Kansas opens up vaccinations to all adults starting March 29

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday that anyone in Kansas age 16 or older will be allowed to get a coronavirus vaccine starting Monday because the state expects to get enough of the medicine to speed up its inoculation process for the second time in two weeks. Kelly’s announcement means the state will enter the fifth and final phase of its vaccine distribution. The move to make vaccines available to another 400,000 people comes after weeks of criticism from Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature that the effort is not moving quickly enough and not organized enough for people to easily learn where and when they can get shots.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2021-03-29T07:11:26-05:00March 29, 2021|News|

Iolan calls program ‘a godsend’

Thrive Allen County’s transportation program is changing lives. “To me it’s been a godsend,” said Iolan Loren Mitchell, in reference to the local initiative. The 83-year-old said his daughter had been giving him rides to his dialysis treatments in Chanute, but her busy schedule often makes that impossible. Fortunately for Mitchell, while attending dialysis one day, an employee there told him about Thrive’s free, non-emergency transportation program, which is currently being piloted. In no time, he was getting a lift to Chanute pro bono, sometimes multiple days per week.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2021-03-29T07:11:05-05:00March 29, 2021|News|

City of Pittsburg and Crawford County partner to launch new text-to-9-1-1 system

The City of Pittsburg and Crawford County have partnered to purchase a new state-of-the-art emergency call handling and management system that will allow residents to text urgent alerts to 9-1-1. For the last two years, the city and county have collaborated to replace antiquated telephone systems with a Next Gen 9-1-1 solution based on Internet Protocol, which are designed to keep up with the rapidly evolving communication habits of today, such as mobile calling, texting, sharing data, and more. “The new system will allow dispatchers to text with people and help us better locate mobile phone calls,” says Deputy City Manager Jay Byers. “More importantly, it’s the platform for future technologies that will be coming down the road, like being able to send pictures and video from your mobile phone directly to 9-1-1 and other emerging public safety advances.”
Source

Source: City of Pittsburg

Ranson Financial2021-03-29T07:09:40-05:00March 29, 2021|News|

Overland Park committee gives nod to $5.2 million streetlight replacement project

A program that will replace most of Overland Park’s older high-pressure sodium streetlights with LEDs is expected to save the city $407,000 a year for the next decade, according to the city’s staff. The council’s public works committee moved ahead Wednesday with the $5.2 million project. Most of that will be paid for with bonds, but $750,000 will come from the city’s general fund, said city traffic engineer Brian Shields. Replacing the sodium lights with the more energy-efficient light-emitting diodes is a part of the city’s five-year capital improvements plan.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2021-03-29T07:08:44-05:00March 29, 2021|News|

Electric scooters roll into Great Bend

A new mode of transportation is rolling into Great Bend. but it isn’t a plane, train, or automobile, it’s a scooter. Last year, before COVID hit, Matt Hiss and his wife traveled to Austin, Texas. While exploring the city, they stumbled upon electric scooters and it planted an idea in their mind. Coming from a small community, the scooters were a new experience for the Hiss’. They say it was a fun and inexpensive way to get around. So when an ad for Bird Scooters popped up, they thought why not bring the business to Great Bend? “The first chance we had to potentially bring them, we jumped on it,” said Matt Hiss, Fleet Manager.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-03-29T07:08:16-05:00March 29, 2021|News|

After Lawrence sets renewable energy goals, Kansas lawmakers pass bill that prohibits cities from limiting natural gas

In direct conflict with Lawrence’s goals for renewable energy, state lawmakers have passed a bill backed by the natural gas industry that prohibits cities from making any rules or requirements that would limit the use of natural gas or propane. The Kansas Gas Service sponsored the bill, and private gas companies such as Black Hills Energy have also expressed support for the bill, saying that the bill is “preserving energy choice,” as the Journal-World previously reported. … Both the City of Lawrence and Douglas County have submitted testimony against the bill. Jasmin Moore, the sustainability director for the city and county, said the language of the bill is very broad about what actions would be prohibited, and that many things might “have the effect of” limiting natural gas use. She said that includes efforts toward energy efficiency, improving building codes, and encouraging energy conservation.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Ranson Financial2021-03-27T16:25:19-05:00March 26, 2021|News|

Garden City housing shortage affects whole community

Garden City has a lack of housing. The shortage is at all levels – from rentals to single family homes. The shortage is not just in one area. Lona DuVall, president/CEO of the Finney County Economic Development Corporation, said the shortage is due to little housing construction over the past 20-25 years. The area is now feeling the full impact. … It wasn’t until the Rural Housing Incentive District tool came available a little over 10 years ago that it was affordable to develop the land the community had because of the lack of infrastructure, DuVall said. Until then, housing construction was basically at a standstill. … DuVall said the housing shortage has an effect on both community growth and economic development. You can’t have one without the other and people are needed for both.
Source: Garden City Telegram.

Ranson Financial2021-03-27T16:23:37-05:00March 26, 2021|News|

Build America Bonds may be key to financing Biden’s infrastructure plans

Republicans and Democrats agree that the U.S. is in dire need of a major infrastructure overhaul and, at the very least, that Congress should authorize significant repairs to roads and bridges. The fierce disagreement between the two parties begins over which provisions are worthy of running the federal deficit higher, as well as dispute over how to finance such a massive undertaking. And while Wall Street worries itself with the potential for future increases to the corporate and individual income tax rates, Democrats may soon turn to an Obama-era tool to finance their infrastructure plans: Build America Bonds, or BABs. BABs are special municipal bonds that allow states and counties to float debt with interest costs subsidized by the federal government. That underwriting not only served to ease jittery investors in the aftermath of the financial crisis, but also made municipal debt even more attractive with rates sometimes north of 7%.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Ranson Financial2021-03-26T10:04:19-05:00March 26, 2021|News|

City of Lawrence to launch new water rate structure that charges higher rates for irrigation, other accessory water use

After delays, the City of Lawrence is preparing to roll out a new water billing method that aims to encourage conservation by charging higher rates for irrigation or for other accessory uses. The new billing structure goes into effect April 1 and includes three inclining residential rates and a structure that intends to bill the higher rates only for accessory usage. Households with relatively stable water use all year will pay the lowest rate, while the city will charge those that water their lawns or otherwise use larger-than-average amounts of water 10% to 15% more for those extra gallons.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Ranson Financial2021-03-26T09:58:26-05:00March 26, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for March 25, 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 Financial2021-03-26T09:57:26-05:00March 26, 2021|News|