info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Emporia’s dedicated animal welfare fund paid for dog park

info2019-03-19T07:47:02-05:00March 19th, 2019|

A visitor to the Buck Fund Dog Park recently asked me to provide additional information about the Buck Fund. They knew the Buck Fund was associated with the dog park but wanted to know more about how community members can support the Buck Fund and what the Buck Fund does for animals. The H. Dale Buck Animal Welfare Memorial Fund, commonly known as the Buck Fund, was named after the brother of Dorothy Matile, who started the fund after her brother died. The Buck Fund has been involved in many projects related to animal welfare. The Buck Fund donated money for [...]

With flooding possible, experts issue reminders to keep your family healthy, safe

info2019-03-19T07:44:07-05:00March 19th, 2019|

While families keep an eye on the Missouri River levels, health experts are offering reminders about possible flood water concerns. The Johnson County Health Department is stocked up on tetanus shots. They said if you get a cut or have a wound that comes into contact with standing water, and if you haven’t had a tetanus shot in 3-5 years, go see them or call your doctor. Of course, experts say the best idea is just to stay away from and out of the water. "Little children are tempted by it," said Mary Beverly, Johnson County Health Department's deputy director of [...]

Owner of Triple-A baseball team: ‘We’re staying in Wichita’

info2019-03-19T07:38:42-05:00March 19th, 2019|

The majority owner of the Triple-A baseball team headed to Wichita says his team is committed to coming in 2020. "We are here for the long haul. And you heard it here first on Channel 12," said Lou Schwechheimer. He sat down with Eyewitness News Monday afternoon ahead of a controversial vote by the Wichita City Council regarding private development for the new baseball stadium which will house the team. Schwechheimer said a stall in the vote to give four acres of land to that developer will not affect his team's decision to move to Wichita. The city moved its council [...]

Shawnee County Commission votes 2-1 to fund traffic circles landscaping

info2019-03-19T07:37:27-05:00March 19th, 2019|

After a lengthy discussion, Shawnee County commissioners on Monday morning voted 2-1 to approve $43,000 for a landscaping project that will enhance traffic circle “islands” in the historic Potwin neighborhood of west-central Topeka. Commissioners Kevin Cook and Bill Riphahn voted for the project, which was awarded to Topeka Landscape. Commission chairman Bob Archer voted against it. The project, which will include installation of irrigation systems and new vegetation in all eight Potwin traffic circles, will be overseen by Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, which has been responsible for the circles’ upkeep since the city and county parks and recreation departments were [...]

Department of Commerce announces speaker lineup for Rural Opportunities Conference

info2019-03-19T07:35:25-05:00March 19th, 2019|

Registration is still open for this year’s Kansas Rural Opportunities Conference in Dodge City. The Kansas Department of Commerce hosts this conference annually to provide useful information about rural Kansas living, as well as to engage in a dialogue with rural Kansans to determine how the Department can bolster its efforts to improve the well-being of rural communities in the state. The Conference will take place at the Boot Hill Casino & Conference Center in Dodge City on April 2-3. (Read more: The Salina Post)

Butler County jail employees to receive incentives

info2019-03-19T07:29:19-05:00March 19th, 2019|

PIn response to County Detention Facility financial difficulties, the Commission adopted the “Detention Facility Revenue Incentive Policy” in 2017 to: ”...align the Detention Facility operations with county tax payers by incentivizing the Detention Facility and its staff to focus of housing revenue generating inmates in a safe and efficient way.” The policy goes on to state: “all Detention Facilit(ies) employees will be offered a bonus payment based on the total actual non-tax, fee related Detention Facility revenue that was received in the prior year (budget year) compared to the budgeted amount for the prior year...” Additionally, the policy calls for a [...]

City looks to ditch Westar as legislature considers mandating rate study

info2019-03-19T07:24:15-05:00March 19th, 2019|

On Tuesday, as the City of Pittsburg reviews two potential contracts related to a plan to take over electric utility service from private provider Westar, the Kansas House of Representatives has a hearing scheduled for a bill which recently passed the State Senate and which would mandate an independent study of electric utility rates. “There’s been a lot of pressure on Westar to lower their rates,” Deputy City Manager Jay Byers told the Morning Sun on Friday. But the bill -- if passed would require a bipartisan legislative council to select an outside organization to complete an electric utility rate study [...]

JoCo leaders plan summit to address the future: A metro area rocked by climate change

info2019-03-19T07:03:03-05:00March 19th, 2019|

When a United Nations report detailed the irreversible and long-lasting effects of global warming, Shawnee Councilwoman Lindsey Constance found herself fixating on the future of her 8-year-old daughter, Lucy. The Weather Channel had ranked Kansas City fifth of 25 U.S. cities most likely to be affected by climate change. Scientists say more days above 90 degrees, extreme drought and heavier rains are in store for the metropolitan area. “I flipped in my head to 2030,” said Constance, referring to the year her daughter graduates high school. “To me it was terrifying to think about the fact that we might not have [...]

Merriam is taking no action on petitions regarding new community center process

info2019-03-18T11:31:15-05:00March 18th, 2019|

The city of Merriam has determined that it will take no action regarding three petitions it received earlier this year from Merriam residents about the city’s process for building the new community center. The petitions contained a list of requests from a group of Merriam residents regarding design of the new aquatics center, the sale of land in Vavra Park and how money is spent from the city’s I-35 tax increment financing (TIF) district fund. The group who submitted the petitions — the self-named Merriam Concerned Citizens — is made up of Merriam residents who submitted the petitions in January, citing [...]

How Southwest Kansas could get the college grads it needs

info2019-03-18T11:30:12-05:00March 18th, 2019|

Check out Dodge City. A new $12 million waterpark. A shiny new craft brewery — not far from the new whiskey distillery. And, yes, that trendy new downtown cafe. A nearly $6 million addition to Boot Hill Museum just kicked off last fall. That’s about when Dodge City wrapped up $86 million in renovations and expansions to its schools. Much of rural Kansas is withering. Not Dodge City. It offers a growing anchor in the state’s southwest, grounded in the meat industry and energized by the thousands of people who work at its slaughterhouses. But the town’s success story risks hitting [...]

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