Ranson Financial, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Mission OK’s $2M in facilities upgrades, prompting debate about Sylvester Powell’s future

The Mission City Council has approved $2 million in upgrades at several city facilities, including the Sylvester Powell, Jr. Community Center, aimed at making city operations more environmentally friendly. As part of a conservation improvement program sponsored by the Kansas Corporation Commission, the city will be installing several new items like improved thermostat controls at all city buildings. Upon completion, the upgrades could result in an annual reduction of more than 950 metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to city documents. The planned changes will also eliminate the use of harmful refrigerants in city facilities. While most city councilmembers were in support of the improvements, Ward 2 Councilmember Nick Schlossmacher said investing in Sylvester Powell, in particular, seems “irresponsible.”
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2021-06-23T02:17:02-05:00June 23, 2021|News|

Governor Laura Kelly Announces 80 New Jobs in Tonganoxie

Governor Laura Kelly today applauded Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s plan to build a new pet food manufacturing plant in Tonganoxie. Hill’s will invest more than $250 million to construct a new 300,000-square-foot facility, bringing at least 80 new jobs to the community by 2025. “Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s decision to invest $250 million in Kansas and bring 80 new jobs to Tonganoxie is further proof that Kansas’ Animal Health Corridor can out-compete any region in the world for these industry investments and jobs,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “With our central location, talented workforce and reputation as a global leader in animal health and science, our partnership with Hill’s is a no-brainer.” According to Hill’s, Tonganoxie was selected for this investment based on the location’s industrial park, strong community partnerships, workforce strengths and proximity to distribution requirements for the facility. Hill’s also cited the major advantage of doing business in Kansas as part of the KC Animal Health Corridor, home to more than 300 animal health companies, representing the largest such concentration in the world. The KC Animal Health Corridor now accounts for 56 percent of total worldwide animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Ranson Financial2021-06-23T02:15:23-05:00June 23, 2021|News|

Williams says Fed’s rate liftoff still way off in the future

A discussion about raising interest rates is still quite a ways off as the Federal Reserve begins debating tapering its bond-buying program, New York Fed President John Williams said. “That’s still way off in the future,” Williams said of rate hikes during a Bloomberg Television interview on Tuesday. “Right now, really, I think the attention is on the taper.” The U.S. central bank’s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee, on which Williams sits, is debating when it will be appropriate to begin scaling back the bond-buying program it put in place last year at the outset of the pandemic. … At the conclusion of a two-day policy meeting on June 16, the FOMC published updated quarterly projections showing the majority of policy makers expected it would be appropriate to begin raising the central bank’s benchmark federal funds rate from its current near-zero level sometime in 2023. Seven of 18 on the committee expected it would be appropriate to begin raising the rate as soon as next year.
Source: The Bond Buyer

Ranson Financial2021-06-23T07:39:25-05:00June 23, 2021|News|

Consumption zone coming to downtown GB

In an effort to rekindle downtown Great Bend and make the community more competitive, the City Council Monday night approved a resolution creating a common consumption area in the city’s center to be known as Great Bend Alive Plaza. The request for the designation came from Great Bend Economic Development Inc. for Forest Avenue from the west side of Main Street to the east side of Williams Street. Great Bend Alive Inc., a non-profit offshoot of GBED, will be licensed to operate the area. “This is an opportunity to provide another gathering spot and other area for people to come downtown, enjoy the company of their co-workers, their family and friends, and then go out and continue to enjoy Great Bend,” said GBED President Sara Hayden. “So we call it the gather and scatter.” … Although there has been a lot of talk about drinking, “it’s not just about alcohol,” she said “It’ll be about the entertainment factor.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Ranson Financial2021-06-22T08:31:49-05:00June 22, 2021|News|

As shootings ‘skyrocket,’ Wichita police want council approval for federal crackdown

