News – Page 1226 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Parsons Police enter Covid Protocol, what this means for residents

info2022-01-14T07:41:28-06:00January 14th, 2022|

The Parsons Police Department enters COVID Protocol again, with staffing levels at a critical state. “If we can get our staff out of the red and healthy, we can return to a sense of normalcy,” According to Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks. “We want what is best for all parties involved. So if you see an officer keeping their distance or asking you to step outside or out of a vehicle please comply and know that we are just trying to stay safe but still be effective.” The Police Department had a spike and logged 6 positive COVID cases in the [...]

Ongoing Dispute Over Whether WPD’s Use of “Gang List” is Constitutional

info2022-01-14T07:40:56-06:00January 14th, 2022|

The United States District Court for the District of Kansas denied significant portions of the City of Wichita’s motion to dismiss the class-action lawsuit challenging Wichita’s “Gang List.” The ruling allows plaintiffs to proceed with their central claims that the gang database itself, as well as WPD’s use of it, is unconstitutional. The case was filed in April of 2021. The City of Wichita and the police department’s motion to dismiss was filed on July 9, 2021. ... Attorneys bringing the suit are asking for injunctive and declaratory relief, challenging Kansas law and WPD policy and asking that the City of [...]

Pittsburg USD 250 cancels school for rest of week

info2022-01-14T00:12:11-06:00January 14th, 2022|

Pittsburg USD 250 closes for the remainder of the week (Jan. 13-14). The district sites staff shortages due to Covid-19 as the cause. According to an email sent to parents, “Due to staff shortages, USD 250 will be closed on Thursday, 1/13/22 through Friday, 1/14/22. As a reminder, Monday is a scheduled day for No School. Students and staff will return on Tuesday, 1/18/22. Please see the attached letter for more information.” Monday is a holiday, so students and staff will be in school again on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. USD 250 is not requiring students to engage in school work [...]

Fed hikes are a certainty. It’s the pace and end point that can rock markets: Rates expert

info2022-01-14T00:10:51-06:00January 14th, 2022|

The Federal Reserve is going to raise rates, and based on the latest inflation reading this week, the central bank is likely to start its rate hike cycle in March. The Fed has telegraphed the rate hikes, but the market remains on edge because the hawkish turn from Fed Chair Jerome Powell has occurred quickly and goes beyond higher rates to an unwind of the Fed's massive balance sheet. It's the pace of the tightening cycle that remains an unknown, says Priya Misra, global head of rates strategy at TD Securities, and that will contribute to volatility this year. Source: CNBC [...]

Fed’s Harker calls for ‘action on inflation,’ sees 3 or 4 rate hikes this year

info2022-01-14T00:08:32-06:00January 14th, 2022|

Philadelphia Federal Reserve President Patrick Harker said Thursday he foresees three or four interest rate hikes will be appropriate this year as the central bank tackles a nagging inflation problem. His thinking, outlined in a live interview on CNBC's "Closing Bell," is consistent with estimates the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee released in December. But while officials then penciled in the likelihood of three quarter-percentage-point increases this year of the Fed's benchmark overnight borrowing rate, Harker said he may be open to even more. Source: CNBC - Bonds

Emporia discusses smaller lot sizes in potential housing development

info2022-01-14T07:35:36-06:00January 14th, 2022|

As Emporia continues to battle its housing shortage, the city commission discussed the possibility of decreasing lot sizes in a potential development area. At its study session Wednesday morning, the commission heard a proposal from planning and zoning specialist Justin Givens to create a Housing Opportunity Overlay in a 16.8-acre vacant parcel of land directly east of the intersection of Soden's Road and South Exchange Street. A Housing Opportunity Overlay would allow a developer to decrease lot sizes from the 9,000 square feet minimum requirement in city codes to 5,800 square feet, which would consequently increase the number of residential units [...]

Governor Laura Kelly Announces $1.5 Million Available in Tourism Grants

info2022-01-14T07:36:07-06:00January 14th, 2022|

Governor Laura Kelly today announced a new grant opportunity to help communities develop or enhance tourism attractions to boost their local economies. “Our tourism industry supports Kansas jobs, injects millions into our economy and preserves our state’s unique history for future generations,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “These grants will enhance local community efforts to develop quality tourism assets that will grow the economy and improve the quality of life for all Kansans.” The grant program is the Tourism Attraction Sub-grants for Kansas (TASK) program available through the Kansas Tourism Department. The program offers funding support for public and not-for-profit groups to [...]

Kansas governor proposes to set aside $600M, spend reserves

info2022-01-14T07:36:19-06:00January 14th, 2022|

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has proposed that Kansas put $600 million of its surplus revenue into a rainy day fund and spend nearly $1.8 billion of the excess revenue on a long list of projects. Parts of Kelly’s proposed spending blueprint for state government through June 2023 are likely to meet strong resistance from the Republican-controlled Legislature. It assumes that Kansas will expand its Medicaid coverage, which GOP lawmakers have repeatedly blocked, and give a one-time $250 income tax rebate to residents who filed state income tax returns last year. Before Kelly’s budget director outlined her proposals to a joint meeting [...]

Supreme Court blocks OSHA vaccine or test mandates

info2022-01-14T00:02:54-06:00January 14th, 2022|

The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job. At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S. Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

More details released for Governor Kelly’s proposed state budget

info2022-01-14T00:01:05-06:00January 14th, 2022|

Governor Laura Kelly is proposing that Kansas set aside $600 million of its surplus revenues in a rainy day fund and spend nearly $1.8 billion more in cash reserves on a host of one-time projects. The Democratic governor’s budget director on Wednesday outlined proposed spending blueprint for state government through June 2023 to the Republican-controlled Legislature’s budget committees. The projects Kelly proposed in her spending blueprint for state government through June 2023 included paying off bonds early and undoing financial maneuvers lawmakers did in previous years to deal with budget shortfalls. She’s also proposing a one-time rebate of $250 to all [...]