How Wichita’s financial health is feeling the strain of Covid-19

Like cities around the country, the far-reaching impacts of Covid-19 on Wichita’s financial health have already been deep and costly, and those cuts are expected to linger for several years. With an ongoing hiring freeze, it’s likely that City Hall will continue to have 300 or more vacant positions for a period of time. It will be a while before upgrades that were planned for some of the city’s libraries, parks and sidewalks return to the budget. And the city isn’t even feeling yet the worst of some lost revenues. The city’s revenues have taken significant hits during the pandemic, but there are also some bright spots, city manager Robert Layton said.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:07:59-06:00February 5, 2021|News|

Mars mission could boost internet speeds

Joey Bahr walks out to the front of his yard along a blacktop county road. He stops in a ditch and points to an orange-and-black sign that marks a buried fiberoptic cable. But for Bahr, the cable running beneath his feet is off-limits. It’s owned by a neighboring internet service provider and is merely passing through on its way to a nearby town. “It’s just maddening,” Bahr said. “We’re at the end of the line basically.” Bahr’s story illustrates just how out-of-reach broadband remains for tens of millions of people in rural America. Nearly 9% of Kansas households — roughly 130,000 — still don’t have access to high-speed internet. Yet the promise of a future with broadband for all Kansans, no matter how remote, might rest in the wide-open skies over the Bahrs’ home — and a plan to send Wi-Fi to a future Mars colony.
Source: Hutch News.

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:03:19-06:00February 5, 2021|News|

Sumner County, City of Wellington receive $1.4 million grant to test new ceiling tiles in hopes of reduced energy costs

The United States Department of Energy has chosen Sumner County and the City of Wellington to be recipients of a $1.4 million grant testing the use of ceiling tiles in hopes of reducing the cost of cooling, heating and electric demand in six public buildings throughout town. The Sumner County Economic Development Office announced that it is partnering with Insolcorp LLC in North Carolina, the University of Kansas Center for Research Inc., and others testing how passive thermal energy storage in roof and ceiling tiles can reduce energy costs in buildings by 20 percent. … The hope is once these tiles are in place, that the cost of heating and cooling these buildings will be significantly reduced.
Source: Sumner NewsCow

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:09:04-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Comprehensive ‘Framework for Growth’ Economic Development Strategy

Governor Laura Kelly today unveiled Kansas’ new, comprehensive economic development strategic plan, the first of its kind in more than 30 years. The Kansas Framework for Growth is an aggressive strategy to align our state’s strengths with emerging trends across the global economy, while guiding economic development at state and local levels into the future. “Our economic development progress over the past two years has been significant, but an effective strategy does more than focus on the here and now – we must plan for the future and set the stage for sustained growth and prosperity,” Governor Kelly said. “The Framework for Growth is a bold plan to address current and future trends in our state, while we continue to promote job growth and new capital investment in communities of every size all across Kansas.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:10:44-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

Kansas trails nation in preparing move to electric vehicles

The electrification of cars and small trucks is on the horizon, but the state of Kansas is doing the bare minimum to be prepared. A new state scorecard from the advocacy group the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranks the state 29th, with a score of 15.5 out of 100. Only five states scored at least half of the available points. “This means that all states can improve their policies,” said Bryan Howard, the scorecard’s lead author. He said the scorecard is intended to help identify promising policies related to EVs (electric vehicles) and EV-charging infrastructure. The rankings evaluated states based on actions taken to promote and support the use of electric vehicles. That included how much charging infrastructure exists, what kind of financial incentives or tax breaks are available and whether or not a state has set any goals for better outfitting itself for cars that need to plug in. Kansas scored poorly in almost every category.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:11:57-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

Murals coming to downtown Pittsburg in 2021

Downtown Pittsburg is getting four new murals this year with the help of local artist Jenna Spencer and the Pittsburg Downtown Advisory Board (DAB). The first mural design will begin in March as weather allows. Spencer is the artist responsible for the “Greetings from Pittsburg” postcard-style mural on the side of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce office, and a mural on the south side of the Frisco Event Center depicting the historic Frisco Train Depot, along with several others in the area. “I am very excited to take on four new murals this spring and summer,” says Spencer.
Source: City of Pittsburg

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:12:18-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

‘I just love my Chiefs’: Kansas man turns front yard into mini Arrowhead Stadium

More than 100 miles away from Kansas City, a Kansas man says he’s bringing Arrowhead to the small town of Sedgwick. “They know that I’m a diehard fan, and I have always have been. Even year-round, I’m wearing Chiefs gear,” Dennis Basye said. “I’ve been a fan for 50 years, and when they won that Super Bowl last year, I just love my Chiefs, I just started building from there and adding more.” This year, he purchased a 1965 Chiefs fire truck and painted a miniature Chiefs football field on his front lawn. Now, his yard decorations attract people from all over. “I feel pretty warm inside because I didn’t expect the love I got from the city and everybody around. It’s just wonderful. It’s heart-warming all the way around, and my effort was well worth it,” Basye said. He said the display is in honor of his wife who died from cancer 13 years ago. Basye said she introduced him to decorating, and they shared many Sundays together cheering on the Chiefs.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:12:47-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

Great Bend already reaping benefits from eco devo studies

Economic development studies initiated last fall are starting to bear fruit, Great Bend Economic Development Inc. President Sara Hayden told the City Council Monday night. Their purpose was to arm local officials with up-to-date information in the competitive world of eco devo and business recruiting. “We are excited to get those done,” she said during her report to the council. “This is just another component, it’s another piece of the puzzle.” Even though e-commerce has gone from 11% of retail to 16% during the COVID-19 pandemic as more people shop from home, “brick and mortar is still very, very viable and competitive, so we know that it’s going to be valuable for our community, and we want to make sure we invest our time in that as well.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:13:30-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

Marshall announces over $1.6 Million in FEMA aid to Kansas

Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. announced Kansas will receive more than $1.6 million in federal cost sharing to support immediate staffing and supplies for the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) to help with costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. “From day one, our KDEM and National Guard troops have been on the front line of this pandemic and filling a variety of roles,” said Marshall. … This funding, provided by FEMA, supports KDEM’s utilization of emergency staffing and sheltering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This cost-sharing goes toward increased staff capacity, lodging, meals and related supplies.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:15:53-06:00February 4, 2021|News|

UK Variant identified in Ellis County

A CDC Emerging Variant, which has been found in 33 U.S. states, was identified in Kansas this afternoon. A Kansas resident in Ellis County was found to have the United Kingdom, or UK, variant known as B.1.1.7. A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as if others may have been exposed. No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics. The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing (WGS) conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
Source: WIBW News Now

Ranson Financial2021-02-05T08:16:33-06:00February 4, 2021|News|