News – Page 481 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

City of Emporia mourns loss of Mayor Danny Giefer

info2024-07-08T14:04:31-05:00July 8th, 2024|

The City of Emporia is in mourning as it announced the death of longtime City Commissioner and Mayor Danny Giefer, who died at his home on July 6. Giefer and his wife moved to Emporia over 50 years ago in 1970. The city said in a news release it is better because of that decision. “Emporia is a better place, because in 1970 newlyweds Danny and Betty Giefer chose to move here to live and to rear their children. We are grateful they did,” the news release said. Giefer was sworn into the Emporia City Commission in 2013 because, the city [...]

Reno County considers expanding zoning, solar farms

info2024-07-08T14:03:01-05:00July 8th, 2024|

Reno County is asking residents to share their opinions about the possible expansion of countywide zoning and solar farms in the unzoned areas of the county. The county is hosting three town hall meetings this month for County District 1 and District 2. The first meeting is Monday evening. Some of the county officials who will be at the meetings include Reno County Administrator Randy Partington, the county commissioners who represent District 1 and District 2, the director of Public Works, and the county planner. The town hall meetings will be informal. They will start with information about planning and zoning [...]

Baxter Springs enhances annual Light Up the Sky celebration with new attractions

info2024-07-08T14:01:26-05:00July 8th, 2024|

Baxter Springs is looking to take their annual Light Up the Sky celebration to another level. The city’s public works crew lead the fundraising and organizing efforts, getting 20 sponsors to donate to help put the celebration on. Previously the event took place on 19th St, but this year it’s returning to Kiwanis Park. The celebration will have many new additions this year, including police barrel rides, a disk golf contest, a water dunk tank and the new pickle ball courts. Mayor Kelly Abbott said they want to provide the things the community enjoys doing. “I think everybody looks forward to [...]

Pittsburg celebrates 4th of July and 71 years of Kiddieland

info2024-07-08T13:59:57-05:00July 8th, 2024|

There were plenty of smiles in Pittsburg Thursday to celebrate the 4th of July. The City of Pittsburg hosted a full day of celebrations in Lincoln Park and at Kiddieland. In fact, this year marks the 71st year of Kiddieland’s existence in Pittsburg. “Not just on the 4th of July, but all the time. We have families and grandpas that will come in and go, I want to bring my grandkids here. I remember coming here when I was a kid. Some of the rides are exactly the same as they remember. And so seeing their kids and grandkids enjoy the [...]

Cherryvale’s Claim: The forgotten author of the Pledge of Allegiance

info2024-07-08T13:57:49-05:00July 8th, 2024|

For more than a century, Americans have said the Pledge of Allegiance, from the newest citizens, to presidents, to school children. But for one southeast Kansas community, it’s more than an oath. It’s part of the story of their town. “We claim that Frank Bellamy, who lived back at the turn of the century, as in 1890’s to 1900, we think that he wrote the Pledge of Allegiance,” said Mike Wood, Cherryvale Historical Museum. Frank Bellamy was born in 1876 in Indiana, the anniversary of our nation’s independence. His father, a prominent judge, moved the family first to Girard, and then [...]

City of Parsons fire truck that was ordered in 2022 arrives

info2024-07-08T13:50:25-05:00July 8th, 2024|

A fire truck the city of Parsons ordered in 2022 has arrived last week. The city of Parsons ordered a Pierce Enforcer pump truck in 2022 at a purchase price of $684,032.62. Brad Boss, Parsons fire chief, told city commissioners on Thursday that the department is in the process of switching equipment over to the new truck. He said the department is taking two trucks and putting equipment into one. The process will take a bit longer than normal, he said. But “we do have it,” Boss said the truck that is parked in the Washington Avenue station. Source: Parsons Sun

STAYCATION | Strong City, Cottonwood Falls provide small town surprises

info2024-07-08T13:48:18-05:00July 8th, 2024|

Located 60 miles south of Manhattan, Strong City and Cottonwood Falls both may be small in size, but they make up for it with history and opportunities for exploration. The hour-long drive down Kansas Highway 177 takes you into Strong City first, which is also accessible via U.S. Highway 50 west of Emporia. Continue down K-177, and then you’ve hit Cottonwood Falls. Toni Schneider, executive director of the Chase County Chamber of Commerce, said in an email that the unique thing about the twin-city area is “the feeling.” “The feeling you get when you see the magnificent Flint Hills, not just [...]

Chanute’s Santa Fe Park playground ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for Friday

info2024-07-08T13:44:57-05:00July 8th, 2024|

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for the grand opening of the new Santa Fe Park playground at noon Friday, July 5. “We are very happy that we will get to cut the ribbon for the children of Chanute so they will have a safe place to play,” said Debbie Shields, chairperson of the Chanute Parks Advisory Board. The new playground equipment is inclusive and has something for every youth, Shields noted. The Chanute Community Foundation received $70,000 in match grant funding from the Patterson Family Foundation for the new playground equipment at Santa Fe Park in December. In November, the Sunderland [...]

As Kansas home values rise, major property tax relief will wait until at least next year

info2024-07-08T13:42:46-05:00July 8th, 2024|

Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republican lawmakers hailed the tax cuts package signed into law in June as significant relief for residents. But on property taxes, no one views the new law as a smashing success. The compromise reached by Kelly and GOP leaders contained only a modest property tax cut, even as lawmakers almost universally say high property tax bills are the biggest complaint of constituents. Instead, action in the statehouse focused largely on income tax reductions. Demonstrating the anger over property tax bills, the Wyandotte County-Kansas City, Kansas, Unified Government’s commissioners voted last week to not collect [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for July 5, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-07-08T09:29:48-05:00July 8th, 2024|

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.