News – Page 65 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Pete’s Puddle in disagreement with county

info2024-09-04T10:13:07-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Owners of longstanding resort Pete’s Puddle argue that the county is making unfair demands of the business. The county says it asks any business in the county to meet these regulations. At the Harvey County Commission meeting, the commissioners worked to sort through both sides’ complaints. Ronald Anderson and Shad Anderson bought Pete’s Puddle in March 2023 and have been working to revitalize the resort since. The resort is located at 4801 N Willow Lake Rd. in Burrton. The Andersons have added several structures, and they have also added sewer lines without notifying the county or obtaining permits. Issues arose in [...]

Physician returns to his hometown to practice medicine

info2024-09-04T10:08:38-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Dr. Eyan Roth’s career has come full circle. Roth recently started work as a general practitioner at NMC Health Family Medicine-Hesston, returning to his hometown and even a place where he used to work as a teen. The 2012 Hesston High School graduate used to work in housekeeping at Schowalter Villa in Hesston when he was in high school, and when he was in housekeeping, it was all women and three high school boys employed in that department. In college, Roth was a CNA there. When he worked there, Roth remembers seeing the doctors do their rounds. “Looked forward to the [...]

Here’s what the new president of De Soto Chamber says about changes coming to city

info2024-09-04T10:05:15-05:00September 4th, 2024|

The newly named president and CEO of the De Soto Chamber of Commerce comes to the job amid a big transformation for the city. Panasonic Energy’s electric vehicle battery facility is scheduled to open in 2025 — and it’s one of the largest economic development projects in the history of Kansas. Tim Holverson had been vice president of Economic Development and Entrepreneurship with the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. He also has worked as the executive vice president of the Leavenworth-Lansing area Chamber of Commerce. Holverson started his career in government affairs, serving for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and the [...]

This JoCo city may be the first in state to change trash collection under new law

info2024-09-04T10:04:11-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Merriam may be the first city in Kansas to change its trash collection services under the Organized Collection Service Act. Assistant City Administrator Caitlin Gard told the Merriam City Council last week that it is the first city that is using the process outlined in the Organized Collection Service Act to potentially contract with one waste hauler for residential services. The act outlines standards for service transitions in solid waste and recyclable collections in a city, according to a 2011 summary of the legislation. This includes transitions from multiple solid waste haulers to a single solid waste hauler, which Merriam is [...]

Developer wants to remake historic De Soto ‘village’ near new Panasonic plant

info2024-09-04T10:01:47-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Developers have rolled out a $55 million plan to rehab a historic pocket of homes in De Soto with the aim of turning the area into a site for affordable housing near the new Panasonic EV battery plant. Gardner-based Wheatland Investment Group made its first public presentation of the plan at the De Soto City Council meeting on Aug. 15. The proposal includes an application to create a Kansas Reinvestment Housing Incentive District at the site of the Clearview Village complex at 36000 W. 103rd St. Clearview Village, also commonly referred to as Clearview City, is located across the street from [...]

Olathe warehouse project spurs bigger question: What are incentives for?

info2024-09-04T09:59:06-05:00September 4th, 2024|

In Olathe, philosophical discussions about the city’s use of economic development tools have continued as some city councilmembers express discomfort in giving incentives to projects that don’t offer high wages or have fallen short in their eyes in other ways. Last week, the Olathe City Council voted 5-2 to approve a resolution of intent to issue $23 million in industrial revenue bonds on a project in the Lone Elm Commerce Center. The resolution also outlines a proposed 10-year partial property tax abatement. Councilmembers Matt Schoonover and Dean Vakas cast the no votes, echoing past conversations on the matter. During the discussion [...]

Shawnee woman says neighbors’ dogs attacked her. Can the city do anything?

info2024-09-04T09:55:44-05:00September 4th, 2024|

A Shawnee woman suing her neighbors for injuries sustained after she says their dogs attacked her is now hoping for broader changes at the city level. In early August, Elena Asher filed a civil lawsuit in Johnson County District Court against her neighbors after their two dogs — a bull mastiff and a pitbull mix — allegedly attacked her while she was jogging near her house in the Crimson Ridge subdivision in March. Asher was taken to Overland Park Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and told she would have permanent scarring on her arm and leg. She still has [...]

Debate over homeless shelter at Lenexa hotel has echoes of past dispute

info2024-09-04T09:51:37-05:00September 4th, 2024|

The current debate raging over a proposed county homeless shelter at a repurposed Lenexa hotel has echoes of a legal battle the city had over a previous homeless shelter. On Monday night, a Lenexa Planning Commission meeting centered around a Special Use Permit to turn the site of a La Quinta Inn and former Denny’s into a county homeless shelter featured frequent references to a previous controversy over Project 1020, the only other homeless shelter in the city serving single adults. “I love our city and county, but I think we’ve turned a blind eye to our homeless for way too [...]

Overland Park names its new police chief, the first woman to lead the department

info2024-09-04T09:48:28-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Overland Park has named Doreen Jokerst, leader of the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department, as its next police chief. She will be the first woman to run the department. Jokerst, who has served for six years as the assistant vice chancellor for public safety and chief of police overseeing the Boulder campus, will replace former Overland Park police chief Frank Donchez, who resigned last year. The city spent several months conducting a national search for a new leader for the department, which included hearing from community organizations and neighborhood groups. “Doreen brings vast experience to our team, with service and [...]

Northwest Kansas needs housing. New funding could spur growth.

info2024-09-04T09:45:55-05:00September 4th, 2024|

A lack of housing is a barrier to growth in northwest Kansas, where about half of the housing stock was built prior to the 1950s. With the region in need of new homes, a fresh funding initiative aims to address regional gaps. The Kansas Legislature passed a budget for fiscal year 2025, which began in July, that includes a provision to transfer $7.3 million from special revenue funds to the Northwest Kansas Housing Economic Development Fund. That money will be spread across a few construction projects: The City of Atwood will receive $750,000 for residential infrastructure improvements along South 7th Street. [...]