Retirement

Every Monday at 3:30, residents at Cornerstone Ridge Plaza play bingo. Dick Brown comes every week, socialization is one reason he choose to spend part of his retirement at the plaza. He and his wife have lived there nearly two years. Battling cancer, Dick says people at Cornerstone offer support you can only get from a close community. The Browns are a part of a growing number of people choosing retirement and assisted living communities as they age. "For some it gives them much more freedom to go out and do stuff they always wanted to do," says Annette Graham.

Longtime Kansas City Royals broadcaster Fred White has passed away due to complications from melanoma, the team announced on Wednesday.  White's death comes just one day after he announced his retirement due to health concerns. White paired up with Denny Matthews as the club's primary broadcasting team for almost three decades.  Before joining the Royals, White was the sports director at the CBS affiliate in Topeka, WIBW. White passed away at the age of 76.

Early retirements, layoffs and furloughs are all on the table to help Sedgwick County balance its budget.  The county needs to reduce its budget by $9 million in 2012 and $8 million in 2013. Sedgwick County Manager Bill Buchanan told commissioners during a staff meeting Tuesday that he'll bring recommendations to them in the next couple of weeks.  He says they are working out the details for early retirement packages.  He says he also thinks layoffs make more sense when compared to furloughs.  Buchanan says furloughs will only offer short term savings.  He says when crunching the numbers, even if revenues start to increase the county will not be able to catch up and balance the budget.  He says significant changes need to be made and commissioners need to decide how county government will operate from here on out. Buchanan says Wichita State will also conduct some focus groups with employees to also see how they feel about pay cuts and layoffs.  Commissioner Tim Norton says it may sound harsh, but this is a time when employees who excel and work hard will benefit and the ones who don't will likely be let go.  Commissioners Karl Peterjohn and Richard Ranzau says they understand where the manager is coming from, but they want everything calculated including the cost savings of furloughs.

Spirit AeroSystems President & CEO Jeff Turner announces his plans to retire. The company made the announcement through a press release on its website. Turner says he will retire early next year. Spirit says Turner will stay on as President and CEO until the Board of Directors hires someone else for the position. "I decided to inform the Board of Directors of my intention to retire in early 2013 to ensure adequate time to find a suitable replacement, and allow for an effective handover of duties," said Jeff Turner in a press release, adding "I am proud of the great Company we have formed, the growth we have achieved since 2005 and the solid opportunities for the future.

by Kim Hynes (WICHITA, Kan.) Three investors testified Tuesday in Thomas Etheredge's securities fraud case.  Etheredge faces nine counts of misleading investors who gave money to Wild West World.  The theme park closed two months after opening and several people lost thousands of dollars. Concern of Fraud Michael Porter attended church with Thomas Etheredge.  After spending time with him and reading the book "Real Men Real Faith, he decided to invest in the park.

Time now for your Eye on Money with Financial Advisor Bryce Matteson of the local Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. office.  Today we start a multi-part series on how to prepare for retirement. And we're not talking about retirement coming 10 or 20 years from now.  We are assuming the golden age is beginning 100 days from now and asking the question "what should you be doing to prepare for it?" First on the checklist is carefully assess your whole financial picture.  You'll need to know how much money you have and how much of it is available for living expenses.

 Judge Richard D. Greene has been appointed chief judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals to succeed outgoing Chief Judge Gary W. Rulon, who will retire at the end of his term January 10.  The appointment was made by the Supreme Court and is effective upon Judge Rulon's retirement.  Rulon had been chief judge of the Court since 2001, and a member of that Court since 1988.  Judge Greene has been a judge on the Court of Appeals since 2003.

The Salina Fire Department has promoted David Turner to the rank of Battalion Chief. Battalion Chief Turner has served the City of Salina Fire Department for the past 19 years, Turner furthermore serves Saline County Fire District #5 as the Fire Chief. Battalion Chief Turner will be assigned to Shift 2 and will be transitioning into his newly assigned position, this assignment comes with the retirement announcement of Battalion Chief Jim Weese. Battalion Chief Weese will be retiring on March 15th, 2011.

Longtime Kansas City Royals broadcaster Fred White has passed away due to complications from melanoma, the team announced on Wednesday.  White's death comes just one day after he announced his retirement due to health concerns. White paired up with Denny Matthews as the club's primary broadcasting team for almost three decades.  Before joining the Royals, White was the sports director at the CBS affiliate in Topeka, WIBW. White passed away at the age of 76.

