News – Page 2152 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Greenwood County Commissioners approve junk property code to prevent junk properties in previously incorporated towns

info2019-04-23T08:47:51-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

Monday, Greenwood County commissioners approved the health and welfare code aimed at preventing junk-properties from cluttering previously incorporated towns. After discussing the idea of this code multiple times over the years, it was brought back to the attention of the commissioners several weeks ago when residents of Neal filled the room to ask them to revisit the code once again. Frank McCollum explained, “I think you should have more than one person that can file a complaint against somebody. Everybody has enemies out there.” Chuck Spradlin commented on the complaint and review process, as at least one commissioner will be responsible [...]

Kansas cracks down on nursing home operators with shaky finances

info2019-04-23T08:32:38-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

The state of Kansas had to take over 22 financially struggling nursing homes last year — the most anyone connected to the industry could remember. Officials with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services said they had no choice. Nursing home managers — most of them from out of state — had fallen behind on bills for basics like food and utilities, putting residents’ health and safety at risk. Now the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly have come together on a plan to keep it from happening again. Lawmakers this month passed a bill requested by the Kelly [...]

Neighborhood group in Emporia hosts annual fish fry to fund community improvements

info2019-04-23T08:31:35-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

The sounds of laughter and the tell-tale sizzle of fried fish could be heard during the Emporia Eastside Community Group’s annual fish fry fundraiser Saturday at the Emporia Recreation Center. The group raised $900. Founded in 1998, members of the Emporia Eastside Community Group have dedicated their time to making sure their neighborhoods are friendly, safe and enjoyable. Members range from lifelong Emporians to those who came to the area from Pennsylvania, New York, California and more. The group uses the money raised to fund its scholarship programs, the Memorial Day Community barbecue, purchasing equipment for the Eastside Memorial Park and [...]

Commissioners OK issuing $13 million in industrial revenue bonds for retail development

info2019-04-23T06:59:17-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

Shawnee County commissioners on Monday morning approved by a 3-0 vote a resolution to issue about $13 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds for a shopping development in west Topeka. The industrial revenue bonds would be used by Equity Investment Group Wanamaker LLC for its proposed $31.4 million project to redevelop retail properties it owns at the southeast corner of S.W. 17th and Wanamaker Road. A building formerly occupied by a Kmart store is located on the property. Bob Perry, the county’s bond counsel, told commissioners the issuance of the industrial revenue bonds would generate “substantial” ad valorem taxes for the [...]

Salina city leaders explore possibility of plastic bag ban

info2019-04-23T06:57:29-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

Salina city leaders are exploring the possibility of a ban on plastic shopping bags. City staff was briefing commissioners Monday on other communities with bans and what it would take to gather public input on such a policy. Salina City Commissioner Joe Hay proposed the ban. He told KAKE-TV earlier this year that the city should be a leader in the state. He says the bags fly like kites and blanket fences and trees after a wind storm. California and Hawaii already ban disposable plastic bags. So do many cities including Chicago, Seattle and more than a dozen local communities in [...]

Challenging claims: a look at NextEra’s economic impact

info2019-04-23T06:56:01-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

A pro-wind group out of Lenexa this weekend purchased a full-page color ad in The Hutchinson News claiming NextEra Energy’s proposed Reno County wind farm would add more than $130 million to the county economy, including $50 million in land payments for local farmers. NextEra made a similar claim in a half-page ad in The News on March 31. The claims in both ads are based on an economic impact study by a fellow at the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University. Opponents of the 80-plus turbine wind farm, however, challenged the numbers during public hearings earlier [...]

Hutch USD’s bus costs to surge

info2019-04-23T06:54:55-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

Hutchinson USD 308′s cost for contracting a school bus service provider will accelerate next year. Three vendors submitted sealed bids for a new five-year contract. The current provider, Durham School Services, won the contract Monday night by offering the lowest price, which still will be nearly 18 percent higher than the 2018-19 price structure. The price offered by Apple Bus Co. would have brought a 25 percent increase, and First Student Inc.’s price would have meant a 50 percent increase. The five-year grand total for Durham’s bid amounted to $7,018,238. USD 308 uses school buses to transport special needs students, elementary [...]

Lawrence school board likely won’t support metal detectors in schools

info2019-04-23T09:25:56-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

District staff is still researching some potential security measures to improve school safety, but some board members have already made it clear that staff shouldn’t waste too much time on metal detectors. Ron May, director of operations, gave the board a presentation on safety and security at its Monday meeting. He outlined several initiatives in progress and provided some updates. Many in the Lawrence community have been paying heightened attention to safety of school buildings, particularly at Lawrence High School, in the wake of several weapons- and threat-related incidents over the past few months. Specifically, in the span of two weeks [...]

Submissions sought for art installation at new Lawrence police headquarters

info2019-04-23T09:27:14-05:00April 23rd, 2019|

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission is looking for professional artists to develop a public art installation as part of the new Lawrence Police Department headquarters site. Individual artists or teams of artists have until midnight June 3 to submit a resume and samples of their work, according to a news release from Porter Arneill, director of communications and creative resources with the city of Lawrence. The public art project is in collaboration with the Lawrence Police and Parks & Recreation departments and has a total budget of $325,000. Read more: LJWorld.com.

Small-Town Life: Why It’s Good For Business

info2019-04-22T11:21:33-05:00April 22nd, 2019|

If you’re on the white picket fence about whether to relocate your business to a smaller, more rural locale, let these four small towns prove that bigger isn’t always better. We asked economic development leaders from Dodge City, Kansas; Kiowa, Kansas; Moundridge, Kansas; and Vandalia, Illinois, why small-town life is good for business. Here’s what we learned. “One of the great things about living in a small town is the connectivity of businesses and residents; we can really bring partnerships together,” says JoAnn Knight, executive director of the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation. Dodge City hosts a population of fewer than [...]