News – Page 1276 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Governor’s Tourism Award Winner

info2021-11-16T06:58:28-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Governor Laura Kelly today congratulated Roger Hrabe, Rooks County Economic Development Director, on receiving the Governor’s Tourism Award. The Governor announced the prestigious award during the annual Kansas Tourism Conference in Liberal. “Our tourism industry supports Kansas jobs, injects millions into our economy, and preserves our state’s unique history for future generations – but its success wouldn’t be possible without talented Kansans like Roger Hrabe,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Roger truly understands the connection between tourism and developing a thriving community, and his work has gone above and beyond for the people of Rooks County. Congratulations, Roger, on this well-deserved recognition.” [...]

US farmland values rise the most in nearly a decade on crop prices

info2021-11-16T06:59:15-06:00November 15th, 2021|

High crop prices are trickling down to agriculture real estate, which have risen by the most in nearly a decade. Farmland values jumped 18% from a year ago during the third quarter of 2021 in the Seventh Federal Reserve District, a five-state region including all of Iowa and most of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, according to the Chicago Fed. The gains come as farmers were bolstered by high incomes and low interest rates, and after corn and soybean futures climbed to multiyear peaks in Chicago amid adverse weather for crops. Now, the high farmland prices are adding to concerns about [...]

How will Kansas spend $1.6B in COVID aid? Charities, sheriffs, theaters make their pitch

info2021-11-16T07:00:06-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Help for the homeless. Grants for movie theaters. Hydroelectricity. As Kansas prepares to allocate $1.6 billion in federal COVID-19 aid, business groups, non-profit organizations and civic advocates from across the state are pushing a sweeping range of proposals for spending it. They are all angling for a piece of the one-time funding that could prove transformational for a host of programs and initiatives. The money holds the potential to ultimately touch residents in all corners of the state through dollars for affordable housing, business start-ups, new and improved public buildings, better access to higher education and faster broadband internet. How this [...]

How Shawnee County is prepping for winter roads

info2021-11-16T07:00:13-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Shawnee County Public Works is busy Monday making sure it's ready when winter weather hits. The department has been buying chemicals and checking out equipment since September. While that may seem early, the last thing they want to do is be underprepared when winter weather strikes. When plows and other vehicles do get out on the road, the department director wants to remind other drivers to be careful. Source: KSNT News

Lenexa Police’s new comfort dog ‘boosts morale’ during times of trauma, tragedy

info2021-11-15T23:32:37-06:00November 15th, 2021|

The newest officer at the Lenexa Police Department hasn’t been sworn to protect, doesn’t write tickets and isn’t even human. Nonetheless, Lexi Blue — a golden doodle — has been hard at work serving as the police station’s first-ever comfort dog. Since joining the department in June, Lexi has visited with hundreds of community members, including elementary students, shoppers at the Lenexa Public Market and teens grieving the loss of a classmate. And already, police officers have noticed a difference. Source: Prairie Village Post

Galena welcomes Lightning McQueen to town

info2021-11-15T23:27:42-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Lightning McQueen is now calling Galena, Kansas home. A number of folks gathered at the famous Luigi’s Pit Stop on Front Street over the weekend. Luigi’s has been home to a number of the Cars movie replicas – from the tractor tippin’ to the sheriff looking over everything. Kids and parents can go check it out at 205 East Front Street in Galena. Source: KOAMKOAM

City of Sedgwick names Brian Keller as city administrator

info2021-11-15T11:27:59-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Brian Keller, a 1984 graduate from Halstead High School, has been hired as the new city administrator for Sedgwick and will begin on Nov. 22. Keller has spent the last twenty years living in Wamego and working for the State of Kansas with most of that Department of Revenue as a taxation agent. He recently transferred to Wichita and has lived in Halstead for the last few months. Sedgwick Mayor Bryan Chapman said that Keller’s local ties and his interest in living in Sedgwick were factors in his higher, as were his people skills and his ability to communicate. Chapman said [...]

Kansas sees bumper revenue projections

info2021-11-15T07:02:11-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Kansas is flush with cash, updates to the state’s fiscal forecast released Wednesday project, and the news is sure to prompt considerable jockeying among legislators and Gov. Laura Kelly over how to spend the expected windfall. The state avoided the worst case scenario of seeing revenues plummet due to COVID-19 and instead has seen its tax collections soar in recent months, with experts saying the state’s economy has rebounded from the pandemic. Officials now project the state will take in $1.3 billion more than initially thought for the current fiscal year, a 17% increase which brings the current revenue estimates to [...]

How state’s decision on Docking building could affect downtown Topeka

info2021-11-15T07:02:52-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Downtown Topeka's revival is not a secret — looking at a picture of its strip shows businesses, restaurants and residences where none existed previously. But Morse, a real estate broker at Kansas Commercial, said one of the key building blocks in bringing back the area is less well known: the state of Kansas. Before Docking State Office Building was vacated, workers would carry lunch pails to and from their cars, not wanting to spend time walking over to S. Kansas Avenue. As the state gravitated toward private leases throughout downtown, that opened up more possibilities for state employees to eat, shop [...]

These three Kansas rodeos win awards

info2021-11-15T06:59:37-06:00November 15th, 2021|

Abbyville is once again on the map. The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association awarded Abbyville Frontier Days PRCA Rodeo third place in the prairie circuit for best footing — meaning the rodeo ensures a safe and stable ground for the animals in the rodeo. The award specifically focusses on barrel racing horses. The Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo out of Abilene was voted most improved. Source: Hutch News