Iolan Braxton Curry, who graduated from PSU in December with a degree in graphic communications, provided the winning submission in a community billboard contest. Braxton Curry graduated from Pittsburg State University in December, having earned a bachelor of science degree in graphic communications. It didn’t take her long to make her first mark in her post-college career. The Iola native’s design was picked this week by Iola’s Community Involvement Task Force-PRIDE members as the winner in a citywide billboard drawing contest. Curry’s design is a relatively simple one, with the word “IOLA” written in thick block letters, with each letter illustrating various community attractions, including imagery of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, the courthouse clock, Iola’s trails and the downtown business district.
Read more: The Iola Register

Southwest Kansas might take a big step toward water conservation in ways previously thought to be impossible. Groundwater Management District 3, headquartered in Garden City, is looking for feedback from local farmers on its plan to use less water for crop irrigation in the region. A discussion on proposed water cuts recently attracted farmers from counties across the southwest part of the state, who filled a small community building. Trevor Ahring, civil engineer for the district, told the sea of Kansas State University baseball caps and flannel shirts the details of the plan – all with the objective of easing the strain on the Ogallala Aquifer, which stretches from South Dakota to Texas. “Our goals are to stabilize the aquifer over the course of 20 years; that’s a 27.7% reduction in use in this area,” Ahring said. For the first time, the groundwater management district is proposing potentially significant water cuts, reducing water pumping by 5% each year for the next 20 years. Farmers are ready to do the work, but these kinds of changes are not going to come easy, and there is still a lot of pushback.
Read more: The Iola Register

Iola’s newly established land bank is open for business. This bank is not a financial institution in a traditional sense. You can’t go in and ask for a loan, or even make a deposit. In fact, its only “assets” will be vacant lots, with the intention of filling them with new homes or businesses. The City of Iola Land Bank announced last week it is now accepting residential properties for donation. There are a few notable stipulations, said Matt Rehder, city administrator. For one, the land must be vacant with no structures, and at least 50 feet by 100 feet. The current owners must have a clear title, and must be up to date on property taxes. Secondly, the land must be donated. The city has no such thing as a “land bank” budget, Rehder noted, and thus will not be able to pay for any pieces of land. Similarly, the city would donate the property to prospective developers.
Read more: The Iola Register

The Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board has advanced new clarifications on Riley County’s short-term rental regulations, aiming to make enforcement more consistent and less subjective. The decision attempts to clarify vague wording with how county staff interpret when a 500-foot separation distance between units can be waived, so that decisions are based on clear standards and not arbitrary in nature. Short-term rental regulations have been in place since Riley County adopted its updated land-development regulations in 2022. County counselor Jacob Hansen told the planning board Monday that staff didn’t have any clear direction on when and how to interpret when a waiver should be granted.
Read more: themercury.com

The organizer of a petition against an agreement between the Cowley County Sheriff’s Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement said this week more than 200 people had signed the petition and that she hoped to speak with Sheriff David Falletti about the issue. “That’s all I want is a conversation that will hopefully lead to change,” Kaitlin Hicks said. “Sheriff Falletti has done a lot of really great things for our county and I have a lot of respect for him. Do I deeply, deeply disagree with the action the Sheriff’s department has made regarding this issue? Yes. Do I think it’s harmful to our county? Yes. However, I still respect him and I am thankful for his years of service.” The sheriff’s department signed an agreement with ICE in March that authorizes it to serve 48-hour detainers on behalf of ICE for people held in the Cowley County Jail, although Falletti said this week the jail had not implemented the practice because it had not yet received training to do so.
Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com