Pittsburg Kite Festival takes off July 1

Ten thousand kites are making their way to Pittsburg all the way from India for Pittsburg’s first ever Kite Festival, scheduled for Saturday, July 1. This high-flying adventure will take place from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at Pittsburg High School. Sponsored by Al Patel with Pitt Discount Liquor and Pitt Discount Smokes along with Chirag Patel with the Pittsburg Dairy Queen, this new event is partnering with the Pittsburg Parks & Recreation Department and is free to attend. Patel is providing a kite and thread for all participants. Food trucks will also be set up at the festival for those who wish to purchase food.
Source: City of Pittsburg

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T13:28:33-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Kansas Receives $451.7 Million for High Speed Broadband Infrastructure

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that Kansas will receive $451.7 million in funding to support broadband infrastructure construction to connect all Kansans, ensuring access to high-speed internet across the state. … This investment is made possible through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The BEAD Program, which is led by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) office at the U.S. Department of Commerce, will provide a total of $42.45 billion to State Broadband Offices to expand broadband to unserved areas across the country. … In anticipation of this funding, the Kansas Office of Broadband Development is completing work on strategic plans for broadband access and digital equity. Data is still being collected to better understand broadband needs, in order to deploy this funding efficiently. The Kansas Office of Broadband Development is encouraging Kansans to complete a speed test and participate in the process. To participate, residents should visit the official website, broadbandks.com, where they can complete a quick and simple online speed test. This test, which only takes a few minutes, will provide valuable data on internet connectivity throughout the state.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T13:27:51-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Motel owners seek city help to reopen

The Town House Motel in downtown Arkansas City may soon be back in business. The affordable motel which evolved into long-term, low-income housing for some residents, closed in December of 2020. Two of the building owners, Raju Sheth and Hasu Bhakta, approached city commissioners during a work session Friday to discuss reopening the motel. Sheth said that he had been working with building official Mike Bellis with plans to revamp and reopen the facility. A big holdup has been getting an electrician to come and make the necessary wiring improvements.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T13:30:24-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Hotel Topeka not fully in city’s hands just yet

The City of Topeka is in the process of finalizing its deal to take over Hotel Topeka. The city won an online auction bid earlier this month to acquire the hotel at $7.6 million. At the time, a city spokeswoman told KSNT 27 News that officials were finalizing the purchasing documents, then the sale would be final. After asking for a status update Thursday morning, the sale is not yet final. “Because Hotel Topeka at City Center is in receivership, the purchase has to be approved by the court. That is unlikely to occur until late July. We do not expect to have an update on whether or not the sale is final until that time.”- (Gretchen Spiker, Director of Communications for the City of Topeka) Spiker also said a request for proposals went out recently that will help the city evaluate the hotel facilities. The city previously expressed it wants to work with private partners and industry experts to develop the property. Topeka’s governing body first expressed interest in purchasing Hotel Topeka after learning it was going up for auction.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T11:59:25-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

City of Readings reach continues to grow with evolution of annual Tornado Trot and Trail

What originally began as a benefit for a community impacted by a natural disaster has grown into an event with an incredible reach far beyond just the local area. The 11th annual Reading Tornado Trot and Trail took place at Reading Park Saturday morning with right around 100 participants either running or riding the route. Organizer Jan Briggs says this was easily one of the largest turnouts they have had for the event in recent memory. The Trot and Trail began back in 2011 as a benefit for the community following an EF-3 tornado that damaged the town and killed one person. Most recently the event has grown and evolved into a fundraiser benefiting Handlebars of Hope. Handlebars of Hope is a charitable organization that provides free bikes for disadvantaged residents both locally and in Mexico. Briggs says by supporting Handlebars the community now gets to play a major role in impacting the lives of so many far beyond their borders.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T11:56:35-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Wichita police use surveillance cameras to help find arrest shooting suspect in Oklahoma

Police used the Flock Safety license plate reader surveillance system to help find a 45-year-old Wichita man in Oklahoma after he was accused of shooting someone in the middle of the street in broad daylight at 18th and Chautauqua. Jeremi Mothershed will be extradited to Wichita. He has been charged with felon in possession of a firearm and aggravated battery, police said Friday. Police took the suspect vehicle description and used Flock to find a white Audi headed south toward Oklahoma. The vehicle and license plate were then relayed to law enforcement in Oklahoma. Mothershed was arrested by Norman police and booked into the jail on an unrelated charge. He had a 9mm handgun with him, Wichita police said. The shooting in Wichita happened just after 2:50 p.m. June 6 at 18th and Chautauqua. It left a 28-year-old critically injured with a gunshot wound in the upper left leg.“At the time of the incident, officers only knew that the victim was walking around the intersection … when he got into a verbal argument with a male suspect driving a white vehicle when the suspect produced a handgun and shot the victim,” police said in a news release.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T11:55:05-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Wellington City Council approves $18,974 for the purchase of 20 point-blank ballistic vests

The Wellington City Council met Tuesday to clear their desks of routine purchases and resolutions before the July holiday. The first resolution of the evening completed a request from the Wellington Police Department to purchase 20 point-blank AXBIIIA ballistic vests for $18,974.40. Ballistic vests have a shelf life of five years, and this bid came in at $4,000 under budget. Police Chief Tracy Heath also stated that he would apply for a Department of Justice grant to reimburse the City for half of the cost. After that, the council approved the resolution unanimously.
Source: Sumner NewsCow

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T13:31:05-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Hutchinson raises chicken count

Hutchinson residents can bring more chickens home to roost. The Hutchinson City Council voted Tuesday to increase the number of chickens a resident can own, changing it from three to eight chickens on most city properties, the Hutchinson News reported. Jim Sietnater, interim planning director, told the newspaper that keeping chickens is a growing trend. If someone wants a larger flock of chickens and has the area to do that, they can add an additional chicken for every 250 square feet. That maxes out at 20 chickens. All chickens must be fenced in, with coops being kept neat in appearance. However, roosters are still not allowed in Hutchinson, and the public slaughtering or processing of chickens remains off limits. Mayor John Richardson saw a discrepancy with the ordinance with regard to rural lands in the city, the newspaper reported. In the rural areas, there remain allowances for cattle, horses, sheep, deer, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, gamebirds, geese and other poultry. However, pigs are no longer allowed.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2023-06-26T11:46:58-05:00June 26, 2023|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for June 23, 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.

Henry Schmidt2023-06-25T21:07:26-05:00June 25, 2023|News|

Shawnee deputy city manager up for job in nearby Merriam

Shawnee’s Deputy City Manager and long-time city employee Caitlin Gard is the final candidate for one of the top jobs in Merriam city government. During its upcoming meeting on Monday, the Merriam City Council will vote on Gard’s appointment to serve as the assistant city administrator.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2023-06-23T14:15:06-05:00June 23, 2023|News|