SculptureTour underway: Salina helping make the city an art destination

Leaders in Salina want the city to be known as a destination and not just a place to drive through, and one project that is in its 12th year is helping do just that. The 2022 edition of SculptureTour Salina began this month with an unwrapping party on May 7. Sylvia Rice, director of Visit Salina, said things like the tour happening in Salina enhances that notion of the city being a destination. “(It may) allow people to take a look at what we have and make a decision to visit here as opposed to someplace else for the weekend,” Rice said.
Source: Salina Journal

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T07:52:12-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Hutch neighborhood looks to unity and community involvement

SW Bricktown is working hard to form community. Along with forming a committee, neighborhood members also started festivals and helped with. The Hutch Rec helps organize six neighborhoods, including SW Bricktown… Hutch Rec Neighborhood Development Coordinator Adam Stewart said out of the six neighborhoods, SW Bricktown is what he called “one of the best examples.”… In September last year, the SW Bricktown committee organized the neighborhood’s first SW Bricktown Fiesta to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at SW Bricktown Park.
Source: Hutch News

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T07:50:07-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Hutch councilmembers discuss water, sewer rates: residents vs business

A couple of Hutchinson City Council members Tuesday asked a consultant who prepared studies on future city water and sewer rates to look at shifting more of the cost of proposed increases onto residential customers rather than commercial and industrial users. At-large Councilwoman Sara Bagwell first proposed the change, voicing concern the proposed rates would impact the ability to recruit new industry to Hutchinson…. Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho voiced concern that residents on Social Security or fixed income, a significant portion of the local population, will have more difficulty responding to rate hikes than commercial businesses, which can adapt.
Source: Hutch News

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T07:46:06-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for May 25, 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.

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T07:39:48-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Southwest Kansas wheat devastated by drought

Last week saw much needed rainfall across the state, but areas in southwest Kansas missed out on it once again. Much of southwest Kansas has gone nearly 300 days without an inch of precipitation. Annual average rainfall is about 12” in southwest Kansas, and much of the area has seen about 1/3 of that over the past year and less than an inch since wheat was planted in the fall. There are several counties in the far southwest corner of Kansas where very little wheat will make it to harvest. Farmers have already been in touch with their crop adjusters, and fields are being adjusted from zero to 5 bushels per acre across the area.
Source: Pratt Tribune

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T00:26:23-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Fed minutes point to more rate hikes that go further than the market anticipates

Federal Reserve officials earlier this month stressed the need to raise interest rates quickly and possibly more than markets anticipate to tackle a burgeoning inflation problem, meeting minutes released Wednesday showed. Not only did policymakers see the need to raise benchmark borrowing rates by 50 points, but they also said similar hikes likely would be necessary at the next several meetings. They further noted that policy may have to move past a “neutral” stance where it is neither supportive nor restrictive of growth, an important consideration for central bankers that could echo through the economy. “Most participants judged that 50 basis point increases in the target range would likely be appropriate at the next couple of meetings,” the minutes stated. In addition, Federal Open Market Committee members indicated that “a restrictive stance of policy may well become appropriate depending on the evolving economic outlook and the risks to the outlook.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T00:23:35-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Wichita City Council approves revised contract for towing impounded vehicles

The Wichita City Council voted unanimously in a special meeting Wednesday to approve a contract with three towing companies for impounded vehicles and the fees that will be charged. The council deadlocked last week on a proposed contract with nine companies out of concerns for low-income families that might not be able to pay fees to recover their vehicles. The new contract sets up a payment plan that will allow a person to pay a $600 fee over 24 months, and the city’s $30 administrative fee would be reduced to $5. The city had asked the towing companies for their best and final offers and received eight proposals. Staff recommended a contract with Kidd Towing, Tow All and Arrow Wrecker. The payment program would be for eligible vehicle owners who are unable to pay fees from impoundment.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T00:20:41-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Lack of lodging worrying to some in Newton

Newton’s hotels are low on vacancies. That’s according to the front desks of both the Holiday Inn Express and The Comfort Inn. “We’ve been full pretty much all season,” said Cat Olson, front desk manager for The Comfort Inn, 1205 E 1st St, Newton. Olson said, for the Comfort Inn, much of the demand was being driven by regular events, such as school activities, weddings and funerals. She said corporate stays or bookings for staff did account for some of the stays at the hotel, but it varied by week. The front desk of the Holiday Inn Express reported a good number of long-term stays at the hotel, with much of those stays housing crews employed at AGCO, and that the hotel had been tight since around July of 2021. The tightness of hotel lodging has made it harder for groups to host conventions in Newton. Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, said that they barely found enough room in Newton for their upcoming convention.
Source: Harvey County Now

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T07:30:21-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Burrton EMS purchases CPR device, thanks to grant

Fire and EMS workers in Burrton learned how to use a new piece of life-saving equipment last week. The department recently received a KRAF grant from the board of EMS to purchase a LUCAS, which is an automated CPR machine. The grant paid for 75 percent of the approximately $15,000 cost, with the department matching the remainder. EMS Director Cherie King said the LUCAS is something their department has really needed for a while. “We applied last year and didn’t get it, but last year I think there was a lot that didn’t get funded because of COVID,” King said. Halstead and Newton already have LUCAS machines. “We’ve seen it with Halstead, but we’ve never put it on. Halstead’s always done it,” King said. “As you can see, it brought a lot of people out.”
Source: Harvey County Now

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T00:14:01-05:00May 26, 2022|News|

Turbine suit in Marion County could end soon

A lawsuit filed a year and a half ago seeking approval for a third county wind farm could be over in six weeks if a judge who hears arguments July 19 dismisses the case. Roger Buller at Stonebridge Investments LLC, filed suit Sept. 25, 2020, claiming county zoning director Sharon Omstead was wrong when she deemed Buller’s company did not have standing to install wind turbines in an area once planned for wind farm development by Rex Savage. The Doyle 4 development was planned for south of US-50 near Florence. Savage eventually sold the project to Stonebridge and others. Stonebridge purchased rights to conditional use permits held by Windborne Energy in 2015.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Ranson Financial2022-05-26T07:32:05-05:00May 26, 2022|News|