News – Page 1229 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Proposal to convert Overland Park home into ‘sober living facility’ draws scrutiny from neighbors

info2022-01-12T23:18:06-06:00January 12th, 2022|

The house at 9119 W. 113th Street in Overland Park represented a chance at a new life for Kar Woo’s parents when they emigrated from Hong Kong more than three decades ago. Now that they are gone, Woo, founder of the non-profit Artists Helping the Homeless, hopes to offer the same thing to people struggling with addiction. “I feel like this house has provided the opportunity for my parents to start a new life. I think this will give other people from here the opportunity to start a new life also,” said Woo, who lost his mother to cancer last year and [...]

Kansas Gov. Kelly tells lawmakers to freeze college tuition and end the sales tax on food

info2022-01-12T07:07:05-06:00January 12th, 2022|

Gov. Laura Kelly challenged Republicans who control the state Legislature to freeze tuition at the state’s public colleges and to give her a bill that ends the sales tax on groceries by month’s end. ... Kelly laid out a series of spending proposals, which are made possible because the state’s reserves could grow to $3 billion by the end of the budget year. She promised money to the state’s withering water plan and an end to transfers from the Kansas highway fund that’s been used to help pay for general state operations for years. The governor also promised more money for [...]

Markets and the economy brace as the Federal Reserve’s first rate hike could come in two months

info2022-01-12T06:57:13-06:00January 12th, 2022|

If everything goes according to plan, the Federal Reserve in a little over two months will enact its first rate increase in three years, a move policymakers deem necessary and that markets and the economy are grudgingly coming to accept. The Fed last raised rates in late 2018, part of a "normalization" process that happened in the waning period of the longest-lasting economic expansion in U.S. history. Just seven months later, the central bank retreated as the expansion looked increasingly fragile. Eight months after that initial cut in July 2019, the Fed was forced to roll back its benchmark borrowing rate [...]

Local emergency departments struggling with number of staff due to COVID-19

info2022-01-12T06:55:25-06:00January 12th, 2022|

Many first responders are out with COVID-19, leaving emergency departments juggling what staff they do have. The COVID-19 numbers are up for the delta and omicron variants. "And you know it has gone up in recent weeks but not nearly what we saw in late 2020," said Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay. "Our officers are first responders, so they have been on the front end." Leaders from a local Fire union, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) #135, say firefighters are feeling the effect of COVID-19 taking out staff. Source: KSN-TV

Ignite Emporia to bring digital job skills training to 20 Emporians

info2022-01-12T06:50:58-06:00January 12th, 2022|

Ignite Emporia announced Tuesday afternoon that it will work in partnership with the Center on Rural Innovation’s Future is Digital Challenge skills development program to provide high-demand digital job training for 20 individuals in the Emporia community. Emporia was selected by CORI to be a part of the program, which is funded by a grant from Microsoft and will equip participants with professional skills coaching in one of three tracks: digital marketing, project management or sales representation. “It’s open to the general public, anybody that’s interested in adding this to their plate for the spring of 2022,” said Ignite Emporia director [...]

As COVID-19 surges amid EMS shortage, JoCo officials consider changes to 911 responses

info2022-01-12T06:48:49-06:00January 12th, 2022|

As emergency medical resources have been strained by staffing shortages and a resurgence of COVID-19, Johnson County officials are considering changes to the way ambulances respond to 911 calls. Dr. Ryan Jacobsen, medical director for the Johnson County EMS System, said Tuesday that options are being weighed to weed out unnecessary calls for service such as mild illnesses. That could include a more in-depth screening process during 911 calls before dispatching an ambulance or having emergency responders advise patients to stay at home, Jacobsen said. “We’re trying to keep ambulances available for the true emergencies, traumatic injuries, car accidents, life-threatening things,” [...]

3 Johnson County cities will consider new mask mandates Wednesday

info2022-01-12T06:48:24-06:00January 12th, 2022|

With the Omicron variant spurring new case numbers to record highs across the Kansas City metro, the cities of Mission, Prairie Village and Roeland Park on Wednesday night will hold special city council meetings to consider instituting new citywide mask mandates. Prairie Village and Roeland Park were the only two Johnson County municipalities to put mask orders in place during last fall’s spike fueled by the Delta variant. It’s not clear if there is enough political appetite in any of these cities to implement new mask orders now. Source: Prairie Village Post

Municipal Bond Trends for January 11, 2022

info2022-01-12T06:47:41-06:00January 12th, 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.

Rising interest rates tops list of muni concerns in 2022

info2022-01-12T06:47:11-06:00January 12th, 2022|

Major challenges for the public finance industry abound but rising interest rates is the largest concern for business in 2022, market participants said in a Bond Buyer/Arizent Research survey. Nearly 60% of respondents said rising interest rates are their biggest worry, followed by regulatory requirements or changes at 45% and a lack of face-to-face communication and market volatility at 37% and 36%, respectively. Ongoing threats from the coronavirus, inflation and legislative inertia on muni issues in Washington, among other factors, also led a majority of those in municipal finance to believe a full economic recovery won’t be reached until at least [...]

Humboldt highlighted as a world top spot by New York Times

info2022-01-12T06:41:06-06:00January 12th, 2022|

At the start of each year, the New York Times highlights places around the world folks should visit. The 2022 list features a place quite familiar to locals: Allen County’s own Humboldt. It seems the folks running the New York Times have discovered something we’ve known for quite a while now. Humboldt is a happening place to be. At the start of each year, the Times posts a travelog of sorts, highlighting places around the globe worth visiting. The list of 52 places released over the weekend — ranging from San Francisco’s Great Highway to Normandy, France, or the Daintree Rainforest [...]