News – Page 2041 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Transportation Commission proposes pilot study for electric scooter rentals; two companies requesting to bring them to Lawrence

info2019-08-08T22:07:52-05:00August 8th, 2019|

Before any companies are allowed to bring rentable electric scooters to the streets of Lawrence, the city’s Transportation Commission wants a pilot study to be conducted. Two companies have already requested permission to bring scooter rental businesses to Lawrence, and the Transportation Commission voted during its meeting this week to create a subcommittee to develop a pilot program to test out scooters. Transportation Commission Chair Steve Evans told the Journal-World that the safety of the electric scooters, or “e-scooters,” would be a key concern for the subcommittee when recommending rules for the pilot study. “What we don’t want to do is [...]

Lawrence Public Library installs pay phone in effort to ‘not leave people behind’

info2019-08-08T22:07:20-05:00August 8th, 2019|

It’s not an announcement many would expect to see in 2019, but the Lawrence Public Library hopes the addition of a pay phone will help those who may need it. On Monday, the library announced that it had installed a brand new pay phone within its walls to allow people to make calls whenever they need to. While the announcement received several “LOLs” and jokes on the library’s Facebook page, library director Brad Allen said the purpose of the phone is to fill a need that many people may not realize exists. “Public libraries are in a place where we have [...]

Czech Capital of Kansas keeps heritage alive

info2019-08-08T22:00:30-05:00August 8th, 2019|

You see it and hear it, as soon as you get to town! Czechoslovakian culture is everywhere, with polka music piped out of speakers on Wilson’s main street. It’s the legacy of immigrants who settled here in the late 1800’s. “I would say 80% of the people living in this town were Czech,” said Melinda Merrill, who points to old black-and-white photographs. “This is my grandfather and my two great aunts. These people and these people all lived in the house that my daughter is living in now.” Merrill and others in Wilson are helping to preserve that history. She bought [...]

McPherson mom likes smaller Inman schools

info2019-08-08T21:59:12-05:00August 8th, 2019|

Toni Ollenberger, of McPherson, has been impressed with the USD-448 Inman School District since entering her daughter, Gracie, into preschool at the southern McPherson County district. “It’s awesome,” Ollenberger said. “It was the smaller schools, the teachers and the students.” Ollenberger was among the many parents who went to Inman’s onsite enrollment on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Inman High School Library. Originally, Ollenberger said she was just going to have her daughter attend preschool at Inman and then begin home-schooling her for kindergarten. “We saw how awesome it is here,” Ollenberger said. “We decided to stay.” (Read more: McPherson Weekly [...]

Lenexa terminates TIF development agreement for Renner 87 mixed-use project in City Center

info2019-08-08T21:57:57-05:00August 8th, 2019|

The city of Lenexa has decided to terminate a TIF development agreement with Renner Housing LLC in City Center over the company’s failure to acquire necessary financing or the property to build Renner 87 Flats at City Center. The mixed-use project, officially titled “Project Plan 4C,” would have been located in the City Center Redevelopment TIF District. It included 250 multi-family units and about 10,000 square feet of retail on 7 acres in the northeast corner of Renner Boulevard and West 87th Street Parkway. The city council had approved the disposition and development agreement in December 2018. The city amended the [...]

Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office to use drones to fight crime

info2019-08-08T21:57:06-05:00August 8th, 2019|

Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill's office announced Thursday it will begin flying drones over public roadways and pathways in areas of unincorporated Shawnee County that have seen increases in burglaries and thefts. It is important that the sheriff's office "be proactive in trying to find these criminals," sheriff's Maj. Shane Hoobler said at Thursday's meeting of the Shawnee County Commission. (Read more: Local - The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Silicon Valley-based Plug and Play announces partnership with Topeka, Shawnee County

info2019-08-08T21:56:44-05:00August 8th, 2019|

A Silicon Valley-based company with global reach has decided to put down roots in Kansas.The Greater Topeka Partnership announced Thursday in the Capitol rotunda that California-based Plug and Play — an innovation company aiming to find, invest in and advance startup companies — has entered into an agreement with Topeka to bring startups to the area. According to key players in pulling the agreement together, the deal's impact will reach far beyond Topeka ... (Read more: Local - The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Proponent of Sunday liquor sales in South Hutch says he has enough signatures on petition

info2019-08-08T22:01:08-05:00August 8th, 2019|

A South Hutchinson liquor store owner says he has enough signatures on a petition to bring Sunday liquor sales up for a vote. Greg Dovel has been collecting signatures of South Hutchinson residents trying to drum up support for the vote. Dovel had tried unsuccessfully to get the city council to pass a resolution allowing the sales just as he opened a new business selling alcohol and tobacco products. (Read more: Hutch Post)

Group gets Atchison’s backing to aid victims

info2019-08-08T22:03:08-05:00August 8th, 2019|

After several months of uncertainty following the closure of a regional domestic violence shelter last fall, the local government has found a new partner to provide aid to the victims of perhaps more than 300 domestic disturbance cases in the town each year. Those in need of aid or shelter after experiencing abuse at the home in Northeast Kansas have gained a new partner in the last year in the form of The Alliance Against Family Violence. The Alliance, which recently re-formed after a closure in 2017, operates a single shelter supporting several rooms with five beds each at an undisclosed [...]

New banners going up soon in the downtown Hutchinson area

info2019-08-08T22:01:52-05:00August 8th, 2019|

Some new banners will start showing up in the downtown area soon. Recently the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce took on the role of promotion for Downtown Hutchinson. In an effort to engage all downtown stakeholders, a Downtown Coalition was formed and meets the second Wednesday of each month. One item that arose from those meetings was the need for new streetlight banners along Main Street. (Read more: Hutch Post)