Johnson County celebrates milestone in courthouse construction

The frame for the new Johnson County Courthouse under construction in downtown Olathe has been completed. Johnson County staff, Olathe city staff and JE Dunn Construction celebrated Tuesday, Aug. 13 with a “topping out” ceremony at the construction site, when crews raised the last steel beam 238 feet to the courthouse’s highest point in its structural framing. When it opens in early 2021, the new courthouse, with 28 courtrooms and approximately 350,000 square feet of space, is expected to address the county’s criminal justice needs for the next 75 years as Johnson County continues to grow.

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T21:42:47-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

Storm winds blow trains off tracks in Kansas

Strong winds from a line of thunderstorms blew over two BNSF freight trains in Harvey County Saturday night near the small town of Walton, or about 7 miles northeast of Newton.

The winds, estimated at nearly 70 miles per hour, pushed over an intermodal train on the mainline and an empty LP gas tank car train on the siding.

Emergency crews were on the scene throughout the day trying to clear the wreckage so trains could start moving again. Two portions of the nearly two-mile-long intermodal train left the tracks while the entire train hauling the tank cars fell on its side. The wreck also stopped Amtrak’s Southwest Chief heading west before it could reach Newton.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:59:47-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

USGS: 6 earthquakes reported in Reno County in 24-hours

Two additional small earthquakes shook Reno County following the four quakes Friday morning.

A quake just after 8p.m. measured a magnitude 3.0 and was centered approximately one mile west of South Hutchinson, according to the USGS.

Just before 5 a.m. Saturday, a magnitude 2.8 quake centered 2 miles west of South Hutch.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:57:33-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

Bob Myers to retire as Newton city manager, legal counsel

Newton city manager and senior legal counsel Bob Myers has announced he will retire in January 2020 after 35 years with the City of Newton.

Myers has served in this position since June 2016, following 31 years as Newton’s city attorney.

“Newton has been my home for over 40 years, and I’m very invested in the community,” Myers said. “When I was asked to assume the city manager position, the city organization was in some turmoil, and I wanted to do what I could to help ‘right the ship.’ ”

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:52:05-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

100 years ago, people were upset about the cost of electricity in Wellington

The saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Yes, 100 years ago, people were upset about the city’s production of electricity. In the summer of 1919, city commissioners were facing an increasing deficit in its electric department and were finding they were selling it for less than it cost to make.

“For the last two or three years, they have been sailing along serenely, doing business in the sale of electric juice to private customers in Wellington and to surrounding towns, who have been buying the sparkling fluid through a corporation known as Western Sumner Electric Light and Power Company.”

The city was facing more demand and realizing to keep up it would need a new generator or would have to reduce consumption.

(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:48:52-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

New wind projects could generate thousands of jobs, billions in revenue

Despite a drought in new wind development proposals over the last decade, about $8 billion could flow into ongoing wind energy projects in Wyoming, providing one possible solution to the state’s precarious revenue outlook.

Primarily located in the blustery prairie of Carbon and Converse counties, about a dozen wind projects in various stages of growth could unlock sizable economic returns and increase the state’s energy capacity some five times over. If the wind projects already in permitting or construction phases come to fruition, approximately $7.1 billion and 4,700 new jobs could result, according to the Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy. That estimate excludes projects still in their planning stages.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:45:44-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

Downtown mural celebrates heritage

The new downtown mural highlighting Chanute’s history will have an Easter egg in it.

The artist working Friday on the display said he puts this same surprise in all his murals. Chanute residents and visitors will have the challenge of finding it.

Ryan Christenson, who goes by the professional name ARCY, painted the mural Friday on the east side of Opie’s restaurant at Main and Highland. He expected it to take about eight hours, although an early-afternoon downpour interrupted the project, and sent the artist and spectators ducking for shelter.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:41:43-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

Resolutions drafted to prevent further wind expansion

Neosho County Commissioners and critics of the Neosho Ridge Wind project looked over drafts of a proposed moratorium on future construction during Thursday evening’s meeting.

County Counselor Seth Jones had prepared a draft and two revised versions of a resolution, and opponent Ed Spielbusch also submitted a proposed resolution. Commissioners will incorporate elements from each to bring back to a future meeting.

“One step closer,” Commission Chair Gail Klaassen said.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Ranson Financial2019-08-18T19:36:16-05:00August 18, 2019|News|

Newton city manager retiring

After three years as City Manager and 35 years working with the city, Bob Myers has announced he will retire in January of 2020.

The announcement followed the completing of the 2020 City Budgeting process at Tuesday’s City Commission meeting.

“My decision to retire has not been an easy one,” Myers said in a press release. “I will miss working with the talented and dedicated people who lead the City’s various divisions and departments. I’m so proud of the service-oriented atmosphere we’ve worked together to establish throughout the City organization during the past three years.”

(Read more: Newton Now)

Ranson Financial2019-08-15T22:21:32-05:00August 15, 2019|News|

10-year Treasury yield falls to three-year low below 1.5%, 30-year rate declines to record low

Investors clamored into the safety of U.S. government bonds, sending the 30-year Treasury bond yield below 2% for the first time ever and the 10-year Treasury note yield below 1.5%, a three-year low.

Around 2:00 p.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, hit a three-year low of 1.475%, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was at 1.944%, after earlier falling to 1.941% for the first time ever. The 2-year Treasury yield was 1.467%, its lowest level since Oct. 2017.

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