Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utility could pay cold snap costs for 10 years

Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utility could be paying off costs from February’s deep freeze for the next 10 years, the company revealed Friday. The Kansas Gas Service, which serves more than 640,000 Kansas customers, filed plans with regulators to issue securitized bonds for approximately $390 million in extraordinary costs from the cold snap — plus carrying costs — and recoup the sum from customers over five, seven or 10 years, increasing residential bills by anywhere from about $5 to $11 per month. If the Kansas Corporation Commission doesn’t approve the arrangement, KGS said it would request to recover the costs over three years “to minimize the carrying costs” of the debt.
Source: Kansas Reflector

2021-08-01T07:24:07-05:00August 1, 2021|News|

Kelly recommends mask policies, COVID testing and community partnerships for Kansas schools

New guidance Friday from Gov. Laura Kelly ahead of the start of classes recommends schools actively plan vaccination clinics, implement universal masking policies and create a robust testing plan for faculty and students. The updated guidance also requests that students in classrooms and school other settings maintain 3 feet of physical distance, but states this recommendation should not be a barrier to keeping students from in-person learning. When distancing is not possible, Kelly recommends schools ensure other preventative measures and guidance, like wear masks, are in place. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has recommended masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors regardless of vaccination status. This includes on school premises and all forms of public transportation.
Source: Kansas Reflector

2021-08-01T07:23:29-05:00August 1, 2021|News|

Who Can Tell You To Wear A Mask In Kansas As COVID Surges? It’s Complicated

The delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has 84 of the 105 counties in Kansas caught in a regional hot zone. Meanwhile, more than half of all eligible Kansans are not vaccinated. That leaves Gov. Laura Kelly faced with whether to use emergency powers to fight the resurging public health crisis even as that authority remains in legal limbo. A Johnson County judge’s order found a new law limiting her emergency powers flawed. While that case awaits the outcome of appeals, Kelly has yet to take forceful action in response to the resurging pandemic — like mask mandates that could slow the state’s economic recovery and that would surely draw strong resistance.
Source: KCUR News

2021-08-01T07:22:56-05:00August 1, 2021|News|

Kansas school district to make changes after LGBTQ dispute

A northeast Kansas school district says it will provide anti-discrimination training to its teachers and staff after a controversy over the treatment of a student who said she was a lesbian. North Lyon County officials said in a letter the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas that it will also make Title IX complaint procedures more transparent and publicly state the district’s policies against discrimination. The ACLU had threatened to sue the district if it didn’t provide the training.
Source: KSN-TV

2021-08-01T07:22:15-05:00August 1, 2021|News|

Rent soaring across the state as affordable housing becomes increasingly scarce

The housing market has been hot lately, but it’s not just homes for sale that are going up in price, rent has also seen a spike across the Sunflower State. Approximately one-third of Kansans are renters. According to property manager Ryan Smith, those searching for a new place or thinking of resigning a lease can expect to spend 5-to-10 percent more than last year. “I even have some units that increased 15%,” said Smith. Smith mentioned that although prices are soaring, renters are doing what they can to get an upperhand in a scarce market. “If I have a new listing, my wife and I can’t sleep that night because I’m getting so many emails and my phone is buzzing,” he said.
Source: KSN-TV

2021-08-01T07:21:55-05:00August 1, 2021|News|

Requiring COVID-19 vaccinations, proof could place school districts in legal gray area

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and Kansas schools contemplate precautions to make sure students can learn in person this fall, one possible option stands out above the rest — requiring eligible students and staff to get vaccinated. But whether schools are willing to consider such an option remains to be seen, likely because it’s unclear whether they are even allowed to. “The short answer is we don’t exactly know because this issue has never been tested,” said Mark Tallman, associate director of advocacy and communication for the Kansas Association of School Boards. “There is no specific authority for school districts to require COVID vaccination.”
Source: LJWorld.com.

2021-08-01T07:20:43-05:00August 1, 2021|News|

Fed holds rates near zero, says economy has gotten better even with pandemic worries

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday held its benchmark interest rate near zero and said the economy continues to progress despite concerns over the pandemic spread. As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee concluded its two-day meeting by keeping interest rates in a target range between zero and 0.25%. Along with that, the committee said in a unanimously approved statement that the economy continues to “strengthen.” Despite the optimism about the economy, Chairman Jerome Powell said the Fed is nowhere near considering a rate hike. “Our approach here has been to be as transparent as we can. We have not reached substantial further progress yet,” he said. “We see ourselves having some ground to cover to get there.”
Source: Economy

2021-07-29T23:43:33-05:00July 29, 2021|News|

USD 465 considers employee child care

Childcare facilities could be coming to Winfield USD 465 buildings in an attempt to help retain staff. The USD 465 board of education discussed the issue at their Monday meeting, said Tom Fell, the district’s business and finance director/board clerk. Board members discussed the pros and cons of offering daycare, how to meet code requirements set by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and ways to reconfigure rooms at existing buildings into daycare facilities. The proposal under discussion would establish daycare centers at Irving and Country View elementary schools, and possibly also at the district office, Fell said. Those facilities would initially be open for district employees only, but could be expanded in the future to accept children from the wider community.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

2021-07-29T23:41:45-05:00July 29, 2021|News|

Emporia continues wage discussion

The Emporia City Commission returned to a discussion of wage increases for city staff during its study session Wednesday morning. In a previous discussion held on June 23, human resources director Jo Lynne Herron informed the commission that the last official compensation study was completed in 2007, and in that time the consumer price index had increased by 24%. There was only one wage increase for city staff during that period, a 2% cost of living adjustment in 2014. A modest 12% increase in the wage scale was proposed in order to combat difficulty with the hiring and retention of city staff. Such a measure, however necessary, would come at great cost to the city.
Source: Emporia Gazette

2021-07-30T08:13:37-05:00July 29, 2021|News|
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