Voters approve change to Reno County liquor law

The people of Reno County have voted to enact changes to the liquor license law so restaurants no longer need to have 30% of their sales be from food to keep their license. The food rule was passed by the State of Kansas in 1986, with it’s three classifications for county alcohol sales. There are wet counties with no restrictions, dry counties with no alcohol sales and semi-dry counties, where in order to have a liquor license you need to have 30% of your sales be food. Because of this law, Sandhills Brewing in Hutchinson was almost forced to close since they were not selling enough food. Sandhill offers snacks and pizza but the product they sell most of is alcohol.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2023-11-07T23:39:17-06:00November 7, 2023|News|

Kansas abandoned wells project reinvigorated, but thousands left to plug

The state’s efforts to plug abandoned wells are back on track after delays in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to project coordinators. Ryan Hoffman, conservation division director with the Kansas Corporation Commission, updated lawmakers on the well situation during a Tuesday legislative meeting. The Kansas Corporation Commission oversees the well plugging process. “We are moving forward,” Hoffman said. Wells left unplugged can pose a health and safety risk to Kansans if they are near communities. Due to leakage, abandoned wells could leak into the water supply and or release methane into the air.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Ranson Financial2023-11-07T23:37:13-06:00November 7, 2023|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for November 6, 2023

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 Schmidt2023-11-07T09:25:44-06:00November 7, 2023|News|

Liberal creates new way for public to engage

The City of Liberal has launched the use of Polco, an online engagement platform, in an expanding effort to gain resident feedback to support local government decision-making. City staff will use Polco to post surveys and poll questions for citizens to participate in using Polco’s app or website, where users can answer and comment on a variety of topics. “Our staff and commission agree that creating a better future for Liberal takes all of us, and it’s important for us to hear from our citizens in order to work to meet needs effectively,” Liberal City Manager Rusty Varnado said. “We also understand people lead busy lives. Polco is a convenient way for all members of our community to share feedback about topics they care about.”
Source: Liberal First

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T13:07:48-06:00November 6, 2023|News|

KDOT warns of staffing shortages ahead of winter

The Kansas Department of Transportation is committed to keeping the highways clear whenever inclement weather impacts the state. However, KDOT staffing shortages create the potential for highways to not be cleared of snow and ice in a timely manner. The agency is in need of equipment operators – the agency’s primary snowplow operators. The agency has dealt with reduced staffing in the past, but the shortages have been greater in recent years. Across the state, KDOT is about 25% short of its preferred number of snowplow operators needed to be fully staffed.
Source: Little Apple Post

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T13:06:24-06:00November 6, 2023|News|

Emergency winter shelter to open in NE Wichita

Wichita Mayor Brandon announced on Thursday that an emergency winter shelter will open in northeast Wichita. The facility will be located at 2220 E 21st St. N., the former Fundamental Learning Center. The mayor said the shelter will serve about 250 people nightly. They’ll also be able to stay during the day. The City of Wichita owns the facility, which HumanKind Ministries will run. “We want to make sure that we have everything in place, first and foremost,” Wichita Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson said. “We don’t want to compromise safety and security, impact on the neighborhood.” The city said there will be on-site security personnel and one entrance.
Source: KWCH News

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T12:10:30-06:00November 6, 2023|News|

Why Municipal Bonds are Outshining Treasuries

Thanks to their par values and steady coupon rates, bonds are often seen as the ‘safe’ asset class, particularly when compared to stocks. But lately, federally-backed bonds aren’t seeming too safe. The recent debt ceiling issues, credit downgrades, and rising deficits have many investors on edge. Treasury bonds might not be as safe as they seem. But municipal bonds? It’s steady as she goes. According to asset manager Northern Trust, munis’ credit quality is better than ever before. And that makes them a great buy, potentially over Treasury bonds. For investors, adding a dose of munis continues to be the right play. … It turns out that, while the United States Treasury may be in a weakening state, state and local governments are facing the opposite situation. They are getting better in terms of credit quality and ability to pay their debts. While all the pandemic stimulus may have been a weakening factor to the federal balance sheet, it’s been a big win for states.
Source: Municipalbonds

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T12:11:49-06:00November 6, 2023|News|

Franchisees explain reasons behind McDonald’s closures in Wichita, Kingman and Anthony

The franchisee of the McDonald’s at 1050 N. Broadway that closed on Tuesday says the decision was made by McDonald’s corporate as part of an occasional “screening” the company does of all of its restaurants. The same process resulted in the closure of the McDonald’s in Kingman on the same day, he said. And Anthony’s McDonald’s also was scheduled to close on Oct. 31, but a fire earlier this month shut it down early. Michael Lane, who owns 11 McDonald’s restaurants in the area, said that the company didn’t share with him all the reasoning that led to its decision, but ultimately, he said, it was the company’s choice. “They make the ultimate decision, but as a franchisee, I have to say I understand,” he said. “There are three locations around that one that really serve 80 to 90 percent of the customers in that area, so it made sense to look at it that way and make that tough decision.” In addition to the fact that other McDonald’s restaurants are close by, including the one Michael Lane also owns at Broadway and Waterman, the dawn of digital options like ordering via app or for delivery has changed the number of physical restaurants that are needed in one area.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T11:33:40-06:00November 6, 2023|News|

Valley Center Recreation and Aquatics Center will add ‘quality-of-life’ amenity for residents, city official says

A project long-discussed in a suburban Wichita community is progressing toward reality. Work on the over 40,000 square-foot Valley Center Recreation and Aquatics Center began in August and is set to wrap by the close of 2024. Valley Center city administrator Brent Clark called the project “transformational” for the city just north of Wichita. “We have a town of nearly 7,500 people, but we also have over 750 residential lots coming online,” he said. “When we’re attracting residents and new homeowners, they look for quality-of-life amenities.” It was not a quick journey to get to this point. Clark said the community had been talking about the center since the early 2000s, but the city failed multiple times in getting a sales tax increase passed that would help fund the effort. Fast-forward to early in the Covid-19 pandemic, when Valley Center made the decision to temporarily shut down its large outdoor pool. That got some in the community fired up, and Clark said that energy was able to be turned into a case for revisiting the recreation and aquatic center as a long-term benefit for the city’s well-being.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T12:12:30-06:00November 6, 2023|News|

Lawrence school district to seek community input on skills graduates need

The Lawrence school district will hold two public input sessions to get the community’s feedback on how to best prepare graduates for what comes next. During its “Portrait of a Graduate” public input sessions, district leaders hope to learn the experiences and skills that community members think students should possess when they graduate. Patrick Kelly, chief academic officer, said the input will help the district “identify the postsecondary assets our community values and would expect upon graduation.” “In today’s world, the demands for students are tremendous as they move on to college, career, and adult life,” Kelly said via email from district spokesperson Julie Boyle. “It’s no longer enough to just graduate on time with the right academic credentials. The Kansas State Board of Education’s new graduation requirements include postsecondary assets aligned with the student’s individual plan of study (IPS).” Brad Neuenswander, founding director of KU’s Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL), and KU graduate student Sophie Robic will facilitate the input sessions. Afterward, they will provide the district with a report on the input they gathered, and administrators will share that information with the school board, Boyle said.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Ranson Financial2023-11-06T11:29:14-06:00November 6, 2023|News|