Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Sedgwick County commissioners approve hazard pay for first responders

On Wednesday, the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners approved hazard pay for first responders and support personnel amid the COVID-19 crisis.
County Manager Tom Stolz said first responders will receive a bonus of $200 for the next two pay periods. This includes law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS crews, corrections workers, van drivers for aging transportation services, and others.
Another tier of employees who provide critical services, but don’t have in-person interaction with the public, will receive $100. These are 911 employees, emergency management staff, cooks in corrections facilities, and administrative staff in the sheriff’s office and the health department.
(Read more: KWCH News)

Sedgwick County sends out notices to businesses not complying with stay-at-home order

With its stay-at-home order in effect for at least a couple more weeks, Sedgwick County begins sending out letters to non-essential businesses that break the order by staying open.
With the order, Sedgwick County lists 26 categories of businesses that are deemed “essential” and can remain open during the stay-at-home order. With several complaints about order violations and questions about whether some businesses were “essential,” the county last week launched a stay-at-home order reporting page.
Going a step farther, the Sedgwick County Health Department has, so far, sent notices to 34 businesses failing to comply. Most are gyms and fitness centers. There are also salons and pet-service businesses included.
(Read more: KWCH News)

City of Fort Scott declares local state of emergency

The doors of Fort Scott city hall were open to city commissioners and only a few city staff for a live-streamed meeting. By the end of Tuesday evening’s, session, the City of Fort Scott had implemented two new policies to aid the city in its fight against COVID-19.
The first is Resolution No. 9-2020: a local state of emergency. Although Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has already issued a stay-at-home order, declaring this resolution will help speed up the scheduling process for commission meetings. Normally, the city is required to give a 24-hour public notice if a meeting will be held, but this order drops that time down to 30 minutes.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)

Sedgwick County rejects proposal to help hospital weather coronavirus setback

On a split vote, Sedgwick County on Wednesday turned down a request by a new hospital in Derby seeking help to get through the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Rock Regional Hospital had asked the commission to act as guarantor of a $2 million loan as it struggles with financial difficulties. The hospital, which opened fully in August, is seeking a similar $1 million loan guarantee from the city of Derby.
The move to deny the request was led by Commissioner David Dennis, who said it would put the county at risk of having to lay off hundreds of employees.
(Read more: Local News |)

Sedgwick County expanding coronavirus COVID-19 testing, supply shortage still problem

After weeks of limiting coronavirus testing to a relative handful of people per day, Sedgwick County is about to ramp up the effort, the county health director said Wednesday.
Adrienne Byrne told county commissioners that the Health Department has contracted with a private-sector lab and should be able to increase its tests to about 50 a day.
That’s more than twice to three times as many as the 15-20 people a day the county has been testing since the pandemic began.
(Read more: Local News |)

Hillsboro declares COVID-19 emergency

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

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

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

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 Amendment. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, whose office successfully argued the case last fall, announced the decision in a news release.
(Read more: Local News |)

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

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
Contact information

The county says all of the information will be kept confidential by JCDHE and will only be used to conduct an analysis on community spread of the virus.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Municipal bond primary market awakens as interest rates continue to fall

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 15 basis points above AAA benchmarks.
Several other new issues came to market with yields that fell mostly in line with their credit profiles relative to benchmarks. Citi took indications of interest on Texas Public Finance Authority’s (Aaa/AAA/NR/NR) $472.705 million of Series 2020 taxable general obligation and refunding bonds.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Municipal Bond Trends for April 7, 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

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, thus terminating the lunch distribution program the district had in place. The message provided a list of sites where food is made available, most of them charitable organizations.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

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

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

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 spread of COVID-19 disease.
(Read more: Local News |)

Spirit AeroSystems plans massive furloughs, shortened work weeks

Thousands of Spirit AeroSystems employees in Wichita are being furloughed without pay for three weeks, according to a company email obtained by The Wichita Eagle.
Managers and hourly employees at Spirit, Wichita’s largest employer, who are directly associated with production work on a Boeing commercial program — the bulk of the company’s operations — will be placed on 21-day unpaid leave starting Wednesday.
The temporary layoffs apply to Spirit employees on the Boeing lines in Wichita and San Antonio.
(Read more: Local News |)

Riverfront Stadium might not see baseball in 2020. What’s the economic impact of that?

