info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Beloit USD 273 Bond Issue Questions Defeated In Election

info2024-04-19T10:52:39-05:00April 19th, 2024|

After much discussion, various meetings, and much consternation, the Beloit USD 273 School Bond issue and vote came to a conclusion yesterday (Thursday, April 18th). Question 1 on the ballot included for voters to consider was a New Ag Center, a Renovation of Expansion of Woods/Construction Tech, HVAC Replacement at Elementary & Jr.-Sr. High Schools, and a New Stadium Pressbox and Restrooms at an estimated cost of $16.2 million dollars which would be funded by a 13.5 mill levy increase over 25 years. Unofficial Results from the Mitchell County Clerk’s office are Yes: 823 (37%), No: 1,425 (63%). Question 2 on the ballot could [...]

KS Supreme Court: “Driving” vs. Attempting to Drive

info2024-04-19T10:00:18-05:00April 19th, 2024|

Under Darrow, Jarmer's unsuccessful effort to drive her car out of a muddy ditch fails to satisfy K.S.A. 8-1002(a)(2)(A)'s requirement that she was "operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both." Because the evidence presented establishes only that she attempted to operate her vehicle, the KDR could not suspend her driver's license under K.S.A. 8-1002(a)(2)(A) following her failed breath test. We thus reverse the suspension of Jarmer's driver's license and remand the matter to the KDR for further proceedings. Read the opinion: Jarmer vs. KDOR

Wall Street pushes out rate-cut expectations, sees risk they don’t start until March 2025

info2024-04-18T06:25:12-05:00April 18th, 2024|

If there was any doubt before, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has pretty much cemented the likelihood that there won't be interest rate reductions anytime soon. Now, Wall Street is wondering if the central bank will cut at all this year. That's because Powell on Tuesday said there's been "a lack of further progress" on lowering inflation back to the Fed's 2% target, meaning "it's likely to take longer than expected" to get enough confidence to start easing back on policy. Source: CNBC - Bonds

Stafford County joins in on building boom

info2024-04-18T06:15:08-05:00April 18th, 2024|

There’s a building boom in the Golden Belt, and Stafford County Economic Development isn’t going to be left behind. “We are building nine houses, with five in St. John and four in Stafford,” noted Ryan Russell, SCEDC executive director. The 18-month building project is through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, through its Middle Income Housing offering. Source: Great Bend Tribune

Power outage prompts rush hour traffic jam on Metcalf in Overland Park

info2024-04-17T12:27:56-05:00April 17th, 2024|

The gusty winds are believed to be responsible for a power outage that turned off the traffic signals at 75th Street and Metcalf Avenue late Tuesday afternoon in Overland Park, prompting a mile-long traffic jam on one of the city’s most-used roadways. Evergy’s online outage map showed that approximately 774 customers were without power in the area of the busy intersection at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Several businesses in the area were forced to close because they didn’t have power for their computers to work. As of 5:30 p.m., northbound traffic on Metcalf was at a crawl, backed up to 83rd Street, [...]

Mayor Butler proclaims Thursday as “Ron Fehr Day” in Manhattan

info2024-04-17T12:21:13-05:00April 17th, 2024|

At Tuesday’s Manhattan City Commission, Manhattan mayor Wynn Butler proclaimed this Thursday Apr. 18 to be “Ron Fehr Day” in Manhattan to honor City Manager Ron Behr’s commitment to public service in the city and Fehr’s retirement after 24 years as the city manager. “This honor is in recognition of [Ron’s] many achievements,” said Butler. “And on behalf of the City Commission, the City employees, and the citizens of Manhattan in expressing our gratitude and appreciation for many years of loyal and exemplary service to the community.” Fehr has worked for the local city government since 1982 when he was appointed to the [...]

Wichita removes curfew on electric scooters

info2024-04-17T12:20:09-05:00April 17th, 2024|

Wichita City Council members have voted unanimously to do away with the nighttime curfew on the use of electric scooters in the community. The city previously had a restriction that began at dusk or 9 p.m., whichever is earlier, and ended at sunrise. Veo, the company providing the electric scooters, asked the city to look at changes to extend the hours of operation. Wichita is the only city in the Midwest and Plains region that has a curfew on scooters. Interim Wichita Transit Director Penny Feist said the Police Department recommended wording in the ordinance to call for headlamps and reflectors for [...]

Powell Suggests Interest Rates Could Stay High for a Longer Period

info2024-04-17T12:18:25-05:00April 17th, 2024|

The Federal Reserve is likely to wait longer than initially expected to cut interest rates given stubborn inflation readings in recent months, the central bank’s top two officials said Tuesday. Policymakers came into 2024 looking for evidence that inflation was continuing to cool rapidly, as it did late last year. Instead, progress on inflation has stalled or even reversed by some measures. “The recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence and instead indicate that it’s likely to take longer than expected to achieve that confidence,” Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said at an event in Washington on Tuesday. He did [...]

Governor Kelly Announces $18M for 34 Municipalities and Special Districts for Water Infrastructure

info2024-04-17T12:17:01-05:00April 17th, 2024|

Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Water Office today announced an $18 million investment into 34 municipalities and special districts related to water across Kansas. Nineteen Technical Assistance Grants and 15 Water Project Grants are being awarded. “This investment is vital to the water resources and livelihoods of Kansans in these rural communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By working together, we are making progress on our water crisis while ensuring communities have access to the resources they need to address their pressing water issues.” The grants were made possible through the 2023 Senate Substitute for House Bill 2302, signed by Governor Kelly in [...]

This southwest Kansas newspaper printing press is an oasis in an expanding news desert

info2024-04-17T12:15:07-05:00April 17th, 2024|

Print media is struggling in many areas, but it survives in 15 towns thanks to a printing press still churning out newspapers in Liberal, Kansas. The light blue machine takes up most of a warehouse, about the size of a school bus, with newspapers flying through different pulleys as ink is applied. At medium speed, it can spit out 500 papers per minute. Danny Morua, the pressman for almost 20 years, makes a small adjustment, and within seconds is pushing a new roll of paper that weighs 700 pounds back onto the mechanism. “Me casa is su casa," Morua said while [...]

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