info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Topeka PD picked to take part in national training program

info2020-09-30T07:17:44-05:00September 29th, 2020|

The Topeka Police Department was recently chosen to take part free of charge in a new national training program aimed at preventing misconduct, reducing officer mistakes and promoting health and wellness. The department will take part in Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement, a national initiative of the Washington, D.C.-based Georgetown University Law Center, said Topeka police public relations specialist Gretchen Spiker. The program seeks to build a culture of peer intervention that prevents harm, she said. Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal

Topeka Police one of 30 agencies across the nation to embrace a culture of ‘active bystandership’

info2020-09-30T07:17:55-05:00September 29th, 2020|

The Topeka Police Department has been selected to participate in a national training program that will encourage officers to intervene, when necessary, to prevent other officers from making costly mistakes. With the goal of preventing police misconduct, studies show officers can prevent other officers from making costly mistakes. Selected officers will be trained to teach the skills that encourage intervention, and in time will train other Topeka officers. Topeka is one of 30 departments, chosen from hundreds, that were picked to participate. The program, ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement), trains officers to create an environment that encourages peer intervention. Source: [...]

HFD shares updates from the field

info2020-09-30T07:36:04-05:00September 29th, 2020|

Three wildland certified firefighters from the Hutchinson Fire Department -- Brent Fisher, Jacob Ice and Caleb Dunn -- are part of the group battling the Mullen Fire in the Medicine Bow-Rout National Forest in Wyoming. They arrived in Wyoming last week in the HFD’s Type 5 wildland engine truck and are on deployment for 14 days. According to HFD, Hutch crews were assigned the swing shift working from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. most days. Source: Local - The Hutchinson News

Muni bonds to thrive regardless of election outcome, according to Citigroup

info2020-09-29T07:49:33-05:00September 29th, 2020|

The U.S. municipal bond market would benefit from higher taxes either under a Democratic sweep of the White House, Senate and House, or to a lesser extent, if the coming election results in a second term for President Donald Trump and a continued split Congress, a Citi research report said on Monday. Under either scenario “taxes will be going up one way or the other,” according to Citi. States, cities, schools and other issuers sell debt in the $3.9 trillion muni market that attracts mainly higher-income investors due to an exemption from federal income taxes and at times from state and [...]

65 Kansas counties have so many new cases of COVID-19 that they are in the red zone

info2020-09-29T07:32:41-05:00September 29th, 2020|

Kansas has 65 counties with so many new cases of COVID-19 that their incidence rates have moved into the red zone of the school reopening guide. Only seven of the 105 counties in the state had a green zone rate of new cases compared to population. The county numbers are based on a map published on Monday by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The map shows the county incidence rates, which are a measure of new coronavirus cases over the past two weeks compared to 100,000 population. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Sedgwick County manager, others overseeing coronavirus response are hit with COVID-19

info2020-09-29T07:32:04-05:00September 29th, 2020|

Three officials guiding Sedgwick County’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, including the county manager, have come down with COVID-19 themselves, it was confirmed Monday. County Manager Tom Stolz said he hasn’t been to the office since testing positive a week ago and he began experiencing noticeable symptoms Friday. “It’s a really weird deal,” Stolz said. “Sometimes you feel really, really good and sometimes you feel really, really bad. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Overland Park considers overhauling regulations for business, residential signs

info2020-09-29T07:31:37-05:00September 29th, 2020|

Overland Park officials are considering a slew of changes to the rules governing all kinds of signs – from digital displays to real estate and political signs. The city’s planning staff presented the results of over three years of work overhauling the city’s sign ordinance on Monday to a joint meeting of city council and planning commission members. The most noticeable change involves a new category of “incidental signs” that would include the ubiquitous leasing signs at apartment complexes. The proposed ordinance requires a permit for those types of signs and allows them to be 20 square feet, building or ground [...]

This pandemic-survival message brought to you by Pittsburg’s not-toast Toast

info2020-09-29T07:29:32-05:00September 29th, 2020|

Heather Horton has a few pandemic messages for her fellow Kansans. “Don’t give up. Take each day as it comes,” she says, which is good advice in any situation. But also: “Think about the people, not the profit margin, because that’s what matters in the end.” Horton and her husband, Roger, co-own two small businesses in Pittsburg. They opened Sweet Designs Cakery, where they bake party-type desserts, in 2009. A block away is Toast, which they opened last October, with a concept that was unusual for Pittsburg. ... All along, their plan was to buy as many ingredients as possible from [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for September 28, 2020

info2020-09-29T07:24:26-05:00September 29th, 2020|

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.

Lawrence continues to suspend late fees and shut-offs for overdue utility accounts; changes to be considered soon

info2020-09-29T07:36:54-05:00September 29th, 2020|

Lawrence city commissioners will soon consider whether to continue suspending utility late fees and shut-offs for the thousands of Lawrence residents who have gotten behind on their bills during the coronavirus pandemic. The City of Lawrence provides water, sewer, and trash and recycling collection service citywide, and as of Sept. 9, there were about 3,300 active utility accounts with a balance more than 21 days past due, totaling about $944,000 in delinquent payments, according to Finance Director Jeremy Willmoth. Willmoth said the commission would soon decide how long those protections should remain in place and that the city was in the [...]

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