Louisburg delays action on pit bull breeds until May

The fate of pit bull breeds in Louisburg will have to wait until May. At its meeting April 18, the Louisburg City Council delayed voting on an ordinance that would remove the pit bull ban from city code until staff had a chance to make revisions to existing city code regarding vicious animals. That would allow council members to consider both the pit bull and vicious animal revisions to city code at the same meeting. The council’s next meeting is May 2.
Source: republic-online.com

Ranson Financial2022-04-28T07:09:24-05:00April 27, 2022|News|

Anonymous campaign clouds Inman bond election

An unidentified person or group has sent out postcards to Inman voters in opposition of a bond election that will be decided May 3. The postcard contains the district’s logo, but the district had no part in communicating the message. Superintendent Scott Friesen put out a release expressing concerns about “unnecessary confusion” the postcard might cause voters. We want to make sure the community knows that there are only two locations online that are official from the district, a website—usd448bond.com—and a Facebook page called ‘USD 448 Inman Bond Project.’” I know it’s not the school putting that information out. It’s anonymous, coming from different places,” he said.
Source: McPherson Weekly News

Ranson Financial2022-04-28T07:09:38-05:00April 27, 2022|News|

State poised for major investment in rural housing

The state of Kansas is about to invest nearly $200 million in rural housing as part of a broad initiative to foster economic development in areas without enough homes to support a robust work force. The Kansas Legislature this week passed a worth roughly $120 million in tax credits to jump start the housing market in rural Kansas plus more than another $65 million that’s earmarked in the state budget for constructing new homes.
Source: Sunflower State Journal

Ranson Financial2022-04-27T22:31:10-05:00April 27, 2022|News|

Attending the KMU conference in Wichita? Come by our booth and say hello!

We are proud to be a Silver sponsor of the 2022 Kansas Municipal Utilities Conference at the Hyatt in Wichita. Stop by our booth and say hello to some of our staff. Learn how we can assist your community!

Ranson Financial2022-04-27T15:53:29-05:00April 27, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 26, 2022

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Ranson Financial2022-04-27T07:09:40-05:00April 27, 2022|News|

Miners Hall looks back at Arma’s history

The Miners Hall Museum in Franklin hosted Rediscover Arma, a short program about the founding and history of the town, on Sunday. Christie Nicoletti Parrish, Linda Robers and Mike Doue sponsored the event, inviting three speakers to give a brief lecture, coupled with their own recollections, about growing up and living in Arma. The program is part of a series the museum intends to run throughout the summer. …Joan Barbieri, whose grandparents immigrated to southeast Kansas in the late 19th century, started with the founding of Arma as a small mining camp in 1886 on 65 acres of land owned by William Armacost, the city’s namesake, and populated mostly by European immigrants, especially from Italy. According to Barbieri, mining camps were temporary. When a mining camp closed, the houses were torn down and loaded onto a wagon to be moved to the next site.
Source: Morning Sun

Ranson Financial2022-04-27T07:09:13-05:00April 27, 2022|News|

Merriam City Council gets first look at new $136M concept to remake former Kmart site

The Merriam City Council on Monday got its first look at a development concept that could remake the abandoned Kmart property on Shawnee Mission Parkway. After some uncertainty over the property’s future, Overland Park-based Drake Development appears to be holding steady on its plans to turn the long-vacant lot into a mixed-use development. But several more steps must occur before any plans for the prominent site are finalized.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2022-04-26T23:45:29-05:00April 26, 2022|News|

Tuesday marks 30 years since devastating F-5 ‘Andover Tornado’

Today marks 31 years since of one of Kansas’ most devastating tornadoes. Known as the Andover Tornado, the F-5 caused damage across Harper, Sedgwick and Butler Counties on April 26, 1991. That twister claimed 17 lives — most of them taken from the Golden Spur mobile home park. It began with a touchdown in Harper County and then tore across Sedgwick and Butler counties. In Sedgwick County it grew to F-3 intensity and tore through parts of south and east Wichita, making a direct hit on McConnell Air Force Base. Four people were killed in Sedgwick County. The tornado then grew to F-5 intensity and went through the community of Andover in Butler county. Anyone not watching television or listening to their radio when the storm hit received no warning that day. The town’s only siren had failed to sound. Major damage was incurred and 13 people were killed.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2022-04-26T23:40:35-05:00April 26, 2022|News|

Wichita officials looking at steps to protect, replace trees in the community

Wichita City Council members are looking over a proposed new policy to promote tree planting and protect existing trees in the community. The proposal was presented during a workshop meeting Tuesday. The city’s park and recreation director, Troy Houtman, said the city is in a situation where it is having a net loss of trees. He said a number of trees are dying because of disease or because they have reached the end of their life span. He said the proposed policy will protect trees that are in good health. It would set up a review process to avoid tree loss and it would have a plan for replacement of lost trees. The policy will apply to city development projects on city property and on rights-of-way. There will be a minimum number of trees for each site, and a plan will be created for each development to maintain and protect the trees. There will also be a program where the city and the public can apply for a tree to be designated as a “Heritage Tree” as a protective status.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Ranson Financial2022-04-26T23:34:35-05:00April 26, 2022|News|

Co-living rentals banned in Shawnee after unanimous council vote

On Monday, a Johnson County city unanimously voted to ban a living arrangement aimed at helping tenants decrease the amount of rent they pay. The Shawnee City Council voted 8-0 to ban co-living, becoming among the first Kansas City area municipalities to prevent the practice, which has gained popularity in recent years as rent and home prices have soared. The new ordinance defines a co-living group as a group of at least four unrelated adults living together in a dwelling unit. The ordinance stated that if one adult is unrelated to another adult, then the entire group will be classified as unrelated.
Source: KC Star Local News

Ranson Financial2022-04-27T07:00:41-05:00April 26, 2022|News|