Worthwhile book digs into Cowley’s 100 year history

Who knew that Cowley College started out in 1922 and was referred by first-time students as “BU” or Basement University, due to the first classes being held in the lower level of the Arkansas City Senior High Building? Or that Renn Memorial Library is named after Oscar Renn, who was the head of the new Social Sciences Department in the fall of 1923? Between the Roaring Twenties is a new book authored and compiled by the Cowley College Centennial Book Committee, and it is a truly fascinating trip through a century of life in Ark City.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Ranson Financial2022-11-02T07:06:29-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Firefighters continue to watch burned area at Park City recycling facility

Sedgwick County firefighters are still on the scene of a fire that burned a ten-acre area at a Park City recycling facility. The fire broke out Sunday evening and burned wood pallets and mulch at Evergreen Pallet Recycling near 53rd Street North and Broadway. It continued to burn through the day Monday before it was contained, and crews have remained on the scene to keep water on the burn piles and watch for any hot spots. Sedgwick County Fire District 1 Chief Doug Williams said the cause of the fire has not been determined. He said investigators are looking at surveillance video and call logs to see what may have been disposed of before the fire.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Ranson Financial2022-11-01T23:48:29-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Amendment on electing, removing sheriffs stirs debate

A constitutional amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot would take away local attorneys’ abilities to investigate sheriffs. Some citizens and lawyers are worried that Kansas voters don’t know the full implications of rewriting the constitution to remove the ability of local district attorneys to start legal proceedings against local sheriffs if they believe there’s been misconduct. The amendment would require counties that elected sheriffs in January 2022 continue to elect sheriffs — meaning a sheriff’s position could never become appointed. The exception would be Riley County, which abolished the sheriff’s office after consolidating city and county agencies in 1974.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Ranson Financial2022-11-02T07:07:12-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Panasonic’s location for EV battery plant in De Soto gets a new name

As Panasonic Energy Co. Ltd.’s groundbreaking nears for its new $4 billion battery manufacturing operation at the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, the owners of the De Soto property have renamed the location. The 9,035-acre property now is called Astra Enterprise Park, according to Kessinger Hunter & Co., a managing member for Sunflower, alongside RESIGHT Holdings LLC of Littleton, Colorado, and Midland Properties Inc. of Mission Woods.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-11-02T07:07:29-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Here’s why the Fed’s next big rate hike may be its last

The Federal Reserve is on track to issue another massive rate hike Wednesday before slowing down the pace of its battle to fight inflation. Analysts and economists are confident the Fed will hike its baseline interest rate range by another 0.75 percentage points at the end of a Wednesday meeting. The Fed’s move will mark the fourth consecutive rate hike of a size it once considered “unusually large.” It may also mark a turning point as the Fed faces growing pressure to take its foot off the brakes of the economy.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2022-11-01T23:39:05-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Zaleski talks Parsons transient guest tax

The city’s tourism tax is rebounding after a downturn because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re getting there, but not quite,” said Parsons Economic Development Director Jim Zaleski. Officials budget the city’s transient guest tax at approximately $145,000 annually for funding income. “We expected that to increase in 2020 with the new hotel,” Zaleski said. “COVID hit.” “To be honest, we’re a lot stronger than what we thought we might be, so that’s good news,” Zaleski added. In February 2020, the Holiday Inn Express, 1500 Cattle Drive, opened, but travel across the state and country was shut down in March due to the pandemic. Since then, travel has increased and begun to gradually return to normal.
Source: Parsons Sun

Ranson Financial2022-11-02T07:08:28-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

New redistricting plan approved by Topeka City Council

A lot took place at Tuesday night’s Topeka City Council meeting, but a big part of the agenda came from the vote to change district lines. Only seven of the eight council members were present at Tuesday’s meeting, but with seven yes votes, district lines will be changed to better even out the population of all nine districts in the capitol city. The previous census showed a decline in population coming from districts one and two while districts eight and nine saw an increase. Before going into Tuesday’s meeting, members considered five different map proposals. The council ultimately approved Plan A: this will unite Oakland with district 2, thus making all the districts more evenly populated and even help with future voting.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Ranson Financial2022-11-02T07:08:46-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

City of Topeka opens new rental assistance program

A new program launched by the City of Topeka aims to create a more collaborative community approach to ensuring equity and access to housing and shelter. Equity Access Shelter (EAS) will enhance homeless services to ensure all people receive rent assistance with a single point of access. EAS is located within Topeka’s Housing Services Division. “No longer does a person needing rent assistance have to call multiple agencies to try to get help,” said Carrie Higgins, senior program administrator for the City of Topeka. “One phone number means individuals are able to access help quickly, and without further trauma. EAS uses an assessment to score each individual’s level of need, as well as coordinated entry to assist those individuals based on prioritization.”
Source: KSNT 27 News

Ranson Financial2022-11-01T23:28:01-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for October 31, 2022

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 and Beth Warren.

Henry Schmidt2022-11-01T09:51:03-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

Analysts looking past the week’s FOMC meeting

With a 75 basis point rate hike expected, analysts will focus on clues about the Federal Open Market Committee’s thought about slowing future increases. “We expect the Federal Reserve to raise the fed funds rate by another 75 basis points at the November meeting, followed by a 50 basis points hike in December,” noted Scott Colbert, director of fixed income and chief economist at Commerce Trust. “… We don’t anticipate a rapid decline in interest rates going forward.” Inflation hasn’t cooled “enough to warrant easing interest rate hikes just yet,” said Steve Skancke, chief economic advisor at Keel Point, “but also not bad enough to support a full 1% rate hike in November.” Additionally, the September minutes showed official are more worried about “taking too little action to bring down inflation compared to the cost of being too aggressive,” he said. While a pivot won’t be suggested, Skancke said, Fed Chair Jerome Powell could suggest “smaller rates hikes lie ahead: 50 bp in December and 25 bp in January, as signs of abating inflation become more evident.”
Source: The Bond Buyer

Ranson Financial2022-11-01T09:52:46-05:00November 1, 2022|News|

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