Pott County needs state approval for courthouse changes

Changes to the Pottawatomie County Courthouse — including demolition — must first meet the approval of the Kansas State Historical Society.

Patrick Zollner, division director of cultural resources for the historical society, delivered this message Monday to the Pott County Commission.

Officials invited Zollner to Monday’s meeting to explain the commission’s structural authority over the courthouse and the nearby stone jail, both of which were listed early last year on both the Kansas and National Register of Historic Places.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Ranson Financial2019-10-29T18:15:01-05:00October 29, 2019|News|

Regents to name new Wichita State president Thursday

The Kansas Board of Regents will be on campus Thursday afternoon to name Wichita State’s 14th president, according to a university release.

The Regents will meet at 2 p.m. in the Rhatigan Student Center’s Santa Fe Room, 233. The board will ceremonially choose the president from an unranked list of finalists submitted by the presidential search committee.

(Read more: The Sunflower)

Ranson Financial2019-10-29T18:11:21-05:00October 29, 2019|News|

Should cities remove offensive comments from the public record? Shawnee thought so.

No one said anything when a former Shawnee city councilwoman, Tracy Thomas, referred to a Kansas City apartment building as the “Blue Jew” during a meeting in early October.

But two weeks later, the planning commission decided to remove Thomas’ comment from the public record, saying it was “offensive” and should not be included in the meeting minutes.

Thomas made the comment during a public hearing on Oct. 7, voicing opposition to a luxury apartment complex, Stag’s Spring, proposed for downtown Shawnee. She argued against the apartment’s facade being an “unappealing” shade of blue, comparing it to the Meyer West Condos in Kansas City’s Brookside neighborhood.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Ranson Financial2019-10-29T21:41:48-05:00October 29, 2019|News|

Shawnee paves way for consideration of tax incentives for proposed luxury housing development downtown

After hearing from multiple residents both for and against plans for Stag’s Spring, the Shawnee council last night took first steps to look into public financing incentives for the proposed luxury apartment complex project downtown.

Several neighboring residents and business owners at the city council meeting spoke both in support and in opposition of the housing project, a 62-unit apartment complex which would be located along Roger Road just east of Old Shawnee Pizza.

Neighbors in support said they appreciated efforts by developer Kevin Tubbesing to create more density downtown and also use landscaping to create a buffer for their single-family homes nearby.

Ranson Financial2019-10-29T21:41:38-05:00October 29, 2019|News|

Fairway set to take up consideration of non-discrimination ordinance in November

Three months after the Fairway city council passed a non-discrimination resolution and the city council agreed to further explore a non-discrimination ordinance, the topic will be on the city council agenda in November, Mayor Melanie Hepperly said.

Neighboring municipalities, such as Westwood and Prairie Village, have already passed non-discrimination ordinances. Hepperly said the decision to pass a resolution versus an ordinance came at the recommendation of the administration committee, which is the same committee that was directed to look further into an NDO at the August city council meeting.

Ranson Financial2019-10-29T21:41:02-05:00October 29, 2019|News|

Winfield survey seeks public input on city plans

The City of Winfield will release a survey soon to gather input from residents on two new long-term plans for the community.

Surveys about the Comprehensive Plan Update and the Master Plan for Parks, Trails and Recreation will be mailed to residents within the Winfield city limits and the surrounding rural area next week. Completed surveys can be returned to Winfield City Hall or to any bank in Winfield. A digital version of the questionnaire will be available beginning Monday at the city website, www.winfieldks.org. Surveys returned by Nov. 12 will be entered to win free city utilities for the month of December. All responses will be anonymous.

The Comprehensive Plan Update will recommend goals and policies for the Winfield City Commission and offer guidelines for decision making on land use, community facilities, transportation systems and other issues.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Ranson Financial2019-10-28T19:59:20-05:00October 28, 2019|News|

Former resident eyes youth home to save town

Jim Turner, of Wichita, was back at the Mullinville City Council meeting recently to discuss a lease-option for part of a city-owned building.

In months prior, Turner’s idea to turn the town’s former elementary school into a home for troubled youths had been met with lukewarm anticipation. City leaders were not sure if expenses could be met and who would assume leadership and management of such an endeavor.

Turner, a Mullinville native, told council members at their September meeting that he will pay all building remodel costs that will ultimately house 14 boys. He offered $12,000 a year as well as payment of all utilities for the building and insurance. Two rooms presently used by the city will remain at their disposal.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-10-28T19:59:02-05:00October 28, 2019|News|

7 projects, programs apply for funding from Lawrence’s new affordable housing sales tax

Affordable housing projects requesting money from the city include a mixed-income townhome community, apartments for seniors and the city’s first building project to utilize a new density bonus.

Seven projects and programs recently submitted funding applications to the city’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board, and the board will provide its funding recommendation to the Lawrence City Commission following an upcoming evaluation.

Lawrence voters approved a sales tax in 2017 that will provide about $1 million annually to the city’s affordable housing fund for the next 10 years, and the city began receiving proceeds from the sales tax in July.

Center for Adult Education improves lives for students; open house scheduled

All it takes is for people to make that first move toward changing their lives and Barton’s Center for Adult Education (CAE) will take care of the rest. The CAE will show people how to get started on the path to a better life at an open house from 3-7 p.m., Nov. 7 at 1025 Main St. in Great Bend. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with students, graduates, staff and partner agencies. Refreshments will be served. The open house is for both potential students and the general public.

Enrollment and Career Advisor Susanne Yarmer wants to help people learn about all the services the center offers in addition to the High School Degree completion program via the General Equivalency Degree (GED) exams.

“Ultimately, our goal is to help people not only find jobs, but to find a career that can support them and their families for years to come. We have programs where students can obtain other credentials such as welding or as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) career paths while simultaneously working on their diploma. We also assist students with digital literacy skills, facilitate partner agencies to conduct workshops for career readiness and help find job shadowing opportunities.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-10-28T17:20:45-05:00October 28, 2019|News|

Kansas voters could end unusual census adjustment for redistricting

Kansas could soon end an unusual policy of using its own numbers in addition to federal census data to redraw the boundaries of state legislative districts, a longstanding practice that has cost university communities political clout.

Voters statewide will decide Nov. 5 whether to approve a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to eliminate a requirement for the state to adjust federal census figures when the Legislature redistricts itself. The adjustment counts college students and military personnel not where they’re living but in a “permanent” home elsewhere — outside Kansas for thousands of them.

Kansas is among only a few states that adjust federal census figures for redistricting, and before it started doing it in the 1990s, it did its own population counts for more than a century. Critics see the adjustment as archaic and expensive, and the proposed amendment had overwhelming bipartisan support as it slipped quietly through the Republican-controlled Legislature earlier this year.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Ranson Financial2019-10-28T17:19:06-05:00October 28, 2019|News|

Pott County needs state approval for courthouse changes

Regents to name new Wichita State president Thursday

Should cities remove offensive comments from the public record? Shawnee thought so.

Shawnee paves way for consideration of tax incentives for proposed luxury housing development downtown

Fairway set to take up consideration of non-discrimination ordinance in November

Winfield survey seeks public input on city plans

Former resident eyes youth home to save town

7 projects, programs apply for funding from Lawrence’s new affordable housing sales tax

Center for Adult Education improves lives for students; open house scheduled

Kansas voters could end unusual census adjustment for redistricting

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