These five large Johnson County projects could take center stage in 2022

Although several coming downtown Kansas City developments might garner brighter spotlights, few can compare to the sheer magnitude of some coming down the pike across the state border — at least, if they deliver on the full mixes of uses touted at their inception. In 2022, builders are poised to kick off or advance construction on multiple expansive projects throughout Johnson County, some spanning hundreds of acres. Others could return to the negotiating table in their respective cities over substantive plan updates or new incentive requests.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T08:21:29-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Efforts move to establish art district in Downtown Pittsburg

The art scene has always been strong in the City of Pittsburg, exploding in recent years. Now a new movement is underway to use that art to develop the community. “Here recently we’ve had a wonderful movement of artists in the area. Really the groundwork has already been laid,” said Christa Cunningham, Pittsburg Artwalk President. So at Monday’s Downtown Advisory Board Meeting, Cunningham presented the idea to establish an arts district in Pittsburg. “The idea is to encompass our downtown area. That would be pretty much from the Farmer’s Market Pavillion, and then south to Jolly Fox, west to the library, and then as far east as the Frisco Event Center and the new Fun Depot.” The effort is designed to help promote tourism through the local art scene that’s developing throughout downtown.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T08:21:10-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Oswego BOE selects new superintendent

The USD 504 Oswego Board of Education announced this week the selection of Mitchell Shaw as the new superintendent. Shaw will begin as superintendent July 1 after the retirement of current Superintendent Douglas Beisel. Beisel’s retirement is effective June 30. Shaw holds three degrees from Pittsburg State University with a bachelor’s in political science, a master’s in leadership and an educational specialist degree to better qualify for district level management.
Source: Parsons Sun

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T08:19:34-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Spring Hill mayor appoints new council member ending political stalemate

Spring Hill Kansas now has both a mayor and enough council members to have a meeting. The small Johnson County city south of Olathe has been struggling for a couple months now to figure out whose in charge and how to move forward after a number of unusual departures and absences.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T08:18:57-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

How will Kansas build and repair its roads without a gas tax as more electric vehicles emerge?

Getting charged up about buying a new electric vehicle? More and more Kansans are — and it presents a conundrum for the state. Officials are expecting to see more EVs on the road in the years to come, as well as hybrid cars and those using alternative fuels. That might mean cost savings for drivers — but money not spent at the gas pump also has an impact on how the state builds and repairs its roads. Driving an electric vehicle has the same impact on roads in terms of wear and tear — but users are not paying gas taxes, one of the core mechanisms the state uses to fund infrastructure.
Source: CJonline

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T08:14:27-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Survey: 52% of State, Local Public Workers Considering Leaving Jobs

Over half of state and local government employees are thinking about leaving their jobs, according to research released on Thursday. The statistic presents a red flag for public sector managers already dealing high rates of turnover and struggling to hire. The survey findings, from MissionSquare Research Institute, a nonprofit that studies government workforce issues, show that about 52% of state and local public sector workers are considering abandoning their jobs for different positions, retiring, or otherwise leaving the workforce. Burnout and inadequate pay are two reasons employees pointed to for feeling this way, the survey found. “If you’re working in state and local government and you’re not considering leaving your job, the person sitting next to you is,” Rivka Liss-Levinson, the lead author of the research, told Route Fifty. “I think it’s safe to say that we are definitely teetering on the brink of a public sector workforce crisis.”
Source: Route Fifty – All Content

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T07:33:37-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Input for American Rescue Plan Sought

The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee is inviting Kansans to share their investment ideas for the allocation of federal coronavirus relief funds allocated to Kansas through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of March 2021. “This money offers the opportunity to make strategic investments that will have long-term positive impacts on our state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. … The online submission form for proposing a SPARK investment idea is available here. Currently, SPARK is requesting proposals for program-level investments. The four Advisory Panels may consider these submissions as part of the process to determine investment priorities and make recommendations to the SPARK Executive Committee. Advisory Panels will begin meeting in the coming weeks.
Source: Fort Scott Biz

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T07:30:26-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Work to convert electric system begins in Marion

Groups of bucket trucks are making their way around eastern Marion as work to complete a long-planned upgrade of the city’s electrical system has begun. Workers for Integrated Electrical Services Commercial and Industrial in Holdrege, Nebraska, are replacing poles and cross arms where needed, replacing transformers, and installing new lines to convert older 2,400-volt electrical service to 12.5-kilovolt service for three city circuits not earlier upgraded. After lines are replaced along the circuits, IES will overhaul the city substation, including installation of a system that reroutes power quicker during an outage.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T07:31:27-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

Rural counties struggling with lack of resources to treat COVID-19 patients

COVID-19 has brought record setting hospitalizations in Sedgwick County, but some rural counties in Kansas have it much worse. In Wilson County, the health department reports nearly 24% of its entire pandemic cases have occurred since Jan. 3. Dr. Jennifer Bacani McKenney, the Wilson county health officer, said her community doesn’t always have the resources it needs, whether that’s ventilators or hospital beds. They’ve tried reaching out to large hospitals to help get patients care. “We will call 30-40-50, there was one point where we called I think we contacted 115 hospitals and there were no beds,” she said. “No beds that were available for our ICU patient that needed to be on a on a ventilator.”
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T01:14:59-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

McPherson officer dances with local high school

A McPherson officer joined in on a dance performance with the McPherson High School dance team, The Steppers. McPherson Police Department School Resource Officer Brady Winkler joined The Steppers to dance at the high school boy’s basketball home game against Central. The Steppers asked officer Winkler to join them, and the rest is history. They danced to a mix of songs, including “Bring Em Out” by T.I. and “Yeah!” by Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2022-01-28T01:13:05-06:00January 28, 2022|News|

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