Edgerton City Council works hard to ensure transparency

The City of Edgerton has reduced staff to only people with business in front of the council, and have asked that presenters make their presentations by telephone for the next City Council meeting, scheduled for Thursday, said Kara Banks, director of communications and marketing.
“We are exploring options for a conference line or other online option for the public to view the meeting,” Banks said. “This is a very fluid situation, and we want to abide by CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and state and local health officials’ recommendations, while still adhering to state laws regarding open meetings.”
(Read more: Gardner News)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T08:54:32-05:00March 27, 2020|News|

Prairie Village Police Are Enforcing Stay At Home Orders In City Parks

On Wednesday, the first really gorgeous afternoon of the year, a couple dozen people were playing pickleball at Meadowbrook Park at 91st and Nall. That was until two Prairie Village police officers showed up to tell the players they were violating the emergency order limiting gatherings to no more than ten people. It wasn’t quite a bust but the officers came armed with copies of the emergency order issued by the county health department last Saturday. The officers said while the order is enforceable they were there to “educate” people. One player described the officers as “perfectly nice.” When asked if they were driving around looking for gatherings of more than ten people, the officers said no, someone called the pickleball gathering in.
(Read more: )

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T09:19:38-05:00March 27, 2020|News|

Fed will have 10 days to begin municipal bond purchases

The Federal Reserve will have up to 10 days after President Trump signs the $2 trillion Coronavirus emergency relief bill to start voluntary purchases of municipal securities through a new Economic Stabilization Fund.
Emily Brock, director of the federal liaison center for the Government Finance Officers Association, said that Federal Reserve officials are hoping to begin muni purchases before the 10 days fully elapse.
The House planned to send that legislation to the White House Friday.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T08:58:05-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

Municipal bond interest rates plummeted for a second straight day on Fed efforts to combat coronavirus impact

Municipal yields are plummeting for a second straight day, with midday AAA benchmark reads showing declines of 50 to 60 basis points as the market rebounds from the massive coronavirus-led selloff of the last two weeks.
The municipal market has navigated massive swings in yields moving up and down over the course of a 12-day period that have become a part of a new dynamic since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. But it appears that the market is accepting the Fed is here to help and buyers are back.
The massive stimulus package expected to be signed into law as soon as the House passes it, likely Friday, could spur the Federal Reserve to begin to buy longer-dated municipals.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T08:59:06-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

Another firm fined for acting simultaneously as the issuer’s financial advisor and underwriter

Ameritas paid $10,000 to settle charges of violating MSRB Rule G-23 on activities of financial advisors.
Between Feb. 10, 2018, and Aug. 20, 2018, Ameritas provided underwriting services for an issue with which it had an active “blanket” financial advisory agreement, therefore acting simultaneously as the issuer’s financial advisor and underwriter, FINRA found.
In 2011, the MSRB amended its Rule G-23 so that a firm with a financial advisory relationship to an issuance of muni securities cannot act as an underwriter for that same issuance.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T09:11:24-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

Hutchinson closes playgrounds

City officials on Thursday ordered all Hutchinson playgrounds be closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic locally.
Plastic and metal are used extensively within the playgrounds and according to the Centers for Disease Control, COVID-19 can live multiple days on those surfaces.
Although the playgrounds are closed, parks and trails remain open for outdoor activities and exercise.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T09:11:40-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

“Rally Reno” to provide local economic relief

Three local agencies have joined together to launch an online program that enables residents to put dollars in the hands of their favorite retail, service and hospitality businesses, while also helping those affected by layoffs or pay cuts.
The Hutchinson Community Foundation, Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber, and United Way of Reno, with the support of unnamed donors, have created “Rally Reno County.”
The program operates off the basic premise of “buy local, give local.”
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T09:11:55-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

With shortage of coronavirus tests, Johnson County might pay private labs to do more

In the face of rapidly rising coronavirus cases in Johnson County and a clampdown on who can get tested, officials on Thursday called for more funds to pay private labs to step up testing.
“Yesterday we spoke with four different labs that are able to carry this out,” said Sanmi Areola, who started this week as director of the Johnson County Department of Public Health and Environment. “The opportunity to do the testing is there, but we do need the resources to be able to implement it.”
The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Johnson County increased by four Thursday morning, bringing the county’s total to 50, by far the highest in Kansas. Just a day earlier, Johnson County health officials reported an additional 10 cases of COVID-19.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Ranson Financial2020-03-27T09:36:45-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

Short-Term Treasury Yields Go Negative in Scramble for Cash

Yields on the safest, short-term Treasurys settled into negative territory for the first time in more than four years, as investors continued clamoring for cash and safe dollar assets even as some markets showed signs of normalization.
The one-month Treasury bill yield closed at minus 0.041% Wednesday and the three-month ended at minus 0.046%, the first time they have closed the day below 0% since late 2015, according to Tradeweb. Yields remained in negative territory early Thursday with the yield on the three-month Treasury at minus 0.028%.
(Read more: WSJ.com: Markets)

Ranson Financial2020-03-26T09:11:35-05:00March 26, 2020|News|

64,000 newly out of work in Missouri, Kansas as coronavirus shuts down U.S. economy

Nearly 65,000 people in Missouri and Kansas filed unemployment claims last week as the coronavirus shut down many parts of the U.S. economy.
Federal data released Thursday shows that 40,508 Missourians filed initial unemployment claims for the week ending March 21. That’s up from 4,016 the previous week — an increase of more than 900%.
In Kansas, 23,687 workers filed new unemployment claims last week. That’s a spike of 1,250% over the 1,755 Kansans who filed claims the week prior.
Across the country, the seasonally adjusted number of initial unemployment claims filed last week increased to nearly 3.3 million, an increase of more than 3 million over the previous week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
(Read more: Kansas City Breaking News, Crime & Sports |)

Ranson Financial2020-03-26T09:10:24-05:00March 26, 2020|News|