info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

What the ongoing worker shortage looks like in Kansas

info2024-09-19T09:14:49-05:00September 19th, 2024|

Where people in Kansas are moving to most. Fewer Americans moved in 2022, according to the latest Census data, but of those who did, 1 in 5 moved to a different state. Population growth has returned to pre-pandemic norms; Southern states continued to record influxes in population, while the Northeast saw the biggest drops, particularly in New York and Pennsylvania. These trends largely continued into last year, according to United Van Lines’ annual movers study. States with the most outbound moves in 2023 were New Jersey, Illinois, and North Dakota, which moved up 15 spots from the year before. Stacker compiled [...]

City launches survey about downtown

info2024-09-19T09:12:35-05:00September 19th, 2024|

The city’s Choose Newton Main Street is asking residents, visitors and business owners to spend 10 minutes to fill out the online survey. If you provide an email, you will also be entered to win one of four $50 gift cards. According to the city’s release, the survey will prepare them for a visit from Kansas Main Street and Main Street America staff in October, aimed at crafting a “2025 Transformation Strategy,” which will be a plan to revitalize or strengthen downtown Newton’s economy. “The goal is to get community engagement and input for our downtown so that we can set [...]

Savonburg speaks

info2024-09-19T09:10:32-05:00September 19th, 2024|

Residents seek progress on goals from a community conversation hosted by Thrive Allen County. This year's event addressed matters brought up last year , with small steps made toward their top concerns. Savonburg residents want to see more action taken towards their goals for improvement. Since they met a year ago, small steps have been made towards what they deemed the top three concerns at the time — electrical grid improvements, community involvement, and the town’s appearance. A small group of citizens gathered in the community building Tuesday evening to revisit and revise these goals during Thrive Allen County’s latest community [...]

1969 fire truck to retire

info2024-09-19T09:09:13-05:00September 19th, 2024|

A 1969 fire truck is being retired and the Solid Waste Department has purchased a 1996 Ford F350 Brush Fire Truck from the city of Wilson for $14,300. Solid Waste Director Jennifer Hamby asked the Barton County Commission to officially approve the purchase at Tuesday’s commission meeting. The truck was purchased through the Purple Wave online auction site and the funds will come from the budget for the county landfill. There are areas at the landfill that are prone to fires even though the Solid Waste Department has taken measures for fire suppression. Some time back, the department bought an old [...]

Olathe moves ahead with STAR bond district for ‘ultra-accessible’ amusement park, sport arena

info2024-09-19T09:07:37-05:00September 19th, 2024|

Loretto Properties’ plan to build an “ultra-accessible” special incentive district featuring an amusement park, a 5,000-seat multisport complex, housing, retail, dining and a medical facility for individuals with disabilities easily cleared its first hurdle this week. The company — run by Lamar Hunt Jr. and his son-in-law James Arkell — has requested a Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bond district. The total estimate for the price tag of the first planned phase of development at the southwest corner of 119th Street and Renner Boulevard covering about 64 acres costs about $300 million. An official amount has yet to be set, [...]

Prairie Village shuts down big changes to property tax rebate program

info2024-09-19T09:06:23-05:00September 19th, 2024|

One Prairie Village program to provide tax relief for residents is remaining relatively unchanged, despite one councilmember’s proposed updates. The Prairie Village City Council on Monday during its committee meeting effectively shut down a proposal by Councilmember Greg Shelton to change the city’s property tax rebate program to emphasize helping young families. Currently, the property tax rebate program gives eligible residents — based only on income levels — the city’s portion of their individual tax bill back as a way to offer some tax relief. The city council discussed Shelton’s proposal to prioritize families as a way to provide relief for [...]

Hillsboro to aid Peabody on water

info2024-09-19T09:04:57-05:00September 19th, 2024|

Hillsboro City Council agreed Tuesday that Hillsboro water system employees would help Peabody with its understaffed public works department. City administrator Matt Stiles discussed Peabody’s staffing with mayor Lou Thurston, Peabody mayor Catherine Weems, and Hillsboro water superintendent and Peabody resident Morgan Marler. “Peabody has seen a lot of employees leave the organization, which has created a situation where they don’t have the required operators or staff to address their system requirements,” Stiles said. Source: Marion County RECORD

Grocery and deli provides an oasis in growing Kansas food deserts

info2024-09-19T10:10:03-05:00September 19th, 2024|

Its removal can spell disaster for locals, who might be left with a corporate mega-chain as their only option for groceries, or at least be forced to drive much farther for quality food. The Wichita Eagle reported in 2016 that 51% of Kansas’ 675 communities had no local supermarkets. The future is not looking good for such businesses, either. One in five rural Kansas groceries closed between 2008 and 2018, according to the Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University. Source:Marion County RECORD

Olathe OKs incentives for rundown shopping complex — Here’s the plan

info2024-09-19T09:02:25-05:00September 19th, 2024|

The vacant and dilapidated Rosebud Plaza Shopping Center at the northeast corner of Santa Fe Street and Mur-Len Road could soon see some reinvestment to the tune of $26 million. On Tuesday, the Olathe City Council voted 6-0 to start the process of establishing a Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, district for the shopping center’s redevelopment, now dubbed Indian Creek Crossing. Source: Prairie Village Post

Hostilities at public meetings a nationwide issue

info2024-09-18T11:28:34-05:00September 18th, 2024|

An outrageous Lawrence City Council meeting is just one example of political discord at the local level. Commission meetings in Lawrence are built to solicit and hear public input. On nearly every agenda item, citizens are given up to three minutes apiece to weigh in. There is even a section of the meeting to hear public comments about city business that isn’t on the agenda. I covered the Lawrence City Commission years ago as a young journalist, you see. There was always a culture of vibrant public input — I can remember the gadflies and their names; the meetings could stretch [...]

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