info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Merriam homeowners got surprise tax cut last year due to ‘clerical error.’ Will taxes go back up in 2025?

info2024-06-17T13:23:22-05:00June 17th, 2024|

Merriam residents are likely to see a sharp increase in their municipal tax rate next year. The city is considering an increase of 3.736 mills for its 2025 mill levy — or local tax — rate. That would bring the city’s municipal mill levy to 26.665 mills overall, according to early budget presentations from city staff. That relatively sharp increase comes after a “clerical error” on budget forms last year submitted to the county and state unintentionally slashed Merriam’s 2024 property tax rate by more than four mills, from 27.665 mills down to 22.929 mills the year before. Before that mistake, the Merriam City Council had [...]

Local task force has been fighting underage drinking and substance abuse

info2024-06-17T13:22:17-05:00June 17th, 2024|

While many in Marion County are unaware of the existence of the Marion County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (SAPC), the group has been hard at work. SAPC serves to support the prevention of underage drinking and substance misuse in Marion County. SAPC’s mission was first birthed in 2010 under the Families And Communities Together (FACT) organization and has since developed into a task force comprised of countywide members from 12 sectors, all working together to produce positive change in the Marion County community. SAPC diligently works within the five school districts of rural Marion County, partnering with the various law enforcement agencies, Prairie [...]

How the Fed Can Cut Rates This Summer Without Cutting Rates

info2024-06-17T13:21:07-05:00June 17th, 2024|

The Federal Reserve has more than one way to work its will on the economy. It could soon start using its more subtle tools to start nudging rates down. That still would have a real impact on businesses and households. The central bank most directly controls short-term rates by setting a target range for the federal-funds rate, the rate at which banks lend money to one another overnight. On Wednesday it left this target unchanged while saying that Fed policymakers on average expect to cut this rate range just once this year, down from an expectation of three times in March. But there are a plethora [...]

Humboldt brewery on tap

info2024-06-17T13:19:47-05:00June 17th, 2024|

On April 10, 2015, brothers Tony and Josh Works set a goal. A year from that date, they wanted to sit on the patio at the future Union Works Brewing Co. and enjoy a pint of craft beer. It took nearly a decade to turn that dream into a reality, but last Saturday, they sat on the patio and raised their glasses to celebrate the opening of the brewing company’s tap room. Over the past few years, the brewery quietly continued in the background as A Bolder Humboldt, a local economic development group, finished other projects. Residents and visitors learned to be patient [...]

Groundbreaking for 500 million dollar development in Park City

info2024-06-17T13:18:54-05:00June 17th, 2024|

Friday was a day three and a half years in the making. It was the official groundbreaking for Champtown, a $500 million development in Park City, and parts of it could open as soon as next year. Champtown hopes to become Kansas’s newest major tourist destination and spur economic development in the area by providing state of the art amenities and entertainment venues. It's something that could be exciting for the whole family. “There is not anything like this in Park City right now. Park City is a community that is really growing, we are expanding [in] every direction,” said Dana [...]

Wichitans, housed and not, lie in wait about a future homeless campus

info2024-06-17T13:17:25-05:00June 17th, 2024|

In Historic Midtown sits a recently-emptied building, the once-oldest school operating in Wichita: Park Elementary, usually home to about 200 students, empty of the children and teachers that once walked its halls. The decision to close the school this past May hit Midtown residents hard, many of which are families with children. Now, a second government decision is coming their way: transforming the former elementary school into the city’s multiagency campus and center, often referred to as the MAC – a one-stop resource center that would house supportive low-income housing and a low-barrier homeless shelter. The idea isn’t cemented – yet. The June 6 [...]

City of Pittsburg approves $10 Million funding agreement with PSU

info2024-06-17T13:16:00-05:00June 17th, 2024|

The city of Pittsburg agrees to terms with Pittsburg State University for millions in funding for a new college of business. The Gorilla Rising Project aims to develop the new college, as well as on site parking, at 3rd and Broadway. It would also see the redevelopment of the Besse Hotel on 4th St. The city approved the funding agreement for $10,050,000. They also approved $32,500 in funding for the Kelce College of Business Economic Research Proposal. Source: KOAM News

Smithsonian Magazine lists Humboldt among best small towns

info2024-06-17T13:15:01-05:00June 17th, 2024|

The Smithsonian Magazine named Humboldt as one of the “15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024.” It’s an annual list of small towns “that make up the heart of America.” The towns all have populations fewer than 25,000, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Humboldt’s is 1,850. Towns selected offer “vast cultural experiences, superb nature, and a plethora of activities and events, not to mention an anniversary or opening that makes 2024 an especially great year to visit.” Humboldt was selected as “A Revitalized Small Town.” The magazine outlines the work done by A Bolder Humboldt, established in 2016, [...]

City Manager candidates unveiled

info2024-06-17T13:11:20-05:00June 17th, 2024|

The City of Atchison has announced that the search for a new City Manager for Atchison is advancing into an in-person interview process with four applicants in contention for the position. Three applicants are scheduled for a day of tours, writing exercises, and interviews on Thursday. A fourth applicant will interview in-person in the first week of July. The four applicants are: Celeste Chaney-Tucker, former Director of Financial Management for the Kansas Department of Administration and current Deputy Director of Water Services for Kansas City, Missouri; David Kees, former Interim Assistant City Manager and current Assistant to the City Manager for [...]

From the Flint Hills to the Flatlands: Hundreds of cyclists make the trek across the Sunflower State

info2024-06-17T13:08:39-05:00June 17th, 2024|

50 years ago, the inaugural Biking Across Kansas ride kicked off with participants traveling through Tribune. For the anniversary year, over 700 riders gathered back in Tribune and have spent the past week cycling across the Sunflower State. BAK is the second longest across-state ride in the country. While the eight-day, 505-mile trip can be physically demanding, it’s the comradery with fellow riders that keeps them coming back year after year. Former participant and first-year Executive Director Bryan Toben considers everyone to be family. “It can be a challenge, but we always talk about doing this together,” Toben said. “There isn’t a rider out there [...]

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