Despite new law, you won’t be able to vote wherever you want in the mayoral election

A new law to allow you to vote at any polling place in the county won’t be ready for this year’s elections — and Democratic lawmakers want to know why.

The law, proposed and shepherded through the Legislature earlier this year by Sedgwick County officials, is now on hold, waiting for Secretary of State Scott Schwab to write the rules and regulations needed to implement it.

And Schwab has told county election officials across the state that it won’t be in time for city and school board elections in August and November.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Ranson Financial2019-06-14T10:17:13-05:00June 14, 2019|News|

USDA to relocate two research agencies to KC area, bringing hundreds of jobs to animal health corridor

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A two-state proposal from Kansas and Missouri will bring hundreds of federal jobs to the Kansas City area after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to relocate two research agencies to the region.

Kansas City’s bid beat out 135 other proposals from 35 different states including a pitch from the Manhattan region. Kansas and Missouri submitted a joint proposal to the USDA. The agencies include the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture. A decision on whether to locate on the Kansas or Missouri side of the Kansas City metro is expected in July. All told, the relocation will bring nearly 600 high-paying federal jobs to the region.

The relocation puts USDA employees closer to farmers and other agricultural interests including the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, which stretches from Manhattan to Columbia, Missouri.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Ranson Financial2019-06-14T10:14:57-05:00June 14, 2019|News|

K-State receives $2.5M grant for railroad center

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration on Wednesday announced a $2.57 million grant for K-State.

K-State’s Rural Railroad Safety Center is among the 45 projects that received a total of $326 million in grant funds for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program.

K-State will lead the project with partner institutions — the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; the University of Florida; Pennsylvania State University, Altoona; and California State University, Chico. The schools will focus on railroad industry workforce development and safety research.

(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)

Ranson Financial2019-06-14T10:13:44-05:00June 14, 2019|News|

The Geary County Sheriff invites the public to a town hall meeting

Daniel Jackson ( Photo courtesy of the Sheriff’s Department )

Geary County Sheriff Daniel Jackson Jr. has invited community members to the Geary County 4-h / Senior Center on South Spring Valley Road Monday evening ( June 17th ) for a Town Hall meeting.

The sheriff will introduce the command staff of the Sheriff’s Department to the community and share his vision for the direction of the department, the changes that have been implemented, those he would like to see implemented and the reasons behind them.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-14T10:09:59-05:00June 14, 2019|News|

Reno County Commission rejects wind farm

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KAKE) –

The Reno County Commission has denied the permit for a wind farm to be built in the southern quadrant of the county.

The vote had to be unanimous and Commissioner Ron Hirst was the lone vote against the wind farm.

For months, residents had expressed concerns about the wind farm’s impact on property values, nuisance issues to homes in the area and some even brought up health concerns for wildlife.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-14T10:07:52-05:00June 14, 2019|News|

Developer, property owner sue City of Lawrence over denial of downtown apartment project

The developer behind a proposal to build a five-story apartment and retail building in downtown Lawrence is suing the city, claiming city leaders bowed to pressure from residents when rejecting the project.

The lawsuit claims that decision was unlawful and asks the court to reverse the city’s denial of its project.

In May, the Lawrence City Commission unanimously denied a certificate of appropriateness to Chicago-based developer Core Spaces to build the Hub on Campus Lawrence at the northeast corner of 11th and Massachusetts streets in downtown Lawrence and determined the project did not meet downtown design guidelines.

The developer and property owners, Core Lawrence Massachusetts LLC, Allen Realty Inc. and Allen Press Inc., filed the lawsuit in Douglas County District Court last week. The lawsuit alleges that the commission’s decision was “unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious” and therefore unlawful, and asks the court to reverse the decision. The project was strongly opposed by many Lawrence residents, which the lawsuit notes.

ACPD releases crime map to public

The Arkansas City Police Department has rolled out a new way for the public to easily stay informed about crime in Arkansas City.

The police department now has a publicly accessible online crime map called Community Crime Map, which can be accessed at www.communitycrimemap.com or bit.ly/accrimemap. All citizens are encouraged to look at this map, which also can be found in the left navigation bar in the Police Department section of the City website at www.arkansascityks.gov.

The Community Crime Map analyzes crime data, presents them in map form, alerts citizens about crimes in their area and allows Ark City police to quickly alert the public about crimes as they occur.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T11:13:29-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Kansas A to Z: ‘M’ is for B-29 Bombers of the Prairie Museum

PRATT — Pratt has a strong historical connection with World War II and the B-29 Bomber.

The Pratt Army Airfield was opened in 1943 north of Pratt on an open prairie and became the first training facility in the world for the new B-29s as they rolled off the assembly line in Wichita. Over 23,000 Army Air Corp flight and ground crew members trained at the airbase from 1943 to 1946 when the airfield was closed. Among those who trained at Pratt were Col. Paul Tibbets who piloted the Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Maj. Charles Sweeney who piloted the B-29 Superfortress Bockscar that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

The base is now the Pratt Regional Airport and has an extensive industrial park.

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:56:06-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Toland hears Hutch area needs workers

Industrial executives or representatives from Reno County and the vicinity told Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David Toland Wednesday that their greatest need is workers.

“I heard what I hear across the state, which is workforce, workforce, workforce is what is limiting our businesses from growing. There’s no easy solution to this challenge. It’s going to take a lot of creativity and looking to applicant pools that might have been overlooked in the past and doing recruitment that we haven’t done in the past,” Toland said after the approximately hour-long roundtable at the Hutchison/Reno County Chamber of Commerce.

“The intensity of the workforce discussion was higher here than it usually is. I’m not sure how to analyze that,” Toland said, comparing what he heard here to some other stops around the state.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:54:46-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Proposed Manhattan budget currently features 3.06 mill increase, Commission wants options for further reduction

Manhattan Finance Director Bernie Hayen presents the proposed 2020 city budget to the Manhattan City Commission, Tuesday, June 11, 2019. Commissioner Jerred McKee was present at the meeting, just not seated yet. (Nick McNamara/KMAN)

Manhattan City Commissioners requested more consolidated information on revenues compared to expenditures as well as impacts of further reducing the mill levy impact of the proposed 2020 budget. The Commission met for its second budget work session Tuesday.

Currently, the 2020 budget is proposed to amount $164.48 million. That’s an increase by $8.54 million from 2019 — though around 80 percent of that increase is the result of additional cash balances and not tax increases. City staff worked that amount down from a $9.28 million increase presented at the first session. As it stands, Manhattan would fall about $300,000 below the state-imposed tax lid.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:53:12-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Despite new law, you won’t be able to vote wherever you want in the mayoral election

USDA to relocate two research agencies to KC area, bringing hundreds of jobs to animal health corridor

K-State receives $2.5M grant for railroad center

The Geary County Sheriff invites the public to a town hall meeting

Reno County Commission rejects wind farm

Developer, property owner sue City of Lawrence over denial of downtown apartment project

ACPD releases crime map to public

Kansas A to Z: ‘M’ is for B-29 Bombers of the Prairie Museum

Toland hears Hutch area needs workers

Proposed Manhattan budget currently features 3.06 mill increase, Commission wants options for further reduction

Services

Company