Alaska Airlines Offers Nonstop to Seattle

 

Travelers from Wichita can fly nonstop to Seattle on Alaska Airlines, beginning April 13, 2017.  Alaska will offer one daily round-trip flight, seven days a week. Flights are scheduled as follows:

For more information or to apply for paint, call (316) 462-3713 during the paint program period.

Public Works & Utilities continues collaborative efforts with Sedgwick County and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to help control mosquitoes and educate the public on bite prevention.  Mosquito control efforts target Culex species that carry West Nile virus by applying larvacide to areas of standing water on public property where trapping data indicate higher levels of Culex species. Other mosquitoes such as Aedes species that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever viruses, and other diseases, are best controlled through public education and efforts such as emptying water from containers like flower pots, frequently changing out the water in pet dishes, bird baths, etc. and cleaning up clutter and junk piles that can hold even the smallest amounts of water.

 

West Nile

West Nile was recently reported in a sick red tailed hawk in Riley County.  The first human cases of West Nile were reported to local, public health officials August 2. One case occurred in Douglas County and the other occurred in Thomas County. Details are being investigated and a press release is expected this week.

http://www.kdheks.gov/epi/arboviral_disease.htm 

 

Zika

The KDHE began conducting a 24-week long Zika Virus Mosquito Survey on May 18, 2016. Results of the survey will be published at the end of the study. It's important to note that the eight cases of Zika reported in Kansas were all travel related. State health officials are engaged in planning and tracking issues such as the newly emerged cases of Zika in Florida.  http://www.kdheks.gov/zika/index.htm

 

Mosquito Control Efforts

Stormwater staff has applied 311 mosquito dunks to areas of concern so far in 2016. Trapping data indicates mosquito numbers are down overall compared to years 2014 and 2015.

The Engineering section has retained two consulting firms to review existing traffic signals in various parts of the City.  Transystems will be evaluating the traffic signals on two heavily traveled arterial corridors: east Central from Hillside to 127th Street East and Rock Road from Lincoln to 37th Street North.  Iteris will be evaluating the traffic signal system in the Central Business District.

 

Both consulting firms, Engineering staff, and Traffic Maintenance staff have been collecting data (traffic volumes, existing traffic signal equipment, signal timings, etc.) at each location in recent weeks. 

 

The consulting firms will evaluate all data collected and provide a report noting existing equipment (including photos) and recommendations for new equipment needed at each intersection.  The communications backbone will also be evaluated, inventoried and updated as needed.  Once the intersections have been inventoried and evaluated individually, the corridors will be modeled and traffic signal timings will be created to improve efficiencyand synchronization (progression between intersections).  New timing plans are anticipated to be implemented by the end of the year along the Central and Rock Road corridors.  The downtown network will include new traffic signal controllers, pedestrian push buttons, and vehicle detection, thus taking a little longer to implement new timing plans.  PW&U staff anticipate downtown timing plans to be implemented in Spring 2017.

 

The adopted Capital Improvement Program includes yearly funding for continuation of work on the City-wide traffic signal system, including equipment upgrades, modeling and process improvements, and long-term maintenance recommendations.  

Sign Code

With the 2016 elections approaching, City of Wichita officials are reminding candidates and citizens that the  City's Sign Code (Title 24.04.215 of the City Code) prohibits all signs, including political signs, on public rights-of-way, or on public property. The City rights-of -way are part of a street lying between adjacent property lines, including the vehicle travel area, and may include a public sidewalk, and unpaved areas between the travel lanes and adjacent property lines. Examples of public property are public buildings, parks, drainage ways and creeks.

 

Signs are not allowed on City rights-of-way for various reasons. Not only are they unsightly and can contribute to urban blight, but, more importantly, they can present a public safety hazard. Temporary signs improperly placed in City rights-of-way or on public property can:

For these reasons, no temporary signs, including political signs, are allowed on City rights-of-way, or on public property. Signs improperly placed on City rights-of-way or public property may be removed by either City staff, a volunteer sign removal group, or by an adjacent property owner. Any sign that is removed may be recovered by payment of a $25 per sign recovery fee. If placement on the rights-of-way or public property continues, charges may be filed in Municipal Court.

