After a year of canceled and curtailed events, Abilene is as open as the Wild West it evokes as part of its history. Almost all of its tourist attractions will celebrate the unofficial start of the town’s tourist season May 1. The one notable exception is the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, which will remain closed to visitors. Because it is part of the National Archives and Records Administration, the Eisenhower Library is subject to federal guidelines for reopening, as are all presidential libraries. But for the rest of the town and Dickinson County, face masks are discretionary, not mandated, and [...]

Improvements at the Santa Fe depot have recently been put on hold after the city’s contractor discovered a brick surface beneath the existing gravel parking lot. The 1950s-era train station is an example of midcentury modern architecture, and the station is on the National Register of Historic Places. A Kansas Department of Transportation grant, which the city was awarded in 2013, funded 80% of an approximately $2 million project to rehabilitate the depot. Source: LJWorld.com.

“The muni market is on fire,” Ashton Goodfield, head of municipal bonds at DWS, said on Thursday, noting that tax-exempt valuations versus taxable alternatives have been holding near record lows. Goodfield said investors have built cash balances over the last year as demand for income was high and interest paid on cash investment was near zero. In addition, other supporting factors are the high credit quality nature of the muni market, recently buffeted by fiscal support, as well as the demand for tax-exempt income at the same time the notion that tax rates for wealthy individuals could increase during the current [...]

The Kansas Supreme Court earlier this week issued administrative rules for Kansans who want to sue over a COVID-19 order under newly passed law Senate Bill 40. The new emergency rules took into account that some may not be represented by an attorney, a news release said. But those who fail to follow the rules in requesting a court hearing shouldn't be rejected and be given opportunity to comply. SB 40 lets any person who is aggrieved by a COVID-19 order or restriction to bring to court a request to get relief from the order. Such a hearing would have to [...]

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.