News – Page 2348 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Butler Community College responds to Andover Mayor’s veto

info2018-09-24T09:54:45-05:00September 24th, 2018|

Butler Community College issued a formal statement early Friday morning in response to Thursday’s announcement from Andover Mayor Ben Lawrence. Lawrence shared that he had formerly vetoed Ordinance 1679, concerning the Special Use Permit for the expansion of Butler Community College in Andover. The statement reads, “Butler Community College leadership and Gravity Works Architects were surprised to learn of the veto on Thursday by Andover Mayor Ben Lawrence. The veto was issued following approval by the Andover Planning Commission on Tuesday. We are gathering information to work toward a resolution. This process of a special use permit is related to a [...]

Debate on wind energy project continues in Neosho County

info2018-09-24T09:50:43-05:00September 24th, 2018|

Debate continued Friday at the Neosho County Commission meeting between opponents and supporters of the proposed Neosho Ridge wind energy project. As many as two dozen people attended and discussed the project for about 2 ½ hours. Some opponents said Apex Clean Energy, the company developing the project, was not forthcoming with information or was misleading. Opponent Dustie Elsworth said efforts have started for a petition against the project, including among residents near Stark. The Neosho Ridge project is proposed for southwest Neosho County in the area near Thayer, Erie and Galesburg, while the Jayhawk wind energy project is proposed for [...]

Golf course springing back to life financially in Ark City

info2018-09-24T09:48:03-05:00September 24th, 2018|

Struggling with a temporary cash flow problem, board members of the Spring Hill Golf and Recreation Association asked for help from the City of Arkansas City. They got it — $1,000. But not all commissioners approved. The course, which operates on city owned property, was nearly closed in August 2016 due to major financial problems. The Spring Hill board approached the city at that time, requesting a minimum of $23,000 to help the organization get back on its feet. The commission had previously given the organization $3,600 to help cover its expenses through August of that year. Commissioners met with the [...]

Tennis group, city volley over indoor court fees

info2018-09-24T09:44:10-05:00September 24th, 2018|

Arkansas City commissioners, Cowley College and school district officials, along with an indoor tennis association are struggling to agree on how to make the best use of the Agri-Business building, a community-event center that hosts everything from mixed-martial arts to daddy-daughter dances. The debate centers on the future of the tennis courts inside the facility and the fees being charged for usage. One option involves removing the tennis court surface and replacing it with a more durable one. The new floor would allow a larger variety of activities and be easier to clean and maintain, according to city officials. It would [...]

Roeland Park’s new leaf pickup truck is ready to hit the streets this fall — along with changes to city’s program

info2018-09-24T09:38:36-05:00September 24th, 2018|

Roeland Park’s one-of-a-kind leaf pickup program is getting a new look this fall. The city recently purchased a new leaf pickup truck that vacuums up leaves instead of scooping them. Jose Leon, Roeland Park public works director, said Roeland Park was “in dire need” of replacing the equipment because it incurred hefty maintenance expenses last fall. During pickup season in 2017, several bricks, landscape rocks, yard tools and other heavy objects hidden in leaf piles got picked up by the machine and broke the leaf shredder. Those issues cost thousands of dollars and “a lot of downtime” to fix. “Over the [...]

Questions remain as Lawrence considers raising age to buy tobacco products

info2018-09-24T08:14:47-05:00September 24th, 2018|

Lawrence city commissioners will soon consider a measure that would raise the age to purchase tobacco products in the city from 18 to 21. Both the Lawrence school district and the Douglas County Commission have voiced support for the Tobacco 21 initiative, which would ban the sale of all tobacco-related products, including electronic cigarettes and vaping devices used to inhale nicotine, for those under 21. However, the city government would be the body in charge of creating, enforcing and legally defending such an ordinance, and city leaders have questions. Though Mayor Stuart Boley is undecided on the topic, he said the [...]

We’re getting a new baseball team, Wichita. What do you want to call it?

info2018-09-24T06:49:54-05:00September 24th, 2018|

The Wichita Linemen, the Keepers; the Sky Kings; the Lightning, the Bombers, the Funnel Cakes, the Aviators. Mayor Jeff Longwell and Vice Mayor Bryan Frye are hearing a lot of suggestions these days of potential names for the Triple-A Minor League Baseball team that will occupy the new ballpark that will be replacing the venerable Lawrence-Dumont Stadium at Maple and McLean. “I’ve heard so many great, creative imaginative names,” Frye said. “Wichitans are really pulling out all the stops. I like to think I’m a creative person, but I haven’t found one that I’m ready to push forward yet. He has [...]

Building a legacy in Garden City

info2018-09-24T06:47:43-05:00September 24th, 2018|

During his first month in Garden City, Steve Cottrell spent his evenings driving around town. It was 1975 and the 23-year-old, going on 24, had just graduated from the University of Nebraska to take his first job as assistant city manager for the City of Garden City. The city, with a population near 15,000, wasn’t too different from his western Nebraska hometown of Scottsbluff, he said. It was flatter, but still had ample feedlots, with wheat crops instead of sugar beat. Steering through main roads and neighborhoods, Cottrell memorized the town. He learned address ranges, streets and block numbers. He got [...]

Trails set for Little Jerusalem, located south of Oakley

info2018-09-24T06:36:46-05:00September 24th, 2018|

“They’re really stunning,” said Mike Goodwin on Tuesday of the towering chalk formations that stretch as far as the eye can see at Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park. As part of the Kansas Trails Council, Goodwin was walking the badlands, scouting trail locations and setting pink flags to mark the route for two new trails at Kansas’ newest state park. “There are lots of canyons and rock towers,” Goodwin said. “Every time you turn a corner it’s an interesting view.” Few people have seen the new state park. Not yet open to the public, Little Jerusalem has no public access infrastructure [...]

Municipal Airport discussion continues in Gardner

info2018-09-24T10:23:10-05:00September 24th, 2018|

If words were actions, Gardner would have a KCI-type airport in place of the city’s municipal airport. Since taking Gardner Municipal Airport over in January 2016, untold hours have been spent discussing the airport’s future, although little action has been taken to improve or maintain the property. According to the Aug. 20 city council meeting minutes, a report document prepared for the council by “Lee Moore’s spouse,” provided a timeline of council input regarding GMA. The document was reviewed by the city council and obtained under the Kansas Open Records Act. According to the report, in Sept. 2015, Laura Gourley, finance [...]