info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Digging deep into the history of Olathe, this documentary filmmaker discovered gems

info2024-04-19T11:25:45-05:00April 19th, 2024|

Gregory Sheffer thought he knew Olathe history. After all, he grew up in the Olathe school system and earned a history degree from MidAmerica Narazene University in Olathe. There was, Sheffer discovered, more to know about Olathe’s history. And through a documentary film project, he’s learned a lot more — and so have the people of Olathe. The project — known as “Olathe – The City Beautiful” — is marking two milestones. The entire series of 20 completed documentaries now has its own You Tube channel, and the last of the documentaries — about Gary Burrell, the Olathe citizen who co-founded [...]

Pittsburg Community Schools is looking to help ensure bus safety

info2024-04-19T11:23:55-05:00April 19th, 2024|

Pittsburg Community Schools is contributing to bus safety efforts in Kansas by participating in the Kansas One Day Stop Arm Violation Count for the Kansas State Department of Education. The district emphasizes the importance of safety, especially for students in the "danger zone" outside the bus. Kansas law (KSA 8-1556) requires all motorists to stop when approaching or overtaking a stopped school bus displaying its flashing red lights and stop arm. Motorists are to remain stopped until the bus is no longer displaying its flashing red lights and stop arm. Officials say violation of this Kansas law not only endangers children [...]

Kansas town council member resigns, keeps bigger role

info2024-04-19T11:22:40-05:00April 19th, 2024|

A man elected to three roles in Graham County has to give up one of them. Jarrod Knoll has been serving as a Graham County commissioner, a Morland City Council member, and a Graham County USD 281 School Board member. Last November, Graham County Attorney Jill Elliott began trying to oust Knoll as a county commissioner. She said state statute does not allow anyone who holds a city office to be a county commissioner. She also said Knoll has not been living in the county commission district he was elected to represent. She says that is a violation of another state statute. Knoll was [...]

Topeka selects Interim Chief Financial Officer

info2024-04-19T11:21:28-05:00April 19th, 2024|

The City of Topeka has appointed a new Interim Chief Financial Officer. A spokeswoman with the City of Topeka announced in a release that Ben Hart has been appointed as the City's Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) starting Tuesday. Hart has more than 25 years of experience in the public sector, according to the release. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Charted Global Management Accountant (CGMA) for large municipalities in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. “Mr. Hart’s experience and dedication to public service will serve Topeka well as the city transitions into new leadership with the next city manager,” Interim City Manager [...]

Seely honored for 53-year firefighting career in Louisburg

info2024-04-19T11:20:36-05:00April 19th, 2024|

When Brad Seely was a student at the old Louisburg High School in the mid-1970s, there was no sweeter sound than that of the whistle blowing atop the city water tower. That sound meant there was a fire in the city of Louisburg, but, more important, it also meant Brad and a couple of his classmates who also volunteered at the fire station were allowed to leave school. “We’d run out of class,” Brad said. At that time, the high school was located at the current site of the Wildcat Activities Center, and the fire station was located a couple of [...]

Museum program will highlight 19th century railroads

info2024-04-19T11:19:24-05:00April 19th, 2024|

Community members can learn how railroads built Kansas and the crucial role Osawatomie played in the effort during a program Saturday, April 20, at the Miami County Historical Museum. Speaker Leo Oliva will lead a free presentation called “Railroads of 19th Century Kansas: Progress and Pain” that is set to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at the museum, which is located at 12 E. Peoria St. in Paola. Few industries dominated the economy of the nation in the 19th century more than the railroad, according to a museum news release about the program. “Railroads brought immigrant settlers, created jobs, and fed [...]

Andover hosts grand opening for new fire station

info2024-04-19T11:15:49-05:00April 19th, 2024|

The City of Andover held a grand opening for its new fire station on Thursday. The new station is located south of U.S. Highway 400, and South Andover Road and was paid for by a sales tax initiative over the last two years. It's the second fire station in Andover. "We broke ground on it in October 2022, so they've been working on this and building it for the last year," Megan Schapaugh, public information officer for the city of Andover, said. "Firefighters started moving in a couple of months ago, but we are finally having our big grand opening." The grand opening [...]

Norton County to vote on sales tax to support hospital and EMS

info2024-04-19T11:14:49-05:00April 19th, 2024|

Voters in Norton County are deciding the value of health care in their community. On May 7, they will vote on whether to approve a one-percent sales tax hike to help fund Norton County Hospital and EMS. If voters approve it, the extra penny of tax on each dollar of purchases would begin on Oct. 1. Three-quarters of the money raised would go to the hospital. The other one-quarter would go to EMS. The sales tax would end after 10 years. Norton County Hospital is dealing with financial issues, including inflation and lower insurance reimbursement rates. Officials say the hospital's average operating margin [...]

More than 1,000 false 911 calls in Ford County

info2024-04-19T11:11:16-05:00April 19th, 2024|

Ford County dispatchers have a problem. Too many people are calling 911 accidentally. They say they have taken 1,061 accidental 911 calls since the start of the year. That is about 300 a month. Ford County Emergency Communications wants people to know how easily it happens and not hang up if it does happen. "This is a more common occurrence than you might think. Pressing buttons on the side of your phone, watch, and in some car systems - certain buttons will dial 911. Please stay on the line and let the dispatcher know that it was an accident," officials said on social media. People [...]

New Topeka flag license plates available to public

info2024-04-19T11:09:43-05:00April 19th, 2024|

The City of Topeka alongside the Greater Topeka Partnership (GTP) revealed the new Topeka license plate that's now available to the public. Executive Director for Young Talent Rhett Flood spoke on his efforts to make the new license plate a reality. Mayor Mike Padilla was also in attendance to share a few words. Last year the GTP and Forge Young Talent collaborated to design a Topeka flag license plate. “We are so proud to see this new license plate become available,” said Rhett Flood, Forge executive director. “Forge Young Talent worked hard with community leaders to bring the new city flag to life five [...]

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