info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Federal Reserve Chairman backs more rate hikes as economy growing ‘considerably stronger’

info2018-07-18T07:08:52-05:00July 18th, 2018|

The U.S. economy is running at a fast enough pace to justify continued interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday. Powell is delivering his semiannual testimony to Congress this week, starting with an appearance Tuesday before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. In remarks he provided ahead of a question-and-answer session, Powell painted a largely positive picture of the economy, which he said is expanding at an increasing pace and is being boosted by aggressive fiscal policy on Capitol Hill. "Overall, we see the risk of the economy unexpectedly weakening as roughly balanced with the [...]

City of Gardner imposing mandatory water restrictions starting Tuesday

info2018-07-18T07:06:37-05:00July 18th, 2018|

The City of Gardner is imposing mandatory water restrictions after usage at its treatment facility reached high levels this week. The city said the Hillsdale Water Treatment Facility has operated at more than 90 percent capacity for more than five consecutive days. As a result, the city has reached a Water Warning Stage as part of its Water Conservation Plan. Usage restrictions go into place Tuesday, July 17. The city said outdoor water use, including lawn watering and car washing, will be restricted to before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m. on the assigned days. Refilling of swimming pools will only [...]

Wichita’s newest dog park will offer agility area, interactive features and fountains

info2018-07-17T10:08:57-05:00July 17th, 2018|

Wichita’s dogs are getting a new park to run around in. The proposed dog park in W.B. Harrison Park, 1300 S. Webb, will be constructed within the year, Troy Houtman, director of Park and Recreation, said. The dog park will be located in the east corner of the park near the rugby field and include a large dog area, a small dog area, an agility park and a renovated parking lot. “There will be areas to wash the dogs and some really fun amenities for the dogs to play with, like hoops to jump through and an obstacle course,” Houtman said. [...]

Douglas Design District given Wichita Community Foundation grant

info2018-07-17T10:07:15-05:00July 17th, 2018|

The Douglas Design District has been awarded a grant to help add public art and other enhancements to the burgeoning neighborhood east of downtown. The award of $84,500 from the Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation was announced Monday night at the From Perception to Action forum at Central Standard Brewing. The grant will go toward the district’s 2020 Vision campaign, a two-year, $215,000 project that includes enhancing or adding public art, establishing a business improvement district for long-term sustainability and civic engagement for accelerating a streetscape plan. “This grant is going to really help us pass through some [...]

Audit explains budget changes in Finney County to comply with new state tax lid

info2018-07-17T10:05:44-05:00July 17th, 2018|

Lewis, Hooper & Dick, LLC, owners Theresa Dasenbrock and Kristin Sekavec presented the audit to commissioners, who accepted it at their meeting. The county’s general fund revenue and expenditures dropped significantly from the previous year, with 2017 revenue totals equaling $8,691,619, compared to 2016′s $15,643,831. Expenditures in 2017 added up to $9,535,250, compared to 2016′s $15,499,749. Dasenbrock said the change was due to the sheriff’s office moving out of the general fund and into a separate fund, a move made to keep accounting separate under a tax lid that has an exception for emergency services. The move caused several million dollars [...]

New behavioral health crisis stabilization facility coming to Salina

info2018-07-17T06:53:51-05:00July 17th, 2018|

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) has signed contracts to provide funding to Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) in Salina and Manhattan for the creation of two new crisis stabilization facilities to care for individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, according to a media release from the KDAADS. “Kansas communities face the continual challenge of helping those who are struggling with mental illness as families deal with the ongoing anxiety of trying to maintain stability and safety, while also meeting the needs of their mentally ill loved ones,” Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., said. “Crisis services [...]

Capitol Federal, Evergy donate $5M to build Topeka’s downtown plaza

info2018-07-17T06:52:04-05:00July 17th, 2018|

Capitol Federal and Evergy both will donate $2.5 million toward the construction of a downtown plaza, the two companies announced Monday morning. The $5 million is more than half of the funds needed to build the plaza, which is expected to cost between $8 million and $9 million, said Vince Frye, president and CEO of Downtown Topeka Inc. Capitol Federal sits on the southeast corner of 7th Street and Kansas Avenue, across from where the plaza is expected to open in March 2020 on the north side. CEO John Dicus said Monday his company is proud to be part of revitalizing [...]

Topeka citywide sales tax suggested to go countywide to help parks and rec

info2018-07-17T06:50:46-05:00July 17th, 2018|

Shawnee County needs a consistent, long-term source to meet the $20 million worth of deferred maintenance needs existing in its parks and recreation department, a Topeka businessman told Shawnee County commissioners Monday. Joseph Ledbetter, a Topeka lawyer, asked Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer to help arrange for the county to accomplish that by teaming up with Topeka’s city government to turn its citywide half-cent sales tax into a countywide tax, while extending it for 10 years. The tax would raise an estimated $17.5 million annually, of which $14.5 million would continue to finance street-related purposes while $3 million [...]

New bowling alley owner in Parsons gets city retail grant

info2018-07-17T06:47:21-05:00July 17th, 2018|

The new owner of the local bowling center plans to make improvements to the business. The Parsons City Commission on Monday evening approved a $5,000 retail recruitment grant for Roosevelt Draine, who is in the process of buying PK Bowl, 103 Main, from Community National Bank and Trust through a limited liability company bearing his name. Roosevelt Draine LLC must match the grant with at least $25,000. Community National has owned the bowling alley since repossessing it from William and Kathy Farr after they declared bankruptcy in 2016. The Farrs had operated the business as Parsons Bowl. The 12-lane bowling alley [...]

Labette County discusses senior meals program

info2018-07-17T06:45:47-05:00July 17th, 2018|

Labette County commissioners on Monday discussed several budget requests, including funding for the program that helps feed senior citizens in Southeast Kansas. Cindy Lane, executive director of the Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging, discussed the Labette County allocation Monday. The original request was for $63,775, but commissioners added another $3,000 to the budget and asked Lane to get back with them soon on how to change the allocation to the meal sites in the county. The agency provides up to four hot meals a week to seniors at participating centers and another three frozen meals to seniors who want them. [...]

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