Pittsburg Mayor upbeat about State of the City

13 Friday, October 13

Pittsburg Mayor upbeat about State of the City

info2023-10-13T13:50:41-05:00October 13th, 2023|

For the first time since 2019, the Mayor of Pittsburg delivered the State of the City in person to a packed house at Memorial Auditorium with a complimentary breakfast provided by the Blue Spoon. Mayor Ron Seglie spoke briefly about the city’s accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead and what the near future looks like. Seglie highlighted a number of recent civic initiatives such as his Spruce Up Pittsburg campaign. As part of that effort, the city has been divided into specific neighborhoods and a council appointed to oversee clean-up. Over the past few years, nearly 60 dilapidated buildings have [...]

13 Friday, October 13

Water contamination invades Augusta community

info2023-10-13T10:57:32-05:00October 13th, 2023|

An old issue continues to spread in a Southwest Augusta community. Water contamination is not something anyone wants to imagine dealing with, yet these residents have been dealing with it for years. High levels of hard water minerals, salt and now oil are plaguing the community’s water system, with no relief. After purchasing her home in 2019, Jenna Krob, her husband and children of three were like any other family, until last month. That’s when the family began to smell an awful odor emitting from their toilet bowl and running water. “When you entered the home, it would burn your nostrils,” said Krob. [...]

13 Friday, October 13

Municipal Bond Trends for October 12, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-10-13T10:25:09-05:00October 13th, 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.

12 Thursday, October 12

Municipal Bond Trends for October 11, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-10-12T09:10:28-05:00October 12th, 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.

12 Thursday, October 12

Lawrence school district’s initial headcount shows dramatic decline of about 300 students in one year

info2023-10-13T08:01:40-05:00October 12th, 2023|

The Lawrence school district’s recently completed annual enrollment count shows a dramatic decline of hundreds of students compared with last year’s count, and the amount of decline in just one year is what a consultant recently had predicted for an entire five-year period.... The whole picture of why there has once again been a large enrollment decline likely won’t be clear until the district team has a chance to look at this year’s enrollment data more closely, Superintendent Anthony Lewis told the Journal-World Thursday afternoon. But for now, Lewis said one potential cause could be the impact of low birth rates, [...]

11 Wednesday, October 11

Governor Kelly Announces New Staff to Lead Water Policy Efforts

info2023-10-11T14:09:07-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Governor Laura Kelly announced that Vijay Ramasamy has joined the Kelly Administration to serve as Special Advisor for Water. In this role, Ramasamy will advise Governor Kelly on water planning and develop coordinated strategies to ensure a sustainable future for water in Kansas. “I am glad Vijay has rejoined my Administration to lead our work on water projects and move conservation efforts forward,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “This new role reaffirms my commitment to preserving our remaining water supply that has powered our farming economy for decades. Vijay’s expertise will be crucial as we address the historic drought Kansas is facing.” The [...]

11 Wednesday, October 11

Marion celebrates Old Settler’s Day with annual parade

info2023-10-11T10:01:35-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Marion had a great turnout for the Old Settler’s Day parade on Saturday. In addition to class floats over the years, including one from the Class of 1948, the parade included the Marion High School Marching Band and the Marion Middle School Marching Band. The parade was just one of many activities over the weekend for Marion residents to enjoy. Source: Hillsboro Free Press

11 Wednesday, October 11

As rural residents age, some Kansas communities step up to help

info2023-10-11T14:09:39-05:00October 11th, 2023|

Bertie Dinkle smiled from her seat at the Louisburg Senior Center. “This is my second home.” She had just finished her meal of chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and strawberry cake. She happily chatted with friends across the table. “I used to live in Overland Park, and they didn’t have anything like this,” Dinkle said about the center and the community around it. For some, aging in a rural area is a benefit. There’s a tight-knit, supportive community. And for folks like 94-year-old Dinkle who are in good health, the 20-30 minute drive to the nearest hospital [...]

11 Wednesday, October 11

Here’s a look at Leawood’s 75th anniversary celebration

info2023-10-11T09:59:10-05:00October 11th, 2023|

This weekend, the city of Leawood celebrated a big milestone. This year marked its 75th year as an incorporated city. As such, residents gathered this weekend to celebrate with a range of festivities along Tomahawk Creek Parkway. A few more activities are still to come later this month. The celebration continued through the weekend with a Touch-a-Truck event, balloon animals, a puppet show, a concert and more. Here’s a look at some of Saturday’s highlights. Source: Prairie Village Post

11 Wednesday, October 11

Kansas prairie inspires public art projects for Merriam Plaza Library

info2023-10-11T14:10:00-05:00October 11th, 2023|

When Johnson County Library opens the Merriam Plaza branch in the first half of 2024, it will include a drive-thru, state-of-the-art technology, early literacy space in the kids section, and all the other amenities one would expect in a new branch built at a cost of nearly $14 million. Adhering to patron feedback, the new branch at 6120 Slater St. will also have abundant natural light, a warm wood ceiling and a “green” roof with vegetation that provides a habitat for pollinators. Yet the art integrated into the design of Merriam Plaza Library — which is replacing the aging Antioch Library [...]