Police board debates whether to renew contract with Genesis as it avoids paying property tax

20 Friday, October 20

Police board debates whether to renew contract with Genesis as it avoids paying property tax

info2023-10-20T07:00:10-05:00October 20th, 2023|

Riley County police board members debated Monday whether to renew an agreement with a gym for police department employees to work out. The contract between the Riley County Police Department and Genesis Health Clubs is now under review. Wichita-based Genesis, which has a facility in Manhattan, has pushed for passage of a bill that would allow it the same property tax exemptions non-profit health clubs receive despite being for-profit. This could lead to an estimated loss of $162,427 in property tax each year for Riley County, Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board member and county commissioner John Ford said in May. [...]

19 Thursday, October 19

Municipal Bond Trends for October 18, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-10-19T10:27:48-05:00October 19th, 2023|

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.

18 Wednesday, October 18

Hillsboro shows off new mural

info2023-10-19T08:21:35-05:00October 18th, 2023|

18 Wednesday, October 18

Smoky Hill River Renewal takes step forward; First trail section will open later this month

info2023-10-19T08:18:48-05:00October 18th, 2023|

Work on the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project has finally began, with a section of trail new the channel officially opening at the end of the month. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for the half-mile section of the new trail at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, near the Salina Family YMCA, 570 YMCA Drive. According to the Friends of the River Foundation, the event will not only give guests the opportunity to walk or bike along the new trail section, but other activities will also be happening, including a scavenger hunt at booths along the trail, snacks and drinks. Parking is [...]

18 Wednesday, October 18

Pittsburg economy continues to grow

info2023-10-18T11:48:50-05:00October 18th, 2023|

Dr. Michael Davidsson of Pittsburg State’s Kelce College of Business has released the newest quarterly economic report for the Pittsburg Micropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA). According to Davidsson, the number of jobs in the area has increased at an “unprecedented rate” over the past quarter. Using data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Davidsson said the number of jobs available rose to 17,699 during the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 3.8 percent over the same quarter in 2022. This is more than the growth of the rest of southeast Kansas (3.1 percent), statewide growth (2.6 percent), and national growth [...]

18 Wednesday, October 18

The Challenges of a Micropolitan City

info2023-10-18T11:48:58-05:00October 18th, 2023|

Pittsburg is different in many ways, and one of its most interesting characteristics is that it is a micropolitan area. The micropolitan area designation was formally created by the US government in 2003 and relates to a small urban area with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 that is removed from a larger metropolitan area. There are around 540 micropolitan areas in the US with around 27 million people. In Kansas, the overall population in micropolitan areas has declined, although Pittsburg is avoiding that trend as it continues to grow. Large suburbs, whose economy is often tied [...]

18 Wednesday, October 18

A “Truancy & Chronic Absenteeism” plan is showing progress in this Kansas school district

info2023-10-18T11:49:45-05:00October 18th, 2023|

The pandemic exposed an issue at many schools across the country: chronic absenteeism, including in the Parsons School District. However, district leaders have implemented a system that has helped. The Parsons School District has created a new "Chronic Absenteeism Task Force," made up of faculty and staff from each school in the district. They've come up with initiatives and incentives for students. "Most of the research says, you know, try the non-punitive approach, support multi-tiered system of support. And so that's where we started trying things last spring. And then we saw our numbers start to decrease," said Jeff Pegues, Parsons [...]

18 Wednesday, October 18

Salina community invests in childcare issues

info2023-10-18T11:52:25-05:00October 18th, 2023|

The Salina Area United Way has spearheaded an effort bringing in more than $2.8 million in funds so far to address child care issues and shortages in Saline County. A collaborative community effort, led by the United Way, has sought various federal and state grant funding, as well as partnerships with local businesses and organizations to build a reserve of funds to support the local child care industry. But they’re just getting started. Each year, it will take $460,000 to fully fund wage supplements for existing child care workers in local facilities. That figure doesn’t include any staff that might later [...]

18 Wednesday, October 18

Battery-storage facility plans unveiled for Halstead

info2023-10-18T11:37:41-05:00October 18th, 2023|

The City of Halstead will enter into a lease-purchase agreement with a Boston company with plans to build a lithium-ion battery storage facility at Halstead’s industrial park. The facility could be online as early as 2027, according to the press release by Concurrent LLC, the Harvey County EDC, and the City of Halstead that was issued Oct. 16. The facility would consist, in part, of lithium-Ion batteries connected into Evergy’s transmission system, according to the release. The electric grid would be able to draw on the stored energy in the batteries when demand is high and store energy when demand is [...]

18 Wednesday, October 18

Governor Kelly Cuts Ribbon on $450M, 100+ Job Hill’s Pet Nutrition Tonganoxie Plant

info2023-10-18T11:36:54-05:00October 18th, 2023|

Governor Laura Kelly joined business leaders from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Colgate-Palmolive, Leavenworth County, City of Tonganoxie, and other industry and elected officials for the grand opening of a new, fully designed smart facility in Tonganoxie. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a division of Colgate-Palmolive and a global leader in science-led nutrition, estimates it will invest more than $450 million to construct the new facility and bring more than 100 new jobs to Leavenworth County. Company officials say the new plant marks a “step change” in strategic automation and technological advancements in the pet food industry. It will significantly increase the company’s wet production [...]