News – Page 1005 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Looking back 150 years at the three men who helped established Hutchinson

info2022-08-16T07:32:20-05:00August 16th, 2022|

Multiple people from Hutchinson helped to establish its 150-year history. Several were known as city founders. From C. C. Hutchinson founding the town in 1871 to Frank Colladay beginning a century-old hardware company, many members of the early Hutchinson community created a city to last. "(Hutchinson) wasn't worried about just establishing a town as quick as he possibly could — he was interested in setting up a town that was going to continue to grow without having growing pains," said Reno County Museum chief curator David Reed. Source: Hutch News

Municipal Bond Trends for August 15, 2022

info2022-08-16T07:27:18-05:00August 16th, 2022|

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.

How should Wichita school board members be elected? Some Black leaders seek change

info2022-08-16T07:05:35-05:00August 16th, 2022|

Wichita voters may be given the option in November to reshape the way Kansas’ largest school district chooses school board members after community members raised concerns that minority voters aren’t being heard. As it stands, registered voters in USD 259 can weigh in on all school board races in general elections. District-specific primaries narrow the field of candidates before races are decided citywide. Critics of the current system say the board would be more representative if members were elected directly by residents in each of the six school board districts. Source: Wichita Eagle

Underwriting spreads fall to historic lows in 1H 2022

info2022-08-16T07:08:03-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Heavy competition for a significantly lower volume of municipal bonds drove a sharp decline in overall underwriting spreads to $3.54 in the first half of 2022, the lowest level in 20 years. The latest data from Refinitiv representing the first six months of 2022 underscores what has been a steady and developing trend over the last two decades, the data showed. For the first time in 20 years, gross underwriting spreads — the payment or underwriting discount an underwriter receives to market a deal — fell to under $4 per $1,000 for all bonds, compared with 2003 when spreads were at [...]

Faster Internet Is Coming to America—as Soon as the Government Knows Where to Build It

info2022-08-16T07:12:48-05:00August 15th, 2022|

The government’s $42.5 billion plan to expand internet service to underserved communities is stuck in a holding pattern nearly nine months after approval, largely because authorities still don’t know where gaps need to be filled. The broadband plan, part of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed by President Biden last November, stipulates that money to improve service can’t be doled out until the Federal Communications Commission completes new maps showing where homes and businesses lack fast service. Source: WSJ.com

Governor announces new highway projects under state transportation plan

info2022-08-15T23:56:25-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has announced 11 expansion and modernization projects that will be added to the state’s bipartisan transportation plan, known as IKE. The new project represent a total investment of over $520 million. The governor made the announcement Monday in Andover, and that community stands to benefit from the largest of the new projects. Plans are moving ahead to continue the East Kellogg Freeway project from the K-96 interchange to 159th Street East. The $230 million project was identified as the highest priority projects in discussions with south central Kansas leaders. Work on the project is expected to begin [...]

Governor Kelly meets with Sedgwick County leaders on mental health needs

info2022-08-15T23:55:20-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Governor Kelly met with Wichita and Sedgwick County leaders as well as state lawmakers on Monday to talk about mental health issues and the need for a state mental health hospital in south central Kansas. The governor met with Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, Sedgwick County Commission Chairman David Dennis and representatives of local health and law enforcement agencies for a roundtable discussion. They talked about the need for a regional hospital and also ways to continue expanding access to needed services. The governor toured the COMCARE Crisis Center and saw the services offered by Sedgwick County, including the 988 Hotline operation. [...]

Pottawatomie Co. approves resolution for sales tax initiative to fund infrastructure projects

info2022-08-15T23:54:25-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Pottawatomie County residents will consider levying a quarter percent sales tax when they head to the polls this November for a host paving and improvement projects on roads and bridges. Commissioners approved a resolution Monday, two weeks before the state deadline to pose such questions on the general election ballot. Before Monday’s vote, former Public Works Administrator Peter Clark addressed the commission as a representative of the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors. “There’s a number of areas in our county that need to be addressed for the growth that has already occurred, to keep up with that and [...]

Three Derby businesses approved for facade improvement funding

info2022-08-16T07:13:57-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Continuing to utilize the $150,000 budgeted for the city’s new Community Facade Improvement Program, the Community Development Advisory Board approved (5-0) grant funding requests – up to five total – for three new projects at its Aug. 10 meeting. The CFIP program was started in 2022 as a matching grant program to promote business investment on Derby’s west side through building facade repairs, removal of non-conforming signs, etc. Source: Derby Informer

Bomb detonated near Parsons Courthouse

info2022-08-16T07:15:11-05:00August 15th, 2022|

A 63-year old male is in custody after an investigation of a bombing that occurred early Monday morning. The man has been identified as James Dale Sutton. He is being charged with criminal use of explosives, possession of commercial explosives to commit crime arson, and intentional to non-dwelling of another without consent. This incident is still under investigation by the ATF, FBI, KBI, Parsons Police Department, and Labette County Sheriff’s Office. Source: KSNF/KODE