News – Page 1336 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Wichita Fire Department gets funding for needed upgrades

info2021-09-08T19:05:52-05:00September 8th, 2021|

Communication takes the lead when it comes to responding to an emergency, but for the Wichita Fire Department, the technology is falling behind. Wichita Fire Chief Tammy Snow said the alerting systems to notify crews about an emergency are outdated. The other challenge is the equipment is different between the stations. This means there's a need to update the system and even add signal boosters for the radios. The Wichita City Council approved nearly $3 million, using funding from the American Rescue Plan. Source: KSN-TV

Stair climb planned to honor 9/11 responders

info2021-09-08T19:03:45-05:00September 8th, 2021|

The Parsons Fire Department is inviting fire departments from across the four states and beyond to participate in a stair climb event Saturday at Belmont Towers, 1900 Belmont Ave. The event is in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and in rural Pennsylvania. Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, the 9/11 stair climb will have opening ceremonies, a presentation of colors and the national anthem. The official stair climb is open only to firefighters, but the public is invited to attend and participate in activities outside the towers. The purpose [...]

Sedgwick nears the end of its city administrator search

info2021-09-08T18:53:32-05:00September 8th, 2021|

A new administrator will most likely be chosen by the end of the month, according to Sedgwick Mayor Bryan Chapman. Chapman has led a three-member committee consisting of him and council members Randi Tolin and Carol Truesdell. They narrowed the field to two candidates to be interviewed by the full city council. The first interview took place last week during a thirty-minute executive session at the city council meeting. Chapman said the second interview would likely happen at the next council meeting on Sep. 20. “We’re at the very end and we’ll have an announcement soon, as soon as we get [...]

After calls from activists, Wichita forms board to act on climate change, environment

info2021-09-08T18:51:34-05:00September 8th, 2021|

The Wichita city council voted unanimously to establish a sustainability board on Tuesday, which will advise the council and city staff on climate change resiliency, environmental concerns and economic vitality. The vote comes after a coordinated effort that put 27 presentations by Wichita citizens in front of the city council over the past 6 months, passionately speaking about climate change concerns. Eight citizens spoke in favor of the ordinance during the city council meeting today, including a representative of the League of Women Voters, who said their organization was fully supportive of the formation of this task force. Source: Local News [...]

Lenexa adjusts alcohol rules around civic campus and Public Market

info2021-09-09T10:32:23-05:00September 8th, 2021|

The Lenexa Public Market has adjusted its rules regulating alcohol that can be consumed in the market and the surrounding area around the civi campus off 87th Street Parkway. Since the food hall and incubator of small businesses launched in 2017, the Lenexa Public Market, 8750 Penrose Lane, has prohibited the possession and consumption of liquor that’s purchased outside of the common consumption area surrounding the market ... the Lenexa City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved several revisions that govern that common consumption area of the Lenexa Public Market in an attempt to give the city more flexibility at events. Source: [...]

Roeland Park’s 47th Street mural depicting city’s past and present nears completion

info2021-09-09T06:44:08-05:00September 8th, 2021|

The 47th Street mural in Roeland Park, above, is a work in progress — but organizers say the 311-foot work is on track to be completed by the end of the month. An image of a tree is placed towards the center of the mural, symbolizing the city's slogan, "Uniquely Rooted." Photo credit Juliana Garcia. The city of Roeland Park is working on a 311-foot mural near the border with Wyandotte County — and it’s on track to be completed by the end of the month. After years of working toward a community-driven mural, the Roeland Park City Council gave the [...]

KDOT holding regional local consult meetings online

info2021-09-08T18:43:44-05:00September 8th, 2021|

The Kansas Department of Transportation is hosting eight public Local Consult meetings this fall as part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) project selection process, with the meeting for the Wichita metro being held at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 9. All Kansans are invited to participate. Participants will have the opportunity to share their community and region’s transportation priorities and provide input on a list of potential highway expansion and modernization projects. Source: Derby Informer | News

Johnson County school district is ‘discriminatory’ in its COVID rules, lawyers claim

info2021-09-08T18:40:47-05:00September 8th, 2021|

A Johnson County law firm has sent a cease and desist letter to Gardner Edgerton schools, demanding that the district amend COVID-19 protocols it claims are discriminatory and violate Kansas law. The letter claims the district’s enforcement of quarantine and mask policies discriminates against unvaccinated and unmasked students. The Olathe firm Kriegshauser Ney Law Group gave the school district until 5 p.m. Friday to respond. The letter, sent Tuesday by attorney Ryan Kriegshauser, could be a precursor to a civil lawsuit. Source: Joco 913 News

Sedgwick County health officer pushes for mask mandate as COVID cases continue to rise

info2021-09-08T18:37:20-05:00September 8th, 2021|

Sedgwick County's top health official is again pushing for commissioners to implement a mask mandate as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase. Dr. Garold Minns discussed by phone during Tuesday's commission meeting the latest county numbers. He said the county had 1,800 new cases for the week ending September 4, the highest since November or December 2020. He compared that to the week ending July 3, which had 142 new cases. "So as you can see, we've had a quantum leap in the number of cases," Dr. Minns said. "We also are still running a positive test rate of around [...]

USDA Seeks Applications to Spur Job and Economic Growth in Rural Areas

info2021-09-08T12:18:43-05:00September 8th, 2021|

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson today announced that the department is accepting loan and grant applications for projects that create jobs and economic growth in rural communities. Funds are being made available under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program. Through the REDLG program, USDA provides zero-interest loans and grants to Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Electric Program and Telecom Program borrowers who will use the funds to help local businesses finance projects that will create and retain jobs. Projects must be located in rural areas or towns with a population [...]