Total bond issuance down in May led by 70% drop in refundings

1 Wednesday, June 1

Total bond issuance down in May led by 70% drop in refundings

info2022-06-01T08:02:17-05:00June 1st, 2022|

Municipal issuance dropped 9% year-over-year in May, again due to a decrease in taxable and refunding volumes amid continued market volatility and rising interest rates that dominated the front half of the month. May's $32.2 billion figure is lower than the $33.884 billion 10-year average. As has been the trend in recent months, total issuance for May was down year-over-year. Pat Luby, senior municipal strategist at CreditSights, pointed to the sharp increase in yields in the three weeks of May as the biggest driver of the drop in issuance. Source: The Bond Buyer

1 Wednesday, June 1

Derby officially designated as Purple Heart City

info2022-06-01T01:32:57-05:00June 1st, 2022|

At the May 24 Derby City Council meeting, Mayor Randy White officially proclaimed Derby as a Purple Heart City – bolstering the city’s ties to the military community. Given the number of military veterans who call Derby home, as well as its proximity to McConnell Air Force Base, White noted the designation made sense. And according to American Legion Family Post 408 Public Relations Representative Mike Saindon, it all started with a sign. Source: Derby Informer | News

1 Wednesday, June 1

Interim police chief wants more officers on Wichita streets, community’s help after violent weekend

info2022-06-01T01:30:49-05:00June 1st, 2022|

A violent Memorial Day weekend in Wichita has the interim police chief wanting more officers on the streets and calling on residents to help curb the problem. Interim Wichita Police Chief Lem Moore was joined by several community leaders who echoed his concerns during a news conference on Tuesday. It was a message that was loud and clear, enough is enough. Leaders hope anyone who knows anything about any of the shootings will come forward. Police reported more than a half-dozen incidents of gun violence involving three deaths in the city over the holiday weekend. At around the same time same [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

In some rural parts of Kansas, the loss of even one foster parent leaves a huge hole

info2022-06-01T08:03:25-05:00June 1st, 2022|

More than half the counties in the state rely on 10 or fewer families to take in foster children. Roughly one-tenth of the counties in Kansas rely on one licensed foster home each. And those relatively few families looking after foster kids in its most remote corners struggle to get from court appointments to doctors’ visits to soccer practice where drives between appointments get measured not in minutes, but hours. Consider what Rebecca Applebee’s move from Liberal, Kansas, means to her community. Already, about half of the foster children in Seward County are living elsewhere. When Applebee leaves, there will be [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

“United We” launches Kansas women’s economic task force

info2022-06-01T01:26:30-05:00June 1st, 2022|

If more Kansas women participated in the workforce, one study shows that Kansas could grow its economy by ten to fifteen percent by 2025. That desire for growth is part of why “United We”, a non-profit aimed at advancing women’s economic and civic leadership is launching a Kansas women’s economic development task force and series of town halls. The non-profit’s CEO Wendy Doyle says she’s looking to collect data to enact policy change. “We certainly hope it gets their attention just by hearing firsthand and hearing the personal stories, that really seems to resonate with policymakers versus a quantitative research report. [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

Bourbon Co plans projects in wake of grant program

info2022-06-01T01:24:54-05:00June 1st, 2022|

Several cities in Bourbon County will be busy this summer. Along with festivals and celebrations, many will be focusing on economic development. "There's a lot of great things going on throughout the entire county, not just in Fort Scott, and we're excited about it," said Robert Harrington, Bourbon County REDI Exec. Director. This is in part thanks to the launch of the grant program from Bourbon County Regional Economic Develop Incorporated. "Since last year, our organization has given out $135,000 worth of grants, that a majority of them have been spent outside of the Fort Scott area," said Harrington. Places like [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

‘We will not wait’: Kansas police chief promises swift action in the event of school shooting

info2022-06-01T01:23:42-05:00June 1st, 2022|

A Kansas police chief is addressing the question of safety in elementary schools in the aftermath of the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that claimed 21 lives. Chief Dan Trechter of the Saint George Police Department in Pottawatomie County took to Facebook on Tuesday to explain the measures that the SGPD is taking to ensure that children can go to school without fear. Trechter shared the SGPD's policy regarding rapid response and deployment in an emergency situation. According to Trechter, the policy states that, "If a suspect is actively engaged in the infliction of serious bodily harm or other life-threatening [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

Wichita police chief seeks more money for overtime after spate of weekend shootings

info2022-06-01T01:20:28-05:00June 1st, 2022|

Wichita’s interim police chief said Monday he plans to seek an increase in his overtime budget to put more officers on the street after the department responded to eight shootings over the holiday weekend. Three people died Saturday night — two in shootings and one in a hit-and-run accident. “The amount of officers we have on the street cannot withstand that type of violence and incidents in the city without affecting response times and affecting other calls,” interim chief Lem Moore said at a news conference. He did not provide details on the request for more money. Source: Local News | [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

Olathe Public Schools to offer free mental health services during the summer

info2022-06-01T01:12:31-05:00June 1st, 2022|

Olathe Public Schools will be offering free mental health counseling this summer for all staff, students and families, district officials said. The Summer H.E.L.P (Help Each Live Productively) Clinic is offering individual mental health sessions, group sessions, family therapy, parent support groups and staff wellness groups. The program has been in place since the summer of 2018, according to Becky Grubaugh, a spokesperson for the Olathe school district. Sessions are up to 50 minutes and will be conducted by Olathe Public Schools Licensed Mental Health Providers and interns from Friends University’s marriage and family therapy program. This year, many students across [...]

1 Wednesday, June 1

KCK school board discusses increasing security

info2022-06-01T08:05:09-05:00June 1st, 2022|

School security was discussed at the Tuesday night, May 31, meeting of the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education. Plans are underway to apply for a grant for security, according to district officials. District administrators are proposing to use grant funds up to $1 million to increase lighting and cameras at school buildings. The grant would require a 50 percent match from the district. Tracy Kaiser, executive director of business operations, said although their initial thought was to apply for $1 million, they understood from state education officials that probably only $400,000 to $500,000 could be approved, so they are looking [...]