Marion’s new city administrator is settling in

17 Monday, July 17

Marion’s new city administrator is settling in

info2023-07-17T10:25:18-05:00July 17th, 2023|

Marion gained a new city administrator on May 1. Marion City Administrator Brogan Jones graduated in May with his Masters in Public Administration from Wichita State University. He just turned 28 at the end of June. This is his first time being a city administrator, but he lived in and worked for the city of Lyons in code enforcement building inspections so there is some crossover for him. Jones, who is married with a child on the way—his wife is due in August—is happy to be settling into small town Marion. He and his wife moved there recently and enjoy many [...]

17 Monday, July 17

Kansas has record high teacher vacancies. But are schools finally at a turning point?

info2023-07-17T08:26:29-05:00July 17th, 2023|

The number of teacher vacancies in Kansas schools remains at a record high, but state education officials have reason to believe a tide of increasing educator attrition is starting to turn. Kansas, as of earlier this spring, had 1,634 teaching vacancies, as reported by school districts to the Kansas State Department of Education’s licensure division, said director Shane Carter. That’s compared to 1,628 vacancies in fall 2022. Comparatively, school districts reported 1,381 vacancies in spring 2022, and 1,253 vacancies in fall 2021. Source: CJonline

17 Monday, July 17

Municipal Bond Trends for July 14, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-07-17T06:38:44-05:00July 17th, 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.

16 Sunday, July 16

Indigo Moo’d offers ice cream and a place for Lindsborg residents to gather

info2023-07-16T08:20:57-05:00July 16th, 2023|

With memories of grabbing a cone as a child, and realizing the city didn't have an ice cream shop, one woman decided to open one in downtown Lindsborg. Alison Replogle, who owns and operates Indigo Moo'd, said that when she and her husband, Shawn, would take walks in downtown Lindsborg, they would talk about how there weren't many places open in the evening for families and other people in the community. "It's (here) to have a place for people to gather and celebrate," Replogle said. Source: Hutch News

16 Sunday, July 16

Engage Dodge Program: Connecting citizens to Dodge City

info2023-07-16T08:19:09-05:00July 16th, 2023|

The City of Dodge City is excited to announce the launch of the 2023 Engage Dodge Program, an interactive educational opportunity designed to introduce citizens to City services, programs, and the dedicated employees who serve the Dodge City community. This program aims to enhance awareness, understanding, and engagement in local government, creating stronger connections between residents and the city they call home. The Engage Dodge Program consists of eight evening sessions, held on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., starting Aug. 8 and concluding on Sept. 19. Source: Dodge City Globe

14 Friday, July 14

Johnson County $4 billion Panasonic plant may get $8 billion in taxpayer incentives: report

info2023-07-14T11:56:34-05:00July 14th, 2023|

Panasonic is expected to invest some $4 billion in a new De Soto battery plant, but it could receive twice that amount in taxpayer incentives. The Japanese electronics giant is poised to get as much as $6.8 billion from provisions in last year’s federal Inflation Reduction Act. That’s according to incentive watchdog group Good Jobs First, which analyzed the potential windfalls five electric vehicle battery plants could receive from a new tax credit program. Good Jobs First says the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit, which aims at increasing production of electric vehicles, could cost American taxpayers $200 billion over the next [...]

14 Friday, July 14

Park City to see changes after license approved for historic horse racing facility

info2023-07-14T11:55:36-05:00July 14th, 2023|

The Wichita Greyhound Park will now be transformed into the Golden Circle Historic Horse Racing Facility. Being the only one in Kansas, many expect the new attraction — home to 1,000 historic horse racing machines — to bring in people from all across the region. "You have a large building on almost 80 acres up in Park City. It's a three-story building. The bones of the building are in great shape, but obviously, it hasn't been in use for a decade and a half," said Jason Watkins with Ruffin Holdings, Inc. ... The facility adds another piece of economic development for [...]

14 Friday, July 14

After school shutdown, rural Kansas community tries to divorce district

info2023-07-14T11:47:00-05:00July 14th, 2023|

Barton County residents will decide whether to break up with their school district and “start fresh” following heartbreak and anger over the closure of a rural community’s high school. The change could result in hundreds of students displaced and three more schools shut down. The Aug. 1 disorganization vote is a test case for rural communities that increasingly have to make decisions to shut down or consolidate as populations dwindle and schools face financial strain. “This is brand new territory for the Department of Education, for the State Board of Education and basically every district in the state of Kansas,” said KSDE [...]

14 Friday, July 14

Overland Park tourists spend $850M, helping pandemic rebound

info2023-07-14T11:39:45-05:00July 14th, 2023|

Overland Park's tourism is bouncing back after a dive in 2020, when visitor spending declined 40.4% from the year before. In 2021, Overland Park saw a 42.1% increase in visitor spending, as well as a 19.5% increase in 2022. The data comes from a recent report from Tourism Economics. “Overland Park’s visitor economy has rebounded beyond pre-pandemic levels,” Warren Wilkinson, president of Visit Overland Park, the city's marketing organization, said in a release. Source: Kansas City Business Journal

14 Friday, July 14

This poisonous weed is growing in Wichita yards this summer. How you can identify it

info2023-07-14T11:39:17-05:00July 14th, 2023|

A poisonous plant that bloomed in great numbers in the Wichita area last year has recently caught the attention of the public on online forums like Nextdoor. Poison hemlock is an invasive plant found throughout North America since its introduction in the 1800s. With a two-year life cycle, the noxious weed is usually not noticed until the second year, when they can reach 4 to 10 feet tall. Because of the number of poison hemlock plants in bloom last year, Matthew McKernan, horticulture agent with the Sedgwick County Extension Office, expects most in the area this year to be in their [...]