News

County sales tax proposal suffers major defeat

EARL WATT

• Leader & Times

Seward County voters soundly rejected a proposed half-cent sales tax to help fund county road improvements in Tuesday’s election.

The vote tally was 1,230 votes against the measure with only 427 in support.

The proposed tax needed the permission of the Kansas Legislature to be placed on the ballot, but the issue was a compounded tax increase when paired with the increased valuation for city property owners as well as a massive 14.8 mill increase approved by three of the five Seward County Commissioners.

State rests case in double homicide trial in Seward County

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Tuesday, the state wrapped up its case, and Wednesday, jurors heard some witnesses in the defense’s case regarding a Liberal man accused of two deaths in 2019.

Prosecuting attorney Russell Hasenbank and defense attorney Luci Douglass had heard from witnesses since Monday, Oct. 27, in Seward County District Court for Pablo Ramon Ramirez.

According to an amended complaint obtained from District Court clerks, Ramon Ramirez was initially being tried on 16 charges, including two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Timothy J. Martin and Erick Gabriel Salas in rural Seward County.

County Treasurer: Tax payments now being accepted

L&T staff report

As of Nov. 1, the Seward County Treasurer’s office will be accepting payments on 2025 taxes.

Payments can be made by cash, check, money order or card.

“We do not take payment over the phone,” Treasurer Mary Rose said in a press release. “It can be mailed in or paid online at www.kansas.gov/property tax.”

Rose said in Kansas, all property taxes are legally due on the first day of November of each year, and a lien attaches to go the property on that day.

MCCF wraps up Match Month

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

During the holidays, many non-profits receive funding from the annual Giving Tuesday or Match Day, and recently, the Meade County Community Foundation wrapped up its Match Month.

Director Cheyenne Federau said the foundation had a month in which it could raise a goal of at least $100,000, and this year, MCCF received a match of those funds from the Kansas City-based Patterson Family Foundation, which matches up to $100,000.

Federau said last year, the Patterson gave MCCF $70,000 through its Match Month campaign, and she said the giving for this year’s drive increased substantially.

Youth Trip applications now open

Special to the Leader & Times

Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC) is excited to announce applications for the highly anticipated youth trips are now open. Youth Tour, Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp, and Energy Camp are opportunities designed to empower and inspire young community members by providing them with an immersive educational experience.

These all-expense-paid trips offer a unique platform for students to learn about how the federal government works, connect with peers across the state and nationwide, and develop leadership skills essential for their future success.

For more information or to apply for any of these trips, visit www.tcec.coop/youth.