info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Historic theater celebrates the 80th anniversary of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with 3-D movie

info2019-08-11T19:12:49-05:00August 11th, 2019|

The Augusta Historic Theatre is celebrating the 80th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” movie this weekend with three screenings of the 3D version of the musical film based on L. Frank Baum’s fantastical book about a Kansas farm girl. “We are the only theater in Kansas showing ‘Wizard of Oz’ in 3D,” said Gwyn Birk, a board member on the Augusta Arts Council, which operates the theater. Organizers hope that fact, along with the opportunity to see a classic movie in a classic venue, will attract fans of the film. The movie is being shown at 7:30 p.m. on Friday [...]

Former employee sues Unified Government for harassment after jury convicts her boss

info2019-08-11T19:10:22-05:00August 11th, 2019|

A former employee has sued the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, not quite two weeks after a jury convicted her boss of misdemeanor battery against her. Madeline Waldeck sued the UG on Friday for discrimination, harassment and retaliation stemming from its handling of her complaints that former director of general services, Dennis “Tib” Laughlin, created a hostile work environment toward her, culminating in a 2018 incident in which he grabbed and pushed her. (Read more: KC Star Local News)

Appeal period still open on amended Reno County floodplain map

info2019-08-11T19:09:00-05:00August 11th, 2019|

State officials are reminding Reno County residents of the ongoing appeal period for a proposed new federal flood plain map. The proposed map updating the 100-year flood plain for certain portions of Reno County — including the cities of Hutchinson, Nickerson, South Hutchinson and Willowbrook — was released for public review in April 2018. FEMA and the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources developed the maps using data produced as a result of recent local efforts to re-certify flood levees along the Arkansas River. (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)

JoCo commission approves $1.25 billion budget that holds mill rate steady — but worries about revenue linger

info2019-08-11T19:07:19-05:00August 11th, 2019|

With no small amount of angst, the Johnson County Commission approved a $1.25 billion budget Thursday. Commissioners repeated their concerns about upcoming court cases involving the property valuations of commercial properties that are under appeal, but ultimately gave a final okay for a budget that keeps the taxing rate steady at 26.013 mills as property values have increased. (Read more: Prairie Village Post - Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)

Holcomb plant down indefinitely after fire, but Tyson promises to continue weekly pay for employees

info2019-08-11T19:03:00-05:00August 11th, 2019|

First responders fought and a community rallied this weekend in the wake of a fire that for hours burned through Finney County’s largest employer, Tyson Fresh Meats. As the flames were fought and extinguished in the dead of night and following morning, the governor took notice, Tyson promised to support its employees and local nonprofits and businesses showed up with supplies and support. The Finney County Communication Center received a 911 call from an operations manager at 8:35 p.m. Friday reporting a fire in the west end of the Holcomb meatpacking plant, the portion of the building used for harvest, where [...]

Out-of-county hazardous waste no longer accepted at Pratt recycling center

info2019-08-11T19:00:22-05:00August 11th, 2019|

It's costing more to get rid of household hazardous waste so Pratt City Commissioners have decided to end any acceptance of out-of-county HHW. A combination of low prices for recyclables and high costs for handling household hazardous waste has resulted in the Pratt Recycle Center to stop taking out-of-county recyclables and HHW material from individuals. The decision was made at the Pratt County Commission meeting Aug. 5. (Read more: Pratt, KS - Pratt Tribune)

Transportation Commission proposes pilot study for electric scooter rentals; two companies requesting to bring them to Lawrence

info2019-08-08T22:07:52-05:00August 8th, 2019|

Before any companies are allowed to bring rentable electric scooters to the streets of Lawrence, the city’s Transportation Commission wants a pilot study to be conducted. Two companies have already requested permission to bring scooter rental businesses to Lawrence, and the Transportation Commission voted during its meeting this week to create a subcommittee to develop a pilot program to test out scooters. Transportation Commission Chair Steve Evans told the Journal-World that the safety of the electric scooters, or “e-scooters,” would be a key concern for the subcommittee when recommending rules for the pilot study. “What we don’t want to do is [...]

Lawrence Public Library installs pay phone in effort to ‘not leave people behind’

info2019-08-08T22:07:20-05:00August 8th, 2019|

It’s not an announcement many would expect to see in 2019, but the Lawrence Public Library hopes the addition of a pay phone will help those who may need it. On Monday, the library announced that it had installed a brand new pay phone within its walls to allow people to make calls whenever they need to. While the announcement received several “LOLs” and jokes on the library’s Facebook page, library director Brad Allen said the purpose of the phone is to fill a need that many people may not realize exists. “Public libraries are in a place where we have [...]

Czech Capital of Kansas keeps heritage alive

info2019-08-08T22:00:30-05:00August 8th, 2019|

You see it and hear it, as soon as you get to town! Czechoslovakian culture is everywhere, with polka music piped out of speakers on Wilson’s main street. It’s the legacy of immigrants who settled here in the late 1800’s. “I would say 80% of the people living in this town were Czech,” said Melinda Merrill, who points to old black-and-white photographs. “This is my grandfather and my two great aunts. These people and these people all lived in the house that my daughter is living in now.” Merrill and others in Wilson are helping to preserve that history. She bought [...]

McPherson mom likes smaller Inman schools

info2019-08-08T21:59:12-05:00August 8th, 2019|

Toni Ollenberger, of McPherson, has been impressed with the USD-448 Inman School District since entering her daughter, Gracie, into preschool at the southern McPherson County district. “It’s awesome,” Ollenberger said. “It was the smaller schools, the teachers and the students.” Ollenberger was among the many parents who went to Inman’s onsite enrollment on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Inman High School Library. Originally, Ollenberger said she was just going to have her daughter attend preschool at Inman and then begin home-schooling her for kindergarten. “We saw how awesome it is here,” Ollenberger said. “We decided to stay.” (Read more: McPherson Weekly [...]

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