News – Page 1072 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

How safe are Emporia schools? USD 253 says security, prevention are prioritzed

info2022-06-06T08:26:22-05:00June 6th, 2022|

n the wake of the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, parents of school-age children, politicians, and other community members throughout the United States are calling for better safety and prevention measures in schools. Emporia Public Schools, with nine school buildings throughout the city, implements many different security and prevention measures to ensure the district is doing everything it can to keep students safe. Todd Ayer, a security officer for USD 253 who covers the high school, said if a situation were to arise, school personnel would be able to jump on the problem quickly. Source: Emporia Gazette

Manhattan to continue discussion of changes to meeting procedures

info2022-06-06T08:25:53-05:00June 6th, 2022|

Manhattan city commissioners on Tuesday will have a final chance to give feedback on updates to meeting procedures. Assistant city manager Jared Wasinger said the most significant change to meeting procedures is starting all city commission meetings at 6 p.m. Meeting times would change from 5:30 p.m. for a work session and 7 p.m. for a legislative meeting to 6 p.m. for all meetings. If passed, the effective date for these changes is June 30. Wasinger said the other changes to meeting procedures include finalizing proper quorum and procedures during meetings, when people speak and when motions are called. Source: themercury.com

Country legend Will Nelson, 89, draws crowd of more than 50,000 to downtown Wichita

info2022-06-06T08:25:12-05:00June 6th, 2022|

The Wichita Riverfest on Saturday night drew one of the biggest crowds it’s had in years when country legend Willie Nelson took the stage at Kennedy Plaza. Wichita Festivals Inc. president Nancy Duling said that Wichita Police estimated more than 50,000 people attended the show, which was so packed, it was hard to move through the crowd. Source: Wichita Eagle

Kelly signs tax relief bill for small businesses

info2022-06-06T08:22:31-05:00June 6th, 2022|

Kansas is sending $50 million in aid to small businesses in the state in an effort to help them recover from the COVID pandemic. Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday signed House Bill 2136, also called Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Act, which her office said will provide $50 million total in relief.... The bill will provide refunds "to be equal to 33% of the sum of the COVID-19 ordered shutdown days gross rebate amount and the COVID-19 ordered restricted operations days gross rebate amount," according to the legislation's summary. Source: www.chanute.com

Municipal Bond Trends for June 3, 2022

info2022-06-06T08:21:41-05:00June 6th, 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.

Fed’s Mester says inflation hasn’t peaked and multiple half-point rate hikes are needed

info2022-06-06T08:21:05-05:00June 6th, 2022|

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said Friday that she doesn't see ample evidence that inflation has peaked and thus is on board with a series of aggressive interest rate increases ahead. "I think the Fed has shown that we're in the process of recalibrating our policy to get inflation back down to our 2% goal. That's the job before us," Mester said in a live interview ... "I don't want to declare victory on inflation before I see really compelling evidence that our actions are beginning to do the work in bringing down demand in better balance with aggregate supply," [...]

Kansas Food Bank Releases New Study on Food Insecurity in the State

info2022-06-06T08:18:49-05:00June 6th, 2022|

Kansas Food Bank released a new hunger study this week. Food Assistance and Hunger in the Heartland 2021 – Report for the Kansas Food Bank shows 47% of food-insecure neighbors served by Kansas Food Bank’s network in 85 counties get more than half of their monthly food from a food pantry. The study, was conducted in the summer of 2021 by the University of Missouri’s Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security in conjunction with Kansas Food Bank and many of its pantries. 73,000 different people receive food assistance each month from the food pantries and mobile food distributions in Kansas Food Bank’s [...]

Columbus splash pad grand opening date set

info2022-06-06T08:17:04-05:00June 6th, 2022|

Columbus is celebrating the completion of a community project. Today is the grand opening of the new H&H splash pad. The city has been working on it for about a year and a half. The project took off after the Houser and Hatfield families donated $150,000 to help cover the cost. Today's celebration was the complete summer experience with food, music, and activities like cornhole and axe throwing. Not to mention actual fun in the water. Source: KSNF/KODE

New U.S. Census data shows Lenexa grew as many neighboring cities’ populations shrank

info2022-06-06T08:16:08-05:00June 6th, 2022|

Lenexa saw its population increase by nearly 1,000 in the year following the decennial census, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. New data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests Lenexa has been adding population at a much faster clip than its neighbors in Johnson County since the decennial census of 2020. In fact, as Lenexa saw its population increase by nearly 1,000 residents, a number of Johnson County cities saw their populations slightly decline. Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Wet winter and spring is deteriorating roads, as Topeka tries to keep up

info2022-06-05T10:21:58-05:00June 5th, 2022|

Topeka’s city government has repaired 17,819 potholes so far this year as of Friday, compared to 26,605 in all of last year, Tony Trower, the city’s deputy director of public works, told The Capital- Journal. “We are seeing more potholes this year,” he said. The city repaired 39,761 potholes in 2020 and 28,198 in 2019, he said. “With the freeze/thaw we had this winter, and with above-average moisture and snow events, the streets are feeling the stress of the adverse weather,” Trower said. Source: CJonline