info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

USDA funding $22.4M in Kansas infrastructure improvements

The United States Department of Agriculture has announced $22.4 million in grants for various projects in rural communities in Kansas. The grants will fund projects for high-speed internet access, water, and sewer improvements. “High-speed internet and reliable infrastructure make it possible for rural Kansans to live and work in the communities they love,” says Kansas State Director for Rural Development Christy Davis. The grant details are: (1) A $997,000 grant to help promote the expansion of high-speed internet in Rawlins, Kiowa, Gove, Kearny, Wilson, and Linn counties. (…) (2) A $1,725,000 loan will help complete improvements to the sewer collection system for the City of Wakefield including the upgrade of the wastewater treatment system and construction of a non-discharging lagoon with irrigation. (3) A $2,284,000 loan and a $921,000 grant to help the City of Burden complete the rehabilitation of the water and wastewater systems which includes repairing approximately 15,000 feet of collection lines and upgrading approximately 22,250 feet of main and service lines. (4) A $1,205,000 loan and a $1,127,000 grant for the City of Hanston to help construct a new non-discharging lagoon facility. (5) A $2,925,000 loan for the City of Valley Falls to refurbish the wastewater collection system. (…) (6) A $35,000 loan and a $1,126,000 grant for the City of Vermillion to rehabilitate its water distribution system. (…) (7) A $5,819,000 loan for Belle Blaine to help build a new 300,000-gallon elevated storage tank and a new ion exchange nitrate removal treatment plant. (…) (8) A $1,772,000 loan will help complete repairs to the Fall River dam, upgrade the Little Bear elevated storage tank, expand the distribution system, and provide sewer extension to the hospital in Neodesha. (9) A $795,000 loan and a $1,691,000 grant for the Little Blue Natural Resources District to develop a new water source for the rural water system.
Source: KSN Local News

info2024-02-22T10:59:56-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Starbucks to take the spot of closed Arkansas City bowling alley

Less than two months after a beloved bowling alley closed in Arkansas City, the city says a Starbucks will take its place. Hillcrest Lanes closed on December 30. Melissa Zimmerman and her family announced two weeks prior that the doors would be shut for good after six decades. Richard and Patricia Doffing owned the bowling alley for 30 years. The Cowley Post reports the city recently approved building permits for construction of a Starbucks. A spokesperson for the city said the developer is Brandon Haverty of ReCor Properties out of Mission, Kansas. Construction equipment arrived at the site last week. It’s unclear when the Starbucks, located at 2400 North Summit, will open. Starbucks’ website indicates it will be Ark City’s first.
Source: KAKE – News

info2024-02-22T10:40:10-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Restaurant files lawsuit against Salina over burger-esque mural

The Cozy Inn restaurant filed a lawsuit on Monday against the City of Salina over a mural on the side of its restaurant. The business is located at 108 N. 7th St. in Salina. Last year, the city told the restaurant that a mural on the side of the building violates the sign code policy. The mural features “burger-esque flying saucers piloted by aliens with blasts of ketchup and mustard.” It forced the business to put the project on pause. The mural remains unfinished. In the filing, the restaurant’s owner, Steve Howard, claims the code violates free speech under the First Amendment and allows for “discriminatory enforcement.” Howard is asking for a permanent injunction to stop the city from taking action against the restaurant and the mural. According to the lawsuit, he is not suing the city for money and wants to complete the mural. The lawsuit says that on Feb. 8, the city sent a letter “which neither granted nor denied a permit” and placed his application “on hold until a review of the sign regulations is complete.” The City of Salina released a statement after being notified of the lawsuit. The city believes its current sign code enforcement is legally justified. It said there have been ongoing conversations about The Cozy Inn sign and possible policy changes. “In establishing sign regulations, communities are attempting to set up a set of standards that can be equally and fairly applied across all property owners, businesses, tenants, etc., that are within the same zoning district,” the city statement said. “Nationwide, this has frequently resulted in regulations similar to what Salina has in place that establish a ratio of signage numbers and size based on building or street frontage to maintain a level of proportionality to the building.”
Source: KSN-TV

info2024-02-22T10:33:25-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Kansas bill would prohibit use of eminent domain to build solar farms

