will support a student’s gender identity. This includes a student’s pronouns and name.
The district has agreed to change policies that could keep parents from accessing information about their children’s gender identity at school.
The changes follow a federal investigation launched last year after complaints about the district’s policies.
The Education Department said in April that those policies could prevent parents from learning if their child uses a different name or pronouns at school.
Kansas City, Kansas, Olathe, and Shawnee Mission school districts also faced federal scrutiny.
Olathe and Shawnee Mission refused to voluntarily comply.
Kansas City schools refused to make the changes and currently face federal enforcement which could lead to funding cuts.
Douglas Avenue pilot begins
The pilot project aimed at making a section of Douglas more pedestrian friendly kicks off today.
The project area runs between Washington and Grove, including the area in front of East High School. During the 6 month pilot crews will narrow the road to one travel lane in each direction and a shared center turn lane.
New bike lanes, enhanced crosswalks, and parking patterns will be added with the goal of slowing traffic and making the area safer for pedestrians.
Survey for future of Kansas Turnpike
The Kansas Turnpike Authority is asking drivers who use the Kansas Turnpike to assist with feedback.
K.T.A is surveying those who use it all the time or just once in a while to help prioritize future projects.
In the past, these surveys have helped result in improvements like increasing bridge clearance and adding electric vehicle charging stations.
Anyone can fill out the survey at driveKS.com.
There are 236 miles of Kansas Turnpike, all supported by user tolls that are slated to increase 3% next Tuesday, September 1.
Blue algae concerns linger
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is warning people of a risk for blue-green algae at some lakes in the region.
Lake Afton in southwest Sedgwick County and Chisholm Ridge Ponds in Clearwater are both under a warning.
People should remain vigilant while engaging in activities taking place in or on the water, such as swimming, boating, and fishing.
An algae bloom may look like foam, scum or paint floating on the water. The blooms can develop quickly.
Toxins can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols and skin contact.
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