News – Page 27 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Mildred folks share concerns

info2024-10-16T08:32:56-05:00October 16th, 2024|

The small but mighty community of Mildred remains positive about its prospects, Marcia Davis told Allen County Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday morning. “They like that it is quiet, that everybody helps each other, and they love their store,” was the upshot of an Oct. 1 Community Conversation, said Davis, who serves as Thrive Allen County’s Director of Community Engagement. The downside of being a population of 12, is that they lack funding for community goals, they admitted. And with the exodus of residents comes a lack of adequate housing. Source: The Iola Register

Cato celebrates its history

info2024-10-16T08:06:59-05:00October 16th, 2024|

The oldest town in Crawford County is gearing up for two events next week. The first is Cato Kids’ Day ... to see presentations on life in the 1800s, and Cato history. The presentations will include the one-room school house, covered wagons, blacksmithing, 1800’s weaponry, cowboys, native Americans, drovers, and the Gettysburg Address. Source: Morning Sun

‘Trade Pull’ shows Pittsburg’s growing strength

info2024-10-16T08:05:49-05:00October 16th, 2024|

One of the ways commonly used to determine the strength of a local economy is to calculate a statistic called the “trade pull factor.” ... As the largest city in Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg could expect to have a PF greater than 1; however, prior to the construction of the Town Center development, Pittsburg had a trade pull factor of less than 1, probably due to the proximity of shopping alternatives in Joplin. Source: Morning Sun

Wichita police buying gunshot detection sensors, adding more license plate cameras

info2024-10-16T08:03:49-05:00October 16th, 2024|

Wichita police officers will soon start getting alerts from gunshot sensors after the City Council approved buying and expanding sensors the department has been testing since February 2022. Police also received approval to expand their license plate reader program that started in November 2020. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Wichita couldn’t hire enough workers for its new water plant, so it’s outsourcing jobs

info2024-10-16T08:03:35-05:00October 16th, 2024|

The city of Wichita won’t have enough employees to run two water plants when a new one is completed, so it’s paying a private company to provide staffing for at least one more year. The city will outsource some operations of the new plant to Operational Technical Services, a Los Angeles-based company hired in July to help start up and commission the plant. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Governor Kelly Announces More than $17M Investment for Energy Grid Resiliency

info2024-10-16T08:02:47-05:00October 16th, 2024|

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that 11 Kansas communities have secured more than $17 million for energy grid resilience. This investment combines nearly $12 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s 40101(d) Grid Resilience Grant Program and more than $5.8 million in matching funds from the Kansas Infrastructure Hub and Build Kansas Fund. Source: Governor of the State of Kansas

Is Zoning Government’s ‘Most Significant Regulatory Power’?

info2024-10-15T13:14:36-05:00October 15th, 2024|

Eight in 10 Americans live in a city, and zoning determines their daily experience of life in ways that few realize. Sara Bronin, an architect, lawyer, academic and historical preservation expert, has written a book, Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World, to raise awareness of the essential role of zoning in making cities healthy, sustainable and enjoyable places to live. “By and large, people think of zoning as an often-bewildering set of rules enshrined in inscrutable maps and regulations,” Bronin writes. She grew up in Houston, the only large city in the country without zoning, but became a [...]

Sedgwick, Reno, Harvey counties placed in emergency drought status

info2024-10-15T13:12:16-05:00October 15th, 2024|

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has released an updated drought declaration that places three counties, Sedgwick, Reno and Harvey, into an emergency status. Kingman, Harper, Sumner and Cowley counties are in a warning status, while Butler, Rice, McPherson, Marion and Chase counties are in a drought watch. In a statement issued Friday, Governor Kelly said, “Drought conditions have persisted across the state through the summer season, and Kansans are continuing to see the effects. With conditions expected to remain dry throughout the fall, Kansans should consider their water usage and take extra care to prevent wildfires.” The drought declaration placed three counties [...]

Bel Aire files lawsuit over Woodlawn project

info2024-10-15T13:10:57-05:00October 15th, 2024|

The City of Bel Aire has filed a lawsuit against an engineering firm, a planning firm and a construction company over the failure of pavement in a project to improve a section of Woodlawn. The suit claims professional negligence and a breach of contract resulted in pavement failures on a project to improve Woodlawn between 37th and 45th Streets North. The city is looking to recover damages to redesign and reconstruct the road, and the Kansas Department of Transportation has estimated that the cost could be between $3 million and $8 million. The lawsuit names Mid-Kansas Engineering Consultants (MKEC), Pearson Construction [...]

Riley County Fire Department working to protect against wildfires

info2024-10-15T13:09:40-05:00October 15th, 2024|

Local officials are seeking a grant that provides resources to help communities protect against wildfires. Together with the Kansas Forest Service, the Riley County Emergency Management and Fire Department applied for a Community Fire Defense Grant. “That protection plan is a guide for public entities and citizens on practices, techniques, things to keep in mind on how to prepare for or protect your property for a wildfire,” said Russel Stukey, Riley County emergency management director. Source: 1350 KMAN