Barton County to use federal money to replace signs

Great Bend Post

The Kansas Department of Transportation opened bids on May 22 for the High Risk Rural Road Signing Project in Barton County. Four bids were received and the low bid of $104,700 was submitted by Martin Outdoor Enterprises based out of Pittsburg, Kansas.

Barton County Engineer Barry McManaman says the county used to handle this project and was reimbursed through federal money funneled through KDOT, but the federal government took away that option.

“They allowed us to use county forces to do the work and then they would reimburse us,” McManaman said. “My understanding is when the state and federal government got to looking at past history, the feds determined the state should not have been allowing that situation. A force account agreement would only allow an emergency response.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:51:26-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

KNEA calls on school districts to increase teacher pay

TOPEKA – The 20,000-member-plus Kansas National Education Association is strongly urging local boards of education to increase teacher salaries after the Kansas Legislature approved funding for the state’s 286 school districts during the 2019 legislative session that lawmakers believe will meet constitutional requirements for equity and adequacy.

“We’re calling on every district to invest in teachers and those staff members who work most closely with our students,” said Mark Farr, Kansas NEA president. “We have funding certainty, and our educators deserve to be compensated for their dedication to our students and the profession. Teachers are professionals who shouldn’t need to work two, and sometimes three jobs to make ends meet.”

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:48:54-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Neighborhood near Big Ditch has basement flooding problems

WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) –

“It’s 1500 square feet down there and every bit of it’s underwater, or was,” said Odie Edwards about her basement in West Wichita Wednesday.

The Big Ditch saved their neighborhood from flooding. But now neighbors are dealing with another problem caused by so much rain. In at least one neighborhood just east of the Big Ditch the water came anyway, as the water table rose to new heights.

“They’re tearing out the sheet rock and all the mold, the mold set in down there and they’re getting that out of the house,” Odie said, describing the work a half dozen volunteers are doing on her home.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:47:17-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Wichita’s abandoned Joyland Amusement Park could get makeover

Wichita’s abandoned Joyland Amusement Park is poised for a makeover.

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission has recommended approval for a plan that would transform the eyesore property into an outdoor event center and paintball range, The Wichita Eaglereports. The proposal heads to the City Council next month.

The amusement park opened in 1949 and has been vacant since 2006. Gregory and Tina Dunnegan bought the 57-acre site in 2018 for $198,000 and plan to move their tent rental business to the property. In addition to private events, they plan to host outdoor festivals on site as well as feature temporary amusement rides.

(Read more: Kansas City Business Journal – The Business Journals)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:45:51-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Fund one and more follow, county learns

Having previously tapped rarely discussed funds brimming with hotel and liquor tax receipts, county commissioners faced the inevitable Monday, hearing from others making additional claims on the same money.

First up was Families and Communities Together, which since 2012 had been distributing revenue from the county’s special alcohol tax through its substance abuse prevention coalition.

Two weeks ago, commissioners unanimously voted to give the fund’s balance of slightly more than $4,000 to a new alcohol and drug treatment agency, Restoration Center of Marion, which had asked for $12,000.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:42:49-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Split vote OK’s wind farm plan

In a meeting that lasted more than 4 hours Monday, county planning and zoning commissioners approved Expedition Wind’s application for a conditional use permit by a 4-2 vote.

Planning commission members Derek Belton, Dwight Flaming, Jim Schmidt, and Glenn Thiessen voted in favor of sending the plan to county commissioners after hearing company officials discuss the proposal and answer questions from commissioners. Duane Bair and William Kroupa voted against the plan.

Expedition’s development plan passed on a 5-1 vote with Bair, Belton, Flaming, Schmidt and Thiessen in favor and Kroupa opposed.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:40:49-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Kansas A to Z: ‘M’ is for Mined Wildlife Area

Once the site of extensive strip mining, the Mined Land Wildlife Area (MLWA) of southeast Kansas today includes roughly 14,500 acres that have largely been reclaimed by nature, providing not only an ideal environment for fish, birds and game animals, but for human visitors as well.

Mining in the areas scattered throughout Crawford, Cherokee and Labette counties that are now designated as MLWA began in the late 1800s. The first tract of land donated and dedicated as a nature preserve was in 1926. More than half of the current MLWA, including more than 8,000 acres, was donated to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism by the Pittsburg and Midway Coal Co. in 1981.

Today, hundreds of water-filled pits once used for mining are now managed for fishing. The MLWA features about 1,500 acres of public waters and some of the best fishing in the state, with largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, rainbow trout, walleye, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, wipers, bullhead and warmouth among the varieties that can be found.

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:38:19-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Kansas A to Z: ‘O’ is for Kansas Oil Museum

EL DORADO — The Kansas Oil Museum, 383 E. Central, continues to attract visitors. It is one of the largest museums in the state with a focus on the oil industry and includes a large indoor exhibit hall along with a 10-acre outdoor area.

The museum also preserves and interprets the history of Butler County, from the earliest days of the Native American tribes and pioneers, to small town and ranch life in the 1900s.

There is a large research library and extensive archival and photographic collections.

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:31:20-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

Hundreds of USDA jobs headed to KC after ‘united effort’ by Kansas and Missouri

Hundreds of lucrative federal jobs are headed to the Kansas City area after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans Thursday to relocate two research agencies to the region.

A two-state proposal from Kansas and Missouri beat out 135 other bids to become new headquarters of the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, two of the USDA’s principal research agencies.

It’s a major win for policymakers in both states who worked closely on a collaborative bid, a sign that the long-term border tensions on economic development may be easing.

(Read more: Politics & Government News |)

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T10:29:58-05:00June 13, 2019|News|

City of Topeka to offer free vinyl siding removal workshop

Former PBS TV show host Bob Yapp on Friday evening and during the day Saturday will teach a free public vinyl siding removal workshop being sponsored by the city of Topeka’s planning department.Molly Hadfield, media relations coordinator for Topeka’s city government, said the workshop is important because it helps lay the ground-level work that is necessary for the city to establish an area as a Garlinghouse Show Homes National Historic District.

Ranson Financial2019-06-13T11:06:45-05:00June 13, 2019|News|