Amid a surge in violent crime in Wichita, police are asking the City Council to approve a partnership with the U.S. Marshals for a federal crackdown. The request follows what Police Chief Gordon Ramsay called a “busy weekend” with seven shootings where nine total people were shot. One of the shootings hospitalized an officer, who was shot in the head and legs with what a police captain described as “an AR-15 style assault rifle.” “We have seen since a little over a year ago, we saw shooting numbers skyrocket,” Ramsay said Monday during a news conference where he provided an update on the injured officer. “I really feel, and chiefs all around the country are all saying the same thing, that something has happened societally that is causing people to immediately resort to solving conflict through the use of guns.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-06-22T08:09:46-05:00June 22, 2021|News|

Federal Reserve Chairman notes economic improvement, but says the pandemic remains a risk

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said in testimony prepared for delivery to Congress this week that the economy is growing but faces continued threats from the coronavirus pandemic. The central bank leader also highlighted rising inflation pressures that he expects to lessen over time. As the economy recovers from the pandemic, he also pledged continued support from policies the Fed put into place in the early days of the Covid-19 threat…. The Fed has kept its benchmark short-term lending rate anchored near zero and is buying at least $120 billion of bonds each month. But last week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting indicated that members are looking ahead to when they will start pulling back on policy accommodation.
Source: CNBC

Ranson Financial2021-06-22T08:09:13-05:00June 22, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for June 21, 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.

Ranson Financial2021-06-22T08:00:27-05:00June 22, 2021|News|

East-side Save A Lot closing as Wichita’s food desert grows

Northeast Wichita’s Save A Lot grocery store is closing and with it the only full-service supermarket serving a broad swath of the historically Black community in northeast Wichita. City Council member Brandon Johnson said he has confirmed the planned closure, which is tentatively scheduled for July 10. The closure of the store, at 2402 E 13th St., is a major blow to a large section of the city, Johnson said. “It’s going to make things worse,” Johnson said. “It’s already a food desert and this is the nearest store people over here have.” Other than Save A Lot, the closest grocery stores are Dillons markets at Douglas and Hillside, or two other Dillons on Rock Road, one at Central and one at 21st Street.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-06-21T20:55:01-05:00June 21, 2021|News|

Riley County’s Fair and Impartial Policing Working Group works to address policing concerns

On Monday, the Fair and Impartial Policing (FIP) Working Group presented their findings to the Riley County Law Board on community policing recommendations. The FIP was created in conjunction with the Manhattan-Riley County Coalition for Equal Justice (CEJ). “We as a community look at this not as a combative stance but in a collaborative sense. And one of the first things we want to do is build a relationship with RCPD,” said CEJ representative Dr. Lorenza Lockett. In a report released to the public, the group detailed items like working to recruit more diverse staff to RCPD, continuing to advance department policies that prohibit biased policing and continuing to perform community outreach. The collaboration between CEJ and RCPD is something RCPD Director Dennis Butler welcomes.
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-06-22T07:58:30-05:00June 21, 2021|News|

New gym opens up in downtown Hillsboro

A previously empty storefront on Hillsboro’s Main Street has been filled with a much needed business. Infinity Fitness is a gym that provides “local fitness at affordable prices” according to their website. “Fitness has always been a passion of mine and it was something I could bring to the community,” said owner Ryan Franz. Franz, who grew up in Hillsboro, said they had a soft opening on Saturday, June 5, and they are having a grand opening on June 19. “We are open 24/7. I’m here for sign-ups from 12-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. every weekday and then every Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,” said Franz. The gym offers single, couple, family, student, teacher, senior and military memberships.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

Ranson Financial2021-06-22T07:59:53-05:00June 21, 2021|News|

About Ranson Financial

Mission OK’s $2M in facilities upgrades, prompting debate about Sylvester Powell’s future

Governor Laura Kelly Announces 80 New Jobs in Tonganoxie

Williams says Fed’s rate liftoff still way off in the future

Consumption zone coming to downtown GB

As shootings ‘skyrocket,’ Wichita police want council approval for federal crackdown

Federal Reserve Chairman notes economic improvement, but says the pandemic remains a risk

Municipal Bond Trends for June 21, 2021

East-side Save A Lot closing as Wichita’s food desert grows

Riley County’s Fair and Impartial Policing Working Group works to address policing concerns

New gym opens up in downtown Hillsboro

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