info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Historical Society’s Cemetery Walking Tours return next week

info2024-10-02T09:57:25-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

The Finney County Historical Society and Museum’s Historic Walking Tours of Valley View Cemetery have returned. The tours are back after not being held in 2023. Steve Quakenbush, Executive Director of the Finney County Historical Society and Museum, said they weren’t held last year due to an employee health situation that made it impossible to do the tours. “We would have done them otherwise,” he said. “It wasn’t that we had planned to stop doing them, we just had a health situation that just didn’t allow us to guide and run the tours. So, we’re back.” Two tours will be held [...]

Regulation changes could help child care shortage

info2024-10-02T09:55:35-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recently made over 30 updates to the regulations for childcare. Tammy Deppershmidt is a childcare licensing provider for the Reno County Health Department, which is in charge of licensing for Harvey County, as well. Deppershmidt said, in her opinion, the changes were necessary. “The licensing law was outdated for child care,” Deppershmidt said. “It was time to get it up to date with new stuff.” Deppershmidt said the state department reached out to providers for feedback on what changes needed to be made. “The process was started to make it public and to have [...]

Frederick takes over as new Bentley city clerk

info2024-10-02T09:53:32-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

From the thriving, fast-paced, big city life of San Diego then Boise, new Bentley City Clerk Lisa Frederick had no idea the small town Kansas lifestyle was going to come calling. But it did, and the new face in the Bentley City Office has embraced the slower pace. “I am a project manager by trade, which is high stress, quick response, patience to manage many trades, budgets, timelines,” she said. “When this position opened, I thought, ‘Wow, maybe that is something I would be able to do and just down the street from my home. Who could ask for more?’ I [...]

County unveils tentative new comprehensive plan

info2024-10-02T09:51:09-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

After four years of work, the Harvey County Planning and Zoning Department has revealed a new comprehensive plan. “It’s the big picture of what direction the county wants to go,” said Karen Rothe, director of the planning and zoning department. The county is holding a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. in the county courthouse. Rothe said this is an opportunity for members of the public to give more feedback before the plan is finalized. “This is a chance for people to speak up and say, ‘I saw this was a goal in here, and I don’t agree [...]

This JoCo city OKs $340K purchase for new police cameras

info2024-10-02T09:48:34-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

The Merriam Police Department is getting new body and patrol car cameras. Last week, the Merriam City Council unanimously approved a $340,000 purchase for new body cameras and fleet cameras from Arizona-based camera and taser company Axon. This comes about five years after the last purchase of new cameras for the police department from a company that was recently bought out. Chief Darren McLaughlin previously told the Post that Merriam first deployed body cameras to police officers in 2009. Source: Johnson County Post

3,300 Olathe students are chronically absent. What does that mean?

info2024-10-02T09:47:10-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

Olathe Public Schools is seeing a rise in chronic absenteeism among students, school district officials and staff warn. “We know one of the things that leads to success is kids being in school,” Superintendent Brent Yeager said in early September at a school board meeting when discussing the issue. On Monday, the topic was the primary focus of the Olathe school district’s fall Site Council meeting. Hundreds of parents and guardians from site councils from across the school system gathered for the meeting at Olathe South High School. After a presentation about chronic absenteeism, the attendees then divided up into breakout [...]

Overland Park one of best U.S. cities for people with disabilities, ranking says

info2024-10-02T09:45:46-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

Overland Park is one of the best cities in the U.S. for people who have disabilities, according to a recent WalletHub study. The 2024 ranking places Overland Park in the Top 20, with the city placing 12th overall, behind St. Louis (4th) and Scottsdale, Arizona (1st), but ahead of places like Philadelphia (13th), Kansas City, Missouri (25th), and Denver (20th). “I am proud that WalletHub recognized Overland Park as a best city for people with disabilities,” Mayor Curt Skoog said in a written statement sent via text. He also noted that the things that “make Overland Park a great place for [...]

UG pushes KCK affordable housing plan forward after clarifying vote

info2024-10-02T09:44:48-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

Plans to remake a 1960s apartment complex in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, into affordable housing are moving forward. American Community Developers Inc. requested $21 million in multifamily housing revenue bonds from the Kansas Development Finance Authority to renovate the Gateway Plaza apartment complex at 1430 N. Fourth St. Based on a Kansas statute, KDFA cannot issue bonds for a project if the local government disapproves. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, initially voted 7-3 on Thursday in support of an ordinance of disapproval, which prevents KDFA from issuing the bonds for at least a year. Source: Kansas City Business [...]

People want to live in rural Kansas. They just need houses.

info2024-10-02T09:43:04-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

Contrary to the prevailing narratives, there are communities across the plains of central and western Kansas where people desperately want to live, helping position those places to add population. Remote work has opened possibilities for people looking for affordable housing and a different pace of life. Places such as Stafford County are seeing interest from manufacturers as it looks to develop a rail port to handle grain, fertilizer and other local products. But there’s a catch: There have to be enough places to live. The Kansas Housing Resources Corp. and the Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity in 2021 launched the first [...]

Mapping out a service connection point for homeless in Topeka

info2024-10-02T09:38:39-05:00October 2nd, 2024|

Twice a week in church parking lots, Topeka’s homeless population finds help through an array of services offered collectively – with purpose – by local partners. Through the Mobile Access Partnership (MAP), homeless individuals receive hot showers, warm meals and clean clothes, along with primary care services and immunizations for themselves and even their pets. They can also charge their phones and access supplies donated by local companies ranging from sleeping bags and tents to sunscreen and packaged snacks. MAP partners include the Topeka Rescue Mission, Valeo Behavioral Health Care, Stormont Vail Health, the Shawnee County Health Department, the Topeka Police [...]

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