News – Page 1141 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

29 buildings to be razed for Topeka viaduct

info2022-04-04T07:52:43-05:00April 4th, 2022|

Plans call for 29 buildings to go under the wrecking ball to clear the way for the project, aimed at eliminating a sharp curve atop the Polk-Quincy Viaduct on Interstate 70 in downtown Topeka. A chart and map sharing the details were provided to The Capital-Journal by the Kansas Department of Transportation, which remains in the process of acquiring those properties. "Due to ongoing negotiations, we cannot provide information about what was paid for the properties," said Kelly Kultala, KDOT's public affairs manager for northeast Kansas. KDOT plans "total acquisition" of 41 properties, it said. Source: CJonline

Making downtown thrive: A new stage means more things to enjoy for Salinans

info2022-04-04T07:51:21-05:00April 4th, 2022|

Making downtown thrive is a high priority for Salina Downtown. Last week, the organization came one step closer to helping Santa Fe Avenue remain a thriving artery – they moved onto the downtown street. ... Along with the city, Salina Downtown is helping to open up a performance stage at Santa Fe Avenue and Ash Street. This stage is expected to open May 6, with a Salina Arts and Humanities event. On May 7, Visit Salina will have the sculpture unwrap event, featuring 23 sculptures. Source: Salina Journal

See the celebration in downtown Lawrence as fans celebrate KU Final Four victory

info2022-04-04T07:42:07-05:00April 4th, 2022|

The University of Kansas men’s basketball team is moving onto the NCAA National Championship game. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from downtown Lawrence on Saturday as KU beat Villanova in the national semifinal game. Check back for more updates as tens of thousands of fans are expected in the downtown area following the KU game. Source: LJWorld.com

Markets will be looking for clues from the Fed ahead, as historically strong month gets underway

info2022-04-04T07:08:49-05:00April 4th, 2022|

The stock market is heading into what promises to be a volatile second quarter, but April is traditionally the best month of the year for stocks. The major indices were higher in March, but they turned in a weak performance for the first quarter, the worst since the pandemic. Investors have been worried about rising interest rates, the war in Ukraine and inflation, which was made even worse by disruptions in commodities exports from both Russia and Ukraine. ... The Dow was off 4.6% for the first quarter, while the S&P 500 was down 5%. The worst performer by far was [...]

New medical school getting ready for first class in downtown Wichita

info2022-04-04T01:01:33-05:00April 4th, 2022|

A new medical school that will open in downtown Wichita this summer has received around 1,500 applications for its first class. The Kansas Health Science Center – Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine will have 85 students in its first class, which begins work in August. Construction on the school is almost complete in the former State Office Building complex at 217 East Douglas. KHSC president Tiffany Masson and Associate Dean Richard Winslow talked to reporters Thursday during Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple’s weekly media briefing. Masson said Kansas-based students will have the opportunity to do clinical rotation in Kansas and they will [...]

Emporia eyes skatepark upgrades

info2022-04-04T06:48:29-05:00April 4th, 2022|

The city of Emporia expressed support for improvements to the Southwest Santa Fe Skateboard Park, as commissioners reviewed renderings of the project Wednesday afternoon. The skateboard park received an anonymous $250,000 donation last year to make improvements and updates. The donation came after Maddox Gutierrez, a local teenager, petitioned the city to make improvements to the park. The city will review renderings from American Ramp Company and pricing quotes for construction. According to its web site, American Ramp Company has been in the action sports park business for more than 20 years. Source: Emporia Gazette

Lyon County tax collections up 16%

info2022-04-04T00:54:57-05:00April 4th, 2022|

Lyon County appears to be doing well financially, based on a report to the county commission Thursday. County Controller Dan Williams said sales tax collections are up 16% from the first three months of 2021. But Chair Rollie Martin admitted there are different ways of looking at that. “It might be a little bit of an inflation factor, too,” Martin said. Collections in March totaled about $267,000. That’s $40,000 more than last year. The commission also discussed changing some language in its employee policy manual about harassment complaints. “It was recommended to us by a consultant that… everybody has the opportunity [...]

Bourbon County signs agreement to save on natural gas

info2022-04-04T06:53:40-05:00April 4th, 2022|

Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement with a consultant that could help the county save money on natural gas. Commissioners approved a motion by Commissioner Clifton Beth to have Commission Chairman Jim Harris sign a letter of exclusive representation for Hamlin Energy. The county can revoke the agreement at any time with a letter to the firm, officials said. Source: Fort Scott Tribune

How Kansas could lose billions in land values as its underground water runs dry

info2022-04-04T00:48:57-05:00April 4th, 2022|

In increasingly dry western Kansas, underground water makes everything possible. Irrigation for crops. Stock water for cattle. Drinking water for towns. In all, the Ogallala Aquifer provides 70-80% of water used by Kansans each day. So how much is all that water worth? A recent study from Kansas State University says the aquifer under western Kansas increases land values by nearly $4 billion. But those billions are drying up at an accelerating rate. Aquifer water levels across western and central Kansas dropped by more than a foot on average this past year. That’s the biggest single-year decrease since 2015, according to [...]

Topeka water supply briefly falls out of compliance

info2022-04-04T00:46:04-05:00April 4th, 2022|

The City of Topeka says the public water supply briefly fell out of safety compliance sometime during the month of March. In a written news release, the city announced water turbidity levels were too high for about 13 hours. They did not say on which date this occurred. Turbidity is the amount of cloudiness in the water. It can occur after heavy rains when mud and silt block water filters and stop them from working effectively. The city blames the event on conditions of the Kansas River due to recent rainfall. In the release, the city says they self-reported the event [...]