info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Salina Police Department has new chief beginning in February

info2023-01-09T09:30:46-06:00January 9th, 2023|

Beginning next month, the City of Salina will have a new chief of police, after the hiring of Clarence "C.J." Wise, was announced Wednesday. City Manager Mike Schrage, who made the announcement by a news release, introduced Wise to the Salina City Commission during a special meeting Friday morning. "C.J. has a number of years experience in law enforcement, as well as a breadth of experience in law enforcement," Schrage said. Wise comes to Salina with 25 years of experience, a member of the Edmond Police Department in Oklahoma since 1998. He rose within the ranks of the department in Edmond, [...]

Saline County residents can apply for program that aims to reduce energy bills

info2023-01-09T09:29:55-06:00January 9th, 2023|

The Community Housing Development Organization of Central Kansas is running a Weatherization Assistance Program to help reduce energy costs for low to moderate income households in Saline County. By increasing the efficiency of homes, the program aims to reduce the overall cost of utility payments Saline County residents might be paying in the colder months of the year through weatherization efforts. The Weatherization Assistance Program is funded through a grant made possible by American Rescue Plan Act monies, some of which the Saline County Commission has allocated to the CHDO for the project. Source: Salina Journal

‘Like driving a huge, yellow electric golf cart’ — electric school buses roll into Kansas

info2023-01-09T09:28:01-06:00January 9th, 2023|

They don't smell like school buses. They don't sound like school buses. They don't even feel like school buses. But they ARE school buses, albeit electric ones, and Wabaunsee USD 329 superintendent Troy Pitsch is convinced that his district is at the forefront of an inevitable movement to cleaner, greener student transportation. With the help of a nearly $800,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant, the rural district has received and is getting ready to debut two new electric school buses, believed to be the first in a Kansas school district. Wabaunsee USD 329 expects to give students their first ride on the [...]

De Soto residents love ‘small town feel.’ Will Panasonic turn it into suburban sprawl?

info2023-01-09T09:08:03-06:00January 8th, 2023|

Steve Prudden believes things are about to drastically change for De Soto, a Johnson County community that’s long teetered at the intersection of rural and suburban. Three generations of Pruddens have processed and sold ground beef, bacon and steaks at his local Steve’s Meat Market. With only 6,200 locals in De Soto, the butcher relied on restaurants and grocery stores across the metro area to stay afloat for the last 53 years. But the fabric of De Soto is about to be forever changed by Japanese electronics giant Panasonic, which is building a massive electric vehicle battery plant on the site [...]

What Wichita can learn from a city that reinvented mental health crisis intervention

info2023-01-09T09:02:22-06:00January 8th, 2023|

There remains growing interest around the country in rethinking how law enforcement responds to residents in mental health crises, with some programs, like CAHOOTS, working to take them out of the equation when possible. Wichita is among the cities that are adapting. The county’s community mental health center, Comcare, operates a non-911 phone number for mental health emergencies. Teams of therapists and case managers respond to situations, but funding and manpower has been limited. In 2019, the city and the county established a pilot program within the police department called Integrated Care Team (ICT-1) in response to an increase in calls [...]

‘A new era’ for open records in Kansas: Court says yes, electronic records must be provided electronically

info2023-01-08T21:09:29-06:00January 8th, 2023|

When a person requests a copy of an electronic public record under the Kansas Open Records Act, public agencies must provide that copy in electronic format, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled Friday. This means, for instance, that agencies can’t print off copies of Excel spreadsheets — they must provide the spreadsheets themselves. “The opinion ushers in a new era of presumed and prompt access to electronic records in Kansas,” said Max Kautsch, the Lawrence attorney who argued the case and president of the Kansas Coalition for Open Government. Source: The Lawrence Times

Kansas teacher shortage prompts calls for higher salaries, paying student teachers

info2023-01-08T21:07:20-06:00January 8th, 2023|

As Kansas faces the worst teacher shortage it’s ever known, one group says the state needs to raise teacher pay, elevate the profession and offer student teachers a paycheck. “Part of the problem is our salaries in education stink,” said Rick Ginsburg, dean of education at the University of Kansas. “Add to that working conditions that are challenging, a public that is rather critical. … So what you end up with is something that is awfully challenging.” Ginsburg heads a task force created by the Kansas Board of Regents that’s looking at strategies to ease the teacher shortage. The group includes [...]

Mulvane firefighters protect life, property for 20 years

info2023-01-08T21:04:51-06:00January 8th, 2023|

For Lt. Fred Heersche and Lt. Mike Fells, working with the Mulvane Fire Department is about making a difference – and it's been that way for the past two decades. With that in mind, the two were recently recognized at a Mulvane City Council meeting for each providing 20 years of service to Mulvane and the surrounding areas. Heersche is one of two full-time paid members of the department and Fells is a volunteer, who receives a modest stipend for being the on-call overnight firefighter once a week. Source: Derby Informer | Area

Trains, mass transit for most-populated counties should be looked into, Kansas lawmakers say

info2023-01-09T09:10:41-06:00January 8th, 2023|

Lawmakers say it may be time to get on board with trains and other mass transit options as ways of attracting young professionals to the state. During a Friday legislative budget committee meeting, the last before the start of the legislative session next week, Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, recommended that the Kansas Department of Transportation conduct a study looking into mass transit systems for Johnson and Sedgwick Counties. Waymaster also recommended the department look into potential federal funding. With more jobs coming into the state through the Panasonic deal, Waymaster said, new forms of mass transit would be a significant [...]

Lenexa releases final design for $1M skatepark revamp

info2023-01-08T21:02:17-06:00January 8th, 2023|

After months of collecting community feedback, the City of Lenexa has unveiled the final design for an upgraded skatepark within Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. The city’s current skatepark is over 20 years old and the pavement is starting to deteriorate. Lenexa will spend $1 million to upgrade the skatepark and nearby parking lot. New Line Skateparks will design and build the skatepark. Professional skateboarder and New Line’s lead designer Kanten Russell said the design of the new park is all about making an inclusive space for all types of skaters and cyclists. Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 - WDAF

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