info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Overland Park councilmember floats getting rid of city food sales tax

info2023-04-12T08:54:55-05:00April 12th, 2023|

Overland Park City Councilmember Faris Farassati is looking to reduce or potentially eliminate the city’s sales tax on food. He says doing so would provide much-needed relief to residents dealing with a rise in property taxes, with the average home appraisal value in Johnson County up by 12% from last year. But city officials say cutting the local sales tax on food would have practical ramifications on Overland Park’s budget and may not even be possible under state law. Another councilmember called the proposal patently “illegal.” Source: Prairie Village Post

Medicine Lodge is purchasing and re-opening local drive-in theater

info2023-04-11T17:13:58-05:00April 11th, 2023|

The City of Medicine Lodge is purchasing and re-opening our local drive-in theater. We are excited to use it as a community venue and event location, as well as a drive-in theater. As the sixth in Kansas and a publicly owned facility we plan to use this as a beacon for tourism as well as a unique and special destination for our community. Most communities operate public pools, many have golf courses, and I bet very, very few operate drive-in movie theaters. I am excited to see how this non-traditional service benefits our community and draws in visitors to our town. [...]

Garden City’s Downtown Plan receives update at meeting

info2023-04-11T08:05:52-05:00April 11th, 2023|

The Garden City Commission approved an update for the Garden City Downtown Plan at its regular meeting on April 4. The plan presented was an update on the 2013 Downtown Plan, which goes along with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and focuses on development and improvements in the Center Business District. It also establishes goals for the downtown for the next 10-20 years. Britt Palmberg, director of planning with RICK Engineering Company, presented the updated plan. ... One conclusion from the meetings and engagements is that people saw the downtown as the heart of the community, Palmberg said. “They want to bring [...]

Taking a closer look at a bitcoin mining operation in Harvey County

info2023-04-11T07:56:10-05:00April 11th, 2023|

Print Crypto, Inc., has more than 900 computers mining bitcoin at the Butler Rural Electric Cooperatvie substation at 8399 S.E. 84th St., at least for now. Sean Reese said his company, of which he is part owner, had taken every one of its units out of the storage trailers and replaced it with those belonging to customers who rent space from Print Crypto. He said his customers paid $2,000-$6,000 per month to rent the space, and Print Crypto covers the cost of electricity, storage and maintenance. He said his company kept adding customers, but it hadn’t added any machines to the [...]

Wichita to host U.S. Figure Skating event for the third time

info2023-04-10T23:53:44-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Wichita will again be a host city for the Synchronized Sectional Championships for U.S. Figure Skating. The event is scheduled at Intrust Bank Arena from January 24th through the 28th, with practices taking place at the Wichita Ice Center. Wichita previously hosted the Midwest Sectional Championships in 2018 and 2020. Visit Wichita and the Wichita Figure Skating Club will provide local support to host the competition. The competition will attract more than 127 teams, 1,800 athletes and over 350 coaches and team personnel. Source: 101.3 KFDI

Riley County legal team combing through logistics of proposed changes to animal control

info2023-04-11T07:58:52-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Legal questions are swirling as the City of Manhattan continues toward a plan of privatizing its animal shelter and shifting animal control to the Riley County Police Department. Deputy Riley County Counselor Craig Cox clarified Thursday why the City of Manhattan has stopped enforcing animal control services in Riley County, which the county noted earlier in the week it had been paying for under a resolution. Cox says the City of Manhattan intends to maintain control of the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter. But legally it’s unclear how that impacts the RCPD consolidation. By statute, under the 80/20 split, Riley County [...]

City of Horton recognized as ‘Most Improved Wastewater System of the Year’

info2023-04-10T23:49:57-05:00April 10th, 2023|

When Horton City Administrator John Calhoon registered to attend the 54th Annual Conference of the Kansas Rural Water Association held this last week in Wichita, he had no idea he would be on stage and on camera in front of hundreds of people accepting an award. But he was – as the City of Horton received the award for “Most Improved Wastewater System of the Year” in ceremonies last Wednesday evening in the Century II Convention Center. The City of Horton’s original wastewater treatment plant was constructed in 1956 and, although there had been many improvements since, the 65-year-old plant was [...]

Johnson County revokes COVID-19 resolutions to align with national end to emergency declaration

info2023-04-10T23:48:44-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Two Johnson County COVID-19 resolutions will come to an end soon. The local resolutions will end with the national emergency declaration, which is set to end on May 11, 2023, but may end earlier. The Board of County Commissioners revoked both resolutions during its business session on Thursday, March 30. On March 13, 2020, then Chairman Ed Eilert issued a declaration of state of local disaster emergency for Johnson County, Kansas because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration was extended for 60 days, then extended indefinitely. Source: Johnson County Kansas |

Pittsburg sales tax continuance up for April 11 vote

info2023-04-11T08:00:01-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Pittsburg voters will decide whether or not to continue a public safety sales tax tomorrow. The special election is today... The question on the ballot is: "Shall a retailers' sales tax in the amount of one-half of one percent (0.5%) continue to be levied in the City of Pittsburg, Kansas effective on January 1, 2024, with the proceeds therefrom to be used for the purpose of public safety for a time period not to exceed ten (10) years from the date such additional sales tax is first collected?" ... The tax went into effect in March 2014. Source: KOAM News

Belle Plaine celebrates the silencing of train horns

info2023-04-10T23:44:33-05:00April 10th, 2023|

The people who live and work around Belle Plaine say train horns have been a loud part of their day for years. The City of Belle Plaine says more than 50 train horns sounded each day at 98 decibels. But the town is now an official Quiet Zone. So as of April 5, train horns are silent as trains approach three crossings in and near the Sumner County town. For Belle Plaine, it took nearly 10 years to get the federal Quiet Zone designation. Source: KSN-TV

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