News – Page 2159 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

City manager: Street markings took ‘a beating’ this winter

info2019-04-16T10:02:17-05:00April 16th, 2019|

The harsh winter in Hays was rough on the streets. In addition to numerous potholes caused by freezing and warming temperatures, a lot of sand and salt was applied to the streets, and the snowplows were kept busy. As the plows moved snow to the street edges, the machines were also scraping the street markings. “Our street markings have taken a beating,” says Toby Dougherty, city manager, “especially on the arterials. They’re very rough and they degraded very quickly over the winter.” Typically, the city improves the street markings as they begin to deteriorate. Employees can do some thermoplastic applications and [...]

Overland Park residents rally to try and save park gazebo

info2019-04-16T09:14:20-05:00April 16th, 2019|

Neighbors are fighting to preserve a popular Overland Park, Kansas gathering spot. They don't want to see the gazebo in Santa Fe Commons Park, along Santa Fe Drive, be replaced. The Overland Park City Council is expected to vote on the plan to replace the gazebo and rename the park Monday night. The City Council is expected to give final approval to the $3.6 million park renovation. Neighbors say the gazebo, which is on the chopping block, holds a lot of history, and brings character to downtown Overland Park. The gazebo was built in the early '80s. A grassroots effort to [...]

Parsons OKs joint drug enforcement task force agreement

info2019-04-16T10:19:55-05:00April 16th, 2019|

The Parsons City Commission approved an agreement on Monday evening that will set up a joint drug enforcement task force. The commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding with the Labette County Sheriff’s Department and Labette County Attorney Stephen Jones to set up the Kansas Combined Anti-Drug Task Force. The agreement outlines the scope, goals, staffing and budget implications to create K-CAT, a small force that will be devoted to drug enforcement. Police Chief Robert Spinks gave the details of the task force during a Thursday work session, so the commission had no questions and quickly approved the agreement Monday. (Read more: [...]

Kansas cops to patrol 4/20 pot holiday: ‘Impaired driving is not a victimless crime’

info2019-04-16T10:20:56-05:00April 16th, 2019|

Law enforcement agencies across Kansas will be patrolling for impaired drivers on the 4/20 marijuana holiday weekend. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said the special campaign against impaired driving will run April 19-20 — or Friday and Saturday — and involve cops from Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. “This has been an increasing epidemic for the past several years ... Impaired driving is not a victimless crime,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. April 20, or 4/20, or 420, is the stoner holiday when some people tend to smoke more marijuana than usual. (Read more: Local News [...]

Effort to save downtown Overland Park gazebo fails as council votes to move forward with Santa Fe Commons project

info2019-04-16T10:19:01-05:00April 16th, 2019|

A neighborhood group trying to save the 1980s-era gazebo in downtown Overland Park went away disappointed Monday after the city council voted to award a bid for construction. Around 30 people holding “Save Our Gazebo” signs had hoped to stop or at least pause a complete redo of Thompson Park because of the gazebo, which was built with a similar look to the historic carriage house in the park. Council members, however, said they had plenty of chances to object during multiple public input sessions held since last summer. (Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Sharp Hike In Commercial Grain Elevator Valuations

info2019-04-15T10:01:24-05:00April 15th, 2019|

Commercial grain elevator owners in Scott County are protesting a sharp increase in the appraised valuation of their facilities. A change in the formula for determining the value of storage facilities has been put in place, effective with the 2019 tax year, by the Kansas Property Valuation Department. It has added about $1.5 million to the value of the operations in Scott County. Appraisal values are up about $1 million in Wichita County. As expected, the sharp increase in value - and the property tax bill that comes with it - has caught the attention of local operators. Read more: Scott [...]

Some Lawrence residents voice concerns as affordable housing board considers density increases

info2019-04-15T09:45:45-05:00April 15th, 2019|

As the city embarks on a new venture in its affordable housing efforts — one involving the first changes to the local development code — some residents are asking questions about how those changes could affect neighborhoods. If approved, the proposed affordable housing density bonus would be the city’s first land use rules connected to the affordability of homes. Though the draft code changes are preliminary, the concept is to allow two homes to be built on one lot as long as they are designated as affordable housing. That could mean a second home being added alongside an existing home or [...]

Gardner dissolved airport committee, replaced it with advisory board

info2019-04-15T06:45:59-05:00April 15th, 2019|

The city of Gardner has dissolved the city’s airport committee and replaced it with an Airport Advisory Board. In a March 18 meeting, the council approved an ordinance change revoking the legal authority granted to the Airport Commission to form a non profit corporation to supervise the operations of the airport. According to Amy Nasta, city clerk, the advisory board will consist of five members tasked with advising the council on matters pertaining to the growth and improvement of the airport. The board will advise the council on acquisition of property, construction and reconstruction of airport facilities, the institution of programs [...]

City of Edgerton to build community center

info2019-04-15T06:38:34-05:00April 15th, 2019|

Edgerton residents attended an open house on a proposed “Greenspace” Community Center. During the April 4 event at city hall, residents met with city officials and staff and discussed ideas on what they would like to see at the center. The city has set aside $4.1 million for the center which will be located on a vacant lot between the Edgerton Bank of Knowledge and the fire station. According to Beth Linn, city administrator, the proposed building will include at least two floors of approximately 1,500 sq. ft. each with the possibility of a basement. Construction could begin as early as [...]

City seal design will remain on vehicles after new flag is unveiled

info2019-04-15T06:36:40-05:00April 15th, 2019|

The city of Topeka government’s official seal adorns its letterhead and the sides of many of its vehicles. And that won’t quickly change after the design for a new city flag is announced, said Molly Hadfield, the city’s media relations director. City officials plan to retain the seal design on its vehicles, documents and social media while deciding over time whether to incorporate the new flag’s design into those images, she said this past week. Hadfield added that city officials see Topeka’s seal — which is adorned with phrases that include “Golden City” and “The Capital City of Kansas” — as [...]