! Welcome to Sedgwick County, Kansas
County Headlines
What's Happening This Week?
September 6 - 12, 2010
Open meetings:
- The county manager meets at 9:30 a.m. each Monday with media personnel in the county board room, 525 N. Main, third floor.
- The commission staff meeting takes place at 9 a.m. each Tuesday in the commission meeting room, 525 N. Main, third floor.
- The Sept. 6 Solid Waste Management Committee meeting has been cancelled.
- The Advisory Council on Aging will meet at noon, Sept. 8 at 2622 W. Central, third floor.
- The Physical and Developmental Disabilities Executive Board will meet at
8 a.m. Sept. 8 at
615 N. Main. - The Corrections Advisory Board will meet at 8 a.m. Sept. 9 at 905 N. Main.
- The Suicide Prevention Coalition, will meet at 8 a.m. Sept. 10 at 635 N. Main.
- The Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board will meet at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 10 at Juvenile Field Services, 3803 E. Harry.
Access information about advisory boards and contact Sedgwick County Communications and Community Initiatives with questions about these meetings and events - 660-9370.
Commissioners' Corner
What are the Commissioners Doing in the Community?
Electronic Commission Meeting Agenda Process
Sedgwick County
is committed to creating and maintaining a sustainable organization and
community.
Sedgwick County is also committed to
improving processes to provide efficient, effective and transparent service to
its citizens.
In effort to limit negative environmental impacts and unnecessary costs, Sedgwick County committed to reducing the amount of
paper used within the organization. Employees looked closely at day-to-day
processes and identified those that were using a large amount of paper on a
regular basis; one process was the agenda for the weekly Board of Sedgwick
County Commission meetings.
Read the Electronic Agenda Process Fact Sheet, to learn more about this new process, including paper and cost savings and instructions to access the agenda through the new system.
Around the County
Who's Your Hero?
Do
you know someone you consider a community hero? Perhaps they patrol our
streets to keep us safe or donate their time to a charity.
The American Red Cross Midway-Kansas Chapter wants to know who these heroes
are and invite nine of them to be honored at the Heroes Breakfast in
December.
So, visit
www.WichitaHeroesBreakfast.org to nominate your community hero.
Nominations will be accepted through October 15.
Click here to read the
complete release.
New Parking Lots at Sedgwick County Park
The
Sunrise Boundless Playground at Sedgwick County Park allows children from all
walks of life, regardless of physical limitations, to enjoy play time together
and has become one of the most popular play areas in the county. So popular, in
fact, that the existing parking lot adjacent to the playground is no longer an
efficient space for visitors and will undergo construction.
Throughout the duration of the project, the Boundless Playground will remain
open and visitors will have access to an alternative parking area near the
playground on the west side of North Shore Drive. Additionally, some paths will
be blocked, including a section on the east side of Moss Lake and Horseshoe
Lake.
The parking lot adjacent to the bait shop also is undergoing resurfacing. The
parking area designated for customers of the bait shop is on the east side of
North Shore Drive, across the street from the shop.
Close to Completion As Classes Begin
The National Center for Aviation Training soon will be open for business -
the business of teaching eager students about all things aeronautics, mechanics
and composites.
Wichita Area Technical College will be the center's tenant and responsible for program and class coordination and the National Institute for Aviation Research will host workshops at the center.
Learn more about the National Center for Aviation Training
INTRUST Bank Arena Update
Periodically,
updates are released that provide insight into the events that took place at
the INTRUST Bank Arena and the state of parking and transit in downtown
Wichita during arena events. View the INTRUST Bank Arena
June 2010 reports and fact sheet
describing the management agreement between Sedgwick County and SMG.
Air Quality and Ozone
Summer
is around the corner, which means warmer weather, as well as ozone season in our
part of the world. It’s time to start thinking of ways to
reduce our negative impact on the air quality in Sedgwick County.
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to lower the standard for the amount of ozone in the air from 0.075 parts per million (ppm) to somewhere between 0.070 and 0.060 ppm. The penalties for not meeting the federal standards could prove costly for residents.
More information about Air Quality and the Ozone.
