Ranson Financial, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Bar-hopping, liquor on Sundays: Kansas pushes to change alcohol laws

Kansas lawmakers are moving forward with several bills to rewrite alcohol laws in the state. The Kansas House voted 116 to six to pass House Bill 2059 on Thursday. The proposal could change where people drink alcohol in the state. In some cases, it could mean buying a drink at a local bar, then walking down the street with your drink in hand. “Local governing bodies are best situated to interact with stakeholders and make decisions on how best to build out and police common consumption areas,” said Representative Ron Bryce, R-Coffeyville, who carried the bill. The bill makes changes to the Kansas Club and Drinking Establishment Act’s provisions related to common consumption areas to remove the requirement that a city or county require that the portions of common consumption areas on public streets or roadways be blocked from motorized traffic during events. Supporters of the legislation said the change would allow cities to designate larger and more open areas for events with common consumption area permits and to attract additional patrons.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T12:51:50-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

Tammy Baird ready for new title, new responsibilities at USD 386 Madison-Virgil

As her education career has developed, Tammy Baird says she didn’t consider being a superintendent until recently — and it wasn’t originally her idea. After serving as Madison-Virgil’s junior-senior high school principal the last two years, she applied to be superintendent and was approved by the board as part of a short interview process earlier this week. The biggest immediate challenge facing Madison-Virgil is recruiting and retaining teachers. She wants to push to have the district in a good financial and academic position so students can be successful after high school. She says Madison-Virgil is a “fantastic” district because of the community and board support.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T12:51:12-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

Salina looks at opioid settlement funds

Hundreds of millions of dollars has already been awarded to the state of Kansas related to the opioid crisis, and with some of that money coming to local communities within the state, Salina is looking at options for how it will spend its share. The Salina City Commission discussed these settlements during a study session Monday, with several groups, including first responders and the main addiction treatment center on hand to give their thoughts on what the current state of the crisis in the community and how the funding could be used locally. “Hopefully, by the end of this (study session), we’ll have some good conversation about how we can utilized these funds to best suit Salina and the citizens,” said Debbie Pack, the finance director for the City of Salina. … As there are still some ongoing court cases surrounding the settlements, the amount the city will receive is still unknown but there is some guidance on how the funds can be used based on the Kansas Fights Addiction Act, passed by the state legislature in 2021. … Some options for the city would be to contract with or grant funding to nonprofits, charities or other entities, or pool the funds with other subdivisions to cooperatively expend the funds.
Source: Salina Journal

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T12:47:01-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

“Bittersweet” retirement for Fort Scott police chief

A local police chief officially retired on Tuesday. He spent his last day on duty celebrating with hundreds of family, friends, and colleagues. “We’ve been blessed. And I’ve been blessed to serve in a community like this,” said Travis Shelton, Retired Chief, Fort Scott Police Dept. After 26 years of serving the Fort Scott community, chief Travis Shelton officially retired today at 5 o’clock. His retirement party is nothing short of sharing memories, laughs, hugs, and handshakes. The gathering included Shelton’s childhood friends, who came from Drexel, Missouri to Fort Scott to celebrate him.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T12:45:24-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

Emporia drinking water finishes fourth at international contest

Emporia’s drinking water is among the best in the world — at least as judged at the internationally-known contest in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Emporia’s tap water finished tied for fourth with Miryang-Si, Gyeongsangdam-do, Republic of Korea, in the international contest. Gold went to Clearbrook, British Columbia, Canada, while silver was claimed by South Muskoska, Ontario, Canada, and bronze went to St. Paris. Ohio. Water samples were rated by appearance, taste, mouth feel and aftertaste.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T10:23:55-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

Why I love Winfield

A couple of weeks ago I sat in a restaurant in Wichita catching up with some of my friends who live in the city. “Are you all enjoying living in Winfield?” one of them soon asked. The three of us are similar in many ways, young working professionals with elementary-aged children and parents living close enough to engage in our kids’ lives. My immediate affirmative responses drifted to conveniences so often craved in my current life stage. My kids’ ability to attend a school a few blocks away. The experience of a college basketball game and bluegrass festival practically in my backyard. My five-minute commute to a doctor appointment, the pharmacy, the grocery store, church, work, and a skating rink.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T00:40:22-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

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

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 and theater concessions. The local sales tax wouldn’t be amended by Senate Bill 227, he said, but from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, theater operators statewide would retain all the state’s 6.5% sales tax on those transactions.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T00:35:38-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

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

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 Statistics only surveys counties that include a metro or micropolitan area — a county without a town of at least 10,000 people is left out. At the same time, rural residents may be hardest hit by rising prices for groceries, gas, healthcare and heating, said University of Wisconsin-Madison economics professor Tessa Conroy, who co-authored an editorial on the issue earlier this month. “When we look at the categories where prices are going up, those are categories where rural communities tend to spend more,” Conroy said. The limitations of the Consumer Price Index stem from its creation and resources, according to Steve Reed, an economist at the BLS.
Source: KCUR News

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T08:26:45-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

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

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 his grandkids. But he’s not a fan of the illegal fireworks that shoot higher than six feet that he sees in his neighborhood.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T00:29:44-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

Wichita city leaders looking at proposed Century II renovations

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: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2023-03-03T00:27:39-06:00March 3, 2023|News|

About Ranson Financial

Bar-hopping, liquor on Sundays: Kansas pushes to change alcohol laws

Tammy Baird ready for new title, new responsibilities at USD 386 Madison-Virgil

Salina looks at opioid settlement funds

“Bittersweet” retirement for Fort Scott police chief

Emporia drinking water finishes fourth at international contest

Why I love Winfield

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

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

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

Wichita city leaders looking at proposed Century II renovations

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