USDA Unveils Tool to Help Rural Communities Address the COVID-19 Pandemic

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today unveiled a one-stop-shop of federal programs that can be used by rural communities, organizations and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide (PDF, 349 KB) is a first-of-its-kind resource for rural leaders looking for federal funding and partnership opportunities to help address this pandemic.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities preparing for and impacted by COVID-19,” Perdue said. “This resource guide will help our rural leaders, whether they are in agriculture, education, health care or any other leadership capacity, understand what federal assistance is available for their communities during this unprecedented time.”
USDA has taken many immediate actions to assist farmers, ranchers, producers, rural communities, and rural-based businesses and organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on these actions, visit www.usda.gov/coronavirus.

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T08:39:06-05:00April 14, 2020|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 13, 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 Financial2026-10-22T10:29:39-05:00April 14, 2020|Finance|

COVID-19 pandemic forces local governments to adopt tech solutions, host meetings online

Local government has been shoved and shoved hard by the coronavirus outbreak. And yes, things are bad.
But in one way, the pandemic is having a positive effect. It has pushed councils, boards and committees hard into the technology of the 21st Century. Elected officials, usually constrained by five-year plans, the bidding process and endless committee meetings, have been thrown headfirst into the world of virtual meeting apps.
Suddenly, there’s not enough time for preliminary discussions and staff investigations. Officials are forced to just try them out. And — temporarily at least — government has become a bit easier to access because of it.
Meetings from even the small cities are available to watch from home. Roll calls are being done where voice votes used to suffice. And soon, some viewers may be able to offer public comment without leaving their computers.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T08:11:23-05:00April 14, 2020|News|

Muni-Bond Market Reviving After Fed Moves to Ease Cash Crunch

The Federal Reserve is helping revive the $3.9 trillion municipal bond market.
… as many as 200 new negotiated state and local debt offerings will price over the next few days, almost double the amount issued last week, fixed-income strategist Kevin Giddis said in a note to clients.
That would mark a turnaround for a segment of the capital markets that had virtually shut down after concerns about the coronavirus prompted a series of steep sell-offs last month when investors pulled out their funds. The market has since been steadied, with the Federal Reserve last month moving to increase liquidity for money-market funds and last week rolling out a plan to lend as much as $500 billion to states and local governments to help them avoid a cash crunch in the middle of the pandemic.
(Read more: Bloomberg)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T07:58:19-05:00April 13, 2020|News|

Wamego coaches use technology to train and inspire student-athletes

Coaches at Wamego High are going above and beyond to keep their student-athletes in shape. With every squat, push up, and crunch, they get closer to their fitness goals, but how they’re continuing to establish a culture during a pandemic is equally impressive.
Red Raider coaches are facing challenges like every other school in the nation, usually, they inspire in person.
Now they need to do it from home.
(Read more: KSNT News)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T07:58:28-05:00April 13, 2020|News|

Shawnee county leaders say their employees don’t need to worry about a pay cut

Shawnee County leaders said Monday their employees don’t need to worry about taking a pay cut right now.
County Commissioner Kevin Cook said the county’s emergency cash reserve has $33 million in it.
He said the county started saving that money more than seven years ago in case of a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are not looking at having that budget cut to our employees,” Cook said. “That does not say that we are not susceptible to economic downturns, but we do have a healthy cash reserve.”
In some parts of the country, governments are pushing back property tax deadlines, but Shawnee County officials haven’t yet decided whether to push them back locally.
As of Monday afternoon, property taxes are still due by Sunday, May 10^th.
(Read more: KSNT News)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T07:59:00-05:00April 13, 2020|News|

Spike in Ford County COVID-19 cases related to beef plant

While they were hoping not to see it, Ford County’s Health officer said Monday, the county experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases over the weekend.
The county’s count jumped from two cases last Thursday to 13 by Sunday.
Just under half the total, he believed, are related to workers at local beef packing plants.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T07:59:09-05:00April 13, 2020|News|

Shawnee County health officer: Store employees should cover faces at all times

Staff members in stores “should cover their faces with masks or scarfs at all times,” Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino said in a letter sent Monday to Shawnee County retail establishments.
The letter also outlines specific steps Pezzino is asking stores to take to maintain adequate social distancing.
“We hope to address the uneven compliance regarding social gathering restrictions by strongly recommending and encouraging these measures,” Pezzino said in a news release put out late Monday afternoon. “We trust that our county’s retail partners will do their part and adhere as best they can to the recommended measures set forth to help mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.”
Monday’s letter said operators of large stores, shopping malls and other retail establishments where large numbers of people are present should monitor the areas around their stores and ensure people are appropriately directed to store entrances.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T07:59:50-05:00April 13, 2020|News|

Training a constant for Topeka firefighters

Repetition is important when it comes to firefighter training.
Fire crews may run through one scenario in which a building is on fire, then run through the same scenario but this time it is a house fire. The third round may be a high-rise fire.
Making sure firefighters are prepared for any sort of situation is critical, and the repetitive nature of the work can be found in how many hours crews spending training each year.
“It takes at least two hours of training every day they work to make their minimum total,” said Alan Stahl, public education officer for the Topeka Fire Department.
Six men ran a variety of scenarios this past Wednesday afternoon at the department’s headquarters, 324 S.E. Jefferson St., as part of their training.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T08:00:23-05:00April 13, 2020|News|

Holton Community Hospital, Jackson Co. EMS find ways to overcome challenges amid coronavirus outbreak

Like many other hospitals and EMS crews across the country, Holton Community Hospital and Jackson County EMS are doing their best to make do with what they have during the coronavirus pandemic.
Being a smaller hospital, Holton Community Hospital has been faced with some challenges amid the outbreak, like limited access to supplies, having enough space and being able to treat those in need of intensive care. But, they’re finding ways to overcome them.
“We’ve learned to think outside the box to come up with things we have on hand, buildings that we have and how can we utilize what we already have here,” said nurse Jennifer Collins.
Whether that’s setting up a make-shift drive-up testing center in a garage out back or setting up tents outside the building to separate patients with coronavirus symptoms from other patients.
(Read more: KSNT News)

Ranson Financial2020-04-14T08:00:43-05:00April 13, 2020|News|