info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

At 8 million square feet, solar project would be same size as 4,000 homes

info2024-04-09T08:06:25-05:00April 9th, 2024|

In all of Grant Township — one of several names for this place north of North Lawrence — there are 169 homes spread across its approximately 11,000 acres, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Simple enough. As the crow said, not very many. But soon, the counting around here may get more complicated. Plans have been filed for a utility-scale solar “farm” that would put 237,300 solar panels on about 600 acres of farm fields. That is nearly 8 million square feet of solar panels. Source: LJWorld

Higher for Longer After All? Investors See Fed Rates Falling More Slowly.

info2024-04-09T08:04:11-05:00April 9th, 2024|

Investors were betting big on Federal Reserve rate cuts at the start of 2024, wagering that central bankers would lower interest rates to around 4 percent by the end of the year. But after months of stubborn inflation and strong economic growth, the outlook is starting to look much less dramatic. Market pricing now suggests that rates will end the year in the neighborhood of 4.75 percent. That would mean Fed officials had cut rates two or three times from their current 5.3 percent. Source: NYT > Business

Five finalists for city manager say Topeka must address these key issues

info2024-04-09T08:03:09-05:00April 9th, 2024|

Before the meet and greet, the city council, mayor and a panel of community stakeholders, appointed by the mayor, interviewed each candidate. The panelists included Danielle Twemlow, Laura Burton, Keith Warta, Kerry Pancoast and Susan Duffy. City council member David Banks said he was pleased with the turnout at Monday's event. "It's just nice to see everybody here," Banks said. Source: CJonline

Kansas solar development sparks emotional debate in Great Bend

info2024-04-09T07:59:44-05:00April 9th, 2024|

There was a collective sigh of relief from members of the Barton County Planning Commission following a lengthy morning meeting March 14. They had just approved the final draft of new zoning regulations and a revised zoning map governing the development of large-scale and commercial solar energy conversion systems, rules that were OK’d Friday by the Barton County Commission during a special meeting. These actions capped an arduous 10 months of meetings, hearings and heartfelt testimony as county residents came to grips with the idea of having a solar installation in their backyards. Source: Kansas Reflector

North Newton to discuss marijuana ordinance

info2024-04-09T07:56:31-05:00April 9th, 2024|

The City of North Newton will consider changing first-time possession of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor charge to an infraction. North Newton Police Chief Jim Bethards is submitting the proposal to the North Newton City Council. He said the change would save his department time and save the city money. “One distinction we want people to understand is it’s not decriminalization like Wichita or Lawrence has done,” he said. “It’s just a first-offense thing that moves the process a little quicker.” Source: Harvey County Now

Olathe land had belonged to one family since Civil War. Soon it will be a city park

info2024-04-09T07:55:57-05:00April 9th, 2024|

Land that has been in the hands of Olathe’s Hoff family since the Civil War is set to become the city’s latest neighborhood park. Construction starts on Pioneer Park later this year, with the goal of being done by next summer. The 16.7-acre piece of land where the park will sit is immediately north of College Boulevard and slightly west of Woodland Road and the Stone Pillar Winery. Marcie Hoff and her husband Tom Hoff had decided to will the land to the city back in 2005, but they later resolved to give it earlier. Source: Joco 913 News

‘Step into a simpler time’

info2024-04-09T07:54:18-05:00April 9th, 2024|

Two committed Crawford County residents are making progress on bringing back the days of a nostalgic old-fashioned general shop to the west side of Girard’s historic downtown square, complete with antiques, homemade ice cream, and candies. Jim and Kathi Cooper, of Farlington Lake, have worked endlessly since August in building the store, which has an anticipated completion date of August 2024. It all started when Kathi Cooper found herself in the Girard Public Library, researching the history of the town square. Source: Morning Sun

Overland Park to remove thousands more infected ash trees — Here’s where

info2024-04-08T09:47:51-05:00April 8th, 2024|

Overland Park is taking steps to remove more dying and dead ash trees that line city streets. The Overland Park City Council Community Development Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended for approval a bid tabulation for a second formal round of ash tree removal. This slate of removals, anticipated to cost just shy of $865,000, will be funded entirely from federal COVID-19 relief funds. Emerald ash borers, a type of insect that is not native to the U.S., have wreaked havoc on ash trees. A type of beetle, female ash borers lay eggs in ash trees and those offspring feed on the trees, damaging and [...]

‘Act of listening’: Retiring Wichita officer has spent years answering life-or-death calls

info2024-04-08T09:45:28-05:00April 8th, 2024|

One evening early in Dan Oblinger’s career with the Wichita Police Department, he responded to a call he was unprepared for — a woman dangling over the guardrail on the top floor of the Bank of America parking garage downtown, intent on ending her life. She felt alone, without hope. He didn’t know what to do. He tried to tell her how she should feel and what she should do. That didn’t help. “That lasted probably 15 minutes, which doesn’t sound like a long time … but in that situation it feels like a lifetime,” the 42-year-old said, reflecting back on [...]

Wichita is poised to settle a lawsuit challenging police gang list. Here’s what it means

info2024-04-08T09:43:14-05:00April 8th, 2024|

The city of Wichita is poised to settle a lawsuit brought by Kansas Appleseed and the ACLU of Kansas that contended the Wichita Police Department’s gang list is unconstitutional. Last fall, a federal judge granted class-action status to the 5,245 people on the gang list. If City Council members approve the settlement Tuesday, Wichita will pay $550,000 in legal fees and costs. The mediated agreement would not require Wichita to destroy its gang list as plaintiffs initially called for. Instead, a judge would appoint a special master to oversee its ongoing use by the police department for three years at an [...]

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