News – Page 2430 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hannes Zacharias Traveling Kansas via the Ark River

info2018-07-02T08:04:37-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

At 22 years old in 1976, Hannes Zacharias took a Bicentennial message from the mayor of Dodge City to the mayor of New Orleans. He traveled by kayak. “I’d never been down South before, never been by myself that long before, never been on the river that long before, and those six weeks were like a life-changing experience for me,” he said. Zacharias reached New Orleans - surviving an incident in Oklahoma where the kayak was stolen but later recovered in pieces - and received the key to the city of New Orleans. He promised himself if he had the opportunity, [...]

Tonganoxie residents still concerned over poultry plant issue

info2018-07-02T07:31:48-05:00July 2nd, 2018|

The $300 million Tyson project planned for the outskirts of Tonganoxie was canceled after residents of the town protested the pollution and the strains on local infrastructure they expected the facility would bring. Republican Rep. Jim Karleskint of Tonganoxie, who drafted a bill that would have given locals more say about proposed poultry operations, said residents are still anxious about the issue. “A lot of people are talking about it. It’s an anxious issue that people don’t want Tyson in the area,” Karleskint said. “I think there’s a fear that they may attempt to come back. I personally don’t think it’s [...]

Amtrak exploring ending Southwest Chief through service

info2018-06-29T10:38:22-05:00June 29th, 2018|

During a meeting last week between Amtrak’s CEO and a small congressional delegation that included Kansas’ two senators, it was revealed that the train operator is exploring ending passenger train service between Dodge City and Albuquerque, and implementing a bus connection on the route instead. The communities that would lose rail service if the bus service began at Dodge City would include Garden City; Lamar, La Junta and Trinidad, Colo.; Raton, Las Vegas and Lamy, N.M. The proposal did not go over well with any of the lawmakers at the meeting, who had called the meeting to ask Amtrak to stand [...]

GCPD, Sheriff, County Attorney will partner in Project Safe Neighborhood

info2018-06-29T10:35:08-05:00June 29th, 2018|

Local law enforcement agencies will be teaming up with federal prosecutors and state and federal law organizations that will target violent crime in Garden City and Wichita. That announcement came Thursday morning by U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister in a press conference held in Wichita for a program titled Project Safe Neighborhoods. William Votypka, Deputy Finney County Attorney, attended the press conference on behalf of the office, which will be involved in the new program. “It’s a great, great opportunity for collaboration with state and federal authorities,” Votypka said in a telephone interview. “It’s a greater financial mechanism with other agencies and [...]

Newton debating ‘blowback’ of tax increase

info2018-06-29T10:33:29-05:00June 29th, 2018|

When it came to possible tax increases for the city budget, Commissioner Glen Davis said the city commission should at least earn the blowback if it raises next year’s taxes. “We’re going to get the same blowback for two mills or six mills,” Davis said. “If I’m going to get blowback, I’d as soon get it at a higher amount.” Such was a budget session where the commission weighed what exactly the public would do following another tax increase. City Manager Bob Myers had suggested the commission increase taxes by 5.8 mills to cover increasing bonded debt, as well as a [...]

Hutch will push against proposed Amtrak service cuts

info2018-06-29T10:31:32-05:00June 29th, 2018|

After providing nearly $40,000 in matching funds on three TIGER grantsconnected to Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, City Manager John Deardoff expressed disappointment in Amtrak’s plans to curtail service along the route. Amtrak and BNSF threatened cities along the route that they would discontinue service if major upgrades were not made. Three major grants and a lot of track improvements were done at Amtrak’s request. The grants were matched with funds from cities and the state, including three $12,500 allocations from the city of Hutchinson. Now under new leadership, Amtrak is wanting to step away from the efforts to keep the route in [...]

Poultry plant controversy signaled Tonganoxie’s demographic transformation

info2018-06-29T10:30:22-05:00June 29th, 2018|

Last September, the ground shifted under the small town of Tonganoxie, Kansas, about 35 miles due west of Kansas City. When word got out that Tyson Foods, Inc. was ready to announce it would soon break ground just outside town on a $320 million poultry complex — a processing plant, hatchery and feed mill — opponents organized immediately. Allies multiplied exponentially as social media amplified their concerns. Within a stunning two weeks, Tyson had announced it was putting its plan “on hold.” But nine months later, residents are still grappling with some of questions the explosive controversy revealed. Freelance writer Anne [...]

Hoisington Council gives nod to dog park grant

info2018-06-29T10:28:23-05:00June 29th, 2018|

A suggestion made nearly three years ago to open a dog park in the city of Hoisington hasn’t been forgotten. Monday night, the Hoisington City Council took a significant step toward making the dream a reality when it approved allowing the city to apply for a $25,000 grant to be applied toward fencing and amenities for a dog park similar to those in neighboring cities. In 2015, Sarah Hinman, Hoisington, asked the city to consider installing a dog park. The council was supportive of her proposed efforts but no city dollars were committed. Then, in July, 2017, the Dr. Lindsey Mitchell, [...]

Leavenworth County approves EMS agreement

info2018-06-29T10:22:40-05:00June 29th, 2018|

County commissioners have approved an agreement regarding Leavenworth County EMS’ continued use of a fire station in Basehor. EMS has been operating an ambulance unit out of the Fairmount Township Fire Department station since 2016. But the document approved by commissioners Tuesday marks the first time the arrangement has been addressed in a written agreement between the County Commission and Fairmount Township Board, according to County Administrator Mark Loughry. Loughry said the agreement outlines some of the responsibilities of the parties. Commissioners approved the occupancy agreement by a vote of 2-1. Chairman Louis Klemp voted against the agreement. But he signed [...]

Water transfer plan for City of Hays meets challenge from local irrigators

info2018-06-29T10:21:35-05:00June 29th, 2018|

Hays’ long-anticipated bid to transfer water from a city-owned ranch in Edwards County for municipal use hit an unexpected obstacle, as a local organization dedicated to protecting farmers’ water rights presented its case last Thursday afternoon. In a scheduled meeting of the Kansas Division of Water Resources at the Twilight Theater in Greensburg, KWR Chief Engineer David Barfield, along with representatives from Hays and Russell as stakeholders, presented the draft proposal outlining both the conversion of the R-9 Ranch’s agricultural water rights to municipal use and approval under the state’s Water Transfer Act. (Read more: Pratt, KS - Pratt Tribune)