Kansas Municipal News
Abilene comes in second in national contest for best historic small town
The town of Abilene just made the top ten of a nationwide poll of the best historic small towns. Abilene not only made the top ten for the 2022 Best Historic Small Town category of USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice contest, but nearly came in first place. The list of winners for the 2022 Best Historic Small Town category are as follows: Wickford, RI; Abilene, KS; San Elizario, TX; De Smet, SD; Gettysburg, PA; Taos, NM; Natchitoches, LA; Berkeley Springs, WV; Natchez, MS. This marks the fourth time in a row that Abilene has finished in the top ten for the contest. While the town was able to maintain the top spot throughout the voting period, the community slipped to the number two spot in the final days when rankings were hidden, according to the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Source: KSNT 27 News
GO Topeka working to attract young talent to city, focusing on childcare and housing
GO Topeka is actively working to attract young talent to the capital city. Trina Goss, Director of Talent Attraction and Workforce for GO Topeka, stopped by 27 News Friday morning to tell us how. Unemployment is at historic low levels in Shawnee County. GO Topeka talked with employers who say attracting talent is their number one concern. GO Topeka has made talent attraction and workforce development a top priority by also focusing on childcare and housing. GO Topeka said it’s facilitating child car summits to bring together experts in this field to begin brainstorming how to enhance their options. They’re also studying other states to see what’s working.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Chanute adds housing stock
Chanute City Commissioners sold 11 lots just south of its airport to be developed into housing, according to the Chanute Tribune. Darin Luebbering of Advanced Systems Homes purchased the lots for $5,000 apiece. “It’s not going to be a problem to build these houses,” Luebbering said, adding that state funding and incentives makes it particularly attractive to build now. Luebbering said he expected to build the homes, three to four at a time, within 18 months. The lots have already been developed with utility connections and streets. The city has plans to add another 13 lots at a later time.
Source: The Iola Register
Pittsburg community efforts restore piece of African American History
The Pittsburg Community is getting its first look at a restored piece of African American History. The Carver League Foundation held an open house for its recently renovated building. Since the 1950’s the building had been a gathering place for the African American community in the area, however over time it fell into disrepair. An effort to save the structure began last year. Through those community efforts, angel donations, and volunteers from Pittsburg State University’s School of Construction, the building was restored similar to how former Carver League Members remember it.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Dover celebrates Heritage days
Dover, Ks. celebrated their Heritage Days Saturday with a car show, Antique Tractor display, kid’s activities, a vendor fair, a parade, a beer garden, live music a fire works display and a special appearance from the Shawnee County Mounted Posse. Settlers came to Dover in 1856 and in 1860, Dover was made a voting precinct of Auburn Township. In the fall of 1867, Dover was erected into a township. The first postmaster was Alfred Sage, appointed in 1862, and the family name, Sage, is still widespread in the area today.
Source: KSNT 27 News
‘I knew I was dying’: How 5 rounds of Narcan possibly saved Kansas police officer’s life
The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is opening up about a medical emergency possibly due to fentanyl exposure. Officer Dallas Thompson dropped to the ground. His team used five rounds of Narcan before emergency workers transported him to the hospital. The community policing team is still emotional as they discuss what happened in January. … Officer Thompson and his team were helping deliver food to families in need through Harvesters at a local church. They quickly switched gears to help in a burglary investigation. Eventually, a suspect was detained. Thompson did a quick pat-down while wearing gloves. He found pills crumpled in an envelope. His captain called out that he recognized the pills- they could be laced with fentanyl. Thompson carefully removed his gloves. The envelope and pills were sealed in a special evidence bag.
Source: KAKE – News
‘Worst educator shortage’ in Kansas history
The standards for substitute teaching in Kansas will continue to be lowered for a second consecutive semester in light of “an educator shortage that may be the worst we have ever seen” in Kansas. The Kansas State Board of Education on Wednesday voted 7-3 to temporarily expand eligibility for the state’s emergency substitute teacher license. Board members Ben Jones, Melanie Haas and Janet Waugh voted against. Ordinarily, emergency substitute teacher license holders must have a bachelor’s degree or proof of having completed at least 60 college credit hours. The board’s action on Wednesday expands that eligibility to high school graduates, subject to them clearing background and fingerprint checks.
Source: Salina Journal
Economic optimism: Reno County has record low unemployment; retirees and exporting talent part of issue
Area experts are upbeat about the economic outlook for Hutchinson and the region, despite record-low unemployment and ongoing inflation-recession worries. Meeting those challenges, however, they say, will likely require convincing more young people to start their careers in their home community or to come back as more of the aging population continues to retire. The tightest labor market for Reno County in more than 30 years means job hunters and those wanting to move up have opportunities not seen in a while, said Tucky Allen, Business Services Director for Kansas WorkforceOne.
Source: Hutch News
Powell vows that the Fed is ‘acutely focused’ on bringing down inflation
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank’s commitment to bringing down inflation, saying Friday that it’s essential for the global financial system. “The Federal Reserve’s strong commitment to our price stability mandate contributes to the widespread confidence in the dollar as a store of value. To that end, my colleagues and I are acutely focused on returning inflation to our 2 percent objective,” Powell said in introductory remarks for a Fed-sponsored conference on the global role of the U.S. currency. Those remarks come two days after the Federal Open Market Committee voted to raise benchmark interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point to a targeted range of 1.5%-1.75%. Banks use the rate to set borrowing costs for short-term loans they provide to each other, but it also feeds through to a multitude of consumer products like credit cards, home equity loans and auto financing.
