Category: Local Interest

Sedgwick County Commission, Wichita City Council to meet together

April 28, 2025 | By The Active Age

Sedgwick County Commissioners will attend a meeting with the Wichita City Council on Tuesday to discuss the following topics: Opioid Settlement Fund Strategic Plan Blue Ribbon Committee, Shared Services Legislative Issues The meeting will take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in the 1st Floor Board Room at Wichita City Hall, 455 N. […]

Read Article

WSU to give Shocker Priority Points for student-athlete support

| By The Active Age

Donors to Wichita State’s athletic roster resources (NIL and Revenue Share) will earn Shocker Priority Points, the school announced Monday. Shocker Athletics will retroactively award priority points associated with name, image and likeness giving beginning July 1, 2021, rewarding donors for their support. Moving forward, donors can continue supporting student-athletes through Revenue Share giving by […]

Read Article

City giving away low-flow shower heads in response to drought

April 17, 2025 | By The Active Age

City of Wichita water customers can pick up a free low-flow shower head and/or sink aerator while supplies last at the City Hall information desk, one of our Wichita Public Library locations, or a City of Wichita neighborhood resource center. According to a news release, low-flow shower heads could save families up to 8,000 gallons […]

Read Article

The Active Age nabs press association honors

April 10, 2025 | By Tammara Fogle

The Active Age won several awards in the 2025 Kansas Press Association contest, including first and second place in the column writing category for publications in the largest circulation category. Ted Blankenship won first place in column writing for his “It’s Not Serious” column, while Diana Breit Wolfe won second place for her “Dear Reader” […]

Read Article

Prescribed burns planned for Sedgwick County Park on Monday, April 7

April 4, 2025 | By Tammara Fogle

Sedgwick County Fire District 1 plans to conduct prescribed burns from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, April 7, weather permitting. According to a news release, the park and zoo will remain open to the public, but barricades along walking paths and other areas will keep visitors away from the burn sites. Likewise, SCFD1 will […]

Read Article

Sedgwick County to offer free tire disposal April 10-12

| By Tammara Fogle

Sedgwick County Environmental Resources is hosting a free waste tire collection April 10-12, 2025, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at its West Yard, 4701 S. West St. According to a news release, this event is open to residents, farmers and local governmental agencies. Tires will not be accepted from businesses. For safety reasons, anyone using a […]

Read Article

Sedgwick County to offer free measles vaccinations Saturday

April 2, 2025 | By The Active Age

Sedgwick County will offer free measles vaccinations this Saturday, April 5, according to a news release noting that the county has no reported cases of measles at this time. The county Health Department is “is responding proactively to a measles outbreak in other parts of Kansas and the nation,” the release states. As part of […]

Read Article

City Manager Bob Layton to retire at end of 2025

| By The Active Age

Wichita City Manager Robert Layton announced Wednesday that he would retire at the end of 2025, after more than 16 years on the job. Layton, who was hired in 2009, has worked under four Wichita mayors and 21 different City Council members. “Earlier today, I informed the Mayor and City Council of my plans to […]

Read Article

Man charged with vandalizing Tesla in Wichita

March 28, 2025 | By The Active Age

A 30-year-old man has been charged with intentionally damaging a Tesla Model X, the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office said Friday.  There have been numerous reports of Teslas being vandalized across the United States by opponents of Tesla majority owner Elon Musk, a top advisor to President Trump.  The Tesla here was damaged March 20, […]

Read Article

Westlink branch reopens after long remodel

March 25, 2025 | By Laura McMillan/KSN

What was once the busiest branch library in Wichita may regain that title. The Wichita Public Library has reopened the Westlink Branch after an almost two-year remodeling project. The library at 8515 Bekemeyer, near Central and Tyler, has doubled in size, adding community meeting rooms, more study spaces, a drive-up window, an expanded children’s room, […]

Read Article

Basement and foundation repair business pays penalties

March 18, 2025 | By The Active Age

 A $42,047 consent judgment was entered in Sedgwick County District Court against the owner of a basement and foundation repair business and the business itself for engaging in deceptive and unconscionable acts under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA). According to a news release, the matter was investigated by the Office of the District Attorney […]

Read Article

Free colon cancer screening kits available

March 3, 2025 | By The Active Age

  Via Christi’s Cancer Outreach and Risk Assessment program is again offering colorectal screening kits, while supplies last, at no cost to anyone 45 and older. Those whose stool samples test positive for blood are followed up by a nurse navigator and, if they need and cannot afford a colonoscopy, funding is available through a […]

Read Article

Most homeowners in Sedgwick County will see increase in tax appraisal. Here are details

February 21, 2025 | By Kylie Cameron/The Wichita Eagle

Tax valuations will increase for 87% of homeowners in Sedgwick County this year. The average median increase for residential properties is 9%. Notices will be mailed out March 1. Last year, 60% of residential property owners saw an increase in valuation, with a 10% median increase. Tax appraisal increases are driven by the sales prices […]

Read Article

How would Wichita’s $450M school bond issue affect property taxes on your home?

February 11, 2025 | By Chance Swaim/Wichita Eagle

Wichita Public Schools voters will decide this month whether to support a $450 million bond issue that would rebuild, consolidate and close schools throughout the city. The bond issue would pay to rebuild seven elementary and middle schools, close four elementary schools, convert two elementary schools to K-8 buildings and consolidate alternative school programs, among […]

Read Article

Kansas’ Moran, Davids sound alarm on delay of USAID food aid to starving people worldwide

February 10, 2025 | By Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas said a freeze on federal funding and change at the U.S. Agency for International Development left $340 million in lifesaving food grown in the United States sitting at domestic ports awaiting delivery to locations around the world where people were starving. On Friday, President Donald Trump said […]

Read Article

New twist on jury duty scam, DA’s office says

February 4, 2025 | By The Active Age

An area resident was targeted in a “different twist on the age-old jury duty scam,” according to a news release from the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office. The resident received a voicemail from someone claiming to be a sheriff’s sergeant, instructing the resident to call back immediately. Despite suspecting the call was a scam, the […]

Read Article

Expert: Three steps Wichita can take to beat ‘housing trap’

February 3, 2025 | By Ainsley Smith/The Sunflower

Author and founder of the nonprofit Strong Towns Charles Marohn addressed a packed conference room at the Kansas Leadership Center in downtown Wichita Tuesday night. “We have two conversations going on right now when it comes to housing,” Marohn said. “In one of these conversations, housing prices must fall. They must fall and they must […]

Read Article

Upcoming Events: Gardening workshop, chili feed and more

January 31, 2025 | By Tammara Fogle

Gardening workshop The 2025 Design & Grow Workshop will be held Saturday, March 1 at the Sedgwick County Extension Center, 21st and Ridge Road. The morning session will cover native plant design, floral arrangements, resilient plant varieties and planning food gardens during droughts. Registration is $10 through Feb. 21; after that, it’s $15. Separate registration […]

Read Article