Fed’s Bostic says there’s no reason to change policy despite inflation fears

Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic told CNBC on Monday that he’s comfortable with the central bank’s ultra-loose policy even as inflation gains steam in the U.S. economy. “We are still 8 million jobs short of where we were pre-pandemic,” Bostic told CNBC … Currently, the Fed is keeping short-term benchmark borrowing rates anchored near zero and is buying at least $120 billion of bonds each month. That has come even as the Consumer Price Index lurched up 4.2% in April, well above Wall Street’s expectations, and as Bostic’s own Atlanta Fed GDPNow tracker is putting second-quarter growth at 10.5%. However, April’s disappointing jobs report, with nonfarm payrolls growing just 266,000 against projections for 1 million, has Fed policymakers likely on hold, where Bostic said he will be until he sees a broader economic recovery.
Source: CNBC

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:04:36-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

Lucas ranks among best small-town art scenes in nation

National polling sponsored by USA Today Readers’ Choice 2021 has named Lucas as the fourth-best small-town arts scene in the nation. Voting took place in April and top winners were revealed early in May. The small town, with a population of 400, is the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas. It showcases the ingenuity of self-taught artists. Among all the opportunities to see and learn about art made by hundreds of Kansas and nationally based individuals is the Grassroots Art Center, celebrating its 25th year in 2021.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:05:16-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

‘It’s just unreal’: Salina family picks up home after flash flood hits

In Saline County, some families had a rough wake-up call Sunday as flash floods entered their neighborhoods. Tyler Pfeifer was in the middle of a camping trip when they got a phone call early Sunday from the Saline County Dispatch saying their home was hit. “They were like, ‘Yeah, are you at your house? No? Well, it’s almost completely underwater right now,'” said Pfeifer. Pfeifer and his family rushed home. The water was gone, but its mark fully visible.
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:05:23-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

New app to give better experience at Topeka park

Shawnee County Parks and Recreation is making your experience at a local park even better with a new app. The department partnered with “Otocast” and launched the app for Ward Meade Park a few weeks ago. The app shows 19 points of interest throughout the Old Prairie Town and botanical garden. Employees are at the park from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but if you come out in the late evening and the buildings are closed and you missed the tour, you can still hear the stories on your own time and get a first-person narrative of what life was like in the late 1800s. “It’s a really unique opportunity to hear stories and listen to some of the challenges that the early pioneers faced and also learn about our buildings as well,” said John Bell, Ward Meade Park Recreation Program Supervisor.
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:05:31-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

Governor Kelly declares state of emergency because of flooding

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued a state of disaster emergency declaration for flooding that started over the weekend. The action authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to assist with response and recovery operations in counties that meet certain criteria. “We urge residents to be aware of their safety,” Kelly said in a statement. “Flood waters can be deceptive. Although people often think of tornadoes as the big destructive force of nature in Kansas, floods can be just as damaging, if not more so. Floods affect many, many square miles, destroying or damaging roads, bridges, power lines and other vital infrastructure. I am signing this declaration to help these county governments quickly restore infrastructure and get things back to normal for their citizens.”
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:05:38-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

Mission sets guidelines for housing assistance program

The city of Mission has set guidelines for it’s housing assistance program — and a way to get started. Mission’s housing assistance program is designed to help residents economically impacted by COVID-19 by offering rental or mortgage assistance. Eligible recipients must meet the following requirements for one month’s rent assistance.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:06:23-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

Parsons mask mandate to expire

Beginning Tuesday, masks will no longer be required by law anywhere in Parsons. City commissioners during a regular Monday evening meeting decided not to extend a city ordinance that requires people to wear face coverings in buildings accessible to the public. The ordinance, which was approved in July, also required businesses and organizations to post a notice at their entrances that masks must be worn inside. Employers had to make their workers wear masks when they were in areas accessible to the public or when they couldn’t socially distance from each other. The ordinance was only lightly enforced.
Source: Parsons Sun

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:06:38-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

Labette County to get over $3M in federal funds

Labette County may get as much as $3.8 million from the American Rescue Plan Act passed early in President Biden’s administration, but the county will have limits on how that money can be spent. Though the money is for infrastructure, no bridges can be built. Road improvements are a question mark. Expanding broadband would be an acceptable use, Labette County Counselor Brian Johnson said Monday while updating county commissioners on the COVID-19 relief funding. Commissioners agreed recently to seek a study of broadband coverage in the county. Cities and schools will get their own ARPA funding, Johnson said.
Source: Parsons Sun

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:07:10-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

After finding their old school for sale on eBay, a Kansas community goes to work saving its stories

If the people still living in Frankfort are successful, there will someday be a courtyard in honor of these hometown boys at the flagpole in front of the place where they went to grade school. Built in 1902-03 in the Renaissance style of architecture familiar on the prairie, Frankfort Grade School was the educational home for nearly a century of Marshall County kids. And now, it’s a literal as well as symbolic example of what small towns around Kansas do to preserve their legacies. “A lot of us have a very strong emotional connection to the building — it’s iconic for our community,” says Gayla Randel, who grew up in Frankfort and graduated from the school, as did her husband and their youngest child. Frankfort’s official population is around 750, but Randel counts another 200 from the surrounding countryside as part of the community.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Ranson Financial2021-05-18T07:10:25-05:00May 17, 2021|News|

Topeka houses are in high demand and low supply. More builders and home remodels could be part of the solution.

Intense bidding wars, cash offers, sight-unseen purchases, homes on the market for less than 48 hours — that’s the reality right now for homebuyers in the Topeka area. National news in recent weeks has highlighted rising home prices, strong demand for real estate and a low inventory of houses for sale, and local markets aren’t immune. In Shawnee County last month, homes sat on the market for a median of two days — down from a median of about eight days in April 2020. Such numbers are being fueled by a local shortage of homes for sale, and real estate professionals don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. “There’s a lot of demand. There’s just not a lot of inventory,” said Linda Briden, CEO of the Sunflower Association of Realtors.
Source: CJonline.com.

Ranson Financial2021-05-17T10:21:28-05:00May 17, 2021|News|