News – Page 442 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hoping to lure families back to public schools, Wichita launches K-6 microschool experiment

info2024-08-15T09:48:27-05:00August 15th, 2024|

The Wichita school district is launching an experimental microschool in hopes of luring back some families that have left public schools. The new Creative Minds program features a one-room schoolhouse approach, with about 20 students from kindergarten through sixth grade learning from one teacher. It is housed at the for-profit Learning Lab space inside Union Station downtown — an education collaborative with ties to Wichita-based Koch Inc. District officials revealed the program during a special school board meeting recently, after quietly developing it behind the scenes. Its inaugural class includes about 15 children who were recruited from area families that had [...]

Wichita now requires all dogs and cats to be microchipped. See what else is changing

info2024-08-15T09:46:18-05:00August 15th, 2024|

All Wichita dog and cat owners will now be required to microchip their furry friends due to a City Council vote during a 10-hour-long meeting Tuesday. Now, owners are required to microchip their dogs and cats 5 months and older. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted between the pet’s shoulder blades. The microchip includes a code with the owner’s information, but does not have tracking capabilities. The Animal Services Advisory board formed a committee last year to improve animal control ordinances in Wichita. The recommendations were first presented to the council in a [...]

Salina has collected 3.5K tons of storm debris

info2024-08-15T08:29:22-05:00August 15th, 2024|

Two weeks after winds up to 95 mph were recorded during a storm crossing through Salina, the city is still working to help people clean up debris. A news release Wednesday from the city of Salina said efforts to collect and manage tree and limb debris continued after the July 31 storm. Source: Salina Journal

Unique names promoted Kansas communities

info2024-08-15T08:28:36-05:00August 15th, 2024|

New York investor Francis Skiddy wanted to have a Kansas town named after him. Skiddy promised to build a town hall in exchange for his becoming the namesake of Skiddy, a community founded in 1869 on the boundary line between Morris and Geary counties in north-central Kansas.But Skiddy reneged on his promise, and residents in 1879 changed the community’s name to Camden, according to the website legendsofkansas.com. Source: CJonline

Braxton Copley named Topeka’s assistant city manager

info2024-08-15T08:17:23-05:00August 15th, 2024|

Topeka has a new assistant city manager, but he should be a familiar face to many. Braxton Copley will serve the role for Topeka after 19 years in previous positions. ... Copley joined Topeka's city attorney's office in 2000 and over the next 12 years served in such position as assistant city attorney, interim city attorney, and utilities and transportation director. He left in 2012 to join the private sector. He returned as deputy director of utilities in 2017, then served interim director of utilities in 2020 and director of utilities in 2021. Copley was promoted to public works director in [...]

Crawford County hosts public forum on solar

info2024-08-14T11:43:53-05:00August 14th, 2024|

John Copyak, one of three proprietors of Shasta Power, updated the county commission on a proposed solar farm his company is developing between Arma and Frontenac. The farm will cover 1,500 acres, centered around an already existing power station. Additions to the current site will include battery storage and some minor modifications to tie the solar panels into the existing grid. Construction of the site will employ 200 workers, with a dozen permanent jobs remaining to maintain the site. The farm is slated to generate 200 megawatts, enough to power 50,000 homes, according to Copyak, and will generate with no noise, [...]

Hesston City Council sets grocery store community conversation date

info2024-08-14T11:41:27-05:00August 14th, 2024|

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, there will be a Grocery Store Community Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Dyck Arboretum Prairie Pavilion, 177 W Hickory St, Hesston. According to City Manager Gary Emry, representatives from Beneficient will be in attendance for a community-wide discussion about the grocery store project. This meeting was originally on the docket for June but has finally been put on the books. Source: Harvey County Now

Drivers not charging at EV spots in Merriam can now be fined

info2024-08-14T11:40:08-05:00August 14th, 2024|

The city of Merriam will now require vehicles parked in front of electric vehicle charging stations to be plugged in, or the owner will be subject to fines. On Monday, the Merriam City Council in a 6-0 vote approved a new ordinance that levies fines for owners of vehicles, both non-EV and EV alike, who park in EV charging spots without using the charging station. This follows the city of Overland Park’s move in June that set similar rules for EV parking spots, requiring vehicles parked at city chargers to be actively plugged in. There is a minimum fine of $100 [...]

Johnson County is seeing homelessness grow, but a proposed new shelter offers hope

info2024-08-14T11:38:25-05:00August 14th, 2024|

In Johnson County, homelessness is on the rise. The county's latest data, from a July point-in-time count, found that 250 people are unhoused — although the real number is likely higher. The county wants to functionally end homelessness by 2029. Its proposed Homeless Service Center could be a "crucial" part of the solution, according to Johnson County Commission chair Mike Kelly. The shelter would repurpose a La Quinta Inn and Suites at 95th Street and Interstate 35 in Lenexa, but it faces some hurdles. Kelly says there are "very real" concerns from Lenexa and other cities that can't be addressed, because [...]

City council approves new regulations for pet owners

info2024-08-14T11:36:41-05:00August 14th, 2024|

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, members discussed changes to animal services. The ordinance amendment passed 7-0. Councilors will look at the amendment again before the regulations go into effect. The Wichita Police Department recommended the following amendments: Increased fines for dog bite convictions with a first-time bite increasing from a $250 mandatory fine to a $500 fine, a second offense from a $500 fine to a $1,000 fine, and a third offense from a $1,000 fine to a $2,500 fine; Removal of mandatory dog pen requirement for dangerous dogs, leaving the determination to the discretion of Animal Services; Require microchips on [...]