News – Page 1118 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Strong storm rolls through Sharon Springs, tears roofs off buildings

info2022-04-25T07:12:18-05:00April 25th, 2022|

National Weather Service officials were in western Kansas Saturday to assess damage from a strong storm and a possible tornado that damaged buildings in Sharon Springs and elsewhere, authorities said. Officials say the late Friday storm rolled through numerous Kansas cities, including Grainfield, Mingo and Winona. Photos of damage in Sharon Springs posted on social media sites show roofs that are caved in or gone and debris blown around city streets. Source: www.joplinglobe.com

Municipal Bond Trends for April 22, 2022

info2022-04-25T07:10:19-05:00April 25th, 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 casts doubt on the need for ‘shock’ interest rate hikes ahead

info2022-04-25T07:01:59-05:00April 24th, 2022|

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said Friday she's in favor of raising interest rates quickly to bring down inflation, but not so quickly as to disrupt the economic recovery. That means a strong likelihood of backing a 50 basis point rate hike at the next Fed meeting, and perhaps a few more after, but not going to 75 basis points, as St. Louis Fed President James Bullard suggested earlier this week. A basis point is 0.01 percentage points. "My own view is we don't need to go there at this point," Mester said on CNBC's "Closing Bell" when asked by [...]

KPERS weighs cutting anticipated investment return rate despite political pressure to delay

info2022-04-24T18:44:24-05:00April 24th, 2022|

Trustees of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System deferred Friday until at least next month a decision about lowering the assumed rate of return on pension investments below the current 7.75% target and dramatically inflating the system’s unfunded liability. Action by the KPERS board in response to soured market conditions would have practical implications in terms of dealing with the system’s long-term liability as well as political ramifications from state legislators opposed to the adjustment. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and Senate budget chairman Rick Billinger, both Republicans, advised trustees they weren’t “convinced about the wisdom” of plans to trim the [...]

You should still call, but people can now text 911 in Douglas County

info2022-04-24T18:42:57-05:00April 24th, 2022|

People in Douglas County now have the ability to text 911 in situations where they are unable to safely call, the sheriff’s office announced Friday. The Kansas 911 Coordinating Council began rolling out a Text-to-911 service in recent years. Tony Foster, director of the Douglas County Emergency Communications Center, said in a news release that because the county has a large college student population, it might have a higher utilization of the service. “The Douglas County Emergency Communications Center recognizes this is an important service to offer in our community for those in need of help, but we also want to [...]

Fire board has questions for newly created position

info2022-04-25T07:07:13-05:00April 24th, 2022|

Former Johnson County Fire District 2 Fire Chief Jim Francis was introduced at the Fire District April 12 board meeting as the new county fire service administrator. Francis said his new role was part of the county’s new restructuring of departments. “I am happy to be here and look forward to working with you in the future,” he said. Francis was a fire chief for 25 years and retired from District 2 after 35 years but said there was still work to be done for District 2. Francis said his new county role is to facilitate collaboration and enhance conversations. On [...]

Marion County’s new EMS building is ready for business

info2022-04-25T07:07:57-05:00April 24th, 2022|

EMS Director Travis Parmley informed the Marion County Board of Commissioners on Monday that the new building, located in Hillsboro, is completed, and they should be all moved in by the end of the day. Those on duty were able to sleep there that night. There is still landscaping to be done and some other small projects, but overall, the building is ready. The project has been in progress for months and the board and Parmley expressed appreciation that the building was complete. On other building news, Parmley and the board discussed the Annex remodel and various bids for work that [...]

Shawnee City Council will vote on prohibiting coliving housing

info2022-04-25T07:08:36-05:00April 24th, 2022|

After neighborhood and city official resistance to two coliving homes in Shawnee, a revised ordinance will go before the City Council on Monday to approve new definitions in single-family residential districts. Last month, the Shawnee Planning Commission proposed that city staff could require unrelated tenants to be subject to one lease per household or to restrict subleases within single-family homes. Rather than discourage transiency by imposing a lease requirement, the staff suggested redefining a “single housekeeping unit” as no more than three unrelated tenants who share a kitchen, household activities or responsibilities, according to city documents. Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Kansas law enforcement routinely produces error-filled reports on seized cash, property

info2022-04-25T07:09:03-05:00April 24th, 2022|

A push three years ago for more accountability from Kansas law enforcement agencies that seize cash, cars and contraband — often without filing criminal charges against the owner — has generated a wealth of new information. On examination, however, the numbers often don’t add up. A review of nearly 2,000 reports filed so far found widespread inconsistencies in the way seizures are reported. More than half of the law enforcement agencies have failed to report some of their seizures as required and have done so with the blessing of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which is charged with gathering and posting [...]

Manhattan to discuss replacing finance, administrative system

info2022-04-25T07:11:10-05:00April 24th, 2022|

The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday will discuss potentially replacing the government’s finance and administrative hardware and software. The work session starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. Since September, city administrators have been working with Government Finance Officers Association, a nonprofit membership association, to analyze the state of city’s financial system and its related business processes. The city has used its current system for more than 24 years, and Central Square, the company that produced the system, is phasing out support. According to agenda documents, the current system is outdated and lack the functionality and interconnectivity found in modern systems. [...]