Source: CNBC
Lawrence Police Department creates position devoted to diversity and community engagement
The Lawrence Police Department has announced changes to its organizational structure, including the creation of a new position in the chief’s office devoted to diversity and community engagement. According to the announcement, which came this week in a memo to the Lawrence City Commission, Lt. Myrone Grady, who already is employed by LPD, has been named as the department’s first executive officer for diversity and community engagement.
Source: LJWorld
City of Olpe hosts roughly 600 visitors as part of Biking Across Kansas tour Thursday night
The City of Olpe played host to several hundred cyclists from across the state Thursday evening. Riders in the annual Biking Across Kansas event concluded day six of their journey across the state at Olpe High School where students, staff and residents put on a special meal to welcome roughly 600 individuals. … USD 252 Superintendent Mike Argabright says he was grateful for the opportunity to showcase the Olpe community to the visiting riders.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
Municipal Bond Trends for June 16, 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.
Bourbon County Jail Inmates Moved to Other Counties
Bourbon County Jail inmates are being sent to other counties, according to the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center Administrator. “The Bourbon County Jail will be farming out most, if not all, of their inmates to other counties in southeast Kansas,” said Major Bobby Reed in an email with the daily reports sent to news entities. “The facility is doing this because of staffing shortages.” “Approximately 56 inmates out of 65 are being housed elsewhere,” Reed noted to fortscott.biz.” The cost (to the county) is $40 per day per inmate.” That amounts to $2,240 per day in payments to other counties, by Bourbon County. … Staffing is at a critical point. “I have 16 positions when fully staffed,” he said. “I have not been fully staffed in a long time.”
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Fireworks to be discharged in North Newton for one day
A couple of citizens expressed concerns during the Monday night North Newton City Council meeting about extending the days fireworks can be ignited in town during a lengthy discussion about the matter. Gwen Neufeld and Evelyn Adams were against the proposed idea of extending the days to Saturday and Sunday, since the Fourth of July in on a Monday this year. The amount of time fireworks can be discharged in North Newton is only on the Fourth of July. “There’s a reason people don’t want to live on the other side of the railroad tracks,” Neufeld told the council, adding the nightmare of the noise used to stress her out when her children were quite young. … City Administrator Kyle Fiedler told the council they received copies of an email and letter sent to the city against extending fireworks days. He also said the city of Newton is allowing the sale and discharge of fireworks from June 27 through July 4 and that the North Newton Council hasn’t addressed changing the town’s stance on the matter for 23 years.
Source: Harvey County Now
Girard police officer & restauranter to compete in Nat’l BBQ competition
The search to find one of the best outdoor cooks could hold the power to help make a Southeast Kansas couple’s dream come true. “I never for a moment thought I was going to make it as far as I have,” said James Jarvis, Hero’s BBQ Co-Owner. Girard Police Officer James Jarvis is currently competing in the Char Champion Competition, a search to find one of the best outdoor cooks in North America. “If I’m not mistaken, there were approximately 25,000 plus entrants in this competition. We’ve been fortunate enough to advance to the quarterfinals,” said Mr. Jarvis.
Source: KSNF/KODE
KDOT bridge inspector resigns after railing falls in Topeka
KDOT announced Thursday one of its bridge inspector has resigned after pieces of the Polk-Quincy Viaduct fell from the bridge earlier this week. KDOT said it conducted an internal review of the bridge inspection process. During that review, KDOT discovered the inspection of the Polk-Quincy Viaduct on May 23, 2022, did not follow protocols, according to a press release. This comes after a 60-foot barrier wall fell off the Polk-Quincy Viaduct into an empty parking lot on June 11. The falling wall was likely due to high temperatures and deterioration of the steel that connects the concrete barrier to the viaduct deck.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Wichita’s housing market is still hot, but what about future sales — and appraisals?
Nationally, the housing market may be experiencing a correction, but in Wichita, there’s still a boom on. That’s because the greater Wichita area is still seriously short of houses, so it comes down to supply and demand. “It’s economics 101,” said John McKenzie, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Plaza Real Estate, who is in his 50th year in real estate. He said the past 24 months — particularly the past 12 months — are like nothing he’s seen before. That includes potential buyers “crawling all over each other other” at a home with 18 showings in a day and, in some cases, houses selling for double their asking prices. McKenzie said some two-bedroom, one-bath houses that used to be in the mid $70,000 to low $80,000 range have been selling for $140,00 to $150,000. “It’s just absolutely nutty,” he said. “Until we get inventory up, we’re going to continue to see the market that we’re in.”
Source: Wichita Eagle
Douglas County Commission denies petition to incorporate City of Clearfield
Douglas County won’t be adding a new city within its borders for now, after the Douglas County Commission denied a petition to incorporate the proposed City of Clearfield following a three-hour public hearing on Wednesday night. The commission cited a few chief concerns as reasons for that decision. Among them were that there was no concrete plan for how to provide city government services and that the 18-square-mile boundary proposed for the community — which would have made Clearfield roughly the 13th-largest city in the state by land area covered — might have a maximum population density of only dozens of people per square mile.
Source: LJWorld
Why Rural Americans Keep Waiting for Fast Internet, Despite Billions Spent
The U.S. government has spent billions of dollars on several rounds of programs to upgrade internet speeds in rural areas over the past decade. Despite those efforts, many residents are still stuck with service that isn’t fast enough to do video calls or stream movies—speeds that most take for granted. Many communities have been targeted for broadband upgrades at least twice already, but flaws in the programs’ design have left residents wanting.
Source: WSJ
Municipal Bond Trends for June 15, 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.