News – Page 2163 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Mission Hills council weighs options for opposing LGBTQ+ discrimination

info2019-04-10T09:14:52-05:00April 10th, 2019|

Mission Hills continued to wrestle with how to best apply non-discrimination language providing legal protections to LGBTQ+ individuals during this week’s council meeting. While governing body members generally agreed they support the spirit of having a non-discrimination ordinance, several questioned the necessity of an NDO in Mission Hills, as the city does not have commercial employers or multi-family rentals. “We may end up without much of an ordinance because we have very little we manage,” said councilmember Bill Bruning. (Read more: Prairie Village Post - Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)

Ellis County seeks city buy-in for countywide sales tax

info2019-04-10T09:13:41-05:00April 10th, 2019|

Ellis County is looking at a countywide sales tax to fix its budget crisis. But the question is whether it would share the money with cities in Ellis County. That was the debate among the three Ellis County Commissioners at their regular meeting Monday evening, asking whether voters will approve a tax the county doesn’t share among the cities. If shared, that would more than halve the amount of money the county gets from the tax. But County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst was firm the county must share, when it comes to the cities. “I’m not going to single out we’re going [...]

“This is the people’s ballpark”: Baseball team owner, city leaders react to new design renderings

info2019-04-10T09:12:18-05:00April 10th, 2019|

From the dugouts to the footings for the grand stands, the new baseball stadium is starting to take shape. The city released new renderings that show more detail of what the stadium will look like, as well as the developments that will surround it. "This is the people's ballpark," said Lou Schwechheimer, owner of Wichita Baseball 2020. The latest renderings feature art, the way people will be given directions around the park and even what the stadium will look like at night. These renderings are the most detailed so far. "This is literally being designed as we build it," Schwechheimer said. [...]

Local sustainability leader says Lawrence needs to take bold action on climate issues

info2019-04-10T10:03:15-05:00April 10th, 2019|

The local sustainability director told city leaders Tuesday that ambitious climate action is needed on the global, national and local levels, and that the city needs a plan to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Director Jasmin Moore told city commissioners at their study session that local governments are already dealing with more frequent flooding and extreme heat, and that the city needs a plan for the years to come to deal with those and other climate-related issues. “What are we doing to adapt to those changing conditions?” Moore said. “The status quo is pretty risky at this [...]

Governor approves SB 105 authorizing cities to determine start date of officials by resolution

info2019-04-09T09:38:39-05:00April 9th, 2019|

From the legislative summary: Start Dates for Terms of Certain Local Offices; SB 105 SB 105 authorizes a city to determine the start date of a regular term of office for a city officer by resolution of the city. In law regarding city elections, the bill requires the start date be on or after December 1 following certification of the election and no later than the second Monday in January following certification of the election. If the city does not establish an alternative date, the bill specifies such term will begin on the second Monday in January. In law regarding terms [...]

Kansas liquor laws changed April 1. Here’s how several Shawnee Mission area cities updated local ordinances as a result

info2019-04-09T08:52:26-05:00April 9th, 2019|

After Kansas legislators changed state laws to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell stronger beer, several cities in northeast Johnson County have been changing their codes to reflect the change. Grocery and convenience stores are now permitted to sell beer with an alcoholic content up to 6 percent by volume under the law signed by Gov. Sam Brownback in April 2017. Those stores were previously only able to sell beer with an alcoholic content up to 3.2 percent by weight. The new state laws will also permit drinking establishments to serve alcoholic liquor between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m. [...]

County commissioners approve hiring of solid waste director

info2019-04-09T08:49:02-05:00April 9th, 2019|

Shawnee County is officially in the market for a solid waste director. At Monday morning’s meeting, which lasted about 25 minutes, Shawnee County Commissioners Bob Archer, Kevin Cook and Bill Riphahn voted 3-0 to approve the hiring of a person to oversee the county’s solid waste division, which provides trash and recycling services for individuals in Topeka and throughout the county. The change in job description would separate the position that currently is held by Curt Niehaus, who is serving as director of both Shawnee County Public Works and Shawnee County Solid Waste. Commissioners had delayed a vote on the recommended [...]

New hospital to open in Derby

info2019-04-09T08:47:42-05:00April 9th, 2019|

A new hospital will soon open in Derby, which has become an emerging market for health care in the past few years. The $40 million, 31-bed Rock Regional Hospital, which staff began occupying in February, is still awaiting state inspections and clearance by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to start accepting patients, according to hospital CEO Jason Eitutis. Located across from Derby North Middle School and just north of Field Station: Dinosaurs, the hospital is part of a new 15-acre medical campus at 3251 N. Rock Road being developed by CBC Real Estate Group from Kansas City, Mo. Rock [...]

Sedg. Co. Sheriff unveils new vehicle for community events

info2019-04-09T08:46:58-05:00April 9th, 2019|

The Sedgwick County Sheriff has unveiled a new look for one of his department's patrol cars. This vehicle will be for special community events, like DARE programs and parades. It features the Sheriff's Office logos, along with images like the Keeper of the Plains and wheat fields. The department says it's been working on this project for about five months. They hope the new look will help them with recruiting, too. (Read more: KWCH News)

Does your council/board eat at meetings? One school district looking to make meetings more efficient

info2019-04-09T08:46:00-05:00April 9th, 2019|

Haven USD schools have been planning this year for the redesign of their delivery of education in 2019-2020. That spurred Haven school board member Jessica Schmidt to consider how the school board could redesign its meetings to condense the agenda and possibly provide snacks in addition to mints. The Haven board meeting starts at 6 a.m. School districts across Kansas responded to an inquiry from USD 312. A number said they are able to keep the meeting under two hours or within two and a half hours. On the food question, responses ranged widely. Brewster USD 314: A local grocery store [...]