News – Page 2142 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Emporia approves water treatment plant improvements

info2019-05-06T06:42:01-05:00May 6th, 2019|

Improvements to Emporia’s Water Treatment Plant will soon be underway following Wednesday’s meeting of the Emporia City Commission. The improvements were first discussed during last week’s study session. They were designed to address and prevent the formation of bromate in the city’s water supply. A notice was sent out to water customers last year about a violation in a drinking water standard for the city’s water supply. “We kept having to raise the dosage of [our ozone equipment] because our residuals weren’t where they needed to be,” Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Phil Cooper said. “The bromates went really high.” Cooper said [...]

Valley Center rec board settles with ex-director

info2019-05-06T08:42:46-05:00May 6th, 2019|

It's been more than six months since the Valley Center Recreation Commission board fired longtime director Steve Geddes. Since then, the rec commission staff roster has undergone a sea change that officials say will help the organization grow into the future. "We have a good staff," said Blake Peniston, the rec commission's interim director. "I'm lucky to have who we have." Meanwhile, lawyers for Geddes and the rec commission have settled what was essentially a wrongful termination lawsuit that Geddes filed after his October 2018 firing. He had sought $250,000 in damages, the equivalent of two years of salary and benefits. [...]

Sumner Community Hospital celebrates grand opening and ribbon cutting Wednesday

info2019-05-06T06:37:31-05:00May 6th, 2019|

The Sumner Community Hospital grand opening and ribbon cutting was a huge success Wednesday. The big day included the opening of Sumner Primary Care Center and featured several fun-filled activities and tour of the many changes of the new hospital in Wellington. (Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

Lawrence City Commission to consider controversial downtown apartment project

info2019-05-06T08:38:31-05:00May 6th, 2019|

City leaders will soon consider controversial plans to build a five-story apartment and retail building near the southern entrance of downtown Lawrence. The Hub at Lawrence would stretch the width of the block between Massachusetts and New Hampshire streets and include more than 550 bedrooms targeted to college students. Due primarily to the main building’s height and size, the city’s historic preservation board recently denied the project two required certifications. Developers appealed that decision to the Lawrence City Commission, which will consider the appeal as part of its meeting Tuesday. Read more: LJWorld.com.

Mobile home guidelines back on Scott City council agenda

info2019-05-03T09:48:30-05:00May 3rd, 2019|

An ordinance subjecting mobile/manufactured homeowners to more strict guidelines will be under consideration at the Scott City Council meeting on Mon., May 6. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. Under the proposal, any time a mobile home is relocated within the city, or if there is a change of utility hookups or ownership, it will be subject to inspection by the city’s building inspector. The inspector will also have the authority to conduct annual inspections at any time he determines the “health, safety and welfare” of a resident could be at risk. No structure deemed to be uninhabitable [...]

Mission council opting toward debt-financing wholesale repairs to Rock Creek Channel erosion issues

info2019-05-03T09:48:12-05:00May 3rd, 2019|

Mission city leaders generally agree on plans to make wholesale repairs to the eroded sections of a creek channel that cuts through town — rather than piecemealing the project over an extended period of time. And they’d rather take on debt and pay it over time rather than raising the mill levy to cover repair costs more quickly. Nothing official has been decided yet, but that was the general consensus from Mission city leaders at their community development committee meeting last night. Councilmembers discussed design and financing options for repairs of the Rock Creek Channel. (Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Main Street Kansas: Emporia a destination for disc golf fanatics

info2019-05-03T09:04:13-05:00May 3rd, 2019|

Athletes from all over the world came to the city of Emporia for the biggest tournament of its kind, a sport exploding in popularity and places to play. From a distance, it looks like any golf game, but these players tee off by throwing, not hitting, and the hole they're aiming for is actually a basket on a pole. It's called disc golf, and serious competitors carry several discs for different distances. "So you got your irons, your drivers and a couple of putters," said a player from Wichita, unveiling his bag with nearly 20 brightly colored discs. "The top players [...]

Wheat tour sees delayed crop

info2019-05-03T09:01:38-05:00May 3rd, 2019|

The U.S. Wheat Quality Council 2019 Hard Red Winter Wheat Tour kicked off Tuesday, taking 75 people to wheat fields across Kansas, as well as parts of southern Nebraska and northern Oklahoma. Wheat industry professionals participate in the three day tour across the state going from Manhattan to Colby to Wichita and back to Manhattan. Along the way teams stop at fields to check for disease, conditions, progress and make yield calculations. Tour participants found a delayed and and varying wheat crop, sometimes reporting large differences between neighboring fields. Winter wheat in Kansas was at 64 percent jointed as of April [...]

Reno County Drainage District has special vote Tuesday; district mill levy exceeds state statute cap

info2019-05-03T09:00:38-05:00May 3rd, 2019|

A special election Tuesday in Reno County Drainage District No. 3 was triggered by the discovery that for years, the district has had a mill levy that exceeded the state statute cap of 5 mills. The district’s current general levy is over 12 mills. If the ballot fails and district has to stay within the 5-mill cap, its annual budget of $10,000 would plunge to about $4,000, That would not be enough to mow the levee or to improve any portion of the levee, according to district board chairman Jerry Schmidt. “This is extremely critical,” he said. (Read more: Local - [...]

River rises in Ottawa after downpours; floodgate to close at 34 feet

info2019-05-03T08:58:16-05:00May 3rd, 2019|

Monitoring the levy and the Main Street bridge along the Marais des Cygnes River is something city crews don’t take lightly. Especially during the rainy season. The river rose quickly through Tuesday night into Wednesday, cresting just under 34 feet at noon Wednesday. Michael Haeffle, city of Ottawa public works director, said the city has an emergency action plan it uses as a guide when the river is rising. “We are actively monitoring everything with the river,” Haeffle said. “The plan calls for us to close it at 33 feet. We try to pay attention to the river and where it [...]