Investors are heading into this year still eager for municipal bonds after a 2019 buying binge supercharged returns. High-income households looking for tax relief drove record inflows into muni-bond mutual funds last year, with the S&P Municipal Bond Index up 7.26% during the 12 months ended Dec. 31. Some analysts project that muni-bond mutual funds will continue that growth in 2020. ... In addition to investor demand, a lack of issuance from cities and states has also driven up prices. Following a decade of tight government budgets and new limitations on borrowing, tax-exempt debt outstanding fell slightly in the roughly $4 [...]

For some of us, boosting Lawrence’s music scene — especially this time of year — involves looking for our symphonic version of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” But these days, some local music leaders are looking to make even more noise than that. I had a chance to sit down with two of the larger music promoters in Lawrence recently, and it became clear that they hope to start a conversation about more public funding for live music in Lawrence. “Let’s think about what we can do if we had $100,000,” said Josh Hunt, co-owner of Lawrence-based Mammoth Live, [...]

A new court focused on helping people overcome substance abuse is set to begin operating this week. Douglas County will launch its drug court on Thursday by taking referrals for the program, county officials told the Journal-World on Monday. Shannon Bruegge, who will serve as the drug court’s probation officer, said she was excited to get to work to help local residents. “It’s been the most rewarding for me to see entire families or an individual’s life change,” said Bruegge, who has worked in community corrections for about 25 years. “We hope to help a lot of folks find a different [...]