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.
There will be no Kansas State Fair in 2020. The state fair board voted to cancel this year’s event amid concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The reversal comes just a week after the board had initially voted to continue with the fair. However, concerns from vendors and the community led them to adjust plans, with nearly half of the vendors cancelling amid worries about delays with travel quarantines, difficulties in putting crews together and the cancellations of other fairs, including Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. The board says it is still interested in finding a way to safely hold its livestock and 4H event. Riley County Extension Director Gary Fike announced last week that most activities at the Riley County Fair had been switched to a come and go format, including the cancellation of its 4H exhibit in addition to the cancellation of the carnival and Kaw Valley Rodeo.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)
Despite dire predictions regarding tax collections due to the COVID-19 lockdown, both Edgerton and Gardner have seen an increase in sales tax revenues year to date. “After all the doom and gloom that was predicted, it’s a pleasant surprise to see sales tax collections coming in above last year’s numbers,” said Karen Kindle, Edgerton finance director. “As essential businesses, LPKC played a significant role as the largest contributor of city sales and keeping the Edgerton economy running. We’re in good financial shape, but we will continue to monitor these revenue sources and make changes if needed.” Gardner has also seen an increase in sales tax revenue. “Gardner’s two largest sales tax generators are Walmart and Price Chopper,” said Matt Wolff, Gardner finance director. “Most grocery stores have seen an increase in sales during the pandemic. …”
(Read more: Gardner News)
Multiple Kansas State University colleges and units will implement administrative furloughs as one of several ways the university is addressing financial challenges for the upcoming fiscal year. The financial challenges are the direct result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. K-State President Richard Myers outlined steps the university is taking to reduce nearly $37 million in costs, including the administrative furloughs, terminating and eliminating positions, voluntary salary reductions, using cash reserves, and cutting operating expenses. Coupled with the emergency furloughs the university administered in May and June, 1,868 employees will be affected. The furloughs will provide the university with $8.65 million in short-term cost reductions.
(Read more: WIBW News Now)
Draft safety guidelines for school this fall from the Kansas State Department of Education say students, teachers, and staff should wear masks, but that students up to fifth or sixth grade shouldn’t be required to wear them unless local officials mandate it, the Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle are reporting. The draft guidelines about how to reopen schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic were shared with superintendents, and are expected to be formally presented to the State Board of Education this week. The guidelines say everyone should wash their hands when arriving at school and every hour afterward. Space should be made in classrooms to allow social social distancing. Locker use is discouraged, and staggered transition time between classes is recommended for those schools that choose to use them.
(Read more: WIBW News Now)
The Big Pool did not open for a 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but local officials felt the need to celebrate the end of an era and to help people say goodbye, so a farewell celebration was held Saturday. Jennifer Cunningham, Garden City assistant city manager, said it was disappointing that a 2020 season couldn’t be held, but the city hopes the farewell celebration helped soothe the sting. “It’s been such a place that held memories for so many different ages and we knew since we couldn’t open that we wanted people to be able to get in here one last time, to go through the bath house, to stand in the deep end to get their picture taken, whatever they might want or need to do to celebrate the last days of this facility,” she said.
(Read more: News – The Garden City Telegram)
Garden City Community College has been selected by the Kansas Department of Commerce to receive Community Service Tax Credits in the amount of $130,708. The program will allow the GCCC Endowment Association to sell 70% tax credits towards the purchase of two mobile anatomage tables that the college will share with about a dozen local western Kansas high schools, according to GCCC President Dr. Ryan Ruda. “We are grateful to the state of Kansas for their support of this worthy project,” said Dr. Ruda said. “This program ensures that we can help provide cutting edge biological health science education with state-of-the-art tools to the students in our region.” Anatomage tables provide three-dimensional, high-resolution mapping of both human bodies and select animal cadavers. They are generally more precise than traditional cadaver labs.
(Read more: Western Kansas News)
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.
There won’t be a Grand Parade at Old Settlers this year. There won’t be a Great Race or Little Great Race, or a community picnic on Sunday afternoon. At this point, the 133rd annual Old Settlers Festival will only consist of a fireworks show on Saturday, Aug. 8. “We plan, unless something drastically changes due to an outbreak, to only have fireworks,” Old Settlers committee member Cory Harrington said. As recently as late June, the Old Settlers Committee had still been planning on holding a nearly normal schedule of events, but then the county began seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases. They made the difficult decision to scale back the festival on Thursday. “We all have a passion for the festival,” Harrington said. “Many of us committee members grew up attending it. It’s gut-wrenching to cancel something like this.” Harrington said the Old Settlers committee would meet again in two weeks to reassess where Harvey County is at with COVID-19.
(Read more: Harvey County Now)
“Heroes work here.” That is the message the Grand River Dam Authority and City of Coffeyville are sharing to recognize the essential employees who have continued to meet critical needs in their hometowns throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Critical needs for any community include electricity, water and sewer as well as other municipal services. GRDA has been the wholesale electricity supplier for City of Coffeyville since 1999. “Each time we turn on a water tap or flip a light switch, we automatically expect it to work,” said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Dan Sullivan.
(Read more: Coffeyville, KS – News Flash)
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