info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas utilities and municipalities have plans to recoup record energy bills

info2021-07-19T07:31:48-05:00July 19th, 2021|

For officials in Eskridge, the eye-popping prices from February's Winter Storm Uri never cease to amaze, even though it almost six months since the bitter cold spell ripped through the Great Plains. It is one of 50-plus cities with municipal gas agencies, leaving them more at the whims of the wildly fluctuating markets than most. Eskridge's total bill from the Kansas Municipal Gas Agency was $1.1 million — 10 times more than its entire gas costs for all of 2020. Relief came in the nick of time, however, as Kansas lawmakers approved a loan program for cities staring down those eye-popping [...]

Edgerton seeks residential developers

info2021-07-18T20:15:25-05:00July 18th, 2021|

Elevate Edgerton! gave a presentation on Edgerton’s housing situation at the July 8 council meeting. James Oltman, president, said they had decided to work with RDG Planning and Housing Design for the city’s housing needs. Less than one percent of Edgerton’s houses were built in the last ten years with 79 percent being built between 1979 through 2009, he said. Oltman said Edgerton’s median rent is the third lowest in the county at $746 per month, but there wasn’t a lot of rental variety. “There is not a lot of supply,” he said. Oltman said the greatest shortage of housing is [...]

Some counties revisit mask mandates

info2021-07-18T20:11:20-05:00July 18th, 2021|

COVID-19 numbers in Sedgwick County are slowly increasing. According to the health department, we’re sitting at a 12% positivity rate. Other counties and cities across the U.S., such as Kansas City, are revisiting the idea of mask mandates. Right now masks aren’t required in Sedgwick County but individual businesses have the choice to mandate them inside their facilities. Many residents we talked to say if masks would help slow the spread, they’d be open to another mandate. “If we had to go back to them for a little bit, I’m not thrilled about it but I certainly understand with two variants [...]

Girard one of 10 chosen for T-Mobile Hometown Techover

info2021-07-19T07:42:58-05:00July 18th, 2021|

Thousands were nominated, but one southeast Kansas community could soon get a huge technology makeover. Girard has been named one of the top 10 finalists in T-Mobile's Hometown Techover contest. The overall winner will receive a $3 million prize. It includes a city network upgrade, little league field refurbishment, and a $200,000 community grant. "We were all excited and stuff. I mean everyone was excited. We had the shirts made up, and it was something exciting for Girard kind of put them on the map," said Girard Mayor Mickey Pyle. The city will receive a $50,000 grant for being selected as [...]

Miami County discusses what experts it will call in Golden matter

info2021-07-19T07:26:02-05:00July 18th, 2021|

The County Commission will call upon experts to provide insight on a variety of topics in the coming weeks regarding the proposed incorporation of the city of Golden in northern Miami County. The four commissioners agreed at their June 30 meeting that deliberations would not begin until August, because of conflicting schedules in July. The commissioners said they would like to be present for all the deliberations. The incorporation of the city of Golden would require a unanimous, 4-0 vote from the commissioners. Commissioner Danny Gallagher is not taking part in the deliberations because of a potential conflict. He left the [...]

Natural gas leak outside of Lyons, KS

info2021-07-19T07:43:55-05:00July 18th, 2021|

Authorities said Friday that a natural gas well outside of Lyons that exploded during maintenance the day before is now safe and repaired. Local residents had complained of an odor and a lingering haze, but a Northern Natural Gas official said there is no danger to the public. The complaints of a noxious smell began after the underground storage well blew open after 3 p.m. Thursday southeast of Lyons, causing water and natural gas to fly up into the air. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

‘Fairly concerning’ — Johnson County COVID-19 numbers spike as part of larger trend driven by Delta variant

info2021-07-18T20:04:16-05:00July 18th, 2021|

Local health officials are expressing growing concern as new COVID-19 cases in Johnson County continue a renewed surge as the more contagious Delta variant spreads throughout the greater Kansas City region. Data kept by the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment show an increase across the board in COVID-19 activity in Johnson County. Over the past two weeks, key metrics like the incidence rate of new cases and percent positivity have shot up to levels last recorded in February in March, when mass vaccinations were just getting underway. “It’s starting to be fairly concerning, yes,” said Dana Hawkinson, MD, during [...]

Property tax rates vary widely among area counties

info2021-07-19T07:27:30-05:00July 18th, 2021|

When it comes to property taxes, Pottawatomie County is playing in a very different league from either Riley or Geary counties. According to a Manhattan Mercury analysis of government data, Pottawatomie County has three times more taxable property value per person than does Riley County — and nearly four times more than Geary County. That has a major impact on the way local governments go about setting their budgets, an annual exercise that’s happening right now. In essence, it forces tax rates higher in the Manhattan and Junction City areas and helps keep them lower in Pott County to raise the [...]

Lead exposure risk higher in KS water

info2021-07-18T20:01:22-05:00July 18th, 2021|

People in Missouri and Kansas risk lead exposure from drinking water at greater rates than almost any other state, a new report found. The Natural Resources Defense Council released findings Thursday that as many as 12 million Americans may be receiving drinking water through lead pipes without realizing their water is contaminated. “There is no safe level of lead, which causes irreversible harm to people’s health, particularly for children,” a release announcing the report says. Missouri has the 6th most lead service lines, the pipes that carry water from water mains into residents’ homes, of any state in the U.S., putting [...]

Gardner city council increases fines for trucks

info2021-07-19T07:28:06-05:00July 18th, 2021|

The Gardner City Council passed four housekeeping items during their July 6 meeting, including increasing truck route violation fines to $200 per violation. Randy Gregorcyk, council member, said he appreciated the work of Amy Nasta, deputy city administrator, for work on the ordinance. “The best way to get someone’s attention is by getting in their back pocket,” he said. Mark Baldwin, council member, said he wanted to know if they had considered raising fines with first a warning and then escalating exponentially the fines. “For habitual offenders $200 might not be a big deal,” he said. Source: Gardner News

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