Staff at Wichitia’s City Hall weren’t happy with their virtual footprint. In 2022, they described the city’s website, www.Wichita.gov, as “suboptimal,” “outdated” and “confusing.” So the city spent $312,000 on a website refresh intended to flip that description and create a welcoming and easy-to-use virtual gateway to local government. The city’s communications staff say the […]
City of Wichita
Posted inWichita
Cheney Lake is drying up. Wichita says the drought plan is working
One big rainstorm won’t fix Wichita’s water shortage. Dark storm clouds that hovered over Wichita one mid-September softened the ring of cracked dirt that’s inched wider around Cheney Lake each week, but it didn’t erase the underlying problem. Kansas is in a drought. For much of the last year, Cheney Lake, Wichita’s primary water source, […]
Posted inLocal Government
A resident’s guide to reporting potholes, busted streetlights and other problems in Wichita
Imagine you’re driving down Douglas Avenue and hit a pothole that wasn’t there last week. Or you’re walking your dog one evening and notice a streetlight is out or someone dumped some tires on the side of the road. You can be part of the solution. “Just because residents see a pothole or community issue […]
Posted inLocal Government
As Wichita pauses its divisive parking plan, other cities may be models
Wichita’s downtown parking is a math problem city leaders are struggling to solve. Wichita has over 6,000 parking spots, divided between metered and free spaces, on streets and in parking garages. Each one brings in about $227 a year but costs about $400 in labor and maintenance. Complicating the equation is some $9 million of […]
Posted inLocal Government
Judge approves sweeping changes to Wichita Police’s gang database
Playing basketball with the wrong set of people or frequenting the wrong gas station could land you on a Wichita Police Department list of gang members. Community activists say police make snap judgements that label people as gangsters without any criminal record. That’s about to change. Judge Eric Melgren, chief judge of the U.S. District […]
Posted inWichita
What Wichita-area parents need to know about riding the school bus
Parents waiting for the first time with their kids to board the school bus is a time-honored tradition, but policies vary on who can ride the bus and what it costs. Here’s what you need to know about school transportation options. Who in Kansas gets a guaranteed school bus ride? Kansas state law provides free […]
Posted inLocal Government
City Council debates cuts or tax hikes as Wichita faces budget crunch in 2026
Wichita faces a looming budget shortfall, forcing the City Council to pick between raising taxes or cutting back services. “The city is facing challenges,” District 4 Council Member Dalton Glasscock said. “We’re thoughtfully weighing how we can still provide excellent service for our citizens.” City Manager Robert Layton suggested several cost-cutting measures for the 2025 […]
Posted inEducation
Some Park Elementary neighbors oppose Wichita homeless shelter plan
Bobby Harlan gazed over the shuttered grounds of Park Elementary School, which he attended 32 years ago, and shared his disappointment about its future. “How can it be a homeless shelter?” he said. “This neighborhood needs a school.” First came the news in March that Wichita schools would be closing the school to save on […]
Posted inLocal Government
Downtown parking changes leave Wichita businesses worried
Stewart’s Jewelry and the Hilton Garden Inn don’t compete for customers — just for parking. The Hilton, on the corner of South Topeka Street and Douglas Avenue, dwarfs the family-owned jewelry store next door. Customers of both businesses — and sometimes employees — compete for spaces in front of the two establishments. “If I don’t […]
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu supports nondiscrimination ordinance, but faces skepticism
Chris Pumpelly, founder of Proud of Wichita, said the LGBTQ+ community needs convincing that the mayor elected less than a year ago has their back.