Change is coming to the Shawnee County Commission

10 Tuesday, January 10

Change is coming to the Shawnee County Commission

info2023-01-10T00:01:49-06:00January 10th, 2023|

The Shawnee County Commission currently holds meetings every Monday and Thursday to vote on local matters, but that is being changed. Now, every Monday will be a work day where department heads can present their proposals and the commissioners will have more time to discuss it before giving their official decision during the Thursday meetings. “The main thing is it gives us an opportunity to talk amongst ourselves as commissioners to discuss projects and what's the best route to go," said County Commission Chairman Bill Riphan. "It’ll be a good opportunity for department heads to give presentations not in one of [...]

10 Tuesday, January 10

Kansas in line to receive over $45 million total from latest wave of opioid settlements

info2023-01-10T00:00:33-06:00January 10th, 2023|

The state of Kansas will receive over $45 million total from two pharmaceutical companies as the state’s fight against opioid abuse continues. Outgoing Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Teva has agreed to pay nearly $29 million. Part of that particular settlement involves Teva agreeing to stop promoting or lobbying for opioid products. Teva also has to monitor and report “off-label” use of fentanyl-based products, share clinical data through and disclose records to a third-party entity and pay for an independent agency to ensure compliance. Source: KVOE Emporia Radio

9 Monday, January 9

Projected enrollment decline causes financial concerns for Lawrence school district

info2023-01-09T23:59:34-06:00January 9th, 2023|

Lawrence schools are expected to steadily decrease in enrollment over the next five years, causing district budget concerns as well as questions about the future of the Lawrence community as a whole. According to future enrollment projections made by RSP & Associates, the outside consulting firm hired by the district, Lawrence Public Schools will lose just more than 300 students by the 2027-28 school year. School board President Shannon Kimball said during the board’s meeting on Monday that the district and community together must recognize the severity of this and commit to a solid plan, especially if the Kansas Legislature does [...]

9 Monday, January 9

$40 million project could remove some of west Wichita from FEMA floodplain map

info2023-01-09T23:58:03-06:00January 9th, 2023|

Flood relief could be on its way for west Wichita. Wichita and Sedgwick County are hoping to tap a federal grant program to help cover a $40 million project aimed at reducing flooding in fast-growing west Wichita and areas outside the city limits. The city and county would each pitch in $5 million, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities,” or BRIC, program would cover the rest of the cost. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

9 Monday, January 9

Kansas remains number one in wheat

info2023-01-09T09:33:23-06:00January 9th, 2023|

Agriculture is big business in Kansas, with just shy of 88% of Kansas land being farmland. Reno County has more than 1,500 farms and 17% of its workforce dedicated to agriculture. That’s why the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce gathered a group of community leaders, businesspeople and farmers together to tour the several agricultural facilities on Jan. 5 in Manhattan, Kansas. Kansas Rep. Joe Seiwert, Reno County Commissioner Ron Hirst, Hutchinson’s new mayor and vice-mayors, Jon Richardson and Greg Fast, former Kansas Sen. Ed Berger and Hutchinson’s new city manager Kendal Francis, joined agricultural manufacturer Mike Bergmeier, chamber CEO Debra Teufel [...]

9 Monday, January 9

Topeka eyes ordinance ban to stem rising tide of thefts

info2023-01-09T09:32:00-06:00January 9th, 2023|

Catalytic converters can be stolen from the underside of a vehicle “in a matter of seconds,” says a proposed ordinance being considered by the Topeka City Council. That measure is aimed at helping slow down a surge in catalytic converter thefts the city has seen in recent years. The proposal would make it a misdemeanor for anyone to possess a catalytic converter that has been detached from a motor vehicle — unless they can prove they have a legitimate reason for it. “If enacted, this ordinance will provide capital city law enforcement an impactful tool, with criminal penalties, to aid in [...]

9 Monday, January 9

Salina Police Department has new chief beginning in February

info2023-01-09T09:30:46-06:00January 9th, 2023|

Beginning next month, the City of Salina will have a new chief of police, after the hiring of Clarence "C.J." Wise, was announced Wednesday. City Manager Mike Schrage, who made the announcement by a news release, introduced Wise to the Salina City Commission during a special meeting Friday morning. "C.J. has a number of years experience in law enforcement, as well as a breadth of experience in law enforcement," Schrage said. Wise comes to Salina with 25 years of experience, a member of the Edmond Police Department in Oklahoma since 1998. He rose within the ranks of the department in Edmond, [...]

9 Monday, January 9

Saline County residents can apply for program that aims to reduce energy bills

info2023-01-09T09:29:55-06:00January 9th, 2023|

The Community Housing Development Organization of Central Kansas is running a Weatherization Assistance Program to help reduce energy costs for low to moderate income households in Saline County. By increasing the efficiency of homes, the program aims to reduce the overall cost of utility payments Saline County residents might be paying in the colder months of the year through weatherization efforts. The Weatherization Assistance Program is funded through a grant made possible by American Rescue Plan Act monies, some of which the Saline County Commission has allocated to the CHDO for the project. Source: Salina Journal

9 Monday, January 9

‘Like driving a huge, yellow electric golf cart’ — electric school buses roll into Kansas

info2023-01-09T09:28:01-06:00January 9th, 2023|

They don't smell like school buses. They don't sound like school buses. They don't even feel like school buses. But they ARE school buses, albeit electric ones, and Wabaunsee USD 329 superintendent Troy Pitsch is convinced that his district is at the forefront of an inevitable movement to cleaner, greener student transportation. With the help of a nearly $800,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant, the rural district has received and is getting ready to debut two new electric school buses, believed to be the first in a Kansas school district. Wabaunsee USD 329 expects to give students their first ride on the [...]

9 Monday, January 9

Municipal Bond Trends for January 6, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-01-09T08:42:18-06:00January 9th, 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.