info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas Lottery launches program for vending machine sales

info2019-07-01T01:26:26-05:00July 1st, 2019|

TOPEKA — The Kansas Lottery is launching a pilot program to test vending machine sales. Lottery officials announced Wednesday that four self-service vending machines will be installed at retailers in Topeka. The first pilot site was installed Wednesday, with the other three sites set to become operational next week. The Kansas Legislature passed a law in 2018 allowing the lottery to sell traditional lottery tickets through vending machines. (Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Report: Nonprofit hospitals’ net worth soars as does Americans’ health care costs

info2019-07-01T01:23:18-05:00July 1st, 2019|

The average family in the U.S. pays nearly $20,000 in 2018 on insurance premiums, deductibles and out-of-pockets costs, a new report produced by OpenTheBooks.com found. At the same time, salaries for administrators and executives at hospitals were as high as $21.6 million. Six CEO's earned between $10 million and $21.6 million. “Charitable hospitals and their CEO’s are getting richer, while the American people are getting healthcare poorer,” the Open the Books report says. Of the 82 hospitals surveyed, only eight executives earned less than $1 million at organizations including the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Foundation, Dignity Health, and Partners HealthCare. Last year, the CEO [...]

Library celebrates 150 years of literacy

info2019-07-01T01:20:48-05:00July 1st, 2019|

The Emporia Public Library is celebrating its 150th birthday in 2019. A century and a half is a long time to be alive and, as such, the library is steeped in history. It plays a major role in Emporia’s past, present and future. According to Lyon County History Center Curator Lisa Soller, though the library has changed over the years and its role is different than it was 150 years ago, it has always been an important community hub. “It was access to learning,” she said. (Read more: Emporia Gazette)

New K9 on the job for Greenwood County

info2019-07-01T01:16:02-05:00July 1st, 2019|

After a lifetime of preparation, K9 Gilo (pronounced with a hard “g”) is ready to get to work as the newest member of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office. The 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix dog and his handler, Deputy Mike Baumgardner, have completed obedience training and are actively patrolling the county. The name “Gilo” has a special meaning to Baumgardner. “My best friend in the Marine Corps was Carlos Gil Orozco, ‘Gilo’ for short,” he said. “He was killed in Iraq, and I named the dog in honor of him.” (Read more: Emporia Gazette)

USD 253 holds public meeting to discuss September bond election

info2019-07-01T01:08:32-05:00July 1st, 2019|

Emporia Public Schools held its first in a series of town hall meetings Thursday on the subject of an upcoming bond election. The district has been promoting the idea of a $78 million bond in hopes the public will vote in its favor. Members of the public attended and participated in a discussion where they had a chance to ask questions of district officials. Emporia Marc Fusaro, who serves as Associate Dean of Emporia State University’s School of Business, wanted to learn more about the scope of the project. (Read more: Emporia Gazette)

It’s back to the drawing board after new Wichita rules fizzle in illegal firework enforcement

info2019-07-01T01:05:09-05:00July 1st, 2019|

Ann Marie Buerkle of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission talks about fireworks safety. This video includes dramatic fireworks demonstrations. They suggest leaving professional fireworks to the professionals and celebrate safely. BY Last year was the inaugural run of the new fireworks enforcement protocol in Wichita, but the promise of a $250 fine didn’t stop residents from celebrating the Fourth of July illegally. In fact, the number of firework related complaints were up last year, reports indicate. The city ended up writing about 140 tickets. But, Fire Chief Tammy Snow previously said, the citations hardly made a dent in punishing illegal fireworks use. In [...]

Johnson County overcharged Walmart millions in property taxes, board rules

info2019-07-01T10:08:50-05:00June 30th, 2019|

In a big loss for Johnson County, the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals ruled Friday that the county had overvalued Walmart and Sam’s Club properties by $60 million, charging them millions too much in taxes. This is the latest in an ongoing legal battle between Johnson County and large retail stores to determine the proper way to measure the value of commercial real estate. At stake is tens of millions of tax dollars for schools and services. The case is one of a number filed by Target, Home Depot and other big-box stores in the county to challenge their property tax [...]

Kansas Supreme Court upholds Topeka’s ban on tobacco sales to under-21 customers

info2019-07-01T10:08:10-05:00June 30th, 2019|

The Kansas Supreme Court issued an opinion Friday reversing a Shawnee County District Court's injunction blocking enforcement of a Topeka ordinance banning the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to people under 21.The ordinance was challenged by Topeka businesses Vape Bar and Puffs ‘n’ Stuff, which argued the prohibition was unconstitutional and contrary to state law. (Read more: Local - The Topeka Capital-Journal)

1,000 rental scooters will hit Wichita streets in the next couple of weeks

info2019-07-01T10:09:36-05:00June 30th, 2019|

Rental electric scooters are about to make their debut on Wichita streets in a big way about a week from now Two companies have applied for city permission to deploy 500 e-scooters each on city streets under a pilot program recently authorized by the City Council. Of the two companies, one is a familiar name in Wichita. Boston-based Zagster already does business here, providing the bicycles you can rent through Bike Share ICT. The other company is a newcomer to the Wichita rental mobility market, the Chicago-based VeoRide. (Read more: Local News |)

DWAGFYS Manuf, Inc. vs. City of Topeka

info2019-06-28T13:41:16-05:00June 28th, 2019|

From the Court syllabus: 1. A city may adopt ordinary ordinances when no state law exists on the subject or when a uniform law applicable to all cities exists on the subject but the Legislature has not expressed a clear intent to preempt the field and there is no conflict between the state and local law. 2. Legislative intent to preempt the field must be clearly manifested on the face of the statute. Courts will not find legislative preemption by implication. 3. The provisions of K.S.A. 79-3301 et seq., do not show a clear manifestation of intent by the Legislature to [...]

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