News – Page 2172 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Lawrence City Commission to consider increasing community input for downtown master plan

info2019-04-01T08:47:12-05:00April 1st, 2019|

After Lawrence city commissioners criticized the process, commissioners will soon consider increasing the amount of community input gathered for the development of the Downtown Master Plan. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the commission will consider revising and expanding the community engagement component of the development of the plan. The proposed changes would add $37,070 to the $110,000 contract for Houseal Lavigne Associates, the consultant helping the city to draft the plan, according to city staff memo to the commission. The proposed expansion to the community input component calls for adding outreach activities for youth and college-aged community members and a [...]

Law allowing Kansas grocery stores to sell full-strength beer takes effect today

info2019-04-01T08:46:17-05:00April 1st, 2019|

As of Monday, employees at grocery stores across the state will be stocking shelves with a product they’ve never been allowed to sell before — full-strength beer. Elsewhere, liquor stores will also begin to stock shelves with new nonalcoholic products, although some liquor store owners say the changes are a bit of a mixed bag. On Monday, a law that was passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2017 will go into effect and allow grocers and convenience stores to sell beer with an alcohol content of up to 6 percent alcohol by volume, or ABV. Under previous law, they could only [...]

Richard LaMunyon founded the “Law Enforcement Torch Run” in Wichita in 1981 — it has since grown into the largest fund-raising entity in the history of Special Olympics!

info2019-03-29T10:22:13-05:00March 29th, 2019|

Richard LaMunyon (current Maize city administrator and former Wichita Police Chief) founded the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics in 1981 in Wichita. That first year, five officers ran five miles with five Kansas Special Olympics Athletes and $300 was raised. Chief LaMunyon helped the fundraiser expand statewide, nationwide and worldwide when he approached the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in 1982. And, in 1983, Chief LaMunyon approached International Special Olympics founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, for Law Enforcement to become a “funding” partner. Fast forward to the present (2019) The Law Enforcement Touch Run movement is the largest [...]

Impressed by Lawrence’s sense of community, city manager finalists hope to make a difference

info2019-03-29T10:23:12-05:00March 29th, 2019|

Both candidates for the position of Lawrence city manager said the city’s sense of community appeals to them and that they intend to improve on it if they’re hired. The city announced Wednesday that the two finalists are Susan Sherman and Craig Owens. Sherman, originally from Ada, Ohio, is currently the assistant city manager for Olathe. Owens, originally from Overland Park, is the city manager of Clayton, Mo. Both Sherman and Owens are graduates of the University of Kansas Master of Public Administration program and are International City/County Management Association Credentialed Managers. Read more: LJWorld.com.

Oswego clinic to open Monday

info2019-03-29T07:06:12-05:00March 29th, 2019|

The temporary Labette Health Oswego Clinic and Express Care will open Monday at 608 Commercial in Oswego, the former home of Sonic Drive-in. Clinic hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Labette Health is still working on a permanent location for future health care in Oswego and also is working with Chetopa for a clinic site. The clinic site will have seven staff, two providers, two medical assistants, two clinic coordinators and a housekeeper. The two providers will be Amy Smith and Cindi Major. Both are certified advanced practice [...]

Healthier Lyon County proposes sidewalk improvements

info2019-03-29T06:53:59-05:00March 29th, 2019|

Emporia City Commissioners are closer to considering a resolution to improve some city sidewalks, bike paths and sharrows as part of a Healthier Lyon County initiative. Healthier Lyon County Grant Director Daphne Mertens told city commissioners that $100,000 was available for the project during Wednesday’s study session. The money is part of Healthier Lyon County’s $500,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways grant that was awarded in 2017. Mertens said city commissioners had turned over discussions on the initiative to the Multi-Use-Path Planning Board to identify possible locations where enhanced or added sidewalks would be the most beneficial to residents. The board [...]

Joint Hospital Advisory Committee votes no to Sabetha’s request; revises sales tax resolution to include Horton

info2019-03-29T06:36:36-05:00March 29th, 2019|

The Joint Hospital Advisory Committee voted “NO” to a request from Sabetha Community Hospital for a portion of a half-cent sales tax designated for Hiawatha Community Hospital and healthcare in Brown County. This vote came Thursday during a noon meeting of the committee — which was formed in January to help the Hiawatha Community Hospital find a solution to its financial issues — after much discussion and a presentation by Lora Key, CEO of Sabetha Community Hospital. The bottom line was the committee members felt that the sales tax should go toward facilities maintained in Brown County. They pointed out that [...]

Leavenworth County Commission approves disaster declaration

info2019-03-29T06:32:28-05:00March 29th, 2019|

When they met Wednesday, Leavenworth County commissioners approved a resolution for a local disaster declaration resulting from flooding from the Missouri River. Commission Chairman Doug Smith had signed a disaster declaration document over the weekend, according to Kim Buchanan, deputy director of Leavenworth County Emergency Management. But Buchanan said she wanted to bring the matter to the entire County Commission for approval. Buchanan said the Leavenworth area has been under a flood warning since March 13. According to Chuck Magaha, Leavenworth County Emergency Management director, the local declaration will allow the county to be included in a state disaster declaration and [...]

Sedgwick County hosts public forum on solar, wind energy

info2019-03-29T06:30:35-05:00March 29th, 2019|

Kansas is no stranger to alternative energy, with several wind farms popping up across the state in recent years. A public forum is scheduled tonight for residents to provide input on wind and solar energy systems in the county. In Reno County, at the border of Sedgwick County, county officials said around 80 turbines will soon pop up. Officials looked around Sedgwick County, and found several leases for solar and wind energy developments. Following this news, Sedgwick County Commissioners voted in February to temporarily ban wind and solar energy developments in the county. "We put a moratorium on any kind of [...]

City of Lawrence announces two finalists for city manager position

info2019-03-28T11:33:06-05:00March 28th, 2019|

The City of Lawrence has announced final candidates for the position of city manager. The two finalists are Susan Sherman and Craig Owens, according to a news release from the city Wednesday. Sherman is currently the assistant city manager for Olathe. Owens is the city manager of Clayton, Mo. Mayor Lisa Larsen said that all the candidates selected for interviews were strong candidates, but that Sherman and Owens stood out due to the depth of their city management service. “They have been in city management for many, many years and their duties have just increased over their time in service,” Larsen [...]