Federal grant to help plug abandoned wells

1 Thursday, September 1

Federal grant to help plug abandoned wells

info2022-09-01T00:32:58-05:00September 1st, 2022|

The Kansas Corporation Commission received a $25 million federal grant to help plug 2,352 abandoned oil and gas wells in the state, most of them in eastern Kansas counties. The initial grant is part of $1.15 billion earmarked under the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help states remediate abandoned oil and gas wells. Over the next eight years, $4.7 billion has been allocated to plug abandoned wells in the U.S. The KCC is eligible to receive another $33.6 million in future formula grant funding, according to a KCC release on the grant award. “These federal grants provide Kansas with [...]

1 Thursday, September 1

$1.4 Million in Grants for Amelia Earhart Airport in Atchison

info2022-09-01T06:58:34-05:00September 1st, 2022|

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and Congressman Jake LaTurner (KS-02) today announced two grants totaling $1,454,770 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Amelia Earhart Airport in Atchison. These resources – the combined total of a $1,167,300 grant and $287,470 grant – will be for design and land acquisition reimbursement associated with the planned Runway 9/27 (non-construction phases). Runway 16/34 is the existing runway, which will be abandoned. Runway 9/27 will be 4,000 ft. in length. Source: Atchison Globe Now

1 Thursday, September 1

Valley Heights voters turn down school bond

info2022-09-01T00:27:56-05:00September 1st, 2022|

Voters in Valley Heights USD 498 turned down an $18.54 million proposal Tuesday to issue bonds for school improvements, including building an addition at the junior-senior high school complex and moving elementary students there. The first question, which asked voters to build a new elementary school at the junior-senior high campus, failed 475-230 in Tuesday’s special election. A second question on whether to make improvements to other district buildings also went down, 442-244. Source: The Marysville Advocate

31 Wednesday, August 31

Saline County commissioners discuss innovation, examining failure & progress

info2022-08-31T07:49:44-05:00August 31st, 2022|

Saline County commissioners and other staff met in the basement of the Salina Masonic Temple for a special workshop meeting focused on innovation in government. On Tuesday, 11 members of county staff attended the plenary study-session-style presentation by Andi Mirviss with the Centre for Public Impact. The goal of the session was not to leave with immediate solutions but to become inspired with potential ideas to overcome challenges in local government. Source: Salina Journal

31 Wednesday, August 31

Municipal Bond Trends for August 30, 2022

info2022-08-31T07:38:15-05:00August 31st, 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.

30 Tuesday, August 30

Fed’s Williams pushes back on market expectations of a rate cut next year

info2022-08-30T23:50:53-05:00August 30th, 2022|

New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said Tuesday he expects interest rates to continue higher and to remain at those levels until inflation is subdued. Echoing recent comments from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, Williams told the Wall Street Journal that he also is in the higher-for-longer camp when it comes to monetary policy. "We're going to need to have restrictive policy for some time," he said in a live interview. "This is not something we're going to do for a very short period and then change course." That outlook comes just a few days after Powell also used the "for [...]

30 Tuesday, August 30

Fed officials renew rate-hike theme while staying vague on size

info2022-08-30T23:49:09-05:00August 30th, 2022|

Federal Reserve officials, picking up where they left off over the weekend in Jackson Hole, stressed their commitment to defeating inflation while remaining vague on how big their policy move will be next month. Three regional Fed presidents reiterated in separate remarks on Tuesday that curbing the hottest prices in almost 40 years was their top priority, with New York Fed chief John Williams agreeing interest rates probably need to advance above 3.5% at some point to achieve their goal. "You do need to get a little bit, or somewhat above that, because you're trying to get not just to neutral, [...]

30 Tuesday, August 30

Demand High for Investments in State’s Broadband Infrastructure

info2022-08-31T07:11:02-05:00August 30th, 2022|

Governor Laura Kelly’s goal of connecting all Kansans to high-speed broadband internet has piqued the interest of individuals and communities throughout Kansas. It also has garnered strong attention from providers seeking to make that last-mile connection. Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today that 141 applications have been submitted for the Capital Projects Fund-Infrastructure Program (CPF). The service providers’ funding requests total almost $600 million for the available $83.5 million in funding provided by the U.S. Department of Treasury under the American Rescue Plan Act. “The overwhelming response to the funding opportunity demonstrates the vast need for high-speed [...]

30 Tuesday, August 30

Delays impacting Pottawatomie County emergency radio system upgrade

info2022-08-31T07:11:37-05:00August 30th, 2022|

Pottawatomie County commissioners received a less than favorable status update Monday to its ongoing radio systems upgrade, that could see delays well into next year. Motorola representative Richard Nita told commissioners about supply chain delays for the shipment of generators, which had previously been noted to be around 52-weeks. He says their distributor now expects those to be available by the middle of next summer, at best. It was also noted that shelters for the three tower sites are on a 16-week wait, however Topeka-based TFM Comm, whom Motorola is contracted with, had not placed the order as of Monday. Source: [...]

30 Tuesday, August 30

De Soto won’t lose small town feel with construction of Panasonic battery plant

info2022-08-31T07:12:18-05:00August 30th, 2022|

Ground breaking at the site of the Panasonic plant in De Soto, Kansas, will begin in September, according to officials. The small city, with fewer than 6,500 people, was selected as the construction site of the $4 billion battery plant expected to employ 4,000 workers. City officials say the plant is good for De Soto but there are challenges that come with it. "You know, it's big, but you don't realize how big it is until you start having meetings with the consultants, with Panasonic, with all the other interested parties and realize just what a complicated task it is," said [...]