USD 309 gets $25,000 grant for STEM program

Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309 is receiving a $25,000 grant to expand its robotics and STEM programs to include underwater robotics.

America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program is sponsored by the Bayer Fund. Across the country, local farmers nominated schools for a piece of the Bayer-funded grants.

Local farmers who nominated USD 309 for the grant will be invited to attend the ceremony. Brent Werth and Alan Shive, with Central Prairie Co-op, will make the check presentation during a halftime ceremony at the Nickerson High School homecoming football game Friday at Nickerson High School. The presentation is expected to occur between 7:30 and 8 p.m. on the football field.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T21:59:45-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Merriam hosting second annual Merriam Drive Live this weekend

The city of Merriam is hosting its second annual Merriam Drive Live event this weekend.

Merriam Drive Live turns the Merriam Marketplace into a “huge lawn party” with live music on two stages. The event takes place rain or shine from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 at Merriam Marketplace, 5740 Merriam Drive. Merriam Drive Live is free and open to the public.

“It’s just a way to bring Merriam residents and the surrounding community downtown to Merriam,” said Jenna Gant, communications and public engagement manager for Merriam. “We just really hope to bring people to Merriam, not just our residents but also outside communities, to see what Merriam is about. We have a lot of pride in our community and we just hope a lot of families come down and enjoy themselves for Merriam Drive Live.

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T21:56:43-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Wichita Area, Kansas Expected to Add Jobs Next Year

An employment forecast released Thursday projects continued economic growth for both the Wichita area and Kansas next year. Wichita State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) conducts industry-level employment surveys each year to help formulate its forecasts. CEDBR Director Jeremy Hill says the Wichita area is expected to grow about 0.5% in 2020, adding about 1,600 new jobs.

The workforce expanded by 1.3% this year. He says the slow job growth pattern is a turnaround from 2017 when the region lost jobs. “We’re getting a lot of our legs back underneath us,” Hill says, “so as we go into that momentum, we also head in with a lot of this uncertainty on the global and national economy that gets a little concerning.” Hill says a national or global recession could affect Wichita’s export-oriented manufacturing industries. After a robust 3.4% growth in 2018, the production sector’s growth is expected to slow to 0.6% in 2020.

(Read more: RSS Feed)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T21:49:12-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Louisburg planning commission recommends approval of treatment facility

A businessman who would like to put a 24-hour treatment facility in Louisburg to help people with alcohol and chemical addictions has passed the first phase of the application process.

The Louisburg Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval of a special-use permit (SUP) for the Gold Bridge Treatment Center LLC, to be located at 105 E. Amity St. (Kansas Highway 68) in the former Omnivillage building. The matter now goes to the Louisburg City Council which have final approval. The council is scheduled to consider the SUP at its Oct. 21 meeting, according to city documents.

Gold Bridge Executive Director Joseph Hammer said he would provide in-patient treatment for up to 16 clients who are dealing with issues related to alcoholism and chemical dependency. The facility also would offer some outpatient services to help individuals remain clean and sober.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T22:46:37-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Harvesting hope at Paola Community Garden

For some, it’s a peaceful respite from the hectic world around them.

For others, it’s a place to safely and naturally grow delicious produce.

For a few, it’s a memorial to those who are no longer with us.

For Alexis Shaw, the Paola Community Garden is the start of what she hopes will be a communitywide effort to promote conservation, organic growing and agricultural education.

Shaw and her fellow volunteers have been busy this year revitalizing the garden, which is located on city-owned land along Industrial Park Drive.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T21:39:58-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Renting a scooter in Wichita is easy, and apparently so is tossing one in the river

When it comes to electric scooters, it seems that people either love them, or want to see them all thrown into a river — literally.

On Monday, Dusty Lehman of Wichita posted a video to Facebook showing he discovered seven scooters in the Arkansas River. In the same Facebook post, Lehman wrote that he found at least 14 scooters on that particular bike ride.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T22:55:42-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Retired city clerk admits to stealing taxpayer money, must pay back $150,000

The retired clerk of a southeast Kansas town has admitted to stealing from taxpayers.

Carole Sue Coker, 70, of Oronogo, Missouri, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release. Coker admitted in her plea that she took money from payments made to the city.

As part of her plea deal, Coker agreed to pay more than $150,000 in restitution. Sentencing is schedule for Dec. 19, and Coker faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T22:54:03-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

U.S. Attorney General hails Kansas, Wichita law enforcement

…U.S. Attorney General William Barr hailed Kansas and Wichita-area law enforcement on Wednesday…

Barr, who heads the U.S. Justice Department, said Kansas and local law enforcement are significant partners in keeping pressure on gun crime, drugs and gangs.

“I wanted to come here to Kansas because this is one of the most successful federal, state and local law enforcement partnerships we have in the country,” Barr said during brief remarks to local media.

(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2019-10-03T22:52:09-05:00October 3, 2019|News|

Lawrence City Commission approves new comprehensive plan that includes controversial growth policy

Lawrence city commissioners approved the city’s new comprehensive plan on Tuesday without making substantial changes, despite the fact that several members had voiced support for loosening the plan’s requirements for annexing new land into the city.

At its meeting, the commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Matthew Herbert opposing, to approve Plan 2040, which covers Lawrence and the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. The plan has a new growth policy that prioritizes infill development and adds requirements for developers who want to expand the city’s boundaries. One requirement is that developers must provide some kind of community benefit if they want to annex land to expand the city. That idea has been controversial with some members of the local business community, who say it will increase the cost of housing.

Douglas County leaders, staff discuss responsibility for ‘abandoned’ cemeteries

In the rural part of Douglas County, between Lecompton and Lawrence, a cemetery sitting on private land is an important piece of the county’s African American history.

But staff told county leaders Wednesday that if the county wants to preserve that history, it will need to work through an issue that has arisen in several “abandoned” cemeteries in unincorporated areas: a lack of clear documentation of the property’s ownership.

USD 309 gets $25,000 grant for STEM program

Merriam hosting second annual Merriam Drive Live this weekend

Wichita Area, Kansas Expected to Add Jobs Next Year

Louisburg planning commission recommends approval of treatment facility

Harvesting hope at Paola Community Garden

Renting a scooter in Wichita is easy, and apparently so is tossing one in the river

Retired city clerk admits to stealing taxpayer money, must pay back $150,000

U.S. Attorney General hails Kansas, Wichita law enforcement

Lawrence City Commission approves new comprehensive plan that includes controversial growth policy

Douglas County leaders, staff discuss responsibility for ‘abandoned’ cemeteries

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