Kansas Municipal News
Old Olathe elm was taken down and new sculpture emerged as symbol of Kansas
A peaceful place is easy to find on a bench close to a sculpture in one Johnson County city. The Olathe Cemetery Memorial Tree, carved from a dormant elm, is a symbol of life past and present. The sculpture, which stands along a path in the cemetery, is a gift from the city’s public art program. Once among the most popular of American shade trees, the cemetery’s tree was killed by the spread of elm disease in 1960s and beyond. Thought to be 100 years old, it is no longer a tree of branches and green leaves. It now represents history and continuity of life in the home state of Kansas. Deep roots and images of butterflies, a heart and sunflowers are etched into wood.
Source: Joco 913 News
Mournful and hopeful, an emerging photo project portrays rural Kansas newspapers
Jeremiah Ariaz has traveled Kansas to visit and then photograph the offices of small-town newspapers: The Russell County News, Downs News & Times, The Winfield Daily Courier. A photography professor at Louisiana State University and a Kansas native, Ariaz brings a mixture of reverence and urgency to the project. His collection — still in progress — mixes portraits of the small-town journalists and print shop laborers with dusty still-life images of newspaper artifacts. Ariaz’s images situate the industry facing great challenges while hoping that the papers receive a vital lifeline. On Oct. 6, Ariaz visited the University of Kansas to show his images to my media photography class. He explained how vital rural newspapers are to our democracy. And he told the stories of editors who refuse to let their newspapers gather dust.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Prairie Village City Council votes down strategy for affordable housing
After a public outcry, the Prairie Village City Council has gone on record against putting duplexes, apartments and other multi-family developments in single-family residential areas as part of an affordable housing strategy. Signs had gone up around the city protesting recommendations from an ad hoc committee tasked with finding ways to diversify Prairie Village’s housing stock so more people can afford to live there. Council member Piper Reimer said residents are concerned that regulations might be changed “in a way that would allow the developer or builder to come in and potentially take down the house next door to you and put up some sort of multi-family unit.”
Source: KC Star Local News
Labette County to lose vital staffer
A longtime county employee is leaving for a new job in a neighboring county, 911 Director Brandy Scott reported to Labette County commissioners Wednesday. One of Scott’s supervisors — who has worked for 17 years for the county — gave her two weeks notice to Scott. This is a blow to the department, Scott indicated. The person, who was not named, got a job in Montgomery County. The job, Scott said, has better benefits and less responsibilities for the person.
Source: Parsons Sun
Olathe Fire Department adds extra staffers because of red flag warning
The Olathe Fire Department has increased their staffing because of a red flag warning thanks to the windy conditions in our area. A red flag warning means the weather conditions increase the risk of fire danger. “There’s plenty of stuff out there that can burn. A lot of people think we’re in the suburbs. we’re in these little cities, but these cities, butt up to undeveloped land that is full of things that can burn,” said Capt. Mike Hall, of Olathe Fire Department.
Source: KMBC.com
Municipal Bond Trends for October 13, 2022
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.
Most of Marion County blacked out for an hour
A massive power failure affecting thousands of businesses and residences blacked out most of Marion County for almost exactly an hour early Thursday. Customers receiving power from Evergy or city utilities using Evergy in Florence, Peabody, Marion, Hillsboro, Lehigh, and Tampa were without power from 1:52 a.m. until 2:51 a.m. At least one Marion resident had to call for an ambulance after a vital oxygen supply failed during the blackout.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
‘Incredibly sad’ situation leads to removal of more than 80 cats, 2 dogs from Emporia home
Animal cruelty charges are pending after Emporia police and volunteers removed 83 cats and two dogs from a house in Emporia Wednesday morning, after initial reports stated around 50 cats were inside of the home. Humane Society of the Flint Hills director Stephanie Achille told The Gazette that conditions at the home were worse than expected, with feces, urine and maggots covering almost every surface. The house is also infested with fleas.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Overland Park neighbors push back against rumblings of new Deer Creek apartment plan
Residents in one Overland Park community have long fought against an apartment complex going in their neighborhood. Now, there’s been recent chatter that the idea has resurfaced, and neighbors in Deer Creek are not happy. Overgrown and untouched for about six years, the Deer Creek golf course doesn’t make a great back drop for a back porch. Jorge Cadenas said the vast majority of neighbors want the greens and golf course revived, but building an apartment complex on the property would be a swing and a miss.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Developer looks to bring indoor go-kart course to Overland Park’s Aspiria campus
A national go-kart chain is racing to open its first location in the Kansas City metro. Monday, the Overland Park Planning Commission unanimously approved a final development plan for Andretti Indoor Karting & Games. The Florida-based company, named for championship race car driver Mario Andretti, plans to create a new entertainment hub within the Aspiria campus in south Overland Park.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Overland Park considers boosting school crossing guard pay to $25 an hour
Overland Park is looking to increase the hourly pay for school crossing guards as the city continues to deal with a shortage of people willing to fill the position since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Driving the news: On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to recommend a proposed amendment to the city’s crossing guard contract, increasing guards’ hourly rate from $21.75 to $25.01 per hour.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Johnson County certified ‘gold’ for environmental sustainability efforts
Nearly two years after it, the new Johnson County Courthouse in downtown Olathe is on track to achieve a green-building certification for sustainability under the internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, design standards. This comes as the county itself also recently received notification that its countywide operations have also been LEED-certified by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council for having environmentally sustainable practices in a number of areas.
