info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas movie theater owners write legislative script for two-year state sales tax break

info2023-03-03T00:35:38-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

Scott Zaremba owns the world’s oldest purpose-built cinema in downtown Ottawa, and asked the Kansas Senate for help keeping the two-screen venue’s doors open to movie fans. “We’re working very hard to keep it, and keep it operational. We’re at 116 years and counting,” he said. “The Plaza has been through its share of challenges, from floods, fire, wars. We’ve been through two pandemics, right, not just one, because its been open that long.” On Thursday, Zaremba requested senators endorse a bill that would enable Kansas movie theater owners to retain the state portion of sales tax collected on ticket admissions [...]

The federal government isn’t actually measuring how inflation is hurting rural America

info2023-03-03T08:26:45-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

In rural southwest Illinois, fourth generation grocery store owner Craig Norrenberns said his three shops across the region are “fighting the price battle.” “There's no doubt that people are having to watch their wallets a little bit closer,” Norrenberns said. A head of lettuce is a good example. What normally costs $1 soared as high as $5 several times in the past couple months, he said. ... the grocery’s most rural store in Red Bud, Illinois, is in an area not included in the Consumer Price Index, the most widely used tool to measure inflation in the U.S. The Bureau of Labor [...]

City of Wichita considering fee to shoot aerial fireworks on July 4th

info2023-03-03T00:29:44-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

Would you be willing to pay to be able to shoot off the big fireworks on the Fourth of July in Wichita? City leaders are considering a proposal that would allow that. Right now it is illegal to shoot fireworks within the city of Wichita that goes over six feet in the air. But that could soon change by paying a $10 permit fee. “I shoot them off with my grandkids every year but we don't shoot the big ones. But there's plenty in my neighborhood,” said Cheno Workman, a Wichita resident. Cheno Workman loves to celebrate Independence Day every year with [...]

Wichita city leaders looking at proposed Century II renovations

info2023-03-03T00:27:39-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

Century II has been a staple of downtown Wichita for decades and city leaders are looking at a project that would transform it to keep it that way for future generations. "It is important to us here in Wichita to balance our historical roots with our modern purpose and I think that we can thread the needle on a project like this," Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple. Tuesday the Wichita City Council and the public got the first look at a proposed 400 million-dollar plan to renovate and modernize Century II, the Bob Brown Expo Hall, and the old downtown library building. Source: [...]

‘I am so proud of who we are’: Topeka mayor, Kansans respond to slights from NYC mayor

info2023-03-03T08:28:29-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

Topeka mayor Mike Padilla clapped back after New York mayor Eric Adams made a snide comment on the Golden City on Tuesday. During a prayer breakfast on Tuesday, Adams claimed that it was God’s will that he would be the mayor of one of the largest cities in the world. “He could have made me the mayor of Topeka, Kansas,” Adams said at the interfaith breakfast hosted at the New York Public Library. In response to the unwarranted remark, Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla told The New York Times that Adams could have left Topeka out of his speech. Source: KC Star [...]

Eisenhower National Airport slowly recovering from the pandemic

info2023-03-03T00:18:16-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

Data from Eisenhower National shows that the airport is slowly starting to recover from the economic downturn created by the pandemic. There was an increase of 24.5% in January in the number of passengers flying out of Eisenhower compared to the same time last year. A total of 115,439 passengers flew in and out of Wichita in January. It was also a good month for restaurants, retailers, rental car companies, and the parking garage at Eisenhower. Food and gift sales were up 34%, rental cars saw an increase of 14.75%, and parking saw a 45% increase in revenue. Source: KSN-TV

Kansas plan to penalize homeless people for sleeping on public property draws sharp criticism

info2023-03-03T00:16:08-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

A proposal to address homelessness with bans on camps for people without housing drew sharp criticism in the Kansas Legislature on Thursday. The legislation makes it a misdemeanor for unauthorized camping, sleeping or setting up long-term shelters on land controlled by the state or local government. That crime would come with a $1 fine. The bill would also let the Kansas attorney general penalize cities that don’t enforce the no-camping rule and let the state deny non-compliant cities money to combat homelessness — if a city also has an above-average homelessness rate. Source: The Lawrence Times

Riley County appraiser: Valuations increasing by average of 13%

info2023-03-03T08:29:09-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

Most homeowners in Riley County will see value increases to their properties around 13%, according to Riley County Appraiser Anna Burson. Burson and her staff recently mailed the county change-in-value notices for 2023. County officials announced the mailings Monday. Burson said the average valuation increase for single family homes in Riley County in 2023 is 13.1%. The average value of a home in the county is $259,526. The average valuation increase for single family homes in Manhattan this year is 12.6%, with the average home value of $276,167. Source: themercury.com

Kansas rating outlook revised to positive S&P Global Ratings says

info2023-03-03T00:08:16-06:00March 3rd, 2023|

S&P Global Ratings is expressing optimism about the fiscal health of Kansas. S&P Global Ratings revised its Kansas outlook from stable to positive on Tuesday this week. It also reaffirmed the state’s 'AA-' issuer credit rating (ICR) its 'A+' rating for the state's appropriation-secured debt. Additionally, S&P Global Ratings revised its outlook to positive and affirmed its 'AA' long-term rating for the Kansas Department of Transportation's (KDOT) highway revenue bonds outstanding. Source: Derby Informer | News

Fed Official Says Hotter Data Will Warrant Higher Rates

info2023-03-03T08:30:39-06:00March 2nd, 2023|

The Federal Reserve will need to raise rates to higher levels than previously anticipated to prevent inflation from picking up if the recent strength in hiring and consumer spending continues, a central bank official said Thursday. “I would be very pleased if the data we receive on inflation and the labor market this month show signs of moderation,” Fed governor Christopher Waller said in remarks posted on the Fed’s website. “But wishful thinking is not a substitute for hard evidence in the form of economic data. After seeing promising signs of progress, we cannot risk a revival of inflation.” Mr. Waller didn’t say in his prepared remarks whether [...]

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