General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

A heads up if you travel on K96 between Maize and Wichita

K-96 lanes closed in both directions beginning Wednesday

On Wednesday, the Kansas Department of Transportation will begin intermittently closing lanes of eastbound and westbound K-96 from Maize to I-235 in Wichita.

The lane closures are necessary for a project that will involve milling, patching and hot mixed asphalt overlay. Work will occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It is estimated reconstruction will conclude in early November, conditions permitting.

During construction, sections of the highway will be reduced to one lane. The speed limit will be reduced to 60 mph in the work zone.

[SubGod22]

A couple of locals looking to change the way health insurance is done and lower costs as well.

WBJ - Wichitans launch company focused on employee-tailored health care

In 2022, Molly Breitenbach and Brandon Alleman noticed major health carriers were making businesses and employees spend more than they might need on insurance.

“They make money when you spend more. Everyone in the system is currently incentivized that way,” Breitenbach said.

Now, they’re hoping to change the health insurance landscape through Candid Health Advisors, a company that is “breaking up” traditional insurance incentive packages by working directly with individual health-care vendors.

Breitenbach and Alleman said Candid Health bundles services from vendors providing the same services in a way that reduces costs for employers and tailors health-care packages according to employees’ needs.

Breitenbach, who previously worked as an accountant, said insurance carriers have structured health-care incentives that force providers to see more people, and brokers to get higher claims for a greater payout.

“The only people that end up losing are the employees," Breitenbach said. "They're seeing their premiums go up with no corresponding increase in care or benefits that are being offered."

She said pharmacy benefit managers — third-party companies that act as an intermediary between providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers — are often owned by major insurance carriers, which reduces the incentive to change costs and restructure packages.

Alleman, owner of Antioch Medicine with a doctorate in translational biomedicine, said those insurance packages are also a major financial drain on employers.

“If you look at companies’ profit and loss statements, they have salaries and wages, and then within the top three is going to be benefit costs for their employees,” he said.

As a result, he said companies have shifted more payments to employees to keep costs from skyrocketing. He said deductibles, co-pays and pharmacy costs have increased, which have affected spending.

They give an example of someone who is now with them that was paying $1500 a month for something that costs $125 to order and dispense. With Candid, it now costs her 10 times less than it did with her previous health insurance.

They're currently working with vendors in Indiana, Iowa, and Kansas and have recently added a fifth company/employer doing business with them. Will be interesting to see how this proceeds.

[SubGod22]

Not my thing, but still pretty cool.

KSN - Wichita designer heading to Paris Fashion Week

A local clothing designer will represent Wichita in France after being invited to show her designs at Paris Fashion Week, which is a pretty big deal.

“I feel very proud,” said Hazel Stabler. “I am going to be representing Wichita very proudly.”

Stabler tells KSN that her line Buffalo Hunt Camp incorporates her own Native American and Hispanic culture into the designs, and she is involved in every step of creating them.

[SubGod22]

Interesting.

Wichita by EB - Wichita becomes first affiliate of Bee City USA in the state of Kansas

Wichita has become the first city in the state of Kansas to be named an affiliate of Bee City USA.

The national nonprofit is dedicated to conserving native pollinators in communities around the country. The city of Wichita will join many other cities and campuses across the country united in improving their landscapes for pollinators.

Wichita Park and Recreation’s values and ongoing initiatives towards preservation and environmental sustainability align perfection with the mission of Bee City USA. Park and Recreation will coordinate with and support the activities of a Bee City Planning Committee, including:

• Conducting educational events
• Presenting public information about pollinators
• Developing pollinator-friendly habitats
• Drafting policies regarding integrated pest management and pollinator protection.

This is such a big deal because more than40% of pollinator species are on the decline due to factors like pesticides, climate change and habitat loss, according to Bee City USA. They’re necessary for pollinating crops and other essential plants.

I actually really like this. Bees are of vital importance to so much of what we need to survive. Doing more to help promote that isn't a bad thing.

[SubGod22]

Another new coffee shop hitting the metro.

WBJ - Derby resident to bring Colorado-based Ziggi's Coffee to suburb's developmental area

Kassie Collins said she has struggled to find fast coffee options on her way to work from Derby.

Collins said people commuting to Wichita from K-15 and Nelson Drive would have to stop at QuikTrip or a restaurant with coffee options before they were off to work.

"I feel like there was a missing market on K-15 for just quick and convenient coffee," she said.

Collins said she signed a franchise agreement with the coffee company in October last year. Since then, she has worked with Ziggi's staff and Arizona-based architecture firm One Architecture on an almost 900 square-foot drive-through coffee location on 1.2 acres of land on the east side of K-15 and Nelson Drive, just south of Atwoods.

[Kung Wu]

Wichita is drunk on coffee shops to the point of stupidity now.

[SubGod22]

Wichita is drunk on coffee shops to the point of stupidity now.

I haven't had me some Scooter's since probably March, maybe April, as I can't transport it to work on the bike. But between October(ish) and next March I'll probably have at least one a week.

But for me coffee is not a necessity, but a treat that I enjoy a time or two a week when I'm driving the car. I could get a cup holder on the bike to take it the four of five blocks to work.

[WstateU]

Didn't know that this show existed, but they'll be at WSU.

KSN - Amazon Prime series filming at Wichita State

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_0qzDwu9Pz/?igsh=YTNqZTIzYzBhOXVq

[Kung Wu]

I haven't had me some Scooter's since probably March, maybe April, as I can't transport it to work on the bike. But between October(ish) and next March I'll probably have at least one a week.

But for me coffee is not a necessity, but a treat that I enjoy a time or two a week when I'm driving the car. I could get a cup holder on the bike to take it the four of five blocks to work.

I feel bad for the indy coffee shops, with all the national brands moving in. I guess that's just the way it is though.

[ShockBand]

I wonder if a $1 black coffee only place could make it. A coffee version of this:

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[Kung Wu]

Hahaha

[AndShock]

Wichita is drunk on coffee shops to the point of stupidity now.

It seems like we have a lot but we haven’t even touched somewhere like Seattle. I swear every parking lot up there has a coffee stand/trailer and that’s not even counting the bikini baristas. Not to say we have the market to support near that many but I’m surprised someone hasn’t tried opening a couple since the startup cost has to be pretty low.

[ShockBand]

It seems like we have a lot but we haven’t even touched somewhere like Seattle. I swear every parking lot up there has a coffee stand/trailer and that’s not even counting the bikini baristas. Not to say we have the market to support near that many but I’m surprised someone hasn’t tried opening a couple since the startup cost has to be pretty low.

So I need open TaTa's Java Spot? Or I could call it 80085.

[Ta Town Shocker]

Wichita is drunk on coffee shops to the point of stupidity now.

A colleague of mine opened up Greater Grounds coffee shop at Douglas and Washington recently. If you're into the support local thing, it's 100% local and he's a great guy.

[Kung Wu]

A colleague of mine opened up Greater Grounds coffee shop at Douglas and Washington recently. If you're into the support local thing, it's 100% local and he's a great guy.

Will check it out!