Lincoln County recruiting new residents to the area

26 Wednesday, July 26

Lincoln County recruiting new residents to the area

info2023-07-26T11:52:18-05:00July 26th, 2023|

Lincoln County has utilized the Make My Move program to recruit people to the county. "Over the past year or so, we've really been talking a lot about 'How do we recruit new people into the community?' I feel like traditional economic development has been, you recruit a business, the business creates jobs, and the jobs is what pulls people into the community," Executive Director of the Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation Kelly Gourley said. "Now in this day and age, when workforce is so tight, it's hard to kind of recruit a business in when you don't necessarily have the workforce." [...]

26 Wednesday, July 26

Business that opened in Wichita was notified its presence is against city code, but that code may now change

info2023-07-26T11:53:39-05:00July 26th, 2023|

Thanh Do strategically chose Old Town last year when he was opening Afterlife Tattooz. “It’s in the middle of everywhere,” he said. “You’ve got to be centralized.” Only after opening in part of the former First Gear space at 111 N. Mosley did he learn from the city that he’s operating in violation of the unified zoning code. There’s a special overlay district on top of the standard zoning district that does not allow tattoo parlors or piercing studios in the area. “They’ve been giving us notice to get out,” Do said. He said the city has given him extensions, though, [...]

26 Wednesday, July 26

Sedgwick County sends first public safety alert after Riverside standoff

info2023-07-26T09:32:03-05:00July 26th, 2023|

On Tuesday, Sedgwick County Emergency Management (SCEM) sent a 'public safety alert' with its Civic Ready Alerts system regarding a standoff in Riverside. This is the first time the county has sent out a public safety alert, but the system has been used for other community messages. About 1,900 people got Tuesday's message. The first alert said police were working an "active threat at 12th and Woodrow" and advised people to avoid the area or shelter in place. When the threat was cleared, another message was sent stating it was resolved. Emergency Management said with this being the first public safety alert sent out, [...]

26 Wednesday, July 26

Extreme heat prompts City of Topeka to take action with cooling shelters

info2023-07-26T09:30:59-05:00July 26th, 2023|

City of Topeka officials are partnering with local businesses and government offices to open cooling shelters to help Capital City residents fight high temperatures. The City of Topeka announced on its social media that the arrival of extreme heat in northeast Kansas has prompted it to partner up with local entities to provide citizens with relief. A heat advisory is in effect for much of northeast Kansas from 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 25 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 28. This announcement comes shortly after the City of Emporia also announced that it would be opening cooling shelters for locals. Source: KSNT 27 [...]

26 Wednesday, July 26

Fed Set to Raise Rates to 22-Year High

info2023-07-26T09:02:31-05:00July 26th, 2023|

The Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates by a quarter-percentage point on Wednesday to a 22-year high, with most investors focused on what it would take for the central bank to lift rates again later this year. Economic growth has likely been too firm in recent months for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to signal that Wednesday’s increase in the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate will be the last of the current tightening cycle, as investors anticipate. The recent slowdown in inflation also makes it hard for central bank officials to firm up plans for any additional rate increase. The central [...]

26 Wednesday, July 26

15 years of low interest rates reshaped the U.S. economy. Here’s what’s changing as rates stay higher for longer

info2023-07-26T09:01:11-05:00July 26th, 2023|

The United States is entering a new economic era as the Federal Reserve hikes its benchmark interest rate. In July 2023, the federal funds effective rate stood above 5% for the first time in four decades. As interest rates climb, economists say financial conditions are headed back to being more normal. "Having interest rates at zero for such a long period of time is very unusual," said Roger Ferguson, a former vice chair at the Federal Reserve. "Frankly, no one ever thought we'd get to that place." Back-to-back financial crises gave past Fed policymakers the conviction to take interest rates as [...]

26 Wednesday, July 26

Municipal Bond Trends for July 25, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-07-26T00:30:09-05:00July 26th, 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.

25 Tuesday, July 25

Municipal Bond Trends for July 24, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-07-25T07:23:19-05:00July 25th, 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.

25 Tuesday, July 25

A 10-year rally in U.S. home prices could be coming to an end, says Yale’s Robert Shiller

info2023-07-25T01:16:43-05:00July 25th, 2023|

A decade-long rally in U.S. home prices could finally come to an end once the Federal Reserve stops its rate-hiking cycle, said Robert Shiller, professor of economics at Yale University. Home prices have made steady gains since 2012, according to the S&P Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. "The fear of interest rate increases has influenced people's thinking — it's not just the homeowners, it's new buyers who wanted to get in before the interest rates went up even more," Shiller said. "They wanted to lock in. So that's been a positive influence on the market. But it's coming to an [...]

25 Tuesday, July 25

Hiawatha updated on maple leaf statue plans

info2023-07-26T08:53:45-05:00July 25th, 2023|

Kate Miller of the Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau was present at Monday night's meeting of the Hiawatha City Commission to address previous questions about the Chamber's proposed maple leaf statues that will be placed around the city. Miller presented the idea earlier this year, and the Commission was receptive, but asked that she return with more solid guidelines for the statues, which will be purchased and designed by individuals and businesses. Statues would be placed no closer than 25 feet from corners, and no further forward than the nearest planter. Designs will have to be approved by the Chamber and [...]