info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hutchinson crews assisted in battling challenging Harvey County wildfire

info2020-11-17T08:01:12-06:00November 17th, 2020|

Hutchinson Fire Division Chief Doug Hanen on Monday described some of the challenges firefighters faced with a large wind-whipped wildfire over the weekend in Harvey County. The Department sent two brush units and an operations chief to assist at the Wheat State Fire, while Buhler sent five units as part of a multi-count task force. Harvey County officials reported the fire burned some 5,000 acres. The Hutchinson crews were on the scene for more than eight hours ... Source: Local - The Hutchinson News

Lawrence to consider increasing fees charged to Black Hills Energy to use public property

info2020-11-17T07:55:13-06:00November 17th, 2020|

Lawrence leaders will soon consider increasing some of the fees the city charges a natural gas provider to use city property, potentially affecting the rates the company charges its Lawrence customers. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting fee changes in the city’s franchise agreement with Black Hills Energy. Under its current agreement with the city, Black Hills does not pay permit fees to use the city’s right of way, and the city is recommending it begin paying such fees so as to be in line with other such agreements the city has, among other [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for November 16, 2020

info2020-11-17T07:53:46-06:00November 17th, 2020|

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 schools make Thanksgiving break longer because of COVID effects on staffing

info2020-11-17T07:47:47-06:00November 16th, 2020|

Wichita schools will close for the entire week of Thanksgiving due in large part to the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on staffing. “This disease is out of control in our community, and we are feeling the impact of what is happening in our community inside of our schools with the COVID illnesses alongside the quarantine,” Superintendent Alicia Thompson said. “It has been a rough couple of weeks. "The USD 259 Board of Education voted unanimously at a special meeting Monday afternoon to extend the fall break for the full week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 23-27. The vote was 6-0, with Ron [...]

Pezzino recommended everyone stay at home. County commissioners have no plans to mandate that suggestion.

info2020-11-17T07:48:58-06:00November 16th, 2020|

On Saturday, Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino recommended, but didn’t mandate, that people shelter in place as COVID-19 cases surge across the county. County commissioners all said the virus needs to be taken seriously but said there is no plan to mandate a shelter-in-place order in the near future. “We got to keep businesses going, we need to keep our schools rolling and I think that is critical to our functioning in life,” said Commissioner Bill Riphahn. Source: Local Government - The Topeka Capital-Journal

Reno County moves into COVID-19 High Alert for first time

info2020-11-17T07:49:04-06:00November 16th, 2020|

The number of positive COVID-19 case in the Reno County community hit 720 on Monday – more than tripling in less than three weeks and pushing the county for the first time into its highest alert level. Another 162 positive cases were confirmed among county residents since Saturday, and contract tracers at the health department are now backed up more than 520 cases – which is about the number of new cases added in just the last week. The active case count overall, including those in prison, remained at 979. That despite more than 600 cases reclassified as recovered in the [...]

Wichita hospitals holding COVID patients in ERs as surge outnumbers available beds

info2020-11-17T07:49:14-06:00November 16th, 2020|

Wichita hospitals are so overloaded with COVID-19 patients that some are being held in emergency rooms while waiting for beds to open up, according to the county’s top public health official. Dr. Garold Minns, Sedgwick County health officer and dean of the Kansas University Medical School-Wichita, outlined the situation Monday morning during a media briefing with the University of Kansas Health System. “I just got a text saying the ERs are sitting down there with COVID positive patients just sitting in there on gurneys waiting for a room to open up,” Minns said. “So it is getting to the crisis — [...]

After decades without easy access, Merriam Drainage District gets own website, cell phone

info2020-11-17T07:49:49-06:00November 16th, 2020|

The Merriam Drainage District, a special district charged with maintenance of Turkey Creek in northeast Johnson County, ended decades of relative inaccessibility by recently setting up its own website and buying its own dedicated cell phone. ... The district was established in 1946 to manage Turkey Creek and its course through Merriam and Shawnee. Although the district shows up on some Johnson County property owners’ annual taxes, many residents aren’t aware of it or its responsibilities — or that its completely separate from the city of Merriam. Source: Prairie Village Post

‘Like living next to a rock quarry’ — Shawnee residents frustrated with excavation near Woodland and SM Pkwy that could last 10 years

info2020-11-17T07:50:19-06:00November 16th, 2020|

Much to the dismay of residents in a quiet Shawnee neighborhood, a local excavating contractor is planning to spend the next five to 10 years removing rock and leveling a hill for a potential commercial development near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Woodland Drive. Several neighboring homeowners largely oppose the project, mostly out of concern for the noise level while crews flatten the hill. Neighbors are also frustrated that the project will appear to take the better part of a decade to complete. They fear having a negative impact on their property values and trouble reselling their homes. Source: Prairie Village Post

Local businesses unhappy with NCAA tournament’s move out of Wichita

info2020-11-17T07:51:16-06:00November 16th, 2020|

On Monday, the NCAA announced they will be moving the 2021 Men's Basketball tournament to a single site to better ensure COVID-19 safety for the teams. That decision means that InTrust Bank Arena will no longer be hosting first and second round games this spring. The NCAA men's tournament was last in Wichita in 2018. It was estimated to have brought in anywhere from $9 to $12 million to the city. Source: KAKE - News

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