Wichita hopes to attract commercial interest in vacant land near ballpark with building height change

On what are now empty grass lawns just east of Riverfront Stadium, the city hopes to more easily attract new commercial development surrounding the ballpark with a change in building height requirements. On Thursday, the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted to approve a request to amend the maximum building heights that are allowed on two oddly shaped parcels within the existing Ballpark Village Planned Unit Development. The request still has to go in front of the District 4 Advisory Board and City Council, but the change is expected to increase the allowed building heights from 50 to 85 feet on the L-shaped property at the northwest corner of Maple and McLean, and from 50 to 95 feet on the vertical sliver of land at the northeast corner.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2021-06-09T07:48:42-05:00June 9, 2021|News|

Winfield Public Library offers Chromebooks, hotspots and e-readers for check-out

The Winfield Public Library is offering personal hotspots and Chromebooks for check-out, joining e-readers as electronic devices available from WPL. Hotspots can be taken home and checked out for two weeks. Chromebooks are for use on WPL’s campus and can be checked out for 90 minutes. Thanks to a grant from the American Library Association, personal hotspots are available at WPL to 67,156 residents to provide internet access to families and households that lack Wifi services.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Ranson Financial2021-06-09T07:49:19-05:00June 9, 2021|News|

Deadline for submitting flood damage extended for Osborne County residents

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management has extended the deadline for collecting information on flood damages experienced by residents of Osborne County to Tuesday, June 15. Last month, Paradise Creek spilled out of its banks following heavy rain of up to six inches flooding Natoma. To report damages, residents should call 785-646-2522 or e-mail ng.ks.ksarng.list.kdem-damage-collection@mail.mil. Residents will be asked to complete an interview and will need to provide their insurance status; the estimated value of the home or personal property that was damaged; and photos that documents reported damages.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-06-09T07:49:47-05:00June 9, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for June 7, 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 Financial2021-06-08T07:09:30-05:00June 8, 2021|News|

The Fed is in early stages of tapering its asset purchases; change in the federal funds rate remains far in the future

The Federal Reserve is in the early stages of a campaign to ready markets for reducing its $120 billion in monthly asset purchases to stimulate the economy. … This time, the Fed is creating a long runway for tapering, making clear that rate increases only come after this process. It also has set a higher standard of economic improvement required for rate increases than it has for asset purchase reductions. [Fed Vice Chair for bank supervision Randal] Quarles late last month made that separation clear, saying: “It will become important for the FOMC to begin discussing our plans to adjust the pace of asset purchases at upcoming meetings.” But, he added, “in contrast, the time for discussing a change in the federal funds rate remains far in the future.”
Source: CNBC

Ranson Financial2021-06-08T07:04:08-05:00June 8, 2021|News|

Overland Park sees trifecta of hotel-to-apartment conversions

When it comes to multifamily conversions, a growing number of extended-stay hotel properties in Overland Park have whet out-of-state developers’ appetites. Ruttenberg Gordon Investments (RGI), a Chicago-based real estate investor, looks to rezone the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Overland Park at 10610 Marty St. so its 143 rooms can become 143 apartments. The existing three-story hotel building could be retrofitted to house 121 studios and 22 one-bedroom units, with 194 combined existing and new parking spaces. All amenities, including a pool, will remain within an interior courtyard, site plans show.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Ranson Financial2021-06-08T07:04:53-05:00June 7, 2021|News|

Kansas town is using big catches to reel big dollars into the community

There’s something fishy going on in Eureka. The town is using a big catch to put some big dollars back into the community. From the biggest fish at 42.5 pounds nor the smallest ones, the flathead catfish tournament makes a splash in Greenwood County. The Shakin’ ShoDown is fun for the kids and even worth winning a few trophies, but the weight of this event carries heavier than some of these large fish. The reason why is because all of the funds go back into the community to help those in need.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-06-08T07:05:22-05:00June 7, 2021|News|

Kansas’ longest-running golf tournament tees off its 41st year

The longest-running professional golf tournament in the state of Kansas is teeing off its 41st year Monday after being canceled last year due to COVID. The Southwest Kansas Pro-Am golf tournament is known for bringing in elite play, but for many, what makes it special is that every swing, drive, and putt helps babies in need. For the past four decades, 100% of the tournament’s proceeds have benefitted the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-06-08T07:05:50-05:00June 7, 2021|News|

Fastest-growing counties in Kansas

From 2018 to 2019, the U.S. population grew by .48%, its slowest rate in 100 years. Declining births, increasing deaths largely due to the graying Baby Boomer population, and a crackdown on immigration have contributed to many states seeing net population losses in recent years. But in other pockets of the country, populations are growing. These shifts can be due to job opportunities, high quality of life, easy commutability to job centers, low rents, or any combination of these or other factors. Stacker compiled a list of the fastest-growing counties in Kansas using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest population growth from 2010 to 2019, based on 5-year estimates.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-06-08T07:06:37-05:00June 7, 2021|News|

KDOL partners with several law enforcement agencies to reduce fraud backlog

Thousands of Kansans have had unemployment benefits put on hold due to fraudulent claims. A new partnership between the Department of Labor and several law enforcement agencies across the state aims to fix that. Monday was the first day of the program in Sedgwick County … The process to be verified is simple, you just bring some legal form of identification, like a passport or driver’s license and social security card to the records office at the county jail. There, they verify your identity and send that information on to KDOL, with the goal of speeding up the process.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2021-06-08T07:08:49-05:00June 7, 2021|News|