News – Page 2427 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Marion County extends relocation incentive for new graduates

info2018-07-02T22:18:21-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

Marion County is extending for five years its participation in a program that can repay up to $15,000 in student loans for non-resident college graduates willing to relocate here. The Rural Opportunity Zone program costs the county considerably less than the $15,000 total might suggest. The county sponsors only two students at a time, pays only half of the loan forgiveness, and spreads those payments over five years, making the county’s total contribution $6,000 annually. The rest of the money comes from the state, which also forgives state income taxes for relocated graduates in the program. The county already has a [...]

Fountains finally flowing at park in Marion

info2018-07-02T22:17:02-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

A torrent of fountain problems in Central Park seemed to subside Friday when the large fountain on the west side of the park began flowing again after a lengthy period of being dry. Workers installed a new motor and pump and changed a fuse that feeds electricity to the pump. Parks and recreation director Margo Yates said the deluge of fountain woes began before Chingawassa Days. “First it was a pump, then it was a motor, now it’s a pump,” Yates said. The larger fountain has had the most issues, Yates said. A pump made in 1970 was the root of [...]

What was that huge explosion in Clay Center some 50 years ago? The teenager responsible finally comes clean

info2018-07-02T22:14:39-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

No one knew what it was or how it got there, but 50 years ago, something gouged a hole in the Clay Center, Kan., high school roof. One newspaper called it a "mysterious piece of metal" that had fallen from the sky. Authorities sent it to the nearby Air Force base in Topeka for analysis. No one could explain it. Well, some mischievous teenagers could have, but they kept their mouths shut for decades. Now, with the golden anniversary of their adventure on July 4, 1968, they are finally coming clean. "I’ll have to suffer any consequences now as an old [...]

Arkansas City firefighters retrieve a retriever

info2018-07-02T22:09:09-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

The Arkansas City Fire Department is making us Kansas proud. Firefighters responded to a call of a dog that was stuck in the mud Sunday night. The call came in from the 900 block of South 1st Street. Several neighbors tried to rescue the Labrador retriever that had fallen into a canal but had no luck. Firefighters responded with a ladder and quickly freed the pup from the mud and delivered it to safety. (Read more: KWCH News)

More than 100 first responders called in to control El Dorado prison uprising

info2018-07-02T22:08:33-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

The uprising at El Dorado Correction Facility Sunday warranted a larger response than past incidents, according to emergency responders. The Kansas Department of Corrections says about 100 inmates refused to come in from the yard and started several small fires. Everything was resolved within a few hours without any injuries. We know up to 125 emergency responders were called in to help get the situation under control. This is the second straight year flare ups have caused concern at the prison. But first resopnders say Sunday's situation was different and called for a much larger response. (Read more: KWCH News)

Growing population brings changes to Garden City hospital

info2018-07-02T22:07:48-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

A growing population means changes for Garden City's hospital as, for the first time in years, its emergency room is getting a makeover. More than 18,000 visitors come through the doors at St. Catherine Hospital each year and the hospital says it was time for a change. "We have to grow with the population," St. Catherine COO Joben Rieth says. "So one of the things that we were seeing is our ER volumes were growing about 3 to 4 percent in every year. So we knew we needed to make changes in processes, our flow and also, just update the department [...]

Harvey County looks at Wichita water plan

info2018-07-02T22:04:51-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

Water, and who is using what from the Equus Beds, was one of the top topics of discussion for the Harvey County Commission July 2. Members of the commission and county staff attended a meeting in Halstead last week to learn about proposed changes to the Wichita aquifer recharge project — and those in attendance left a bit confused. “My concern is they changed their bottom line number three times in their meeting,” said Commissioner Chip Westfall. . ”... What we have heard from them in the past year, it has changed a lot.” The city of Wichita has the state’s [...]

Lawrence officials to consider marijuana law changes

info2018-07-02T22:00:34-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

City leaders in Lawrence say they will consider lowering fines for people caught in possession of marijuana. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the current city law allows for fines of up to $1,000 for first-time offenders. A resident, Laura Green, recently presented a proposal to the Lawrence City Commission that would call for reduced fines and make other changes. The commission agreed to discuss the issue at an upcoming work session. Lawrence adopted its marijuana ordinance more than a decade ago. Green says attitudes toward marijuana have shifted in recent years. (Read more: Politics & Government News |)

Fireworks permits fund various budgets in Hutch and surrounding towns

info2018-07-02T21:59:31-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

Fireworks stands are in full operation as the Fourth of July approaches. In Hutchinson, the city took out five permits for fireworks stands. The permits cost $2,500. All the proceeds will help fund the city fireworks display at the fairgrounds. Sales and discharge of fireworks in Hutchinson is limited to six feet in height. In South Hutchinson, the city processed seven permits at $2,500 each. That $17,500 in revenue goes straight into the general fund. The city of South Hutchinson is not under the safe and sane rule, so aerial fireworks can still be discharged. Nickerson has just one fireworks stand. [...]

How many tickets has Wichita written for illegal fireworks?

info2018-07-02T21:58:18-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

Wichita has gone through its first weekend of enhanced fireworks regulations with nobody getting cited for illegal celebration, a city fire official said Monday. The promised crackdown on things that go boom in the night hasn't really started yet, said Deputy Fire Chief Stuart Bevis. Fireworks sales began in and around Wichita on Friday and some skyrockets did fly over city neighborhoods, even though they're illegal here. In May, the Wichita City Council rewrote its fireworks ordinance to make it easier to enforce. Illegal use of fireworks can now be punished with a $250 citation against the user or the owner [...]