News – Page 1157 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Young Kansas native documents decades worth of abandoned buildings around the state

info2022-03-23T09:01:01-05:00March 23rd, 2022|

At 21-years-old, Emily Cowan - a Kansas native - is living through decades of memories thanks to her camera and love for writing. "It turned into, 'well, let me think about this on a deeper level of what is the history of this building?' People had memories here," Cowan said. You may have already heard of the website Abandoned Kansas. It's a non-profit organization that's brought us pictures of old, abandoned buildings like Menninger's Clock Tower in Topeka, and most recently, the beloved White Lakes Mall. Abandoned KS is ran in part by Cowan. Source: KSNT News

KMIT Launches ‘Municipal’ Health Plan: KAHP

info2022-03-24T10:02:33-05:00March 23rd, 2022|

The Kansas Municipal Insurance Trust (KMIT), which has been operating as a self-insured work comp group for Kansas cities and other municipalities/public agencies since 1994, has announced the formation of a new employee health plan for its members. The KMIT Association Health Plan (KAHP) was launched with ten members (all Kansas cities) on January 1, 2022. As with its KMIT ‘parent’, KAHP membership is open to virtually all Kansas ‘municipalities’ (statutorily defined)—which includes cities, counties, townships, water and other special districts, community colleges, school districts, and many other public agencies. Health insurance coverage for Association members is through Kansas Blue Cross/Shield. [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for March 22, 2022

info2022-03-23T08:56:04-05:00March 23rd, 2022|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Teen councils provide area youth with close-up look at governing their communities

info2022-03-22T23:21:21-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

The business of government is viewed as a playground for adults by many Americans. Yet in their midst, teens are getting to play in this sandbox through councils. They’re learning firsthand how our communities operate from the very leaders themselves. In the Johnson County area, at least three cities have teen councils: Olathe, Overland Park and Prairie Village. Olathe started its teen council in 2002. The purpose was to create a youth-led organization educating teens about local government and providing them with the opportunity to be involved and have their voices heard. High school students who live in Olathe are eligible [...]

Kansas debates expanding student transfers in public schools

info2022-03-23T08:50:15-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

Republican legislators who argue that Kansas parents need more education choices are pushing to allow them to move their children from the public schools they'd normally attend to others outside their local school district's boundaries. The GOP-controlled state Senate gave first-round approval Monday to a measure that would allow parents of K-12 students to transfer them to any other school districts with enough space to take them. Under the bill, the program would start during the 2023-24 school year. The measure is partly a response to the closing of school buildings in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and different local school [...]

Attention on short-term rental rules after deadly Overland Park shooting — Here are JoCo cities’ current regulations

info2022-03-23T08:51:19-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

The exact circumstances around the shooting are not yet known, but Fox 4 reported that some neighbors in the surrounding subdivision of Brookhighland have voiced concerns about short-term rentals in the past, including the home where the shooting occurred. The Brookhighland Homeowners Association president, who lives near the home, told the TV station that the HOA is “taking a very serious look at what can be done” and potentially changing its bylaws. Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog issued a statement on Monday that said issues with residents using their homes for short-term rentals are growing in the city. Skoog said he [...]

Atchison Considers Pet Protection Ordinance

info2022-03-23T08:51:49-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

City Commissioners discussed and heard a first reading of a potential ordinance that would eliminate the ability for property owners to keep pets on vacant lots within the City during Monday’s regular meeting. The Protect Our Pets Ordinance would require that habitable structures with active utility service be present on a lot for pets to be kept on the property. If property owners had multiple lots and wanted to keep pets on a lot separate from the residence, they would have to have the lots legally combined first. The ordinance was presented as a first reading without action to allow time [...]

Sedgwick approves design for murals in city park

info2022-03-22T22:59:12-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

Within the next couple of weeks Sedgwick residents should see painting on the new storm shelter at the city park. City Council approved a deposit payment of $2,500, half the total cost of the project, so work would begin in about two weeks. Randi Tolin, Sedgwick Connect President, said she thought the murals would be complete in about a week. Sedgwick resident Mickey Maddox will oversee the project. When done, all four sides of the shelter will contain murals, which were also approved by the council last week. Tolin said the city didn’t need to do anything to prepare for the [...]

Fire and County leaders meet to discuss ways to mitigate fires, purchase requests

info2022-03-23T08:53:29-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

A passionate Fire Chief stood before the Reno County Commission asking for help after weeks of destructive and deadly wildfires torched the community. "It's not the average homeowner just going out and starting one brush pile. We had one individual start 75 brush piles in one day... 75...," Fire Chief Steven Beer with the Hutchinson Fire Department said. "A person can not manage that. It's right in your ordinance they have to manage that burn pile and be on site to contain those issues." Even though this study session was scheduled months in advance of the weeks of deadly and destructive [...]

Wind and ice created power problems in Kansas

info2022-03-23T08:53:43-05:00March 22nd, 2022|

Thousands of customers lost electricity Tuesday morning due to strong wind and ice. As of noon, Midwest Energy said about 7,500 customers were still without power. Mike Morley, a spokesperson for Midwest Energy, said crews are dealing with 255 downed power poles and more than 100 broken cross arms. He said some of the power lines have two to three inches of ice on them are are "galloping" in 30-40 mph winds. Morley shared video of some ice-covered lines being hit with strong winds. The line at the bottom has shed its ice, and is largely unaffected. Source: KSN-TV