News – Page 1864 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Newton named ‘Tree City of the World’

info2020-02-12T06:53:39-06:00February 11th, 2020|

After being named a Tree City USA city for 44 consecutive years, one might think being honored by the Arbor Day Foundation would be old hat for the city of Newton. “We take great pride in this,” said Hondo Collins, superintendent of the Newton Parks Department. “We want to show a commitment to the urban forest. Kansas is not known for its trees, but everyone benefits from trees. “The past couple of years we have been planting more trees because we have come out of a drought. I would encourage others to plant more as well. We lost a lot of [...]

Wichita veterans organization hopes for support from city council

info2020-02-11T17:44:07-06:00February 11th, 2020|

A group that helps homeless veterans is organizing support for a big project. "I don't think a lot of people are aware of what we have to offer," Jennifer Garrison, Founder and CEO of Passageways tells us. For almost six years, Passageways has provided shelter and resources for homeless veterans in Wichita. But it's outgrowing its space. Now, Garrison and others are spearheading a new project. Homefront Veteran Neighborhood is being developed in South Wichita, at 235 and Meridian. (Read more: KAKE - News)

Wichita city council approves changes for stadium improvement district

info2020-02-12T06:54:24-06:00February 11th, 2020|

Wichita city council members have voted unanimously to change the boundaries for the improvement district that includes the new baseball stadium under construction. A Community Improvement District was created for the west bank of the Arkansas River, and the district will have a two percent sales tax for businesses within the district. The revenue would be used to help with the stadium project, as well as parking, utilities and other improvements to the area. The boundaries of the CID were expanded to include a couple of areas north of the stadium where a group called Riverfront Partners LLC will be working [...]

Kansas House weighs restrictions on school districts’ handling of at-risk aid

info2020-02-11T17:38:49-06:00February 11th, 2020|

A conservative think tank sought support for a Kansas House bill Monday requiring public school districts to prove state aid earmarked for at-risk students was spent on authorized academic programs and to compel each district to report on student academic progress in relation to each initiative. Former House Speaker Mike O’Neal, speaking on behalf of Kansas Policy Institute, said new state spending for K-12 students thought to be in jeopardy of failure was being diverted by school districts to general operating budgets rather than targeted at designated students. He told the House Education Committee that House Bill 2540 would better hold [...]

Business corridor to get $284K of Hays city sales tax

info2020-02-12T06:55:11-06:00February 11th, 2020|

The city of Hays will turn over more than $284,000 in excess sales tax to Ellis County for the county’s $10.8 million Northwest Business Corridor project. Ellis County is facing a shortage of $2.12 million to pay for the project, which will improve three heavily traveled county roads in a busy industrial area northwest of town. The county has a $6.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to pay for most of the project. The corridor project is a 55 mph bypass around Hays for north-south US-183 highway, considered key to a planned $40 million private travel plaza development for [...]

County commissioner’s trip leads to push for travel policy

info2020-02-11T16:29:09-06:00February 11th, 2020|

After county commissioner, Lacey Cruse took a trip to Ghana partially paid for with taxpayer funds, some commissioners including Cruse, are looking at the idea to create a travel policy. Right now, there is no policy in Sedgwick County for trips taken by county commissioners. A commissioner does not have to disclose details about his or her trip to other commissioners or even get their approval. According to Cruse, all the commissioners, as well as some city council members and Wichita’s mayor were invited to Africa on the trip. The invitation came from Queen Mother Nana Aplam II who visited Wichita [...]

Treasury yields tilt lower as coronavirus stays in focus

info2020-02-11T06:26:07-06:00February 11th, 2020|

The lack of movement in both stocks and bonds comes as investors look to gain visibility on how the coronavirus could upend manufacturing in China, and spill over into the broader global economy. Though workers across the nation are supposed to start returning back to factories from Monday after the Lunar New Year holiday were extended, efforts to stanch the spread of the pathogen has led some businesses to stay shut. (Read more: MarketWatch.com)

Municipal Bond Trends for February 10, 2020

info2020-04-16T08:06:40-05:00February 11th, 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 Advisors.

Lawrence leaders suggest new ideas for handling sidewalk repairs

info2020-02-11T06:10:34-06:00February 11th, 2020|

City leaders have a couple of new ideas when it comes to the contentious topic of sidewalk repair, including the creation of a sidewalk insurance program and a gradual city takeover of maintenance responsibilities. The city adopted a policy in 2018 to administer its sidewalk repair ordinance, which had been on the books for decades but had not been strongly enforced. The ordinance requires all property owners — businesses, landlords and homeowners — to pay to repair the sidewalks running along their properties. Under the policy, certain homeowners qualify for financial assistance from the city. Many homeowners spoke out against the [...]

Bill would allow public schools in Kansas to pay for college tuition

info2020-02-10T18:26:11-06:00February 10th, 2020|

Terrell Davis pictures a future where students currently at risk of falling through cracks instead walk across a graduation stage with both a high school diploma and 60 hours of college credit. Davis, executive director of public affairs for Wichita Public Schools, said the launch this year of the district’s Early College Academy will change the trajectory of 50 students. These students may come from low-income families, and current state law blocks public schools from paying for higher education classes. Davis said the district is raising funds to help offset tuition costs, but he encouraged members of a Senate panel on [...]