Utilities would be prohibited from taking private land using eminent domain to build solar farms under legislation Kansas lawmakers weighed Monday. Eminent domain authority allows governments or utility companies to take private property for public use, including to build roads, bridges and power lines. Property owners are still compensated at market value but can have their land taken if they don’t agree to sell. The practice has come under scrutiny, especially in Missouri, as developers prepare to build a high-voltage transmission line from Kansas to the Indiana border. But a bill the Kansas Senate Utilities Committee heard Monday would prohibit the use of eminent domain to build solar panels on private land. Utilities are already prohibited from using eminent domain to build wind farms. “It makes sense to us to send that to solar, as many of our members are being approached for a number of solar facilities,” said Jackie Garagiola, associate counsel for the Kansas Livestock Association. The bill was backed by farm and livestock groups and one fourth-generation farmer who said her family’s land is being taken by eminent domain for a transmission line. The farmer, Rochelle Smart, also urged the committee to prohibit use of eminent domain for large power lines. Smart said companies had been allowed to “bully” landowners to sell easements to allow power lines to be built on their land. “These power lines go directly through the middle of our farms and ranches,” Smart said. “This is vital land to our operations.” Kimberly Gencur Svaty, a lobbyist for the Advanced Power Alliance, said the organization, which represents renewable energy and transmission line developers, was neutral on the bill. The companies the alliance represents don’t have eminent domain power. They largely construct and sell generation facilities or the power from them to utilities.
Source: Kansas Reflector

info2024-02-22T10:30:12-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Sedgwick County Commissioners hear cell tower proposals

Discussions on proposed new cell towers dominated the Sedgwick County Commission meeting Wednesday morning, and one tower was denied while another was approved. Commissioners voted unanimously to deny a project for a cell tower to be installed near Colwich. The tower was proposed for a site near 53rd Street North and 167th Street West. Several nearby residents told commissioners the 120-foot tower would have a negative visual impact on the area and it would affect property values. Commissioner Jim Howell said the tower was out of character for the neighborhood. The Colwich Planning Commission had recommended denial, while the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission had recommended approval with conditions. Developers said the tower was needed to fill gaps in cell coverage. Developers also asked for a conditional use for a 140-foot tower near 31st Street South and Maize Road. There were no protest petitions, but one resident spoke to the commission and said the tower would have a negative affect on his home 500 feet away. Commissioner Sarah Lopez said felt the tower would be inconsistent with the single family zoning of the property where it would be located. Commissioner Jim Howell felt there were no concerns with land use or property values, and he moved to approve the permit, going along with a 12-0 vote by the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission. Commissioners voted 3-2 with Lopez and Commissioner David Dennis voting no.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

info2024-02-22T10:12:45-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

County concerned city’s housing incentives could affect property taxes

Riley County commissioners on Thursday expressed concerns about how Manhattan’s potential housing incentive programs could affect county property tax income. The city’s proposal to use an estimated $8 million in sales-tax revenue to provide incentives for increasing workforce housing would decrease the county’s property tax collection for a set number of years — such as 7, 14 or 25 years — though the county would not be responsible for paying for any of the incentives. County commissioner John Ford said during an intergovernmental meeting the majority of the county’s budget comes from property taxes, and it can’t use sales taxes to bolster that budget. Additionally, a 41% property tax abatement already affects the county’s revenue from that source. City commissioners Peter Oppelt and Karen McCulloh argued that using incentives to develop more housing in Manhattan would generate a good deal of money for the county in the long term. “It’s some (lost) property tax for a period of time, but the rewards will be a much more vibrant workforce, much more availability for housing for people so we don’t have periods with long commutes, and I just think (it’s) a more positive environment for Manhattan and Riley County,” McCulloh said. Deputy city manager Jason Hilgers added that the county loses money by not having enough housing in Manhattan, thus requiring some people who work in town to commute from Pottawatomie County, where they pay their property taxes. Furthermore, he said dollars from vehicle taxes “rival property taxes.”
Source: themercury.com

info2024-02-22T10:03:55-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

These ethanol plants want to bury CO2 in Kansas to cut their carbon footprints

Two companies seek to build the first sites in Kansas where carbon dioxide emissions get pumped deep underground to keep them out of the atmosphere, a practice that proponents argue will combat climate change but that many environmental groups oppose. The fledgling carbon sequestration industry is picking up pace globally, and geologists say rock formations beneath Kansas offer a bonanza of suitable locations for it. “Kansas has abundant geology that would be compatible with long-term permanent CO2 storage,” said Brendan Bream, a senior scientist at the Kansas Geological Survey. The Kansas Geological Survey envisions conducting a county-by-county study to identify suitable areas. The two proposals for the state’s first carbon sequestration wells are linked to ethanol plants in central Kansas. They’ll need to pass muster with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The proposals come amid a national trend of corn ethanol makers racing to access federal tax incentives that could make or break an industry at risk of being sidelined by newer biofuels with smaller carbon footprints. The wells would also mark a new chapter in Kansas’ foray into the world of carbon capture. So far, the state has three CO2 pipelines in southwest and southeast Kansas, and one well that repurposes the emissions from a Garden City ethanol plant into a tool for forcing hard-to-get fossil fuels out of the ground.
Source: KAKE – News

info2024-02-22T10:01:25-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $16.5M for Short Line Rail Projects to Improve Agricultural Supply Chain

