Kansas Municipal News
April passenger traffic decreased 95% at Eisenhower National Airport
Wichita’s Eisenhower airport reports a 95% decrease in airline traffic in April of 2020, compared to the same time period in 2019. The monthly passenger total this April was 7,363 people. Last year’s April numbers stand at 136,125. For the year, passengers are down 36%. COVID-19 has devastated air travel around the country and the world as passengers have virtually stopped traveling. Fear of catching the virus, stay-at-home orders and closures have kept people home. As required by the CARES ACT, airlines reduced flights to a bare minimum. At ICT, capacity for quarter two of 2020 has been slashed 50% compared to Q2 2019.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Kansas unemployment surges to 11.2% in April, number out of work up 130,000 from year ago
The Kansas unemployment rate quadrupled in April to 11.2% as coronavirus infection and the government’s response to the pandemic reverberated through the state’s economy, officials said Friday. The Kansas Department of Labor reported unemployment in Kansas escalated as COVID-19 spread. The state’s jobless mark was 2.8% in March. The comparable figure was 3.2% in April 2019. The seasonally adjusted estimate showed total Kansas nonfarm jobs declined by 130,400 from March. Private-sector employment, which is a subset of total nonfarm jobs, fell by 121,600 from the previous month, while government decreased by 8,800 jobs.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Rose Hill music festival cancelled
Rose Hill’s summer music festival, which is usually held in June, has been cancelled. The event’s organizer, Gerald Amato, said that “with the uncertainty of public gatherings we faced this year, we decided that this event would not be able to take place this June. There is a lot of planning that takes place, [and] it was very difficult to know when we would be able to have the event.” The music festival will return in 2021.
(Read more: DerbyInformer.com – news,news/)
Derby disc golf course a popular destination
Before the current pandemic situation drove up traffic even further, Derby’s Disc Golf Course at Stone Creek Park was already a prime destination given the number of attractions that appealed to the sport’s enthusiasts. Established nearly two decades ago, it’s hard to imagine the course turning into what it’s be-come, according to avid disc golfer and Derby Parks and Urban Forestry Board member Marty Hunt. “You would be amazed what that looked like before the disc golf course was put in,” Hunt said. “There were two or three old outbuildings. It was basically the dump of a farmer. They hauled off tires, appliances, just all kinds of junk.”
Read more: DerbyInformer.com – news,news/)
Gardner’s pool closed for 2020
The 2020 pool season at the Gardner Aquatic Center is cancelled. The decision was based on the current CDC and Reopen Kansas Plan guidelines;it would be very difficult to follow social-distancing and safety recommendations while operating the GAC; and there was insufficient time to rehire and effectively train seasonal staff to help patrons try and follow state guidelines. About 140-150 seasonal employees are used each year, according to Jason Bruce, parks and recreation director. The proposed 2020 pool budget was $451,105. There were also a financial consideration due to the economic impact the pandemic has had on the city’s revenues. “Pools lose money every year,” Bruce said.
(Read more: Gardner News)
Hillsboro adding a digital sign
When Hillsboro’s digital sign is installed later this week it will be the culmination of a four-month campaign by Lions Club president Larry Funk. “I thought it would be interesting to have a more localized deal to advertise or broadcast local events besides our sign by the highway,” he said. “It’s nice for what it is, but I thought we needed something a bit more modern and upscale for in-city advertising of local events.” Competing with other sources of advertising doesn’t concern Funk since sign use will be a free service meant to promote Hillsboro events like graduation, car cruises, or sporting events.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
Ruling: Kansas sheriff not entitled to immunity from lawsuit
A Kansas sheriff is not entitled to immunity from a lawsuit filed by the family of an unarmed black man who was shot in the back following a police chase, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. A three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals found that Harvey County Sheriff Chad Gay is county official when performing law enforcement functions. Unlike a state official, the sheriff is not entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity when sued for damages in his official capacity, the court said. The decision comes in the civil lawsuit filed by the family of Matthew Holmes, a 24-year-old black man with schizophrenia, who died after McPherson County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Somers, a white man, shot him in the back during an arrest in August 2017. The incident began when police suspected Holmes in a car burglary and he led them on a vehicle chase.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Woman sues Scott City and mayor over deleted Facebook posts on COVID-19 response
A woman is suing the mayor and government of a Kansas town, accusing them of violating free-speech rights by squelching social-media criticism over their response to the coronavirus. Tracy Chambless says in the lawsuit that Scott City and its mayor, Everett Green, have sought to “control the public discourse on topics of public concern, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s response thereto.” Green declined to comment on the lawsuit last week, saying he hasn’t had a chance to consult with a lawyer that will be provided by the city’s insurance carrier.
