The city of Salina has progressed mightily recently, boasting a revitalized downtown, several growing college campuses and a future full of incoming jobs. One major problem remains. “We’re in desperate need of housing.” Lauren Driscoll, director of Salina’s Community and Development Services department, knows she is not the only person around town who holds this sentiment. Salina has been stuck at a population short of 50,000 for decades, and with an influx of jobs that will be offered by expanding employers in the coming years, there is a chance of finally surpassing that threshold. Source: Salina Journal.

A legal dispute making its way through Shawnee County District Court could undercut the current quarantine structure used by scores of schools and local health departments across the state, with a Topeka-area parent arguing the process is flawed. What began as Shawnee Heights Unified School District 450 parent Jill Foster-Koch challenging the quarantine orders of her two daughters could have far greater implications. Embedded in the challenge, filed last month, is an argument that school districts in the county are effectively serving as an extension of the county health department in ordering quarantines, something Foster-Koch's lawyers argue state law doesn't allow. [...]

University of Kansas researchers are trying to create a snapshot of broadband access for every ZIP code in Kansas and now are asking for the public’s help in the effort. A project that KU’s Institute for Policy & Social Research is conducting with the University of Michigan is asking Kansas residents to take a brief survey to describe the broadband internet options in their community. The survey can be taken at ipsr.ku.edu. Source: LJWorld.com.

City Manager Craig Owens says the City of Lawrence is feeling the effects of the nation’s tight labor market, and that it has more than double its usual number of job openings. Owens said the city currently has about 800 full-time employees and more than 60 openings, which he said is more than twice the number of openings the city usually has. He said a lot of the openings are with key critical services, such as police, utilities, solid waste, streets, administration and parks and recreation. “All of these departments are being impacted,” Owens said. “We just don’t have full staffing.” [...]

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.