Tickets for the first Wind Surge game at Riverfront Stadium sold out in 44 minutes.
But the new, $75 million stadium is likely to sit empty for most of its inaugural season as the coronavirus pandemic shutters virtually all large gatherings in the country until further notice.
The longer the stadium sits empty, the more likely the city is to miss its projections on the ballpark.
The Wind Surge, the Miami Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate that relocated from New Orleans, was scheduled to start play at Riverfront Stadium on April 14 and start paying the city a management fee the next day.
(Read more: Local News |)

Allen County Sheriff’s Office conducts porch pick-ups for drug disposal

With more spare time on your hands, now may be a good time to clean out your medicine cabinet.
The Allen County Sheriff’s Office is doing porch pick-ups for drug disposal.
In the first three months of 2020, Allen County deputies say they have helped dispose of 51 pounds of medication.
It’s quick and easy and you can remain anonymous.
You can either drop your items off by placing them in a secure box in the Allen County Sheriff’s Office lobby, or you can give them a call and a deputy will personally pick up the items from your porch.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)

Sedg. Co. Zoo implements changes after NYC tiger tests positive for COVID-19

The Sedgwick County Zoo is making changes after a Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19. That tiger is believed to have contracted the disease from an asymptomatic keeper.
The zoo says this is the first time there is evidence of COVID-19 being transmitted from humans to animals.
Out of an abundance of caution, SCZ says it had already implemented additional protective measures for keepers in great ape areas, due to their close relation to humans. The zoo says there are no indications of a great ape contracting the disease at all.
In light of the COVID-19 case at the Bronx Zoo, the Sedgwick County Zoo is implementing the same precautionary measures in areas with big cats as well.
(Read more: KWCH News)

Lenexa Farmers Market delays opening due to COVID-19 pandemic

Lenexa city staff has postponed the Lenexa Farmers Market’s outdoor season, originally set to open Saturday, April 25.
“Providing access to fresh, local food is very important to this community,” staff wrote in its announcement March 31. “But our top priority right now is to ensure the safety and health of our vendors, shoppers and staff as we deal with COVID-19.”
Lenexa is discouraging formal public gatherings whenever possible, and is continuing to monitor the situation with the intent of opening the outdoor market when it is safe to do so.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Reno County health department receives dozens of COVID-19 self-reporting responses

Since Reno County rolled out its COVID-19 self-reporting form late Sunday night on the health department and Emergency Management websites and Facebook pages, they’ve received more than 50 responses.
Of those, said Health Department Director Nick Baldetti, about 30 included contact information that will allow health department staff to seek additional information on those cases and try to determine if they are indeed likely COVID-19 cases.
“We plan to continue to push it (the form) out on social media,” Baldetti said. “The form asks, if you previously showed symptoms of COVID-19 or are beginning to have symptoms but haven’t been tested, you can fill out the report. It’s confidential and voluntary.”
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Johnson County gets first shipment of COVID-19 kits. Here’s who’s eligible for a test

Johnson County is receiving its first shipment of new coronavirus test kits this week — as the county begins to roll out a $400,000 program aimed at better collecting data on the outbreak.
Sanmi Areola, public health director, said the goal is to test about 4,000 randomly selected residents — with or without symptoms — to analyze how the virus is spreading throughout the community. But with a shortage of test kits, and only 700 swabs available in the first shipment, Areola said the county will test only high-risk residents, for now.
The kits — including 500 from Quest Diagnostics and 200 from the state health department — will be used to test health care workers, grocery store employees, first responders and nursing home residents, he said.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Wichita farmers market deemed ‘essential business,’ opens Saturday with extra precautions

