Marci Penner challenged the audience Thursday to be more receptive to change and to break away from being “a culture of ‘no.’” Sometimes what’s needed is to “break up the power paradigm of the older…

A debate over whether to start a land bank in Allen County raised more questions than answers, but in the end led to a new path forward. County commissioners met with Jonathon Goering, economic development…

It’s been six years since Allen County, Iola or Humboldt has increased their funding for economic development provided by Thrive Allen County.  In the year so far, Thrive has brought about $5 million this area’s…

Allen County commissioners seemed divided on a request to increase funding for economic development efforts. Jonathon Goering, economic development director for Thrive Allen County, is asking each of the four funding sources to increase their…

If there’s an upside to doing grueling manual labor in the sweltering heat Thursday, it’s that the four Southern Star employees volunteering their efforts did so on Thursday, and not next week, James Gentry said.…

Jonathan Goering, Thrive Allen County’s economic development director, is ready to move forward with plans to start a land bank. Commissioners, though, aren’t quite as enthusiastic. They’re concerned the county could end up with a…

Do you remember chasing lightning bugs as a child? “There’s a magical quality about lightning bugs,” Tom Flynn, a metal artist from Rogers, Ark., told a group of trail enthusiasts at the Lehigh Trail System…

Iola and Allen County should be investing more in economic development, City Administrator Matt Rehder said Monday. Rehder proposed to Iola City Council members the city increase its annual economic development investment from $20,000 to…

Thrive Allen County wants to change its focus on a grant intended to spur housing construction on lots throughout the county. The state gave the county $50,000 as part of a Moderate Income Housing grant…

At first glance, it would appear Monday night’s Community Conversation was a downer.  After all, the consensus was that we have some pretty big hurdles to clear before we feel we’re on the right path,…