Sedgwick County works to bolster coronavirus testing after sluggish start

Sedgwick County commissioners are pushing for more COVID-19 testing in the Wichita area as businesses reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, citing concerns that testing should be available to people as they return to work. The commission approved spending $250,000 for mobile COVID-19 testing Wednesday. That roving site will be available only to people who have coronavirus symptoms, the same as the health department’s testing site st 2716 W. Central in west Wichita. Commissioner David Dennis said it’s unfair for the county to expect businesses to open back up without employers knowing whether workers are carriers of the virus.
(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2020-05-21T09:43:09-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Rural hospital saw peak of coronavirus cases higher than Wichita healthcare system

Officials at one of the hardest-hit rural hospitals in Kansas during the COVID-19 pandemic have started to catch their breath after hitting a peak of cases earlier in the month. Southwest Medical Center in Seward County had prepared for as many as 22 patients. It hit that number between May 3-4, necessitating a Blackhawk helicopter to deliver an emergency shipment of ventilators to the hospital. The number of cases was the maximum the hospital had resources to treat and was a couple more cases than the much larger Ascension Via Christi in Wichita saw at its peak in the middle of April. Besides a significant cluster of cases at a meatpacking facility in its own town of Liberal, the hospital also took patients from a cluster at a meatpacking operation 45 minutes away in Oklahoma. The 101-bed facility also had COVID-19 patients from Texas, according to Robin Allaman, Southwest’s vice president of patient care services.
(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2020-05-21T09:43:37-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Kansas movie theaters, museums, bowling alleys can reopen Friday, but will they?

Kansas will take the next step in its reopening on Friday, when movie theaters, museums, non-tribal casinos and other indoor entertainment venues will be permitted to reopen. Bars and night clubs, along with swimming pools, will stay closed. Gov. Laura Kelly unveiled the changes Tuesday — the latest rollback of restrictions after weeks of lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2020-05-21T09:43:56-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for May 19, 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 Financial2020-05-20T08:25:44-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Gov. Laura Kelly allowing state to enter Phase 2 of reopening plan Friday

Gov. Laura Kelly said the Kansas economy would be allowed Friday to enter the second phase of a recovery strategy from the pandemic that includes resumption of business by casinos, theaters, bowling alleys, museums and permits return to organized sports activities. Kelly said during a briefing at the Capitol on Tuesday that bars, nightclubs, swimming pools, venues seating more than 2,000, fairs, festivals, parades and summer camps would remain shut down. It’s possible the grip on those activities could loosen by June 8. Under Phase 2, she said, the statewide mass gathering limit would be moved on Friday to 15 people, up from the current cap of 10. “Right now,” Kelly said, “the data tell us it is time for another step forward in opening as quickly as possible but still doing it as safely as possible. I’m encouraged by our progress.”
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-05-20T08:22:13-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Crawford County may back hemp-processing business

Industrial hemp has seen rapid growth in Kansas since becoming legal in recent years, but could soon be given an even greater boost in the southeast corner of the state. The Pittsburg City Commission weighed the pros and cons last week of providing support to a new business that is looking to bring cannabidiol (CBD) processing to town, before ultimately holding off on making a decision about whether to help finance the operation.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Ranson Financial2020-05-20T08:16:16-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Federal government is bringing back a bond from the 1980s to help pay off a record deficit

“I think the 20-year should do fine. Obviously, we haven’t seen one in a little bit of time. There’s always is a little bit of uncertainty around the unknown in general,” said Gregory Faranello, head of U.S. rates at AmeriVet Securities. On a when-issued basis, the 20-year was yielding 1.21% Tuesday. Yields move opposite price, and its yield is about 50 basis points above the 10-year, at 0.70% Tuesday. The 30-year bond was at 1.42% Tuesday. “If you look at it from a macro perspective, relative to a lot of the G7 rates around the world, even if you look at the 30-year, it is still offering a very attractive yield level,” said Faranello. “Relative to the 10-year it looks attractive as a yield pickup.” Michael Schumacher, director rates at Wells Fargo said he expects the new issue will be met with good demand. The 20-year should appeal to foreign investors and also to pension funds and insurers, who look for longer duration holdings to match their liabilities.
(Read more: CNBC – Bonds)

Ranson Financial2020-05-20T08:17:07-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Municipal short-end rates continue to fall

The municipal market continued its short-end rally Tuesday with yields falling by as much as seven basis points, amid a well-functioning new-issue market that saw deals re-priced to lower yields. Amid an otherwise quiet tone that was characterized by some firmness and strong demand for a large Connecticut pricing and a steepening yield curve, there was support for the front end of the municipal market, according to traders. The front of the municipal yield curve is “astounding” and traders said dealers are uncharacteristically accepting the levels, likely due to the historically attractive ratios, he noted. “Guys are buying the front end even though yields have gone through 1%, which usually holds them up,” he explained. “But, they don’t seem to be adverse to it as they had been.” For instance, on Monday, the three-year triple-A municipal bond yielding .49% was offering 205.9% of the comparable Treasury counterpart, which yielded 0.22%, the trader noted.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Ranson Financial2020-05-20T08:17:39-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Wichita City Council approves coronavirus grant application for fire and police

The Wichita City Council voted 7-0 on Tuesday to approve a grant application for Coronavirus Emergency (ER) Supplemental Funding Program Solicitation. It is administered by the Department of Justice and will be $1,250,185. No local match is required. The funding will provide a new full-time emergency manager for two years and a software program for the Wichita Fire Department. Lastly, supplies and other defined program expenses will be allotted.
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Ranson Financial2020-05-20T08:18:16-05:00May 20, 2020|News|

Pittsburg State announces plans for disbursing CARES Act funds to their students

Pittsburg State announces plans for disbursing CARES Act funds to their students. The university will recieve about $2.6 million from the higher education emergency relief fund. This federal assistance will go directly towards students who qualify. Full-time students who meet the qualifications can receive up to $800 and part-time students can get up to $400. Doug Ball, Chief Financial Officer, PSU, said, “Our hope is that this really helps students as their navigating challenges that they may be experiencing related to COVID. And we hope this would be one step in assisting them in continuing their education and making progress towards their degree.”
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)

Ranson Financial2020-05-20T08:18:23-05:00May 20, 2020|News|