News

More interactive parks with technology, free wifi and programming for active senior citizens are among the improvements that residents should expect to see in the coming years. Implementation began this month of long-term plans to improve facilities and parks in town that cater to a variety of ages and abilities. “Eudora has an incredible sense of community,” City Commissioner and Parks Foundation Board member Alex Curnes said. “I also think it’s really important that Eudora remains a great place for all generations. The plan also helps us to see what the community feels is their priority.” Programming goals include continuing to [...]

Iola City Council members are being asked to reconsider the town’s long-standing prohibition of live chickens within the city limits. Why did the chicken cross the road? In this case, it’s to get to Monday’s Iola City Council meeting, where the city is once again being asked to allow such fowl creatures in residential neighborhoods. The oft-debated topic has been requested once again, after a split Council narrowly voted down an identical measure last spring. Source: The Iola Register

Mulvane Fire Rescue, along with other local departments, recently received disbursements from the Kansas Department of Insurance through its annual fund distribution to Firefighter Relief Associations (FRAs). Mulvane received a little over $45,000 in funding. Source: www.derbyinformer.com - RSS Results in news/area_news of type article

The property tax rate paid by Manhattan residents again ranks in the middle of the pack for comparable Kansas cities, according to data obtained by The Manhattan Mercury. Manhattan’s rate — which combines the taxes levied by the city government, the county government and the local public school system — ranks 14th among the 26 so-called “first-class” cities in the state, according to a Mercury analysis of data from the League of Kansas Municipalities. Those are the largest cities in the state. Source: themercury.com - RSS Results in news of type article

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Federal Reserve officials diverged at their June meeting about how aggressively they would be willing to cut interest rates, split between concerns over tariff-fueled inflation and signs of labor market weakness and economic strength. Minutes from the 17-18 meeting released Wednesday showed that policymakers largely held to a wait-and-see position on future rate moves. The meeting ended with Federal Open Market Committee members voting unanimously to hold the central bank's key borrowing rate in a range between 4.25%-4.5%, where it has been since December 2024. Source: Bonds

Johnson County’s EMS System has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives. Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks and strokes. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack and stroke patients takes coordination [...]

Citing a surge in public concern for children’s safety, the city of Prairie Village is considering new restrictions on e-scooters and e-bikes. On Monday, the Prairie Village City Council voted 11-0 during a committee meeting to direct city staff to craft an ordinance that places restrictions on e-bike and e-scooters, including provisions that define reckless use and limit the number of riders on each device. Source: Johnson County Post

The Overland Park Police Department is hoping the public can help solve its cold homicide cases. That was the impetus behind the department launching a new page on its website last month that is dedicated to these cold cases, including some that are over 50 years old. The idea to start the webpage originated from department detectives who had seen other departments solve their cold cases by sharing information about them with the community, said Officer John Lacy, spokesperson for the Overland Park Police. Source: Johnson County Post

Gardner has advanced plans for a new neighborhood of nearly 250 homes coming to the far west end of the city, despite a vocal opposition of nearby homeowners who say it’ll cause issues and bring too much traffic to an already unsafe intersection. The Gardner City Council on June 16 unanimously approved a preliminary development plan for Horizon Pointe, a 78-acre single-family neighborhood on the southeast corner of 175th Street and Four Corners Road, and rezoning the area from agricultural to planned two-family. Source: Johnson County Post