Sedgwick County fire crews will no longer respond to township calls
Sedgwick County will stop sending its firefighters out to township fires on January 1.
Cities like Valley Center, Mount Hope and Clearwater have longstanding agreements with the county's Fire District 1. Townships, though, do not have those agreements.
County firefighters have sometimes been called by cities to township fires, and county leaders say that must end.
Clearwater Mayor Burt Ussery said ending those arrangements goes against the county's model of mutual aid agreements.
"Sedgwick County Fire District 1 today cannot function in its current role without mutual aid agreements. ... We're simply asking for that same respect."
County officials said limiting the fire response to cities with mutual aid agreements will help make sure firefighters are not sent in to dangerously understaffed scenes.
The county commission also added a new requirement to its mutual-aid contracts. Participating cities now need to have at least 10 responders on hand at structure fires.
Commissioner Ryan Baty said that's because county firefighters reported unsafe conditions on understaffed calls.
"To look the other way and do nothing — well, I think we're incurring liability," Baty said. "And to be quite frank, it's just unconscionable for me to look these firefighters in the face and say, 'Sorry, we we heard you loud and clear, but we're not doing anything about it.'"
Clearwater's mayor said 10 people is a good goal, but a hard lift for communities like his which has 26 volunteer firefighters total.
Wild horses program at Kansas prison saved from shutdown
A program that gives Kansas prison inmates job experience training wild horses was in jeopardy of shutting down, but it will survive thanks to a new funding agreement.
Funding for the wild horse program at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility has been renewed for five more years.
The Kansas Department of Corrections and the federal Bureau of Land Management reached the agreement.
The program teaches inmates to tame and train wild horses. Horses from ten different states are then available for adoption.
Officials say the 25-year-old program prepares inmates for life after incarceration by teaching job skills, including time management.
Manager Darren Luthi said inmates enjoy their time with the horses.
"They like the fact that they can get outside away from all the inside stuff. And a lot of them would like to just stay out here. They don’t want to go back in," he said.
The program has adopted out more than 200 horses this year.
City scales back advisory board on accessibility issues
Wichita leaders are scaling back a board that advises the city on issues facing people with disabilities.
City staff said the Access Advisory Board was too large and not effective. They reduced the number of members from more than 30 to 11.
Advisory board members objected that they weren’t consulted before the group was reduced. Council members ordered staff to collaborate on the changes.
Former board chair Lisa Vayda said it’s still a challenge to advocate for people with disabilities.
"I'm also very sad that it actually took us having to, as always, as a person with disabilities have to stand up and always fight just to have the same basic rights of people without disabilities," she said.
The board advises on things like curbs and crosswalks, and helped design a service dog area at Equity Bank Park.
Washburn coach returns after serious car accident
After a summer vehicle accident left Washburn men’s basketball coach Brett Ballard hospitalized for a week, he’s back in action. But there are still concerns.
Ballard said he’s still going through neurological testing in his recovery, but he did return to the Washborn Ichabods full-time this week.
Practice is one thing, he said.
But when the season begins, "I’m a little concerned about that," Ballard said. "When we start the season, our days are long. I don’t know any other way but to grind at this thing and to put time into it to prepare my team."
Washburn’s season opener is Nov. 7 in Lakeland, Florida. Last year, the Ichabods finished 31-2.
The cause of his summer accident in Topeka has not been fully disclosed, but Ballard said it was “a brain issue.”
Farmers and solar groups suing USDA over rule changes
Groups representing farmers and solar installers are suing the USDA after significant rule changes to the Rural Energy for America Program.
They said new eligibility requirements illegally cut solar projects from the program and that the USDA has left people on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars by applying those changes retroactively.
"This program has been running successfully for 20 years," said
Chad Hughes, an attorney with the Environmental Law & Policy Center, which is representing several groups in the lawsuit.
"The USDA said, ‘Here are the rules. Here's the process.’ People followed those rules. You know, in many instances, they hired consultants to sort of help them navigate this bureaucracy. You know, they spent money on this. They put their applications in."
Hughes said many of the applicants received the go-ahead from the USDA and started adding solar to their operations. But now they’re being denied funding to offset the costs.
Hutchinson vice mayor resigns
Another city leader has resigned in Hutchinson.
The city announced on its Facebook page that vice mayor Greg Fast resigned Monday, citing personal reasons.
Council members will discuss the process for filling the vacancy at its Oct. 20 meeting.
The vice mayor’s resignation follows a shakeup at City Hall last month.
Hutchinson's city manager and city attorney resigned abruptly on Sept. 9, citing what they described as a hostile working environment.
Former city manager Gary Meagher is serving as interim city manager.
Sedgwick County, Kansas Highway Patrol to share Jabara hangar
Two aircraft used by the Kansas Highway Patrol will move from Rose Hill to a hangar in Wichita as part of a new deal with Sedgwick County.
The Sedgwick County Commission has agreed to build a hangar at Jabara Airport for the Highway Patrol and Sedgwick County Sheriff to share.
The county will build the $8.5 million hangar. The Highway Patrol will take on the majority of the debt service, ground lease and operating costs for the first 20 years.
After that, its yearly contributions will go from $643,000 to $75,000.
Sedgwick County needs more election workers
Sedgwick County election officials say they're having trouble hiring enough poll workers for the upcoming election.
Poll workers guide voters through the voting process, including checking them in and showing them how to use the voting machines.
Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater said her office still needs 50 to 75 more workers to staff sites for the general election on Nov. 3.
Workers must be registered voters or 16- or 17-year-olds eligible to vote aside from their age. They are paid $8.50 an hour and must complete a mandatory training.
Kansas governor establishes law enforcement memorial day
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has established a new annual memorial day for state law enforcement officers.
Kelly announced an executive order Tuesday declaring the first Friday in May as Kansas Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Day.
The first one will be May 4, 2027. Flags will be ordered to fly at half-staff across the state.
Kelly said the day is intended to honor officers who died serving Kansas communities.
State and local agencies, schools and law enforcement organizations will have the chance to participate in ceremonies for those officers.
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