Olathe recognized as one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America

The city of Olathe has been recognized as one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America by the Health Intelligence company Springbuk.

The announcement concludes a year-long wellness awards program in more than 45 U.S. cities. The winners are recognized for investing in the health and well-being of their employers and for the effectiveness of those initiatives. Other local names on the list include Burns & McDonnell, J.E. Dunn Construction, CBIZ, the Raytown School District and KCP&L, which is now Evergy.

Applicants were evaluated across six key categories: culture and leadership commitment, foundational components, strategic planning, marketing and communications, programming and interventions, and lastly, reporting and analytics.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T17:06:34-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Overland Park police deploy 200 body cameras to officers in the field

Overland Park police officers this week began wearing body cameras that sync up with the existing dashboard camera systems in their vehicles, a move department officials say will help improve transparency.

However, some advocates say that to be truly effective in building community trust, the city must also set a policy ensuring that footage captured by the cameras is available to the public upon request.

The deployment of the new body camera systems comes after nearly 10 months of field testing, with six test cameras used by officers in the field since last December. On Monday, the department put the cameras into full circulation, deploying 200 of them to officers working in traffic safety, emergency services, community policing and school resource officer assignments. Cameras are also available to detectives working on investigations.

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T17:03:55-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Kansas unemployment drops to lowest in 40-plus years

Kansas is reporting that its unemployment rate in October dipped to 3.1% and was at its lowest rate in more than 40 years.

Image Kansas Department of Labor

The state Department of Labor said Tuesday that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined from 3.2% in September and was below the 3.3% recorded in October 2018.

Labor Secretary Delia Garcia said the last time unemployment was 3.1% was in April 1979. The rate has stayed below 4% since January 2017.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T17:03:06-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Opportunities expanding for Remington students

As part of the Gemini II group in the Kansans Can School Redesign project, Fredric Remington High School introduced a new look this school year with one of the biggest changes geared toward preparing students to enter the working world.

With no previous internship program to speak of, the high school is building from the ground up to offer work experiences for its students, which are geared toward sophomores, juniors and seniors. This year, the school introduced three classes to help prepare students for post-graduation — including career exploration, diversified occupations and employability skills — with the district currently gathering feedback from area business partners to generate internship opportunities tied to the coursework.

“Our hope is to provide more opportunities for our students to get real world experience and to be able to get out into the community and neighboring communities to get some on-the-job training,” said high school counselor Desha Ayres.
(Read more: News – Dodge City Daily Globe – Dodge City, KS)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T19:32:10-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Dodge City hires Nick Hernandez as new city manager

The city commission voted unanimously to approve the city manager employment agreement with Nick Hernandez at its meeting Monday night.

Hernandez’s employment with the city will take effect June 1, 2020, when long-time City Manager Cherise Tieben plans to retire after 30 years of service to the city.

Like Tieben, Hernandez is a Ford County native. He is the current manager of Arkansas City, a position he has held for eight and a half years.

Prior to that, he served as manager of Osage City for three years.

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T19:30:52-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Sheriff’s office awarded 911 grant to upgrade dispatch consoles

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center is poised for an equipment upgrade.

The sheriff’s office has learned it will receive a $284,272.80 state grant to purchase four P25 IP based dispatch consoles, according to a news release issued Tuesday, Nov. 12.

“This grant will help offset costs to upgrade the radio communications system within the communications center,” Sheriff Frank Kelly said.

More than $2.75 million in grant money was awarded to the state of Kansas, 911 Coordinating Council, by the National 911 grant program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National 911 Program.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T16:51:05-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Spirit AeroSystems approved for up to $40 million in IRBs

The Wichita City Council on Tuesday approved the issuance of up to $40 million in industrial revenue bonds for Spirit AeroSystems Inc. to help the manufacturer finance upgrades to its facilities made in 2019.

The new IRBs, which were approved 6-0 as Council member Cindy Claycomb was not in attendance, come from the letter of intent for up to $280 million in IRBs approved for Spirit (NYSE: SPR) in 2016.

IRBs require no taxpayer commitment and the city acts only as a pass-through entity. However, using IRB financing can help the company secure a better interest rate on the projects.

The bonds will help cover 2019 upgrades including chillers, cranes, lighting and industrial waste line and road replacements.

(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T16:46:34-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Church set to celebrate 150 years

One of the oldest churches in the region is still going strong.

First United Methodist Church of El Dorado will celebrate its 150th anniversary in December. A combined service with a Christmas Cantata is set for 10 a.m. Dec. 8 with a potluck and time capsule burial to follow.

The day marks the significant rich heritage of the church in the Butler County Community. Based on research by RoJean (Erwin) Holem presented 125th anniversary in 1994, as well as information provided by the church’s history committee, First United Methodist is considered the first church of any denomination within the bounds of Butler County.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T16:43:31-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

Wichita plans to spend $602 million on new water plant project

The total cost of Wichita’s new water treatment plant project could top $602 million, the city told the Environmental Protection Agency in a federal loan application.

And water rates are expected to continue increasing for the foreseeable future, city projections show.

Wichita needs a new water treatment plant because its existing plant is 80 years old and could fail at any moment, city officials have said.

(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T19:57:08-06:00November 19, 2019|News|

New lawsuits in Finch swatting claim wrongful death and rights violations by cops

Two new lawsuits have been filed in federal and state courts in connection with the “swatting” death of Andrew Finch, killed by Wichita police officers responding to a hoax emergency call at his home two years ago.

The state lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $75,000 on behalf of Finch’s two young children, identified in court documents as AF and DF. It alleges they’re due compensation for the wrongful death of their father.

In the federal suit, Finch’s mother, Lisa Finch, and her boyfriend, Ali Abdelhadi, claim that four Wichita police officers violated their constitutional rights during the follow-up to the shooting. They both seek damages in excess of $75,000. That amount is used as a placeholder for the actual damages that will be sought as the case develops.

(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2019-11-19T19:56:11-06:00November 19, 2019|News|