info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Sedgwick historian shares about postmaster scandal, bank robberies and more

info2021-09-23T06:50:04-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

A couple dozen people joined local historian Jim Loyd for a walking tour through downtown Sedgwick last Saturday afternoon to hear tales of the city’s early days. Loyd detailed the history of many of the buildings in downtown Sedgwick, sharing some interesting anecdotes along the way. Loyd said OY Hart had a general store on the west side of the 500 block of Commercial in 1872. Hart served as the city’s second postmaster, but a few months into his appointment, he was fired. “The town was outraged,” Loyd said. “They liked OY Hart. What’s going on? Why? No reason was ever [...]

As the Fed sticks to its near-zero rate policy for now, here’s what that means for you

info2021-09-23T06:46:43-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

Even though the Federal Reserve didn't raise its benchmark rate Wednesday, your borrowing costs may still start to head higher. Rising prices brought on by the economic recovery are paving the way for the central bank to unwind last year's bond buying. While the central bank said that interest rates will stay near zero for now, the tapering of bond purchases is seen as the first step on the way to interest rate hikes. And that, alone, may impact the rate you pay on your mortgage, credit card and car loan. "Tapering itself is going to increase yields in the medium- and [...]

Sedgwick County will move COVID-19 testing to larger space, citing increased demand

info2021-09-23T00:21:11-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

Sedgwick County will move its COVID-19 testing site from a park in west Wichita to a larger location on the south side as the need for testing increases and the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads in the community. “Since the week of June 28, COVID-19 testing at the (Sedgwick County Health Department) testing site has increased by 600%,” Pete Meitzner, chairman of the County Commission, said in a statement. “With things continuing to change daily, this new space will allow us to meet the needs of our community as we move to slow the spread of COVID-19.” The new county [...]

23 railroad crossing tickets issued in Wichita

info2021-09-23T00:19:04-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

Twenty-three railroad crossing violations were issued Wednesday as part of "Operation Clear Track" a law enforcement safety initiative. Local law enforcement joined Kansas Operation Lifesaver for the event in south Wichita. Officers were stationed near Seneca and Walker and McLean and Walker looking for crossing violators. Aaron Mays, with Kansas Operation Lifesaver, said they weren't issuing citations at all the locations. Instead, law enforcement handed out safety cards to motorists and pedestrians, and warnings and tickets were handed to violators. The goal of Operation Clear Track and Rail Safety Week is to raise awareness of the importance of making safe choices [...]

Overland Park lays out process for finding outgoing city manager Bill Ebel’s replacement

info2021-09-23T00:16:18-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach set the wheels in motion this week to find a replacement for retiring City Manager Bill Ebel. Gerlach notified the council at Monday’s meeting that he will initiate a process similar to that used in previous city manager searches, with a special screening and selection committee taking the first steps to find a search firm this week. Under Gerlach’s timeline, that selection committee would find and recommend a search firm by November to the full council and then disband. Councilmembers, including the ones newly elected on Nov. 2, would begin their work with the search firm [...]

A Free Tool to Help Cities Take Full Advantage of Federal Aid

info2021-09-23T00:12:57-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

City leaders around the U.S. have asked dozens of questions in recent months about how federal pandemic aid flowing to their jurisdictions under the American Rescue Plan Act can be used. For instance: “What are some of my city’s obligations and responsibilities to prevent fraud related to ARP funds?” “Can revenue loss from 2020 be used to pay for any budget shortfalls for 2021?” “May cities use American Rescue Plan funds to finance a previous infrastructure project?” Those questions, and hundreds of others, have been asked by local officials and answered by experts on a new website that aims to help [...]

‘Many of us are struggling financially’: Olathe Council rejects property tax increase

info2021-09-23T00:09:41-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

The Olathe City Council on Tuesday rejected a proposed property tax increase, which would have helped fund the new downtown library. The council voted 6-1 to reject city staff’s proposal and instead keep the property tax rate flat for 2022. Council members said they had been flooded with messages from residents urging them not to raise taxes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Many of us are struggling financially,” Councilwoman Marge Vogt said. “While I’m not an advocate for kicking the can down the road to other councils or taxpayers, creating a burden for the future, I do believe after really looking [...]

Kansas middle school student dies of COVID-19, education official says

info2021-09-23T06:48:25-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

A Kansas middle school student has died of COVID-19 as the state continues to experience statewide clusters of infection in the classroom, a state education official said Wednesday. Education Commissioner Randy Watson shared the news during a video conference with Gov. Laura Kelly’s Safer Classrooms Workgroup. He said he learned of the death shortly before joining the meeting. “On an extremely sad note I was just informed literally before I walked in this other room to join you, that we did have a middle school student pass away of COVID just in the last, maybe, day,” Watson said. Source: KC Star [...]

Baxter Springs adds a nine hole disc golf course to Kiwanis Park

info2021-09-23T06:48:54-05:00September 23rd, 2021|

The city of Baxter Springs is unveiling a new sport in one of its parks. Today the city finished installing a disc golf course inside Kiwanis Park. The nine hole course cost the city five thousand dollars. The Baxter Disc Golf Club approached the city back in April about installing a course to get more people involved in the sport. "I'm hoping to see a lot of people out here enjoying it. There's people that come down here for practice and walking. But I think you can do more than that. Once people play it they'll see and get more population [...]

Wichita mandates $250 fine for watching street races, burnouts, donuts and wheelies

info2021-09-22T07:13:22-05:00September 22nd, 2021|

In a crackdown on street racing, burnouts, donuts or other exhibitions of speed, Wichita City Hall is going after the people who watch from the sidewalk. A new ordinance passed Tuesday sets a minimum mandatory fine of $250 for the act of watching a drag race or an illegal car or motorcycle stunt — or being there when someone is getting ready to do one. Street racing and speed exhibitions are already illegal and have been for decades. The new ordinance is the first time the act of standing by and watching is prohibited. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

About info