Our Spring Pledge Drive kicked off this week, and in the midst of all the chaos it's understandable if you missed a couple of KMUW's biggest stories. You can catch up on the week's news here:
Wichita Public Schools planning for worst-case scenario in possible school shutdown
Even as the state Supreme Court deliberates about whether a new school funding law is equitable, USD 259 school board members are already planning for a statewide shutdown of public schools. “We have to move forward as though it will happen,” Superintendent John Allison told a board meeting Monday.
How close is the Kansas Supreme Court shutting down public schools?
After months of preparation, lawyers for the state and lawyers for school districts gave oral arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court in a lawsuit over a new school funding law. With no legal funding system in place, a shutdown is a possibility, but KCUR education reporter Sam Zeff takes a deeper look at just how likely the court is to shutting down public schools across Kansas.
Wichita Entrepreneurs: The humble men behind Freddy’s
The latest in KMUW’s ongoing Wichita Entrepreneurs series looks at Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, which began in Wichita in 2002 and has since become one of the fastest-growing chain restaurants in the country. Abigail Wilson sat down with co-founders Randy Simon, Bill Simon, Scott Redler and, of course, Freddy Simon himself to talk about the franchise’s Wichita roots. Says Randy: “If we would have started in Tulsa or Oklahoma City, we might still be one store.”
Once a symbol of the fire station, poles are becoming a thing of the past
Wichita Fire Chief Ron Blackwell takes Carla Eckels on a tour of the downtown fire station, the last location in the city where fire poles are still in use. It’s worth listening to if only to hear Carla’s laugh, but it also offers a look inside a world few of us are aware of.
