A year later, the Fed still has a long way to go in the fight against inflation

1 Wednesday, March 1

A year later, the Fed still has a long way to go in the fight against inflation

info2023-03-01T14:56:15-06:00March 1st, 2023|

It was a year ago this month that the Federal Reserve launched its first attack against inflation that had been percolating in the U.S. economy for at least the previous year. That first strike, in retrospect, would seem timid: Just a quarter percentage point increase to tackle price surges which in just a few months would peak at their highest annual rate since late 1981. It wouldn't be long before policymakers knew that initial step wouldn't be enough. Subsequent months saw much larger hikes, enough to raise the Fed's benchmark borrowing rate by 4.5 percentage points to its highest since 2007. [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Fed’s Bostic urges 5% to 5.25% rates into 2024 to curb inflation

info2023-03-01T14:56:06-06:00March 1st, 2023|

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic called for continued interest-rate hikes to above 5% ensure that inflation returns to the central bank's target and doesn't reaccelerate in a pattern similar to the 1970s. "I think we will need to raise the federal funds rate to between 5% and 5.25% and leave it there until well into 2024," Bostic said in an online essay. "This will allow tighter policy to filter through the economy and ultimately bring aggregate supply and aggregate demand into better balance and thus lower inflation." U.S. central bankers are waging their most aggressive action against inflation [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Arbor Day Foundation Names City of Phillpsburg- Tree City USA

info2023-03-01T14:50:19-06:00March 1st, 2023|

Phillipsburg, KS was named a 2022Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. Phillipsburg achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Source: Phillipsburg, KS

1 Wednesday, March 1

Derby bringing back water conservation rebate program

info2023-03-01T14:49:34-06:00March 1st, 2023|

The city of Derby will once again offer a water conservation rebate program in 2023, thanks to funding through the city of Wichita. The purpose of the rebate program is to encourage Derby residents to reduce water consumption. A $25,000 rebate allowance will be shared amongst Wichita’s wholesale customers, including Derby. Rebates will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted. Funds will be credited to the Derby utility customer’s account. Rebates are available to all Derby utility customers, including residential and commercial, owner-occupied, and rentals. Any qualifying device purchased between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023, is [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Mural, Public Art Funding Available from Department of Commerce

info2023-03-01T14:48:29-06:00March 1st, 2023|

The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced multiple opportunities to support the creation of murals and public art in the state through coordinated funding programs from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) and the Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP). The programs will provide funding for communities to use public spaces for the purposes of artistic use and creative endeavors. ... The programs are designed to utilize artists, creative interventions, and arts organizations to increase community vibrancy and provide space for artistic expression and public engagement. KCAIC’s Mural and Public Art Program applications are open through March 13 to all 501c3 [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Task force makes recommendations to phase out plastic bags in Wichita

info2023-03-01T14:46:59-06:00March 1st, 2023|

A citizens task force is calling for a grassroots effort to phase out the use of plastic bags in the Wichita community. The committee delivered its report to Wichita City Council members in a workshop meeting Tuesday. Task force member Brett Prather said the group looked at environmental, health and economic impacts from single-use plastic bags, and they also looked at steps being taken by other cities across the U.S. Prather said 102 billion plastic bags are thrown away in the U.S. every year and only one to three percent are recycled. He said Wichita has had more than 462.8 million [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Edwardsville City Manager Michael Webb Retires

info2023-03-01T14:46:24-06:00March 1st, 2023|

The City of Edwardsville today announced the planned retirement of Michael Webb, 60, after more than 16-years of service to the city and more than 35 years in the municipal management profession throughout Kansas, Texas, and Arizona. “Edwardsville is unique community with more than one hundred years of history. It took a special type of professional city manager to put in the work to attract quality development, work cooperatively with other governmental agencies and put us in an all-around better position financially,” said Mayor Carolyn Caiharr. “Mr. Webb is well respected in our city and among colleagues throughout the region. We [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Overland Park opening all 4 outdoor pools this summer

info2023-03-01T14:40:59-06:00March 1st, 2023|

Overland Park plans to open all four of its outdoor pools for the 2023 swim season, according to city officials. This marks the first time since summer 2019 that Stonegate Pool, the Tomahawk Ridge Aquatic Center, Young’s Pool and Bluejacket Pool will be open for the summer. Bluejacket Pool closed two summers ago due to a lifeguard shortage, and the city closed all city pools in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: Prairie Village Post

1 Wednesday, March 1

Shawnee won’t enforce future county mask orders or vaccine rules

info2023-03-01T14:40:39-06:00March 1st, 2023|

Nearly three years after the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Shawnee has adopted new rules saying it will not enforce future Johnson County health orders having to do with masks, vaccines and social distancing. In a 7-1 vote Monday, the city council took the unusual step of amending one section of the Uniform Public Offense Code, a ream of local rules recommended to Kansas cities annually by the League of Kansas Municipalities. ... In explaining his vote for the measure, Councilmember Tony Gillette said, “Hopefully the public realizes that we’re putting this decision out [there] for your [...]

1 Wednesday, March 1

Survey: Wichita residents see safety and street repairs as priorities

info2023-03-01T14:39:51-06:00March 1st, 2023|

The results of a Wichita community survey are out. The survey asked residents about the city's livability, what they like about it and what needs to be improved. ... The survey report is 99 pages long. You can read it by clicking here. Or you can visit Wichita.gov and delve into each of the survey segments and compare them to previous survey results. Source: KSN-TV