News – Page 2352 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Bourbon County offices prepare to move into former jail space

info2018-09-20T09:52:13-05:00September 20th, 2018|

Bourbon County Commissioners spent much of the afternoon portion of their Tuesday meeting preparing for an upcoming move to new spaces on the first floor of the Bourbon County Courthouse. Commissioners and county officials packed up desks and office items in preparation for a move Thursday that will transfer all current offices on the second floor of the courthouse to the first floor. The first floor portion will soon house the commissioners’ desks, offices for the county clerk, the county treasurer, the new county economic development director, and the public works department. The space that previously housed offices for the Southeast [...]

‘We don’t consider that new and improved.’ Critics aim to stop Merriam pool design

info2018-09-20T09:50:52-05:00September 20th, 2018|

A group of Merriam residents upset about the proposed community center design is gathering petition signatures to try slowing the project down. The residents, calling themselves Merriam Concerned Citizens, are frustrated that the outdoor pool that will be part of the new aquatic center would be significantly smaller than the existing outdoor community pool that they consider one of Johnson County’s best. They believe the city has reneged on promises made before voters approved a tax increase in 2017 to help build the new center. “We don’t consider that new and improved. They’re reducing the recreational space in the outdoor pool,” [...]

Report: Attendance, revenue up at Kansas State Fair

info2018-09-20T09:49:38-05:00September 20th, 2018|

Great weather and a solid start to the 2018 Kansas State Fair, coupled with new programming, activities and strong concert sales, helped boost overall revenue and attendance over last year’s numbers according to fair officials. According to a media release, this year’s preliminary attendance was 327,965, a 1.76 percent increase over last year. Preliminary reports also show substantial growth in revenue. Those figures are still being tabulated, but several vendors indicated this year’s fair was one of the best in several years. “The Kansas State Fair is at a pivotal turning point,” Interim General Manager Bob Moeder said. “This year’s numbers [...]

Emporia’s zoo moves closer to hitting $4.3M fundraising goal

info2018-09-20T09:47:21-05:00September 20th, 2018|

The zoo in Emporia is getting closer to raising enough money for a major update that will include adding and renovating several exhibits. The Emporia Gazette reports that $3.6 million already has been raised for the $4.3 million project. Once the campaign hits $4 million, the Capitol Federal Foundation has agreed to donate the final $300,000. The Capital Federal donation will be used to renovate and rebuild the Waterfowl Pond and Gardens Exhibit. (Read more: KOAM - Local News)

Finney County judge orders deputies to go find jurors

info2018-09-20T09:46:49-05:00September 20th, 2018|

The Finney County Sheriff's Office shared a post on after 10 jurors didn't show up to jury duty on Tuesday. Three deputies from the sheriff's office went to places like the post office and Wal-Mart to find jurors. The sheriff's office says this has only happened four times in 22 years. The court administrator tells us the wrong summons dates were sent out to jurors this week. The court administrator says all jurors showed up Wednesday. (Read more: KWCH News)

Homeowners opposed to tiny-homes development may sue City of Wichita

info2018-09-20T09:46:22-05:00September 20th, 2018|

Homeowners near a planned tiny-homes development say they may sue the City of Wichita. This comes a after the city last month approved the development at 143rd Street East and Harry in far east Wichita to move forward. Area homeowners are upset over the development plans and are talking about how they can stop it. Their primary concern is that the tiny homes nearby will lower their property values. “I absolutely would not have built this house if there had been 90 tiny homes behind it,” area resident Ryan Schweizer said after the city approved the development's plans last month. Schweizer [...]

Townships oppose City of Lansing’s plan to withdraw from fire district

info2018-09-20T09:44:14-05:00September 20th, 2018|

Attorneys say the Delaware and High Prairie township boards want Leavenworth County Fire District No. 1 to remain intact. And the township boards will oppose efforts by the city of Lansing to disband the fire district. That is the message in a letter signed by attorneys for Delaware and High Prairie townships. Currently, Fire District No. 1 provides services to Lansing and Delaware and High Prairie townships. The fire district is governed by a board made up of members who were nominated by Lansing and the two townships. In June, the Lansing City Council sent a letter to various parties involved [...]

Reno County Commission questions shift in TECH spending

info2018-09-20T09:39:58-05:00September 20th, 2018|

Reno County Commission Chairman Ron Hirst voiced objection Tuesday to the Technology and Evaluation Center of Hutchinson shifting $60,000 in county funding from its former early childhood education program for infants and toddlers into expanding its art program and its children and family services budget. TECH, however, shifted the proposed spending after it and the Reno County Education Cooperative severed a longstanding agreement under which TECH oversaw in-home programs for children birth to age 3, while RCEC ran programs for children 3 to 5. The dollars, which come from a county mill levy designated for programs to support the developmentally disabled, [...]

Committee offers recommendations on bond, fees in Kansas municipal courts

info2018-09-20T09:37:14-05:00September 20th, 2018|

In an effort to increase equity in Kansas municipal courts, a committee offered 18 recommendations Wednesday on bond, fines and fees. The ad hoc committee was formed about a year ago at the direction of the Kansas Supreme Court. Economically disadvantaged people are disproportionately jailed because of their inability to post bond or pay court fees, Chief Justice Lawton Nuss said. Some municipal courts use a bond schedule that lists a crime and a bond amount. “Just to take a bond schedule, which is one size fits all, and not look at the individual characteristics of each defendant is a problem,” [...]

Ellis County discusses policy of free dumping at waste station for non-profits

info2018-09-20T09:30:48-05:00September 20th, 2018|

The agency that supports Special Olympics in Hays is spending a good deal of money hauling trash to Ellis County’s municipal waste transfer station. The nonprofit would like to dump it for free like other non-profit organizations, said Jim Huenergarde, board president for the local Arc chapter. The problem is due to a big jump in donated household goods that can’t be sold but that are dropped off at Arc of Central Plains locations. Arc’s request spurred Ellis County Public Works Director Bill Ring to ask the County Commissioners how they want to handle the county’s free dumping policy for nonprofits. [...]