info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Lawrence school district’s initial headcount shows dramatic decline of about 300 students in one year

info2023-10-13T08:01:40-05:00October 12th, 2023|

The Lawrence school district’s recently completed annual enrollment count shows a dramatic decline of hundreds of students compared with last year’s count, and the amount of decline in just one year is what a consultant recently had predicted for an entire five-year period.... The whole picture of why there has once again been a large enrollment decline likely won’t be clear until the district team has a chance to look at this year’s enrollment data more closely, Superintendent Anthony Lewis told the Journal-World Thursday afternoon. But for now, Lewis said one potential cause could be the impact of low birth rates, [...]

Governor Kelly Announces New Staff to Lead Water Policy Efforts

info2023-10-11T14:09:07-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Governor Laura Kelly announced that Vijay Ramasamy has joined the Kelly Administration to serve as Special Advisor for Water. In this role, Ramasamy will advise Governor Kelly on water planning and develop coordinated strategies to ensure a sustainable future for water in Kansas. “I am glad Vijay has rejoined my Administration to lead our work on water projects and move conservation efforts forward,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “This new role reaffirms my commitment to preserving our remaining water supply that has powered our farming economy for decades. Vijay’s expertise will be crucial as we address the historic drought Kansas is facing.” The [...]

Marion celebrates Old Settler’s Day with annual parade

info2023-10-11T10:01:35-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Marion had a great turnout for the Old Settler’s Day parade on Saturday. In addition to class floats over the years, including one from the Class of 1948, the parade included the Marion High School Marching Band and the Marion Middle School Marching Band. The parade was just one of many activities over the weekend for Marion residents to enjoy. Source: Hillsboro Free Press

As rural residents age, some Kansas communities step up to help

info2023-10-11T14:09:39-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Bertie Dinkle smiled from her seat at the Louisburg Senior Center. “This is my second home.” She had just finished her meal of chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and strawberry cake. She happily chatted with friends across the table. “I used to live in Overland Park, and they didn’t have anything like this,” Dinkle said about the center and the community around it. For some, aging in a rural area is a benefit. There’s a tight-knit, supportive community. And for folks like 94-year-old Dinkle who are in good health, the 20-30 minute drive to the nearest hospital [...]

Here’s a look at Leawood’s 75th anniversary celebration

info2023-10-11T09:59:10-05:00October 11th, 2023|

This weekend, the city of Leawood celebrated a big milestone. This year marked its 75th year as an incorporated city. As such, residents gathered this weekend to celebrate with a range of festivities along Tomahawk Creek Parkway. A few more activities are still to come later this month. The celebration continued through the weekend with a Touch-a-Truck event, balloon animals, a puppet show, a concert and more. Here’s a look at some of Saturday’s highlights. Source: Prairie Village Post

Kansas prairie inspires public art projects for Merriam Plaza Library

info2023-10-11T14:10:00-05:00October 11th, 2023|

When Johnson County Library opens the Merriam Plaza branch in the first half of 2024, it will include a drive-thru, state-of-the-art technology, early literacy space in the kids section, and all the other amenities one would expect in a new branch built at a cost of nearly $14 million. Adhering to patron feedback, the new branch at 6120 Slater St. will also have abundant natural light, a warm wood ceiling and a “green” roof with vegetation that provides a habitat for pollinators. Yet the art integrated into the design of Merriam Plaza Library — which is replacing the aging Antioch Library [...]

Goddard Fall Festival moves forward with new attraction

info2023-10-11T09:56:20-05:00October 11th, 2023|

A step back into the 80s kept a lot of the youngsters distracted from the usual rides at the Goddard Fall Festival. "With the retirement of one carnival they kinda consolidated into one so there's only one carnival servicing Kansas but that leaves opportunity for festivals like ours to kinda branch out and bring in new opportunities,” said Angie Duntz, the President & CEO of the Goddard Chamber of Commerce. This was the reason there were no rides at this year’s festival and a couple of visitors were not happy about this. "Definitely miss the rides it adds the fun and [...]

See a fox or coyote in the city lately? You’re not alone, and the state needs you to report it

info2023-10-11T09:53:05-05:00October 11th, 2023|

If you feel like you've seen more coyotes and foxes in the city lately, you're not alone. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks says there's been a big increase in reported sightings this year, so much so that it put a study in place to learn how to keep them safe as they continue to migrate to urban areas. It's a story KAKE's Eli Higgins learned about from personal experience. "Several months ago, a strange sound kept waking me up in the middle of the night, but all you could ever see were some weird eyeballs way back in the [...]

Olathe parents say district failing kids with autism, causing ‘mental health crisis’

info2023-10-11T09:38:57-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Ty VanBuskirk had never publicly talked about being on the autism spectrum before. Instead, he spent his time in the Olathe school district masking it. But that changed in July, when the recent Olathe South graduate stood in front of the school board to share how he felt the district had failed him. A lack of support and understanding of his disability, he said, led to ongoing trauma, bullying, isolation, even suicidal thoughts. “My general education teachers didn’t even know I had an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) or autism,” the 19-year-old told The Star. “When not even your case manager or [...]

Herington Hospital closing after 104 years

info2023-10-11T09:37:16-05:00October 11th, 2023|

The only hospital in the city of Herington will be closing after 104 years in operation. Hospital officials said Monday that lengthy financial issues and low patient volumes led to the decision, and the hospital will close as soon as Wednesday. The hospital will continue to keep medical records. The closing will leave Herington residents with a choice of traveling to Junction City, Marion or Council Grove for hospital care. Source: 101.3 KFDI

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