info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Osawatomie celebrates trail grant

info2022-11-03T11:15:50-05:00November 3rd, 2022|

Representatives of federal, state and local government agencies joined members of the community on Saturday, Oct. 29, to celebrate a $24.8 million federal grant recently awarded to improve and expand the Flint Hills Trail State Park, which begins at the Mile Zero trailhead in Osawatomie. The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant will help make infrastructure improvements on 40.5 miles of the trail and open 27 new miles of the trail, from Council Grove to Herington, according to a news release. Source: republic-online.com

Grant will increase high-speed internet in 2 counties

info2022-11-03T01:27:55-05:00November 3rd, 2022|

Blue Valley Technologies has received another major grant to boost high-speed internet in Marshall and Washington counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural development office will provide $3,066,752 for faster web access by deploying fiber inside the city limits of Frankfort, Waterville, Hanover and Washington. About 3,000 people along with 255 business and 14 educational facilities will benefit from this area’s project, according to BVT and USDA news releases. “High-speed internet is essential for success in education, health care and business in the 21st century,” said Christy Davis, Kansas director for USDA rural development. Source: The Marysville Advocate

Pottawatomie County approve raises for employees

info2022-11-02T07:04:20-05:00November 2nd, 2022|

Pottawatomie County commissioners approved a second cost of living adjustment for its employees Monday. The move will give county employees an overall 10 percent boost in their COLAs after the commission OK’d a 3.5 percent increase in July. The county deferred any additional increases to see if inflation concerns would diminish. County Administrator Chad Kinsley noted department heads began tightening their belts to ensure they could take on the adjustment for the remainder of the year. The commission already had approved a 6.5 percent COLA for the 2023 budget, amounting to roughly $1 million. Source: 1350 KMAN

Sedgwick celebrates Halloween with downtown activities

info2022-11-02T00:00:07-05:00November 2nd, 2022|

Sedgwick held its third-annual Trunk or Treat on Halloween evening, closing down Commercial Street so trick-or-treaters could safely walk the streets and collect candy from residents and businesses alike. Activities included decorated trunks, candy distribution, a haunted tunnel, and free hot dogs. Source: Harvey County Now

Wichita plans to replace two tennis courts with six pickleball courts at east-side park

info2022-11-01T23:57:49-05:00November 1st, 2022|

Picklers just scored a key victory in the ongoing turf war between Wichita’s pickleball and tennis communities over the use of city parks facilities. The Wichita City Council on Tuesday approved the conversion of two tennis courts at Edgemoor Park into six more pickleball courts. Parks and Recreation Director Troy Houtman said the problem with the six existing pickleball courts at Edgemoor is there are no court lights, limiting their use in the evenings. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Wichita and Coffey County are competing for Kansas megaproject incentives, sources say

info2022-11-02T07:05:49-05:00November 1st, 2022|

Wichita appears to be competing with Coffey County for a massive state subsidy package aimed at helping Kansas land billion-dollar “megaprojects” — the same incentives program used in July to lure Panasonic to the Kansas City area. It’s a competition because APEX incentives can go to only one more project before the program expires at the end of 2023. To qualify, companies must agree to spend $1 billion or more to expand operations or relocate their headquarters anywhere in Kansas. Source: Wichita Eagle

Governor Laura Kelly Announces $1M For Central Kansas Affordable Housing Development

info2022-11-02T07:06:03-05:00November 1st, 2022|

Governor Laura Kelly today announced $1 million will be going to the City of Russell to increase affordable and moderate-income housing options in central Kansas. Russell is using the funds, allocated through the bipartisan House Bill 2510 Governor Kelly signed this past May, to redevelop the former Holland Hotel into loft-style apartments. “Across Kansas, we are expanding housing in innovative ways so every Kansas family can afford to put a roof over their head – and so we can attract and retain the workers needed to continue our record-breaking economic success,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I applaud the City of Russell [...]

Worthwhile book digs into Cowley’s 100 year history

info2022-11-02T07:06:29-05:00November 1st, 2022|

Who knew that Cowley College started out in 1922 and was referred by first-time students as “BU” or Basement University, due to the first classes being held in the lower level of the Arkansas City Senior High Building? Or that Renn Memorial Library is named after Oscar Renn, who was the head of the new Social Sciences Department in the fall of 1923? Between the Roaring Twenties is a new book authored and compiled by the Cowley College Centennial Book Committee, and it is a truly fascinating trip through a century of life in Ark City. Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Firefighters continue to watch burned area at Park City recycling facility

info2022-11-01T23:48:29-05:00November 1st, 2022|

Sedgwick County firefighters are still on the scene of a fire that burned a ten-acre area at a Park City recycling facility. The fire broke out Sunday evening and burned wood pallets and mulch at Evergreen Pallet Recycling near 53rd Street North and Broadway. It continued to burn through the day Monday before it was contained, and crews have remained on the scene to keep water on the burn piles and watch for any hot spots. Sedgwick County Fire District 1 Chief Doug Williams said the cause of the fire has not been determined. He said investigators are looking at surveillance [...]

Amendment on electing, removing sheriffs stirs debate

info2022-11-02T07:07:12-05:00November 1st, 2022|

A constitutional amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot would take away local attorneys’ abilities to investigate sheriffs. Some citizens and lawyers are worried that Kansas voters don’t know the full implications of rewriting the constitution to remove the ability of local district attorneys to start legal proceedings against local sheriffs if they believe there’s been misconduct. The amendment would require counties that elected sheriffs in January 2022 continue to elect sheriffs — meaning a sheriff’s position could never become appointed. The exception would be Riley County, which abolished the sheriff’s office after consolidating city and county agencies in 1974. Source: Cowley [...]

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