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that nearly $16.5 million will go toward 17 short line rail expansion and rehabilitation projects. These investments, made through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Rail Service Improvement Program (RSIP), will improve the state’s agriculture supply chain. “These needed rail infrastructure improvements will lift up rural Kansas and, in doing so, will maximize the economic potential of the entire state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By strengthening agriculture supply chains, my administration is helping our farmers and ranchers connect to regional, national, and international markets.” RSIP recipients will use the funds for expansion and capacity improvements, major track rehabilitation, and rail replacement. These projects support rail improvements that enhance safety, expand carload capabilities, reduce truck traffic, increase operating speeds, and improve operating efficiencies. State funding for the 17 projects will be enhanced by a 30% match from each recipient, resulting in a total rail infrastructure investment of more than $23.5 million. The program received 26 applications requesting more than $39 million in total costs through IKE, the state’s 10-year bipartisan transportation program. “Rail service lessens the number of trucks that would otherwise be on local roads and Kansas highways, which reduces roadway maintenance and rehabilitation needs,” Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed said. “Having different modes of quality transportation strengthens our state and creates new economic development opportunities for Kansas communities.”
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas

info2024-02-22T09:59:41-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Newton Schools announces updated plans for new playground

After receiving the majority of the necessary funds, Slate Creek Elementary announced to its students the plans to build a larger inclusive playground than originally expected. Slate Creek Elementary works with a number of students with disabilities throughout the county with the Harvey County Special Education Cooperative. Many of these students use wheelchairs and other mobility aids and communication devices. The current playground isn’t equipped to accommodate them. Tenae Alfaro, Slate Creek Elementary’s principal, gave an update to the students, announcing the plans for the playground. Students were selected to press a button and show the increases in funding the school had made over time. Alfaro said she was proud of the students for their commitment to the cause and was confident they could reach their final goal. The playground will have a surface that wheelchairs can use. The current playground has an inaccessible sand ground. The playground will also have a communication panel for students who use communication devices. In 2021, students at Slate Creek began fundraising for an inclusive playground and raised an initial $20,000. Fundraising efforts continued throughout the community with an original goal of $450,000 for a smaller playground. In November, the organization handling fundraising, All Together Now, tripled donations they received with the help of the Newton Community Foundation and the Asbury Park Community Foundation. Fundraising surpassed that number significantly, and the school has raised $600,000. They now plan to build a larger playground, which is already 85 percent funded and will cost $710,000 total.
Source: Harvey County Now

info2024-02-22T09:55:09-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $770 Million for Rural Infrastructure Projects During Investing in America Tour

During a visit to Edgecombe County, N.C., a Rural Partners Network community, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden today announced that USDA is funding 216 projects in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands to bring high-speed internet, clean water, state-of-the-art infrastructure and economic growth to rural communities as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The new projects, totaling $772.6 million in investments, will benefit more than 1 million people living in remote areas of the country by providing reliable high-speed internet access, clean, safe water and a range of support for rural families, agricultural producers and small businesses. Secretary Vilsack and Neera Tanden announced the awards during the Rural Prosperity town hall at Edgecombe Community College as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s fourth Investing in America tour. Many of the projects announced today were made possible through historic investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Today’s announcement comes just months after USDA announced a Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant to equip 10 telemedicine stations throughout Edgecombe County. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is transforming our country for the better – reaching communities in every corner of the United States, including those that have too often been left behind,” Secretary Vilsack said.
Source: USDA – Latest News Releases

info2024-02-22T09:32:30-06:00February 22, 2024|News|

About info

USDA funding $22.4M in Kansas infrastructure improvements

Starbucks to take the spot of closed Arkansas City bowling alley

Restaurant files lawsuit against Salina over burger-esque mural

Kansas bill would prohibit use of eminent domain to build solar farms

Sedgwick County Commissioners hear cell tower proposals

County concerned city’s housing incentives could affect property taxes

These ethanol plants want to bury CO2 in Kansas to cut their carbon footprints

Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $16.5M for Short Line Rail Projects to Improve Agricultural Supply Chain

Newton Schools announces updated plans for new playground

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $770 Million for Rural Infrastructure Projects During Investing in America Tour

Services

Company