Farmers market season has arrived in Wichita, and one of the city’s two popular annual markets is set to open on Saturday.
But making the call about whether to go ahead with opening day in in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t easy, said Tricia Holmes, the president of the Kansas Grown Farmers Market Board, and the market will be taking extra measures to try to keep people safe.
(Read more: Local News |)

Officials reflect on Shawnee County’s coronavirus response, discuss what future may hold

Life and the way we respond to national and local emergencies will be different after the coronavirus pandemic passes — at least Shawnee County officials hope so.
In a virtual meeting Tuesday morning, Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Department director Linda Ochs, and Shawnee County emergency management director Dusty Nichols reflected on the county’s coronavirus response thus far and shared their hopes for the future.
“I think we were, for a while, not sure where we were going, but it became really clear what we needed to do,” Nichols said.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Gov. Laura Kelly extends crowd limits to churches, funerals

Gov. Laura Kelly announced Tuesday she was imposing crowd limits on religious gatherings in advance of Easter Sunday, forcing churches to keep attendance below 10 to help avoid the dangerous risk of spreading COVID-19 among worshippers.
The new executive order, effective Wednesday, also applies to funerals. A previous order banning public gatherings of more than 10 individuals had exempted religious gatherings and funerals.
Taking action during Holy Week, the governor said, “brings me the greatest sadness” of all of the unprecedented executive orders she has signed in response to COVID-19.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

After many complaints and COVID-19 concerns, Overland Park postpones farmers market

After receiving several complaints from residents concerned about further spread of the novel coronavirus, the city of Overland Park announced Tuesday it will postpone its farmers market.
The city was planning to open the market for the season on Saturday, even as other Johnson County cities decided to postpone their own markets. Like grocery stores, farmers markets are considered essential operations under the metrowide stay at home order.
“Despite the efforts we’ve gone through with the safety and health protocols, we still heard from people who were concerned about the health of the public and vendors,” said city spokesman Sean Reilly. “So we heard them, listened to them and decided we would go ahead and close it.”
(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Confusion reigns on the Fed and long-term muni purchases

Municipal market participants are confused, to say the least, about the Federal Reserve and its ability to buy long-term municipal securities. And there’s a good reason for the puzzlement.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorizes the Fed to purchase munis through a $454 billion Economic Stabilization Fund, and $150 billion is earmarked for direct federal aid to states and municipalities.
But, the language in the CARES Act is subject to interpretation, and can be misleading.
…
Steven Skancke, chief economic advisor at Keel Point, isn’t convinced the law allows the Fed to buy longer-term munis.
The Fed, he said, believes “its mandate is limited to assuring liquidity on all debt markets.” And if the Fed thought the municipal bond market needed to be propped up, “it probably could find a way,” but for now the market seems to be functioning well.
Congress would need to be more “explicit” in authorizing the Fed to step into buying or supporting longer-dated munis beyond six-month maturities.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Municipal bond rates fall again on Fed hopes, potential coronavirus plateau

The municipal market again saw yields fall across the curve, dropping as much as eight basis points on the short end Monday and up to 15 on the long end.
The market is anticipating the Federal Reserve to step in as a buyer of last resort for munis, though how much, which credits, and what durations are still cloudy.
The Fed has already begun to buy variable rate demand obligations and has helped the short end of the market recover after massive mid-March losses of at least 2%.
“The overall dynamic of the market has been helped by the opening of the Federal Reserve’s Money Market Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility, which opened on March 23 and as of Wednesday, April 1, had lent out $52.67 billion,” said Patrick Luby, senior municipal strategist at CreditSights.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Municipal Bond Trends for April 6, 2020

Reno County releases ’self-reporting’ form for residents who suspect COVID-19

With its second case of suspected community transmission of the COVID-19 virus in Reno County, yet no expected immediate increase in ability to locally test people, the Reno County Health Department has released a new form asking people to self- report if they believe they may have the disease.
“Community transmission” means the individual contracted the disease from an unknown source while out in the community, indicating it is more widespread than test-confirmed cases might indicate, which health officials have long suspected.
All the other cases in the county before those two were related to travel to places that had outbreaks or to known direct contact with someone else who was a confirmed case.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Siemens Gamesa to furlough 200 in Hutchinson

