info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Johnson County homelessness advocates urge chair Mike Kelly to take action

info2023-05-04T11:20:45-05:00May 4th, 2023|

Local religious leaders on Tuesday night pressed Johnson County Chairman Mike Kelly to take action to address mental health, homelessness and affordable housing in the Kansas City area’s wealthiest county. The Good Faith Network, an interfaith coalition of 27 local congregations and houses of worship, is seeking commitments from Kelly on a number of items, including plans for a mental health crisis stabilization center and the use of state and federal funds to address housing issues in Johnson County. On Tuesday, hundreds of people gathered at Leawood’s United Methodist Church of the Resurrection for a “Nehemiah Assembly,” billed as the “largest gathering [...]

USD 232 mulls plan to deal with middle school overcrowding

info2023-05-04T10:05:18-05:00May 4th, 2023|

In the future, USD 232 in De Soto could send some middle schoolers living in Lenexa to Lexington Trails Middle School in De Soto. The move would be a proactive step to deal with anticipated overcrowding at Mill Creek Middle School, which currently pulls students from Riverview Elementary as well as some students from Mize and Horizon elementary schools. This week, the attendance boundary issue was an alert item on the school board’s agenda, which means it was not voted on or discussed at length, but it could come back for approval as soon as June. Source: Prairie Village Post

Winfield to celebrate 150th anniversary

info2023-05-04T11:09:10-05:00May 4th, 2023|

The City of Winfield will celebrate its Sesquicentennial on Saturday. The first Winfield City Council was formed in 1873. It became a cultural center in Kansas by hosting numerous Chautauquas in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Strother Field became the airbase for over 3,000 Army Air Force personnel and civilian employees during World War II, many of whom called Winfield home. Source: KSN-TV

Federal Reserve Raises Rates, Signals Potential Pause

info2023-05-04T11:10:03-05:00May 4th, 2023|

Federal Reserve officials signaled they might be done raising interest rates for now after approving another increase at their meeting that concluded Wednesday. “People did talk about pausing, but not so much at this meeting,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. “We feel like we’re getting closer or maybe even there.” The unanimous decision marked the Fed’s 10th consecutive rate increase aimed at battling inflation and brings its benchmark federal-funds rate to a range between 5% and 5.25%, a 16-year high. Source: WSJ.com: US Business

Cities, Towns and Villages Are Innovating to Adapt to the Changing Retail Landscape

info2023-05-03T11:00:34-05:00May 3rd, 2023|

The National League of Cities today released The Future of Cities: Adapting to Changes in the Retail Landscape, a report that analyzes the post-pandemic retail economy in cities, towns and villages nationwide. The report found that changes in central business districts have been profound, due in part to the rates of in-office work in certain geographies, and that recoveries have been uneven. “The difference in the ways that cities have recovered from the pandemic is striking and has local leaders rethinking the best ways they can support continued growth in their communities,” said NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony. Source: [...]

KHP’s ‘two-step’ technique for launching vehicle searches challenged on constitutional grounds

info2023-05-03T11:08:10-05:00May 3rd, 2023|

“You guys have a safe trip,” [Trooper] Rohr said. “Drive careful.” The video shows Rohr took a few steps toward the rear of the RV before spinning back to engage Erich again. It’s known as the Kansas Two-Step — a technique taught KHP personnel to signal termination of a routine traffic stop and initiation of a separate effort to elicit information and gain entry to a vehicle to search for contraband. ... [Plaintiffs are] contesting KHP’s reliance on the two-step method to question motorists in anticipation of building reasonable suspicion and compelling involuntary searches of suspect vehicles. KHP policy has clashed [...]

Great Bend’s council backs raising city minimum wage

info2023-05-03T11:08:44-05:00May 3rd, 2023|

While many unknowns remain concerning the City of Great Bend’s 2023 budget, the City Council Monday night gave tacit approval of a plan that would raise the minimum wage for starting city employees to $15.50. The goal would be to make the pay more in line with other employers. The increase was the subject of a council work session following its agenda meeting. No final action could be taken. “This is really just an attempt to be more competitive in the in the job market,” Interim City Administrator Logan Burns said. The idea was born of Barton County’s raising its minimum [...]

Erosion issues leave county ‘between a rock and a hard spot’

info2023-05-03T11:09:12-05:00May 3rd, 2023|

Cost increases, slow government approval and a lack of payment or extension guarantees have left Harvey County up the river without a paddle on an erosion mitigation and repair project. The county applied for a Federal Emergency Management Agency program to pay 75 percent of the costs of mitigating and repairing erosion in East Park, as well as erosion caused by the Little Arkansas River in West Park. A 2019 flood caused seven areas of erosion, and three sections threaten to swallow the roadway in West Park. Source: Harvey County Now

Wichita street with ‘offensive’ name gets new name

info2023-05-03T10:21:22-05:00May 3rd, 2023|

There is a small stretch of road in a west Wichita neighborhood that is named Squaw Lane, but not for much longer. At Tuesday's Wichita City Council meeting, the Council voted to rename Delano Avenue. The road is 357 feet long and intersects with Maize Road, just north of Central Avenue. It was platted in the Toh-N-Hah Village Addition. The City of Wichita Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights Advisory Board requested the name change due to the sensitivity of the word “squaw.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary calls the word "offensive," "dated," and "disparaging." Source: KSN-TV

The U.S. Supreme Court Could Upend Local Property Tax Laws

info2023-05-03T11:12:36-05:00May 3rd, 2023|

The property tax and seizure case argued before the high court last week has led to some unlikely alliances—bringing together all parts of the ideological spectrum. The case, Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota, is about how much autonomy the U.S. Constitution allows state governments who have lawfully seized property from owners who are delinquent on their taxes. A ruling against Hennepin County in this case could limit how and when other local governments can execute a tax foreclosure and what they’re allowed to do with the sale proceeds. The property tax and seizure case argued before the high court last week [...]

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