County discusses possible zoning

29 Monday, January 29

County discusses possible zoning

Chloe Henderson2024-01-29T11:11:46-06:00January 29th, 2024|

At Friday’s county commission meeting, the possibility of zoning the entirety of Crawford County was discussed as a way to combat the building of solar and wind farms within the county. As of now, three-quarters of the county is not zoned, meaning any developer that wants to build such a farm can do so with little interference from the county. Commissioners discussed asking for a moratorium to delay construction of wind and solar farms. According to County Counselor Jim Emerson, a moratorium can only be used to create zoning ordinances, or at the very least, to pass regulations that address some issues. [...]

29 Monday, January 29

Long time, no see

Chloe Henderson2024-01-29T11:09:29-06:00January 29th, 2024|

After nearly eight months of restoration, the two-story building known as “Gay Parita” has returned to the town of Carona, which is nestled at the north end of Cherokee County, just five minutes west of Scammon. Under building owner John Parsons' leadership, the Gay Parita, which has been vacant for decades, is restored to its former state. From the mid-1930s to the mid-1970s, the Gay Parita served as a destination for dance and music lovers from across the Four-State area and beyond. Parsons said in restoring the iconic night spot, he is seeking to bring back its historical relevance. Carona was initially one [...]

29 Monday, January 29

Kansas communities receiving $1.4 million in rural economic development grants

Chloe Henderson2024-01-29T11:05:06-06:00January 29th, 2024|

21 projects across Kansas will receive almost $1.4 million in funding from the Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) grant program. The program, which receives bipartisan support from Governor Kelly and the Kansas Legislature to provide annual allocations, aims to help rural communities revitalize downtown buildings and create safer downtowns with more job opportunities. Projects being funded in this round of awards include upper-story housing, child care facilities, retail businesses, and restaurants. In addition, the projects will receive more than $3.4 million in private local matching funds. “Vibrant, safe downtowns spur economic growth by attracting businesses and jobs and establishing community pride,” [...]

29 Monday, January 29

New fire engine arrives in Holton

Chloe Henderson2024-01-29T11:00:41-06:00January 29th, 2024|

It’s been almost 25 years since Holton’s volunteer fire department welcomed a new fire engine with a high aerial ladder for fighting fires from above. But shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, a brand-new fire engine with a 109-foot aerial ladder — 44 feet longer than the aerial ladder on the fire department’s previous “first-out” fire truck — arrived in Holton, and members of the fire department were on hand to welcome it. “We’ve been wanting a new aerial for about 10 years,” Holton Fire Chief Scott Baum said on the arrival of the new fire engine, purchased through Hays Fire [...]

29 Monday, January 29

Municipal Bond Trends for January 26, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-01-29T09:28:43-06:00January 29th, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

28 Sunday, January 28

Salina remains proactive with ‘forever chemicals’

info2024-01-28T08:41:07-06:00January 28th, 2024|

Substances that are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” show up in everyday items and as they are now being found in drinking water systems across the United States, cities like Salina are taking steps to figure out what’s next. ... Martha Tasker, director of utilities for the City of Salina, said the city’s public water supply system was first tested for PFAS in 2014, with results returning as “non-detect,” but at the time, they were testing in parts-per billion, and since then the standards for testing have changed. Source: Salina Journal

28 Sunday, January 28

Smallville may be fictional, but the names of these Kansas cities highlight the ‘ville

info2024-01-28T08:37:49-06:00January 28th, 2024|

In celebration of Kansas Day, here are the 24 incorporated Sunflower State cities identified in U.S. Census records as having names that end in "ville," listed in order of population, plus one in Nemaha County that's unincorporated but nevertheless has 182 people. The list doesn't include "Larryville," a common nickname for Lawrence, or "Aggieville," the Manhattan bar district. Source: CJonline

26 Friday, January 26

Chapter closes on JoCo’s oldest library branch, but patrons can visit new spot soon

info2024-01-26T14:26:33-06:00January 26th, 2024|

Vaughnie Tinsley and Darline Cyre are eager to turn to the next chapter of their storied love for a library in Merriam. The two friends are among the readers preparing for the permanent closure of the Antioch Library at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. With six decades of operation, the library, at 8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway, is the system’s oldest branch. It is being replaced with the new Merriam Plaza Library at 6120 Slater St., scheduled for an official opening on March 20. Source: Joco 913 News

26 Friday, January 26

Overland Park launches effort to address changing College-Metcalf area

info2024-01-26T14:25:53-06:00January 26th, 2024|

Overland Park will study ways to support reinvestment in the busy College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue “employment hub.” This week, the city is starting the public engagement leg of a months-long process to develop a College & Metcalf Overlay District Study. The resulting document will focus on possible reinvestment in the corridor in the area bounded by I-435 and 119th Street on the north and south and Nall and Metcalf avenues on the east and west Source: Johnson County Post

26 Friday, January 26

Can Johnson County residents vote on controversial city park sale? A judge will decide

info2024-01-26T13:43:08-06:00January 26th, 2024|

The city of Westwood is asking a judge to rule that it can move forward with the sale of its only city park for new development — a move that several residents have hoped to stop at the ballot box with a public vote on the matter. The city last week filed a suit in Johnson County District Court, asking a judge to decide whether a resident petition aimed at preventing the sale of the park is legally sufficient to be placed on the ballot. Residents filed the petition after the Westwood City Council in October, following months of debate, voted [...]