“Choose Topeka”: You could earn up to $15,000 just by moving to Kansas state capital

Topeka, the state capital, is offering potential new residents up to $15,000 to move there.

A pilot program called “Choose Topeka” will match employer funds put up for people who move to Topeka and live and work there for a year, city and Shawnee County economic development groups announced Thursday. The program will pay up to $10,000 to people who rent and $15,000 to those who purchase or rehabilitate a home, according to the news release from the Greater Topeka Partnership.

“Choose Topeka was created with the intention of investing in employees to live and work in Topeka & Shawnee County, so that we may foster an ‘intentional community,’ one of community support builders,” said Barbara Stapleton, vice president of Business Retention and Talent Initiatives for GO Topeka, an organization of the Greater Topeka Partnership. GO Topeka and the Joint Economic Development Organization are partnering on the effort.

(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)

Ranson Financial2019-12-15T23:33:45-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

Wichita, Jewish community team up for rare addition to Century II’s holiday light display

The city’s annual holiday display of jolly lighted Christmas characters in front of Century II has always been reliably unchanged: a happy waving snowman, a smiling dragon donning a Santa hat, a rigid saluting soldier.

This week, though, the display on Kennedy Plaza got an addition, the first one in years. On Wednesday, city workers put up three new lighted structures — a giant menorah accompanied by two dreidels. The structures, which represent the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, face Douglas on the west side of Century II, sitting just in front of A. Price Woodard Park and just to the east of the Douglas Avenue Bridge.

The addition of the decorations was the result of a three-year campaign by a local mother of five — Maggie Pichinte — who also is a member of the the Hebrew Congregation of Wichita. It all started back in December 2016, on Sara’s fifth birthday, she said.

(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2019-12-15T23:32:00-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

After nearly a decade, Prairie Village’s ‘Shop with a Cop’ continues to brighten holidays for group of youngsters

Board games, fuzzy socks and Legos filled shopping carts as Prairie Village police officers spread out through the aisles at Target in Mission to bring the holiday spirit to 10 elementary children on Thursday afternoon.

The Prairie Village Police Department held its ninth annual “Shop with a Cop” event, which provides children the chance to pick out presents for themselves and their loved ones. This year, each child had a shopping budget of $250. Funds for the event were secured through partnerships across the city, said Prairie Village Police Chief Tim Schwartzkopf.

“It gives us an opportunity to give back a little bit to the community,” Schwartzkopf said. “In partnership with the Prairie Village Municipal Foundation, local businesses and other donors, we’re able to provide a fun shopping experience to some kids from Prairie Village.”

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Ranson Financial2019-12-16T09:28:38-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

Leawood police help subsidize Ring security camera purchases for 300 residents

As police departments across Johnson County — and the rest of the country — are increasingly turning to footage from private cameras to aid in crime investigations, the city of Leawood recently partnered with Ring, producers of a variety of security products, to make the devices cheaper for a limited number of residents.

On Wednesday, Leawood police hosted an event kicking off a program that provided a $100 discount to 300 residents on the purchase of a selection of Ring products, from video doorbells to spotlight cameras to security kits. Leawood residents were lined up at the Lodge at Ironwoods Park to get their discount codes and then purchase products from Ring staff on site.

Leawood is the first city in the area to participate in Ring’s subsidy match program. Through the program, a city provides $50 toward the purchase of a device and the company provides another $50 for a total discount of $100. Capt. Kirt Yoder of the Leawood Police Department said the funds for the city’s portion of the subsidies, which totaled $15,000, came from the public safety budget.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Ranson Financial2019-12-16T09:28:51-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

JoCo looks at expanding microtransit to lower income neighborhoods, cutting back on bus routes

Service area for Johnson County’s micro transit pilot program will likely be expanded in coming months to include more low-income neighborhoods. But some of the regular bus routes are still on the chopping block, as the county commission continues to try to figure out how to make the transit system more popular and less expensive.

County commissioners, who met for the second time in two months on the subject, agreed that the year-old hail-a-minibus service should include more areas where residents struggle with poverty and don’t have transportation to jobs and medical appointments.

But they couldn’t settle on what the balance should be between the relatively new micro transit and traditional fixed route buses.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Ranson Financial2019-12-16T09:30:55-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

Kansas public schools must snuff out vaping with bans for students — and adults, too

A minute ago, vaping was seen as a great way to quit smoking. But now we know that almost a third of teenagers who use e-cigarettes are smoking cigarettes six months later.

And now that we know more, too, about how unhealthy and risky vaping itself is, we agree with the Kansas State Board of Education’s unanimous vote this week to encourage school districts in the state to ban e-cigarettes and all tobacco products.

The kind of ban they’re suggesting would apply, just as it should, on all school grounds, in all school vehicles and at all school activities. It would apply not only to students but adults — guests, volunteers and employees — as well.

Ranson Financial2019-12-15T23:15:58-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

Study: marjority of farms remain family-owned

U.S. farming, according to a just-released study, remains predominantly family-owned.

According to “America’s Diverse Family Farms: 2019 edition,” a report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service that was released Wednesday, family farms as a group represent 98% of U.S. farms and 88% of production in 2018.

Approximately 90% of U.S. farms are considered small farms. In 2018, these farms, bringing in less than $350,000 in gross revenue, accounted for 48% of farm acres. Although the majority of farmers reside on small farms and have a large amount of land, their production holds at 21.

Ranson Financial2019-12-15T23:13:39-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

Marion community comes out for firefighter-made food

In addition to the opportunity to ride on Marion Fire Department trucks on Saturday, community members got the chance to sample a variety or food made by the firefighters or their loved ones.

“We have all kinds of food. Deer chili, spicy chili, regular chili, chicken noodle soup, ham and potato soup, brownies, cinnamon rolls and more,” said Fire Chief Preston Williams.

Donations for the meal will go to purchasing gear for the firefighters.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

Ranson Financial2019-12-16T09:31:21-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

New Aquatic Center in Lenexa impresses swimmers

This weekend, Larry and Libby and kids enjoyed the brand new Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center, located in the heart of the growing Lenexa City Center neighborhood!

This $28 million, 55,000-square-foot aquatic center sits across the street from the Lenexa Rec Center at 87th Street Parkway and Winchester Street. It is a partnership between the Shawnee Mission School District and Johnson County Parks & Recreation District, which operates the facility. The City of Lenexa donated the land to the school district.

Across the street is a convenient hotel, a SpringHill Suites, which made the snow storm much more tolerable. For the record, son Jackson qualified for the Sunday afternoon finals in two events, but they were canceled due to the weather.

Ranson Financial2019-12-16T09:47:09-06:00December 15, 2019|News|

$200 million development coming to Gardner, with homes, retail, hotels

A $200 million development — containing three hotels, 367 single-family homes and 424 units of multi-family housing — is coming to the east side of Gardner. Stores, restaurants and offices also are part of the project.

The city has approved an agreement with Grata Development to develop the 262-acre site on the southeast corner of 175th Street and Interstate 35. The city annexed the property in September.

“This is a true example of a public-private partnership,” Mayor Steve Shute said in the city’s most recent newsletter. “We’ve firmly planted our flag on the east side of I-35, and we expect this project to be a catalyst for innumerable future wins for our residents’ quality of life and the entire region.”
(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Ranson Financial2019-12-13T06:20:52-06:00December 13, 2019|News|