Kansas governor announces educational funding for low-income students to combat learning loss

31 Tuesday, January 31

Kansas governor announces educational funding for low-income students to combat learning loss

info2023-01-31T23:56:17-06:00January 31st, 2023|

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced the creation of a program she hopes will combat learning loss on Tuesday. Kelly announced the creation of the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP). The program will offer low-income families a one-time $1,000 award per child to help pay for certain “educational goods and services”, including tutoring and school supplies, but not private school tuition, according to a press release from the governor's office. The program is open to families with incomes below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines. Source: The Miami County Republic

31 Tuesday, January 31

Municipal Bond Trends for January 30, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-01-31T08:48:14-06:00January 31st, 2023|

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, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.

31 Tuesday, January 31

Kansas cut sales tax on food, but here’s why rates can sometimes change block to block

info2023-01-31T08:05:26-06:00January 31st, 2023|

At the bustling intersection of 135th Street and Metcalf in Overland Park, shoppers who want to save on food only need to cross the street. Go to Sprouts Farmers Market on the southern side of 135th, and you’ll pay 8.1% sales tax on food. But the Hen House on the north side of the street, the tax is just 6.6%. Since Kansas’ sales tax rate on food dropped from 6.5% to 4% on Jan. 1, some shoppers have been surprised to see the rates they are paying don’t match the savings they expected. While some stores did struggle in the first [...]

31 Tuesday, January 31

Towanda FD Receives Extractor

info2023-01-31T08:03:45-06:00January 31st, 2023|

Last week, the Towanda Fire Department was 1 of 20 volunteer fire departments that was delivered a special piece of equipment designed to help remove cancerous causing chemicals from the bunker gear used to protect the volunteers when working. Thanks to the Kansas Firefighter Recruitment & Safety Grant, the department was able to receive the machine without any cost to them. The Continental Girbau Inc. EH020 Commercial Washer Extractor will significantly clean the department’s gear better than the regular washer they previously had. Extractors are more energy and resource efficient, using less water and energy resources to wash the gear, saving [...]

31 Tuesday, January 31

Parsons PD asks residents to fill out survey

info2023-01-31T08:03:12-06:00January 31st, 2023|

The Parsons Police Department is asking residents to fill out the Parsons police community survey, which will be mailed. This community survey will be sent to each residence and can be filled out and returned using the enclosed prepaid postage. “We just asked for honest answers from the community to push our agency and city officials to the next level of public service,” said Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks. Source: Parsons Sun

31 Tuesday, January 31

Topeka city leaders weigh in on homeless problem

info2023-01-31T08:02:42-06:00January 31st, 2023|

With more trash and embankments popping up in Topeka, it's no secret the homeless population is growing. "It's hurting our neighborhoods," District 2 Councilwoman Christina Valdiva-Alcala said. "With the fires, with the public health and safety issues, with the squatting, with the going into vacant housing and then fires getting set, that's what is making this a crisis." "There are lots of smart people in the community that are trying to tackle challenges with the unsheltered," Topeka City Manager Stephen Wade said. "Certainly, the governing body is concerned about it. And so this is what we're asking for here, is an [...]

31 Tuesday, January 31

Fed’s words in focus as markets bet rate hikes will soon end

info2023-01-31T08:01:57-06:00January 31st, 2023|

U.S. central bankers have unambiguously telegraphed this week's policy decision: a quarter-of-a-percentage-point increase in their benchmark interest rate, the smallest since they kicked off their tightening cycle 10 months ago with one the same size. Less clear is whether they will continue to signal "ongoing increases" ahead for the policy rate as evidence mounts that inflation and the economy are both losing momentum. The Federal Reserve has included that phrase in every policy statement since March 2022, when officials had just started raising borrowing costs from near zero and wanted to signal there was a lot more tightening ahead. The rate [...]

31 Tuesday, January 31

Could Kansans soon hop a train to Texas? Billions in federal funding might mean yes.

info2023-01-31T07:28:33-06:00January 31st, 2023|

Billions in federal funding could be the catalyst that finally returns to Kansas passenger rail service to Texas, advocates and transportation officials told a Kansas legislative caucus Monday. ... For years, passenger rail advocates have pushed for Amtrak and federal railroad officials to support expansion of the line up to Wichita and Newton, the latter of which would be a connection to the Southwest Chief. But years of stagnant ridership and federal funding for Amtrak had kept expansion at the conceptual level. However, as part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, federal lawmakers allocated $66 billion to passenger [...]

30 Monday, January 30

Kansas Day Campaign Pays Homage to 150 Years of ‘Home on the Range’

info2023-01-30T23:26:37-06:00January 30th, 2023|

On Sunday, January 29, Kansas celebrated its 162nd birthday. To commemorate the day, Kansas Tourism released a video that pays tribute to the poem turned song, Home on the Range, originally penned 150 years ago near Athol. The lyrics of the world-renowned melody echo the aspirations, values and essence of Kansans past and present. The Kansas Day video, set to the famous song, highlights the uniqueness of Kansas. From scenic prairies and big night skies to urban delights and vibrant moments, the video showcases how the lyrics wrote many moons ago still ring true today. Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

30 Monday, January 30

Department of Commerce announces $40 Million in New Housing and Tourism Grant Programs

info2023-01-31T07:23:40-06:00January 30th, 2023|

The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced $40 million will be made available under the ARPA Building Opportunities for the Disabled and Elderly (ABODE) and State Park Revitalization and Investment in Notable Tourism (SPRINT) grant programs. The ABODE program will provide $10 million in funding for new construction projects and renovation of affordable multi-dwelling housing units for persons with disabilities and the elderly. The SPRINT program will distribute $30 million for investments in regional tourism assets and state parks. The funds were designated by the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee and approved by the State Finance Council in [...]