Kansas middle school student dies of COVID-19, education official says

A Kansas middle school student has died of COVID-19 as the state continues to experience statewide clusters of infection in the classroom, a state education official said Wednesday. Education Commissioner Randy Watson shared the news during a video conference with Gov. Laura Kelly’s Safer Classrooms Workgroup. He said he learned of the death shortly before joining the meeting. “On an extremely sad note I was just informed literally before I walked in this other room to join you, that we did have a middle school student pass away of COVID just in the last, maybe, day,” Watson said.
Source: KC Star Local News

Ranson Financial2021-09-23T06:48:25-05:00September 23, 2021|News|

Baxter Springs adds a nine hole disc golf course to Kiwanis Park

The city of Baxter Springs is unveiling a new sport in one of its parks. Today the city finished installing a disc golf course inside Kiwanis Park. The nine hole course cost the city five thousand dollars. The Baxter Disc Golf Club approached the city back in April about installing a course to get more people involved in the sport. “I’m hoping to see a lot of people out here enjoying it. There’s people that come down here for practice and walking. But I think you can do more than that. Once people play it they’ll see and get more population out here enjoying the outdoors. And then in the long run, I would like to see a tournament,” said Charles Rector, President Of Baxter Disc Golf Club.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Ranson Financial2021-09-23T06:48:54-05:00September 23, 2021|News|

Wichita mandates $250 fine for watching street races, burnouts, donuts and wheelies

In a crackdown on street racing, burnouts, donuts or other exhibitions of speed, Wichita City Hall is going after the people who watch from the sidewalk. A new ordinance passed Tuesday sets a minimum mandatory fine of $250 for the act of watching a drag race or an illegal car or motorcycle stunt — or being there when someone is getting ready to do one. Street racing and speed exhibitions are already illegal and have been for decades. The new ordinance is the first time the act of standing by and watching is prohibited.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T07:13:22-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Three East High students hurt in lunchtime shooting across from school, Wichita cops say

Wichita police say they have arrested a 17-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boys in connection with a shooting just off of the East High School campus during the lunch hour Tuesday. Of the students who were injured, two were 15 and one was 17. Both of the boys who were hospitalized for their wounds have since been treated and released, police said in a news release. The 15-year-old boy who was grazed by a bullet in the common areas in front of the school was treated by the school nurse.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T07:13:04-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Former Commissioner Rod Franz recognized at Salina meeting

After suffering an injury earlier this year that caused him to step down from his position, former City Commissioner Rod Franz returned to the commission chambers to be recognized by the city, mayor and commissioners. Mayor Melissa Hodges offered words of appreciation for Franz, acknowledging the hard work and efforts he has made since suffering a traumatic brain injury in his fall. Hodges read the proclamation, which acknowledged his 20-year career as finance director for Salina before being elected to the commission in 2019 and sitting on it from January 2020 to his resignation in April 2021.
Source: Salina Journal.

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T07:06:55-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for September 21, 2021

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 Financial2021-09-22T07:04:53-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Cracking down on street racing, new Wichita ordinance up for discussion

The Wichita Police Department will propose a new city ordinance that looks to stop street racing. Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said if police were looking to crack down on street racing, the current ordinance places it under reckless driving. Whipple said the issue is that terminology is too broad, and it’s not effective in cutting down the street racing cases they’ve seen over the last year. The Wichita Police Department has looked to other cities on how they handle it and decided a specific one that targets street racing would be more effective. This ordinance, if passed, would make it so Wichita police can impound your car or motorcycle. Not only that, but if a person is in a private parking lot and is street racing, officers could step in if it is deemed dangerous. The one that is currently in place only allows officers to ticket the driver.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T06:59:25-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Prairie Village extends mask mandate to Oct. 31, moves to hybrid city meetings

The Prairie Village City Council on Monday approved extending a citywide mask mandate through the end of October and also okayed a move to hybrid city meetings. Citing the fact that the CDC still considers Johnson County an area of high transmission of the disease — along with noting the support of the county health department — the council nearly unanimously approved extending Prairie Village’s mask order until Oct. 31. The original mask mandate would have expired on Sept. 30. Prairie Village was the first Johnson County city to enact its own mask mandate amid this summer’s surge of cases spurred by the Delta variant, and still is one of the only ones, along with Roeland Park, to require masks in most indoor public settings.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T01:20:18-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Wichita City Council votes to rename McAdams Recreation Center after former Mayor Carl Brewer

The Wichita City Council voted 7-0 on Tuesday to rename the McAdams Recreation Center as the Carl G. Brewer Community Center. Last month, the council voted to use American Rescue Plan Funds to renovate the McAdams Recreation Center. Carl Brewer was officially elected the first black mayor in Wichita. He served as mayor from 2007 to 2015. He also spent six years as a member of the city council.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T01:18:43-05:00September 22, 2021|News|

Here’s A Glimmer Of Hope That The Delta Surge In Kansas Is Slowing

When the delta variant arrived this summer, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Kansas skyrocketed. In just a few short months, hospitals went from serving about 100 coronavirus inpatients a day to treating 800 at a time. But, a month ago, hospitalizations leveled off and finally started sliding slightly downward. The state remains in a bad place, just better off than where it seemed headed. “The fact that we still have so many ICUs full is very concerning,” said Marci Nielsen, chief advisor to Governor Laura Kelly on the state’s pandemic response. “Health care workers are exhausted and burned out.” They spend hours just finding beds for patients. Intensive care units are so taxed with patients in respiratory distress, that it delays medical treatment for others who need it badly, too. The University of Kansas Health System says about one in 10 of its respiratory therapists quit within the past month.
Source: KCUR News

Ranson Financial2021-09-22T01:16:03-05:00September 22, 2021|News|