KDOT hosting local consult meetings

The Department of Transportation wants to know what you think about Kansas roads.

KDOT is holding a series of local consult meetings. Today they were in Topeka.

Transportation Deputy Secretary Maggie Doll said most people they’ve met with just want the current program maintained.

“One thing we keep hearing over and over again is that we need to take care of the system that we already have,” Doll said, “so maintaining, preserving the roads and the bridges that we already have is really important to folks.”

Officials make their way to Wichita tomorrow. They will be at the WSU Metroplex from 9 until noon. The meeting is open to the public.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T22:39:23-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

Chanute deals with new costs for fiber optic

Chanute city commissioners contemplated the issue of fiber optic internet service to homes during Monday evening’s meeting after bids for the project came in higher than expected.

City Manager Jeff Cantrell previously brought the question to the commission about fiber service to two neighborhoods. An engineer estimated the project to total $551,000 for both neighborhoods, but new cost estimates come in at $777,000. Cantrell said by trimming some of the count, the project would cost $650,000.

Information Technology Manager Rick Willis said that part of the price increase is because the project originally planned on using one-gigabyte equipment, which suppliers are phasing out in favor of 10-gigabyte equipment.

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T22:42:20-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

City updates ordinances on CBD oil, guns, driver’s licenses, scooters

A few new laws will be on the books in Hays and around Kansas, with the annual updating of the city’s criminal code and traffic ordinances by the League of Kansas Municipalities.

The League’s update normally doesn’t make sweeping changes, but rather tweaks a few, fine-tunes others or works out kinks that have become apparent.

Hays City Commissioners on Thursday evening at their regular weekly meeting at City Hall unanimously adopted ordinances that accept the League’s updates for this year.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:59:36-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

Strategic Doing meetings set for Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties

The Heartland Community Foundation, which serves Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties, has scheduled the next round of Strategic Doing meetings for each county.

Strategic Doing is an engaging process that actively helps residents implement their ideas for community improvement projects. Current working groups who attend will report on their progress and continue work to move their projects forward. New ideas and working groups are also encouraged to attend and start working through the Strategic Doing process.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:57:48-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

Wichita Public Schools implementing new grading system

Wichita Public Schools will have a new grading system for kindergarten through 5th grade students this year, using numbers instead of letters.

The new grading system was tested out in elementary schools all across Wichita last year, but this school year is the first year it will become mandatory and it’ll begin in secondary education next year.

Washington Elementary students are joining kids all across the city, taking control of their own learning process. Leslie McEntire has been teaching at Washington elementary for seven years.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:57:04-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

Inmate missing from work release in Cowley County

The Cowley County Sheriff’s Office is looking for an inmate missing from work release.

Deputies say Britton White was last seen Friday at the restaurant he is employed for work release.

White was serving time after a conviction of failing to comply with the district court. In the past, he was imprisoned after a forgery and theft conviction.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:56:12-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

Brighthouse receives nearly $104,000 in grants from AG

BrightHouse Inc. of Hutchinson has been awarded nearly $104,000 in grants to provide services for victims of crime, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced in a news release today.

Grants offered by the Attorney General’s office are open for applications every year, but the grants are not guaranteed.

“We feel so fortunate to be granted, and hold our breath when submitting the grant application until we hear the verdict,” said Donna Davis, executive director of Brighthouse. “Without this funding, we would not be able to afford rent, we would have to cut back on staff, and keeping our Child Visitation & Exchange Center in operation would be impossible.”

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:55:23-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

Ambulance official guarantees move will boost response times in Shawnee County

A pilot program Shawnee County commissioners established Monday will enable ambulances in some circumstances to not carry paramedics, thus helping bring a quicker overall response to calls, an official with the county’s ambulance service provider said.

“I guarantee you we will see improvement in response times,” said Jon Antrim, regional director for Kansas for Colorado-based American Medical Response.

Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook voted 3-0 Monday to revise the county’s contract with AMR to temporarily waive — for six months, from Sept. 1 through Feb. 29 — the requirement that AMR get a paramedic to the scenes of all its calls within specific amounts of time spelled out in its contract.

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:53:55-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

‘Mowing with Cops’ tour stops in Topeka, aims to counter negative police stereotypes

One lucky family just south of Ward-Meade Park now has a freshly mowed lawn thanks to Rodney Smith and Topeka police.

Smith is the founder of Raising Men Lawn Care Service. Earlier this month, he embarked on a 50-state “Mowing with Cops” tour, in which he travels across the country mowing lawns for the elderly, the disabled, single parents and veterans. Each time he stops to mow a lawn for free, Smith invites police officers in that community to help.

Smith spent Monday afternoon in Topeka. He arrived in the capital city around 3 p.m. — following a morning spent mowing in Des Moines, Iowa, and a mid-day stop in Kansas City. Upon arrival, Smith met with Topeka Police Department officers. They chose to mow the overgrown lawn of a single mother of four whose lawn mower has been broken since the beginning of summer.

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T22:44:20-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

KDOT secretary urges Kansans to think of transportation in terms of 2045

Kansas’ secretary of transportation convened Monday a meeting in Topeka to draw input from local officials on immediate highway, airport and rail system needs while driving the conversation toward what that complex network might look like in a quarter of a century.

“We are in a time of great transformation in transportation,” aid Julie Lorenz, secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation. “There are a bunch of trends that are beginning to combine and collide.”

She said the challenge was to design a Kansas system for 2045 that accommodated a projected 11.6% growth in population, but dealt with the potential of having half of all residents living in Sedgwick and Johnson counties. Demand for a modern communications highway — broadband running under KDOT right-of-way — will intensify in rural areas, she said.

Ranson Financial2019-08-26T19:45:20-05:00August 26, 2019|News|

KDOT hosting local consult meetings

Chanute deals with new costs for fiber optic

City updates ordinances on CBD oil, guns, driver’s licenses, scooters

Strategic Doing meetings set for Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties

Wichita Public Schools implementing new grading system

Inmate missing from work release in Cowley County

Brighthouse receives nearly $104,000 in grants from AG

Ambulance official guarantees move will boost response times in Shawnee County

‘Mowing with Cops’ tour stops in Topeka, aims to counter negative police stereotypes

KDOT secretary urges Kansans to think of transportation in terms of 2045

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