News – Page 1099 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

City of Pittsburg to help low income residents

info2022-05-11T07:51:51-05:00May 11th, 2022|

The City of Pittsburg is helping its low income residents. Tuesday night the City Commission approved something that will help more people afford rent. "Right now we have seen a large increase of rent going up in Pittsburg and so our payment standards are not reflecting that," said Megan Keener, Housing Manager for Pittsburg Public Housing Authority. Tuesday night, the Pittsburg City Commission approved increasing its Section 8 payment standards. "It would affect the individuals that are currently housed and we would adjust the rent. And we would contact the individuals who currently have vouchers and let them know the payment [...]

New affordable housing project in eastern Lawrence plans to build homes as small as 500 square feet

info2022-05-11T07:39:41-05:00May 11th, 2022|

A bigger home is a better home. That is a notion that has won the day many times in Lawrence, but it’s not doing much to help the community win its battle for affordable housing, Rebecca Buford, executive director of Tenants to Homeowners, said. “Some of what has to happen here is a change in mindset,” Buford said. Indeed, Buford’s Lawrence-based nonprofit has filed plans at City Hall for a new affordable housing development in eastern Lawrence that intends to add about a half-dozen new homes to the market but also change some minds about smaller homes. Source: LJWorld

Lawrence leaders hear update on reforms to municipal court; some suggest additional changes

info2022-05-11T07:37:31-05:00May 11th, 2022|

Lawrence Municipal Court staff says the city has been implementing reforms to how the court operates, and that additional changes will continue to be discussed. ... The presentation included trends regarding cash bonds posted, the number of people being held in the jail on municipal offenses, and traffic citation costs, among other data points. Court data indicates that the amount of money the city has collected for cash bonds has decreased significantly in recent years, the average number of people serving time in jail on a daily basis for municipal offenses has declined, and that traffic citation costs in Lawrence are [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for May 10, 2022

info2022-05-11T07:34:12-05:00May 11th, 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.

Councilmember, petition call for Shawnee’s new co-living ban to be revisited

info2022-05-11T07:26:16-05:00May 11th, 2022|

Shawnee’s new rules on the number of unrelated adults who can inhabit a single living space are unclear enough that one city councilmember suggested Monday that they need to be revisited and better explained. “For me, I got this one wrong,” said Councilmember Jill Chalfie during the meeting’s final minutes. Chalfie was part of the unanimous vote in favor of the ordinance April 25. However, there is no indication that the rest of the council would be willing to take another look at the new regulation. Chalfie’s remarks came after a week in which Shawnee drew national news and social media [...]

You could save up to $30 a month on high-speed internet under federal program

info2022-05-11T07:27:07-05:00May 11th, 2022|

The Biden Administration unveiled its plan Monday to increase the availability of low-cost, high-speed internet for families across the country. The government secured agreements with 20 internet service providers to reduce monthly service costs by up to $30 a month (or $75 a month on Tribal lands). About 48 million households—40% of the U.S.—qualify. Participating companies include AT&T, Comcast/Xfinity and Spectrum, among others. It’s called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and is part of bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed last year. Source: KSN-TV

Biden announces program offering discounted internet service

info2022-05-11T07:27:53-05:00May 11th, 2022|

President Joe Biden announced Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy. “High speed internet is not a luxury any longer. It’s a necessity,” Biden said at a sun-drenched rose garden event with representatives from participating companies, as well as members of Congress. The $1 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress last year included $14.2 billion funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 monthly subsidies ($75 in tribal areas) on [...]

Kansas effort to improve computer science education signed into law

info2022-05-11T00:45:41-05:00May 11th, 2022|

A new law signed Tuesday by Gov. Laura Kelly seeks to promote computer science education in Kansas schools. The measure enacts the Promoting Advancement in Computing Knowledge Act, which requires each secondary school to offer at least one computer science course beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Alternatively, those schools operating under a school district can submit a plan to the State Board of Education describing how the district intends to offer a computer science course and when they intend to offer it. In addition, House Bill 2466 requires the State Board to submit an annual report to the Legislature each [...]

Starbucks plat approved for Newton

info2022-05-11T07:28:17-05:00May 11th, 2022|

The City Commission approved a final plat for a Starbucks coffee shop to be built on the south end of Newton. Harvey County Now has published multiple stories in recent months about the upcoming development. The City Commission meeting marked the first time the City confirmed its knowledge of the development in an official capacity. “The developer is ready to build the building and it’s going to be a Starbucks,” City Engineer Suzanne Loomis said at the Tuesday commission meeting. The approval of the plat marks the last bureaucratic hurdle for development of the chain coffee shop in Newton. It’s planned to [...]

Voters approve bond issue to improve Hays schools

info2022-05-11T00:41:13-05:00May 11th, 2022|

Hays will build a new high school thanks to voters who passed a bond issue. The $145.3 million bond passed by 526 votes. Voters also approved a half-cent sales tax to pay for the bond. The money will go towards a new high school. The money will also be used to renovate the current high school into a middle school and the middle school into an elementary school. Two other elementary buildings will also be renovated. Source: KAKE - News