info2021-02-05T08:24:59-06:00February 5th, 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.
info2021-02-05T08:07:59-06:00February 5th, 2021|
Like cities around the country, the far-reaching impacts of Covid-19 on Wichita's financial health have already been deep and costly, and those cuts are expected to linger for several years. With an ongoing hiring freeze, it's likely that City Hall will continue to have 300 or more vacant positions for a period of time. It will be a while before upgrades that were planned for some of the city's libraries, parks and sidewalks return to the budget. And the city isn't even feeling yet the worst of some lost revenues. The city's revenues have taken significant hits during the pandemic, but [...]
info2021-02-05T08:03:19-06:00February 5th, 2021|
Joey Bahr walks out to the front of his yard along a blacktop county road. He stops in a ditch and points to an orange-and-black sign that marks a buried fiberoptic cable. But for Bahr, the cable running beneath his feet is off-limits. It’s owned by a neighboring internet service provider and is merely passing through on its way to a nearby town. “It’s just maddening,” Bahr said. “We’re at the end of the line basically.” Bahr’s story illustrates just how out-of-reach broadband remains for tens of millions of people in rural America. Nearly 9% of Kansas households — roughly 130,000 [...]
info2021-02-05T08:09:04-06:00February 4th, 2021|
The United States Department of Energy has chosen Sumner County and the City of Wellington to be recipients of a $1.4 million grant testing the use of ceiling tiles in hopes of reducing the cost of cooling, heating and electric demand in six public buildings throughout town. The Sumner County Economic Development Office announced that it is partnering with Insolcorp LLC in North Carolina, the University of Kansas Center for Research Inc., and others testing how passive thermal energy storage in roof and ceiling tiles can reduce energy costs in buildings by 20 percent. ... The hope is once these tiles [...]
info2021-02-05T08:10:44-06:00February 4th, 2021|
Governor Laura Kelly today unveiled Kansas’ new, comprehensive economic development strategic plan, the first of its kind in more than 30 years. The Kansas Framework for Growth is an aggressive strategy to align our state’s strengths with emerging trends across the global economy, while guiding economic development at state and local levels into the future. “Our economic development progress over the past two years has been significant, but an effective strategy does more than focus on the here and now – we must plan for the future and set the stage for sustained growth and prosperity,” Governor Kelly said. “The Framework [...]
info2021-02-05T08:11:57-06:00February 4th, 2021|
The electrification of cars and small trucks is on the horizon, but the state of Kansas is doing the bare minimum to be prepared. A new state scorecard from the advocacy group the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranks the state 29th, with a score of 15.5 out of 100. Only five states scored at least half of the available points. “This means that all states can improve their policies,” said Bryan Howard, the scorecard’s lead author. He said the scorecard is intended to help identify promising policies related to EVs (electric vehicles) and EV-charging infrastructure. The rankings evaluated states [...]
info2021-02-05T08:12:18-06:00February 4th, 2021|
Downtown Pittsburg is getting four new murals this year with the help of local artist Jenna Spencer and the Pittsburg Downtown Advisory Board (DAB). The first mural design will begin in March as weather allows. Spencer is the artist responsible for the “Greetings from Pittsburg” postcard-style mural on the side of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce office, and a mural on the south side of the Frisco Event Center depicting the historic Frisco Train Depot, along with several others in the area. “I am very excited to take on four new murals this spring and summer,” says Spencer. Source: City [...]
info2021-02-05T08:12:47-06:00February 4th, 2021|
More than 100 miles away from Kansas City, a Kansas man says he's bringing Arrowhead to the small town of Sedgwick. “They know that I’m a diehard fan, and I have always have been. Even year-round, I’m wearing Chiefs gear,” Dennis Basye said. “I’ve been a fan for 50 years, and when they won that Super Bowl last year, I just love my Chiefs, I just started building from there and adding more.” This year, he purchased a 1965 Chiefs fire truck and painted a miniature Chiefs football field on his front lawn. Now, his yard decorations attract people from all [...]
info2021-02-05T08:13:30-06:00February 4th, 2021|
Economic development studies initiated last fall are starting to bear fruit, Great Bend Economic Development Inc. President Sara Hayden told the City Council Monday night. Their purpose was to arm local officials with up-to-date information in the competitive world of eco devo and business recruiting. “We are excited to get those done,” she said during her report to the council. “This is just another component, it’s another piece of the puzzle.” Even though e-commerce has gone from 11% of retail to 16% during the COVID-19 pandemic as more people shop from home, “brick and mortar is still very, very viable and [...]
info2021-02-05T08:15:53-06:00February 4th, 2021|
Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. announced Kansas will receive more than $1.6 million in federal cost sharing to support immediate staffing and supplies for the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) to help with costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. “From day one, our KDEM and National Guard troops have been on the front line of this pandemic and filling a variety of roles,” said Marshall. ... This funding, provided by FEMA, supports KDEM’s utilization of emergency staffing and sheltering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This cost-sharing goes toward increased staff capacity, lodging, meals and related supplies. Source: Great Bend Tribune
