Powell warns of ‘some pain’ ahead as the Fed fights to bring down inflation

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell delivered a stern commitment Friday to halting inflation, warning that he expects the central bank to continue raising interest rates in a way that will cause “some pain” to the U.S. economy. In his much-anticipated annual policy speech at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Powell affirmed that the Fed will “use our tools forcefully” to attack inflation that is still running near its highest level in more than 40 years. Even with a series of four consecutive interest rate increases totaling 2.25 percentage points, Powell said this is “no place to stop or pause” even though benchmark rates are probably around an area considered neither stimulative nor restrictive on growth.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Ranson Financial2022-08-28T21:51:40-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Open street festival planned in Emporia

Empovía — pronounced Empo-vía — is a blend of the words “ciclovia” and “Emporia.” The concept? To bring an open street festival to Peter Pan Park. “The idea itself is not a new concept,” said Visit Emporia director LeLan Dains. “A ciclovia comes from Latin America and describes events that close down streets to automobiles so people can engage in human-powered activities within that space.” So, between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sept. 17, a half-mile section of streets around the park will temporarily close to traffic to allow community members to safely ride, skate, rollerblade, scoot, walk, jog, run and more, in an environment completely closed to auto traffic.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Ranson Financial2022-08-29T07:03:13-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Jackson County’s cities put ARPA funds to good use

Cities in Jackson County are putting American Rescue Plan Act funds – available through the county – to good use, it has been reported. Last February, the Jackson County Commissioners announced that each city was eligible to receive up to $25,000 in ARPA funds through the county. The county has received a total of $2,558,312 in ARPA funding. During recent county commission meetings, the commissioners received letters from city officials at Hoyt, Mayetta and Netawaka outlining how the funds will be spent in those cities. The letters are required for the cities to receive the funds. The Hoyt City Council reported that it plans to spend the funds to establish an emergency shelter at the community building. The funds will be used for structural improvements to the building and to purchase cots, water and food rations for citizens in the event the shelter is necessary.
Source: Holton Recorder

Ranson Financial2022-08-28T21:44:32-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Supply chain issues impact Holton city projects

Supply chain issues are plaguing cities and counties across the country that need certain pieces of equipment to continue to operate smoothly and efficiently, and as the Holton City Commission was reminded on Monday, Aug. 17, the City of Holton is no exception. Commissioners approved a bid of $25,900 from the Harold K. Scholz Company of Ralston, Neb., for the purchase and installation of two electrical relays in the city’s electrical distribution system, but as Electrical Production Superintendent Ira Harrison told commissioners, the new relays would not likely be available for installation for about six months due to supply chain issues.
Source: Holton Recorder

Ranson Financial2022-08-28T21:40:44-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Wellington testing thermal energy ceiling tiles

Wellington City Hall now has thermal energy-storing ceiling tiles to help reduce energy use. These Passive Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) ceiling tiles are similar to how gel packs for cold shipping functions. The tile is composed with a Phase Change Material (PCM) that will absorb heat as it changes from a solid form to liquid. After temperatures in the attic have dropped, the tiles release the stored heat. This project comes through the Department of Energy and aims to reduce cooling, heating, and electric demand. The goal with these tiles is a 10-20% reduction in use.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2022-08-29T07:04:44-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

History explored during week of Little Balkans Days events in Pittsburg

An annual festival timed to the Labor Day holiday makes its return with a week full of events. Little Balkans Days, a festival of history and heritage, will begin with contests and classes Monday and work its way to a full festival of fairs, concerts and even a polka dance throughout Labor Day weekend. Mining activity throughout in the 1800s offered promises to immigrant families, attracting more of a diverse population than other regions of Kansas, according to the event’s website. Most of those immigrants hailed from the Balkans in southeastern Europe — an area that includes present-day Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro and several other countries.
Source: www.joplinglobe.com

Ranson Financial2022-08-29T07:05:59-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Kansas District courts in 34 counties to begin operating on new case management system September 12

Atchison and Leavenworth District courts are among district courts in 34 counties that will transition to the new Kansas eCourt centralized case management system between September 7 and 12. Collectively, the courts in these 34 counties are known as Track 6 in the Kansas eCourt statewide rollout plan. They are predominantly in southwest and southcentral Kansas, with the exception of the 1st Judicial District in the far northeast corner of the state. After Track 6 courts complete the transition, 95% of all trial courts in Kansas will operate on the eCourt centralized case management system.
Source: atchisonglobenow.com

Ranson Financial2022-08-29T07:06:32-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Oswego museum looking for new home

Historical Museum is looking for a new home for the city’s treasures after a storm damaged the building on Commercial Street. A portion of the roof of the museum at 410 Commercial St. collapsed under the weight of rainwater during a May 5 storm. Some items in the museum were destroyed because of this, including a piano and a display relating to trains of Southeast Kansas. Kevin Sheddrick, museum board president, said the building was beyond repair.
Source: Parsons Sun

Ranson Financial2022-08-28T21:28:43-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

Bonner Springs celebrates sunny Tiblow Days

The Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce celebrated all things Bonner this weekend at Tiblow Days, the annual end-of-summer festival in honor of Henry Tiblow, a Delaware Indian who operated a Kansas River ferry in the late 1800s on the future site of the town. Saturday’s events included a pancake breakfast, 5K run, parade, car show, carnival and concert. The parade route was shortened from previous years, allowing the festival area to spread out and encourage more shopping in the downtown area, a key purpose of the event.
Source: Wyandotte Daily

Ranson Financial2022-08-28T21:26:11-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

KPERS on a roller coaster

It has been an eventful year for pensions in Kansas. Usually a topic that will send all but the hardiest actuary to sleep, officials pursued a number of policy items in 2022 that will have a major impact on the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System and its more than 300,000 total members. But if it been a roller coaster for KPERS lately, the stock market was even more volatile. Indeed, the oldest retiree on record to receive a KPERS check was 111 years old and the state’s actuaries might feel they have similarly aged over the last year. A year after posting one of its strongest investment returns in recent history, the 2022 fiscal year brought a negative return for the KPERS investments, one of only a small number of times that has been happened in the past quarter century.
Source: CJonline

Ranson Financial2022-08-28T08:40:43-05:00August 28, 2022|News|

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