News – Page 671 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Oberlin, Hugoton to vote on school bond issues Tuesday

info2023-08-28T10:53:02-05:00August 28th, 2023|

Voters in two Kansas school districts will head to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 29, to decide whether to support school improvements in their towns. Residents in USD 294 Oberlin will vote on a $29.15 million issue to replace a 96-year-old elementary school and update the 84-year-old Decatur County Junior and Senior High School with additions and renovations that would also house the grade school. The district said the bond would be financed over 30 years. Hugoton USD 210 will vote on $35.6 million in school improvements on Tuesday. The high school would see classroom renovations, security improvements and a new [...]

K-State local foods program to offer fellowships for Kansas communities

info2023-08-28T10:51:32-05:00August 28th, 2023|

A Kansas State University program that aims to improve the health of Kansans by increasing access to locally grown foods is giving the effort a big boost this fall. Over the next two years, the K-State Research and Extension Local Food Systems team will offer 34 paid fellowships to Kansas communities interested in helping to build the state’s local food network. Program coordinator Amanda Lindahl said the 320-hour paid positions not only provide jobs for local residents, but also dedicated time and energy for a local foods system project. “We hope that this elevates the capacity of the system, facilitating access to [...]

Marysville city administrator takes Mulvane job

info2023-08-28T12:03:27-05:00August 28th, 2023|

Marysville City Administrator Austin St. John has accepted a new position as Mulvane city administrator effective Oct. 6. Mulvane’s city council voted to hire St. John on Monday, said Marysville Mayor Jason Barnes. “I’m sad to see him go,” Barnes said Friday. “From what I understand it’s more money and he and his wife have family in that part of the state.” St. John was hired in 2016... Source: The Marysville Advocate

‘Getting myself back’: Allen County Drug Court changes lives

info2023-08-28T10:48:51-05:00August 28th, 2023|

Four graduates of the Drug Court program shared powerful stories about addiction and recovery. One woman credited the program with saving her life. Their stories were markedly different in many aspects, but with similar themes. The four most recent graduates of Allen County Drug Court — an intense, supervised recovery program drug offenders can complete as a means to escape a life of addiction — shared stories at a ceremony Thursday. Graduates Ashten Wilson, Amanda Sharp, Jacob Bancroft and Tabitha Valentine each described, in varying tones, how tough circumstances in their younger years eventually led to drug addiction and eventually legal woes. Each shared the [...]

SEED grants available for rural quality-of-life initiatives

info2023-08-28T10:45:26-05:00August 28th, 2023|

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced on Tuesday that $275,000 will be available through a second round of Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grants. The SEED program supports economic development and revitalization efforts in smaller counties across Kansas through investments in quality-of-life initiatives. “SEED grants help improve community appeal and have already been game-changing for more than 60 cities across the state,” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland. “The Kelly Administration is committed to developing community assets and investing in new opportunities that will support growth in rural areas throughout Kansas.” The grants will be [...]

Rural communities face attorney shortage

info2023-08-28T10:44:20-05:00August 28th, 2023|

The Kansas Rural Justice Initiative Committee visited Great Bend and held a public meet-in-greet Thursday evening at Dry Lake Brewing in advance of the committee’s business meeting Friday at the Holiday Inn Express. At the community welcome, residents of Great Bend and the surrounding area were invited to meet committee members, learn about the committee’s work, and share their thoughts, said Lisa Taylor, public information director with the Office of Judicial Administration. “Rural justice. We can’t just sit in Topeka and talk about rural justice,” said Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall, who chairs the committee. He and committee members present Thursday night [...]

Supreme Court to conduct special evening session in Dodge City

info2023-08-28T10:43:12-05:00August 28th, 2023|

The Kansas Supreme Court will conduct a special evening session Tuesday, Nov. 14, in Dodge City as part of its ongoing outreach to familiarize Kansans with the court, its work, and the overall role of the Kansas judiciary. The court will be in session from 6:30 p.m. to about 8 p.m. at Dodge City High School, 2201 W. Ross Blvd. It will be the Supreme Court’s first time to hold a docket in Dodge City in the court’s 162-year history. The public is invited to attend the special session to observe the court as it hears oral arguments in two cases to [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for August 25, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-08-28T07:50:11-05:00August 28th, 2023|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. 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.

Fed Chair Powell calls inflation ‘too high’ and warns that ‘we are prepared to raise rates further’

info2023-08-25T09:41:57-05:00August 25th, 2023|

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday called for more vigilance in the fight against inflation, warning that additional interest rate increases could be yet to come. While acknowledging that progress has been made, the central bank leader said inflation is still above where policymakers feel comfortable. He noted that the Fed will remain flexible as it contemplates further moves, but gave little indication that it's ready to start easing up anytime soon. "Although inflation has moved down from its peak — a welcome development — it remains too high," Powell said in prepared remarks for his keynote address at the [...]

Protect Rural JoCo LLC vs. City of Edgerton (Kansas Court of Appeals opinion): Standing to challenge annexation

info2023-08-25T09:38:27-05:00August 25th, 2023|

Synopsis of the Court: Protect Rural JoCo LLC (and others) appeal the district court's dismissal of their petition challenging two annexation ordinances passed by the City of Edgerton. The individual appellants own properties around but not within the annexed area. They allege that the City violated K.S.A. 12-520(g), which precludes cities from annexing a narrow corridor of land to enhance future annexations of land. But the City successfully moved to dismiss Appellants' claim for lack of statutory standing. Finding no error, we affirm. Source: Kansas Court of Appeals