Lawmakers inch toward food sales tax deal

Kansas lawmakers may have a new plan for cutting the state’s food sales tax as the Legislature approaches a pair of deadlines on the governor’s signature policy proposal. Gov. Laura Kelly and the House and Senate tax committees have put forth their own proposals, but none have been debated or passed by either chamber of the Legislature. Rep. Adam Smith, R-Weskan, laid out the concept during a Wednesday conference committee between tax policymakers — a meeting of select senators and representatives to hammer out differences between bills. The plan would cut the state’s 6.5% sales tax rate on food — the second-highest in the country — to 1.5% starting July 1 and 0% a year later. The cut would apply to groceries and some related items, but not to prepared food, such as restaurant meals. It would be “clean” as other tax cut ideas get moved to separate bills.
Source: Salina Journal

2022-04-01T07:06:33-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

Hutchinson Schools’ new superintendent balances military career and new role in education

In early February, Hutchinson Public Schools USD 308 Board of Education named Dawn Johnson the new superintendent for the 2022-2023 school year. Since then, Johnson said she’s been planning what she intends to do in her first year as superintendent. Johnson’s career in education began more than 30 years ago. She spent the first half as an educator, teaching English to middle and high school students.
Source: Hutch News

2022-04-01T07:05:23-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

Baxter Springs PD receives donation to buy ten AR-15 rifles

A local police department just received a $7,500 donation to update equipment. The Ronald O. Thomas Charitable Foundation donated a check to the Baxter Springs Police Department today. The donated funds have purchased ten AR-15 rifles and optics for each officer. Prior to the donation, the department had three rifles that were becoming outdated. The rifles will provide a better quality of weaponry and will protect officers in high-risk situations. “Should an incident or an active shooter event take place within our community, it allows us to respond and place, accurate rounds on a target without endangering innocent bystanders,” said Brian Henderson, Chief of Police.
Source: KSNF/KODE

2022-04-01T06:51:52-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

2-year Treasury yield tops 10-year rate, a ‘yield curve’ inversion that could signal a recession

The 2-year and 10-year Treasury yields inverted for the first time since 2019 on Thursday, sending a possible warning signal that a recession could be on the horizon. The bond market phenomenon means the rate of the 2-year note is now higher than the 10-year note yield. This part of the yield curve is the most closely watched and typically given the most credence by investors that the economy could be heading for a downturn when it inverts. The 2-year to 10-year spread was last in negative territory in 2019, before pandemic lockdowns sent the global economy into a steep recession in early 2020. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 2.331%, while the yield on the 2-year Treasury was trading at 2.337% in late trading Thursday. When the curve inverts, “there has been a better than two-thirds chance of a recession at some point in the next year and a greater than 98% chance of a recession at some point in the next two years,” according to Bespoke.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

2022-04-01T00:11:39-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power Recognized for Reliable Electric Service

Coffeyville Municipal Light & Power has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2021. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities. APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service. Once per year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities. “Once again, public power utilities have demonstrated their commitment to providing highly reliable power to their customers.” said Alex Hofmann, APPA’s Vice President of Technical and Operations Services. “We commend these utilities for their hard work when it comes to keeping the lights on in their communities.”
Source: Coffeyville, KS – News Flash

2022-04-01T00:10:13-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

The Main Street Approach helps entire community

When a new program is introduced into a strict environment there can be many misinterpretations of what the program is or what it does and that can be harmful if not clarified. For instance, the Main Street program is only for downtown. That in itself is erroneous. Main Street was a program born out of the “downtown depression”. The program is over 40 years old and will invest 25 million dollars in the next five years into America’s downtowns. When a community’s downtown thrives, so do other businesses. Think of it this way, you don’t treat a toothache by taking aspirin. You want to get to the root of the ache. Well, that is the same approach this program takes.
Source: Atchison Globe Now

2022-04-01T00:07:48-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

Valley Center Police report increase in car burglaries across city

Valley Center Police have arrested a juvenile in relation to an ongoing investigation into an increase in car break-ins across the city. Police said suspects have stolen one car and one firearm and broken into several other vehicles in three main areas over the last week. They believe all the incidents are related. Dannielle Ritter’s rental car was stolen from her house. She said it was a reminder not to get too comfortable in a small town. “It was a little bit more stressful since it wasn’t our car,” Ritter said. “We were worried about what exactly that… would… the repercussions would be.” Police are asking residents to lock their cars and take their valuables inside, including their keys. Captain Matt Vogt said they believe the suspects are targeting unlocked vehicles and firearms.
Source: KAKE – News

2022-04-01T00:03:45-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

Border truce ‘didn’t include the Chiefs,’ Kansas governor says amid relocation talk

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Thursday the state’s economic border war truce with Missouri “didn’t include the Chiefs,” after the team president disclosed it has considered stadium options in Kansas. The Democratic governor’s comment signals Kansas would be willing to use economic incentives to lure the Chiefs, who have been in Kansas City since 1963, across the state line. When initially asked about the possibility of relocating the NFL team, Kelly quipped that she was “on speed dial with Lamar Hunt,” referring to the Chiefs’ late founder and owner. His son Clark Hunt is the team’s chairman and CEO.
Source: The Kansas City Star

2022-04-01T06:54:34-05:00April 1, 2022|News|

Olathe schools to cut $20 million, eliminate jobs

The Olathe school district is planning to cut about $20 million from next year’s budget and eliminate some positions, officials said, due to declining enrollment during the pandemic and other challenges. The move could be a sign of what’s to come for some other districts that face similar obstacles as they launch into their budget deliberations. In Olathe, while reductions in department budgets are expected across the board, the district has confirmed it will cut library clerk positions next school year — about 15 total at middle and high schools, spokeswoman Becky Grubaugh said.
Source: KC Star Local News

2022-04-01T06:54:45-05:00March 31, 2022|News|
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