With the proposed 0.75% sales tax increase on the March 3 ballot, City of Hutchinson officials outlined all the cost-saving and efficiency measures they have taken to maintain the city’s current levels of service at Tuesday night’s Hutchinson City Council meeting. Below is the list of cost-saving and efficiency measures taken by the city.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

When asked what she is most proud of when it comes to the Hutchinson School District, Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson quickly pointed to the faculty and staff. “Educators are a unique lot. They’re a great lot, thank goodness for them,” Johnson said. “You just don’t stop being a teacher at 4 o’clock, you know, when you leave for the end of the day. So, so many of our teachers support in other ways in the community.” Teachers throughout the district volunteer at community organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, and are actively involved in supporting students and their families outside the classroom, she said. “They’re not just here to teach and get a paycheck,” she said. “They’re here because they care.” Not only do the district’s teachers care about students, they care about their professional development as well, she said. “Of the 422 certified staff and staff and administrators, 261, so 62% have a master’s degree or higher,” she said. That combined passion for educational excellence and taking care of students is reflected in the district’s increasing graduation rates and drop in absenteeism since 2022 when the district implemented its latest strategic plan, she noted.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

An Iola city councilman says the city should consider adding columbariums at Highland Cemetery, as a low-cost option for families to hold loved ones’ cremated remains. Columbariums can be considered as a low-cost alternative for loved ones who turn to cremation instead of traditional burials for funeral services. Dying can be expensive. And it’s often unexpected. “A lot of people don’t plan for that situation,” Iola City Councilman Mark Peters noted at the Council’s Jan. 20 meeting. Faced with assorted funeral costs for a traditional funeral, many opt for a less expensive option — cremation.
Read more: The Iola Register

The Garden City Commission approved a preventative maintenance treatment for some asphalt roads in the city at its regular meeting on Tuesday. The treatment, an asphalt street rejuvenation product known as Reclamite, made by Proseal Inc., was approved for a total of $72,642.32 and will treat approximately 3.11 miles of road in the Chappel Heights neighborhood as well as Susan Street, Park View Drive, Jenna Lane, and sections of Warrior Street, Cole Circle, and Amy Street. Tyler Patterson, Public Works Operation Manager, said in August of 2023 the Professional Engineering Consultants, the city’s engineering firm, conducted a Street Evaluation & Rating Study, along with recommendations on ongoing street maintenance practices and found Proseal and their products Reclamite, which they are the sole-source provider of.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

Reporting sexual assault can be difficult because of the trauma involved. To help survivors, the Riley County Police Department now offers “Seek Then Speak,” an online tool that provides a safe, private way to explore options and start the reporting process. The tool works on a smartphone and connects users to resources, medical exams, and support services. The “Seek” section helps survivors gather information and consider their options, while “Speak” guides them in documenting evidence for a police report at their own pace. Users can share as much or as little as they want, and the program creates a PDF that can be saved or sent to law enforcement. Other victim service partners in Riley County have endorsed the tool, and RCPD is the second law enforcement agency in Kansas to make it available.
Read more: KCLY Radio