info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Voters choose yes on USD 409 Bond election

info2024-02-09T11:37:38-06:00February 9th, 2024|

The official voting results from last Friday’s special USD 409 Bond election have yielded results showing approval from the voters. The election was done by way of all mailed-out ballots with the deadline for those ballots to be returned to the Atchison County Courthouse the Thursday before the election was held at noon. Although late ballots were taken on Friday that were postmarked on or before election day. A canvass was conducted as part of the County Commission’s regular Tuesday meeting that made the results official. A total of 1,917 votes were counted showing 1,211 cast in support of the $27.3 [...]

City Manager says Manhattan is in “triage mode” as crews work to quickly patch potholes

info2024-02-09T11:31:53-06:00February 9th, 2024|

Manhattan Public Works crews continue to patch potholes across the city, following January’s frigid and wet conditions. City Engineer Brian Johnson says work is continuing on a stretch of Fort Riley Blvd. near Westwood Road, where traffic backed up for Tuesday morning’s commute. City Manager Ron Fehr joined KMAN’s In Focus Tuesday and says the city is essentially in triage mode trying to fix issues as they arise. City crews patched 529 potholes on Monday alone. Fehr says it’s been especially challenging, given the extreme cold spell that the area experienced in January, followed by an almost immediate warmup. Residents wanting to report [...]

City of Lawrence launching new homeless solutions division; homeless programs coordinator to become director

info2024-02-09T11:30:32-06:00February 9th, 2024|

The City of Lawrence is launching its new homeless solutions division, and Misty Bosch-Hastings, who has served as homeless programs coordinator for the city since summer, will serve as its director. Staff members of the HSD will “work with the Lawrence community on ending chronic homelessness, including service providers, advocates, and other parties actively engaged in the work,” according to a city news release Thursday. Bosch-Hastings will oversee the department. The HSD is not replacing the housing initiatives division — “This is just pulling homeless programs out of that division,” Bosch-Hastings said. The HID will still exist under the city’s Planning and Development Services [...]

High cancer rates in Russell and Lincoln counties, K-State will test water, air

info2024-02-09T11:28:10-06:00February 9th, 2024|

Researchers want to know why two counties in north-central Kansas have high cancer rates compared to the rest of the state. According to K-State Research and Extension, Russell County has the fourth highest cancer mortality rate per 100,000 population and colorectal cancer rate. Lincoln County has the highest prostate cancer rate and the third-highest lung and bronchus cancer rate. Researchers say they have checked for the usual culprits, such as high alcohol and tobacco use or limited colon cancer screenings, and those do not appear to be the reason for the high cancer rates. Now, they want to check for other potential causes. "We think [...]

Topeka Police Chief announces retirement

info2024-02-07T12:33:35-06:00February 7th, 2024|

The Police Chief for the City of Topeka, Bryan Wheeles, is retiring. According to a press release from the City of Topeka, Wheeles will be ending his three-decade long law enforcement career. He has worked in many roles at the Topeka Police Department (TPD) such as: patrol officer, narcotics investigator, homicide detective, a supervisor and many levels of police command and finishing in the highest position as the Chief of Police of the City of Topeka. "We extend our deepest gratitude to Chief Wheeles for his unwavering dedication and years of service to not only his fellow officers, but the city as [...]

Commissioners discuss county’s unpaved roads

info2024-02-07T12:32:29-06:00February 7th, 2024|

The combination of recent weather events that adversely impacted unsurfaced roads in Harvey County didn’t show deficiencies in the roads, it created them, according to Jim Meier, director of the Road and Bridge Department for Harvey County. Meier addressed the Harvey County Commissioners on Tuesday morning at the request of Commissioner Becky Reimer after multiple calls and emails on the rough road conditions in January. In his written report, Meier listed a history of regrade projects and major road improvements dating back to 2012, including last year’s big project on N. East Lake Road from NE 60th north 1.75 miles for $43,790. Meier said [...]

Commercial solar ban set to expire in March, requirements could be changing

info2024-02-07T12:29:20-06:00February 7th, 2024|

A six-month ban on commercial solar projects in Sedgwick County expires in March. County Commissioners are looking into what needs to change before projects get the green light. The Advanced Plans Committee of the Sedgwick County Planning Department did not recommend changing much when it came to the process of getting a conditional use permit for commercial solar. However, Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis raised some red flags during Tuesday morning's meeting. "Up to this point, we really haven't given any guidance on what we think ought to go into it," said Dennis. Currently, there are no size restrictions on solar projects. [...]

Lessons for Kansans in Oklahoma City’s unified push on homelessness

info2024-02-07T12:28:12-06:00February 7th, 2024|

Before its passing in 2012, Johnny’s Lunch Box in downtown Oklahoma City was a legendary gathering spot where the coat-and-tie crowd shared tables and banter with the blue-collar multitude. In the early 2000s, Dan Straughn often grabbed a bite there with fellow business and community leaders. The restaurant also provided a window into a perplexing local concern, given that it was located down the street from the main library, which was serving as a de facto day shelter for the homeless. “You could just sit there and watch a parade of stereotypical homeless-looking people walk back and forth,” recalled Straughan, then vice [...]

Commission discusses moratorium on zoning

info2024-02-07T12:26:07-06:00February 7th, 2024|

Commissioner Carl Wood revisited the zoning issue in the county asking County Counselor Jim Emerson for more details on a moratorium. Emerson said that using a moratorium is a way to delay companies from building solar and wind farms as it gives the county time to update its strategic plan, zoning laws, and land usage. This is not a short process but can take a year or more to complete. Commissioners need to adopt a resolution giving Emerson the authority to draft a moratorium and hire an outside consulting firm to review zoning laws and the county’s strategic plan, which Emerson [...]

Busy Bentley resident excited to serve on school board

info2024-02-07T12:24:32-06:00February 7th, 2024|

Reba Lee, a former city council member for five years, looks forward to representing Bentley on the USD-440 Board of Education. Her first meeting was in January. Lee said that once children move from Bentley Primary School to Halstead Middle School, parents don’t give Bentley much of a thought after that, and she gets it. “I feel like sometimes Bentley does get overlooked a little bit, so maybe I can be the voice for Bentley,” Lee said. She thinks her time on the city council will help her term on the school board. “I learned a lot about different things that a lot of [...]

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