For more information, please contact Zoning/License/Sign Section staff at 316-268-4479.

1. It is unlawful for any person or operator to park a motor vehicle on any portion of the required front yard of any lot within the city.

("Required front yard" is the area between the sidewalk or front property line to the face of house with a   minimum distance of twenty-five feet and a maximum distance of thirty-five feet.)

 

2. It is unlawful for any person or operator to park a motor vehicle on an unpaved surface.

(Parking surfaces for residential zonings shall be an all-weather surface material:  concrete; asphaltic concrete; asphalt; brick; gravel not less than ½ inch in diameter & four inches thick or other comparable material treated to prevent dust and overgrowth.)

 

3. It is unlawful for any person or operator to stop or park a motor vehicle on a sidewalk or in a sidewalk area.

 

These are enforced by both Wichita Police Officers and Neighborhood Inspectors.

Senior Wednesday: Your Schedule for July - September 2016

Senior Wednesdays are informational and entertaining sessions, designed for active seniors and offered by a collaboration of twelve institutions. Sponsored, in part, by Larksfield Place.

 

First Wednesday

Morning, Doors open at 10 am

Wichita Art Museum ($2 admission)

(316) 268-4921

Afternoon, 1:30 pm

WATER Center (Free) 101 E. Pawnee, in Herman Hill

(316) 350-3386

Second Wednesday

Morning, 10 am

Sedgwick County Zoo ($4 programming fee)

(316) 266-8213

Afternoon, 1:30 pm

Wichita Public Library, Central Library (Free)

(316) 261-8500

Third Wednesday

Morning, 10 am

Ulrich Museum of Art, WSU (Free)

1845 N. Fairmount

 (316) 978-3664

Afternoon, 1:30 pm

The Kansas African American Museum (Free)

316-262-7651

Fourth Wednesday

Morning, 10 am, Doors open at 9:30

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum ($2 Admission)

(316) 265-9314

Afternoon, 1:30 pm

Exploration Place ($4 Admission + tax)

(316) 660-0649 

Fifth Wednesday

Morning, 10 am light refreshments, 10:30 program begins

Great Plains Nature Center (Free)

(316) 683-5499

Afternoon, 1:30 pm

Old Cowtown Museum ($2 programming fee)

(316) 350-3323

Visit www.seniorwednesday.org for more information

Project Access and its community partners serve patients in many locations.  Eligible uninsured patients are enrolled for limited periods of time to address immediate medical needs.  Once enrolled, patients have access to a variety of specialists, as well as prescription medication, durable medical equipment and diabetic supplies.

Eligible patients can be referred by participating physicians throughout Sedgwick County.

Additional key partners are community clinics and the Department for Children and Families (DCF). Patients who receive primary care at certain community clinics may be referred to Project Access and enrolled by an onsite DCF eligibility specialist.

Eligible patients are referred to Project Access by providers at the following sites:

For more information call

3 16-688-0600

                           Brought to you by BikeWalkWichita.org

From year-round to seasonal events, Downtown

is the preferred location for Wichita to celebrate

throughout the year. A variety of events cater to

the diverse interests of Wichita residents and

many visitors from Kansas and throughout the

regional area. Downtown Event Calendar

The project, launched in November 2015, was developed to give Kansans a customer service oriented experience when seeking help in accessing Kansas Medicaid information and access.  Through training, shadowing, and direct experience with consumers both on the phone and in person, the Volunteer Ombudsman Project has served hundreds of Kansans since its start in November.  In these difficult times, the Ombudsman program looks to lend a personal approach to those in need of information. 

 

One in seven Kansans are affected by Medicaid- that number is consistently growing.  With all of our neighbors seeking help they need, the Ombudsman's office volunteers have a unique opportunity to directly affect the lives of various Kansas populations.  Contact Percy Turner at 316 978 3566 for more details.  

Email: [email protected] Apply directly at http://www.kancare.ks.gov/ombudsman.htm#volunteer