info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

USD 457 Board discusses grade reconfiguration proposal

info2024-09-16T17:42:46-05:00September 16th, 2024|

The USD 457 Board of Education held discussion on a District Reconfiguration Proposal during its regular meeting on Monday. No action was taken on the proposal; it will be taken up as an action item at the Board’s Sept. 26 meeting where the Board will vote on what direction it wants to take with it. The proposal would transition the district to a K-5, 6-8, 9-14 grade configuration, removing the intermediate school levels, by fall 2028. Board member Andy Fahrmeier said there would be a three-year transition period plan that would start at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. It [...]

Johnson County is looking for public input to improve its public transit system

info2024-09-16T17:40:46-05:00September 16th, 2024|

The community’s input is needed to make improvements to public transportation in Johnson County. Public engagement is part of Johnson County Transit’s strategic planning process that will serve as a roadmap for the future. The public will have the opportunity to interact with the project team at a pop-up event during the Overland Park Farmer’s Market on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to noon. The public is encouraged to stop by and share their thoughts on public transit. Johnson County’s Transit Strategic Plan is focused on clearly articulating JCT’s vision, strategic direction, and the methods necessary to achieve these goals. The [...]

Rebuilt Shawnee Fire HQ focused on firefighters’ health — Here’s how

info2024-09-16T17:39:12-05:00September 16th, 2024|

After almost 40 years since its last major renovation, Shawnee’s Fire Station 71 is ready to show off its new look. The John B. Glaser Fire Station 71, 6501 Quivira Rd., which also serves as the Shawnee Fire Department’s headquarters, will have its grand reopening to the public this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The celebration will showcase the approximately $13.7 million renovation project, which was centered on creating better workflow arrangements at the station to shorten emergency response times and also features improvements to firefighters’ quality of life while maintaining room on site for future expansion. Source: Johnson County [...]

City of Wichita awards $1.3 million to developers to buy, renovate public housing units

info2024-09-16T17:31:10-05:00September 16th, 2024|

The Wichita City Council voted Tuesday to award $1.3 million in COVID recovery funds to nonprofit and for-profit housing developers to buy and renovate 33 single-family public housing units. Wichita Habitat for Humanity, a local nonprofit, received $640,000 for the rehabilitation and sale of 16 houses on North Piatt. Large Enterprise, a California-based business, received $440,000 for the renovation and rental of 11 properties in northeast and southwest Wichita. Residential Housing Solutions, a local business, received $240,000 for the renovation and sale of six houses on North Minnesota. The homes the developers will buy are public housing units the city is [...]

Once home to Kansas’ most infamous criminals, historic Lansing prison opening for tours

info2024-09-16T17:29:24-05:00September 16th, 2024|

Most people did their best to avoid this place for nearly 160 years. That’s about to change. When the Kansas Department of Corrections opened a newly constructed Lansing Correctional Facility in Lansing, Kansas, in 2020 it meant the old, stone-walled prison building that housed inmates since the 1860s would be left empty and without purpose. Instead of demolishing it, the Department of Corrections has transferred control of the building to the Lansing Historical Society and Museum, paving the way for the historic prison to be opened for tours. Visitors will have plenty to see in the buildings that have mostly been [...]

How mail delays in Kansas and Missouri could create problems in the 2024 election

info2024-09-16T17:27:44-05:00September 16th, 2024|

As the Nov. 5 election draws closer, tens of thousands of Kansas and Missouri voters are preparing to cast their absentee ballots through the mail. Whether you’re planning to be out of town on Election Day or have a disability that makes it hard to get to the polls, absentee voting is a convenient way to make sure your voice is heard. But recent U.S. Postal Service delays in both states may throw a wrench in those plans for some voters. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the state’s highest-ranking election official, sounded off in a letter to U.S. Postmaster Louis [...]

40 Local Bridge Projects Receive More than $40M

info2024-09-13T09:49:43-05:00September 13th, 2024|

40 local and off-system bridge projects across the state will receive a combined total of $40.25 million as part of two local bridge improvement programs capitalizing on new revenue from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). ... Combined with matching funds from the awarded cities and counties, the total project value is over $45.2 million. By reshaping the local bridge programs to take advantage of BIL, the Kansas Department of Transportation more than doubled its annual funding as part of the existing Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE). ... For this cycle of the local bridge programs, KDOT received a combined total [...]

‘A stars-aligned moment’ — JoCo urges Lenexa to approve shelter permit ahead of key vote

info2024-09-13T08:46:38-05:00September 13th, 2024|

With praise for Lenexa’s partnership and a pledge to back the city up if problems arise, Johnson County commissioners have forwarded a letter urging Lenexa officials to approve a proposed homeless services center and shelter. Commissioners voted 4-2 Thursday to send the one-and-a-half page letter to Lenexa Mayor Julie Sayers and city councilmembers. The city’s governing body next week will consider whether to accept the recommendation of their city’s planning commission to deny a permit for the proposed shelter at a repurposed hotel near Interstate 35 and 95th Street. “We respectfully disagree with staff’s rationale for denial and with how staff [...]

Halstead to hold public hearing on energy storage facility

info2024-09-13T08:45:14-05:00September 13th, 2024|

The City of Halstead will host a public meeting on zoning regulations related to a proposed energy storage facility. In October 2023, Boston-based Concurrent LLC submitted an interconnection application to the Southwest Power Pool, which oversees power transmission in Kansas and several neighboring states. Concurrent wants to build a system that would collect and store renewable energy during times of low demand so that it can be delivered during times of high demand. The proposed Tallgrass Prairie Energy Center has a planned capacity of 200 megawatts and up to 800 megawatt-hours. The company plans to install the facility in Halstead Industrial [...]

Sedgwick County selected for emergency preparedness exercise

info2024-09-13T08:43:49-05:00September 13th, 2024|

Sedgwick County Emergency Management (SCEM) was chosen to participate in a national exercise program conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program aids government entities in conducting emergency preparedness exercises to gauge the disaster readiness of the organization. The SCEM applied for the program and was chosen for the program over other governmental agencies in Region 7, which includes Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. Going through the program will help Sedgwick County design and conduct a full-scale active shooter simulation to be held March 11, 2025. “These exercises are so important for us to assess our preparedness planning, resources [...]

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