News – Page 726 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

WAMPO begins planning process to improve Wichita transportation

info2023-06-13T11:32:45-05:00June 13th, 2023|

The Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) began its planning process in hopes of improving transportation throughout the Wichita region. WAMPO provides federal funding on transportation systems and improvements. The goal is to find solutions for safety, ease of travel times and improving connectivity for all modes of travel. According to WAMPO Executive Director Chad Parasa, every five years there is an update to the transportation plan. Parasa said several things are factored into these updates such as population and new business. Some of the current projects WAMPO funded include the Zoo Boulevard Bridge, 37th Street, Hydraulic and Hillside, Maize Road [...]

Johnson County is recruiting gardeners to help prevent flooding

info2023-06-13T11:17:33-05:00June 13th, 2023|

Kansas City sits at the intersection of many rivers — the Missouri River separating downtown from the Northland, the Kansas River in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, and Turkey Creek, the Blue River, Mill Creek and Brush Creek forming a spider web across the bistate area. And this is no accident, said Heather Schmidt, the stormwater program manager in Johnson County. “Whenever anybody develops or settles anywhere, they want to be by the stream,” Schmidt said. “It’s their water source, and it’s their source to get things away. And that’s always been problematic, because they also get flooded out.” Johnson County has [...]

City of Derby announces land donation for senior services

info2023-06-13T11:15:37-05:00June 13th, 2023|

On June 5, the city of Derby announced an upcoming donation from the Cross of Glory Lutheran Church. The church will donate its building and land at 1315 S. Rock Road to the city later this year, which is planned to be the new home for the Derby Senior Center. The city announced via press release that plans to utilize the facility would focus on the senior services of Derby. The release stated that the donated property will be the future home of the Derby Senior Center. Cross of Glory Lutheran Church will continue its regular services and operations while working [...]

Affordable High Speed Internet Project Coming to Bourbon County

info2023-06-13T11:12:12-05:00June 13th, 2023|

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Kansas State Director Christy Davis today announced a $49.9 million loan to connect thousands of rural Kansans to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. The project will improve service for 149 businesses, 821 farms and over 4,000 people in Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette and Neosho counties. “High-speed internet is essential in today’s world of online business, learning and communication,” Davis said. “This investment will help ensure rural Kansas remains a place of opportunity to live, work, and raise a family.” This is the fourth funding round of the USDA ReConnect Program. Since the beginning of the [...]

City of Leawood and two police officers dropped from lawsuit alleging excessive force

info2023-06-13T19:06:05-05:00June 13th, 2023|

The City of Leawood and two of its police officers have been removed from a lawsuit that alleged police used excessive force against a woman seeking treatment at a local hospital. Muriel Martin, 76, of Kansas City, filed a federal lawsuit on May 19 in the U.S. Court for the District of Kansas. An amended complaint now names Saint Luke’s Health System as the sole defendant. “The lawsuit in its original form included false and damaging statements about the Leawood Police Department and its employees,” said Chief Dale Finger. “We responded immediately to these untrue allegations by bringing forward undisputable evidence [...]

Overland Park let people keep chickens in their backyards, and it was a clucking success

info2023-06-13T19:06:17-05:00June 13th, 2023|

As the program approaches its ending date December 31, the city animal control department noted there have been no documented complaints on properties with chicken permits since the pilot began in March 2022. City councilmembers now will begin to consider whether to make the chicken rules permanent, as some members of the council’s Community Development Committee proposed at a meeting Wednesday. They also discussed reducing the quarter-acre minimum requirement or even dropping it altogether. Since the pilot program began, chicken ownership has proved popular for those smaller lots, said city planner Colin Victory. The city approved 31 of its 57 permit [...]

Four mobile mental health teams will soon be responding to 911 crisis calls in Wichita

info2023-06-13T10:55:44-05:00June 13th, 2023|

Mental health professionals will soon be embedded in the Wichita Police Department to respond to 911 calls, providing face-to-face help for people in crisis, rather than relying on officers who may or may not be trained to do that. At least one of four teams will be on call seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. — when first responders say they receive the most mental health-related calls — and the clinicians can be deployed with officers or called to the scene after contact is made. “It’s an exciting time because we’re really looking at treating the person [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for June 12, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-06-13T08:29:58-05:00June 13th, 2023|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. 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.

Municipal Bond Trends for June 9, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-06-12T08:11:02-05:00June 12th, 2023|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. 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.

Hutchinson Airport, council, community weigh in on future plans

info2023-06-11T16:35:28-05:00June 11th, 2023|

After obtaining a long report from a consultant, the Hutchinson Airport is getting ready to grow. On Tuesday evening, the city council, airport stakeholders and the community met to brainstorm on next plans for the airport. Lindsey Dreiling, who most recently served as deputy director of aviation and unmanned aircraft systems for the Kansas Department of Transportation and is currently the aviation director at Kansas State University Polytechnic, led the meeting, using engaging activities and to-the-point commentary as well as question and answer sessions. Through a series of questions and activities, stakeholders, employees, councilmembers and community members realized maintenance, hangars (where [...]