info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hillsboro discusses plans for fire station

info2024-11-18T09:32:13-06:00November 18th, 2024|

The Hillsboro City Council met on Tuesday, Nov. 5 where they heard from Hillsboro Fire Chief and Building Inspector Ben Steketee. Steketee presented the annual department head report with a PowerPoint report on the building department and fire department activities. He highlighted the contributions of Caren Funk who assists with contractor licensing, permit process and fire department secretary duties. Steketee also gave statistics including 59 building permits issued, 94 contractors licensed and $1730,764.38 in project value. Steketee also updated the council on training activities, including wildland fire training and rescue tool comparison events. He reported that training events include physical exertion [...]

Wichita officials say Cheney Reservoir still needs water

info2024-11-18T09:30:33-06:00November 18th, 2024|

Wichita officials say recent rainfall has helped with the ongoing drought situation, but the drought continues and Cheney Reservoir still needs more water. While the city has received above average rainfall for November, the reservoir is still almost 8 feet below the needed level. About 26 billion gallons of water will be needed in the reservoir to get out of the drought. The current level is 56.24 percent full, and the 12-month average of the conservation pool was at 65.1 percent. The city remains at Stage Two of its drought response plan, which has placed a restriction of one day a [...]

Sedgwick County Corrections changes restraint policies

info2024-11-18T09:29:33-06:00November 18th, 2024|

The Department of Corrections for Sedgwick County has changed its policies on the use of force and restraints on people who are in custody. The policy will eliminate the use of a “Safe Clinch” maneuver that is no longer practiced. The changes will affect county corrections facilities and the Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center. The changes are a response to the September, 2021 in-custody death of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton after a struggle with staff at the JIAC. A community task force made a number of recommendations for the juvenile justice system after Lofton’s death. The Team Justice juvenile advisory board gave [...]

Westwood gets first look at new park design, but lawsuit has snagged plans indefinitely

info2024-11-18T09:28:18-06:00November 18th, 2024|

The city of Westwood’s new park envisions walking paths, natural play and restrooms — but planning is on hold indefinitely due to an active lawsuit. On Thursday, the Westwood City Council during a work session got a first look at three different ideas for a new park planned for the former Westwood View Elementary site. This proposed 3.8-acre park is part of Karbank Real Estate Services’ controversial Rainbow Boulevard project, a six-building office-retail development that the city approved last year. In exchange for building on Joe D. Dennis Park — which is Westwood’s main park — Karbank agreed to give the [...]

Fallen marshal to be honored on national memorial

info2024-11-18T09:26:45-06:00November 18th, 2024|

A lawman killed in Cherokee County nearly 125 years ago will soon be honored nationally. Empire City Marshal Marion Thomas will soon be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 1900 – present day Galena was known as “Empire City.” On February 4 of that year, Marshal Thomas entered a saloon near Main and Columbus Streets around 3 that afternoon for a report of shots fired inside the establishment. When he entered, he was shot multiple times, he died instantly, leaving behind a wife and three kids. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office learned earlier this year [...]

City manager finalists selected in Junction City

info2024-11-18T09:24:31-06:00November 18th, 2024|

Locals in Junction City can meet with the finalists for the city manager position later this month at a local opera house. The City of Junction City announced in a press release on Friday, Nov. 15 that four finalists for the city manager spot will be available to meet with from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 at the 2nd-floor rehearsal hall at the C.L. Hoover Opera House located at 135 West Seventh Street. Each of the finalists will be on hand to speak with locals in an informal setting. Source: KSNT 27 News

Homeless crimes divide officials

info2024-11-17T16:12:39-06:00November 17th, 2024|

Police officers in some communities struggling with homelessness are not likely to dole out tickets or arrests for the low-level crimes. That’s led to some Kansas lawmakers questioning if communities struggling with homelessness are too lax on law enforcement and not doing enough to try to help address homelessness. Source: Salina Journal

Marshall County sales tax vote passes, narrowly

info2024-11-15T13:34:48-06:00November 15th, 2024|

Eight votes were the difference Thursday as a county sales tax for the local hospital passed by a narrow margin — 2,374 to 2,366 — at the Marshall County Board of Commissioners’ official count of this fall’s general election. The question of whether to renew Community Memorial Healthcare’s countywide half-cent sales tax for another five years was the only special question on the the 2024 general election ballot. Source: The Marysville Advocate

About 1,500 Kansas students change school districts under new open enrollment policy

info2024-11-15T09:25:10-06:00November 15th, 2024|

Kansas school districts showed caution in allowing transfers through a new open enrollment option that lets students attend school outside their home district, data presented Wednesday to the Kansas State Board of Education showed. About 1,500 students transferred out of their home district under the new law for the 2024-2025 school year, making up just 6% of all district transfers, according to data from the Kansas State Department of Education. Transferring between districts has been permitted for years under different methods, and even with the new law, the total number of students who transferred to a district outside their own declined [...]

City broadens energy portfolio

info2024-11-15T09:23:25-06:00November 15th, 2024|

Iola City Council members agree it’s a good idea to diversify the city’s energy profile. How? By adding 3-megawatts of power to the city’s energy portfolio through a solar agreement. Recently, the Kansas Municipal Energy Association (KMEA) and NextEra Energy entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Through the agreement, KMEA anticipates purchasing up to 90-megawatts of electric energy from a 200-megawatt solar facility called Ninnescah Flats Solar in Pratt County. As a member of KMEA, the City of Iola is eligible to purchase a portion of the energy. Source: The Iola Register

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