Siemens Gamesa confirmed Monday that employees at both its Hutchinson and Ford Madison, Iowa, plants will be furloughed for three or four weeks.
The company cited issues with its international supply chain.
Employees were informed Monday, according to a statement from the company, though it didn’t indicate when the furloughs would begin.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Playing by the rules: Self-monitoring, strict guidelines keep golf courses open

Golf has long had the moniker of being a “Gentleman’s Game.”
The terminology more than likely began in reference to the gender of those playing the sport. But over the years, it’s come to define the etiquette and self-policing — or self-monitoring — that take place in a sport where there are no referees or umpires watching every move.
Now more than ever, those who play the sport know that adhering to guidelines laid out by courses nationwide allowing them to stay open for play during the COVID-19 pandemic is of utmost importance.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Social distancing map rates most SW Kansas counties at a D or lower

A map released by Unacast rates how well states and counties are at social distancing. The information is gathered by tracking the GPS on phones, but for those in Southwest Kansas, this may not be the grade deserved.
In Southwest Kansas, many may be practicing social distancing but it’s also a hub for Agriculture.
“There still seems to be a lot of activity in rural America particularly in the midwest but there’s a reason because farming and ranching can not stop, especially this time of year,” said KSN Agriculture Correspondent John Jenkinson.
This map from Unacast shows how well the state is at social distancing, many counties in the Southwest, getting a D or lower.
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Miss out on SBA loan program? You have other options

Not everyone is going to be able to get a relief loan from the Small Business Administration. But don’t worry, plenty of other options remain.
Dan Friederich, managing director of CBIZ MHM LLC in Kansas City, said businesses instead can take advantage of tax credits.
A biggie to pay attention to is the employee retention credit, which is available only if you don’t accept a relief loan from the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Friederich said.
(Read more: Kansas City Business Journal – The Business Journals)

Gov. Laura Kelly warns of shortage of medical supplies as FEMA fails to fulfill requests

Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday the state’s health care providers are nearing a critical shortage of personal protective equipment, and her seven requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for additional supplies have gone unanswered.
Additionally, the governor said, the state received just 90% of its allotment of PPE from the Strategic National Stockpile, which was divided among states based on figures from the 2010 U.S. census.
The state is left scrambling to secure millions of masks, gloves, gowns and other supplies at inflated prices from from private markets, Kelly said, and may not have enough to meet demand as the number of COVID-19 cases surge in Kansas as projected over the next three weeks.
(Read more: Lifestyle – The Garden City Telegram)

Insurance Commissioner warns Kansans of potential scams

Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, today, put out a warning to Kansas consumers and investors about potential scams in the insurance and securities industry related to COVID-19.
“Scammers don’t take breaks,” Commissioner Vicki Schmidt said. “While Kansans are adjusting to their new everyday lives, scammers are out there looking to take advantage of the situation.”
The department’s warning can be found on the home page of the Kansas Insurance Department’s website insurance.kansas.gov. It advises Kansans of nearly a dozen fake insurance scams and potential securities schemes including fake coronavirus insurance, bogus travel insurance, off-market securities and get-rich quick schemes.
(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Manhattan city pools likely won’t open in time for Memorial Day

The Northview Park Swimming Pool as seen Monday, may look a lot like this when the Memorial Day holiday weekend rolls in next month. Parks & Rec officials aren’t anticipating city pools to open on time for the annual kick off to summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manhattan parks remain open during the pandemic, but not to the extent they normally would be.
Playgrounds are fenced off to thwart of the spread of germs, social gatherings of more than 10 people are discouraged and spring activities are on hold.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Amid coronavirus, investors need to understand credit quality now

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives and our financial markets. It is hard to assess the long-term effect of the virus, but it is clear the short-term and mid-term effects on the markets are and will be significant. This is especially true in the tax-exempt market. From traditional municipal bonds to conduit financing issued by municipal authorities, the impact will be vast.
As state and local governments continue to enact measures to control the spread of COVID-19, obligors of tax-exempt financing are likely to continue to see a significant drop in revenues. Because of this, revenue bonds may see a deterioration in credit quality. While some types of revenue bonds may be less adversely affected than other types of revenue bonds, the entire market could see significant stress as the pandemic continues.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Money Direct to Residents: Making Sense of CARES Act Payments

