News – Page 1087 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas ordered to pay $63 million to former pizza magnate after long dispute on taxes

info2022-05-23T07:05:33-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

The state of Kansas must pay former pizza executive Gene Bicknell more than $63 million to settle a long-running dispute over his tax bill. The court ruled on Friday that Bicknell was a Florida resident in 2005 and 2006 when he sold NPC International, which owned more than 800 Pizza Hut locations around the world. The Kansas Department of Revenue argued the Bicknell, a longtime resident of Pittsburg, set up a residence in Florida to avoid paying taxes on the sale to Kansas. In 2010, it ordered him to pay $42 million to the state. The case wound through several courts [...]

The art of community: How creative contributions can transform a Kansas town

info2022-05-23T07:03:17-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

Dear Cindy Crandall, I wanted to congratulate you and your newlywed husband, Doug, on your wedding. It is 1983, The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross just debuted on PBS, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” has taken over your radio, and I’m sure that Doug’s hunting for teaching jobs. Be on the lookout for a town called Deerfield. Sure, it’s hours away from your life and family in Salina. The smell … isn’t great. You may think, “Sure, but only for two, maybe three years, tops.” Trust me when I say that in this humble town just west of Garden City, you will [...]

Golfers tee off to help promote growth in Girard

info2022-05-23T07:00:19-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

The rain cleared up just in time for some charity work in Southeast Kansas. The Girard Area Community Foundation's second annual charity golf tournament teed off at Crawford Hills Golf Course this morning. The event is meant to help offset the cost of operations for the foundation, and in turn provide more grants to local non-profits to help promote long term growth in the area. According to foundation president Zach Adams, the tournament raised five thousand dollars its first year. Source: KSNF/KODE

Comprehensive plan virtual open house available through June 2

info2022-05-23T06:58:21-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

County residents who did not attend the Miami County Comprehensive Plan open house May 17 in Paola have an opportunity to review the plan online. A virtual public open house is available from Thursday, May 19, to Thursday, June 2, on the project’s website: www.miamicountyksplan.com. The public can access the plan anytime during that two-week period. The virtual open house provides an opportunity to view the draft plan concepts and ideas and provide input on the county’s future, according to a news release from the county’s Planning and Zoning Department. Source: Local News | republic-online.com

Drive carefully, buckle up: Kansas law enforcement agencies focus on traffic enforcement

info2022-05-23T07:24:12-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

Kansas drivers should expect increased police presence starting Sunday, as state and local law enforcement agencies focus on enforcing seat belt and child restraint laws. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Wichita Police Department will join the Kansas Highway Patrol and around 160 other law enforcement agencies in the annual Click It or Ticket campaign. The effort will run through June 2 for police, June 3 for KHP and June 4 for sheriff’s deputies. Wichita has had 19 traffic fatalities so far this year and most could have been prevented if people would have worn seat belts, said Trevor Macy, a [...]

Abilene receives grant to make world’s largest belt buckle

info2022-05-23T06:43:35-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

Have you ever seen the world's largest belt buckle? If the answer is no, then just wait; Abilene will have it on display soon. On May 19, Governor Laura Kelly announced the 11 recipients of the Kansas Tourism Attraction Development Grants, one of which was the town of Abilene which received $22,000 to create the world's largest belt buckle. “Tourism is the welcoming committee for new residents and businesses in our state,” Kelly said. “By continuing to develop vibrant travel destinations across Kansas, we are opening the door to more revenue and new economic growth in communities of all sizes.” Source: KSNT 27 [...]

Here are the arguments both sides made in JoCo ‘dark store’ theory case at KS Supreme Court

info2022-05-23T07:24:44-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

Kansas Supreme Court justices began the process of disentangling legal arguments Thursday on the “dark store” theory of appraisals – a complex issue that could have big ramifications for county, city and school board budgets down the road. The case is an appeal by Johnson County of a lower court decision validating the state tax appeal board’s ruling that the county had overvalued 11 Walmart and Sam’s Club properties in 2016 and 2017, resulting in too high a tax bill. Source: Prairie Village Post

Manhattan and Riley County commissions to consider food master plan

info2022-05-23T07:25:23-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

Local governments will consider a plan to reduce hunger, invest in locally grown food and reduce food waste. The food and farm council presented an overview of a food master plan to city and county commissioners Thursday at a joint meeting of the Manhattan and Riley County commissions. Riley County will consider adopting the item on June 9, and the city commission on June 21. The Food and Farm Council began working with New Venture Advisors almost a year ago, starting with research and goal setting. They then conducted community engagement and surveys to identify key findings, draft action steps and [...]

Riley County approves evaluation for adult drug court

info2022-05-23T07:26:08-05:00May 23rd, 2022|

Riley County commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved a memorandum of agreement between Riley County Community Corrections and K-State’s sociology, anthropology and social work department to evaluate the adult drug court program. The U.S. Department of Justice gave the county a four-year grant on Dec. 9 to establish the adult drug court. Part of the grant requirement is to have an evaluation plan that includes strategies to collect, review and use data to better program performance. According to meeting documents, $60,000 of the $550,000 grant will go to K-State to help with the evaluation. Source: themercury.com

Seven artists are painting murals live in Salina

info2022-05-20T06:35:14-05:00May 20th, 2022|

As people come to downtown Salina this week they may notice work in progress on large pieces of art in the parking lot at 140 S. Fifth St. The city has invited artists from Kansas and surrounding states to take part in the Artwork Alley Mural Expo '22. The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC), a part of the Kansas Department of Commerce, along with some funding by the National Endowment of the Arts awarded a grant to the Salina Arts and Humanities for murals. "It was funded to support the Make A Mark Mural initiative," said Anna Pauscher Morawitz, the [...]