Wichita poised to pump an extra $14.6 million into Riverfront Stadium district

Wichita is poised to pump an additional $14.6 million into its Riverfront Stadium district, including a new parking garage, tax breaks for the Wind Surge owners’ private development company, Arkansas River improvements and a federal-funded skybridge over McLean Boulevard. In return, the Wind Surge’s minor-league baseball team owners’ development companies — WRLP and EPC — would agree to develop two acres sold by the city at $1 an acre in 2019. The plan calls for two new office buildings between the stadium and McLean and a 160-room hotel across the street, overlooking the Arkansas River and downtown Wichita.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2022-04-18T00:12:15-05:00April 18, 2022|News|

Manhattan to celebrate Bridget Everett Day

Bridget Everett’s homecoming is about to get real. And official. The star of a hit television series set in Manhattan, she’s coming back here for an official recognition — Bridget Everett Day — put on by the city government and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. There’ll be a public gathering as well. The details are not entirely nailed down, but the event is planned for May 3, Everett and CVB director Karen Hibbard confirmed in interviews with The Mercury. The idea, Hibbard said, is to recognize and honor Everett, whose show, “Somebody, Somewhere” has been renewed for a second season on HBO. It’s a semi-autobiographical story about a woman who leaves Manhattan but comes back, drawn by family, discovering new layers of the place and new sources of her own strength.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

Ranson Financial2022-04-18T06:57:42-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

Municipalities around Wichita receive $15.5M in state grants for eco-devo projects

While Wichita secured a $5 million grant to fund riverfront improvements surrounding its downtown baseball stadium, other communities in the metro area also received money through the state’s Building a Stronger Economy (BASE) program. Projects in Andover, Augusta, El Dorado and Wellington joined the 35 recipients in the program, which offers matching grants to transformational infrastructure projects statewide that support economic development.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-04-17T23:42:13-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

Completed bond projects in Wichita metro area make a big statement

Construction is starting to wrap up on the big-ticket bond projects at school districts in the Wichita area, signaling a new generation of more spacious and modern education facilities. In Derby, work on a new Cooper Elementary finished in the fall, and a new building for Oaklawn Elementary opened at the start of the spring semester. Andover Public Schools’ most recent completion was an aquatics center attached to the new Andover High. Before that, work finished on a new Center for Professional Studies, home to a program that equips students with the employability skills they need to succeed in the workforce. The latest additions to the Maize school district are two intermediate schools for fifth- and sixth-graders, and a trendy new performing arts and aquatics center.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-04-18T06:58:31-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

What will it take to replace the tens of thousands of trees cut down in Wichita?

Harold Schlechtwag has started calling Wichita “Stump City.” But he’s hoping it doesn’t stick. It came to Schlechtwag, one of the founders of a new local environmental group, when he counted the tree stumps in his neighborhood. “In a two-block area around my house, I discovered seven stumps, some of which are quite old trees,” Schlechtwag said. Some of the trees that had been chopped down were on city easements, between a curb and a sidewalk. Others had been on private land. “One of them was removed by the person who flipped a house, before he renovated that house to sell it,” he said. “And that’s another part of the problem here.” Since 2010, Wichita has removed nearly 44,000 more trees than it has planted on city-owned or controlled property, according to city data. That number doesn’t include the trees on private property, which satellite images show are also declining in number.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2022-04-18T06:59:07-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

All 3 deputies wounded in Cowley County shooting have been released from the hospital

On Friday, a shooting that occurred in Cowley County left three deputies with gunshot wounds and the female suspect dead. Since then, all three deputies have been released from the hospital in good condition. Around 12:10 p.m. on Friday, Cowley County deputies responded to a report about a suspicious vehicle located about five miles north of Winfield, parked a quarter-mile west of U.S. Highway 77 on 122nd Road. Three deputies approached the vehicle and made contact with a female driver. After refusing to comply with their commands to step out of the vehicle, they attempted to remove her. She then brandished a handgun, and gunfire was exchanged. All three deputies were struck during the shooting, and the woman was killed at the scene.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2022-04-17T23:23:57-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 14, 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 Financial2022-04-17T16:21:46-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

Liberal hires Russell Varnado as city manager

The City of Liberal will officially have a new city manager starting in June. … “We have gone through the initial interviews, follow-up interviews and tours and visits to Liberal, and we’ve decided to hire Russell Varnado to be our next city manager,” Liberal Mayor Jeff Parsons said. “Everyone’s had a chance to look over the contract, and he’s scheduled to begin June 2. I’m excited and I think he’s going to do a great job.” During the commissioners’ comments, the commissioners praised Burke’s work as city manager and other work with the city. “I’d like to thank Cal for the time he’s been with the city and how well he’s done and how helpful he’s been with this process,” city commissioner Ron Warren said. “I wish him well and wish him luck, and I hope he’s able to do what he pleases during his retirement. I’ve also got to give credit to all the commissioners up here for going through the process, I know it wasn’t easy because there were a lot of good candidates everyone liked, but I think Russell will do a good job.”
Source: LiberalFirst

Ranson Financial2022-04-17T11:42:54-05:00April 17, 2022|News|

Catawampus street signs plague city

At Tuesday’s city commission meeting, board president Dr. Ron Seglie mentioned an issue of “catawampus” street signs around the city and asked how citizens can report these incidents, or even fix the askew signs whenever they are identified, saying he personally straightened a few with his son. Director of Public Works & Utilities Matt Bacon said the best way to report these issues is through the city’s SeeClickFix app and let the city handle it. Seglie also asked about steel light poles in need of repair or resurfacing. Bacon said his department is currently working to address the issue and City Manager Daron Hall said the city is putting additional resources toward improving the striping, trees, signs and poles in its right-of-way this year, with an emphasis on main city corridors.
Source: Morning Sun

Ranson Financial2022-04-15T07:36:46-05:00April 15, 2022|News|

Kansas amends property, sales and income tax laws

The Kansas Governor signs a tax cut bill, making changes to property taxes for some residents. House Bill 2239 is a bipartisan bill that amends property, sales and income tax laws. Here’s what it does: It increases the residential property tax exemption, prorates some personal property taxes, provides homestead property tax refunds to eligible taxpayers, and broadens the property tax reduction authority of county commissioners for property destroyed by a disaster.
Source: KOAMKOAM

Ranson Financial2022-04-14T21:25:30-05:00April 14, 2022|News|