City of Wichita plans to clear out Chapin Park homeless camp
The city of Wichita has told people living in an outdoor encampment near Chapin Park that the site will be cleared out in about two weeks.
The wooded area along the Arkansas River near Southeast Boulevard and the Kansas Turnpike has been dubbed "Narnia" by some residents.
City officials plan to clear the encampment on October 12, but they have not said how they will do it.
City spokeswoman Megan Lovely said the city is working to connect residents to shelters and other services. She said some have housing vouchers, but not enough local landlords will actually accept those vouchers.
"This has been a consistent process, to try to get these people connected to services and out of the streets," Lovely said.
Lovely said people have raised concerns about conditions around Chapin Park. At one point, about 80 people were living in the encampment.
County passes new fee for tag office transactions
Sedgwick County tag offices will start charging higher fees next year, thanks to a unanimous vote by the Sedgwick County Commission.
All transactions handled by the tag office will come with a $7.75 fee starting January 1.
Commissioner Ryan Baty said the hope is the tag office will be able to use the additional $1.5 million from the fee increase for some much-needed fixes.
"I think if you were to talk to anybody standing in line at 6 o'clock in the morning around the building, would they pay 50 cents more to make sure we can address these lines," Baty said. "I'm comfortable in saying they'd probably pay 50 cents more on their title processing to make that happen."
The tag office continues to have extensive wait times, despite extending its operating hours in the past year. Officials say the increased fee will cover hiring more staff and opening additional satellite locations.
Volunteers needed for downtown cleanup
A local non-profit group is looking for volunteers to help clean up Wichita's downtown area.
Volunteers will help with landscaping, painting and picking up trash during Downtown Wichita’s clean up day next month.
The event is in an effort to support the organization's Clean Team, which keeps the area clean during the week.
The cleanup day is October 9 from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers should check in at Downtown Wichita’s main office at 501 East Douglas.
More information is at downtownwichita.org.
Chili cookoff scheduled for Saturday
Much of Douglas Avenue through downtown Wichita will be closed Saturday for the annual Wichita Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cookoff.
The cookoff starts at noon Saturday, but streets will be closed starting at 6 a.m. Douglas will be closed from Mead to Emporia, and Saint Francis Avenue from William Street to First Street North.
The annual cookoff raises funds for local nonprofits. It centers on Naftzger Park and will feature chili samples from dozens of businesses and organizations.
Tasting kits are $5, and are available at the event.
Too many kids are leaving car safety seats too early
A new analysis by AAA found that most children are being transitioned out of child safety seats too soon.
From 2020 to 2024, more than three-fourths of 3-year-olds injured in a car wreck were in a child safety seat. But fewer than half of 6-year-olds were in safety seats.
Shawn Steward, public affairs manager for AAA Kansas, said parents should get help from professionals to install car seats.
“You wanna make sure you know how your child seat operates and how to properly install it," he said. "And then if you change seats, it's important to have that looked at by a trained technician to make sure that it's going to give the best safety for your child.”
In Kansas, a child restraint or booster seat is required for children over 4, until they are 4-foot-9-inches and weigh more than 80 pounds.
Baker University launches new scholarship program
Baker University has launched a new effort to make college more affordable to everyday Kansans.
This week, the private, four-year school in Baldwin City announced a new program called Baker 105.
"We are offering a full tuition scholarship to at least one applicant from all 105 counties in the state," said
Baker University president Jody Fournier.
The scholarship program was made possible in part by the generosity of donors.
Baker is celebrating the single biggest year of philanthropic giving in the school's 168-year history.
KBI looking to build new headquarters in Topeka
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is planning a new headquarters in downtown Topeka, but one state senator says the agency should consider other cities if Topeka isn't willing to help with the cost.
State lawmakers authorized up to $80 million in bonds for the project.
The KBI has selected a site downtown, and the agency director said they want to stay close to the Capitol and other state agencies.
Topeka’s Mayor said he’s wary of funding the project because of the city budget being locked in.
Republican Sen. Rick Billinger, who represents the northwest part of the state, said they could consider other communities if that would mean a better deal.
"Maybe we look at Lawrence or Salina, Wichita?" he said. "I bet you there's buildings and land that people would bend over backward to get you to come there."
The KBI said it plans to contact Topeka about possible financial or other support.
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