General News in the 316

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WBJ - Ad Astra tech summit to hose Bill Nye in October in Wichita

Famed science educator Bill Nye, "The Science Guy," will be the featured guest at the third Ad Astra Technology Summit on Oct. 2 at the Hyatt.

FlagshipKansas.Tech, the creator of the summit, made the announcement Thursday.

"This summit is important," Nye said in a statement. "After all, technologies derive from science. Tech hubs concentrate engineers and scientists to identify big problems and build business to find solutions to them."

Nye grew to fame with his "Bill Nye the Science Guy" television show in the mid-1990s, which made scientific concepts easier to understand. He is also an engineer, inventor and comedian.

The tech summit brings together industry mainstays, entrepreneurs, educators and others who want to blaze technology trails in Kansas.

"Our goal is to bring together bright, Kansas-grown minds to inspire collaboration, creativity, and drive progress in our communities and beyond,” said Conner Hampton, FlagshipKansas.Tech executive director. “As we present a platform for... Kansas proud to convene, we know it will become the catalyst for partnership, innovation, and the growth of the Kansas tech sector.”

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FYI

Wichita police will start increasing their presence on Kellogg to control speeding and whatnot in hopes of lowering the number of crashes. Apparently the three worst intersections are Kellogg and West (I work near there), Kellogg and Seneca, and Kellogg and Rock.

As poorly as the ramps/lane are at Kellogg and Hillside I'm shocked it doesn't have more problems.

[Ta Town Shocker]

FYI

Wichita police will start increasing their presence on Kellogg to control speeding and whatnot in hopes of lowering the number of crashes. Apparently the three worst intersections are Kellogg and West (I work near there), Kellogg and Seneca, and Kellogg and Rock.

As poorly as the ramps/lane are at Kellogg and Hillside I'm shocked it doesn't have more problems.

I've lived on the East side for about a year now. The commute has to be among the best benefits of living out East. West bound Kellogg is a nightmare at rush hour. I usually avoid rush hour now, but have never been delayed either direction on Kellogg since. The only time Kellogg and Rock is backed up is when the West siders are headed into the area. Coming in from the East side is a breeze.

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Eagle - Lane closures, delays coming for some Kellogg commuters. Here's when and where

East Kellogg commuters can expect lane closures between now and August while the Kansas Department of Transportation completes a geological field survey for the proposed East Kellogg Expansion Project.

Surveying work, which affects the section of westbound/eastbound U.S. 400 between K-96 and S. Andover Road in Wichita, is already underway, KDOT announced Thursday.

“Traffic control will take place while drilling for the assessment is being conducted. Commuters should expect temporary single lane and shoulder lane closures,” KDOT said in a release. “Motorists are advised to stay alert and watch for survey workers and expect delays.”

KDOT says the surveying will be completed in August but gives no specific end date for the work, which will include taking core samples of the roadway and base material for analysis.

The East Kellogg Expansion Project aims to modernize the stretch of highway from K-96 to 159th Street in Wichita and Andover with the goal of reducing congestion and increasing safety, according to KDOT. Construction is expected to begin at some point in 2025.

96 to 159th is already a pain in the ass after work.

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A little of Freddy's growth.

Eat This, Not That! - An Iconic Burger Chain Is Expanding With 20 New Locations

Yesterday, the Wichita, Kan.-based chain announced that it will open 20 new restaurants in Houston, Texas, as part of a deal with franchise group Lone Star Custard. The group consists of brothers John, Nick, and Joe DePinto.

With this agreement, the Lone Star Group is also acquiring 18 existing restaurants in the Houston market. The franchisee first joined forces with Freddy's in 2022 and has since opened 24 restaurants throughout Texas, with locations in the San Antonio, Austin, and Rio Grande Valley markets.

Freddy's has not yet shared the locations or specific timing of the upcoming Houston locations. The chain currently has 80 Texas restaurants, according to its website.

