Parsons talks about plan to check on rentals

The first step in a rental inspection program in Parsons likely will be creation of a registration list, which could begin as early as January.

Rob Gartner, city building inspector and code enforcer, talked to city commissioners about the research he has done in other cities’ programs Thursday during a work session.

After years of intermittent discussion, the city of Parsons took a step toward instituting a rental inspection program to ensure units in town are safe for tenants. The commission approved a 2020 budget in August after adding money for a part-time building inspector with the goal of starting inspections next year.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Ranson Financial2019-09-16T06:31:23-05:00September 16, 2019|News|

‘This is spiraling downward:’ Overland Park questions if Metcalf blight will ever be fixed

When Overland Park officials last year approved tax incentives to revitalize a blighted area off Shawnee Mission Parkway, they expected to replace two crime-ridden motels with a new luxury hotel, restaurants and retail.

Instead, they’re getting a car wash.

City Council members called it the latest broken promise from the developer who pledged to clean up the Metcalf Crossing site, at 7240 Shawnee Mission Parkway, at the northwest corner of the intersection with Metcalf Avenue. The developer was supposed to demolish the two run-down motels by last December. But they’re still standing, empty.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Ranson Financial2019-09-16T06:34:09-05:00September 16, 2019|News|

County’s 5-year plan for waste management addresses plastic bags, food waste

Grocery store plastic bags won’t be taxed any time soon, but the county will likely look into it in the next couple of years because of the high level of public interest.

County commissioners on Thursday approved a five-year strategic plan for managing waste that goes into the landfill. Among the items in it was a feasibility study to find the best way to reduce the number of single-use plastic bags that end up in the landfill or, mistakenly, in the recycling bin.

Managing the loose plastic bags generated some of the most impassioned discussion among county staff and members of the Solid Waste Management Committee who wrote the recommendations, said Craig Wood, solid waste management coordinator. The committee is made up of local government leaders, environmental organizations and private waste-related businesses.

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T22:15:54-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Winfield to map out future

Public meetings will be held in the future to gather information from Winfield residents on the city’s comprehensive plan update and a master plan for parks, trails and recreation.

More details were discussed about the comprehensive plan update and the master plan during the commission work session Thursday afternoon.

This process of creating the plans will involve the governing body, the city planning commission, steering committees, the public and the city park board, said David Foster of Foster Design Associates in Wichita, which is helping the city with the plans.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T22:09:29-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Kansas Offers Plenty Of Jobs, But Not Enough People To Take Them

Over the last five years, almost 15,000 workers disappeared from the Kansas workforce.

During the same timeframe, the state is growing economically, with a recent monthly report showing 14,000 jobs created in the last year and unemployment at 3.3%. That’s below the national rate.

Despite the good news, Kansas officials see a long-term challenge: having enough employees to fill the state’s jobs, especially in high-demand careers like nursing and accounting.

The total labor force in Kansas peaked in 2009 at 1.521 million, likely driven by the economic downturn that caused people to enter the labor force who otherwise wouldn’t be working. That tapered off, and by the middle of 2014, Kansas’ workforce was 1.493 million.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T21:59:16-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

$750,000 grant to WPD for state of the art gun crime center

Wichita police are hoping a new federal grant will help curb violent crime in the city.

Police say this grant has been in the works for months, and now, it is finally approved.

“The gun crime intelligence centers have been in formation for the last couple of years and the cities where they’ve been started, there’s been a significant decrease in crime,” says Chief Gordon Ramsay.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T21:56:54-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Students provide ‘miracle’ for Ellis homeowner

For the dozen Fort Hays State University students in Ellis on Saturday morning, it was a day of giving to the surrounding community.

For Evelyn Fisher, it was much more.

“In my world, this is a miracle,” she said, as she watched the students painting the exterior of her home on 10th Street.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T21:47:20-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Kiowa County communities come together to support 12-year-old

The communities of Mullinville and Greensburg in Kiowa County came together Labor Day to support one of their own. Twelve-year-old Brogan Tweedy, of Greensburg, was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia on July 31 after a routine visit to the eye doctor resulted in a visit to a specialist in Wichita the next day.

That doctor ordered an MRI and the doctor who read the results informed the family that Brogan had M0 acute myeloid leukemia.

Brogan, who will turn 13 on Oct. 16, has been in Wichita since that day, getting treatment for the rare form of leukemia that, according to his doctors, hasn’t been recorded in 20 years. It is so rare it is being documented in two medical journals in hopes of helping others.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T21:45:00-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Pittsburg may soon get rentable scooters

If approved by the city commission at its next meeting, Pittsburg residents and visitors will soon have access to a fleet of electric scooters that riders can easily rent using a mobile app on their phones for $1 per 15 minutes.

The scooters will be owned and serviced by the company VeoRide. Deputy City Manager Jay Byers said similar mobile app operated scooter companies such as Bird and Lime might be reluctant to come to Pittsburg because they generally offer their services in larger cities.

“We tend to be on the smaller side of the market,” Byers said, “and VeoRide was the company that was first willing to come to Pittsburg, and they came to us and asked us if they could put scooters in play, and we said sure, but we have to pass the ordinance first.”

(Read more: News – The Ottawa Herald)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T21:42:12-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Osawatomie hires interim city manager

A former city administrator for the city of Lansing for 16 years has been selected to serve as interim city manager until the city of Osawatomie can find outgoing manager Don Cawby’s successor.

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday, Sept. 12, to hire Michael Smith as interim city manager. Smith served as city administrator of Lansing from 1999 until his retirement in 2015. Prior to that post, Smith served Lansing for two decades as the community’s police chief.

Smith is the current mayor of Lansing and also is president of the Kansas Mayors Association.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Ranson Financial2019-09-15T21:40:22-05:00September 15, 2019|News|

Parsons talks about plan to check on rentals

‘This is spiraling downward:’ Overland Park questions if Metcalf blight will ever be fixed

County’s 5-year plan for waste management addresses plastic bags, food waste

Winfield to map out future

Kansas Offers Plenty Of Jobs, But Not Enough People To Take Them

$750,000 grant to WPD for state of the art gun crime center

Students provide ‘miracle’ for Ellis homeowner

Kiowa County communities come together to support 12-year-old

Pittsburg may soon get rentable scooters

Osawatomie hires interim city manager

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