Wichita firefighter Ty Voth lived and died as a hero, WFD chief says

The city of Wichita is taking steps to honor a 27-year-old firefighter who died in the line of duty on Thursday, and the firefighters union president is calling for a full investigation into what happened. Wichita firefighter Ty Voth, a 5-year veteran of the Wichita Fire Department, responded with a crew on Engine 19 to “a heavy fire at a modular home down in Haysville” on Thursday afternoon, Chief Tammy Snow said at a Friday morning news conference. His crew was assigned to attack the fire. “He was extremely dedicated and a brave firefighter who served our community,” Snow said. “Ty ran in to danger when others ran out. He served valiantly for others, for the greater good. We value the critical services and sacrifice of firefighter Voth. This is a loss that weighs heavily on all of us. Ty was a proud member of Station 5, and his station brothers and sisters in our entire community grieve deeply together. “He lived as a hero. He died as a hero. And he’ll be remembered as a hero.” The city of Wichita has lowered its flags to half-staff and will illuminate City Hall in red lights to honor Voth, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said on Friday.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

info2024-08-05T10:41:59-05:00August 5, 2024|News|

K-State community health worker project helps rural Kansas and agricultural workforce

A large collaborative K-State 105 project is bringing together 12 partners — including Kansas State University units, other higher education institutions and health organizations — to help improve rural and agriculture-connected health across the state. The Rural Ag Health Community Health Worker project focuses on sustaining the health and safety of rural Kansans and the agricultural workforce. The project is establishing resource and service hubs staffed by community health workers who are co-supervised by local K-State Research and Extension units and health care partners. The project has received funding and support through the K-State 105 initiative. “Local extension units participating in the Rural Ag Health Community Health Worker project serve as a gateway to help rural residents manage chronic conditions, prevent injuries and reduce risk of illness,” said Elaine Johannes, Kansas Health Foundation distinguished professor in community health and state extension specialist. “Extension units are known for providing education to promote and improve health; now, with the addition of community health workers, extension will be a resource and partner for local health care teams.”
Source: The New Sunflower State Radio Network

info2024-08-05T10:36:52-05:00August 5, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for August 2, 2024

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. 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.

Henry Schmidt2024-08-04T19:50:26-05:00August 4, 2024|News|

This JoCo suburb is celebrating its 75th anniversary with several upcoming events

Like one of its northeast Johnson County neighbors, the city of Fairway is turning 75 years old this year. To celebrate, the city is hosting several free events in the coming months at Neale Peterson Park — including a citywide party and a free concert.
Source: Johnson County Post

info2024-08-02T12:42:18-05:00August 2, 2024|News|

Fed holds rates steady and notes progress on inflation

Federal Reserve officials on Wednesday held short-term interest rates steady but indicated that inflation is getting closer to target, which could open the door for future interest rate cuts. Central bankers made no obvious indications, though, that a reduction is imminent, choosing to maintain language that indicates ongoing concerns about economic conditions, albeit with progress. They also preserved a declaration that more progress is needed before rate reductions can happen.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

info2024-08-02T12:41:49-05:00August 2, 2024|News|

Overland Park will soon break ground on its newest park, which will have a touch of Germany

Overland Park announced the name of the park as part of the city’s festivities celebrating the 20th anniversary of the sister city relationship with Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, back in 2019. With that connection in mind, Overland Park has drawn “architectural and cultural inspirations” from the German city and incorporated that into the park’s design, according to the city.
Source: Johnson County Post

info2024-08-02T12:41:08-05:00August 2, 2024|News|

Lenexa could get parkland out of rare land swap with developer

The city of Lenexa is exploring a trade with developers that would net the city about 12 acres of parkland in the vicinity of Prairie Star Parkway & Mize Road. It’s a rare move and a precursor to an as-yet undefined residential project that could eventually be proposed in the city’s far western reaches.
Source: Johnson County Post