The federal government will be sending money directly to people as part of the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act. Local leaders can take action now to make sure their residents keep more of those dollars in their pockets that can be spent in the local economy.
The funds being made available to individuals is an advance on their tax refunds for 2021. Those that earned less than $75,000 in 2019 will be eligible for the full $1,200. Couples who filed jointly and earned less than $150,000 will get $2,400. An additional $500 per child will also be provided. If a person earned more than the limits their payment will be reduced by $5 for every $100 of income that exceeds the limit. The IRS will use the information on Form SSA-1099 or Form RBB-1099 to determine the eligibility of retired people for funds. As of now, the timeline for these funds getting out is a few weeks away via direct deposit for those who have filed their 2019 returns. For those who have not filed their taxes in the last two years, the IRS is creating a web-based portal where they can verify where they would like their funds sent. At this time, it is unclear if individuals whose tax refund went to a paid tax preparer in exchange for a rapid anticipation loan or those that had their tax refund sent to a prepaid debit card should verify their information on the IRS web-based portal.
The IRS has created a webpage that will be updated with information about the stimulus payment.
(Read more: CitiesSpeak)

Reno County establishes COVID-19 self-reporting form

The Reno County Health Department has released a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). As a result of Reno County’s last confirmed COVID-19 case coming from confirmed community transmission, the Health Department seeks to mobilize residents to self-report their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in quantifying and tracking case contact and spread within the county.
(Read more: Hutchinson, KS – News Flash)

New grading systems cause confusion among Kansas high schoolers

With school buildings closed and classes looking very different from what we’re all used to, many K-12 schools are changing their grading systems, too. But that’s creating a new sort of confusion, especially among high schoolers looking toward college.
“I mean it’s really kind of upsetting,” said Caleb Hicks, a Maize High School senior.
Hicks is the captain of his high school baseball tame, or was. He dreams of playing college ball next year.
Not only has the pandemic interrupted his senior year of play and made getting a scholarship harder, it’s made figuring out what grades he needs to remain eligible, a headache.
“I mean you work your whole…high school career to get to a college and then you’re given an option of pass or fail,” Caleb said. “But if you take the pass or fail, then you’re going to be given a D as a pass.”
(Read more: KAKE – News)

Lawrence outdoor pool will again provide a place to shower for those in need

Facilities at Lawrence’s downtown pool will be open twice this week in an effort to provide people in need a place to shower and hand-wash clothing.
The City of Lawrence’s Parks and Recreation Department will open the Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Kentucky St., on Tuesday and Thursday, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting, the city said over the weekend in a post on social media.
The city previously had showers open to the public at its recreation centers, but recreation facilities have been closed to the public because of health orders to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Despite lifting moratorium, Douglas County has not received any applications to subdivide land under new codes

Although Douglas County recently lifted a monthslong pause on processing requests to subdivide land in the rural parts of the county, residents have not yet taken advantage of it.
Tonya Voigt, the director of zoning for the county, said Friday that no applications have been submitted since a moratorium on processing the applications was lifted on March 22.
The lack of requests could be because of the county’s newly installed regulations on subdividing land, which include a new step in the process that allows the public to weigh in. But it could also be because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has stymied many aspects of life in Douglas County.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Municipal bond yields decline as market settles into sustained volatility

Municipal bond yields fell more than 15 basis points Friday, gaining back a portion of the pronounced losses from the past two sessions. The market is settling into what appears to be sustained volatility after more than a month of dramatic swings in yields.
In what used to be considered a normally functioning market, a 10 to 15 basis point cut or bump in one day in benchmarks would be considered quite drastic, but in the current context in which 50 basis-point daily moves have occurred, participants said benchmark weakness or strength to the tune of double digits feels almost steady.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)