News – Page 31 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Governor Kelly Announces Virtual, On-Demand Meeting as Part of Water Local Consult Outreach

info2024-10-09T09:59:54-05:00October 9th, 2024|

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that a virtual, on-demand meeting is now available for Kansans who want to provide input on water issues in the state. The virtual meeting is part of a second round of local consult meetings to gather input on strategies to implement the 2022 Kansas Water Plan. “These local consult meetings are critical to finding and implementing sustainable solutions to address our state’s water concerns,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By hearing directly from Kansans, we can make further progress on the goals of the 2022 Kansas Water Plan.” The recent in-person and new virtual meetings build on [...]

Increased prices contribute to continued housing shortage

info2024-10-09T09:58:09-05:00October 9th, 2024|

Real estate agent Natalie Moyer has helped Kansas residents purchase homes for the past 16 years. But the housing market is so tight right now, it’s been very difficult for first-time homebuyers to find a house within their budget. The demand for a home has been much higher in recent years and there simply are not enough homes to go around. That shortage of supply is pushing up the costs of homes on the market, making it even more difficult for buyers to purchase an affordable or middle-market home. The trickle-down effect of the tight market is believed to be contributing [...]

Plans being finalized for emergency room/hospital in Fort Scott

info2024-10-09T09:56:56-05:00October 9th, 2024|

Bourbon County officials reported Monday that efforts to secure Freeman Health System’s plans to bring health care to the county are being finalized. Bourbon County Commissioners Jim Harris and Brandon Whisenhunt amended the meeting agenda to allow County Counselor Justin Meeks to speak on the topic of health care in the county. Commissioner Clifton Beth was not present for the commission’s second straight meeting within a week. Source: Fort Scott Tribune

City Council approves steps for hotel, Expo

info2024-10-09T09:56:06-05:00October 9th, 2024|

With a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and resolutions calling for two public hearings, the Great Bend City Council took preliminary steps Monday that will help a developer build an 80-room hotel and one or more restaurants on 10th St. The actions are also aimed at making the Great Bend Expo Complex a destination for tourism and entertainment using STAR Bonds. Improvements might include a drag racing museum and more seating at the drag strip; a banquet hall with multi-purpose courts for sporting events; an amphitheater; improvements to the existing rodeo grounds; and an additional hangar/restaurant. Source: Great Bend Tribune

City cracking down on weeds

info2024-10-09T09:54:41-05:00October 9th, 2024|

The City of Newton has been enforcing more environmental code violations lately. For all of 2023, it targeted 244 environmental violations for weeds. That number increased to 682 for this year up to the end of September, a 180 percent increase. The Newton City Commission saw a presentation of nuisance enforcement at its Oct. 8 meeting. “We are definitely trying to do what you asked us to do to send more notifications out to people,” City Engineer Suzanne Loomis said. Source: Harvey County Now

Harvey County offers public hunting

info2024-10-09T09:50:38-05:00October 9th, 2024|

As outfitters and leasing agents continue to gobble up access to private hunting land, there is still opportunity for public hunting in Harvey County. In 2018, the Harvey County Commission approved limited seasonal hunting at East Park. The agreement has been approved through the 2025-26 season. This seasonal hunting is restricted to archery deer, waterfowl and archery spring turkey. For those pursuing deer, they can hunt archery deer on the tracts known as Harvey County A and Harvey County C. Harvey County A is located north of Northeast 24th Street, and Harvey County C is located north of Northeast 12th Street. [...]

Prairie Village changes how it picks the next council president — Here’s why

info2024-10-09T09:49:00-05:00October 9th, 2024|

The city of Prairie Village is changing how it elects a council president. After nearly a decade of electing the most senior councilmember who has yet to serve as president, the Prairie Village City Council on Monday voted 11-1 to change those rules. Councilmember Inga Selders cast the lone dissenting vote. The new rules outline a more complex council president election process compared to the previous one, including a more detailed list of criteria for what is an eligible candidate. Council presidents generally run the governing body’s council committee of the whole meeting, during which no formal action can be taken. [...]

Overland Park OKs 1% special sales tax for Stanley Square revamp

info2024-10-09T09:47:41-05:00October 9th, 2024|

Stanley Square, an aging shopping center in southern Overland Park, may use a tax incentive to help finance $7 million in planned improvements. Len Corsi, who leases out the shopping center via Johnson County Management, has applied for the formation of a 1% Community Improvement District, or CID. On Monday, the Overland Park City Council voted 11-0 to proceed with the incentive district petition to help pay for the renovation project at Stanley Square, located on the northwest corner of 151st Street and U.S. Highway 69. The vote doesn’t necessarily mean the special taxing district will be formed, but it does [...]

Houses in Dodge City built by students, for the community

info2024-10-09T09:46:31-05:00October 9th, 2024|

The housing association is a nonprofit that for the past 10 years has partnered with DC3 – local shorthand for the college – to build a house in Dodge City annually. Its mission is to address housing needs by revitalizing low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods. “It’s really a neat partnership and program that we implement here,” says Mollea Wainscott, assistant director of the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation. The program creates additional housing, trains the future workforce in Dodge City and cleans up blighted neighborhoods. Wainscott says every house the program builds is south of Comanche Street, an east-west thoroughfare generally regarded as a [...]

Sedgwick County is counting homeless deaths for the first time. Here’s what to know

info2024-10-09T09:44:17-05:00October 9th, 2024|

The deaths of more homeless residents are being counted this year after local officials implemented a formal process to identify them – the latest symptom of the intensifying conversation around homelessness in Wichita. As of September, 46 homeless people had been confirmed dead by Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center investigators. That’s more than the 42 that were counted all of last year through anecdotal numbers compiled through a collaboration between the Wichita Police Department, service providers and homeless advocates. The shift is the latest move to address homelessness in Wichita, following the opening of a new emergency winter shelter in [...]