info2024-08-02T12:40:36-05:00August 2, 2024|News|

Johnson County school districts see small number of transfers

In Kansas, it’s the first year of open enrollment, where parents can apply to send their kids to any public school district they want, no matter where live. One of the stipulations though is that the desired building in that other school district has to have room or capacity for that student. Early estimates from two of Johnson County’s largest public school districts show that a small amount of parents took advantage of this new law this year. Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) Chief Communications Officer David Smith says 38 students are transferring into the school district from outside of its boundaries for the 2024-2025 school year. “When we think of about 38 students, that’s out of 26,000, so it’s just a little over one tenth of one percent,” Smith said in an interview with FOX4 Wednesday. “That’s a really small number. and I guess to me, that means that there probably wasn’t a lot of public interest or support.” Republican State Senator Molly Baumgardner supported the bill that called for the open enrollment policies. She said there were more than 1,000 openings available in the SMSD for the upcoming school year. The only other Kansas school district in the metro bigger than Shawnee Mission is Olathe. At a July board meeting, Olathe Public School (OPS) leaders talked about this issue and went more in-depth about the transfer numbers in. District wide at the elementary level in Olathe, there were 386 openings available but just 28 open enrollment applications into the district. At the middle school level, there were 119 openings and 21 open enrollment applications into the district. At the high school level, there were 85 openings available and 29 applications to enroll into the district. “I don’t think that school districts knew really what to predict,” Baumgardner said in an interview with FOX4 Wednesday. As to whether a school district can accommodate more students depends on whether they’re growing, according to Baumgardner. “You have some school districts such as Spring Hill which just like Maize, that’s west of Wichita, they are the two fastest growing districts,” she continued. “They have very little [transfers in]. In fact Maize said, we have no openings for anyone except for those students that live within our service area.” The enrollment for OPS has dropped since 2021, according to their website. In 2021, they had 29,404 students. In 2022, they had 29,043. In 2023, they had 28,619. The application process for a parent wanting their child to attend a different public school district than the one they live in in Kansas closed at the end of June for this upcoming school year.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF

info2024-08-02T11:43:33-05:00August 2, 2024|News|

Governor Kelly Announces Summit Truck Bodies Investing $50M, Creating 80 New Jobs in Wathena

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that Summit Truck Bodies (STB), a leader in service and lube truck body manufacturing, will invest $50 million to construct a new state-of-the-art facility in Wathena. The strategic expansion, which will double the company’s production output and create 80 new jobs, aims to meet the rising demand for high-quality service trucks. The new plant is being built next to its existing facility, and construction is expected to be completed in 20 months. “Summit Truck Bodies’ expansion is proof that our dedicated workforce, quality of life, and central location draw businesses across various industries,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Kansas will continue to partner with first-class companies like Summit Truck Bodies to ensure communities throughout the state have opportunities to prosper.” The new facility will include a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing space and 20,000 square feet dedicated to office spaces and showrooms. It will be located adjacent to the existing production and warehouse facility to ensure efficiency, optimize workflow, and double production output. This expansion will focus on service body production and the final assembly of service trucks. “The most exciting aspect of this expansion is the integration of new technology and streamlined processes that will maximize our production efficiency,” Summit Truck Bodies Plant Manager Chris Walter said. “The advanced equipment will improve fabrication and paint speed, reduce physical strain on our workers, and ensure consistent high quality. This expansion will significantly decrease lead times and enhance after-sales support, directly benefiting our customers.” The current 132,000-square-foot facility will be transformed to streamline capability in key areas, shifting its focus to manufacturing lube trucks, drawer systems, cranes, body refurbishments, and parts sales. “A concerted focus on strengthening our state’s advanced manufacturing sector is not only attracting companies from around the world but encouraging existing companies to expand operations right here in Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Working with companies like Summit Truck Bodies is what will keep our state on the dominant trajectory of growth we’re experiencing.” “We are excited about Summit Truck Bodies’ investment and their expansion of their facility in our city,” Wathena Mayor John Hontz said. “Summit has proven to be a great employer, providing valuable opportunities and benefits to our community. The Wathena City Council is pleased to be partners and stands ready to assist them in any way possible.” Summit Truck Equipment (STE), a sister company of STB, is focused on selling custom service and lube trucks and equipment STB produces. The recent expansion of Summit Truck Bodies’ manufacturing capabilities will significantly elevate STE’s capacity to meet market needs. “The expansion of Summit Truck Bodies will improve our responsiveness to market needs, shorten lead times, and improve customer experience,” Summit Truck Equipment National Sales Manager Daniel DeAces said. “This growth will allow us to hire more sales team members to cover open territories, expand our market reach, build stronger relationships, and gain deeper insights into our customers’ needs. With strategically located sales representatives across the U.S., we can connect with new clients and grow our customer base by leveraging brand recognition, trust, and factory support.”
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas

info2024-08-02T11:40:03-05:00August 2, 2024|News|

Fed holds rates steady and notes progress on inflation

Federal Reserve officials on Wednesday held short-term interest rates steady but indicated that inflation is getting closer to its target, which could open the door for future interest rate cuts. Central bankers made no obvious indications, though, that a reduction is imminent, choosing to maintain language that indicates ongoing concerns about economic conditions, albeit with progress. They also preserved a declaration that more progress is needed before rate reductions can happen. “The Committee judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals continue to move into better balance,” the Federal Open Market Committee’s post-meeting statement said, a slight upgrade from previous language. “Inflation has eased over the past year but remains somewhat elevated,” the statement continued. “In recent months, there has been some further progress toward the Committee’s 2 percent inflation objective.” However, speaking with the media, Chair Jerome Powell indicated that while no decision has been made about actions at future meetings a cut could come as soon as September if the economic data showed inflation easing. “If that test is met, a reduction in our policy rate could be on the table as soon as the next meeting in September,” Powell said.
Source: Finance

info2024-08-02T11:38:19-05:00August 2, 2024|News|