Ranson Financial, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

How mail delays in Kansas and Missouri could create problems in the 2024 election

As the Nov. 5 election draws closer, tens of thousands of Kansas and Missouri voters are preparing to cast their absentee ballots through the mail. Whether you’re planning to be out of town on Election Day or have a disability that makes it hard to get to the polls, absentee voting is a convenient way to make sure your voice is heard. But recent U.S. Postal Service delays in both states may throw a wrench in those plans for some voters. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the state’s highest-ranking election official, sounded off in a letter to U.S. Postmaster Louis DeJoy about the issue Monday, Sept. 9. “I am extremely concerned there is a troubling pattern that persists in the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and handling of ballots,” Schwab wrote. “Many are either missing postmarks or failing to reach the county election office on time, even when voters have mailed them timely.” He added that nearly one-fifth of Kansas voters cast their ballots by mail, but around 1,000 mail-in ballots were not counted in the Aug. 6 primary election due to missing postmarks or late arrival times. Schwab did not specify where in the state ballots had gone uncounted. TOP VIDEOS The video player is currently playing an ad. “That means that 2 percent of ballots transmitted by mail in Kansas were not counted due to USPS administrative failures,” he wrote. Mail delays in the Kansas City area have been going on for months — and barring some major improvements in the next seven weeks, the issues are likely to persist up to and through Election Day. Here’s what voters can do to ensure their ballot is received and counted.
Source: Kansas City Breaking News & Sports | The Kansas City Star

Ranson Financial2024-09-16T17:27:44-05:00September 16, 2024|News|

40 Local Bridge Projects Receive More than $40M

40 local and off-system bridge projects across the state will receive a combined total of $40.25 million as part of two local bridge improvement programs capitalizing on new revenue from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). … Combined with matching funds from the awarded cities and counties, the total project value is over $45.2 million. By reshaping the local bridge programs to take advantage of BIL, the Kansas Department of Transportation more than doubled its annual funding as part of the existing Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE). … For this cycle of the local bridge programs, KDOT received a combined total of 170 applications requesting $162.3 million.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas

Ranson Financial2024-09-13T09:49:43-05:00September 13, 2024|News|

‘A stars-aligned moment’ — JoCo urges Lenexa to approve shelter permit ahead of key vote

With praise for Lenexa’s partnership and a pledge to back the city up if problems arise, Johnson County commissioners have forwarded a letter urging Lenexa officials to approve a proposed homeless services center and shelter. Commissioners voted 4-2 Thursday to send the one-and-a-half page letter to Lenexa Mayor Julie Sayers and city councilmembers. The city’s governing body next week will consider whether to accept the recommendation of their city’s planning commission to deny a permit for the proposed shelter at a repurposed hotel near Interstate 35 and 95th Street. “We respectfully disagree with staff’s rationale for denial and with how staff and the Planning Commission applied the Golden factor criteria in its recommendation,” the letter says, while acknowledging there may be “understandable” concerns. The project should not negatively impact property values and will have a positive effect on public health and safety, the commission’s letter says. (The “Golden criteria” stem from a 1978 court ruling in an Overland Park case that set forth factors that jurisdictions can consider when ruling on local land uses.)
Source: Johnson County Post

Ranson Financial2024-09-13T08:46:38-05:00September 13, 2024|News|

Halstead to hold public hearing on energy storage facility

The City of Halstead will host a public meeting on zoning regulations related to a proposed energy storage facility. In October 2023, Boston-based Concurrent LLC submitted an interconnection application to the Southwest Power Pool, which oversees power transmission in Kansas and several neighboring states. Concurrent wants to build a system that would collect and store renewable energy during times of low demand so that it can be delivered during times of high demand. The proposed Tallgrass Prairie Energy Center has a planned capacity of 200 megawatts and up to 800 megawatt-hours. The company plans to install the facility in Halstead Industrial Park. Once operational, it would store enough power for 200,000 to 800,000 homes. The public meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at Halstead City Hall. A draft of the proposed zoning regulations is below.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2024-09-13T08:45:14-05:00September 13, 2024|News|

Sedgwick County selected for emergency preparedness exercise

Sedgwick County Emergency Management (SCEM) was chosen to participate in a national exercise program conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program aids government entities in conducting emergency preparedness exercises to gauge the disaster readiness of the organization. The SCEM applied for the program and was chosen for the program over other governmental agencies in Region 7, which includes Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. Going through the program will help Sedgwick County design and conduct a full-scale active shooter simulation to be held March 11, 2025. “These exercises are so important for us to assess our preparedness planning, resources and capabilities to work with community partners in times of crisis,” said SCEM Director Julie Stimson. “Having FEMA support us through this process will fine-tune the training even more, at no cost to our community.” Sedgwick County’s exercise is one of 43 selected across the country that FEMA will support for 38 government entities. A well-designed simulation provides a low-risk environment to familiarize personnel with emergency roles and responsibilities. After the exercise, SCEM can reevaluate its preparedness plans and identify strengths and areas for improvement. “I already know that our Emergency Management team is top-notch because they’ve proven it in the field countless times, but there is always room for improvement in our plans,” Chairman of the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners, Commissioner Ryan Baty said. “A large, complex exercise like this is an objective way to test our policies and procedures and enhance our response, before Sedgwick County has to deal with a real-life disaster.”
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Ranson Financial2024-09-13T08:43:49-05:00September 13, 2024|News|

City and firefighters union are at impasse in negotiations; Lawrence City Commission may have to resolve the conflict

City of Lawrence administrators and the local firefighters union are at an impasse in their negotiations for the coming year, and if they don’t resolve it, the City Commission might have to resolve the conflict next month. The city and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1596 union, which represents firefighters and other emergency personnel employed by Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, are working to come up with a new memorandum of understanding. The current one is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2024.
Source: LJWorld

