Andover YMCA announces opening day

The wait is over. After two years of recovery and renovations from the aftermath the 2022 F-3 tornado, the Andover YMCA has announced their opening day. The organization opened the water park feature of the fitness center in summer 2023, welcoming a line of guests ready to enjoy the park. On May 20 YMCA members and guests can finally step back into the new and improved Andover YMCA. Of those improvements made is the new 44-foot Luckey Climber that replaced the rock wall feature. The lucky climber is geared towards children, which allows them to safely climb with friends from the main floor of the facility to the second floor while looking out the large windows. While many aspects were replaced due to water damage and destruction from the tornado, staff says that guests can expect a familiar look. For those wanting to catch an early glimpse of the facility, a public open house will be held from 10am-7pm on Friday, May 17. Guests will be able to walk through the facility and speak with staff members. Equipment will not be available for use during this time. The organization has teased that the gymnastics area as well as a new space just for families named Farha Family Park. “We are very proud of what has been accomplished and can’t wait for the Andover Y to be full once again with youth and adults who inspire each other to be their best,” said Y President and CEO Ronn McMahon.
Source: Andover American

Ranson Financial2024-04-15T11:23:19-05:00April 15, 2024|News|

The City of Wichita could lift electric scooter riding curfew as early as next week

The City of Wichita is considering lifting the curfew for Veo Ride scooters. Currently, they shut off at 9 p.m. or dusk. “I normally start using them around six,” said Zidane Forbes, who uses the scooters. Forbes typically rides around on the scooters at night in Wichita. So when he heard they could soon be used after 9, he’s on board. “Most of the time, that’s when people actually want to use them. Like during the that’s a good idea. But later at night, you want to use them, ride around just have a little bit of fun,” said Forbes. The City of Wichita is considering lifting that 9 p.m. curfew that’s been in place since the scooters first came to the Air Capital in 2019. Veo Ride asked for the curfew to be lifted because more people seem to ride after 9. “A lot of your ridership is in the evening. We see people get on the scooters and have to get off at roughly at dusk or 9 pm, asked us to look into any revisions that we could make,” said Penny Feist, Interim Director of Wichita Transit. If the curfew for Veo Ride is lifted, every scooter is required to have headlights and reflectors.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2024-04-15T11:20:22-05:00April 15, 2024|News|

Evergy scraps plan to run new power poles through central Wichita park, neighborhoods

Evergy has called off plans to run new, taller power poles through Riverside Park and nearby north-central Wichita neighborhoods after two years of vocal opposition from residents. The transmission replacement between the 17th and Emporia substation and the 11th and Jefferson substation will move forward, but the rebuild route will stop there instead of continuing across the river and through the park. “After further evaluation of the transmission line between the substation at 11th Street and Jefferson to the substation at 777 West Central Avenue, we determined the rebuild is not needed at this time,” Evergy Communications Manager Kaley Bohlen said in an email statement. “Infrastructure upgrades we have made throughout the city, as well as a planned substation upgrade (at Third and Mead), have allowed us to remove the project from the current schedule.” She said the existing transmission line connecting the two substations, which was built in the 1950s, will remain in place and continue to serve the area.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2024-04-15T11:18:16-05:00April 15, 2024|News|

Wichita launches $5 million program to boost affordable housing supply

As housing supply remains stubbornly low throughout Wichita, low-to-moderate income households remain particularly impacted. The city announced Thursday an initiative aimed at increasing affordable housing options in the city’s core, through a $5 million investment in the creation of the Affordable Housing Fund program. AHF provides an avenue for developers and contractors to buy and rehabilitate homes that can then become viable and accessible to low-to-moderate income individuals and families — either as rentals or houses available for purchase. “The program will develop safe, healthy and affordable housing options for income-qualified residents,” a news release said. In early May, the city plans to issue a Request for Proposal that will allow qualified applicants to submit offers to buy available units within the program pilot areas, propose a per-unit scope of work for needed renovations of existing affordable housing units, request up to $40,000 per housing unit for renovation or purchase, and ask for project-based voucher assistance. Sarah Gooding, city real property section manager, said during a Thursday media briefing that the pilot locations are between North 25th and 26th Streets, largely along Minnesota, Ash and Piatt; and near Meridian and Pawnee, primarily along Haskell and St. Clair.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2024-04-15T11:16:26-05:00April 15, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 12, 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.

Henry Schmidt2024-04-15T08:59:58-05:00April 15, 2024|News|

66,000-square-foot Immaculata Church is a draw to City of St. Mary’s

The impact of the building stretches beyond the town of St. Marys, population 2,749. On an average weekend, about 4,000 people attend the four Masses celebrated at Immaculata. “Not only has it already drawn many people here from other SSPX chapels, but it has also drawn more Catholic souls here who are learning about tradition,” said Father Patrick Rutledge, who has served as rector of the parish for eight years. “It has also drawn even many non-Catholics to come and see what the Catholic faith and the worship of almighty God is all about.”
Source: Salina Journal

Ranson Financial2024-04-14T13:25:41-05:00April 14, 2024|News|

Here’s how officials are working to make Topeka ‘the ideal site’ for new aviation jobs

Wichita has long been known as the Air Capital of the World. Efforts are taking off to likewise turn Topeka into a key center of operations in the aviation industry. The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority and economic development officials here are teaming up to work to create an environment aimed at bringing hundreds of aviation jobs to Topeka, The Capital-Journal was told recently by Curtis Sneden, director of economic development for the MTAA.
Source: CJonline

Ranson Financial2024-04-14T13:10:41-05:00April 14, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 11, 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.

Henry Schmidt2024-04-12T09:55:51-05:00April 12, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for April 10, 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.

Henry Schmidt2024-04-11T10:15:54-05:00April 11, 2024|News|

Hot inflation data pushes market’s rate cut expectations to September

As recently as January, investors had high hopes that the Federal Reserve was about to embark on a rate-cutting campaign that would reverse some of the most aggressive policy tightening in decades. Three months of inflation data have brought those expectations back down to earth. March’s consumer price index report Wednesday helped verify worries that inflation is proving stickier than thought, giving credence to caution from Fed policymakers and finally dashing the market’s hopes that the central bank would be approving as many as seven rate cuts this year.
Source: CNBC

Ranson Financial2024-04-11T07:31:07-05:00April 11, 2024|News|