info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Garden City working to solve housing crunch

info2022-04-21T00:53:12-05:00April 21st, 2022|

Garden City is closer to having more housing available for residents. On Wednesday, crews broke ground on Phase I of Hunters Glen. The development is near the intersection of North Third Street and Leawood Avenue, just north of Valley View Cemetery. The project's first phase will create 86 housing units at a total development cost of more than $19 million. Phase II is in final application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It would add another 106 units and a total development cost of $22 million. Phase III will be submitted for preliminary application to USDA in the fall. Greater [...]

Evacuation lifted in Kansas town threatened by plant fire

info2022-04-21T00:51:23-05:00April 21st, 2022|

Evacuations orders have been lifted in a western Kansas town threatened by a fertilizer plant fire, officials said. Barricades to the town of Leoti had been removed by Tuesday night and those evacuated were allowed to return to their homes, Wichita County Clerk Lynda Goodrich told television station KWCH. Parts of the town had been evacuated because hazardous materials were involved in the Tuesday afternoon fire at a Nutrien Ag Solutions plant in Leoti, a town of about 1,500 that lies 226 miles (364 kilometers) northwest of Wichita. Source: KSNT 27 News

Kansas fiscal forecasters bump revenues by $760 million; fires up food sales tax debate

info2022-04-21T07:17:26-05:00April 21st, 2022|

State economic forecasters on Wednesday boosted their tax revenue estimates by $760 million over two years, leaving Kansas with an ending balance of $3.1 billion and firing up the debate over how fast the food sales tax should be eliminated. The state is anticipated to roll up about $9.3 billion in taxes for the current fiscal year ending in June, up from last fall's estimate of about $8.9 billion. Source: Sunflower State Journal

Kansas tears down ‘Bank of KDOT’

info2022-04-21T07:17:40-05:00April 21st, 2022|

Gov. Laura Kelly signed new budget Tuesday that brings an end to the "irresponsible practice" of using hundreds of millions of dollars in state highway funds to bankroll other parts of state government. The new $15.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2023 does not call for moving any money out of the highway fund, a practice Kelly started to end after she became governor. Over the years, dating as far back as 2001, the state has used billions from transportation to help backfill other parts of the state budget. Source: Sunflower State Journal

New revenue projections give Kansas a $3.1B surplus as governor pushes for food sales tax cut

info2022-04-21T00:37:49-05:00April 21st, 2022|

A revised economic forecast for Kansas projects the state will collect $407.8 million more than previously expected in the upcoming fiscal year, adding to a budget surplus that could be used to eliminate the 6.5% state sales tax on food. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat seeking reelection this year, has made the total elimination of the sales tax on food a cornerstone of her campaign. Republicans have favored an approach that would phase out the tax over several years, as long as revenue numbers remain strong, while eying other potential tax cuts and criticizing the governor for vetoing a tax bundle [...]

Coverage lapses in 911 radio system could require more towers in Miami County

info2022-04-21T07:18:11-05:00April 21st, 2022|

Coverage gaps in the county’s new 800 MHz emergency radio system could require two new additional towers to be built. At the County Commission’s April 13 study session, Chair Rob Roberts said the coverage lapses seem to be most prevalent in the northeast and south-central portions of the county, based on recent discussions he and Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Whelan have had with radio system provider Motorola and project consultant TUSA Consulting Services. The $8.3 million radio system from Motorola became fully operational in early July and is to be used by first responders with all the agencies in the county. [...]

Fire crews respond to chemical fire in Leoti

info2022-04-21T00:31:43-05:00April 21st, 2022|

Officials are saying that a fire at Nutrient ag Solutions caused local evacuations Tuesday afternoon in Leoti Kansas. Wichita County officials say the Ford County Regional Hazardous Materials Team deployed to Leoti for the fire Tuesday afternoon and was fighting the blaze and removing hazardous material. The fire began around 3:30 p.m. at a Nutrien Ag Solutions plant. Source: Western Kansas News

Biden Administration Launches Nationwide Network of Partners to Tap Resources for Rural America

info2022-04-20T07:36:09-05:00April 20th, 2022|

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice today announced a new whole-of-government effort led by USDA to transform the way federal agencies partner with rural places to create economic opportunity in rural America. The USDA-led Rural Partners Network (RPN) is an all-of-government program that will help rural communities access government resources and funding to create jobs, build infrastructure and support long-term economic stability. Today’s announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Building a Better America Rural Infrastructure Tour, during which Biden Administration officials are traveling to dozens of rural communities to talk [...]

Two Fed Officials Doubt Need for Super Aggressive Front Loading for Rate Increases

info2022-04-20T07:29:02-05:00April 20th, 2022|

Two Federal Reserve officials made the case on Tuesday for ongoing interest rate increases to combat inflation, but said uncertainty over the economic outlook makes it hard to say how aggressive the central bank will need to be. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said in an appearance in New York that he sees the federal-funds target rate reaching around 2.25% to 2.50% by the end of the year, which could include a couple of half percentage point increases. Speaking on CNBC, Atlanta Fed leader Raphael Bostic said it is important for the Fed to get to a neutral [...]

New childcare facility proposed in Frontenac

info2022-04-20T07:05:51-05:00April 20th, 2022|

Kristina Cullison, a kindergarten teacher at USD 249, and Kari Cronister, a professor at Pittsburg State University, approached the Frontenac City Council Monday evening about starting a new child care facility in the city. Citing the 127 available childcare spots in Frontenac, spread out across three separate facilities, Cullison and Cronister said there is a need for more. According to a presentation by Cronister and Cullison at Monday’s council meeting, 6.4 percent of the city’s population is age five and under, so out of a population of 3,413, approximately 218 children are under the age of five. Given the amount of [...]

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