Airplane maker Cessna has offered voluntary retirement programs for 180 of its workers.  The company says the move is to align its workforce with the revised production forecast for 2013.  It's the second time Cessna has made the request in as many months. Union leadership tells Eyewitness News the Machinists have been working out the details of the early retirement offer for about a week and a half now.  Both sides say they hope it will prevent layoffs later on. "It is something different than we've done in the past," said Frank Molina, president of the Machinists Union.

The Kansas Jayhawks will be looking for a new linebacker this year after Huldon Tharp announced he would forgo his final year of eligability due to injuries. Tharp, who graduated from Mulvane in 2009, already used his redshirt in 2010 because of injury. He also sat out his senior year of high school (2008) due to injury. “Physically my body just can't hold up anymore,” said Tharp, who has battled injuries throughout his Jayhawk career. “I love KU and have enjoyed my time being a part of the football program.

Wichita Wingnuts veteran outfielder Mike Conroy has announced his reirement from professional baseball. Conroy played 11 seasons from 2001-12, spending a year away from the game in 2007. The 30-year-old collected 879 base hits in 914 career games, while averaging 85 runs scored, 27 doubles, 11 triples, 79 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 59 walks per 162 contests. His 28 triples during four seasons in the American Association are tied for the most in league history. "It's going to be tough not seeing Mike Conroy's name penciled into our lineup this season," said Wingnuts' manager Kevin Hooper.

Chiefs veteran offensive lineman Ryan Lilja, who helped block for Peyton Manning during the Indianapolis Colts' Super Bowl-winning 2006 season, announced his retirement Monday. Lilja said he was going to "hang it up" after the Chiefs finished a 2-14 season with a 38-3 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Lilja played guard his entire career until injuries forced him to play the majority of this season at center. Lilja said he relished the opportunity to learn a new position, even though he knew at the beginning of the season that it would likely be his last in the NFL. A starter in 104 of 111 career games, he also said he appreciated the chance to finish his career with his hometown team.

He still has two days left on the job, but this afternoon Sedgwick County Sheriff Bob Hinshaw received his retirement badge. "Hired on 7-17-79 and formally pulling the plug on 12-12-12", Hinshaw said. He's come a long way since those early years as a deputy. During his career with Sedgwick county, Hinshaw has met U.S. presidents, trained with the secret service, and received numerous awards. Now each momento is headed to his house. "After 33 years, it will be nice to know what a stress-free life is like," Hinshaw said.

Spirit AeroSystems President & CEO Jeff Turner announces his plans to retire. The company made the announcement through a press release on its website. Turner says he will retire early next year. Spirit says Turner will stay on as President and CEO until the Board of Directors hires someone else for the position. "I decided to inform the Board of Directors of my intention to retire in early 2013 to ensure adequate time to find a suitable replacement, and allow for an effective handover of duties," said Jeff Turner in a press release, adding "I am proud of the great Company we have formed, the growth we have achieved since 2005 and the solid opportunities for the future.

Butler Community College President Dr. Jackie Vietti plans to retire at the end of 2012. Vietti, BCC's first female president, has led the college for 17 years. President Vietti made the announcement to a gathering of nearly 500 faculty and staff during Butler's Fall Institutional Development Day on Tuesday afternoon. "It has been my most rewarding professional as well as personal experience to serve as the president of Butler for the past seventeen years,” said Vietti.

Every Monday at 3:30, residents at Cornerstone Ridge Plaza play bingo. Dick Brown comes every week, socialization is one reason he choose to spend part of his retirement at the plaza. He and his wife have lived there nearly two years. Battling cancer, Dick says people at Cornerstone offer support you can only get from a close community. The Browns are a part of a growing number of people choosing retirement and assisted living communities as they age. "For some it gives them much more freedom to go out and do stuff they always wanted to do," says Annette Graham.

Janet Wright, President and CEO of Wichita festivals announced she will retire at the end of the year. "Janet has been an outstanding leader who has poured her heart and soul into this organization," Bill Gardner, chair-elect of the board of directors, said in the organization's news release. Wright is the longest serving CEO of the company, having been there for 13 years. She will stay on to help plan the 2013 Wichita River Festival and the Autumn and Art Festival.