Source: Prairie Village Post
City of Marion to host food and school supply drives
The City of Marion is celebrating Public Power week by hosting a food Drive and a Teacher School Supply Drive. Bring items to Margo Yates at the city office and enter the drawing for a chance to receive $25 off your City of Marion bill. Please bring nonperishable food items only. Suggested items for teachers are sticky notes, paper towels, white paper plates, ziplock bags in gallon and quart sizes, small packages of Kleenex, fun band-aids, sidewalk chalk, crayons, washable markers, pencils, glue, craft paints, peppermints, Tootsie rolls, M&Ms and skittles.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press
Inflation increased 0.4% in September, more than expected despite rate hikes
Prices consumers pay for a wide variety of goods and services rose more than expected in September as inflation pressures continued to weigh on the U.S. economy. The consumer price index for the month increased 0.4% for the month, more than the 0.3% Dow Jones estimate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a 12-month basis, so-called headline inflation was up 8.2%, off its peak around 9% in June but still hovering near the highest levels since the early 1980s. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, core CPI accelerated 0.6% against the Dow Jones estimate for a 0.4% increase. Core inflation was up 6.6% from a year ago.
Source: CNBC
Hutchinson, Reno County shatter sales tax records with October receipts
The city of Hutchinson and Reno County both shattered all-time sales tax records with their latest receipts. Local officials indicated they had not reviewed the figures in detail, so they couldn’t comment on why. However, it’s likely that higher prices from continuing inflation, resulting in additional taxes collected, were a factor. State data show the city received a cumulative $1.846 million in sales taxes in September. Retailers collected the taxes on July sales. That was about $412,000 more than was received in September last year, a nearly 29% jump.
Source: Hutch News
USDA Invests $1.25 Million to Improve Health Care in Three Kansas Communities
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Kansas State Director Christy Davis today announced that USDA is awarding $1,255,209 million in grants to improve health care facilities in three Kansas communities. These grants will help rural health care facilities expand critical services in Republic, McPherson and Mitchell counties…. The Emergency Rural Health Care program is designed to help rural hospitals and health care providers implement telehealth and nutrition assistance programs, increase staffing to administer COVID-19 vaccines and testing, build or renovate facilities, and purchase medical supplies.
The details of the Kansas investments are:
- A $792,340 grant will help the Republic County Hospital purchase equipment and fixtures during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will also add telehealth infrastructure to provide services to rural residents.
- An $87,464 grant will be used to help reimburse Mercy Hospital for lost health care revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will allow the residents of Moundridge and surrounding communities to continue to receive health care services from the hospital.
- A $375,405 grant will help Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems recover from lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds will also help replace flooring and improve the heating and air conditioning systems in areas of the hospital to aid in infection control and prepare for future pandemics.
Boom! Street Art and Mural Festival underway in Salina
Anyone visiting downtown Salina this week has the opportunity to see art in action as work for the Boom! Street Art and Mural Festival is in progress. Boom is part of the Salina Kanvas Project, and by the end of the month, a total of five murals by seven artists will be displayed on downtown walls facing alleyways and parking lots.
Source: Hutch News
Salina schools can have Narcan
The USD 305 Board of Education approved a policy change Tuesday that will allow the district to possess and administer a drug used to counteract opioid overdose. Naloxone, better known as Narcan, is known to be effective when administered to counteract an opioid overdose. As drug overdose is now a leading cause of injury deaths in the U.S., school districts across the nation have been looking into or implementing similar policies. Eryn Wright, executive director of human resources and legal services for Salina Public Schools, said the Kansas Association of School Boards provides guidelines if a policy were to be developed in a district for Naloxone.
Source: Salina Journal
Municipal Bond Trends for October 12, 2022
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.
Fed officials expect higher rates to stay in place, meeting minutes show
Federal Reserve officials have been surprised at the pace of inflation and indicated at their last meeting that they expect higher interest rates to remain in place until prices come down, according to minutes released Wednesday from the central bank’s September meeting. In discussions leading up to a 0.75 percentage point rate hike, policymakers noted that inflation is especially taking its toll on lower-income Americans. They reiterated rate hikes are likely to continue and higher rates prevail until the problem is showing signs of resolving.
Source: CNBC