News – Page 50 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Fort Scott approves demolition of rundown homes for community beautification

info2024-09-23T09:54:30-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

The Fort Scott City Commission has approved the demolition of several rundown homes that have been a concern for the community. Earlier this month, they reviewed six homes that are either abandoned or need many repairs. “Honestly, some of these houses are places I wouldn’t want to see anyone living in, especially kids,” he said. He explained that these dilapidated homes hurt the property values in the area, making it harder for everyone" said Leroy Kruger, codes technician. If a house is found to be in bad shape and the city is considering demolition, the the city will send a letter [...]

New City Administrator appointed in Fredonia, Kansas

info2024-09-23T09:53:05-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

The city of Fredonia, Kansas announces a new City Administrator during its commission meeting. According to the city's Facebook page, the new City Administrator is Evan Bolt. “Evan meets all of our preferred qualifications. He will arrive with a successful track record of managing infrastructure projects in municipalities in Colorado and Utah.” said Mayor Miller. “And Fredonia will also benefit from the practical research he conducted for the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University while working on his graduate degree." According to Mayor Miller, after extensive resume screening, candidate and reference interviews, department head consultation, and background checks, he and [...]

Wichita Public Library now offering birdwatching kits

info2024-09-23T09:51:48-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

The Wichita Public Library continues to expand its unique offerings that can be checked out for free with a membership card. The latest is perfect for anyone interested in birds. The library has announced a new partnership with the Audubon of Kansas to offer birdwatching kits. The kits are packed with pamphlets and guides to birdwatching, other information, and maps of excellent viewing areas across Sedgwick County. They also include one pair of adult binoculars and two child binoculars. The kits can be checked out for 14 days, with two renewals available. Click here for more information or to reserve one [...]

Paxico’s 20th annual blues festival draws in their largest crowd

info2024-09-23T09:50:22-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

Main street in Paxico was filled with people from all over for the 20th annual Paxico Blues Festival. Festivals have always been a big part of what Paxico does and a music festival was on that list. So, when one of the festival co-founders took a trip back to his hometown, following owning blues clubs of her own in Kansas City, Kansas, he knew they had a hit event in the making. “I’ve had people describe it as ‘well it’s kind of like being with your family,” Bud Hund, one of the co-founders said. “It’s like all your family, go to [...]

$100,000 in grants will revitalize barns for Kansas agritourism

info2024-09-23T09:49:04-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

Kansas Tourism has announced that $100,000 in grants will be distributed to businesses across the state to promote agritourism. The businesses are the first recipients of the new Barn Adaptation and Restoration Needs (BARN) grant program. The program was created to help restore and revitalize old barns across the state and further efforts to expand agritourism across Kansas. The state began promoting agritourism in 2004 after the passage of the Kansas Agritourism Promotion Act. The act provides free agritourism promotion through the Kansas Tourism office, a layer of limited liability for agritourism businesses and education and resource opportunities. “The BARN grant [...]

Forums for Sedgwick County Commission candidates will focus on affordable housing

info2024-09-23T09:47:36-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

The Wichita Journalism Collaborative is organizing candidate forums for the Sedgwick County Commission races in Districts 2 and 3. The forums, which will be in the Alumni Auditorium at Friends University, will focus on housing issues within the commission’s purview. District 3 candidates Celeste Racette and Stephanie Wise will participate in the forum on Monday, Sept. 23, while District 2 candidates Sarah Lopez and Jeff Blubaugh are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 24. Both forums start at 6 p.m. When the collaborative hosted a listening session on housing earlier this year, participants who completed a post-event survey highlighted affordability issues, such as [...]

An update from the Nemaha County Administrator, Part 1

info2024-09-23T09:46:27-05:00September 23rd, 2024|

To everybody who calls Nemaha County home, as I come to the close of my first year in my role, I appreciate your patience as I build relationships and gather the necessary information to execute the role of County Administrator. This includes diagnosing the situation, energizing others, managing myself, and intervening thoughtfully and skillfully. This first year has fully met my expectations with all the challenges and rewards that were promised. I was asked frequently during my first few weeks if I’m quitting or if I am disappointed coming here. I am not quitting, and I am not disappointed. I’ve met [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for September 20, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-09-23T08:55:33-05:00September 23rd, 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.

12 schools in NE Kansas have been targeted by school threats

info2024-09-20T10:19:03-05:00September 20th, 2024|

Law enforcement agencies across Kansas have been on high alert after a series of school threats that have targeted at least 12 schools in the northeast Kansas area. Six northeast Kansas school districts have had threats made against them recently, prompting some law enforcement agencies to heighten enforcement efforts. Source: 1350 KMAN

‘A breakdown’: Kansas missed signs dead ex-official worked both sides of $425k grant

info2024-09-20T10:09:52-05:00September 20th, 2024|

A former Kansas Department of Commerce official suspected of embezzling public funds handled money for a community foundation that received a $425,000 grant while he oversaw the same grant at the state agency that awarded it, an apparent conflict of interest now coming under scrutiny. Two top Commerce officials — Lt. Gov. David Toland, who leads the agency, and Robert North, the agency’s general counsel — signed off on the grant amid warning signs that the official was working on both sides of the grant. The former official, Jonathan L. Clayton, died in August in a single-vehicle crash as he faced [...]