info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Regional power shortages, record chill force more blackouts in Kansas

info2021-02-17T08:15:37-06:00February 17th, 2021|

Operators of the regional power grid again ordered utilities to implement rolling blackouts Tuesday morning to conserve natural gas and electricity as bitterly cold temperatures plunged further than ever before. The rare, emergency action is a response to skyrocketing natural gas prices, high demand for power and an unprecedented week of extreme wintry conditions for the middle swath of the country. The National Weather Service office in Topeka recorded an overnight low of -21, the seventh-coldest day ever. Low temperatures combined with moisture created problems with wind turbines, access to natural gas and the burning of coal across the Southwest Power [...]

Virtual Discussion on Lindsborg, child care and economic growth

info2021-02-17T07:58:16-06:00February 17th, 2021|

Two years ago, Lindsborg’s town leaders and community partners took a hard look at what was needed to ensure that their community could thrive into the future. They surveyed residents and determined if they didn’t act soon, their town’s viability would be in doubt. The big problem? It wasn’t a lack of jobs. It was not enough child care. In the latest edition of The Journal, a magazine published by the Kansas Leadership Center, correspondent Beccy Tanner profiles how Lindsborg is working across factions to tackle its child care challenges and upending established narratives about the future prospects of small-town America. [...]

10-year Treasury yield hits highest level in a year

info2021-02-17T08:00:51-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Treasury yields drifted higher on Tuesday morning, as U.S. markets reopened following Presidents Day. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note climbed to 1.27% at around 10:45 a.m. ET, breaking above a the key level of 1.25% for the first time since March 2020. Meanwhile, the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond rose to 2.08%. Yields move inversely to prices. " Given the fact rates are edging higher on a combination of bearish underpinnings as opposed to a distinct driver, the technical landscape is useful in gauging the extent to which any repricing may extend," Ian Lyngen, head of U.S. [...]

Evergy suspends rolling blackouts — for now. More outages could come without warning

info2021-02-17T08:00:43-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Evergy and other major energy companies implemented rolling blackouts again Tuesday morning, cutting power across Kansas and Missouri to avoid a large-scale power outage in the Midwest, where subzero temperatures are wreaking havoc on power generation and driving people to use more energy to heat their homes. Evergy suspended the rolling blackouts mid-morning Tuesday, but more rounds of temporary emergency electricity shutoffs could be on the way if the region’s electricity demands continue outpacing power generation. Southwest Power Pool, which controls energy flow in Kansas and several other states, downgraded its energy emergency Tuesday afternoon, saying “all available resources have been committed to meet [...]

After 15 weeks of full hospital ICUs in Wichita, Sedgwick County reports available beds

info2021-02-17T08:08:19-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Wichita’s two major hospitals now have available beds in their intensive care units after 15 weeks of full ICUs, the Sedgwick County Health Department reports. The health department’s weekly local hospital status was changed to “good” on Monday as Wesley Medical Center and Ascension Via Christi St. Francis reported available ICU beds for the first time since Oct. 26. For more than three months, the hospitals used contingency operations as all approximately 208 ICU beds were full. As of Monday, 18 ICU beds were available, up from zero the week before. Of the 190 in use, 30 were occupied by COVID-19 [...]

Remote learning during pandemic renews fight for school choice in Kansas

info2021-02-17T08:08:54-06:00February 16th, 2021|

As Kemper Whitlow spoke to lawmakers about his struggles with remote learning, his internet cut out. The Gardner-Edgerton High School junior was one of several students and parents who came before a Kansas House panel last week begging for a solution, or an end, to the online learning imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitlow complained of faulty internet, disengaged peers, constant screen time and social isolation. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

5 reasons Evergy is cutting power to 100,000 residents at a time

info2021-02-17T08:09:06-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Up to 100,000 Evergy customers were without power this morning, February 16, as record low temperatures gripped the area and much of the Great Plains. These outages were intentional, created by Evergy at the request of the Southwest Power Pool as a way to conserve energy across a multi-state grid. Chuck Caisley, Evergy’s senior vice president and chief customer officer, explained five main reasons why residents are experiencing rolling power outages on one of the coldest days in decades. 1. Coldest day Temperatures early this morning plunged to record lows. In Wichita, Eisenhower Airport dropped to -17 degrees early this morning [...]

Housing leaders announce $200 million in statewide rental assistance

info2021-02-17T08:09:19-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Kansans struggling to cover rent and utility payments due to COVID may qualify for up to 12 months of emergency assistance thanks to new federal relief. The initiative, funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, provides the state of Kansas with $200 million to support housing stability and prevent evictions and homelessness. Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) and the City of Wichita will administer the funds. “Home has never been more important,” said Ryan Vincent, KHRC Executive Director. “Home has always been a place of shelter, but in the midst of the pandemic it’s also become our virtual workplace, classroom, and gathering space. Rental assistance [...]

‘Bitter, dangerous, arctic’ chill disrupts power grid

info2021-02-17T08:10:26-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Public officials pleaded Monday for Kansans to turn thermostats down and conserve electricity as utilities warned that severe cold would force coordinated power outages across the Midwest. Gov. Laura Kelly declared a state of emergency Sunday in anticipation of sub-zero temperatures and wind chills that reached the -30s. The extreme conditions knocked wind turbines and natural gas plants off the grid as power consumptions soared, prompting concerns about skyrocketing natural gas supplies and an inability to meet demand. Evergy, which serves eastern Kansas and western Missouri, announced plans Monday afternoon to begin shutting off power for rotating blocks of customers for [...]

Kansas struggles to fix vaccine reporting issues

info2021-02-17T08:12:42-06:00February 16th, 2021|

Kansas is working to fix its troubled system for sending vaccine data to the federal government, saying glitches caused about 100,000 doses that were given to not be registered as being administered. The state’s vaccination rate has consistently ranked as among the lowest in the country. As of Monday, 10% of the state’s population had been vaccinated, with 394,523 people receiving at least the first of two required doses, state health data showed. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows the state administering only 67% of the 581,975 doses it has received. The state, however, puts the figure at [...]

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