info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Natural gas penalties waived for Winfield

info2021-04-05T07:05:02-05:00April 4th, 2021|

During a Winfield City Commission workshop Thursday, City Manager Taggart Wall said that city staff were notified earlier in the day that the city will not be assessed $4.8 million in penalties it could have faced from its pipeline company for customers’ natural gas usage during an unprecedented winter storm in February. With the penalties eliminated, this brings the city’s total gas liability down from $13.2 million to $8.6 million. “They have confirmed to us in an email that we were not assessed any penalties,” Taggart said. Source: The Arkansas City Traveler

Iola sees record number of roofs, permits

info2021-04-05T07:07:49-05:00April 4th, 2021|

When it comes to building and repair work this year, everything is going up. The number of permits are up as well as prices. In fact, they’re setting records. And that’s not likely to change anytime soon. “This year has been crazy. Prices are rising throughout our whole industry, and supplies are hard to come by,” Ron Boren, president of Boren’s Roofing in Iola, said. “It’s going to be an interesting summer.” Bill Weston, with H & H Roofing, agreed. Supplies are limited and costly. But his crews are busier than ever, thanks to a hail storm last May that damaged dozens [...]

Kansas counties ditching mask rules before lawmakers acted

info2021-04-05T07:21:38-05:00April 4th, 2021|

Kansas counties already had started dropping or weakening mask rules before lawmakers toppled Gov. Laura Kelly’s newly reissued order requiring them — and more are expected to follow suit even as variants first detected in South Africa and the United Kingdom have been found in the state. The order, which was similar to one passed in November, was always porous, allowing the state’s 105 counties to set their own possibly less restrictive rules or opt out of the order entirely. Kelly, a Democrat, was required to reissue it Thursday under a new Kansas law, which also gives eight top legislators the power to [...]

Concerns grow over Wichita street racing following recent hit and run

info2021-04-05T07:01:42-05:00April 4th, 2021|

A Wichita woman is asking for the Wichita Police Department's help in monitoring speeding in her neighborhood. She says she lives near Meridian and Pawnee. On Wednesday, police were called out to a hit-in-run that injured a 9-year-old boy. Police say two pick-up trucks were racing in the 2700 block of S. Meridian Ave. The injured child was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. "I can watch them coming down the street and they're flying at a high rate of speed," said Leigh, who has lived in the area for 25 years. She wants WPD to see what [...]

Columbus Fire Department working to improve severe weather preparedness

info2021-04-02T07:11:52-05:00April 2nd, 2021|

A Southeast Kansas Fire Department is doing what it can to be severe weather ready. Severe weather season is approaching - and the Columbus Fire Department is undergoing training for its new Storm Command Center. The training actually began Wednesday and they're using the May 22nd, 2011 tornado as an example. The department has also updated the community's emergency response plan. Source: KSNF/KODE

Some emergency services struggling to retain employees

info2021-04-02T07:11:34-05:00April 2nd, 2021|

Some local police and fire departments are having a difficult time filling positions. We're talking specifically about those on the front lines - or in this case, the front phone lines. Since the start of the pandemic, agencies have been working to fill these positions for longer periods of time. This isn't something new for departments in the area - it's been a problem for years, nationwide. Brandy Grassl, Labette County Emergency Management Coordinator, said, "We've been short staffed for almost a year now." Filling positions for first responders like 911 dispatchers continues to be difficult. Unfortunately covid-19 hasn't helped the [...]

Bird e-scooters now available to ride in Topeka

info2021-04-02T07:11:12-05:00April 2nd, 2021|

There's a new way to get around the Capital City. Bird e-scooters launched its pilot program Thursday with free rides for healthcare workers. One hundred of these scooters are now around Topeka. The company said it's planning to ramp up with more scooters in the coming weeks. The city of Topeka has cleared them to bring a maximum of 400 scooters into town. Source: KSNT News

Newton welcomes a new kind of hemp business

info2021-04-02T07:10:52-05:00April 2nd, 2021|

At the same time Spallitta and Trivisonno began to look for a new home, executive director Beth Shelton at the Harvey County Economic Development Council was hearing about a new company developing prosthetics out of hemp fiber. The two sides came to an incentive agreement, approved by the city of Newton and the Harvey County Commission, where Human Plant Solutions will move into a building at the city-county airport east of Newton. The company will take up 6,000 of the 6-year-old building's 20,000 square feet and pay no rent for six months, though it will pay utilities. Source: Wichita Business Journal

Municipal Bond Trends for April 1, 2021

info2021-04-02T06:46:11-05:00April 2nd, 2021|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Wichita, Sedgwick County, among areas enforcing an April burn ban

info2021-04-02T06:42:30-05:00April 2nd, 2021|

Depending on where you live, you may need to keep from enjoying any backyard chimineas and fire pits for the month of April. A burn ban is imposed in 16 counties, including Sedgwick County, by the State of Kansas through the entire month of April. Restricted activities include burning trees and brush from land clearing, crop residues, construction debris, yard waste, and the use of backyard chimineas and fire pits. The counties in the April burn ban are Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Geary, Greenwood, Johnson, Lyon, Marion, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Sedgwick, Wabaunsee, and Wyandotte. To comply with the regulations, the [...]

About info