News – Page 1429 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Wichita City Council approves city-owned land bank to handle ‘challenging properties’

info2021-05-19T07:05:06-05:00May 18th, 2021|

The Wichita City Council has unanimously approved the creation of a city-funded and -operated land bank that will be overseen by trustees each council member appoints. The concept of a land bank is to acquire distressed houses and get them into the hands of local nonprofit groups that can repair or replace them, such as Habitat for Humanity or Mennonite Housing. Money could also be used to acquire abandoned commercial properties and help develop, for example, neighborhood grocery stores to address Wichita’s “food desert” problem, where low-income residents have to travel long distances by bus to get fresh meat and produce, [...]

Riley County commission approved federally funded pay scale increase for county employees

info2021-05-19T07:06:04-05:00May 18th, 2021|

Riley County commissioners approved a mid year salary adjustment for county employees on Monday. The adjustment is a 1% pay scale increase for all active employees. The 1% increase is for the mid year of 2021, but will also include 2020 and the first part of 2021 for a total of 2.52%. The reason this was brought to the commission was due to the county freezing salaries for the 2021 budget last year in anticipation of economic challenges due to the pandemic. However, the impact was less than anticipated. Budget and Finance Officer Tami Robison told the commission that since county employees [...]

Builder seeks fee waiver as costs soar

info2021-05-19T07:19:03-05:00May 18th, 2021|

Local contractor Brandon Jellings wants more incentives from the City of Arkansas City to build a housing project that has struggled to get off the ground. He met with city commissioners during a Friday work session and asked that the city waive several required permits and reduce utility connection fees. Jellings Construction is building 54 duplex-style housing units in the Compass Point Addition in northwest Ark City. The original developer planned single-family homes. Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Report: Reno Co. fire districts need big overhaul

info2021-05-18T07:15:25-05:00May 18th, 2021|

After a year of analysis, significant change may be coming to rural fire districts in Reno County. What form it takes and how quickly changes might occur is far from clear. For the last 35 years, county commissioners have tried unsuccessfully to address the needs of rural fire districts across Reno County. The overwhelming theme - shown in a comprehensive report - is that central management by a professional fire chief could solve many of the pressing issues each station faces. Existing fire chiefs could manage the specific needs of individual districts while rolling out uniform policies and training. Source: Hutch [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for May 17, 2021

info2021-05-18T07:10:59-05:00May 18th, 2021|

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.

Flooding in Natoma Kansas hits in a flash early Sunday

info2021-05-18T07:11:07-05:00May 17th, 2021|

Natoma is a small town where neighbors help neighbors. When flooding hit early Sunday residents scrambled to help each other. "The elderly didn't have a chance," said Jeremy Makings. Makings rushed to help when he knew he couldn't reach his wife's grandmother. "I couldn't get there," said Makings. "The younger people just barely got out with their vehicles starting to float. So I stopped in town and got in a boat and started going house to house." Makings used a very heavy "front loader" to also help get some people out. Source: KSN-TV

Fed’s Bostic says there’s no reason to change policy despite inflation fears

info2021-05-18T07:04:36-05:00May 17th, 2021|

Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic told CNBC on Monday that he's comfortable with the central bank's ultra-loose policy even as inflation gains steam in the U.S. economy. "We are still 8 million jobs short of where we were pre-pandemic," Bostic told CNBC ... Currently, the Fed is keeping short-term benchmark borrowing rates anchored near zero and is buying at least $120 billion of bonds each month. That has come even as the Consumer Price Index lurched up 4.2% in April, well above Wall Street's expectations, and as Bostic's own Atlanta Fed GDPNow tracker is putting second-quarter growth at 10.5%. However, [...]

Lucas ranks among best small-town art scenes in nation

info2021-05-18T07:05:16-05:00May 17th, 2021|

National polling sponsored by USA Today Readers’ Choice 2021 has named Lucas as the fourth-best small-town arts scene in the nation. Voting took place in April and top winners were revealed early in May. The small town, with a population of 400, is the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas. It showcases the ingenuity of self-taught artists. Among all the opportunities to see and learn about art made by hundreds of Kansas and nationally based individuals is the Grassroots Art Center, celebrating its 25th year in 2021. Source: KSN-TV

‘It’s just unreal’: Salina family picks up home after flash flood hits

info2021-05-18T07:05:23-05:00May 17th, 2021|

In Saline County, some families had a rough wake-up call Sunday as flash floods entered their neighborhoods. Tyler Pfeifer was in the middle of a camping trip when they got a phone call early Sunday from the Saline County Dispatch saying their home was hit. "They were like, 'Yeah, are you at your house? No? Well, it's almost completely underwater right now,'" said Pfeifer. Pfeifer and his family rushed home. The water was gone, but its mark fully visible. Source: KSNT News

New app to give better experience at Topeka park

info2021-05-18T07:05:31-05:00May 17th, 2021|

Shawnee County Parks and Recreation is making your experience at a local park even better with a new app. The department partnered with "Otocast" and launched the app for Ward Meade Park a few weeks ago. The app shows 19 points of interest throughout the Old Prairie Town and botanical garden. Employees are at the park from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but if you come out in the late evening and the buildings are closed and you missed the tour, you can still hear the stories on your own time and get a first-person narrative of what life was like [...]