News – Page 311 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Few public entities in Cowley County provide online access to meetings

info2025-01-16T09:30:42-06:00January 16th, 2025|

Arkansas City residents who are unable to attend city commission meetings can now watch the meeting through a livestream or watch it later as a video. The city began broadcasting and posting recordings of the meetings earlier this month on YouTube. The new platform makes it possible for residents to stay informed by viewing meetings in real time or by accessing a recorded video at a more convenient time. Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

County slows down energy storage talks

info2025-01-16T09:29:55-06:00January 16th, 2025|

Allen County Commissioners agreed to a 180-day moratorium in regards to a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) in the southeast part of the county at their meeting Tuesday. Zoning Director Terry Call discussed the project with the commissioners. The current proposal is for a 300-megawatt storage facility near Savonburg and Elsmore. An estimated 15 to 30 acres would be needed for the facility and it would cost $300 million. Source: The Iola Register

‘Once in a generation’: Lawrence officials begin prep for World Cup in KC

info2025-01-16T09:28:22-06:00January 16th, 2025|

Thousands of international soccer fans and millions of dollars are expected to descend on Kansas City next year as the city hosts six world cup matches. Lawrence officials and organizations have begun preparing to claim a slice of the pie. The impacts are expected to be huge. Six games will be played at Arrowhead Stadium, including a quarterfinal match. “For each of those, the impacts they estimate are similar to what a Super Bowl would be,” said Steve Kelly, vice president of economic development for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. KC2026 is the organization in charge of planning for the World [...]

Ellis mulls benefits vs. risks for golf cart legalization

info2025-01-15T11:18:00-06:00January 15th, 2025|

Council President John Walz acknowledged that he may be in the minority in opposing golf cart legalization; however, his concern is safety. Council Member LaBarge reported that safety features as well as licensing and inspection would be required and that no problems have been reported in the surrounding communities, including Hays. Source: Hays Daily News

Lawrence staff outlines financial tools that could generate new revenues for Parks & Rec

info2025-01-15T11:16:43-06:00January 15th, 2025|

That includes creating a pricing policy, which could include resident and non-resident pricing; adding a position to the department that would seek out partnerships, sponsorships or grants to fund park programs; using part of the transitive guest tax to support programming and establishing a foundation for the department to generate private funding through donations. Source: LJWorld

Valley Center prepares for potential solar farm

info2025-01-15T11:10:03-06:00January 15th, 2025|

Wanting to be proactive rather than reactive, the City of Valley Center took a step toward regulating solar farms. The city council on Jan. 7 gave first-round approval to an ordinance that sets rules for such operations. Source: Ark Valley News

Olathe advances plans for new accessible theme park, hockey arena. See the renderings

info2025-01-15T09:58:30-06:00January 15th, 2025|

After hang-ups over an additional gas station and convenience store, the Olathe City Council unanimously approved the zoning changes for a new ultra-accessible theme park and sports arena during its Jan. 7 meeting. Behind the plan is Lamar Hunt Jr.’s company Loretto Properties, which he runs alongside his son-in-law James Arkell. Hunt Jr., son and namesake of Chiefs’ founder Lamar Hunt, also owns the Kansas City Mavericks hockey team. Source: Joco 913 News

Kansas State University Opens New Collaborative Office Space to Boost Research Commercialization and Economic Growth

info2025-01-15T09:57:36-06:00January 15th, 2025|

Kansas State University has opened a new collaborative office space designed to drive research commercialization, industry partnerships, and economic growth. Located in the Kansas State University Foundation’s Edge District, the facility brings together the Kansas State University Research Foundation, the Office of Corporate Engagement, and K-State 105. Source: KCLY Radio

A Kansas town’s fluoride fight could hint at what’s ahead

info2025-01-15T09:56:31-06:00January 15th, 2025|

A fight over fluoride in drinking water in Abilene, Kansas, could preview battles likely to play out in cities across the country as the next presidential administration puts a spotlight on the issue. Plus: President-elect Trump's immigration policies will likely affect the meatpacking industry, and in turn, the cost of food. Members of the incoming Trump administration want to remove fluoride from public water. It’s drawing more attention to the mineral many cities add to public water supplies to strengthen peoples’ teeth. As Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga reports, a town in Kansas just went through that debate last year. Source: KCUR News

Local Superintendents to Meet Over Potential Southern Cloud Dissolution

info2025-01-15T09:55:46-06:00January 15th, 2025|

With the potential for Southern Cloud Unified School District 334 to dissolve, five area superintendents will meet on January 22nd in Glasco. Representatives from five surrounding school districts will attend, including, USD 379 Clay County (Clay Center and Wakefield schools), USD 273 Mitchell County (Beloit schools), USD 333 Cloud (Concordia schools), USD 224 Clifton-Clyde, and 239 North Ottawa (Minneapolis schools). The meeting will discuss the potential distribution of 334 school boundaries if their board votes to close Southern Cloud. USD 379 Superintendent Brett Nelson said that in previous situations, the state made decisions when all entities were not in agreement. Source: [...]