Gov. Kelly announces 250 new jobs coming to Emporia with Communications Solutions expansion

Communications Solutions LLC is expanding operations into Emporia and creating 250 new jobs, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday. “Our partnership with CSLCC, which will create 250 new jobs in Emporia, is a testament to our state’s talented workforce and strong economy,” Kelly said in a written release. “Congratulations to CSLLC and Emporia on this exciting announcement. We’ll continue prioritizing pro-growth policies to recruit new businesses and families to our state.” CSLLC is a provider of business-to-business and business-to-consumer call center services. The company is purchasing a facility to create a new call center in response to growing customer demand, with hiring for the new location already underway.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T00:48:29-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Prairie Village cancels Jazz Fest 2021 over COVID-19 concerns

Three weeks before the expected return of one of the city’s biggest annual events, Prairie Village has decided to cancel Jazz Fest 2021 over concerns of rising COVID-19 case numbers caused by the Delta variant. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment released new guidance on Friday, Aug. 13 requiring individuals who attend any mass gatherings — where social distancing and masking are not followed — to quarantine after the event. Following that new guidance, Prairie Village’s Jazz Fest committee convened a special meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 18 to discuss how to move forward. After an hour-long discussion, with ideas about how to make the event work, the committee came to the conclusion that canceling it would be in the best interest of the community.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T06:45:52-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Short-staffed, fatigued and filling up, Kansas hospitals struggle again with COVID surge

Cases and hospitalizations have multiplied so swiftly over the past six weeks that Kansas finds itself far worse off going into this school year and fall season than during the pandemic last year. The calls in search of a bed come from hospitals in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas. “At this point, we have to kindly decline,” said Chuck Welch, the vice president at Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. “We can’t help them.” The hospital has its own problems. So do scores of hospitals across the region. The stress of the delta-driven COVID-19 resurgence has medical facilities across Kansas worn out, overwhelmed and often looking for outside help from nearby states that are just as overrun.
Source: themercury.com

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T06:46:06-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Riley County commissioners approve vaccination incentives for county employees

Riley County employees will be offered incentives to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On Thursday, county commissioners voted 2-1 in favor of an incentive program to get more county employees inoculated. The incentives include a $100 payment for all county employees who get fully vaccinated within the next month and a half, as well as one extra day of annual leave for employees who are eligible for county health benefits. Commissioners John Ford and Kathryn Focke said they were in favor of the combination of incentives for county employees. Commissioner Greg McKinley voted against the measure and said he preferred the single $100 bonus incentive for all employees.
Source: themercury.com

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T06:46:25-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Governor orders flags lowered for Kansas firefighter electrocuted while searching for crash victims

Governor Laura Kelly has ordered flags be flown at half-staff in honor of the firefighter who was electrocuted while searching for crash victims earlier this week. On Sunday, Aug. 15, Morton County deputies and emergency crews responded to a rollover crash south of Rolla. A deputy and Morton County firefighter Josh Schwindt arrived on the scene just minutes later. As Schwindt was searching for victims, he was shocked by damaged power lines. “My condolences are with his family, loved ones, and fellow Morton County firefighters during their time of loss. Josh’s commitment to protecting his community and his service to our state will not be forgotten,” Gov. Kelly said in a news release. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T00:35:00-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Fatal crashes on rural roads lead push for new safety efforts

Safety efforts are underway to address deadly crashes on rural roads in Kansas. People may hear a lot about crashes in urban areas, usually when people try to cross the street, but hundreds of thousands of crashes take place on rural roads in the U.S. every year. In Kansas, it’s something Tod Salfrank, who oversees several local project units at the Kansas Dept. of Transportation, said they’re working hard to prevent. “Here in Kansas we have a large percentage, of crashes, fatal and disabling crashes that occur on the local road system,” Salfrank said. In 2018, there were nearly 65,000 traffic crashes in the state; 365 were fatal. People driving on rural roads face the same risk. The state announced in May that $8.5 million would go to 16 counties in the state to address crashes on rural roads in high-risk areas.
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T00:32:30-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Ark City hires firm to design wastewater upgrades

Arkansas City commissioners moved one step closer Tuesday toward making millions of dollars in repairs and upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The commission unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the city to enter into a contract agreement with Burns and McDonnell/CAS Constructors, for the design-build of the wastewater plant at a cost not to exceed $12,085,118. The contract includes a two-stage notice to proceed. The first stage authorizes the plant design work at a cost of not more than $2 million. “We have $2 million cash on hand that we can commit to that,” City Manager Randy Frazer said. Frazer said the second stage authorizes the construction. He said that the city will apply for a Kansas Department of Health and Human Services loan in the amount of $10.5 million to fund that project. City officials have said sewer rates likely would be increased to fund the construction, but there are no specifics yet.
Source: The Arkansas City Traveler

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T06:48:07-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

SEK gets $1M grant to fight opioids

To fight the ongoing opioid crisis — the addiction to high-powered prescription painkillers — a Southeast Kansas coalition will work to remove the barriers that keep someone from treatment. In large part, that translates to transportation, helping someone get to treatment or a job. It could also mean help paying for counseling and treatment programs. A $1 million federal grant will help area counties with those issues and more over the next three years. Thrive Allen County announced it has received a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grant will provide about $333,000 a year to address opioid misuse in Allen, Wilson, Woodson, Coffey, Bourbon and Neosho counties. It will begin Sept. 1.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T00:27:46-05:00August 20, 2021|News|

Sign up for the free Water Rate Checkup Tool Workshop (Ottawa) on August 24

The Rate Checkup program is a free on-line tool that was developed to assist small Kansas public water supply systems with the process of reviewing water rates. This tool was made available and developed through funding from KDHE and additional technical assistance is available and provided by Ranson Financial Group LLC through a technical assistance contract with KDHE. This training will provide classroom instruction as well as interactive use of the Rate Checkup tool. The session provides participants with a basic understanding of the on-line tool’s functionality and usability.
Sign up here.

Ranson Financial2021-08-20T07:13:24-05:00August 19, 2021|News|

Kansas lawmakers try to tackle water issues amid drought conditions

A draft copy of the state’s water plan, released once every five years, lays bare the problem in stark terms. “It is not an overstatement to say that the future of habitability in much of western Kansas is at stake,” the plan reads, mere pages into the 200-plus page document. Titus Jaeger, who works on conservation issues and is a representative on a regional water advisory committee, said he has seen the issues firsthand over the years. He noted the Arkansas River has lost streamflow between Garden City and Dodge City in his lifetime — and experts agree more extreme fallout could occur if action isn’t taken.
Source: CJonline

Ranson Financial2021-08-19T07:14:26-05:00August 19, 2021|News|

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