"We are immensely proud of the impressive growth and success the DePinto brothers have accomplished in the few short years since they began franchising with Freddy's," Andrew Thengvall, chief development officer, said in a press release. "Their achievements underscore the strength of our franchise system. We're excited to continue supporting Lone Star Custard as they bring Freddy's signature quality and hospitality to even more communities across Texas."

Looking ahead, Freddy's aims to open 65 new restaurants in 2024. The chain currently operates more than 530 locations across 36 states and has over 130 locations in development for both 2024 and 2025. Last year, the chain opened 62 new locations—a record for the company.

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KSN - Wichita continues to rank among best small airports

Another survey puts Wichita Eisenhower National Airport among the best small airports in the nation.

According to Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice, Wichita is the 10th best small airport thanks to its easier parking and security lines. The magazine says Wichita’s prominent status also means travelers can expect more facilities and flights than at other small airports.

Huntsville International Airport in Alabama came in at the top of the list, followed by Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania.

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A little look at what 254 may look like in Butler County down the road.

Butler County Times Gazette - Towanda to host K254 Corridor Proposal townhall

So far, the project is planned to have a significant impact on Towanda, creating multiple overpasses for regularly used access roads to Towanda and permanently closing others. According to the long-term proposed configuration found on KDOT’s website, there will also be diamond interchanges installed in multiple areas as well.

Those diamond interchanges include SW Ohio Street Road, SW Adams Road, and 3rd Street. SW Hunter Road and SW Tawakoni Road are planned to no longer have access to K254 and will have an overpass to connect the road above the highway. The four permanent road closures include SW Shumway Road, SW Arapahoe Road, SW River Valley Road, and SW Indianola Road. The roads are proposed to be closed off near K254 and no longer have access to the highway.

The project is planned to take place in four phases; phase one, which has already passed, was the issues and opportunities phase, which took place over summer and fall of 2023. The group focused on community feedback and data analysis. Phase two, which is currently ongoing until winter 2024, is the potential improvement phase. During this time the team will listen to community feedback from Phase One and develop potential improvement alternatives to the corridor plan.

The only thing in this plan that surprises me is that they seem to be opting to add an access point at 3rd Street in Towanda and close River Valley. River Valley is the main entrance into Towanda from the West and 3rd St. doesn't currently connect with 254. I'm guessing it has something to do with the Whitewater River on the west side of town, but I never considered that entrance being removed or them adding an access point that doesn't currently exist. Also, River Valley connects Towanda to 196 which runs between El Dorado and Newton.

The rest of it doesn't surprise me. Ohio has to stay open. That's the eastern entrance into Towanda and a direct access point to get to Augusta. Adams has to stay open as it turns into Sante Fe and is a link between 254 and 54/400 without having to drive through Augusta or Andover.

I have friends that live off of Hunter and I have used it for easy access to Circle, but it's not necessary. I'm also not sure how necessary it is to put an overpass there to stay connected to the north side of the highway as I have no clue what is over there. The closing of Shumway and Arapahoe make complete sense. Shumway can be redirected towards Ohio I would think and there's not a lot there.

I haven't seen the plans around Benton yet. One would think that Meadowlark would get an overpass and there would be access points at Main and Butler. But I could also see Meadowlark being redirected into Benton. But I do know there is a decent amount of traffic all things considered connecting Meadowlark on both sides of the highway.

Meeting is the 12th at the Community Building in Towanda at 6pm if anyone happens to live in the area.

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KWCH - Baseball 'Round The Clock returning to NBC World Series

Baseball ‘Round The Clock, once a staple of the NBC World Series in Wichita, is returning to the NBC in 2024 after an eight-year hiatus. Fans will have the opportunity to watch 11 games over 33 hours, starting at noon on Saturday, July 27 and running through a 6 p.m. game on Sunday, July 28. Fans ready to take on the challenge of surviving all 33 hours of Baseball ‘Round the Clock in 2024 can purchase their Baseball ‘Round the Clock (BRTC) tickets now at nbcbaseball.com for $20.

