News – Page 1179 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Rent prices in Wichita have risen over 14%, study finds

info2022-03-02T00:36:18-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

A local realtor who says the driving factor behind rising rent prices is a low supply and high demand. Ryan Smith is a managing partner with At Home Wichita Property Management. He claims homes for rent are not staying on the market very long before a new tenant gets the keys. “They moved out Wednesday. I got it on the market on Friday and I had an open house on Sunday and I'm probably going to move somebody in tomorrow,” said Smith. According to a rent report from Apartmentlist.com, since the pandemic began in march of 2020, rent prices in Wichita [...]

Many Kansas school districts remove mask mandates for buses

info2022-03-02T00:34:38-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

As of February 25, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is not requiring masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. The change comes as the CDC is going to align with the updated guidance that no longer recommends universal indoor mask-wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in areas with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level. At a school's discretion, they may still choose to require that people wear masks on buses or vans. Source: KSN-TV

Shawnee Co. Commission bumps pay for difficult to fill positions

info2022-03-02T00:29:04-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

Shawnee County will pay Department of Corrections workers more after the Shawnee County Commission approved a series of "significant pay adjustments" on Monday. According to the commission, the need to keep and hire "quality" officers required the commission to take steps to approve higher wages. The multi-level base and differential pay program can bring wages for current and new corrections officers up by $6.00 an hour on top of an enhanced base pay rate. In addition to the starting wage for a Corrections Specialist increasing to $20.24 an hour, the Commission also approved: A $1.50 hourly pay differential for all hourly [...]

Wichita golf courses to remain publicly run after City Council rejects privatization

info2022-03-02T07:16:41-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

Wichita’s public golf courses will remain publicly run. The City Council on Tuesday rejected a contract with KemperSports that would have privatized operations of the city’s four municipal golf courses. The proposal failed 5-2, with council members Becky Tuttle and Bryan Frye voting for privatization. KemperSports, based in Illinois, is a national golf company that runs 120 courses, a quarter of which are publicly owned. It was chosen by a selection committee and the park board to take over the city’s system that includes Sim Park, Consolver, Auburn Hills and McDonald courses. The system had five courses until the closure of [...]

Labette County mulls leasing fleet vehicles

info2022-03-02T07:17:07-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

Labette County commissioners are considering leasing fleet vehicles for law enforcement and Public Works from Enterprise Fleet Management as a way to save money on maintenance costs. Commissioners discussed the matter with Sheriff Darren Eichinger, sheriff’s Cpl. Dusty Conrad and Public Works Director Sandy Krider Monday. Kenneth Olsen attended the meeting representing Enterprise. The sheriff’s office has the newest fleet of vehicles but mileage adds up quickly on deputies’ patrol vehicles, up to 35,000 miles a year. Source: Parsons Sun

Pickleball in Lenexa keeps gaining popularity, and the city is reminding players how to properly reserve courts

info2022-03-03T08:13:00-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

With the overwhelming demand for pickleball court time and new players joining the sport every day, Lenexa city officials are highlighting a system for allowing teams and individuals to reserve courts. It’s affectionately called the “paddle saddle,” a curved plastic device with ten numbered slots hanging on the exterior fencing of pickleball courts around the city. It works like this: put your paddle in a slot in order of your arrival, denoting who’s next in line for the next available court. Source: Prairie Village Post

Broad coalition seeks $50 million for rural housing

info2022-03-02T07:17:49-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

These should be good times for Norton County. It’s got four companies ready to invest $6 million in expansions, adding about three dozen jobs. Plus, area businesses have posted another 185 job openings. All welcome news in this northwest Kansas county with a population of 5,459. But there’s a catch. The county has so few homes available that it’s not only struggling to attract employees to fill existing openings, but fighting to meet the demands of new development. It’s a problem facing all parts of the state especially western Kansas, which has prompted a broad coalition of business and government interests [...]

Williamsburg holds second annual Mardi Gras Parade

info2022-03-02T00:05:50-06:00March 2nd, 2022|

Williamsburg held its annual Mardi Gras Parade over the weekend as an early celebration of the holiday, which falls on Tuesday, March 1 this year. Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, originated as a way for Christians to have one last day of feasting before Lent begins the next day. The city of New Orleans holds a world-famous Mardi Gras celebration each year, but for those who couldn’t make it to the Big Easy, Williamsburg held its very own mini-parade, complete with a Cajun feast. All proceeds from the dinner went to the Wellsville Community Building. The event was sponsored by [...]

Grant allows county to replace aging bridge at reduced cost

info2022-03-01T09:21:10-06:00March 1st, 2022|

A state grant announced on Thursday will allow Reno County to replace an aging bridge in the southwest part of the county this year at a significantly reduced cost. The bridge on Fairview Road, crossing Smoots Creek some 7.4 miles west and 2.7 miles south of Pretty Prairie, is one of 29 around the state that will share more than $5 million in state funds as part of the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program. The current 76-foot-long bridge, consisting of four spans, was built in 1959, said Reno County Public Works Director Don Brittain. The bridge is still open, but it’s [...]

Treasury yields fall sharply, 10-year rate drops to 1.74%

info2022-03-01T08:05:17-06:00March 1st, 2022|

U.S. Treasury yields dipped on Tuesday morning, as investors remained focused on Russia's attack on Ukraine. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 3 basis points to 1.8044% at 4:40 a.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond moved 3 basis points lower to 2.1435%. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has entered its sixth day. The attack has roiled global markets and seen investors look to safe haven investments like U.S. government bonds, pushing yields down. ... Investors will be watching Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's testimonies to Congress this week, for any indication on whether the Russia-Ukraine [...]