info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hillsboro community garden approved

info2022-02-03T09:10:22-06:00February 2nd, 2022|

Hillsboro Elementary School’s garden club appeared Tuesday at Hillsboro’s city council meeting to propose creating a community garden near the pioneer Adobe house’s visitor center. In their presentation, members highlighted growing crops for supermarkets and food banks, bringing the community together for gardening, and growing flowers to beautify the town. The school has applied for grants for a watering system, tool shed, and equipment for the garden. Existing fencing should keep wildlife out, and 4-H and FFA members could form a board to manage the garden. Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Franklin Co. Receives $1.8M for 2019 Flood Disaster Reimbursement

info2022-02-02T22:08:20-06:00February 2nd, 2022|

The Franklin County Public Works Department announced Friday that it has received $1.8 million in reimbursement funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to pay for the repair work conducted over a two-year period after severe flooding damaged roadways, bridges and ditches around the county in 2019. In 2019, four separate weather events brought over 5 inches of water within a 12-hour period, causing massive flooding throughout Franklin County. According to the Public Works Department, over 300 road sites needed repair following the floods. During a normal year, the Public Works Department receives about 900 work orders; in 2019 they [...]

‘Price of admission’: Critics say Kansas’s $800M tax incentive package for mystery company has red flags

info2022-02-02T22:06:29-06:00February 2nd, 2022|

The Kansas Legislature has so far advanced the largest tax incentive program in state history as it competes for a mystery company's $4 billion, 3 million square-foot advanced manufacturing facility — also raising questions about how much the state is willing to provide to chase national megaprojects. "There are a whole bunch of red flags," said Nathan Jensen, a professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas-Austin, who researches state and local economic development. The Kansas Department of Commerce is fast-tracking the new program, the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) bill, that would provide super-size subsidies to companies that invest at least [...]

Cities and States Find New Ways to Tax Streaming Services

info2022-02-01T07:35:16-06:00February 1st, 2022|

More than half the states and dozens of cities now levy taxes or fees on digital streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, aiming to recoup the revenue they lose when people cut the cable cord. Cable customers pay sales taxes and a variety of other taxes and fees imposed by state and local governments. For example, states and localities require cable companies to pay franchise fees—up to 5 percent of gross receipts, under federal law—for the easements allowing them to run cable in public rights-of-way. Cable companies recover these costs by adding charges to customers’ bills. But as more consumers [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for January 31, 2022

info2022-02-01T07:33:20-06:00February 1st, 2022|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Bostic says Fed could do half-point March hike if needed

info2022-02-01T07:32:46-06:00February 1st, 2022|

The Federal Reserve could opt to raise its benchmark rate by 50 basis points if a more aggressive approach to taming inflation is needed, Raphael Bostic, president of the Fed’s Atlanta branch, told the Financial Times in an interview. Bostic stuck to his prediction that three quarter-point increases starting in March is the most likely scenario, though stubbornly high consumer prices may justify a more robust rate rise. The Fed typically increases rates in quarter-point increments. “Every option is on the table for every meeting,” Bostic said on Friday. “If the data say that things have evolved in a way that [...]

Wichita task force seeks retail ban on single-use bags, Dillons working on phased elimination

info2022-02-01T07:31:07-06:00February 1st, 2022|

The purposeful life span of plastic bags that are a staple of retail stores can be measured in minutes, while these thinnest of load-bearing containers take decades to decompose in landfills. The familiar store-to-home bags have a knack for finding their way into the environment as litter on the ground or floating in streams, rivers and oceans. When multiplied by about 500 billion each year, these easy-come, easy-go bags become a menace to the planet. Alternatives exist — reusable cotton or non-woven polypropylene satchels, for example — but convincing people at grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores to make the switch [...]

Wyandotte County ushers in historic change with slate of new African American leaders

info2022-02-01T07:30:08-06:00February 1st, 2022|

Barely a month after Tyrone Garner was sworn in as mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, he and the county commission selected Cheryl Harrison-Lee to be the new interim county administrator. The appointment means African Americans, for the first time in county history, hold five key UG positions simultaneously: mayor, police chief, district attorney, county administrator and general manager of the Board of Public Utilities. For Garner, the milestone was about more than just breaking racial barriers. “What resonates more to me than anything else is that I see a new energy in [...]

How much snow? Biggest storm of the season so far is forecast for Wichita this week

info2022-01-31T23:46:17-06:00January 31st, 2022|

Enjoy the warmer weather while you can. A winter storm — with potentially six inches of snow for the Wichita area — is headed for parts of south central and southeast Kansas. Here’s what National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Metzger says is expected. He notes the forecast could change: Rain is expected early Tuesday afternoon. The rain-sleet mix is expected to transition to all snow early Wednesday, Metzger says. The wind chill is expected to get steadily worse starting Tuesday night. Metzger says the area could see wind chills of 11 or 12 below zero. Driving advisories will be in effect. [...]

Rural towns say they need a hand to fight off hackers and ransomware

info2022-01-31T23:41:20-06:00January 31st, 2022|

The federal government set aside $1 billion to help cities and counties improve their cybersecurity, but rural communities worry they will be left out and end up more susceptible to attacks like ransomware. The funding comes from the congressional infrastructure law, with $250 million dollars specifically targeted at rural areas. The funds are distributed to states over the next four years and will begin going out later this year. But rural community leaders say they lack the resources and expertise to come up with a comprehensive cybersecurity plan and to pursue the grants. Source: KCUR News

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