info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

North Newton to bid goodbye to ‘Radar Ray’

info2019-01-17T13:14:45-06:00January 17th, 2019|

He was affectionately known as “Radar Ray,” serving as the Chief of Police in North Newton for 30 years. Ray Classen retired from that in 2013. His watch, however, came to a full end January 15 at Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita when he passed away. “He was familiar with a majority of people in the community, and vice-versa,” said Ron Ratzlaff, city council member for North Newton. “He was appreciated and well liked by the community.” Well-liked enough to have a college band named after him. At one time, a group of Bethel college students created a band called [...]

Reno County OK’s contract for second mental health position at jail

info2019-01-17T13:11:40-06:00January 17th, 2019|

The Reno County Commission Tuesday approved a new contract agreement with Horizons Mental Health Center to help to inmates with mental health issues as they’re released from jail – and for a period afterward – to ensure they’re accessing the services they need and not ending back up in jail. The contract with Horizons was tabled on Dec. 31 after Commissioner Bob Bush asked that the proposed agreement have an end date, rather than perpetual automatic renewal so that it could be renegotiated or discontinued. The county will pay the Horizons “reintegration” employee $1,825.26 a month, with Horizons covering a matching [...]

Greensburg: Is the city still green and sustainable?

info2019-01-17T13:10:24-06:00January 17th, 2019|

Looking ahead was the theme of a round table discussion with city council and department heads Monday Jan 14 at the Greensburg City Hall. The casual, open conversational meeting was set up to help determine future goals and for council members to express to city administrator Stacy Barnes what their desires for the city were moving ahead. Barnes opened the discussion with a question about the city’s “Green and Sustainable” identity. Although is something that the city has been known for and received a lot of media attention and visitors about, Barnes said she feels like there is a disconnect between [...]

Manhattan commissioners agree with Aggieville TIF district boundaries, timeline

info2019-01-17T13:08:55-06:00January 17th, 2019|

Manhattan Commissioners were unanimously supportive of a proposed tax increment finance — or TIF — district in Aggieville after a discussion during their Tuesday work session. Establishing a TIF district would allow the city to capture growth in property valuation — and subsequently, property taxes — over a 20 year period within a set boundary for public redevelopment purposes. The city would use the money captured by the district — estimated between $9.6 million and $11.6 million — for public improvements around Aggieville. The total costs of possible improvements around Aggieville are estimated to run between $23.3 million and $30 million, [...]

Survey seeks input on design of Lawrence’s first bike boulevards

info2019-01-17T10:22:18-06:00January 17th, 2019|

The city of Lawrence is looking for residents’ input on the design of the city’s first bike boulevards, which will modify two city streets to make them user-friendly for cyclists and pedestrians. The city has released a survey that asks residents to identify the top three features they would like on the two boulevards, which will be constructed on 13th Street and 21st Street. The survey is available until 5 p.m. on Feb. 1. Designs for bike boulevards vary, but they typically use a variety of features — such as speed bumps, restricted entries and curb extensions — to lower the [...]

Shawnee gets first public feedback on concepts for proposed community center

info2019-01-17T06:57:44-06:00January 17th, 2019|

As Shawnee staff and city leaders move forward with plans to put a vote on a property tax increase to fund a potential community center before city residents later this year, designers this week are getting public input on concepts for the proposed project. City staff led an open house last night to share initial design concepts based on feedback from residents over the past year. The council Feb. on 11 will consider a mail-in ballot question in the spring that would ask Shawnee voters if they would approve a mill levy increase to fund the new community center, which would [...]

Derby City Council makes its views known to state lawmakers

info2019-01-17T06:52:38-06:00January 17th, 2019|

The 2019 Kansas Legislative session got underway this week and, with its start, the Derby City Council has voiced opinions as to what its members see as most important for the city. They approved the suggested legislative positions presented by City Manager Kathy Sexton at their Jan. 8 meeting. One of the city’s top priorities from the state, she said, along with the county’s, is a focus – and funding – on behavioral health.Sexton said she is “really proud of Sedgwick County” for putting the issue at the forefront. That includes opening a new state mental health hospital in the Wichita [...]

Wichita ‘claws back’ $100,000 in tax breaks from company that created too few jobs

info2019-01-16T11:45:52-06:00January 16th, 2019|

Wichita is “clawing back” about a fifth of the tax breaks it gave a company that failed to create the jobs it promised. Fiber Dynamics, a company founded by Darrin Teeter to commercialize technology developed at Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research in the early ‘90s, hasn’t had to pay city property taxes since 2008, an estimated value of more than $500,000. Now, it has to pay $100,000 in back taxes because it didn’t create enough jobs, based on a new agreement with the city. The city has twice given Fiber Dynamics a five-year tax abatement, dating back to 2008, [...]

Alexa earning her keep at Douglas County Register of Deeds office

info2019-01-16T11:38:49-06:00January 16th, 2019|

Alexa has extended her reach far beyond reordering laundry detergent and turning off that living room light someone always seems to forget. Now she’s doing a public service. Kent Brown, Douglas County’s deputy register of deeds, has set up an Amazon Echo Show at the county office. The voice-recognition device can answer 50 questions about the office. That’s short of the 172 Brown was hoping to program, but for now it’s “a good compromise,” he said. Read more: LJWorld.com.

Sabetha City Commission discusses animal control with residents

info2019-01-16T10:49:09-06:00January 16th, 2019|

Jonathon and Alexandra Kilhoffer were present at Sabetha's City Council meeting Monday to express concerns regarding animal control within the city. J. Kilhoffer said he proposes that the city have more resources available for controlling loose animals. J. Kilhoffer suggested possible solutions to the issue of dogs at large and wanted the city to commit to a timeline for pursuing these ideas and looking at costs. The suggestions included the following: • Incentive program for city workers or police officers who pick up dogs at large. He suggested giving the citation fine to the individuals who pick up the dogs. • [...]

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