info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

JoCo adds to parks: Big Bull Creek Park and one in the Stilwell area

info2018-09-14T10:12:46-05:00September 14th, 2018|

Johnson County is celebrating two additions to its parks system this month: the colossal Big Bull Creek Park in southwest Johnson County and a playground in the Stilwell area that’s accessible to all children, including those with disabilities. Officials will cut the ribbon Sept. 22 on Big Bull Creek Park, an expanse of about 2,000 acres at 20425 Sunflower Road in Edgerton. It is now the largest park in the county system, which also includes Shawnee Mission and Heritage parks. According to a county planning document, the idea of acquiring land for the park dates to 1997 when a Citizens Visioning [...]

Shawnee dissolves TIF district for controversial development proposal at 62nd and Pflumm

info2018-09-14T06:57:27-05:00September 14th, 2018|

Shawnee leaders have decided to dissolve a decade-old public financing district established in hopes of helping spur a housing project at 62nd and Pflumm. Developers tried twice to move forward with projects at the northwest corner of the intersection, but they never got out of the ground. In late 2008, the council had approved a project plan and redevelopment agreement with Cobblestone Village LLC for a mixed-use housing and retail project aimed at seniors. That project was never started because of the onset of the Great Recession, so the council terminated the project plan in January 2014 and approved a [...]

Leavenworth County responds to petition in lawsuit

info2018-09-14T06:55:59-05:00September 14th, 2018|

An attorney for the Leavenworth County Commission has filed a response to an amended petition in a lawsuit filed against the county by the city of Leavenworth. At issue in the lawsuit are county plans for improvements at the intersection of 20th Street and Eisenhower Road. An attorney for the city of Leavenworth filed an amended petition in the lawsuit late last month. The petition argues a 2016 agreement between the county and cities of Leavenworth and Lansing requires the county to pay for left turn lanes and traffic signals at the intersection. In a response filed Tuesday by Senior [...]

Overland Park launches floating wetland to fix algae overload in South Lake

info2018-09-14T06:54:19-05:00September 14th, 2018|

Harmful algae levels in South Lake prompted Overland Park to add a floating wetland that will balance the water body’s ecosystem. Overland Park public works staff this week launched the floating wetland — a manmade island with native Kansas wetland plants growing on it — to prevent harmful algae from spreading. The island improves the water quality and works by filtering the water, which prevents harmful algae from forming. “We have decided we need to fix this problem — and the cheapest and probably the most efficient solution we have found — is to put some plants on a buoyant [...]

Police body camera policy to go to Lawrence City Commission for comment

info2018-09-14T11:49:00-05:00September 14th, 2018|

Lawrence city commissioners will be reviewing the Lawrence Police Department’s policy for body cameras, but city officials advised that some aspects would be outside commissioners’ authority. At the City Commission’s meeting Tuesday, Commissioner Leslie Soden again asked about the review of the body camera policy and what kind of input the commission wanted to have. “It seems like I’m the one that’s pushing that we even talk about it, so I wanted to hear you all’s ideas,” Soden said. Vice Mayor Lisa Larsen said her assumption had been that the policy would go back to the commission for review and that [...]

Air show produces huge crowds

info2018-09-13T11:19:57-05:00September 13th, 2018|

The 2018 McConnell Air Force Base air show, Frontiers in Flight, wrapped up on Sunday with nearly 110,000 visitors making their way on base during the two-day event. With a low ceiling and more inclement weather on Saturday the crowd was smaller with only 35,000 visitors. On Sunday the sun came out and so did the fans as the attendance more than doubled with 74,692 attendees. Over the weekend spectators were able to see some of the power and history of the United States Air Force. (Read more: DerbyInformer.com - news,news/)

Pastors with ‘sand’ helped win the west, Kansas

info2018-09-13T11:19:17-05:00September 13th, 2018|

Before the west was won, sometimes even preachers had to fight for what they believed. They had to have what Kansas Wesleyan University Criminal Justice Professor John K. Burchill called “sand,” and what many modern people call “guts.” He presented “Cowboys and Clerics” at the Emporia Public Library Saturday as part of Humanities Kansas and covered several famed historical pastors and how they handled the chaotic life of early Kansas towns. (Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Franchisee settles on a spot for a new Old Chicago restaurant in Goddard

info2018-09-13T11:15:06-05:00September 13th, 2018|

Fresh off of news that it’s getting a new Dairy Queen later this year, Goddard now can celebrate that it’s also getting an Old Chicago. Franchisee Amro Samy anticipates closing on a spot in front of the Goddard Walmart in January and having the restaurant open in late 2019, said his marketing director, Molly Basham. Talk of a Goddard Old Chicago has been swirling for awhile, but at one time, it was to be a part of a $60 million project that would include a water park, a Holiday Inn and the Old Chicago. In May, businessman Rodney Steven II announced [...]

Derby may get sports complex

info2018-09-13T11:12:41-05:00September 13th, 2018|

If changes are authorized within the Derby STAR bond district, they could result in a new multifaceted sports complex. The topic was set to be received by the Derby City Council at its Sept. 11 meeting as a first reading. As proposed, the facility would include indoor and outdoor sport areas, outdoor sand courts and game areas. It also could have a restaurant. It has a tentative name of Derby’s Sports Zone. Officials say it would provide a resource for training, team practice, games and events. It would deal with a variety of sports, such as badminton, paddleball, sand volleyball and [...]

Neighbor asks council for reprieve on silage pile

info2018-09-13T11:08:31-05:00September 13th, 2018|

A neighbor to a large pile of silage on the west end of Main St. asked Marion city council members at Monday’s meeting to give the owner a reprieve on an order to remove the pile. Lincolnville feedlot owner Mike Beneke, owner of the former Straub building at 601 W. Main, started piling the silage on the property in July. He was ordered two weeks ago by a municipal judge to remove the pile within 10 days. Municipal judge Randall Pankratz warned Beneke that if he failed to comply with the court’s order, he could be fined and ordered to serve [...]

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