News – Page 1697 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Shawnee County Health officer issues updated restrictions for restaurants, bars, night clubs

info2020-07-08T07:49:29-05:00July 8th, 2020|

Shawnee County’s health officer has issued an updated emergency order placing some restrictions on restaurants, bars and night clubs. According to a news release, the latest emergency order is set to take place at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and was crafted by Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino, in consultation with local bar and restaurant owners to minimize economic impact and preserve public health goals. According to the emergency order, restaurants, bars and night clubs in Shawnee County are allowed to operate between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and between the hours of 6 [...]

New law enforcement device wraps up suspects

info2020-07-08T07:48:39-05:00July 8th, 2020|

The cost is $925 each to buy one of law enforcement’s newest tools, a handheld, non-lethal "BolaWrap" device that fires a Kevlar tether, which works like a lasso while wrapping around a suspect’s arms or legs.But such a purchase can pay for itself many times over if it enables a police department to avoid a civil lawsuit, Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran said Tuesday. "Any time we can provide a safer environment for the officers and the citizens, I think that’s something we need to look at," he said. Cochran was among more than 20 people, most of them uniformed law [...]

Riley County opts out of Gov. Kelly’s mask mandate

info2020-07-08T07:45:03-05:00July 7th, 2020|

Riley County commissioners Monday unanimously voted to opt out of Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order on wearing masks, effective immediately. That means people in Riley County will not be required to wear masks in public. It’s possible masks will again be required for residents of Manhattan after a Tuesday night vote by the Manhattan city commission. County commission chairman Marvin Rodriguez said he wanted to opt out because he thought the governor’s mandate was government overreach. (Read more: Atchison Globe Now)

Governor recommends staying in phase 3

info2020-07-08T07:46:18-05:00July 7th, 2020|

Governor Laura Kelly announced Monday that her administration and officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommend most local communities do not move into Phase Out of “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas” and instead stay in Phase 3. The emergency disaster declaration issued by the governor on May 26 transfers reopening decisions back to local officials, which means counties continuing with Phase 3 of the plan is only a recommendation. However, the State continues to monitor health metrics daily, and remains committed to supporting local communities in a safe, gradual transition. (Read more: Derby Informer | News)

Kansas added to New York’s travel quarantine list

info2020-07-08T07:46:44-05:00July 7th, 2020|

"As states around the country experience increasing community spread, New York is taking action to ensure the continued safety of our phased reopening. Our entire response to this pandemic has been by the numbers, and we've set metrics for community spread just as we set metrics for everything," Governor Cuomo said. "Three more states have now reached the level of spread required to qualify for New York's travel advisory. We will now require individuals coming from Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma to quarantine for 14 days. New Yorkers did the impossible - we went from the worst infection rate in the United [...]

Former Oswego hospital managers charged in $1.4 billion scheme

info2020-07-08T07:47:18-05:00July 7th, 2020|

Several people tied to the rural healthcare management company EmpowerHMS, which operated Oswego Community Hospital in Labette County until last year, when the medical facility closed after failing to pay employees for weeks, were indicted this week on conspiracy charges involving an alleged $1.4 billion criminal scheme. “This was allegedly a massive, multi-state scheme to use small, rural hospitals as a hub for millions of dollars in fraudulent billings of private insurers,” Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in a press release. “The charges announced today make clear that the department is committed to dismantling fraud schemes [...]

Baldwin City’s Maple Leaf Festival canceled; organizers plan virtual event

info2020-07-07T08:22:56-05:00July 7th, 2020|

Because of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the annual Baldwin City Maple Leaf Festival has been canceled for this year. Mike Curran, Maple Leaf Festival Committee chairman, said the Maple Leaf Festival Committee last week voted to call off the festival, which annually draws more than 30,000 visitors to Baldwin City during its two-day run. This year’s festival was scheduled for Oct. 17-18. ... Curran said Sunday that the decision to cancel was made in light of the alarming spread of the pandemic in recent weeks. Read more: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence City Commission to consider review and reform of police use-of-force policies

info2020-07-07T08:21:45-05:00July 7th, 2020|

City leaders will soon consider whether to commit to a public review of the Lawrence Police Department’s use-of-force policies, including the department’s policies regarding deadly force. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting a resolution committing the city to reviewing and as necessary revising police use-of-force policies, according to a city staff memo to the commission. The topic comes to the commission after Mayor Jennifer Ananda, in the wake of protests against police killings of Black people and calls for reform, requested that the commission consider various changes related to use of force, systemic racism [...]

Emporia Main Street’s Grand Reopening kicks off Monday

info2020-07-07T08:19:46-05:00July 7th, 2020|

Main Street members are inviting the community back into their doors with the Emporia Main Street Grand Reopening event next week. Community Development Coordinator Jessica Buchholz said community members are invited to pick up a Main Street Passport and visit any Main Street office or participating business, located anywhere in Emporia, Monday - Friday. Make a purchase or receive a service during your visit to the business and get your passport stamped throughout the week. "The idea is to encourage people to come out and shop safely, shop locally and let them know that Emporia is reopening back up," Buchholz said. [...]

Mask mandate approved for Shawnee County

info2020-07-07T08:18:35-05:00July 7th, 2020|

A proposal Shawnee County commissioners plan to consider at 3 p.m. Monday would in many circumstances require people to wear masks in public spaces in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the measure would not require masks in some situations, including when people are more than six feet from others or are involved in incidental, infrequent moments of closer proximity. (Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)