News – Page 2071 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Recycle or Burn? Local Governments Must Choose for the Long Term.

info2019-07-12T03:28:10-05:00July 12th, 2019|

One of the great responsibilities of public office is to know when and how to use its power to change a dangerous trend. At this time of recycling disruption and municipal-waste crisis, local governments have an urgent challenge and opportunity to steer America in the right direction. Their decisions about whether to invest in recycling or regress to just burning our trash will impact environmental trends for decades to come. Over the past 30 years, recycling went from being an aspiration to an American habit and a significant waste-management practice. When I was governor of Indiana in the early 1990s, I [...]

CrossWinds partners with USD 253 to address mental health in schools

info2019-07-12T03:25:36-05:00July 12th, 2019|

The USD 253 Board of Education heard from CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness representatives at its Wednesday meeting. CrossWinds provides behavioral health services to Emporia’s school district as part of a partnership between the two organizations. During the meeting, members were briefed on several measures CrossWinds officials are taking in local schools, which board member Mallory Koci appreciated. (Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Halstead residents sign petition to legalize golf carts

info2019-07-12T00:35:50-05:00July 11th, 2019|

Halstead residents want a new way to get around town. Last week, an online petition was started to legalize the use of golf carts in city limits. Organizer Cory Harrington said he decided to seek public opinion on the topic after hearing a number of people mention the idea to him. The online petition went live last week on Tuesday and quickly gained just over 300 signatures. Harrington said the names on the petition are a “fairly decent representation” of Halstead residents. He estimated that about 80 percent of the signatures were actual Halstead residents, while others were former residents. (Read [...]

Urged by students, City to consider T-21 ordinance

info2019-07-12T00:35:10-05:00July 11th, 2019|

Karly Green looked at the Newton City Commission and started talking about a problem she sees at Newton High School.The sophomore, a member of STAND, started hearing about e-cigarettes in 2017 and was a little concerned. Then, she said, use of the devices "exploded.""It was like everyone was Juuling," Green said. "(A Juul) carries the same amount (of nicotine) as 20 cigarettes in one pod."Juul is an e-cigarette company. ... (Read more: Newton Kansan)

Newton offers support of rural school program

info2019-07-12T00:34:30-05:00July 11th, 2019|

Should voters approve a new school in an upcoming bond election, Walton Rural Life Center would be closed in favor of a new building at S.W. 24th and Old Main. And that means concern over whether such a school could house livestock for its agricultural emphasis. “There have been questions and concerns as to whether that (livestock) is allowed in the city limits,” said Bob Myer, city manager. “We had researched this in the past. We feel the existing animal control regulations already contain exemptions for an educational institution, especially one regulated by the USDA.” (Read more: Newton Kansan)

After talks break down, City of Lawrence and firefighters union cancel planned meetings until mediator takes over

info2019-07-12T00:37:41-05:00July 11th, 2019|

Negotiations between the City of Lawrence and the local firefighters union have come to a halt until a mediator takes over the proceedings next week. A local resolution governing contract negotiations states that the negotiations are automatically considered at an impasse if they aren’t concluded by July 1. By the time the groups reached the impasse date, they were still far apart on agreeing to a new employment contract covering wages, benefits and working conditions for firefighters, fire engineers and fire lieutenants with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical. The current contract expires at the end of this year. Read more: LJWorld.com.

City of Lawrence leaders, school board begin heated discussion on future funding for school resource officers

info2019-07-12T00:38:35-05:00July 11th, 2019|

School district leaders have concerns about helping the city pay for a program that puts police officers in schools, and some are questioning whether the program is worthwhile at all. That was the takeaway from Wednesday’s meeting between City of Lawrence leaders and the Lawrence school board about whether the district should contribute some funding for the Lawrence Police Department’s school resource officer program. The program has been paid for solely by grants and city funds since 2001. At Wednesday’s meeting, however, Police Chief Gregory Burns Jr. proposed expanding the program and also suggested that the school district pay half of [...]

Developers propose $500M arts campus near Kansas Speedway

info2019-07-11T01:51:48-05:00July 11th, 2019|

Developers are proposing a $500 million arts-and-entertainment campus in the Kansas City area with housing for students and seniors. The Kansas City Star reports that the Bonner Springs City Council this week approved a zoning change that developers needed to move ahead with the 180-acre project. It would be near NASCAR’s Kansas Speedway and the Village West shopping district at Interstates 70 and 435. The campus would include a for-profit college to train people to work in film and television production and engineering, along with housing for its students. Plans also call for independent living, assistant living and a memory care [...]

USD 428 planning tours ahead of bond issue election

info2019-07-11T01:48:07-05:00July 11th, 2019|

A school bond issue ballot will be mailed to USD 428 voters on August 20, 2019. It comes down to two simple ‘yes or no’ questions for the Great Bend school district. The outcome from a mail-in ballot will determine if USD 428 is able to move forward with renovations, enhancements, and additions to their facilities. The first bond question worth $41,750,000 plans to make renovations to all seven of the school buildings, including a new sixth-grade classroom wing at Great Bend Middle School to make the shift of sixth graders to the middle school. USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says [...]

Wichita State lands $33M contract for Army missile program

info2019-07-11T01:43:59-05:00July 11th, 2019|

Wichita State University’s aviation research program has landed a $33 million contract for the Army’s high-speed missile program. The Wichita Eagle reports that the three-year contract calls for the National Institute for Aviation Research to make the missiles lighter and cheaper while improving performance. Wichita State interim president Andy Tompkins said in a news release Tuesday that the contract will give students, both undergraduates and graduates, “an advantage no other university in the country can match.” (Read more: Hutch Post)