News – Page 1797 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hillsboro declares COVID-19 emergency

info2020-04-09T07:37:45-05:00April 8th, 2020|

Hillsboro city council members declared a state of emergency during their first online meeting Tuesday. The first 10 minutes of the meeting were spent ironing out minor technical issues. “This council meeting is unusual — it’s something we’ve never done before but it’s because of the COVID virus,” mayor Lou Thurston said. Council members passed an emergency declaration giving Thurston and city administrator Larry Paine authority to make decisions on behalf of the city without council members approving them first during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

USD 232 adding panic buttons, additional security features

info2020-04-09T07:38:02-05:00April 8th, 2020|

USD 232 is adding a duress/panic button that can be activated in case of intruder to key entrances at each of its school buildings this year. The project will also install electronically controlled magnetic locks and/or controlled spike plates on doors inside main offices and other key areas at 16 facilities within the district. Once installed the systems allow schools to activate emergency notifications and create additional barriers to help prevent or delay an intruder from entering the main area of each school. (Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Shawnee city leaders support green street design for future transportation infrastructure

info2020-04-09T07:38:25-05:00April 8th, 2020|

The city of Shawnee is planning to add a new classification of transportation infrastructure — called green streets. Green streets will “provide the amenities of a trail system and streetlights our residents desire, yet won’t include the infrastructure a higher density and higher traffic volume street requires,” according to city documents. This type of design would be utilized for unimproved streets where development is slated to occur and would allow future roads to be built to the level of current traffic volume. (Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Supreme Court sides with Kansas cops in revoked driver’s license case

info2020-04-08T08:23:55-05:00April 8th, 2020|

The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with Kansas cops in a traffic stop case, reversing a unanimous decision by the Kansas Supreme Court that a sheriff’s deputy’s actions were unconstitutional. The question was whether it is reasonable for a law enforcement officer to assume that the registered owner of a vehicle is also its driver, giving them enough suspicion to pull over a vehicle when they know its owner’s driver’s license has been revoked. The country’s high court ruled 8-1 on Monday that it is in fact reasonable and that a traffic stop under those circumstances does not violate the Fourth [...]

Johnson County fields population health survey, asks residents to share info on symptoms

info2020-04-08T08:23:33-05:00April 8th, 2020|

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment on Tuesday launched a population health survey on COVID-19 symptoms, part of an effort to gain a better understanding of how widespread infection rates here might be. The voluntary survey, which is available here, will be open through Friday, April 10 at 10 a.m. Participants will be “asked to do this same survey several more times in the next few weeks in order to compare results,” according to JCDHE. The survey asks residents to share information about: Whether they are experiencing possible symptoms of coronavirus infection Their age, sex, ethnicity and zip code [...]

Municipal bond primary market awakens as interest rates continue to fall

info2020-04-08T08:11:30-05:00April 8th, 2020|

Yields in the municipal market fell by as much as 10 basis points Tuesday as issuers begin to test the primary market with dealers opening up their balance sheets after weeks of inactivity. The Portland School District No. 1J, Multnomah County, Oregon, (Aa1/ AA+/NR/NR) hit the market with a sale that had been postponed from last week. It was the largest competitive deal seen in several weeks and sources said the deal was well spoken for. The 10-year yielded 1.59% but the largest tranche was $54 million in the one year, 5s of 2021, which were priced at 1.19%, just about [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for April 7, 2020

info2020-04-16T08:06:24-05:00April 8th, 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.

Topeka USD 501 ending meals program; mayor hopes to find solution soon

info2020-04-08T07:59:25-05:00April 7th, 2020|

After several weeks providing daily lunches to students at pick-up sites across the city, Topeka Unified School District 501 has announced it will end distribution of meals on Wednesday. Grab-and-go meals provided by USD 501 in response to the closure of schools because of COVID-19 were available at 13 spots around town, as well as at 25 bus stops. Meals typically included a carton of milk and juice and food for breakfast and lunch. A message distributed by the school district Monday evening said local food agencies and the school’s pantries would be the providers of food to students moving forward, [...]

City of Salina Police Department enacting Emergency Accident Reporting Plan (EARP)

info2020-04-08T08:04:10-05:00April 7th, 2020|

Due to the dramatic rise of amount of COVID-19 cases in Kansas in the past week, the Salina Police Department will be enacting the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan (EARP) on April 8, 2020 at 12:01 P.M. The spread of the virus is projected to worsen by the end of April to the first part of May, 2020. ... this plan is two-fold: Reduce our potential for exposure to COVID-19 for both our officers and citizens Allow other calls of a higher priority to be handled in a more expeditiously manner (Read more: Salina KS News)

Wichita OKs borrowing up to $1 million for coronavirus COVID-19 fight

info2020-04-08T08:04:21-05:00April 7th, 2020|

Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple on Tuesday proposed instituting paid maternity leave for employees as part of the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The mayor floated that idea during a budget workshop where the City Council was briefed on a pending city shortfall estimated in the $8- to $10 million range. Whipple said the city should consider establishing paid leave for new mothers now, because City Hall has asked its employees to donate their unused sick leave and vacation time to supplement the pay of 290 co-workers who are furloughed from their jobs during a statewide stay-home order to prevent the [...]