Ribbon cutting honors Walter Johnson’s new birthplace marker in Humboldt

20 Monday, November 20

Ribbon cutting honors Walter Johnson’s new birthplace marker in Humboldt

info2023-11-20T11:19:25-06:00November 20th, 2023|

A ribbon cutting in southeast Kansas honors the "Humboldt Thunderbolt." That's legendary, 1924 World Series Champion Walter Johnson. He was a pitcher with the Washington Senators from 1907 to 1927. A sign along US 169 as you enter Humboldt from the south, has honored the city as Johnson's birthplace for several years. But, now it has a fresh new look. Allie Utley's grandfather, Dick Davis, created the original marker. She felt like it was her duty to upgrade the sign. "Seemed obvious that I should be doing a project that also included my family's legacy, so I just think I felt really compelled by the [...]

20 Monday, November 20

Simple economics giving a major boost to Emporia sales tax collections

info2023-11-20T11:20:01-06:00November 20th, 2023|

The City of Emporia’s sales tax collections have been on the rise throughout the past year according to Treasurer Janet Harouff. ...Harouff noted the city collections have increased steadily each month this year putting the city seven percent above where it was this same time last year with a total of $5.3 million collected as of October. When asked what is contributing to this steady increase, Harouff explained it is simple economics. When asked if a decrease in inflation would mean a dip in city collections, Harouff stated that would be dependent on whether or not product makers lower their prices. She says [...]

20 Monday, November 20

Johnson County looks to convert abandoned factory into trail hub

info2023-11-20T10:08:33-06:00November 20th, 2023|

Johnson County officials are looking to convert the old Kuhlman Diecasting plant at 159th and Mission into a trail hub. Photo credit Roxie Hammill. Thirty years ago, the old Kuhlman Diecasting plant just south of 159th Street and Mission Road was abandoned, gradually becoming a toxic eyesore and a danger to the school children who made it their forbidden playground. Now, after years of frustration, the plant’s demolition and environmental clean up, local officials are considering making the site a trail hub that would connect bike and nature trails in the area and, they hope, improve the Blue River watershed. Johnson [...]

20 Monday, November 20

Iola: Build it and they will come

info2023-11-20T11:20:37-06:00November 20th, 2023|

More than a year ago, Iola council members voted 7-0 to extend water, electric and streets in the Cedarbrook Addition and followed through last spring by committing $1.7 million to the project with the goal of attracting developers. It worked. On Monday, council members sold the 22 lots to the mother-and-son duo Jennifer Chester and Blake Boone. The two plan to start construction in January 2024. When all is said and done, Iola will have at least 16 single-family homes and possibly another three larger homes or three duplexes. The new development is designated as Cedarbrook Third Addition. Time and again, [...]

20 Monday, November 20

Municipal Bond Trends for November 17, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-11-20T07:47:15-06:00November 20th, 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 Saturday, November 18

New Shawnee County park may be destination playground

info2023-11-18T09:55:22-06:00November 18th, 2023|

Plans for the anticipated Shawnee County family park — with its destination playground for older play, 16 pickleball courts and a shelter house — are moving along. The Family Park will be built at the corner of S.W. Urish Road and S.W. 21st Street between Midwest Aquatics Center and the Cypress Ridge Golf Course. Efforts to begin crafting the park began in late July 2020 after Shawnee County commissioners hosted the first public engagement phase for the planning of the park. Public feedback was requested in October 2020 for park’s potential concept. Source: CJonline

18 Saturday, November 18

Kansas counties need state permission to raise sales taxes. Here’s why that could change.

info2023-11-18T09:13:01-06:00November 18th, 2023|

Kansas may make it easier for local governments to raise sales taxes. State lawmakers on a Special Tax Committee have recommended that the Legislature remove a required step for counties to get legislative permission before asking voters for a tax increase. "This was something that I've been looking at, actually since I was a county commissioner, realizing that the process is extremely cumbersome," said Rep. Adam Smith, R-Weskan and the committee chair. The committee was tasked with studying various tax issues, among which was simplifying the process for counties in particular to obtain sales tax authority. "Just judging from the general [...]

17 Friday, November 17

Lenexa residents get to pick the new mural coming to Old Town

info2023-11-17T11:45:51-06:00November 17th, 2023|

As work on the Lenexa Community Center ramps up next month, the City of Lenexa is letting residents choose the mural that will grace it. Until Jan. 7, residents can vote here on what will be the next mural to greet visitors at the renovated location. The project called for designs for a 900-square-foot mural that will wrap around the southwest corner of the building. Two artists made the cut: IT-RA ICONS and Doodle Dood. Both artists hail from the Kansas City area, which was important to the project, said Logan Wagler, director of parks and recreation. “We’ve got great artists here in the Kansas City metro,” he said. “Why not tap [...]

17 Friday, November 17

Chef thinks his small-town ‘honor stands’ would also work in Wichita, plans to try soon.

info2023-11-17T11:44:10-06:00November 17th, 2023|

His new venture works well in Strong City, a town in the Flint Hills with a population of about 400. But will chef Stan Lerner’s “honor stands” — which invite people to grab fresh-baked bread and other items from unmanned pantries and trust them to leave the correct amount of cash on the “honor system” — also work in Wichita? Lerner, who owns Chef’s Stan’s Place — a tiny one-day-a-week brunch spot he opened last year in a former church building on the edge of Strong City — will be in Wichita this week scouting out spots where he might be [...]

17 Friday, November 17

Overland Park set to permanently allow backyard chickens on some lots

info2023-11-17T11:42:39-06:00November 17th, 2023|

Overland Park plans to permanently allow backyard chickens on smaller lots by making its backyard chicken pilot program into city code. Last week, the Overland Park City Council Public Safety Committee voted 6-0 to recommend the city adopt a new ordinance enshrining backyard chickens in Overland Park in city code. In early 2022, the city approved a temporary backyard chicken pilot program, following in the footsteps of other Johnson County cities. The proposed ordinance, which would codify it in a new chapter called “Keeping of Chickens,” does have some small changes from the short-term backyard chicken pilot. The two-year pilot allowed [...]