info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Legislative auditors revise Kansas unemployment fraud tally upward to nearly $700 million

info2021-08-30T18:02:16-05:00August 30th, 2021|

The state of Kansas paid an estimated $700 million in state and federal unemployment benefits to illegitimate claimants during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic while blocking $2 billion in potentially fraudulent jobless claims from people attempting to rip off the system, auditors said Monday. The Kansas Department of Labor and the Kansas Legislature’s audit division both had high confidence $380 million was sent to fraudsters impersonating others from January 2020 to February during the coronavirus health emergency. There is less compelling evidence in hands of labor department investigators and legislative auditors regarding $306 million in red-flagged payments requiring further [...]

Kansas Supreme Court stays Johnson County judge’s ruling in SMSD mask case

info2021-08-31T07:17:08-05:00August 30th, 2021|

In a sharply worded opinion, the Kansas Supreme Court last week stayed a Johnson County judge’s ruling that a pandemic emergency powers law is unconstitutional. Why it matters: The ruling temporarily puts a hold on Judge David Hauber’s ruling that the law, known as SB 40, violated the separation of powers and the due process rights of the Shawnee Mission School District. But SMSD officials say the stay will have no immediate impact on the district’s COVID-19 mitigation measures currently in place, including a universal mask rule in all schools. Source: Prairie Village Post

Fund aims to help tenants get housing by incentivizing Lawrence, Douglas County landlords

info2021-08-30T17:56:03-05:00August 30th, 2021|

A new fund from the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority aims to reduce high barriers for people to get housing by spurring landlords to loosen some screening requirements and agree to lease their units. The Landlord Risk Reduction Fund aims to help individuals and families who are either experiencing homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless, according to information from LDCHA. In order to do so, the fund will provide financial incentives to landlords in Lawrence and Douglas County: A lease up bonus will pay double the amount of rent upon successfully leasing to an LDCHA-referred tenant. That is a per-unit [...]

Cities sell criminal weapons per Legislature mandate

info2021-08-30T06:47:23-05:00August 30th, 2021|

Six years after the state Legislature mandated that nearly all guns used in Kansas crimes be sold back to the public, the city of Wichita has become a substantial gun dealer, selling an average of about 400 firearms a year online — but receiving less than half of the proceeds. More than 2,000 firearms have been sold by City Hall since 2015, when it held its first gun sales in compliance with the state law that was passed a year earlier. The guns, seized from robberies, drive-by shootings, drug deals and myriad other offenses and investigations, are sold through an online [...]

New supermarket helps South Wichita neighborhood with “food desert” problem

info2021-08-30T06:43:43-05:00August 30th, 2021|

El Mercado Fresco on Broadway and Harry in South Wichita was buzzing Sunday morning. The store has been open for just under two weeks and some shoppers, like Elizabeth Gallardo, say it's already making a big impression. "It's really good has a good variety both the Hispanic variety of the foods that Hispanics use a lot of and that other stores don't carry and then has a good variety of just your American foods." For Gallardo and other customers, this is more than just a new supermarket. It solves a problem many have been dealing with for a while. The area [...]

Derby schools researching pay-to-ride busing program

info2021-08-30T06:43:17-05:00August 30th, 2021|

Derby Public Schools is exploring a pay-to-ride busing program with hopes of having it in place for next school year. Under the potential program, parents who live less than 2.5 miles away from their child’s school would be able to pay for busing services. Currently, the state only reimburses each school district for bus riders who live 2.5 miles or more away from their designated school building. Source: Derby Informer | News

Most Kansas students must mask up; COVID closes 1 district

info2021-08-30T06:42:49-05:00August 30th, 2021|

More than half of Kansas students are now required to wear masks in school as cases the delta variant increase, leading to widespread quarantines and forcing one district to call off classes because of a COVID-19 outbreak. An Associated Press analysis has found that 30 of the state's 50 largest districts have mask mandates in place, with most passed in the last month during often heated meetings and protests. Those 30 districts educate a combined 262,585 of the state’s 476,435 public schoolchildren. Several other smaller districts also have mandated masks as well, including Atchison and Wamego. Source: KAKE - News

Dogs to have their day at Paola Family Pool

info2021-08-30T06:41:57-05:00August 30th, 2021|

The dog days of summer may be wrapping up, but one special Dog Day is still yet to come at the Paola Family Pool. The annual Dog Day at the Paola Family Pool will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30. As long as local dog owners have a printed vaccination certificate from the vet and a signed waiver, they are encouraged to bring their pooches to the pool that evening. There will be no entry fee. Source: Local News | republic-online.com

Municipal Bond Trends for August 27, 2021

info2021-08-30T06:41:25-05:00August 30th, 2021|

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.

Pittsburg cost of living far below average, lowest among urban areas in Kansas

info2021-08-30T06:40:26-05:00August 30th, 2021|

One of the most affordable cities in Kansas could be closer than you think. It's really close if you live in Pittsburg -- because we're talking about Pittsburg. We are -- in general, major urban areas in the state like Manhattan and Wichita have a lower cost of living -- 10-percent below the national average. Pittsburg takes it a step further. It sits at 18-percent below the national average. And this has been a motivating factor for some people to move to the area. "You go to the movies it's like 12 to 13 dollars a person, you go out here [...]

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