News – Page 2255 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hutch has extra time to file legal response

info2019-01-02T11:07:40-06:00January 2nd, 2019|

The city of Hutchinson has extra time to file its response in U.S. District Court to charges by a former Hutchinson police officer that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and retaliated against him. Former Officer Devin Berman has Tourette’s syndrome and he sued the city Dec. 20, claiming in part that after he threatened to file a lawsuit against the Hutchinson Police Department charging discrimination, he received a poor performance review and was denied a raise. (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)

Commissioners relent, won’t hire administrator

info2019-01-02T11:02:48-06:00January 2nd, 2019|

In a striking reversal, county commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to rescind their controversial decision of three weeks earlier to hire a county administrator. Commissioner Dianne Novak made the surprise motion despite also having made the original motion to create the position, the idea of which was rejected by 55.3 percent of voters in a non-binding referendum a year ago. Randy Dallke, who opposed Novak’s original motion, agreed with her to rescind it. Kent Becker, who favored the original motion, cast the lone vote against reversing it. Novak’s motion came after concerned citizens, some of whom already had left the meeting, spoke [...]

Subzero wind chills impact fire efforts, community responds with kindness

info2019-01-02T11:01:25-06:00January 2nd, 2019|

Hutchinson fire crews were called to a structure fire just before 7 a.m. on New Year's Day. A wood hobby shop in the 900 block of South Main caught on fire. But crews were not only battling the blaze but also the cold. A press release from Hutchinson fire claims the subzero wind chills hampered fire operations with a broken hydrant, freezing water, slippery conditions, and wet gear for the firefighters. "Obviously, we use a lot of water, it instantly turns to ice. Not only does it factor with the people, but it also factors with the building as it continues [...]

Garden City flights take off after five days of cancellations

info2019-01-02T10:59:51-06:00January 2nd, 2019|

Flights in and out of the Garden City Regional Airport operated as scheduled Tuesday after five days of frequent cancellations due to weather. As a heavy snowstorm rolled into southwest Kansas last week, the airport canceled its Dec. 26, 2018, evening flight and subsequently the Thursday morning flight. Over the next several days, all flights — morning, afternoon and evening — on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were also canceled, as well as the morning and evening flights on Monday. Monday afternoon flights went forward and the runway opened Saturday, but only for smaller aircrafts, said the airport’s Director of Aviation [...]

Proposed eight-minute limit for Topeka City Council presentations off table

info2019-01-02T11:36:35-06:00January 2nd, 2019|

Topeka city manager Brent Trout recently proposed setting an eight-minute limit for presentations to the city council. Trout then made a presentation to the council that was noticeably longer, which Councilwoman Sylvia Ortiz pointed out. Now the proposed eight-minute limit appears to be off the table. It is no longer among proposed revisions to the council’s rules and procedures the city’s governing body plans to consider approving Jan. 8, according to the preliminary agenda for that meeting released this past week. The proposal’s current version would instead direct the city manager to tell those he invites to make presentations before the [...]

Design chosen for Augusta’s new flag

info2018-12-31T08:56:12-06:00December 31st, 2018|

Judges for the Augusta Flag Contest presented two final designs to the public last month and 331 people voted. Online votes numbered 270, while 61 people voted in person at the Augusta Public Library. The public vote ended on Dec. 18, 2018. The flag design by Jessica Dunegan, received 74.5 percent of the vote, with the other 25.5 percent going to another design. (Read more: andoveramerican.com)

Manhattan Chamber renews contracts, looks ahead to 2019

info2018-12-30T17:54:08-06:00December 30th, 2018|

Officials with the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce continue to look at new ways to market the community to others traveling through Kansas. Lyle Butler, President and CEO of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, was on In Focus recently and provided an update on Marketing Manhattan and some of the recent contract renewals approved by the Manhattan City Commission recently. (Read more: 1350 KMAN)

County commission approves sewer benefit district resolution

info2018-12-30T17:53:24-06:00December 30th, 2018|

The Riley County commissioners on Thursday approved a resolution determining a treatment lagoon project at the Bridgeview Heights sewer benefit district to be not feasible. Deputy County Counselor Craig Cox says the sewer district was created in June 2017 and the commission at that time authorized construction of a multi-residential lagoon. Now, the property owners qualify for a private sanitation system which would make the current project obsolete. “Now each property owner will have their own on site sanitary system on their property,” said Cox,” I’m asking the commission to make the determination that the lagoon system is no longer feasible.” [...]

Kansas court system granting employees paid parental leave

info2018-12-30T17:50:50-06:00December 30th, 2018|

The Kansas court system's employees will now receive six weeks of paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child. The Kansas Supreme Court issued an administrative order Friday covering the 1,600 judicial branch workers under its supervision. The court's order came a month after Gov. Jeff Colyer issued an executive order establishing a similar policy for more than 17,000 employees in executive branch agencies. The Supreme Court sets policy for the judicial branch. Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss said providing paid family leave is a step toward keeping the judicial branch competitive with private companies in recruiting employees. [...]

Leavenworth County Commission approves new district boundaries

info2018-12-30T17:44:16-06:00December 30th, 2018|

The Leavenworth County Commission has approved new boundaries for commission districts. Commissioners approved the redrawn districts Thursday. The commission districts had to be redrawn after voters approved the expansion of the commission from three districts to five. Thursday’s vote came after Vicky Kaaz officially joined the commission. Last month, voters elected Kaaz to represent the County Commission’s 2nd District. She had been scheduled to take office next month. But she has joined the commission early after being appointed to fill a vacancy created by the recent resignation of former Commissioner Louis Klemp. Following Klemp’s vacancy, the commission was temporarily down to [...]