Kansas

Mortgage rates down, price-income ratios on the rise

Ultra-low mortgage interest rates are helping to keep monthly payments remarkably affordable for would-be home buyers and homeowners alike. However, these same low rates are also helping to mask an alarming rise in price-income ratios, keeping homes affordable on paper… more

Shawnee council enters agreement to upgrade intersection

The Shawnee City Council came to a decision to enter a development agreement with Amazon and Airtex Inc. on Monday. Included in the agreement are approved roadway improvement to an intersection located near the WestLink Business Center at Kansas Highway… more

Evergy turns down multibillion bid from Florida-based NextEra

Evergy Inc. rejected a $15 billion all-stock acquisition offer from NextEra Energy Inc., Reuters reported Monday.  It’s unclear whether NextEra will take a new approach to a potential acquisition, though the company has no immediate plans to try again, sources told… more

Coping with COVID: New tool estimates risk of contracting COVID-19 at a public event

A recently developed tool from the Georgia Institute of Technology provides anyone with access to internet the ability to use an interactive map that calculates the risk of contracting COVID-19 at an event. The map displays the current risk level… more

Johnson County health department sees rising case numbers, pushes for schools to return to ‘red zone’

With the rising number of coronavirus cases in our area we wanted to know if students are heading back to remote learning. The Johnson County COVID-19 dashboard indicates the number of new cases and percent of positive tests would lead… more

Stormont Vail closes childcare center following outbreak

Stormont Vail Health has closed Building Blocks Child Care, a nonprofit organization, after numerous team members tested positive for COVID-19. Of 44 employees that were tested, 18 were positive. Staff members were wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and followed safety… more

Leawood-based NPC International makes plans to sell Pizza Hut, Wendy’s assets to restaurant group

NPC International, Inc. said it has entered into a stalking horse asset purchase agreement with Flynn Restaurant Group for its Pizza Hut and Wendy's locations along with other assets. The largest franchisee in the U.S., Flynn has agreed to acquire… more

U.S. jobless claims fall again, though only slightly

In the week ending October 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 751,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 7,000 from 751,000 to 758,000. The… more

Sprint error to cost T-Mobile millions to correct

Sprint Corporation's new owner, T-Mobile, is being charged a hefty bill in penalty fees by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The fees stem from misuse by the former Sprint of the federal program, Lifeline. Intended to make phone and internet… more

Two Kansas City metro hospitals face maximum Medicare payment cut

Most hospitals evaluated for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program will face a Medicare payment cut in fiscal year 2021. Cuts range from 0.01 percent to 3 percent, the maximum payment slash to affect two hospitals in the metro in both… more