News – Page 1777 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

’Perfect positive storm’: Studies show Topeka well-positioned to recover from recession

info2020-04-27T09:30:24-05:00April 27th, 2020|

Topeka’s metropolitan area is among the least vulnerable in the nation to the economic damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to two recent studies. Meanwhile, the WalletHub personal finance website says Kansas is likely to suffer less economically from the pandemic than all other states but one. Those findings reinforce Matt Pivarnik’s optimism that Topeka will quickly regain the momentum it had gained prior to COVID-19, he said in a telephone interview Friday. “Quite frankly, I look forward to recovery,” said Pivarnik, president and CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership. “I think that Topeka’s going to be able to have [...]

Cruising Main will return

info2020-04-27T09:30:33-05:00April 27th, 2020|

For Scott Becker of McPherson, climbing into his Ford Mustang and cruising down main street on a Saturday night brings back days gone by. “I used to drag main here in the ’80s and ’90s. My boys are 17 and 20 and over the summer hang out at Lakeside park. They never knew what cruising main was. I believe it’s a generation gap and was lost throughout the years,” Becker said. And, he believed it was a tradition that should be rekindled. A year ago, he started posting to Facebook, creating a page for photos that he called “Old Farts Drag [...]

Hays: No plans for layoffs, cutting services

info2020-04-27T09:30:52-05:00April 27th, 2020|

Despite the COVID-19 hit to the economy, there are no plans to lay off City of Hays employees or to cut city services to the community, according to City Manager Toby Dougherty. “We’re not there yet, and it’s really not something I’ve considered right now,” Dougherty said of employee layoffs or furloughs. “It would be a rationary measure that comes later on. I can’t see enough of a revenue decline that we couldn’t absorb and move forward ... worse-case scenario we’d have to put a hiring freeze in place.” Speaking to the Hays City Commission at its regular meeting Thursday in [...]

DRC, DAC looking to spread positivity through art

info2020-04-27T09:31:08-05:00April 27th, 2020|

At the moment, with the Derby Recreation Center shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of DRC Art Director Aimee Geist’s focus has been on preparations for summer programs at the new Hubbard Arts Center. While not many DRC art programs have gone virtual yet, Geist has been working on a new project with the Derby Arts Council – to launch in May – that is seeking to engage the community and spread an important message. “One of the things we’ve been working on is a sidewalk chalk project called the Positivity Art Project,” Geist said (Read more: Derby News [...]

Scenic byways lets you see Kansas’ best landscape from the safety of your car

info2020-04-27T09:31:24-05:00April 27th, 2020|

Kathy Artzer knows people can abide by social distancing requirements while still feeding their need for adventure. Annually she leaves her Topeka home and drives several of Kansas’ scenic byways. “(The byways) have taken me to some places I didn’t even know we had in Kansas,” Artzer said. “They’ve taken me to some really beautiful places. I think they’re a great way to explore the state.” Sue Stringer, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism byways manager, said Kansas has 12 recognized byways. (Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Financial challenges ahead for Pratt Community College

info2020-04-27T09:31:35-05:00April 27th, 2020|

Financial challenges lie ahead for all educational institutions including Pratt Community College. Kent Adams, PCC vice president of finance and operations, shared some numbers with the PCC Trustees at their April 13 meeting. “We’re going to have financial challenges,” Adams said. College finances are already in place through June 30 but beyond that, there are many questions. First of all, the county is going to lose $3 million in valuation for oil and gas. Other valuations went up but the overall loss is $3 million. (Read more: Pratt, KS - Pratt Tribune)

Crawford County makes plans for input on new coronavirus rules

info2020-04-27T09:32:08-05:00April 27th, 2020|

Though it remains unclear whether the statewide stay-at-home order will expire by the end of next week, Crawford County officials continue to make plans for what kind of policy the county will implement if it does. Since announcing it would hear input from area businesses and the public on that decision earlier in the week, the county commission on Friday made changes to the schedule of when that input session will take place, and said it will be done via radio on Pittsburg State University-affiliated KRPS (89.9 FM) next Thursday, with the opportunity for businesses to submit questions beforehand. “We had [...]

Reno County Economic Recovery Task Force begins discussion on reopening

info2020-04-27T09:32:20-05:00April 27th, 2020|

The Reno County Economic Recovery Task Force on Friday (April 24) outlined goals detailed efforts underway toward reopening the local economy. The statewide stay-at-home order currently is in effect until May 3. While that could extend, the task force in Reno County shares a goal to "establish guidelines for reopening our local economy with the aim to have a skeleton framework to present to the county commission on the event that the statewide stay-at-home order is lifted." The task force says it expects to roll out some "wins" on May 4 (following the current May 3 expiration date on the statewide [...]

Cluster testing continues in Ford County

info2020-04-27T09:32:28-05:00April 27th, 2020|

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced this week two private businesses in Dodge City that showed a cluster of COVID-19 cases. As described by KDHE, a cluster “is two or more confirmed cases associated to one known exposure.” With cluster testing rising, confirmed cases come with it as Ford County cases reached 350 on Friday, topping Sedgwick County’s 323 and putting Ford County third highest in the state behind Wyandotte and Johnson County. Seward County also reached a case of total of 232 with Finney County reaching 107. (Read more: News - Dodge City Daily Globe - Dodge City, [...]

Pratt County Clerk plans retirement after 39 years

info2020-04-27T09:32:52-05:00April 27th, 2020|

On April 22, Pratt County Clerk Sherry Kruse took notes at her final Pratt County Commission meeting after working in that office since August 1981. Kruse started out handling payroll and accounts receivable under then County Clerk Alma Walker. In the 1990s, Walker appointed Kruse to Deputy Clerk but she still processed payroll and accounts receivable. “There wasn’t a lot more to do then,” Kruse said. (Read more: News - PrattTribune - Pratt, KS)