Governor recommends staying in phase 3

Governor Laura Kelly announced Monday that her administration and officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommend most local communities do not move into Phase Out of “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas” and instead stay in Phase 3. The emergency disaster declaration issued by the governor on May 26 transfers reopening decisions back to local officials, which means counties continuing with Phase 3 of the plan is only a recommendation. However, the State continues to monitor health metrics daily, and remains committed to supporting local communities in a safe, gradual transition.
(Read more: Derby Informer | News)

Ranson Financial2020-07-08T07:46:18-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Kansas added to New York’s travel quarantine list

“As states around the country experience increasing community spread, New York is taking action to ensure the continued safety of our phased reopening. Our entire response to this pandemic has been by the numbers, and we’ve set metrics for community spread just as we set metrics for everything,” Governor Cuomo said. “Three more states have now reached the level of spread required to qualify for New York’s travel advisory. We will now require individuals coming from Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma to quarantine for 14 days. New Yorkers did the impossible – we went from the worst infection rate in the United States to one of the best – and the last thing we need is to see another spike of COVID-19.”
(Read more: KAKE – News)

Ranson Financial2020-07-08T07:46:44-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Former Oswego hospital managers charged in $1.4 billion scheme

Several people tied to the rural healthcare management company EmpowerHMS, which operated Oswego Community Hospital in Labette County until last year, when the medical facility closed after failing to pay employees for weeks, were indicted this week on conspiracy charges involving an alleged $1.4 billion criminal scheme. “This was allegedly a massive, multi-state scheme to use small, rural hospitals as a hub for millions of dollars in fraudulent billings of private insurers,” Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in a press release. “The charges announced today make clear that the department is committed to dismantling fraud schemes that target our health care system, however complex or elaborate.”
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Ranson Financial2020-07-08T07:47:18-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Baldwin City’s Maple Leaf Festival canceled; organizers plan virtual event

Because of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the annual Baldwin City Maple Leaf Festival has been canceled for this year. Mike Curran, Maple Leaf Festival Committee chairman, said the Maple Leaf Festival Committee last week voted to call off the festival, which annually draws more than 30,000 visitors to Baldwin City during its two-day run. This year’s festival was scheduled for Oct. 17-18. …
Curran said Sunday that the decision to cancel was made in light of the alarming spread of the pandemic in recent weeks.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Ranson Financial2020-07-07T08:22:56-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Lawrence City Commission to consider review and reform of police use-of-force policies

City leaders will soon consider whether to commit to a public review of the Lawrence Police Department’s use-of-force policies, including the department’s policies regarding deadly force. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting a resolution committing the city to reviewing and as necessary revising police use-of-force policies, according to a city staff memo to the commission. The topic comes to the commission after Mayor Jennifer Ananda, in the wake of protests against police killings of Black people and calls for reform, requested that the commission consider various changes related to use of force, systemic racism and other social equity issues.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Ranson Financial2020-07-07T08:21:45-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Emporia Main Street’s Grand Reopening kicks off Monday

Main Street members are inviting the community back into their doors with the Emporia Main Street Grand Reopening event next week. Community Development Coordinator Jessica Buchholz said community members are invited to pick up a Main Street Passport and visit any Main Street office or participating business, located anywhere in Emporia, Monday – Friday. Make a purchase or receive a service during your visit to the business and get your passport stamped throughout the week. “The idea is to encourage people to come out and shop safely, shop locally and let them know that Emporia is reopening back up,” Buchholz said. “We are wanting to do that on a scale that makes folks comfortable.”
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Ranson Financial2020-07-07T08:19:46-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Mask mandate approved for Shawnee County

A proposal Shawnee County commissioners plan to consider at 3 p.m. Monday would in many circumstances require people to wear masks in public spaces in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the measure would not require masks in some situations, including when people are more than six feet from others or are involved in incidental, infrequent moments of closer proximity.
(Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-07-07T08:18:35-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Salina passes city mask ordinance

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 the wearing of facial coverings will be mandated in public places in Salina soon, after the City Commission passed an ordinance on the topic Monday night. After the Saline County Commission opted out of Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order on masks last week in favor of its own county health order, the city ordinance mirrors the governor’s order, with a few exceptions.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-07-07T08:17:57-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for July 6, 2020

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 Financial2020-07-07T08:23:57-05:00July 7, 2020|News|

‘It’s gorgeous.’ Shawnee honors its Belgium past in this park’s cottage garden

When Belgian immigrants came to America, many of them found their way to the Shawnee area in the late 1800s and after. They settled on family farms of 10 to 40 acres, grew vegetables as they had done back home and sold the produce at market in Kansas City. By 1930, Belgian-born immigrants made up 28% of Shawnee’s population, and many more residents were children of those immigrants. Shawnee celebrates its Belgian heritage in West Flanders Park at 55th Street and Nieman Road, where poppies grow in the spring near a marker that highlights the immigration story, Belgium’s role in World War I and Shawnee’s sister city relationship with the West Flanders town of Pittem.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Ranson Financial2020-07-06T07:36:59-05:00July 6, 2020|News|