Ranson Financial2024-09-13T08:35:06-05:00September 13, 2024|News|

Arcadia: A small town with a big history

Arcadia will celebrate 162 years on Saturday with Old Settlers’ Days. Festivities begin at 9 a.m. as parade participants gather at the ballpark. … While only a small town of 250 today, Arcadia has a very interesting history and a lot to celebrate. According to Legends of Kansas, the first to settle in the area was a blacksmith named Howell in 1844. Married to a Cherokee woman, he was given permission to live in, at that time, the Neutral Lands.
Source: Morning Sun

Ranson Financial2024-09-13T08:28:33-05:00September 13, 2024|News|

Hiawatha Maple Leaf Festival set for Sept 28

The Hiawatha Maple Leaf Festival is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 and organizers with the Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau are excited about this year’s lineup of activities. This annual festival can be found in downtown Hiawatha around the courthouse square, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of each September. Maple Leaf 2024 will be bringing in some fantastic music — as the Chamber is featuring True North as the headlining band, scheduled for a noon performance on the north side of the courthouse steps. Chamber Administrator Sarah Kleopfer said there will be a couple of new performers this year: Lisa Scholz, from the Highland area, who will be performing at 10 am, and South Wind, a band out of Manhattan, featuring Hiawatha’s own Christian Shaffer at 11 am. The Hiawatha Headliners (1:30 pm) and Tori Wist (2 pm) will round out the musical entertainment for the afternoon. Find all of them on the north steps of the Brown County Courthouse. Children’s entertainment and carnival attractions, along with local magician Barron Stringfellow — who will be performing on the south side of the courthouse at 11 a.m. this year — craft and food vendors will set the stage for an awesome fall festival. Back this year will be a petting zoo, which can be also be found on the southwest side of the square. Kleopfer said the Chamber board was excited to bring in several new children’s entertainers this year. This includes the Bluffwoods Boffers, Entertainment & Games. Dive into the world of Live Action Role Play and learn how to battle! Also new this year will be Karen Smith, balloon artist. Songwriter and author Karla Bauer of Kansas City will be entertaining at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. on the south side of the courthouse lawn near the petting zoo. Kleopfer confirmed that nearly 60 craft, home decor and business vendors will be set up around the square, along with several food vendors that will be spread out on Oregon Street, where picnic tables will be set out for festival-goers. In conjunction with the Maple Leaf Festival, Heartland Realty and the Brown County Humane Society are sponsoring an inflatable costume race, which begins at Heartland Realty at 9 a.m. This race is to raise awareness of the Humane Society’s spay and neuter program. Everyone is welcome! Back this year will be the car show, found on the west side of the courthouse on Seventh Street. Stop by to check out the vintage rides that will be featured. Anyone interested in entering the car show can contact Tom Martin at (785) 288-0402 or Philip Grabhorn at (785) 288-8912.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com

Ranson Financial2024-09-12T10:27:23-05:00September 12, 2024|News|

If Lenexa rejects homeless shelter, Johnson County could be back at square one. Then what?

If the Lenexa City Council on Tuesday denies a special use permit to operate a homeless shelter, Johnson County could be sent back to the drawing board — possibly needing to find a new location and deciding whether to commit alternate funding in the face of a fast-approaching federal deadline. The decision would be a major setback after the county has spent months evaluating the Lenexa site, following years of planning for a much-needed shelter. Late last month, the Lenexa Planning Commission voted 9-0 to deny a special use permit request to operate a year-round shelter at the La Quinta Inn and Suites off of Interstate 35 and 95th Street. The permit is required for the county to close on the real estate purchase, and needed for reStart, the Kansas City-based homeless services agency, to run the shelter. In its recommendation to reject the permit, Lenexa city staff said the use is inconsistent with the character of the neighborhood, would “create a concentration of negative external impacts” in the community, detrimentally affect nearby properties and strain law enforcement resources. But the Lenexa City Council has the final say to approve or deny the permit, or send it back to the planning commission with reasoning for it to be reconsidered. The council will consider the permit request at its meeting next Tuesday evening.
Source: Joco 913 News

Ranson Financial2024-09-12T10:25:31-05:00September 12, 2024|News|

Massive Johnson County sports complex to open soon in growing development. Here’s when

After months of construction, an Overland Park sports facility with an ice rink, eight basketball courts and more will open to the public next month. The first phase of the AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, Oct. 26, according to a media release from the company. “The wait is over!” Becky Cornell, retail marketing manager for JLL real estate, wrote in an announcement to the media. The $125 million park at 16201 Shawnee Drive (on the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 69 and 159th Street) will include a family entertainment center called Hawk’s Outpost. It will include arcade games, bowling, laser tag and sports simulators. A cafe, bar and grill, training area and locker rooms will also be part of the sports park. Visitors are invited to visit the new complex from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to take a look at the first 260,000-square-foot phase of the sports park.
Source: Joco 913 News

Ranson Financial2024-09-12T10:24:04-05:00September 12, 2024|News|

About Ranson Financial

How mail delays in Kansas and Missouri could create problems in the 2024 election

40 Local Bridge Projects Receive More than $40M

‘A stars-aligned moment’ — JoCo urges Lenexa to approve shelter permit ahead of key vote

Halstead to hold public hearing on energy storage facility

Sedgwick County selected for emergency preparedness exercise

City and firefighters union are at impasse in negotiations; Lawrence City Commission may have to resolve the conflict

Arcadia: A small town with a big history

Hiawatha Maple Leaf Festival set for Sept 28

If Lenexa rejects homeless shelter, Johnson County could be back at square one. Then what?

Massive Johnson County sports complex to open soon in growing development. Here’s when

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