News – Page 1950 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

USD 232 board approves master site plan for De Soto High campus

info2019-11-06T15:57:22-06:00November 6th, 2019|

The USD 232 Board of Education has approved a master site plan for the campus of De Soto High School. The plan includes a configuration of new projects behind the high school as well as additional parking and a new access road from 87th Street. In a presentation Monday night before the school board, Steve Deghand, director of facilities for the district, said the goal in creating a master site plan was to plan ahead and create a comprehensive layout of all future projects on the campus that would make efficient use of available space. Milburn Civil Engineering of De Soto [...]

Shawnee planning commission says Stag’s Spring project conforms to city’s comprehensive plan

info2019-11-06T15:54:45-06:00November 6th, 2019|

The Shawnee planning commission last night affirmed that Stag’s Spring, a $16.1 million proposed luxury housing project downtown, conforms to the city’s comprehensive plan. Doug Allmon, community development director for Shawnee, said the commission was tasked with determining if the project plan conforms to the intent of the city’s comprehensive plan. This step takes place before a public hearing on TIF funds for Stag’s Spring can take place. The developer, Kevin Tubbesing, has requested $3.1 million of public funds for the project in the form of tax increment financing. (Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast [...]

Russell County voters fail another school bond

info2019-11-06T20:43:31-06:00November 6th, 2019|

A majority of voters in Russell County voted no to a USD 407 school bond, which sought to find solutions for HVAC and electric upgrades. In February, Russell High School had to close for several days when a boiler went out. USD 407 schools were built between 1938 and 1962 and do not feature air conditioning or a central air component. Voters failed a $17.5M bond in April 2019. This month, the school district tried again with a $9.9M bond. Results show 60 percent of voters voted against the measure yesterday. (Read more: KSN-TV)

Mayor Jeff Longwell concedes, says city is in “good place” right now

info2019-11-06T20:43:49-06:00November 6th, 2019|

Mayor Jeff Longwell lost the mayoral race Tuesday to challenger Brandon Whipple. With his wife at his side, Longwell wanted to say congratulations to Brandon Whipple. “I called to concede the race and tell him I will be there if he has any questions in the transition,” said Longwell. “I also wanted to tell him congratulations.” (Read more: KSN-TV)

70 bikes to be available when the JCPRD RideKC Bike Share Program begins in spring

info2019-11-06T16:03:13-06:00November 6th, 2019|

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District has placed 34 orange and white bicycles around the county to get residents acquainted with a new bike-sharing program that will be fully deployed next year. The three-speed pedal bikes were installed on Oct. 25 and will remain until mid-November, when they will go into storage for the winter. A total of 70 bikes will be available when the JCPRD RideKC Bike Share Program is fully launched next spring. “By making the bikes available for rent,” said project manager Mark Allen, “we’re hoping for patrons to experience more of their parks, by making it [...]

KDOT Cost Share Program projects selected

info2019-11-05T21:44:29-06:00November 5th, 2019|

Gov. Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced this morning the 22 projects selected across the state as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s new Cost Share Program. These projects total nearly $74 million in state, local, federal and private investment in transportation improvements statewide. “These projects demonstrate communities’ commitments to improve the quality of life for their citizens and to do so in a practical manner,” said Gov. Kelly. “This program also demonstrates the great things that happen when communities and the state work together.”Nearly 100 applications were submitted in the first round [...]

Alcohol may be allowed outside for some events on Main Street

info2019-11-05T14:24:31-06:00November 5th, 2019|

Wine and beer may become added attractions to downtown festivals and events in the future. During a Monday evening meeting, city commissioners heard about a common consumption area ordinance that will be coming their way soon, possibly at their next regular meeting on Nov. 18. Common consumption areas were legalized in Kansas in 2017. They allow people to carry alcoholic beverages in and out of buildings and on the streets and sidewalks of a designated area. (Read more: Parsons Sun)

Overland Park council expands neighborhood notification requirement for development projects

info2019-11-05T14:23:01-06:00November 5th, 2019|

A new set of rules requiring neighborhood meetings for some development projects got final approval from the Overland Park City Council, despite a last-minute assertion that the city’s renters should get more consideration. Councilmember Logan Heley noted that nearly half of the city’s population is made up of renters with more coming as new multi-use and senior living projects are being built. He proposed language requiring developers to make a good faith effort to notify tenants as well as property owners within 500 feet of a project about an upcoming neighborhood meeting. “I won’t support a change that puts certain residents [...]

Advisors recommend changing Kansas Avenue to 3 lanes

info2019-11-05T14:21:13-06:00November 5th, 2019|

Arkansas City commissioners today will consider several recommendations from a Traffic Safety Committee that involve a major change to Kansas Avenue and some to Summit Street. The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to look at the possibility of re-striping Kansas Avenue between 15th Street and Summit Street to just three lanes. That change would create one southbound lane, a northbound lane and a center-turn lane. (Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Ark City and Winfield recycling examination continues

info2019-11-05T14:20:09-06:00November 5th, 2019|

Discussions about the future of recycling in Winfield and Arkansas City continue, with a focus on reducing the amount of contamination in recycled materials. During a recent audit of the recycling streams in both Winfield and Arkansas City, material samples were taken from 80 customer recycling carts in Winfield and one community recycling trailer in Arkansas City. The data from these samples showed a contamination rate of 16 percent in Winfield and 22 percent in Arkansas City, based on the weight of the materials collected. (Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)