“Baseball ‘Round the Clock has historically been one of the most exciting and unique events in the NBC World Series,” said NBC tournament director Katie Woods, “For the 90th tournament, it was time to bring it back. We’re ready to introduce a new generation of competitors to some of the same elements – Midnight Madness, the cuckoo clock check-ins and ‘I survived’ shirts – that diehard NBC fans remember.”

Overnight baseball has long been a tradition of the NBC. National Baseball Congress founder Hap Dumont came up with the idea of having late-night and early-morning games in the tournament to make games accessible to Wichita fans working swing and graveyard shifts, and tournament director Steve Shaad formalized the tradition in 1990 with the introduction of ‘Baseball ‘Round the Clock” as 17 games in 56 hours. BRTC ran every year after that at the NBC through 2016 before it was discontinued.

BRTC tickets get participants entry in to all 11 games, as well as a punch card and wristband that will be used for check-ins at least once per game. When check-ins sound, participants have 10 minutes to report to the designated check-in spot and get their card punched to continue in the competition. Participants who have their card punched at every check-in will receive a free t-shirt, a tournament pass for the rest of the tournament, and will be entered into a raffle to win a series of grand prizes.

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I honestly have no idea how big this event will be, but since Intrust is hosting I suppose it could be a decent draw.

KSN - The Tucker Carlson Live Tour coming to Wichita's Intrust Bank Arena

Wichita’s Intrust Bank Arena announced that The Tucker Carlson Live Tour is coming on Sept. 13 with special guest Charlie Kirk.

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 14 at 10 a.m. at the arena’s website.

In 2023, Fox News parted ways with Carlson. He was Fox’s top-rated prime-time host, netting an average of more than 3 million viewers per night, the most of any pundit on cable television.

Carlson now publishes episodes of the Tucker Carlson Show, a long-form podcast, each week on the Tucker Carlson Network.

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Who wants a champagne bar?

Eagle - New downtown bar features champagne, brunch and an unusual culinary trend

Janelle King just relocated and reopened her business The Workroom on the ground floor of Eaton Place — which is at the corner of Douglas and Emporia, just across from Naftzger Park. And now, with the help of her bar manager Paige Jordan, she’s just opened her promised champagne bar — called Bubbles — inside the space as well.

I stopped by on Friday night and had a fabulous time at the bar, which serves much more than champagne. The bar has comfortable seating, brunch and a menu with a sense of humor. Most important, Bubbles returns food and drink to the gorgeous, historic space for the first time since Eaton Steakhouse closed in 2009.

More detail in the article but a few things of note.

They serve one beer and one beer only. And that is the champagne of beers. (I hate beer)

Brunch served daily. They also offer a seacuterie board which contains tinned salmon, mackerel or sardines. Apparently tinned fish goes well with champagne. Who knew?

They offer grapes soaked in champagne and the covered in sugar.

A number of cocktails made with champagne.

Also serve Carry Nation approved non-alcoholic beverages.

Coffee and pastries.

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Who wants a champagne bar?

Eagle - New downtown bar features champagne, brunch and an unusual culinary trend



More detail in the article but a few things of note.

They serve one beer and one beer only. And that is the champagne of beers. (I hate beer)

Brunch served daily. They also offer a seacuterie board which contains tinned salmon, mackerel or sardines. Apparently tinned fish goes well with champagne. Who knew?

They offer grapes soaked in champagne and the covered in sugar.

A number of cocktails made with champagne.

Also serve Carry Nation approved non-alcoholic beverages.

Coffee and pastries.

This will go over like a lead balloon.

"(I hate beer)"

-That's very weird to hear sir!

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Did anybody notice they raised the Riverfest button to $20? LMFGougedAO!

https://www.360wichita.com/blog/065833-riverfest-buttons

Here's a history of price increases. Yeah, the festival is definitely worth 20x what it was in the 90's...



