Federal grant will improve Flint Hills Trail

21 Sunday, August 21

Federal grant will improve Flint Hills Trail

info2022-08-21T22:54:22-05:00August 21st, 2022|

A new federal grant could go a long way toward completing the Flint Hills Trail. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, announced Friday that the U.S. Department of Transportation will provide $24.8 million to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The money will be used for about 40 miles of the 118-mile trail, which goes through northern Lyon County on its way from Herington to Osawatomie. The KDWP website suggests the area to be improved will be west of Council Grove. The grant will be used for everything from bridges and fences to pipes and drainage improvements. Source: The Chanute Tribune

19 Friday, August 19

Municipal Bond Trends for August 19, 2022

info2022-08-21T20:40:08-05:00August 19th, 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.

19 Friday, August 19

Shawnee County residents to vote on whether to raise sales taxes for Gage Park, zoo, Discovery Center

info2022-08-21T09:35:14-05:00August 19th, 2022|

Shawnee County residents will vote Nov. 8 on whether to levy a new, countywide, 0.2% sales tax to benefit Gage Park, the Topeka Zoo and the Kansas Children's Discovery Center. Shawnee County Commissioners Aaron Mays, Kevin Cook and Bill Riphahn voted 3-0 Thursday to schedule a ballot question election regarding that matter. "I think it's important to note that we are not passing a sales tax," Cook said. "That is for the taxpayers to decide on a ballot." Source: CJonline

19 Friday, August 19

A park built with patience: A look at the treasure these acres in Olathe hold

info2022-08-19T07:29:25-05:00August 19th, 2022|

It’s a huge area, but those who worked to create Olathe’s Cedar Niles Park hope visitors wander through the many acres and soak up all of its unique specifics. “It’s a beautiful part of Johnson County with wooded hillsides and streams,” said Bill Maasen, superintendent of Parks & Golf Courses, Johnson County Park and Recreation District. “It’s one of the most scenic portions of our county.” Cedar Niles was opened to the public last January and officially was dedicated earlier this spring. The park, which is more than 1,000 acres, is located west of downtown Olathe, stretching nearly two miles north [...]

19 Friday, August 19

Lawrence makes bus rides free starting 2023

info2022-08-19T07:27:58-05:00August 19th, 2022|

With the rise in costs for many goods and services around the country, the City of Lawrence hopes that it can help its residents out by making bus rides free next year. Lawrence Transit will initiate a pilot program to go fare free for the entirety of 2023 for all services which includes fixed route, T Lift, Night Line and planned Sunday microtransit. This decision was made during the Lawrence City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The Fare Free Pilot Program is expected to help several areas of the city's Strategic Plan and streamline transit operations. Source: KSNT 27 News

19 Friday, August 19

Municipal Bond Trends for August 18, 2022

info2022-08-19T07:27:21-05:00August 19th, 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.

19 Friday, August 19

Hutchinson turns 150 and hundreds celebrate at a mile-long block party on Main Street

info2022-08-19T07:17:59-05:00August 19th, 2022|

Hundreds gathered for a giant block party, commemorating Hutchinson's 150th birthday. The mile-long celebration started at 6 p.m. with a photo of more than 300 celebrants, dressed in Hutchinson's yellow and blue, forming the number 150 and waving at a drone. "It's a fun historic event," said Lauren Storm of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. "It's a great idea for the city officials to involve everybody on this historic moment." The Reno County Museum, the City of Hutchinson, Hutch Rec and the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce partnered to create a community block party on Aug. 18. Source: Hutch News

19 Friday, August 19

Despite dark national homebuilder report, Wichita market not seeing as much gloom

info2022-08-19T07:16:42-05:00August 19th, 2022|

... while Wichita's homebuilders and residential real-estate market are not immune to inflation and supply chain headwinds — the local market is not in dire shape, according to Wess Galyon, Wichita Area Builders Association president and CEO. "We don't see a sharp downturn coming anytime soon," he said. According to the latest data from South Central Kansas MLS, in July, Sedgwick County experienced a 19.9% year-over-year drop in closed listings (713 for the month). That followed a 10.6% year-over-year drop in closed listings the prior month. But even with that move, Galyon said a slowdown in Wichita would not be to [...]

19 Friday, August 19

Ark City citizens weigh in on small vehicle use

info2022-08-19T07:11:43-05:00August 19th, 2022|

The first draft of an ordinance that would allow the use of golf carts, utility vehicles, micro-utility trucks and all-terrain vehicles on public streets in Arkansas City drew a lot of comments from local citizens during the Tuesday commission meeting. The ordinance permits those vehicles to operate on residential streets but restricts them from Summit Street. Among the commenters, those with more advanced vehicles agreed with the restriction on golf carts but argued that the utility-terrain vehicles, also known as UTV’s, should not be excluded from the city’s main commercial corridor. Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

19 Friday, August 19

Derby takes first step toward updating economic development incentives

info2022-08-19T07:10:19-05:00August 19th, 2022|

The updated policy was presented by staff and spurred on by recent action both in and outside the city limits. Both the city of Wichita and Sedgwick County jointly adopted new incentive policies in 2020, and BG Products presented an incentive request to the Derby advisory board in 2021 that would have been in line with those policies – but not with Derby’s. An exception was made to approve the industrial revenue bond incentives and keep BG Products in Derby, which also started the gears turning on the updated incentive policy. Derby’s policy was last changed in 2011. Source: Derby Informer [...]