info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

‘Them vs. us’: Lawrence community members identify barriers between police and themselves

info2024-07-29T14:45:45-05:00July 29th, 2024|

A diverse group of community members shared their perspectives on Lawrence police Saturday, voicing concerns ranging from how officers could show more compassion and preparedness in crises to making downtown feel safer. Several dozen community members gathered at Lawrence High School for a partnership workshop hosted by the Lawrence Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice. The two-part workshop aims to “improve trust and develop partnerships between police and community members. Participants split into six small groups to identify the positives and negatives of the LPD’s interactions with the community, ultimately narrowing it down to three “barriers.” A second session [...]

Wichita police officers get new body cameras

info2024-07-29T14:46:03-05:00July 29th, 2024|

The Wichita Police Department has been issuing new body cameras to all commissioned officers, and most officers have now received them. Police Captain Aaron Moses said officers will have a choice between a head-mounted and a body-mounted camera. He said the new cameras have a wider angle and a clearer picture along with better audio. There has been automatic activation of the camera when a taser is deployed, and Moses said the next steps will be to have automatic activation when the light bar is activated on a patrol car or when a firearm is pulled from its holster. Supervisors will [...]

Kansas Supreme Court clarifies land-use permit authority, settles Finney County dispute

info2024-07-29T14:46:53-05:00July 29th, 2024|

The Kansas Supreme Court issued an opinion Friday that determined the Finney County Commission had authority to delegate decisions about land-use permits to a zoning appeals board as long the local actions didn’t conflict with state law. The opinion written by Justice Dan Biles was inspired by a dispute that emerged in 2021 when Huber Sand applied to the Finney County Board of Zoning Appeals for a conditional use permit to operate a sand and gravel quarry under regulations adopted by the county commission. More than 100 people submitted protest petitions in opposition to the development on 177 acres southeast of [...]

Wyandotte County to offer home repairs, relocation and counseling for gun violence victims

info2024-07-29T14:47:47-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Seven years ago, a drive-by shooting became the first case District Attorney Mark Dupree handled as Wyandotte County’s top prosecutor. Bullets had pierced the front door of a home, busted out windows and flattened the tires of a vehicle parked outside. One year later, the district attorney said, damage done to that very home and vehicle remained unfixed. “What can we do about this?” Dupree recalled asking Damon Daniel, executive director of Kansas City’s Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, in 2017. “And it took us about seven years to figure it out — to find the funding.” During a Tuesday press [...]

Much of Kansas is at ‘high risk’ of West Nile virus. Here’s why and how to stay safe

info2024-07-29T14:47:42-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Keep your distance from mosquitoes if you’re in Kansas in the near future. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued high-risk and moderate warnings for West Nile virus across the state. Johnson and Wyandotte counties, located in the northeast region, are in moderate-risk areas, while Wichita, found in the south-central region, is in a high-risk area. About half of Kansas is considered high-risk areas because there are a high number of mosquitoes in those regions, and that increases the chances of residents being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, according to the state health department. A moderate risk [...]

Galena Police Chief Billy Joe Charles to Retire After 26 Years of Service

info2024-07-29T14:48:24-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Chief Billy Joe Charles will retire on September 1, 2024, after a distinguished 26-year career in law enforcement and corrections. His service includes 11 years in the Army, 12 years in the Missouri National Guard, and key roles such as Inventory Controller for Lozier Corporation, Platoon Sergeant at Labette Women's Correctional Camp, and Jail Administrator of the Cherokee County Jail. Charles has been the Police Chief of Galena since February 2016. Source: KOAM

Half cent sales tax discussion held at Neosho County Community College

info2024-07-29T09:08:16-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Neosho County citizens gathered in the Cleaver Room at Neosho County Community College Tuesday to learn more about the .5 percent sales tax that will be on the Aug. 6 primary ballot. This ballot measure would not increase the current sales tax but would repurpose an already existing sales tax for other projects over the next ten years. An estimated $16 million is projected to be collected over that time period. Should voters in Neosho County not vote in favor of the half cent sales tax, the sales tax in Neosho County would decrease by .5 percent and the government would [...]

Grenola, Topeka, Osawatomie: How 21 Kansas cities got their unique names

info2024-07-28T15:21:55-05:00July 28th, 2024|

Four men who founded Cawker City in 1870 in north-central Kansas played poker against each other to win the right to name it. The winner, Col. E.H. Cawker, named the city after himself. ... It is among numerous incorporated cities in Kansas with names that are interesting and unique. Following are 20 others. Source: CJonline

As Lawrence city leaders ponder creation of open alcohol consumption area, here’s how other cities implemented their programs

info2024-07-28T15:20:23-05:00July 28th, 2024|

The plan to create a common consumption area, or CCA, a designated area where people could walk around with drinks they purchased from bars or restaurants that opted in to the program, generated more questions than answers from commissioners. ... As the city works to distill its ideas for a CCA into a stronger proposal, the Journal-World reached out to cities across the state about the reality of having a common consumption area. Though a law was first passed for the creation of them in 2017, a tweak to the language in 2023 made it easier for CCAs to exist. Since [...]

KS Supreme Court: Local Zoning Powers (American Warrior, Inc. v. Board of Finney County Comm’rs)

info2024-07-26T09:34:37-05:00July 26th, 2024|

K.S.A. 12-741(a) grants counties the authority to enact zoning regulations without state interference so long as those local enactments do not conflict with the Planning, Zoning, and Subdivision Regulations in Cities and Counties Act, K.S.A. 12-741 et seq. Exercising that authority, Finney County adopted local rules delegating the issuance of conditional use permits to a separate Finney County Board of Zoning Appeals. A Court of Appeals panel majority held the County could not do that, while a dissenting judge agreed with the district court that it could. See American Warrior, Inc. v. Board of Finney County Comm'rs, 63 Kan. App. 2d [...]

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