If you qualified for assistance for your energy bill this year, you may also qualify for $50 off your water bill in Wichita. And if you didn’t but still need help, other options for water bill relief are also available. In Wichita someone’s water will be shut off, typically, after three months of nonpayment. This […]
Local Government
The latest news about local government in Wichita and Sedgwick County, and how it affects your community, from The Wichita Beacon.
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Why Wichita’s work on homelessness means redefining who is impacted
Wichita’s homelessness task force is looking to learn from the past. At the March 22 task force meeting, Sedgwick County Deputy Manager Tim Kaufman reviewed the work of the previous task force that formed in 2006 to help homelessness in Wichita. Specifically, Kaufman discussed which recommendations were successfully implemented and which were not and why. […]
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita LGBTQ+ advocate Jackie Carter: Parents are ‘just terrified’ for their children
Jackie Carter is a longtime Wichita resident and LGBTQ advocate. She is the senior pastor at Table of Hope, formerly known as the First Metropolitan Community Church of Kansas. It is affiliated with the Metropolitan Community Church group, which was designed and created as the first religious community that would ordain, marry and include gay […]
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
In Wichita, a bad headlight can lead to jail
How can a traffic ticket ruin a life? A traffic ticket for something as simple as a broken headlight or a missing taillight can snowball into a jail sentence in Kansas for low-income people who can’t afford car repairs or fines. And according to some activists and state representatives, it’s more likely to happen to […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Local Government
Did a cost-cutting move reduce voter turnout in 2022?
Is Sedgwick County doing enough to ensure voting in elections is accessible to all? Nancy Brown, a leader of the Wichita League of Women Voters, doesn’t think so. She and other voting rights advocates believe people who have difficulty going to the polls were harmed by the Sedgwick County Commission last year. In the 2022 […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government
DIY Democracy: How to run for City Council or mayor in Wichita
Candidates who want to run for City Council or mayor have a lot of information to dissect and understand and a lot of tasks to complete. A detail as small as where you place your yard sign can be dictated by city ordinances. Getting the essential information isn’t easy. It’s not readily available online. It […]
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Wichita’s new task force will address homelessness. Who’s involved and what are their goals?
Update: the location of the meeting has been changed to Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th Street N., Room 138. Text in the story has been changed to reflect this. Concerned about the number of unhoused people living in Wichita and what is – and isn’t – being done to help them? A new task […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Government
Has your family experienced unexplained illness? A Black neighborhood group will survey its members on MLK Day
A federal holiday since 1986, Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed in Wichita on Monday, Jan. 16. Local celebrations are planned featuring opportunities for prayer, volunteerism and community fellowship. One neighborhood activist hopes to use the opportunity to survey Black community members about any unexplained health problems.
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
A few steps forward, a few steps back: Update on the Cedric Lofton task force recommendations
One notable change is Sedgwick County has launched a pilot program embedding mental health workers among the 911 emergency response team. On the opposite side, Sedgwick County has decided to not include “Stand Your Ground” law reform in its legislative agenda.
Posted inCivic Engagement, DIY Democracy, How To, Local Government, Watchdog
Know your rights: How to protest in Wichita
Want to protest to make your voice heard? Before you organize a protest, it is important to know what rights you have and how to use them. It’s also helpful to know what can and won’t get you in trouble with the law. Here is a quick guide on how to protest in Wichita.