info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas hospitals reporting surge in COVID-19 patients

info2021-07-29T23:29:01-05:00July 29th, 2021|

A COVID-19 surge in Kansas fueled by the faster-spreading delta variant is filling up hospitals in some areas. A survey from the Kansas Hospital Association said four times as many patients with confirmed COVID-19 infections were hospitalized this week as were hospitalized in early June. The association said that 116 Kansas hospitals surveyed this week reported having 399 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. For early June, 125 hospitals reported having 99. For about a month, the Salina Regional Medical Center has sometimes has been near full capacity and its chief medical officer says it has struggled to find beds for patients who have [...]

As cases surge in Kansas City metro, here’s when Johnson County will decide on masks

info2021-07-30T08:24:40-05:00July 29th, 2021|

The Johnson County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote next week on whether to issue a new countywide mask mandate, although Chairman Ed Eilert made clear Thursday he is reluctant to do so. Eilert requested that health officials make recommendations to the board at their meeting next Thursday on how to best address the surge in COVID-19 cases. Commissioners would vote on whether to follow any recommendations, such as a mask mandate, or to issue new guidelines to school districts to determine how to open classrooms safely next month. Source: Joco 913 News

Damage from May storms in Kansas tops $76 million

info2021-07-29T23:26:44-05:00July 29th, 2021|

The Kansas Insurance Department said severe storms in May caused more than $76.4 million in damage across the state. The estimate is based on a reported 12,745 insurance claims in 101 counties. Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt said the storms affected thousands of businesses, farms and residents. The estimates for May, 2021 property loss payments are up more than $15.8 million from a year earlier. So far in 2021, storm losses in Kansas have added up to more than $99 million in reported damage. Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Why Electric Cars Could Take Off In Rural Kansas, And Why They Might Not

info2021-07-29T23:23:57-05:00July 29th, 2021|

Electric cars and trucks might prove a perfect fit for rural Kansas. “They’re better vehicles. They’re more reliable. They’re less costly. They’ll save people money,” said Peter Zalzal, an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund. “They’ll clean up the air and they’ll help to address climate change.” While the building of charging stations has come mostly in urban areas, Zalzal said rural areas have built-in advantages — along with some hurdles that urban areas don’t. Most people in rural areas live in single-family homes. That gives them easier access to electricity in a garage or carport to charge overnight than someone [...]

Erie, KS received a loan to help operate the Erie Market

info2021-07-29T23:21:42-05:00July 29th, 2021|

Erie is getting some help operating a fixture in the community. It's received a $480,000 Rural Economic Development loan from the USDA. The money will help the city operate the Erie Market on West State Street, formerly Stubs Market, which the city purchased last year. The loan is part of a $14,000,000 investment by the USDA across 10 states, including Missouri and Illinois. Source: KSNF/KODE

Reno County Commission may expand; decision will be on November ballot

info2021-07-29T07:42:56-05:00July 29th, 2021|

The Reno County Commission voted Tuesday to place a question of whether to expand the county commission from three to five members on the Nov. 2 ballot. However, the board also agreed to ask the governor to allow the county to leave the two new seats vacant for a year, until the following year's general election. The delay in seating the new commissioners would allow people to run for the office, rather than having partisan precinct committees select who would be on the ballot, which is the process spelled out in state law if there were a special election. Source: Hutch [...]

Fed holds rates near zero, says economy has gotten better even with pandemic worries

info2021-07-29T07:40:39-05:00July 29th, 2021|

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday held its benchmark interest rate near zero and said the economy continues to progress despite concerns over the pandemic spread. As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee concluded its two-day meeting by keeping interest rates in a target range near zero. Along with that, the committee reiterated its view that the economy continues to "strengthen."... With the Fed likely on hold relative to interest rates at least until late-2022, investors have been looking for clues as to when the monthly bond purchases might start to be pulled back. ... Heading into this week's meeting, markets were [...]

A more vibrant street life the goal for an OP corridor that’s not pedestrian-friendly

info2021-07-29T07:39:16-05:00July 29th, 2021|

After reducing the number of traffic lanes on a mile-long section of College Boulevard — while adding 100 on-street parking spaces — Overland Park is preparing to take the next step toward making the College business corridor more inviting to visitors and the people who live and work in the area. Although highly regarded when developed, the College Boulevard corridor turned out to be rather sterile. Companies got a prestigious, high-visibility address, and employees could drive to the office doorsteps at 45 miles an hour and be assured of free parking. But the layout proved unwelcoming to pedestrians and discouraged the [...]

Plans for a giant solar farm in southwest Johnson County are advancing

info2021-07-29T07:38:53-05:00July 29th, 2021|

County planners and landowners are getting ready for a radically different type of farm planned for the area west of Gardner. Once it’s operational, the West Gardner Solar Project by NextEra Energy will be the largest such solar farm in the state, and a new type of energy-producing sight for Kansans more accustomed to seeing spinning wind turbines and nodding oil pumpers on the prairie. Some 2,000 acres have already been signed for the project, which is expected to generate 320 megawatts of power and could be online by 2023. The idea of such a massive solar farms is new enough [...]

$5M tiny home village proposed to help Topeka’s homeless situation

info2021-07-29T07:34:16-05:00July 29th, 2021|

A proposal for a $5.7 million “tiny home transitional village” could hold up to 200 beds for the homeless at the former site of Topeka’s tent city. Each tiny home costs less than $5,000 and could last 20 years, said Barry Feaker, executive director of the Topeka Rescue Mission, when he presented the plan to city council Tuesday night. The units would be around 64 square feet, have electricity and a heater and air conditioner. He said it’s too early in the process to estimate when something could be completed — Tuesday was the first time he presented the full plan [...]

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