Hays Police Department says not to worry if you see these birds on the ground

15 Tuesday, August 15

Hays Police Department says not to worry if you see these birds on the ground

info2023-08-15T23:12:29-05:00August 15th, 2023|

The Hays Police Department says not to worry if you see a Mississippi kite on the ground. According to the HPD, many of their CSOs have been responding to multiple calls for young Mississippi kites on the ground. "Reporting parties believe the kites to be injured because they spread their wings to make themselves look bigger to anything that may harm them," the HPD said. The HPD says while they appreciate people caring enough to call, it is the time of year when the youngsters are learning to fly. Source: KSN-TV

15 Tuesday, August 15

Interim chief picked to permanently lead Hutchinson PD

info2023-08-15T23:11:36-05:00August 15th, 2023|

The City of Hutchinson has named a familiar face to lead the police department. Interim Police Chief Brice Burlie has been chosen to permanently serve as chief of the department. Burlie had been serving in the role since June, taking over for a previous interim chief who had been serving in the role since the March firing of former chief Jeff Hooper. Burlie has been with the Hutchinson Police Department for 24 years, where he reached the level of Operations Captain before moving into the interim chief role. He is a graduate of Kansas State with a bachelor's degree in criminology [...]

15 Tuesday, August 15

Johnson County adopts new policy after man sends hundreds of harassing phone calls

info2023-08-15T23:06:06-05:00August 15th, 2023|

Incessant and often angry, harassing calls and emails from one Overland Park resident to Johnson County and Overland Park employees have so overwhelmed law enforcement that it has slowed their ability to answer 911 calls, interfered with their focus and eaten up untold staff time deciphering lengthy emails, county officials said. The alleged author of those emails and calls — Leonid Khayet, a man who last year gained some local recognition for raising $200,000 to help Ukrainians flee war — was booked into the county Central Booking Facility on Tuesday, Aug. 8, and released on bond, charged with violating a protection order in [...]

15 Tuesday, August 15

Lawrence becomes first city in Kansas to pass CROWN Act ordinance banning race-based hair discrimination

info2023-08-15T23:02:48-05:00August 15th, 2023|

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday soundly adopted a local ordinance protecting people from racial discrimination based on hair, making Lawrence the first city in Kansas to do so. “This is huge for our community,” Commissioner Amber Sellers said. “This is huge for our state. This is huge for individuals who live here who are trying to thrive and survive here — that they can balance and feel that they can take their nurtured self and bring it out into the community, unapologetically.” The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” combats race-based hair [...]

15 Tuesday, August 15

Municipal Bond Trends for August 14, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-08-15T07:38:41-05:00August 15th, 2023|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. 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.

15 Tuesday, August 15

Leonardville PRIDE proudly creates fun environment for rural Kansans at annual Hullabaloo celebration

info2023-08-15T00:15:25-05:00August 15th, 2023|

Polished classic cars and vintage tractors lined North Erpelding Street on Saturday, attracting visitors from surrounding communities for the two-day Hullabaloo festival. Just beyond the entrance was another activity took place: the pedal tractor pull. Families stood by, yelling “Go!” and “Push!” in support of their young ones. A theme at the festival was pride. A boy dressed in a black shirt and shorts illustrated this pride as he sprung up off his bike after his pedal tractor pull ride and made his way toward his family. Rylan Hudson, 7, of Riley won first place and celebrated by giving his dad [...]

14 Monday, August 14

Hutchinson Zoo marks opening of new Nature Play expansion and Splash River

info2023-08-14T09:29:51-05:00August 14th, 2023|

The Hutchinson Zoo made a big splash in late July when it officially celebrated the opening of Splash River with a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony. Splash River is part of the zoo's new Nature Play exhibit, which is a no-cost, safe and welcome place for children and families. The zoo retrofitted the former parking lot into a natural-looking splash river, inclusive play elements and green space. The expansion is adjacent to the North American River Otter Exhibit that opened in the summer of 2020. Zoo officials said the purpose of Splash River is to give children under age 10 a chance to [...]

14 Monday, August 14

Kansans need safer roads. Here are some ideas for changing them.

info2023-08-14T09:29:02-05:00August 14th, 2023|

Today’s pedestrian-unfriendly roadways consist largely of suburban streets that have been turned into straight, flat speedways where drivers race along at speeds approaching those on the freeway, often distracted by their phones. This mix of high speeds, heavier vehicles, and distracted driving terrorizes pedestrians and bicyclists. Proposed ideas include shorter blocks, pedestrian refuge areas, increased use of traffic circles, narrower roads, dedicated bicycle lanes and chicanes — those s-shaped curves also used on racetracks. Money from the bipartisan 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act is available to help fund these improvements. Source: Hutch News

13 Sunday, August 13

‘Huge scam’ in rural Kansas town fells fourth U.S. bank in 2023

info2023-08-14T09:06:53-05:00August 13th, 2023|

Heartland Tri-State Bank of Elkhart on July 28 became the fourth U.S. bank to fail in 2023 and the second Kansas bank to fail in three years. David Herndon, Kansas banking commissioner, closed the southwest Kansas bank after it became insolvent because it was “apparently the victim of a huge scam,” he said. Herndon said he doesn’t know what the scam was, but he said other banks in the state were not affected. “Kansas banks are strong and healthy,” he said. “They are well-capitalized, have strong reserves, are profitable and maintain record levels of loan reserves.” Herndon named the Federal Deposit [...]

13 Sunday, August 13

Overland Park firefighters save truckload of 1,300 piglets

info2023-08-14T09:08:00-05:00August 13th, 2023|

Overland Park firefighters saved the bacon Thursday. A tractor-trailer hauling more than 1,300 piglets to Iowa stalled out with a mechanical issue on northbound U.S. 69 Highway near 151st Street Thursday morning. The driver told police he worried that without air circulation or water, the piglets could die in the heat. The Overland Park Fire Department was called to the scene and spent about 30 minutes spraying water from a fire hose through vents in the trailer, cooling the piglets off. That was enough to preserve the payload until another truck came by to pick up the pigs. Source: Prairie Village [...]