info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Sesquicentennial Celebration is Planned for City of Lakin

info2023-01-19T22:05:27-06:00January 19th, 2023|

A Sesquicentennial Celebration is being planned for the City of Lakin. A planning committee met last week to begin preparing for the celebration this summer of the 150th year of Lakin. ... Lakin began as a railroad town. The United States government made a grant of land to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. By law the A T & SF acquired the title to all their lands within the ten mile limits as fast as they could complete and operate the road, that is, taking it in subdivisions of twenty miles in length of the road. Source: The Lakin [...]

Fed policymakers call for further rate hikes to beat inflation

info2023-01-19T10:43:34-06:00January 19th, 2023|

Federal Reserve policymakers on Wednesday signaled they will push on with more interest rate hikes, with several supporting a top policy rate of at least 5% even as inflation shows signs of having peaked and economic activity is slowing. "I just think we need to keep going, and we'll discuss at the meeting how much to do," Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said in an interview with the Associated Press. The remarks appeared to reflect a widely shared view among her fellow policymakers, most of whom as of December had penciled in a 5.00%-5.25% policy rate in coming months. Mester said [...]

USDA to Create Plan to Expand Recreation Economies and Help People Thrive Across Rural America

info2023-01-19T10:36:24-06:00January 19th, 2023|

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will create a plan to expand recreation economies to help people thrive across rural America. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, USDA Rural Development, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the U.S. Forest Service will partner to develop an annual plan to expand economic opportunities related to recreation in communities surrounding America’s national forests. The annual plan will outline the ways the agencies will partner to conduct program outreach, host informational sessions and workshops, and develop toolkits to help people access the resources they need to thrive in recreation economies. [...]

IdeaTek sweeping across the area

info2023-01-19T07:40:36-06:00January 18th, 2023|

IdeaTek began their internet service in Colwich a week ago. Soon, IdeaTek’s service will start in Hesston, and right behind them will be Halstead. Both towns are expected to be up and running by early spring, according to IdeaTek’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Amy Bickel. Sedgwick and Burrton recently entered into franchise agreements with IdeaTek to bring their internet service to their towns. Bickel said they’re also constructing fiber in a residential portion of McPherson. IdeaTek, which is based out of Buhler, is already in the other area towns of Inman, Moundridge, Andale, Haven, Mount Hope, Yoder, and Goessel, according to [...]

Sedgwick County employees to get one more holiday this year

info2023-01-19T07:41:15-06:00January 18th, 2023|

Sedgwick County Commissioners voted unanimously on Wednesday to restore the Presidents’ Day holiday in February to the calendar for county employees. Commissioners had removed the holiday in November in order to add Juneteenth to the calendar. Commissioner Ryan Baty said it’s important to restore the holiday to show employees that county leaders are concerned about morale and stability of staff. Baty said it makes financial sense to restore the Presidents’ Day holiday. Commissioners David Dennis and Jim Howell are concerned about the $800,000 impact of adding the holiday, in light of projected deficits for 2024 and beyond. Commissioners agreed to make the change [...]

Markets fully price in quarter-point interest rate hike in February as inflation slows

info2023-01-18T23:05:46-06:00January 18th, 2023|

Markets are nearly certain the Federal Reserve next month will take another step down in the pace of its interest rate increases. Pricing Wednesday morning pointed to a 94.3% probability of a 0.25 percentage point hike at the central bank's two-day meeting that concludes Feb. 1, according to CME Group data. If that holds, it would take the Fed's benchmark borrowing rate to a targeted range of 4.5%-4.75%. While the probability is little changed since late last week, economic data Wednesday helped solidify the idea that after a succession of aggressive hikes — four consecutive three-quarter point hikes in 2022, at [...]

State to apply for federal dollars to extend AMTRAK line to Newton

info2023-01-18T23:04:00-06:00January 18th, 2023|

The next step to Newton becoming a rail hub is in the works. It’s just not been completed as fast as originally expected. A feasibility study to update costs and needs to extend Amtrak service from Oklahoma City to Newton was expected to be completed in December 2022. The study updates a 2012 feasibility plan and will be used in a competitive federal grant process for $7 billion allocated to long-distance rail projects. “The feasibility study is still in progress and not complete or available,” stated Tim Potter, a public affairs manager with KDOT. Grant applications for the Corridor Program are [...]

Peabody library featured in podcast

info2023-01-19T07:53:03-06:00January 18th, 2023|

Peabody Township Library is featured in the first Sunflower State Small Libraries podcast of 2023. In a 32-minute program, Rodger Charles, librarian since 2011, talks about the library and the difference it makes in the community. Although Peabody’s population is about 900, the library serves a township population of 1,100. Established in 1874, it was the first free public library in Kansas. The town’s namesake, F. H. Peabody, donated the first building, which now sits behind the library building, Charles said. In 1914, the library got a Carnegie Foundation grant and built the present building. The building is on the National [...]

Fly In at Hugoton Municipal Airport

info2023-01-18T23:01:29-06:00January 18th, 2023|

Saturday, January 14 was the fourth annual fly-in of the EAA Chapter 377 hosted by Matt and Maddie Rome. Twelve planes arrived in Hugoton for the monthly meeting with 30 people attending. The Chapter meets every month for a fly-in and every January it is in Hugoton. Next month the fly-in will take place in Liberal. Source: Hugoton Hermes News

Arkansas City police welcome new support K9

info2023-01-19T07:49:16-06:00January 18th, 2023|

A new four-legged member of the Arkansas City Police Department has been brought in to help support the officers and first responders. The department has brought on a new K-9 named Sal. The 8-month-old bulldog will be sent off for specialized training in the next month. The department plans to use Sal to help with community outreach event such as Popsicle Patrol, DARE Camp, National Night Out and more. "Plans are in the works for K-9 Sal to be a community resource. His badge number is 988. He will be a constant reminder that help is only three numbers away when [...]

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