News – Page 2257 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

City needs more housing starts

info2018-12-30T17:16:33-06:00December 30th, 2018|

The Harvey County unemployment rate dropped as low as 2.8 percent in September. Recently, industry in the area has announced expansions and plans of having decent paying jobs, the kind that help pay mortgages on homes, if not support moderately priced rentals. It’s no secret that housing, especially entry level housing for young professionals in the city, has been short. The City Office, in part, has tried to help alleviate the issues working with development companies to build moderately priced apartments. Those apartments, such as Prairie Fire and Cottonwood Crossing, have filled up fast. Looking at the influx of possibly hundreds [...]

Goodwin’s to close after 66 years in downtown Hays

info2018-12-30T17:11:59-06:00December 30th, 2018|

Saying it’s getting tougher and tougher for a small store to work with the big sporting goods companies, the owner of a long-time downtown Hays business decided it’s time to close the doors for good. Terry Bright, owner of Goodwin Sporting Goods, 109 W. 11th, and his employees began preparing Friday for the store’s liquidation sale, announced in a flyer that arrived in many Hays mailboxes the day before. “I was kind of on the QT for quite some time. My phone started ringing yesterday,” Bright said of the announcement. The sale will begin Jan. 3 and run through Jan. 9, [...]

Hutchinson Police handing out safety bands

info2018-12-28T10:38:32-06:00December 28th, 2018|

Police are always concerned with the safety of citizens in Hutchinson, especially for bicyclists who are hard to see. They are now offering to give out some safety bands which are reflective and can be worn on any limb. (Read more: Hutch Post)

Shawnee County official: Traffic control ‘eating us up on costs’ for street project

info2018-12-28T10:37:08-06:00December 28th, 2018|

Shawnee County is incurring considerable expense as a result of its commitment to accommodate motorists during a planned two-year project to widen S.E. 29th Street near Lake Shawnee, county commissioners were told Thursday. “Traffic control is eating us up on costs,” deputy public works director Tom Flanagan told Commissioners Kevin Cook and Bob Archer. The county could cut project expenses considerably if it shut down S.E. 29th altogether, Flanagan said at Thursday’s commission meeting, where Commissioner Shelly Buhler was out of town and absent. County public works and solid waste department director Curt Niehaus told commissioners the county plans to accommodate [...]

Big Bend Groundwater District #5/Quivira National Wildlife Refuge water plan bounced by official

info2018-12-28T10:36:32-06:00December 28th, 2018|

The Big Bend Groundwater District #5 Rattlesnake Creek/Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Local Enhanced Management Area (LEMA) plan submitted less than two weeks ago to Kansas Chief Engineer David Barfield was bounced back last Thursday. “I cannot complete a review of the proposed management plan because it contains no measurable goals and it is unclear if the proposed corrective controls would meet such undetermined goals,” Barfield stated in his two-page letter, throwing the ball back to GMD5 board members. “Please also make clear if is it the intent of the Board of Directors that this management plan fully or partially solves the [...]

New treatment plant has Hiawatha water in the clear

info2018-12-28T10:33:50-06:00December 28th, 2018|

The Hiawatha water treatment plant has been up and running for over two months, now, and the improved water quality has been earning rave reviews. After years of unsafe nitrate levels, the plant’s ion exchange purification system has the city’s drinking water well within safe levels, and according to Hiawatha Water Superintendent Brad Scott, should keep them there for years to come. Along with Sewer Superintendent Dave Grimm, Scott toured different types of treatment facilities in 2016, and after many meetings with engineering firm BG Consultants, settled on a final design, which was approved in 2017, with AHRS beginning construction on [...]

County to tackle bridge work in 2019

info2018-12-28T10:31:36-06:00December 28th, 2018|

Miami County Road and Bridge plans to replace several bridges in 2019. The Miami County Commission on Wednesday, Dec. 12, authorized Project Manager Matt Oehlert to solicit price proposals for construction inspection on four bridge projects as well as construction bids for three of those structures. Kansas Department of Transportation will let bids for construction of a fourth bridge, which is located on 217th Street, 0.7 miles west of Waverly Road. KDOT will fund 80 percent of the estimated $470,000 joint project, with the county responsible for covering the other 20 percent, Oehlert told commissioners at their study session Dec. 12. [...]

Miami County hires consultant to help develop new radio system

info2018-12-28T10:30:20-06:00December 28th, 2018|

Miami County would not build a bridge without hiring an engineer first, Commissioner Danny Gallagher said. Gallagher said he viewed hiring a professional consultant to help the county build an emergency radio system the same way. “This is our engineer for the radio system,” Gallagher said. The other commissioners agreed, voting 5-0 during their meeting Dec. 19 to hire Tusa Consulting Services for $82,200 to help commissioners arrive at a radio communications solution that would allow all first responders in the county to communicate with each other. (Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Fire board governance debated at public hearing in Miami County

info2018-12-28T10:29:03-06:00December 28th, 2018|

A possible shift in governance of Miami County Fire Districts No. 1 and No. 2 sparked a lively debate for 40 minutes Wednesday, Dec. 19, in the County Commission chambers. County commissioners scheduled a public hearing to gather comments about a possible shift in governance from the fire districts’ current boards to the County Commission. Paola Fire Chief Andy Martin said he thought it would be a mistake to eliminate the First District No. 1 board. “They’ve come a long way and done a lot of long-range planning ... and generally improving fire service,” Martin said. Martin said the board may [...]

South Hutchinson police chief talks of hiring officers

info2018-12-28T10:27:18-06:00December 28th, 2018|

Although, there have been cuts made earlier this year to the South Hutchinson Police Department as the city council worked to get its financial house in order, South Hutchinson Police Chief Mark Thompson talked of making a hire despite those cut backs. He also gave advice for those who may want to enter law enforcement as a profession: (Read more: Hutch Post)