Kansas bill ending municipal regulation of plastic bags, containers raises constitutional issue

2 Friday, February 2

Kansas bill ending municipal regulation of plastic bags, containers raises constitutional issue

info2024-02-02T12:17:34-06:00February 2nd, 2024|

University of Kansas scientist Nancy Muma said the average person inadvertently accumulated in the body a credit-card sized amount of plastic each week by breathing air and consuming water. Muma, who earned a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology, said this involuntary consumption of bisphenols, phthalates and perfluoroalkyls created a wave of endocrine disruptions that altered hormones and reproductive systems in humans. Children and developing fetuses were especially vulnerable to these toxins, but the damage could emerge at all stages of life in the form of heart disease, obesity and cancer, she said. “The good news is that you can help solve this costly [...]

2 Friday, February 2

Bond passes with 88% support

info2024-02-02T11:50:27-06:00February 2nd, 2024|

Voters in the USD 410 school district took to the polls on Tuesday, Jan. 23 where they voted on the general obligation bond issue in an amount not to exceed $13,350,000. The results will not be final until after the official canvass on Wednesday, Jan. 31, but the preliminary results were 464 yes and 59 no. “We are absolutely thrilled with the overwhelming support of the bond issue. 88% of voters supported the bond with a yes vote. That level of support is unheard of,” said Superintendent Clint Corby. There was a surprisingly large turnout despite cold, dreary weather on Jan. 23. For the [...]

2 Friday, February 2

Municipal Bond Trends for February 1, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-02-02T11:14:16-06:00February 2nd, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

1 Thursday, February 1

Municipal Bond Trends for January 31, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-02-01T09:59:19-06:00February 1st, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

1 Thursday, February 1

Water main breaks spiking

info2024-02-01T06:58:54-06:00February 1st, 2024|

Topeka water mains are breaking significantly more often than they used to. Over the past 10 years, the city averaged 46 water main breaks per month. But in 2023, the city saw a total of 777 water main breaks, which averages out to 64.75 per month. Source: CJonline

31 Wednesday, January 31

Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, sets the stage for cuts

info2024-01-31T15:00:19-06:00January 31st, 2024|

The Federal Reserve announced it will leave interest rates unchanged Wednesday, setting the stage for rate cuts to come — and paving the way for relief from the combination of higher rates and inflation that have hit consumers particularly hard. Although Fed officials indicated as many as three cuts coming this year, the pace that they trim interest rates is going to be much slower than the pace at which they hiked, according to Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. "Interest rates took the elevator going up; they are going to take the stairs coming down," he said. Source: CNBC - Bonds

31 Wednesday, January 31

2024 January Kansas Employment Forecast Released

info2024-01-31T10:42:37-06:00January 31st, 2024|

Kansas has rebounded strongly, surpassing the national and the Plains region averages in each quarter of 2023. The state's growth peaked at 9.4% in Q3 of 2023, significantly higher than the national average of 4.8% and the Plains region of 5.1% in the same quarter. The underlying contribution to the growth within the state over the previous year was agriculture, which was from a combination of prices and drought insurance. Manufacturing regained its strength in the second and third quarters of the year, as agriculture waned slightly. Both industry drivers have fueled additional growth within construction, retail, and government, which picked [...]

31 Wednesday, January 31

Recycled ambulance saves fire department money

info2024-01-31T10:26:12-06:00January 31st, 2024|

By reusing the old box, the Newton Fire Department saved nearly $100,000 when replacing its ambulance. The department had its old ambulance box remounted onto a new vehicle. According to logistics division chief, Joe Martin, this recycling practice is common among departments. “Remounts have come a long way,” Martin said. “It’s becoming an industry norm as budgets don’t keep up with inflation.” Martin said the department was particularly excited by the addition of a power load system to the ambulance. The power load system manually lifts and lowers the stretcher so they don’t have to pick up everyone being loaded into the ambulance. The [...]

31 Wednesday, January 31

USD 440 Steering committee completes bond information meetings

info2024-01-31T10:24:17-06:00January 31st, 2024|

USD-440 and the district’s steering committee completed its third and final bond information meeting last week at Bentley Primary School, holding one in each of the three schools. After receiving feedback from the community, the steering committee will have one more meeting to shore up their plan that they initially introduced to the school board in January. With a month to consider the committee’s recommendations, the board will discuss and possibly make a decision on whether to proceed during their Feb. 12 meeting. Steering committee chair Alex Williams said that, to date, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. He said the biggest input [...]

31 Wednesday, January 31

See an extra 1% charge on your receipt in Overland Crossing? Here’s why.

info2024-01-31T10:22:41-06:00January 31st, 2024|

If you’ve been shopping recently in the Overland Crossing Shopping Center and noticed an extra charge applied to your receipt near the sales tax, that’s a private fee. The fee — that appears on a Whole Foods Market receipt in the center as “OVRLAND GIF” — is a private general improvement fee, or GIF, of 1% on each purchase. Dave Claflin from Legacy Development said the GIF functions similarly to a Community Improvement District or a Tax Increment Financing District, in that the revenue generated by the extra fee pays for improvements within a set area. These private financing arrangements are sometimes called a [...]