News

City votes to accept historic aircraft, approves water treatment plant fee adjustment

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

The Liberal City Commission made rather quick work of its agenda at its most recent meeting Tuesday evening.

Up first for the commission was discussion of the formal acceptance of a donation to the Mid-America Air Museum (MAAM).

“Per the agenda, we are requesting formal acceptance of a donated 1971 Grumman Ag Cat spray plane from Jim Floyd,” MAAM Director Bob Immell said. “This project started almost five years ago when we were discussing the donation of the plane, and then the plane arrived at the museum in April 2024, at which time an appraisal was requested. The plane is a huge improvement to the museum because it is a very important part of our agricultural community, and it’s a very good example of that type of aircraft. There were some delays in getting all the information for the appraisal, and we received that appraisal in November 2024. The appraised value of the aircraft came in at $36,000, and Mr. Floyd recently completed the necessary paperwork and accepted that price this past January.”

Cold Weather Rule and the LIEAP application period end March 31

Special to the Leader & Times

The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) wants to remind utility customers that there are two important dates coming up that they should be aware of. First, the Cold Weather Rule ends Monday, March 31. The Cold Weather Rule protects residential customers, served by KCC regulated utilities, from disconnection when temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees.

Midtown Pizzeria and Pub opens on Kansas Ave.

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Those looking for a good place to chow down now have a new option with Midtown Pizzeria and Pub, which recently opened at 222 N. Kansas Ave.

As owner Jeff Hall tells it, the project has been a while in the making.

Moran and colleagues introduce legislation to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansas and Missouri

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Reliable energy is important to all households, and recently, some more local action was taken to help with just that.

Friday, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced legislation to help provide stable energy rates and a reliable electric grid to states in the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA), including Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, according to a release from Moran’s office.

County approves cost share project

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Leaders with Seward County have been looking for financial means to fix several roads in the county, and at the county commission’s March 17 regular meeting, some help was found.

At the meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to approve an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the state Cost Share Program for a hot mix asphalt overlay project on Meade Lake Road. Before the vote, Administrator April Warden reviewed the project’s timeline.