info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Salina city leaders explore possibility of plastic bag ban

info2019-04-23T06:57:29-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

Salina city leaders are exploring the possibility of a ban on plastic shopping bags. City staff was briefing commissioners Monday on other communities with bans and what it would take to gather public input on such a policy. Salina City Commissioner Joe Hay proposed the ban. He told KAKE-TV earlier this year that the city should be a leader in the state. He says the bags fly like kites and blanket fences and trees after a wind storm. California and Hawaii already ban disposable plastic bags. So do many cities including Chicago, Seattle and more than a dozen local communities in [...]

Challenging claims: a look at NextEra’s economic impact

info2019-04-23T06:56:01-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

A pro-wind group out of Lenexa this weekend purchased a full-page color ad in The Hutchinson News claiming NextEra Energy’s proposed Reno County wind farm would add more than $130 million to the county economy, including $50 million in land payments for local farmers. NextEra made a similar claim in a half-page ad in The News on March 31. The claims in both ads are based on an economic impact study by a fellow at the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University. Opponents of the 80-plus turbine wind farm, however, challenged the numbers during public hearings earlier [...]

Hutch USD’s bus costs to surge

info2019-04-23T06:54:55-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

Hutchinson USD 308′s cost for contracting a school bus service provider will accelerate next year. Three vendors submitted sealed bids for a new five-year contract. The current provider, Durham School Services, won the contract Monday night by offering the lowest price, which still will be nearly 18 percent higher than the 2018-19 price structure. The price offered by Apple Bus Co. would have brought a 25 percent increase, and First Student Inc.’s price would have meant a 50 percent increase. The five-year grand total for Durham’s bid amounted to $7,018,238. USD 308 uses school buses to transport special needs students, elementary [...]

Lawrence school board likely won’t support metal detectors in schools

info2019-04-23T09:25:56-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

District staff is still researching some potential security measures to improve school safety, but some board members have already made it clear that staff shouldn’t waste too much time on metal detectors. Ron May, director of operations, gave the board a presentation on safety and security at its Monday meeting. He outlined several initiatives in progress and provided some updates. Many in the Lawrence community have been paying heightened attention to safety of school buildings, particularly at Lawrence High School, in the wake of several weapons- and threat-related incidents over the past few months. Specifically, in the span of two weeks [...]

Submissions sought for art installation at new Lawrence police headquarters

info2019-04-23T09:27:14-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission is looking for professional artists to develop a public art installation as part of the new Lawrence Police Department headquarters site. Individual artists or teams of artists have until midnight June 3 to submit a resume and samples of their work, according to a news release from Porter Arneill, director of communications and creative resources with the city of Lawrence. The public art project is in collaboration with the Lawrence Police and Parks & Recreation departments and has a total budget of $325,000. Read more: LJWorld.com.

Small-Town Life: Why It’s Good For Business

info2019-04-22T11:21:33-05:00April 22nd, 2019|

If you’re on the white picket fence about whether to relocate your business to a smaller, more rural locale, let these four small towns prove that bigger isn’t always better. We asked economic development leaders from Dodge City, Kansas; Kiowa, Kansas; Moundridge, Kansas; and Vandalia, Illinois, why small-town life is good for business. Here’s what we learned. “One of the great things about living in a small town is the connectivity of businesses and residents; we can really bring partnerships together,” says JoAnn Knight, executive director of the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation. Dodge City hosts a population of fewer than [...]

City of Hays considers disbanding several advisory boards

info2019-04-22T08:27:12-05:00April 22nd, 2019|

The Hays City Commission Thursday will consider disbanding several of the volunteer boards that advise the commission. Mayor Henry Schwaller IV requested the city review its boards at the commission’s work session Thursday at City Hall. Schwaller explained that city staff spend a lot of time managing the committees, that the committees very often don’t have any pressing matters to handle or discuss, and that it’s hard to find people to volunteer for the boards, many of them created by the city, but sometimes even those required by Kansas law. “I really appreciate you bringing this up,” said City Commissioner James [...]

City says tiger that attacked zookeeper at Topeka Zoo will not be euthanized

info2019-04-22T08:23:50-05:00April 22nd, 2019|

Police are investigating a report of a person attacked by a tiger at the Topeka Zoo. The attack was reported around 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Zoo near SW 6th Avenue and SW Gage Boulevard. According to the City of Topeka, a female zookeeper was in the same area as a male tiger, named Sanjiv, when he attacked. The zookeeper was taken to the hospital and was alert and awake when she was transported. The zoo was shut down for about 45 minutes and has since reopened. Zoo Director Brendan Wiley said the male Sumatran tiger simply reacted the way that [...]

County officials to discuss industrial revenue bonds, possible merger

info2019-04-22T08:22:49-05:00April 22nd, 2019|

Industrial revenue bonds and a possible merger of county departments are among items that will be on the agenda when the Shawnee County Commission meets Monday. Commissioners plan Monday to consider expressing their intent to issue $13 million worth of industrial revenue bonds. The IRBs would help Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Equality Investment Group Wanamaker, LLC, carry out its proposed $31.4 million project to redevelop retail properties it owns at the southeast corner of S.W. 17th and Wanamaker Road, including the site of the former Kmart at 1740 S.W. Wanamaker. Commissioners on Monday will also accept public comment on a proposal sponsored [...]

Greenwood County Hospital CEO addresses open records concerns

info2019-04-22T08:06:14-05:00April 22nd, 2019|

At a recent Greenwood County Hospital board meeting, CEO Sandra Dickerson addressed comments made by County Commission Counselor Paul Dean concerning issues regarding public information. Dickerson and Board President Pam Brown were present at a recent county commission meeting when Dean spoke to them, “specifically about the hospital’s financial information and that it wasn’t being shared when requested,” she said, adding, “Paul was specifically referring to open records requests.” She referred to Dean’s quote in the paper that said, “I’m just here to tell you that no, that’s incorrect. If anybody on the board wants that information, anybody at the hospital [...]

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