(Read more: Local News |)
Rural grocery stores are seeing a boom in business amidst the pandemic
The pandemic has changed the way some people buy groceries, many turning to smaller stores. Rural grocery stores are seeing a boom in business. As big grocery chains increase restrictions, many locals in Minneola are turning to their Hometown Market. The store’s business is thriving. “Our trucks have increased by over 50%. Every truck. Just because we’ve seen that much increase in the groceries going out,” said Hometown Market store manager, Tamie Kirk.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Local school district distributes free produce to the community
The Auburn Washburn School District gave out nearly 900 cases of fresh produce Thursday morning. Hundreds of cars lined up to get the fresh food, causing a backup leading all the way to the street. The boxes were made available to anyone free of charge, thanks to a partnership with the U.S Department of Agriculture. Staff at the school knows that these events will not only help the kids, but also their families who are struggling during this time.
(Read more: KSNT News)
Legislative session reaches volatile end, GOP slashes Gov. Laura Kelly’s power in COVID-19 emergency
Kansas legislators pulled the curtain on the 2020 session after a tedious and combative 24-hour workday that ended early Friday with passage of restrictions on Gov. Laura Kelly’s authority to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and extension of the state’s emergency declaration through the end of the month. Republicans from the Senate and House crafted an emergency powers bill preserving the flow of federal aid to Kansas and compelling Kelly to secure approval for orders from a oversight panel. The governor is implementing a phased reopening of the Kansas economy, but has been criticized for pace of that transition.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Wichita flag inspires swimming pool design
The design of a Wichita pool is making a big splash. “It’s definitely something that we didn’t expect to take off. It was something to just truly give back to our residents and give them something nice and fresh and it has yeah, somewhat went viral,” said Mt. Carmel Village Property Manager Cody Stout. Stout said it was about time to give the complex’s community pool a facelift. He and some of his staff started tossing around ideas.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Victims of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, Friday to Sunday
In accordance with Executive Order 20-30, and following the proclamation of President Donald J. Trump, Governor Laura Kelly has ordered flags throughout the State of Kansas to be flown at half-staff, from Friday, May 22, 2020, to sunset on Sunday, May 24, 2020 in honor of the Victims of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic. “The death toll due to coronavirus is devastating in Kansas and beyond,” Kelly said. “We all have an obligation to honor those lost to the virus, to include courageous frontline workers who literally gave their lives to help and protect others during this pandemic.”
Municipal Bond Trends for May 21, 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.
Kansas policy lets exposed meatpacking workers stay on job
Kansas softened its quarantine guidelines for meatpacking plants after industry executives repeatedly pushed state officials to allow employees who were potentially exposed to the coronavirus to keep working, text messages and emails show. The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle reported that they obtained messages through an open records request showing that executives at Tyson and National Beef pushed Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam to advocate more-lenient federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. Beam told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his role was to “emphasize internally” in Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration that there would be major problems with the nation’s food supply if the plants shut down. Beam worked for the Kansas Livestock Association for 38 years before becoming agriculture secretary in 2019. “It was a balancing act, and I basically was feeding that into the mix,” he said.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)
Mortgage delinquencies surge by 1.6M in April, the biggest monthly jump ever
Delinquencies among borrowers for past-due mortgages are soaring, a sign that Americans are struggling to pay their bills due to a wave of layoffs or lost income from the coronavirus pandemic. Mortgage delinquencies surged by 1.6 million in April, the largest single-month jump in history, according to a report from Black Knight, a mortgage technology and data provider. The data includes both homeowners past due on mortgage payments who aren’t in forbearance, along with those in forbearance plans and who didn’t make a mortgage payment in April. At 6.45%, the national delinquency rate nearly doubled from 3.06% in March, the largest single-month increase ever recorded, and nearly three times the prior record for a single month during the height of the financial crisis in late 2008, Black Knight said.
(Read more: andoveramerican.com)
Food, utility assistance available through new, extended programs
The Department for Children and Families, in collaboration with the Kansas State Department of Education, announced the creation of a Pandemic Electronic Benefit Program. The P-EBT program will help families who have been impacted by school closures due to COVID-19 to purchase food for their children. The Low Income Energy Assistance Program, which helps low-income households with utility bills, has also been funded for a new program, with applications accepted through May 29.
(Read more: Community – Morning Sun)
KC’s Power and Light District set to reopen Friday
The Power and Light District is planning to reopen on Friday, and that could include several street cafes. The plan is for 14th Street to be closed to traffic to allow street cafes room to operate. But there could be more on the way depending on what city council decides to do. City leaders have talked about street cafe options for several weeks. This would allow restaurants to serve food and in some cases alcohol on sidewalk and street space in front of the store front.
(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)
Marion County decides to reopen county offices
Diedre Serene, Marion County Health Department Administrator, gave her weekly update at the beginning of the May 18 Marion County Board of Commissioners meeting. She stated that it doesn’t make sense to test for COVID-19 if a person doesn’t have symptoms. “You could be negative today and turn positive tomorrow. Testing negative today does not even tell if you were exposed or not. It just tells if you are growing the virus,” said Serene. Serene explained how the Governor’s new orders for phase 1.5 impacts Marion County. She said the county is in line to follow the Governor’s orders so she has not added any extra orders for the county but has issued some guidance.
(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)