I usually drop by for a few treats, maybe the fireworks. Not this year.

They need to figure out a way to start charging concert-goers separately over somebody who just wants to eat a roasted corn ear.

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WBJ - Park City's long-awaited $500M mixed-use development to break ground this week

Park City is ready for a groundbreaking on a massive and long-awaited mixed-use development.

Wichita's Lange Real Estate announced Monday it will break ground Friday on a 160-acre, mixed-use development west of I-135 between 53rd Street North and 61st Street.

The development, called Champtown Addition, is slated to cost $500 million with several commercial projects, including a 180-room hotel and around 132,000 square feet of retail space with restaurants, big-box retail, and a multi-sport facility that will have baseball and softball fields. The plans include a 78,100 square-foot aquarium by an Arizona-based aquarium construction company called OdySea, with a 20,000 square-foot rainforest-inspired butterfly conservatory.

I'm pretty sure I've said it before, but respect to Park City for stepping out and trying new things. If done right, this could be something that draws people in and not just for softball/baseball tournaments hosted there. I've said for years that surrounding towns need to do things that make them stand out or give themselves the opportunity to be more independent of Wichita. Doing so only makes the entire metro more attractive and gives people anywhere in the area options. Derby and Goddard have been doing it. Park City is making a valiant effort. Andover seems to be considering it.

Lange Real Estate said it has reached agreements with a big box retail store, a gas station and several quick-serve restaurants for the development, but did not disclose details.

A groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. Friday.

Park City administrator Sean Fox said the multi-sport facility will be an indoor mixed-martial arts stadium which will include an octagon for bare-knuckle fighting and more.

He expects to see a mix of 12 sit-down and quick-serve restaurants built within Champtown.

This will have every opportunity to succeed. And the easy access from 135 only improves its chances of success.

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WBJ - Wichita developer Paul Jackson to deliver another big west-side luxury apartment complex

Developer Paul Jackson says his new The Avante luxury apartment complex in northwest Wichita has already experienced strong success.

Now, he's ready for a second act next to its 37th Street and Ridge Road location.

Jackson's Vantage Point Properties will launch construction this week on Ovation Apartments, a 252-unit Class A complex on 15 acres directly north of Avante. Its first units are set to be delivered in spring 2025.

"It really is a testament, in my mind, to just the strength of the location," said Jackson, noting he's never before led two new — but separate — apartment developments so close together. "The Avante apartments project continues to do very well. We just finished construction on that project in April, and we're in the mid-70s (percent) on occupancy, which is fast."

Jackson said he's targeting summer 2026 to have Ovation Apartments completely wrapped.

Ten, three-story buildings. One, two, and three bedroom options. Fitness center. In unit washers and dryers. Open floor plans. Saltwater swimming pool. Hot tub. Pickleball, bocce, and basketball courts. Pet park.

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I'd forgotten about this.

WBJ - Lange Real Estate reveals first look at Park City's downtown

Park City will have two major construction projects at the same time.

Lange Real Estate says it plans to break ground on Park Centre — a development being touted as the suburb's downtown area — in July.

The Wichita real estate development company said in 2022 it would partner with Park City to develop Park Centre, which is 48 acres of city-owned land near the southeast corner of 61st Street North and Hydraulic Avenue.

The project will construct a mix of single and multi-family housing, along with commercial retail space. The residential developments include a 416-unit apartment complex, an 89-unit townhome complex and an 89,000 square-foot space for a senior living center. On the commercial side, the developer is planning to construct 96,000 square feet of commercial space available for lease.

"Our goal was to design a unique space where retail shopping and suburban living could not only coexist, but become a destination with the power to draw people in," Lange Real Estate president Rachel Lange-Mills said in a statement. "This development should bring people together by offering both new suburban housing options for families and retail space for businesses to set up shop locally."

A lot going on in Park City. The expect vertical construction to begin before the end of the year. Park City is going to look a lot different in a few years and it looks promising.