info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

For their tax dollars, Merriam residents want a great community center with a big pool

info2018-07-13T07:29:07-05:00July 13th, 2018|

At two separate open houses in June, Merriam residents showed up to City Hall to see the proposed plans for their new community center. On the walls hung posters listing its many amenities and a video showcased the site plan. “We asked the public what they saw as the future of recreation in Merriam, and we’re going to try to do our best to provide that,” said City Administrator Chris Engel at the June 21 open house. ... The appeal of a new pool is what inspired many residents to vote for the new community center back in 2016, when it [...]

Valley Center Fourth of July: Law and disorder

info2018-07-13T07:27:22-05:00July 13th, 2018|

While Valley Center residents appeared to enjoy themselves during the Fourth of July, the holiday wasn't such a blast for local law enforcement. Police responded to several complaints last week, issued a handful of tickets and even arrested one reveler. According to a police report, Officer Eric Leeker observed a 33-year-old man walk away from fireworks that were going off in the street. The man was previously warned against shooting fireworks in the street. Leeker issued a citation this time. Police said the man made a threatening move toward officers after he received the citation. Police took the man to the [...]

During ‘Libraries Rock’ program in Olathe, children get in the groove

info2018-07-13T07:24:26-05:00July 13th, 2018|

“There are a lot of different experiences in the library’s summer programs,” said Jennifer Smart, Olathe Public Library children’s staff member. “The students get a lot of exposure to the arts, science, and more — and they have a lot of fun." Got Rhythm? was just one of the many programs on Olathe Library’s extensive youth summer schedule. Open to kids from preschool through high school, upcoming programs run through the end of August and nearly all are free of charge. In addition, free lunches are being served through the summer to anyone under 18 at both the Indian Creek and [...]

High death rate from West Nile led to mosquito trapping in Reno County last year

info2018-07-13T07:23:04-05:00July 13th, 2018|

Health officials are continuing to use properties in southern Reno County this summer as one of just three mosquito trapping regions for tracking West Nile Virus in the state. Reno County became a trapping site in 2017, after three people living within the Turon area zip code died from West Nile complications between 2013 and 2016, said Ingrid Garrison, state public health veterinarian with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Extremely high mosquito counts – more 10 times numbers that normally trigger action – were discovered in some of the first traps set in the region, leading to a concerted [...]

Great Bend community members give input on workforce “skills gap”

info2018-07-13T07:18:13-05:00July 13th, 2018|

Over 20 local business workers from the Great Bend area sat in on a luncheon Wednesday afternoon at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce to hear about a survey to determine what is the “skills gap” in the Kansas workforce. Great Bend was chosen as one of several communities to participate in the online survey that hopes to make the Kansas economy grow and prepare students for successful careers. Nick Jordan is a former Kansas Senator, Secretary of Commerce, and Secretary of Revenue. He is now helping with the KU School of Business to put together the survey. Along with the [...]

Cowley County has full day of emergency calls

info2018-07-13T07:15:47-05:00July 13th, 2018|

Cowley County emergency service personnel were scrambling Wednesday after an accident and two fires spring multiple agencies into action. An accident on Summit Street in Arkansas City was followed by a grass fire that started from burning tires on 61st Road, and a landfill fire on 81st Road. The Atlanta Fire Department also fought at least one grass fire in the county, according to scanner records. An all-call went out during the landfill fire for Ark City fire/EMS personnel to respond to the fire station to assist with calls. Winfield was requested to send an ambulance to stand by in Strother [...]

Newton Amtrak Service in jeopardy

info2018-07-13T07:13:25-05:00July 13th, 2018|

Newton could lose future Amtrak service. That was the theme of a doom and gloom report Commissioner Barth Hague gave to the Newton City Commission on current actions of Amtrak. “I hope I’m wrong on all of this, I really do,” he said. “I hope my predictions are wrong and there’s a ‘Hail Mary’ on this.” Hague has long been an advocate for rail service in Newton and was tasked with providing an update about bleak news coming from the Amtrak train company. The crux of the issue, Hague explained was that Amtrak wants to receive $3 million from the states [...]

Kendal Francis likely to be chosen as next Great Bend City Administrator

info2018-07-13T07:11:10-05:00July 13th, 2018|

An agenda item is listed at the end of next Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting to appoint the next Great Bend City Administrator. While no official announcement has been made by the City of Great Bend, it is anticipated that Kendal Francis will be named to the position, based on sources. Francis is originally from Beloit where he worked in the water / wastewater department for nearly 20 years. Francis then served as City Administrator for the City of Lakin from February 2014 to August 2015. Francis’ most recent work came in Coffeyville where he was the City Manager from [...]

The vote was unanimous: She’s now Johnson County’s new manager

info2018-07-13T06:59:29-05:00July 13th, 2018|

Months after the Johnson County Commission abruptly ousted County Manager Hannes Zacharias, the commission has appointed the woman who was Zacharias’ deputy as his successor. The commission voted 7-0 Thursday to appoint Penny Postoak Ferguson, 49, as the new county manager. She had been serving as interim county manager since the county commission stunned the community by voting 4-3 to terminate Zacharias’ employment contract as of Dec. 31, 2017. The commission majority said at the time that the county needed new leadership and a new direction after more than eight years with Zacharias at the helm. The commission had also talked [...]

Roeland Park Aquatic Center closed for winter. Consulting firm seeks solutions

info2018-07-13T06:55:17-05:00July 13th, 2018|

It hasn’t been easy managing the Roeland Park Aquatic Center lately, and residents will have a chance next week to advise the city on how to upgrade its pool complex. Officials have been dealing with leaks, pump failures that temporarily closed the slide-and-catch pool, the collapse of two light poles, the closure of the whale slide in the children’s area and a delayed reinstallation of diving boards after one leak was fixed. And in a blow to sports teams and individual athletes that need a pool in the winter, after a storm last fall heavily damaged the inflatable dome that allowed [...]

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