info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas invests $48.7 million to deal with safety problems of three dozen decrepit local bridges

info2023-09-06T09:26:11-05:00September 6th, 2023|

The Kansas Department of Transportation earmarked $42.3 million in federal funding to support $6.4 million in local government investment over the next two years to improve safety of nearly three dozen city or county bridges outside of the state highway system. KDOT said a total of 15 projects were included in the 2024 map and blended $21.8 million funneled through the state and $4.7 million in local matching dollars. The plan would replace 16 bridges and permanently remove 12 bridges from local road systems. The $7 million in federal aid and $2 million from Dodge City allowed work to proceed on [...]

New Director: Clay Center Library looking for ways to draw people in

info2023-09-07T13:19:34-05:00September 6th, 2023|

The Clay Center Carnegie Public Library isn't just a place to check out books – the library has become much more than that, said Brittany Girton the new director of the library, at a recent Lions Club meeting. Girton, who just completed her bachelor’s degree, said she’s familiar with the local library and its programs for children as she grew up being part of those reading programs. Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com

Paris Bans E-Scooters. Will More Cities Follow?

info2023-09-06T09:23:36-05:00September 6th, 2023|

Last Friday, Paris became the first European capital to outlaw e-scooter rentals. The ban, which doesn’t apply to privately owned scooters, was the result of a referendum this spring. An overwhelming 90% voted for the ban. Five years ago, Paris was one of the first major cities to allow these so-called micromobility devices, which went on to terrorize pedestrians and perplex city officials all over the world. Source: Bloomberg CityLab

Governor Kelly Announces $1M Available for Tourism Attraction Development Grants

info2023-09-07T13:20:02-05:00September 6th, 2023|

Governor Laura Kelly announced that $1 million in Attraction Development Grants is available from Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce. Attraction Development Grants are designed to assist in the development of sustainable tourism experiences that influence travel decisions and create economic impact, including new jobs, capital investment, revenue, and increased visitation. “Kansas tourism is an economic driver that highlights the many reasons why our state is the best place in the nation to live, work, and raise a family,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By investing in our tourism industry, we strengthen our economic growth and Kansas’ placement [...]

’I’m horrified’: JoCo residents fight office park plan that would replace real park

info2023-09-06T08:47:16-05:00September 6th, 2023|

Mike Coffman has, for more than 40 years, lived in a well-to-do Johnson County enclave whose city sign, beneath a canopy of mature oaks and maples, declares the town of 400 residents to be “the most beautiful little city in Kansas.” These days, Coffman and dozens of other residents in affluent Westwood Hills and neighboring Westwood (population 1,850) fear that the view outside their windows might soon, instead of being beautiful, become downright ugly. “My children used to play over there,” Coffman said, pointing across the street and across city lines to what is, effectively, Westwood’s only city park, located in [...]

Effort aims for renewal of downtown Peabody, Kansas

info2023-09-06T08:45:43-05:00September 6th, 2023|

Lindsay Hutchison’s year started with a whirlwind of activity. The 38-year-old mayor of Peabody – both the first woman to hold the office and the youngest in the city’s history – had less than a month to get 29 residents signed on to a grant application to provide money to preserve her community’s historic downtown district. With that financial boost, Hutchison and members of the Peabody Main Street Association could then rely on the biggest strength of any small community – its people. She and the Main Streeters had known for some time that their beloved buildings were in need of overdue [...]

2,200 Wichita homes with sprinkler systems could have water shut off

info2023-09-06T08:44:08-05:00September 6th, 2023|

More than 2,000 Wichita water customers could have their water service disconnected starting in one week. The City says the customers are not complying with a requirement for lawn irrigation systems. The City of Wichita requires people with lawn irrigation systems hooked up to city water to get an annual test of the system's backflow device. As of Tuesday morning, the City says about 2,200 households have not done that, even though the City has sent out multiple notices. The deadline was May 30. Source: KSN-TV

Town hopes birthday celebration will bring in residents

info2023-09-06T08:42:52-05:00September 6th, 2023|

The City of Bentley will celebrate its 135th birthday this November, and it held a meeting over the weekend to plan the party. Bentley is a town of about 570 people in northern Sedgwick County. On Sunday, community members gathered at Bentley City Hall to discuss ideas for the celebration. They want people to know what the town has to offer. "We do have a lot of opportunity for growth," Shannon Catlin, event coordinator, said. "We have open lots right now that you can build upon. And so if we can showcase our community in a positive light, it might draw [...]

Here’s what the city plans to name Wichita’s newest park

info2023-09-06T08:41:36-05:00September 6th, 2023|

Wichita’s newest park soon could have an official name. The park, across McLean from the Arkansas River in Delano, had temporarily been dubbed Poem Park. The new name, if approved by the Wichita City Council on Tuesday, will be Millwood Park. It will get its name from the street — Millwood Avenue — that dead-ends in the middle of the park, a thin strip of undeveloped city-owned land along McLean from Vine to Fern. “I’m really excited about it because Delano has been really active in the naming of this new park,” Council member Maggie Ballard said. “I asked them for [...]

Nearly 1,000 traffic cases dismissed in Douglas County District Court

info2023-09-06T08:35:33-05:00September 6th, 2023|

In hopes of avoiding numerous driver’s license suspensions, Douglas County District Court judges have dismissed about 940 traffic cases. The circumstances of the batch dismissals are also mentioned in a pending disciplinary matter against Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez. The traffic court docket, which generally brings dozens of people into one courtroom on Friday mornings, was placed on hold for the height of the pandemic. The DA’s office also continued cases on the docket during the delta variant wave in winter going into 2022. Source: The Lawrence Times

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