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.
The city of Wellington’s recent agreement with Ascension Via Christi to place an emergency room in the vacated Sumner Community Hospital will make it possible to treat patients locally who would otherwise be transported, Wellington Fire/EMS Chief Tim Hay said. “There’s quite a few patients that could be treated and evaluated locally that wouldn’t have to be taken to Wichita, Winfield or Derby,” Hay said. “They get to choose what hospital they go to within reason.” The City of Wellington, which owns the approximately 50-year-old hospital facility, has approved $700K in the capital improvements needed to renovate the space that will house the ER and associated services.
(Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)
Waking up before dawn and biking 80 miles in the summer heat may sound extreme to some, but doing so is just a normal day for participants of Bike and Build, an affordable housing nonprofit that bikes cross country annually. In years past, Bike and Build teams have stopped in Stafford County, spending two nights in St. John to work with Stafford County Economic Development (Eco Devo). Due to COVID-19, the summer of 2020 is the first time in its 17-year history that Bike and Build has not sent riders across the country. Eco Devo and Bike and Build adapted quickly to this change of plans in the spring, and the two organizations collaborated to create a summer internship in St. John.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Kansas is known for many things – being the Sunflower State, its role in the Civil War, the large agriculture industry. But for those outside the state, its perhaps best known as the home to Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz.” A trip to the OZ Museum, 511 Lincoln, Wamego, will put you right into the world L. Frank Baum created when he wrote “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” “We cover over 120 plus years,” said Chris Glasgow, curator, OZ Museum. “Everything from the birth of the author in 1856 to today.” A visit to the museum includes interesting tidbits about the classic Wizard of Oz books.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
City leaders are pursuing an outside study to help inform potentially fundamental changes to the role of the Lawrence Police Department, including proposals to move some funding and duties from police to social services. All of the specific issues the study will tackle aren’t determined right now, but city leaders are expecting it to be broad in scope. In a recent request for proposals for a consultant to conduct the study, the city states that it wants a comprehensive report that will aid in the “transformation” of the police department in response to changing operational needs, community expectations and the national narrative around policing and race relations.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
America’s municipal bondholders have never been paid so little for taking on so much risk. The yields on state and local government bonds have steadily dwindled over the past month, even as the resurgent coronavirus pandemic is threatening to prolong the deep recession that’s dealing a financial setback to borrowers in virtually every corner of the $3.9 trillion market. The oldest gauge of municipal yields, the Bond Buyer index of those on 20-year general-obligation bonds, now stands at 2.09%, the lowest since 1952. The Bloomberg 10-year benchmark slipped below 0.6% on Wednesday, the least since at least 2011. And MMD’s measure of 30-year yields has dropped to the lowest since it was started in 1982, according to Greg Saulnier, a managing analyst at Refinitiv. The disappearing yields aren’t unique to the municipal market. With the Federal Reserve injecting cash into the financial markets to stoke the economy, those on corporate bonds, mortgages and U.S. Treasuries have tumbled, too.
Read more: Bloomberg.
Wichita mayor Brandon Whipple says a proposal is being developed for the city council that would call for a vote of the people on the future of the Century II Convention Center. Speaking Thursday at his weekly city hall news conference, the mayor said language is being drafted for a proposal that would meet the intent of the 17,000 people who signed petitions that were recently circulated by a citizens group. The petitions submitted by the group Save Century II call for an ordinance that would require a public vote before the city council could demolish any building of historic importance. The city is challenging the legality of the petitions in district court, and the citizens group is asking the court to dismiss the challenge.
(Read more: KFDI 101.3)
A Wichita hospital is in need of donations that could help patients battling COVID-19. Ascension Via Christi said demand for convalescent plasma is outpacing supply and the needed plasma isn’t available. Angie Mooneyham has been in ICU at Via Christi since Monday. “It’s been a very unique battle,” said Mooneyham. Her battle started out as Pneumonia two weeks ago that landed her in the ER and that’s when she tested positive for Coronavirus. “It got to where it was so hard to breathe and a lot of body aches,” said Mooneyham. The virus has halted her health and her life. This mother of four is now having to miss sending her daughter off to college this week and unable to celebrate her son’s birthday who turned 22 on Wednesday.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
State and local health officials said they need more contact tracers. KDHE is now stepping up to help Sedgwick County to meet the demand. “It is the backbone to finding cases, isolating, and quarantine,” said KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman. With an increase in cases and very little staff, help is needed. “We’re so overwhelmed with the number of cases that we have and just having 18 active disease investigations that it’s a challenge enough,” said Sedgwick County Health Director Adrienne Byrne. Sedgwick County will be leaving it up to KDHE to contact trace each active case. “We’ve been looking a little bit in the rearview mirror and sometimes the data are 2-3 days older than we wanted,” said Dr. Norman. KDHE has hired about 50 contact tracers and plans to hire 50 more.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
The Kansas State Fair’s interim general manager, David Tobias, explained to the Kansas State Board on Wednesday how, due to canceling the fair, the fair is trying to secure money through a variety of city, state and federal avenues. The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s chief fiscal officer, Kellen Liebsch, explained to the board that expenses will be larger than income this year. “We’re about half a million dollars in the hole in what we have to pay,” Liebsch said. Because contracts were already issued and several, including utilities, must be honored, the fair is in a deficit. Liebsch noted the fair should use less electricity this year as it is only open for specific events. This will save the fair money.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
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