Johnson County town makes way for industrial park expansion despite neighbors’ pleas

Hundreds of residents, many of whom live outside of Edgerton’s city limits in unincorporated Johnson and Miami counties, have been fighting the expansion. They are frustrated that Edgerton leaders continue to annex more farmland, making way for the development of more warehouses at the ever-encroaching Logsitics Park Kansas City. They say their quiet, rural way of life is threatened as the industrial park continues to expand south of Interstate 35. That has led about 300 residents to petition to form their own city in Miami County. They hope that incorporating into their own town will help protect their borders, so that surrounding farmland is preserved.
Source: Joco 913 News

Ranson Financial2021-04-26T07:46:07-05:00April 25, 2021|News|

Crawford County working to combat vaccine hesitancy

While covid-19 vaccinations have become more available – vaccination rates have stalled. They’re seeing this firsthand in Crawford County. They’re trying to help take away this vaccine hesitancy so many people are having. The good news – they already have a plan, and it comes down to sharing stories of trusted people throughout the community. Tyler Wilson, Pittsburg Resident, said, “A lot of people are hesitant to get the vaccine just out of fear I feel like.” Across the country, covid-19 vaccines are becoming more available. However, places like Crawford County are starting to see less people showing up.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Ranson Financial2021-04-26T07:46:41-05:00April 25, 2021|News|

Sparks steps up as Chief of Moundridge Police Department

Michael Sparks has been a familiar face on the Moundridge Police Department since 1995. This month, he was promoted to chief of police. Despite nearly three decades of policing, Sparks said, as a child, he wanted to be a pilot. In high school, police work caught his attention and became a career. “It’s a mix of things, helping people and being part of the community. It’s cliche, but it’s really what it’s about,” he said. As a small-town resident, Sparks grew up in Halstead and made his home and raised his six children in Moundridge with his wife, Frances.
Source: McPherson Weekly News » Feed

Ranson Financial2021-04-26T07:47:20-05:00April 25, 2021|News|

Water park short on job candidates

McPherson Water Park needs about 15 employees if the facility is going to resume a normal operating schedule this summer. Aquatics Director Kyle Roberts said he’d worked hard over the years to recruit lifeguards and support staff with his motto of “professional fun.” Even so, finding adequate staffing has become more difficult in recent years as perhaps teenagers are looking for more lucrative employment. He said the trend of having a smaller pool of available employees was affecting water parks across the state. “You really have to love aquatics, but there is a higher expectation now that is falling on these kids,” he said.
Source: McPherson Weekly News » Feed

Ranson Financial2021-04-26T07:47:31-05:00April 25, 2021|News|

Diversity task force says it wants Manhattan city government to consider health in all policy decisions

Members of the city government’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force want Manhattan city commissioners to consider health in every policy decision they make. During the task force’s fourth meeting, which took place in person at the K-State Student Union, members broke into subcommittee groups: public safety, livability, economic opportunity, health and wellness, and individual and family support. Each group Thursday identified issues it wants to focus on. About 20 members attended the first in-person meeting of the task force. Jurdene Coleman, who represents Pawnee Mental Health on the task force, spoke on behalf of the health and wellness subcommittee with recommendations. Each group presented to the committee as a whole after brainstorming for an hour.
Source: themercury.com

Ranson Financial2021-04-26T07:48:07-05:00April 25, 2021|News|

City of Salina Community Relations Division awarded nearly $3.1 Million to Assist Salinans in Preventing Eviction or Regain Housing

The City of Salina Community Relations Division, in partnership with Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas, announced today that it has been awarded a total of nearly $3.1 million in assistance from Kansas Housing Corporation to assist eligible Salinans who are at imminent risk of eviction and individuals who have lost housing to quickly regain housing stability. The funds are made available through the Emergency Solutions Grant program through the federal CARES Act. Salinans struggling to cover rent and utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic could qualify for up to six months of emergency assistance. Salina residents can apply for assistance through the COVID-19 Housing and Rental Assistance Program administered through a partnership between the City of Salina Community Relations Division and Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas.
Source: Salina KS News

Ranson Financial2021-04-23T08:12:48-05:00April 23, 2021|News|

Hutchinson awards $50k for LEC statue

A bronze statue of a policeman in an HPD uniform will be added to the redesigned lobby of the Law Enforcement Center this fall. Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper presented a proposed contract for the artwork to the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday, which unanimously approved awarding a contract to Thomas Jay Warren, of Rogue River, Oregon, for $50,000. Proposed to the council was an artist’s rendering of a kneeling officer, which would be placed on a pedestal to put the figure at eye level for the viewer, Hooper said.
Source: Hutch News.

Ranson Financial2021-04-23T08:14:55-05:00April 23, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 22, 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 Financial2021-04-23T07:36:31-05:00April 23, 2021|News|

Riding waves of a successful 2020, Wichita plans to find private operator of public courses

For about a decade, though, the city has been exploring the option of finding a private operator to try and reverse declining revenues, a trend that’s happening nationally. Those conversations have been reignited in the last year. More recently, the city had been exploring one possible vendor. Participants in an April 1 joint meeting with the park board and golf advisory committee heard from representatives from the Illinois-based KemperSports and First Tee, which already partners with the city to operate youth golf programs at Consolver and MacDonald.
Source: WBJ.

Ranson Financial2021-04-23T07:35:39-05:00April 23, 2021|News|

Thousands of jobs open in Kansas, some owners say it’s hard to fill vacant positions

“Everybody seemed to return to restaurants, almost all at the same time,” said Timirie Shibley, Co-Owner of Doo-Dah Diner. A return of customers means a need for more staff. Shibley says while that is a good problem to have, filling the demand has been a struggle. “We can get interviews scheduled, we were having a hard time getting people showing up for their interviews and if we did have somebody show up for their interview and hired for the job,” Shibley said. “They didn’t show up for the day of the job.” Shibley says this is an issue seen beyond Doo-Dah Diner, “Our industry is having a severe shortage of people applying and coming back into it.” Kansas Works is seeing an all-time high of job openings with more than 45,000 listed in their system.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-04-23T07:00:32-05:00April 22, 2021|News|