info2020-04-16T08:06:24-05:00April 14th, 2020|
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.
info2020-04-14T08:11:23-05:00April 14th, 2020|
Local government has been shoved and shoved hard by the coronavirus outbreak. And yes, things are bad. But in one way, the pandemic is having a positive effect. It has pushed councils, boards and committees hard into the technology of the 21st Century. Elected officials, usually constrained by five-year plans, the bidding process and endless committee meetings, have been thrown headfirst into the world of virtual meeting apps. Suddenly, there’s not enough time for preliminary discussions and staff investigations. Officials are forced to just try them out. And — temporarily at least — government has become a bit easier to access [...]
info2020-04-14T07:58:19-05:00April 13th, 2020|
The Federal Reserve is helping revive the $3.9 trillion municipal bond market. ... as many as 200 new negotiated state and local debt offerings will price over the next few days, almost double the amount issued last week, fixed-income strategist Kevin Giddis said in a note to clients. That would mark a turnaround for a segment of the capital markets that had virtually shut down after concerns about the coronavirus prompted a series of steep sell-offs last month when investors pulled out their funds. The market has since been steadied, with the Federal Reserve last month moving to increase liquidity for money-market funds [...]
info2020-04-14T07:58:28-05:00April 13th, 2020|
Coaches at Wamego High are going above and beyond to keep their student-athletes in shape. With every squat, push up, and crunch, they get closer to their fitness goals, but how they’re continuing to establish a culture during a pandemic is equally impressive. Red Raider coaches are facing challenges like every other school in the nation, usually, they inspire in person. Now they need to do it from home. (Read more: KSNT News)
info2020-04-14T07:59:00-05:00April 13th, 2020|
Shawnee County leaders said Monday their employees don’t need to worry about taking a pay cut right now. County Commissioner Kevin Cook said the county’s emergency cash reserve has $33 million in it. He said the county started saving that money more than seven years ago in case of a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. “We are not looking at having that budget cut to our employees,” Cook said. “That does not say that we are not susceptible to economic downturns, but we do have a healthy cash reserve.” In some parts of the country, governments are pushing back property tax [...]
info2020-04-14T07:59:09-05:00April 13th, 2020|
While they were hoping not to see it, Ford County’s Health officer said Monday, the county experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases over the weekend. The county’s count jumped from two cases last Thursday to 13 by Sunday. Just under half the total, he believed, are related to workers at local beef packing plants. (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)
info2020-04-14T07:59:50-05:00April 13th, 2020|
Staff members in stores "should cover their faces with masks or scarfs at all times," Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino said in a letter sent Monday to Shawnee County retail establishments. The letter also outlines specific steps Pezzino is asking stores to take to maintain adequate social distancing. "We hope to address the uneven compliance regarding social gathering restrictions by strongly recommending and encouraging these measures," Pezzino said in a news release put out late Monday afternoon. "We trust that our county’s retail partners will do their part and adhere as best they can to the recommended measures set forth [...]
info2020-04-14T08:00:23-05:00April 13th, 2020|
Repetition is important when it comes to firefighter training. Fire crews may run through one scenario in which a building is on fire, then run through the same scenario but this time it is a house fire. The third round may be a high-rise fire. Making sure firefighters are prepared for any sort of situation is critical, and the repetitive nature of the work can be found in how many hours crews spending training each year. “It takes at least two hours of training every day they work to make their minimum total,” said Alan Stahl, public education officer for the [...]
info2020-04-14T08:00:43-05:00April 13th, 2020|
Like many other hospitals and EMS crews across the country, Holton Community Hospital and Jackson County EMS are doing their best to make do with what they have during the coronavirus pandemic. Being a smaller hospital, Holton Community Hospital has been faced with some challenges amid the outbreak, like limited access to supplies, having enough space and being able to treat those in need of intensive care. But, they’re finding ways to overcome them. “We’ve learned to think outside the box to come up with things we have on hand, buildings that we have and how can we utilize what we [...]
info2020-04-14T08:01:02-05:00April 13th, 2020|
Topeka librarians are on a mission to keep people reading, even though its doors are closed. You can now ask a librarian for recommendations on the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library’s social media sites. Every Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., they make a post asking people to share what books or shows they’ve been loving. They use those answers to suggest more options they think you might like. Miranda Ericsson, one of the employees who came up with the idea, said it’s been a great way for people to make connections online while staying at home. (Read more: KSNT [...]
