info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Housing Authority moving ahead with plans for apartments at site of proposed behavioral health campus

info2018-06-06T07:01:50-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Construction of an eight- to 10-unit apartment complex that was to be part of a behavioral health campus could start late this year or early in 2019, despite county voters' recent rejection of Proposition 1, the executive director of the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority said. The apartment complex was to be the long-term housing piece on a continuum of residential care options for those with behavioral health issues to be included in the $11 million behavioral health campus. Last month, county voters rejected Proposition 1 and the countywide half-cent sales tax it would have created to fund a jail expansion, the [...]

Schoenchen Fire Company gets improved ratings

info2018-06-06T07:00:04-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Residents in Schoenchen will see an reduction on insurance costs because of the continued improvements to the Ellis County Fire Department. Ellis County Director of Fire and Emergency Management Darin Myers informed the county commission Monday that the Public Protection Classification for Company 8 in Schoenchen improved from a 7 and a 9 rating to a 6 for within 1,000 feet of a hydrant and a 6 X within 5 miles of a fire station. “More good news to the community members of Ellis County,” Myers said. “Basically every incorporated town and most of the areas surrounding those have all got [...]

Douglas County Commission to consider renewing Lone Star Lake fishery management agreement with state

info2018-06-06T06:58:46-05:00June 6th, 2018|

The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday will consider renewing a Lone Star Lake fishery management agreement with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. In a memo to commissioners, Keith Browning, county public works director, wrote that the county first entered into a Community Fisheries Assistance Program in 2009. With the agreement, the KDWPT stocks the lake with fish, provides fishery management expertise and pays the county $7,781 a year to help with the routine maintenance the county performs at the lake. The county’s participation in the program also makes it eligible for KDWPT grants for improvements at the lake. [...]

McPherson will pay for sewer main

info2018-06-06T06:56:35-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Homeowners were informed that the City of McPherson will assume the cost of a new sewer main in their neighborhood, during a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday at the Municipal Center, 400 E. Kansas. Nine owners living on Hartup Street and Grand Ave. will now have the option of hooking to the new sewer main with a contractor chosen by the city, using their own contractor or passing on hooking up to the new line, said Jeff Woodward, McPherson’s director of public works. The city had originally planned to divide the cost of the new sewer main and laterals [...]

Suchy retires as public works director in Great Bend

info2018-06-06T06:54:03-05:00June 6th, 2018|

With regrets, the Great Bend City Council Monday night reluctantly approved the retirement of long-time Public Works Director Charlie Suchy. In a letter to the council, he made his intentions known to leave the city after over 30 years effective Friday. “I was disappointed when I got word he was retiring,” Councilwoman Jolene Biggs said. In his overseeing of the Street, Water, Sewer and Sanitation divisions of the Public Works Department, “he was always energetic, patient and sensitive to community needs.” “Charlie always wanted what was best for Great Bend,” Biggs said. “You have left an impression on Great Bend and [...]

Westar Energy and customers are fighting over the sun

info2018-06-06T06:51:27-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Kansans who generate some of their own electricity are fighting Westar Energy over proposed rates they say could cast a huge shadow over solar power in the Sunflower State. As part of a broader rate increase, Westar is proposing a mandatory extra charge on customers who install rooftop solar panels to cut their electric bills. Solar power enthusiasts say Westar wants to crush home solar to maintain its monopoly control over energy long into the future. "One thing Kansans have always prided themselves on is their independence, resourcefulness and the like," said Ryan Jamison, a Topeka business consultant who helps clients [...]

Leavenworth taking bids for solid waste disposal

info2018-06-06T06:46:00-05:00June 6th, 2018|

The city of Leavenworth is seeking bids for the disposal of garbage collected through the city’s trash service. City officials plan to continue to operate the curbside trash pickup. But officials are looking to see if the city government can save money by switching the location of where the trash is taken. Currently, the city government utilizes the Leavenworth County Transfer Station to dispose of the garbage picked up by city crews. Located in Lansing, the Transfer Station is operated by the county government. An anticipated increase in fees charged to the city for the use of the Transfer Station has [...]

Ellis County faces tough choices in 2019 budget

info2018-06-06T06:43:57-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Preliminary estimates suggest the Ellis County Commission will need to find a way to either increase revenue or cut spending in order to balance the 2019 budget. If the commission chooses to slightly raise the mill levy as allowed under a state-imposed tax lid, the budget still appears to be approximately $400,000 in the red, County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes said. If the commission decides against a tax increase, the estimated deficit jumps to $645,000. Smith-Hanes noted the proposed mill levy increase would be slight, approximately ⅝ of one mill. For a home valued at $100,000, that amounts to an additional $7.20 [...]

Summertime and Swedes: Lindsborg’s Midsummer Fest set for June 16

info2018-06-06T06:42:09-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Fun in the sun can be had during Lindsborg’s Midsummer’s Festival, held this year on June 16. The traditional Swedish festival is celebrated worldwide, welcoming the arrival of the summer solstice, and Lindsborg is hosting a day full of activities. (Read more: McPherson Sentinel)

Wichita tests water quality for Riverfest activities

info2018-06-06T06:34:32-05:00June 6th, 2018|

Like most Riverfest goers, Gabby and Jacob Marney spent the afternoon walking alongside the Arkansas River. “It’s definitely a big focal point. Us being new here, we hear stuff about it all the time,” Gabby Marney said. But what they hadn’t heard about are the flags located on the Douglas and Lewis Street bridges. The flags let festival goers know the water is safe, depending on the color. “Blue or green means go ahead, get in, recreate. I mean, don’t drink it. That’s just dumb,” President and CEO of Wichita Festivals, Mary Beth Jarvis said. Specifically, blue means the water is [...]

About info