News

Water was released Monday morning from the Cedar Bluff Reservoir to aid Russell and Hays, which face drought conditions that city leaders expect to worsen. Leaders from both cities said this is only a band-aid, not a long-term solution. Source: KSN-TV

Crews were in Iola Thursday to begin restoration work on the old Iola movie theater. Work will include a new marquee and replacing windows and doors.... The historic theater, built in 1931, is being restored through efforts of the Iola Theatre Association, Inc., a local nonprofit. Funding includes $3.2 million through the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The group also has raised $1 million through private donations and two grants. Source: The Iola Register

The City of Lawrence is tightening requirements for people to receive homelessness services, and people who previously lived in town, relocated elsewhere and returned are now “considered non-residents” until they’ve established housing. Source: The Lawrence Times

AT&T was fined $60,000 by the Kansas Corporation Commission for 60 violations in a 30-day span of the Kansas Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act. That state law and KCC regulations require AT&T to timely locate underground lines, like when a homeowner or contractor calls 811 before digging. Source: CJonline

Hundreds of cyclists from across the Four-State area and beyond took over the streets and gravel roads of Crawford and Cherokee County on Saturday with the return of “Coal Miner’s Gravel.” Source: - Latest Stories

Action from the Texas legislature threatens to derail a long-awaited rail expansion project that would make Newton a hub for Amtrak. The Texas Legislature removed $2.6 million in funding to operate its Heartland Flyer Route. The $337 billion budget is not finalized, and subject to approval of a conference committee of the state’s legislature. Source: Harvey County Now

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Less than a year ago, the Federal Reserve took decisive action to bolster the U.S. economy. With inflation easing and the labor market starting to soften, the central bank opted to go big, lowering interest rates by half a percentage point and signaling further cuts to come. Rather than a panicky response to a crisis situation, the decision amounted to the Fed taking out some insurance to protect the labor market from weakening too much. In a barrage of attacks on the central bank recently, President Trump called on Jerome H. Powell, the chair, to lower borrowing costs in a similar [...]

Rob Steinmetz, a longtime resident of the Moody Hills neighborhood in northern Overland Park, isn’t so sure why the “beautiful” and mature oak tree in front of his yard had to be ripped out. Dozens of other mature trees have also recently met the same fate across the Moody Hills neighborhood. The street, once shaded with towering trees, is now lined with stump after stump. It’s all part of a street reconstruction project that will also completely overhaul other infrastructure in the Moody Hills neighborhood. The project is just one of several planned over the next decade or so that seek [...]

Plans are quickly moving forward to redevelop a decommissioned power plant in northeast Kansas City, Kansas, as a data center. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, on Thursday approved an option purchase agreement with Houston-based PowerTransitions for the sale of the Quindaro power station. Source: Kansas City Business News - Local Kansas City News | Kansas City Business Journal