Things you can do to reduce ground-level ozone.
Watch a short video about ozone in Sedgwick County.
Open Government
Sedgwick County is working for you to make information about county
business easily available to citizens. In doing so,
various tools and lists
have been compiled as a one-stop resource.
Public Safety
DUI Enforcement Campaign
During
the period, August 19 through September 6, 2010 (Labor Day),
look for additional Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputies on area roadways
aggressively enforcing Kansas' drunk driving and
other traffic laws. Supported by a
grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, the deputies will be
participating in the annual alcohol crack down “Drunk Driving: Over the Limit,
Under Arrest” enforcement campaign.
Emergencies In Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County's Online Emergency Log. Sedgwick County Emergency Management also encourages
citizens to invest in a NOAA weather alert radio
and to tune into local television and radio stations for information on
emergencies effecting Sedgwick County.
Keep Up with County News
Subscribe to e-News
We
want to communicate with you! With so much going on around Sedgwick
County, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. Sedgwick County
now delivers the news ... to your e-mail inbox! Visit the
e-News Subscription Service
to subscribe to county news.
news releases
Sedgwick County departments are always working for you. Use the link below to stay updated on what's taking place throughout the county. Sedgwick County news releases.
Videos
Sedgwick County makes it easy to
see the good work our departments are doing in
the community through the ease of video.
View Sedgwick County
videos.
Sustainability Tip
Sedgwick
County is dedicated to creating and maintaining a more sustainable world.
In doing so, we encourage Sedgwick County citizens to consider four factors
when going about their daily lives: economic development, environmental
protection, institutional and financial viability and social equity.
Sustainability Tips to make your life more sustainable.
Social Equity - Plant a Row. Help fight hunger in Sedgwick County and Kansas by donating a row of your garden. There’s still a couple more months of good growing season in Sedgwick County. Try growing a few extra plants or an extra row of veggies or fruit and donate the nutritious produce to food pantries, soup kitchens and other agencies. No amount is too small. Not sure where to start? Contact the Sedgwick County Extension Center or local food bank.
Recreation in Sedgwick County
Exploration Place
Little Explorers Workshops
(Ages 2 - 5 with adult caretaker)
Spend an unforgettable hour with your child during these fun, stimulating
sessions! Each workshop features a variety of hands-on activities that enrich
your child’s skills, including large and fine motor, language development and
early math. Also included in each session is an interactive story experience and
free admission to EP’s exhibits.
Visit www.exploration.org to learn
more about these workshops and other activities taking place at Exploration Place.
Sedgwick County Zoo
Zoobilee 2010!
Saturday, September 11, 6 p.m. to midnight
Musical entertainment and wild animals will greet you as you arrive for this
annual fundraiser. Bring your appetites for the new sounds and new flavors
of Zoobilee! Bid on one-of-a-kind silent auction items! Participate
in our live auction, then dance under the stars. For more
information and to purchase tickets, visit
www.scz.org.
Do something wild! Become a member of the Sedgwick County Zoo. Visit www.scz.org for more information and to purchase your membership.
Health Alerts
Healthy Recipe
Need a sweet treat to beat the heat? Try a frozen berry vanilla yogurt pop!
West Central Clinic offers FREE Varicella (Chicken Pox) Vaccine
The Health Department has FREE chicken pox vaccine available at the West Central location to adolescents age 10 to 18 years. Two doses of varicella vaccine are recommended for this age group. A history of chicken pox has to be documented by a licensed physician to be exempt from school vaccination requirements. The varicella vaccines will be offered starting June 1 and will continue until supplies are exhausted. The vaccine has been purchased through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant.
Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban
Smoking is the number one most preventable cause of death and disease in the country and state. The Sedgwick County Health Department is joining organizations worldwide to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco. The state took a very positive health step recently by passing a statewide indoor smoking ban. If you or a loved one want help stopping smoking the Kansas Tobacco Quitline (1.800.QUIT.NOW) is here to help. The Quitline, a confidential telephone tobacco cessation program for youth and adults, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Learn more about tobacco and the risks it poses to health.
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