Wyandotte County to offer home repairs, relocation and counseling for gun violence victims

29 Monday, July 29

Wyandotte County to offer home repairs, relocation and counseling for gun violence victims

info2024-07-29T14:47:47-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Seven years ago, a drive-by shooting became the first case District Attorney Mark Dupree handled as Wyandotte County’s top prosecutor. Bullets had pierced the front door of a home, busted out windows and flattened the tires of a vehicle parked outside. One year later, the district attorney said, damage done to that very home and vehicle remained unfixed. “What can we do about this?” Dupree recalled asking Damon Daniel, executive director of Kansas City’s Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, in 2017. “And it took us about seven years to figure it out — to find the funding.” During a Tuesday press [...]

29 Monday, July 29

Much of Kansas is at ‘high risk’ of West Nile virus. Here’s why and how to stay safe

info2024-07-29T14:47:42-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Keep your distance from mosquitoes if you’re in Kansas in the near future. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued high-risk and moderate warnings for West Nile virus across the state. Johnson and Wyandotte counties, located in the northeast region, are in moderate-risk areas, while Wichita, found in the south-central region, is in a high-risk area. About half of Kansas is considered high-risk areas because there are a high number of mosquitoes in those regions, and that increases the chances of residents being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, according to the state health department. A moderate risk [...]

29 Monday, July 29

Galena Police Chief Billy Joe Charles to Retire After 26 Years of Service

info2024-07-29T14:48:24-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Chief Billy Joe Charles will retire on September 1, 2024, after a distinguished 26-year career in law enforcement and corrections. His service includes 11 years in the Army, 12 years in the Missouri National Guard, and key roles such as Inventory Controller for Lozier Corporation, Platoon Sergeant at Labette Women's Correctional Camp, and Jail Administrator of the Cherokee County Jail. Charles has been the Police Chief of Galena since February 2016. Source: KOAM

29 Monday, July 29

Half cent sales tax discussion held at Neosho County Community College

info2024-07-29T09:08:16-05:00July 29th, 2024|

Neosho County citizens gathered in the Cleaver Room at Neosho County Community College Tuesday to learn more about the .5 percent sales tax that will be on the Aug. 6 primary ballot. This ballot measure would not increase the current sales tax but would repurpose an already existing sales tax for other projects over the next ten years. An estimated $16 million is projected to be collected over that time period. Should voters in Neosho County not vote in favor of the half cent sales tax, the sales tax in Neosho County would decrease by .5 percent and the government would [...]

28 Sunday, July 28

Grenola, Topeka, Osawatomie: How 21 Kansas cities got their unique names

info2024-07-28T15:21:55-05:00July 28th, 2024|

Four men who founded Cawker City in 1870 in north-central Kansas played poker against each other to win the right to name it. The winner, Col. E.H. Cawker, named the city after himself. ... It is among numerous incorporated cities in Kansas with names that are interesting and unique. Following are 20 others. Source: CJonline

28 Sunday, July 28

As Lawrence city leaders ponder creation of open alcohol consumption area, here’s how other cities implemented their programs

info2024-07-28T15:20:23-05:00July 28th, 2024|

The plan to create a common consumption area, or CCA, a designated area where people could walk around with drinks they purchased from bars or restaurants that opted in to the program, generated more questions than answers from commissioners. ... As the city works to distill its ideas for a CCA into a stronger proposal, the Journal-World reached out to cities across the state about the reality of having a common consumption area. Though a law was first passed for the creation of them in 2017, a tweak to the language in 2023 made it easier for CCAs to exist. Since [...]

26 Friday, July 26

Municipal Bond Trends for July 25, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-07-26T10:07:40-05:00July 26th, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

26 Friday, July 26

KS Supreme Court: Local Zoning Powers (American Warrior, Inc. v. Board of Finney County Comm’rs)

info2024-07-26T09:34:37-05:00July 26th, 2024|

K.S.A. 12-741(a) grants counties the authority to enact zoning regulations without state interference so long as those local enactments do not conflict with the Planning, Zoning, and Subdivision Regulations in Cities and Counties Act, K.S.A. 12-741 et seq. Exercising that authority, Finney County adopted local rules delegating the issuance of conditional use permits to a separate Finney County Board of Zoning Appeals. A Court of Appeals panel majority held the County could not do that, while a dissenting judge agreed with the district court that it could. See American Warrior, Inc. v. Board of Finney County Comm'rs, 63 Kan. App. 2d [...]

26 Friday, July 26

‘We have a housing shortage’: Topeka wages are static as rentals costs rise

info2024-07-26T08:23:19-05:00July 26th, 2024|

“We definitely need more housing in Topeka. That’s been an ongoing issue for quite some time,” said Topeka Housing Authority CEO Trey George. “We have a housing shortage across all types of housing. There’s a need for approximately 4,000 additional units for home ownership and rentals.” Renting has become the most viable option for many families due to the rising costs associated with owning a home. Source: CJonline

25 Thursday, July 25

Hospitals give medical students a taste of rural Kansas hoping they’ll eventually work there

info2024-07-25T12:10:18-05:00July 25th, 2024|

Footsteps and excited chatter of medical students from the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine fill the CommonSpirit hospital in Dodge City. ... The students are part of a program that immerses them in rural areas, specifically in southwest Kansas, to let them shadow health care professionals. Officials from the program hope this will encourage more future physicians to consider practicing in western Kansas, where health care facilities are regularly understaffed. Source: KCUR News