Prairie Village police chief warns against marijuana decriminalization

The Prairie Village City Council Monday evening agreed to move ongoing discussions about potentially decriminalizing marijuana possession to the city’s diversity committee, even as the city’s top law enforcement officer warned against the move in comments to the city council. Councilmembers Inga Selders and Ian Graves started Prairie Village’s marijuana decriminalization conversation in January. Soon after, city staff was directed to look into possible options, including possibly removing marijuana-related language from the city code and reducing municipal penalties for marijuana possession and other offenses.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Ranson Financial2021-07-08T07:51:38-05:00July 8, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for July 7, 2021

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 Financial2021-07-08T07:47:34-05:00July 8, 2021|News|

Manhattan Commission Gets Development Code Update on “Non-Conforming” Properties

Another look into the revamp of the Manhattan City Code that’s underway was given the City Commission Tuesday night, including a view of how changes to the code have resulted in mismatching development in some areas. Assistant Director of Community Development Chad Bunger highlighted a home that had been built single-family in 1925 and turned into multiple units when zoning changed in 1969. Bunger says one change will be that a property where a non-conforming building suffers damage that totals more than 50-percent of its market value, the owner has to bring it into compliance, rescinding an adjustment made in 2003.
Source: 1350 KMAN

Ranson Financial2021-07-08T07:48:27-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

Atchison Approves Expanded Sunday Liquor Sale Hours

City Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance that will allow for the expanded hours for cereal malt beverage and liquor sales on Sundays beginning in mid-September during Tuesday’s meeting. The ordinance allows the retail sale of such beverages on Sundays to begin at 9 a.m., rather than noon, after the state legislature approved the change during the last session. Now approved, the ordinance will be published in the Atchison Globe, after which there is a 60-day waiting period to allow for any public petition that could force the issue onto a public ballot.
Source: Atchison Globe Now

Ranson Financial2021-07-08T07:48:58-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

State tax revenue eclipses Kansas projections by $758 million

The state of Kansas closed out June with unexpectedly strong corporate and personal income tax as well as sales tax collections to push revenue during the past fiscal year $758 million beyond receipts anticipated by analysts, the governor said Friday. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat seeking re-election in 2022, said the June report affirmed work to strengthen the state’s economy was paying off. “As we transition into the next fiscal year,” Kelly said, “my administration will continue moving our economy forward by prioritizing pro-growth policies that will support Kansas businesses and families.” The Kansas Department of Revenue said the state took in $8.9 billion during the fiscal year running from July 1, 2020, to June 30. The total was $758.1 million, or 9.3%, greater than projected by a panel of revenue forecasters.
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Ranson Financial2021-07-07T16:51:06-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

Former hospital building officially belongs to the county

Bourbon County is now officially the owner of the former Mercy Hospital building. On Tuesday, Bourbon County Commissioners and Bourbon County Counselor Justin Meeks discussed finalization of the donation agreement between the county and Mercy Health Southwest Missouri/Kansas Communities that will transfer ownership of the former hospital building and $600,000 to the county.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune

Ranson Financial2021-07-07T16:43:46-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

Shawnee County health officials monitoring Delta variant as cases in Kansas rise

Cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant are on the rise throughout the state. There are currently 358 total cases in Kansas. Twelve of those are confirmed cases within Shawnee County, but health officials said they are pretty confident there are more. The Shawnee County Health Department is monitoring outbreaks in the area, but they can’t confirm them as the Delta variant just yet. Positive COVID-19 tests that check for the variant have to go through genome sequencing, which means they are tested a certain way in a lab and that takes more time. “They take that and they look at the whole viral genome which is everything that makes up the virus,” Derik Flerlage, the Infectious Disease Manager with the Shawnee County Health Department, said. “Compared to the positives that are occurring and the amount of testing that is going on we can’t sequence one hundred percent of the specimens.”
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-07-07T16:36:42-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for July 6, 2021

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 Financial2021-07-07T07:08:48-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

Tourism getting better in Newton

Faith & Life Bookstore Manager Bethany Martin sees Newton as a meet-in-the-middle town for some customers. She said if a couple of friends want to see each other, with maybe one living in Andover and another in Lindsborg, they can meet in Newton, in the middle. When they meet in the middle, they spend money by shopping and eating in restaurants. Like recently, Martin said there was a group of women from out of town who had lunch together and shopped. Now that the pandemic is getting better, it’s helping with tourism in many towns across the nation, including Newton. … Regarding tourism, Martin said they’ve definitely seen more people from out of town. “I feel like this is the first time we’re consistently getting people from Wichita and the surrounding areas,” she said.
Source: Harvey County Now

Ranson Financial2021-07-07T07:08:14-05:00July 7, 2021|News|

Hillsboro officially opens new walking trail

Local kids walk along the new paved walking trail in Hillsboro. The trail provides a safe place for people to walk in town. Hillsboro has had plans for several years to have a paved walking path and this spring the path was completed. The new paved walking trail runs on the north end of town from Main Street between Hillsboro State Bank and Central National Bank to the front doors of Hillsboro Community Hospital. While the trail has been completed for several months now, it became officially recognized last week when the City of Hillsboro hosted a “Trail Gate Party” on Friday, July 2 to dedicate it. The event included information about the hospital’s Walk with a Doc program and healthy snacks from local restaurants. The event was sponsored by Hillsboro CVB, TCW, Hillsboro Community Hospital and Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

Ranson Financial2021-07-06T23:47:05-05:00July 6, 2021|News|