info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

These students are making a difference in their community

info2023-05-08T10:29:19-05:00May 8th, 2023|

High school students in Southeast Kansas spend the day cleaning up their community. What could be better, than fresh air, clear skies, and no classrooms? How about seeing the difference you can make, in your own community? Well, that's what students at Galena High School learned Wednesday while taking to the streets. "We decided to do a community service day, we've wanted to do this for several years and then things would just happen, weather would happen, the end of the year came so fast, so we scheduled community service day to get our kids out and about and give back [...]

Sedgwick County unveils plan for Veterans Treatment Court

info2023-05-08T11:36:39-05:00May 8th, 2023|

At its May 3 meeting, the Sedgwick County Commission accepted a grant from the Kansas Supreme Court Office of Judicial Administration (OJA), on behalf of Sedgwick County Department of Corrections, for $475,867. Grant funding received will support the creation of a Veterans Treatment Court in Sedgwick County District Court. The specialized court will offer qualified veterans convicted of certain felony offenses, related to mental illness or substance abuse, the option of serving time in treatment instead of prison. This rehabilitative probation recognizes the frequency that veterans suffer from untreated mental health conditions, like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and addiction, following [...]

Innovative artist uses old brick as canvas for digital Dodge City murals

info2023-05-08T10:26:34-05:00May 8th, 2023|

The Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau shall unveil a trio of new Dodge City murals on historic downtown buildings Monday at 3:30 p.m. These murals are not unlike traditional painted murals and yet are made of a media better suited to preserve the integrity of historic buildings. They each are vibrant in color, rich in local symbols and large enough to draw attention from drivers and walkers alike. When inspected closely, one may notice the appearance of digital brushstrokes that were printed on a material called Mighty Wrap and applied directly to the red brick walls. Source: Dodge City Daily [...]

Chase County to be featured in PBS Kansas ghost towns documentary

info2023-05-08T10:25:29-05:00May 8th, 2023|

Humanities Kansas recently awarded a $10,000 grant to PBS Kansas, based in Wichita, Kan., to support the “Kansas Ghost Towns Documentary, Part 2.” The documentary is part of a continuing exploration of towns that have disappeared across the state. Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. “The humanities connect people to place over time and across generations,” shared Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas Executive Director. “This documentary will create a space for important conversations that will help us see more clearly our past and plan [...]

Chase County voters to again decide on open saloon question

info2023-05-08T10:24:00-05:00May 8th, 2023|

The question of open saloons will once again be up for a vote in Chase County. The Chase County commission passed a resolution at its meeting Friday, April 28 to include the open saloon question — which allows an establishment to sell alcohol by the drink without the requirement to derive revenue from food sales — on the November 2024 general election ballot. County attorney Bill Halvorsen told commissioners that the operation of open saloons within the county, which passed in the 2021 local election, was recently called into question by the Kansas Department of Revenue. Source: Emporia Gazette

County approves drone purchases for Sheriff’s Department

info2023-05-08T10:22:26-05:00May 8th, 2023|

The Lyon County Commission approved the purchase of a drone for the Sheriff’s Department at its meeting Thursday morning. The drone, in the amount of $26,000 will be used for search and rescue, suspect apprehension and scene documentation. The cost also includes training for deputies to operate the drone safely. The commission also approved a quote of Nortex Concrete Lift and Stabilization of Fort Worth, Texas, to lift and stabilize the approaches to the Neosho River Bridge on Road 175 with high-density polyurethane foam. The lift and stabilization will cost $30,420 from the Special Bridge fund. Source: Emporia Gazette

2,100 students losing bus service in a JoCo school district. Another may do the same

info2023-05-08T10:19:47-05:00May 8th, 2023|

As a Band-Aid solution to address an ongoing shortage of drivers, the Olathe school district will eliminate some bus routes next school year. Just to the west, Blue Valley school officials are considering similar cuts, as other districts in the Kansas City area have already done. And Olathe district officials may eventually revisit a broader, and more controversial, fix for the shortage: changing the times schools start and end. Source: Joco 913 News

You can rent a kayak to use on the Arkansas River via an app now. Here’s what to know

info2023-05-08T10:14:58-05:00May 8th, 2023|

New self-service kayak stations are open in three of Wichita’s riverside parks. These stations will be operated through the Rent.Fun app, which park and recreation partnered with to complete the project. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Riverside Tennis Center on Friday, and to continue the celebration the Park and Recreation department is offering a 50% discount on all rentals May 6-12. Entering the promo code “ParkandRec” in the app will automatically add the discount. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

What sales taxes on food am I still paying in Johnson County?

info2023-05-08T10:13:17-05:00May 8th, 2023|

Now that the dust has settled from the 2023 session of the Kansas Legislature, it’s time to sort out what, finally, to expect when it comes to the sales tax on food. Although an early end to the state food sales tax was discussed, the idea failed after it was folded into a larger tax bill that would have, among other provisions, set a single rate for individual income tax. That measure passed both chambers of the GOP-dominated Legislature but was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Source: Prairie Village Post

Humboldt tackles issues, large and small

info2023-05-08T10:09:01-05:00May 8th, 2023|

For all of its successes — and there are many — Humboldt faces challenges similar to countless other rural communities these days. Local employers are unable to keep fully staffed because of a dearth of quality and affordable housing, a lack of quality daycare centers; and an ongoing “brain drain” wave in which the best and brightest students often go elsewhere to find their niche in life. For that matter, too many youths are the unwitting victims of a digital society, in which they’ve become accustomed to spending hours of screen time instead of play time — and their mental health [...]

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