One of you bloggers e-mailed and suggested that we occasionally reserve an open thread for local issues. Here goes.
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9 Comments
Congratulations to Kirstie Alley and all volunteers for giving a hand in Greensburg in the aftermath of the giant tornado. Going “green” in Greensburg seems like a particularly appropriate idea.
And, please keep the “World’s largest handdug well.” I think it was publicized in “Believe it or not by Ripley” back in the 1940’s or so. Incidentally, that well was originally built by farmers and ranchers in that surrounding area to furnish water to the two railroads, the Rock Island and Santa Fe, that ran through Greensburg back in the 1880’s sometimes only about 100 feet apart.
Sometime before the turn of the century (1890’s) the Santa Fe pulled up its track back to Pratt. The Santa Fe railroad station still exists on the south edge of Pratt and the current Rock Island railroad station is located on the north edge of Pratt. For many years, that Rock Island through Pratt and Greensburg was a main transcontinental line between Chicago and Los Angelos.
For those interested in accuracy, both railroads now operate under different railroad operating companies.
I think it is more important than ever, especially with the focus on rebuilding Greensburg, the Congressional Delegation and the Governor having the President’s ear to not only have the Federal Government help to replace Kansas Guard equipment but to secure Federal Highway money to finally complete the Spirit Corridor of HWY 54. It’s been a long time coming.
After being on a “high priority” list of projects to complete by the Federal Government, but being knocked down every year in order to shuffle the money to West and East Coast state highway projects, it’s time to get it done.
With Greensburg being rebuilt, it is a perfect opportunity to 4 lane 54 with great access to Greensburg and to build a job source in the new Greensburg we can shift more KDOT employees from Pratt to Greensburg and build a larger KDOT office to replace the one that was destroyed.
That way it can provide jobs for a few good solid years, giving Greensburg a chance to rebuild. We can start in Greensburg and four lane it going east, around Pratt and to Kingman where it meets up at the last four lane point. The plans, engineering and right-a-ways have pretty much been established, KDOT just needs the funding.
A four lane highway 54 will be crucial to Greensburg rebuilding and revitalization. Contact your Congressional delegation to help secure Federal Highway Monies for this as part of the rebuilding for Greensburg.
For more on the Spirit Corridor go to http://www.forward54.org (a KDOT site)
I would like to see Greensburg, the State of Kansas and all cities in Kansas use local contractors. PERIOD.
National companies should only be selected over the local companies if thier bids are outragious. I’d say local companies should be allowed to be a bit higher in thier bids, because most likelly they are small businesses and the money says locally, therefor stimulating the local economy.
Locals have to live here, if they are on the news as doing something and it fails, they have to face the citizens of wichita. A national company can just pull out and walk away with no problems.
Instead of buy America, how about Buy Wichita!!! or at least in this region.
Tony: Your comments raised an issue I have been thinking about. Let me say first though, I was a member of the Kansas National Guard in Manhattan, Kansas (891st Engineering Battalion as I recall) and later for quite a few years of a Civil Affairs/Military Government unit, U.S. Army Reserves in Kansas City.
In my opinion, the Kansas National Guard and their construction equipment now assigned to Greensburg should be replaced as soon as possible with private construction contractors who can do the actual hands on construction work more efficiently (they don’t have to carry weapons and steel pots when working) and so forth. National Guardsman in private life work in all capacities as teachers, police officers, businessmen, government employees, etc. so they are needed back in their communities. Many if not most have served recent deployments to Iraq. So they need to be relieved as soon as possible. They should not be pawns of Governor Sebelius to gain political points.
The National Guard and Army Reserves are scrambling to fill their ranks. A friend serving in the Kansas National Guard in Wichita has served two almost back to back tours in Baghdad, Iraq.
Using local labor force from Greensburg and surrounding communities of Haviland, Pratt, Great Bend, Dodge City, Kinsley, Larned and Byers (hold it, there is no labor force left in Byers!) would stimulate the local economy quickly and let local Greensburg workers protect their own town in the process.
oops….seems Sebelius was contacted early in the morning by DNC leadership – Howard Dean and told how to blame this on Bush and Iraq…looks like word got out. It seemed a bit to pat from the git go. Made it to the radio now…
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1831454/posts
She called Brownback to let them know how it was going to go down..and not take it personally…heh.
http://www.warroom.com/
According to their source; during her phone conversation with the Senator, she offered an excuse for her words to the media. She explained that because everything is so political right now — she was told not to allow an opportunity like this pass.
She went on to say that “Howard” called her around 5:00 am and told her not to ask the White House for any help, or make any statements until she heard back from him. Then “Dick” (Durbin ?) called her an hour or two later and told her to use the excuse of the Guard being at war.
Hoping Brownback would understand, she apparently went on to say that he had to understand that with everyone feeling the heat about the war, they needed to get press on something else. She said she didn’t think it was right to use it like this, but she didn’t feel she had much of a choice with current climate.
She also promised that she’d try to move away from the comment when she and Brownback were to meet up later and tour the damage.
This certainly sheds a lot of light on Katrina — and confirms the suspicions that many of us had at that time. Katrina was engineered in much the same way.
If they are going to read from the same script every time something like this happens, the least they could do is mix it up a little. The are just so darn predictable. They will do anything for political gain.
Brownback should show some spine and tell the American People and the Administration the truth. Where is his sense of deceny — where is his loyalty to his party? Quinn and I were on Sean Hannity’s radio program this afternoon. Sean had invited Senator Brownback to respond. So far, we haven’t heard anything from him.
Let me ask this of Senator Brownback; What in the world would you have to lose if you were to be honest about the phone call from the Kansas Governor? Or, perhaps this is the better question; What do you have to gain by protecting Sebelious? Do you honestly think she would be there for you down the road? Do you think she gives a rat’s ass about your bid for the Presidency? These aren’t people you can count on — when will we learn this?
Senator Brownback is not exactly the Paul Bunyan of Politics – He has an opportunity to do what no politician has done before him — tell the truth.
Mr. Bill, this story has already been totally debunked – it is all made up. You are about three days behind the curve.
This is totally right wing BS. If you are going to spread stories like this, need to change your name to Rush or Ann or Sean.
Try again some other time – this story is a loser for your side.
mrbill,
oops yourself.
‘XM Radio’s Quinn & Rose made baseless claim that Dem leaders behind Sebelius links between war, Kansas Guard shortages’http://mediamatters.org/items/200705110002?f=h_latest
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1831454/posts
Extraodanary claims require exptaodanay evidence. Have seen NONE, so far. Please do better than cutting and pasting from a known wingnut site. Thank you.
Apologies: exptaodanay = extraordinary; Extraodanary = extraordinary. If you guys would make fewer baseless extraordinary claims, my job would be less difficult. Think of me, when you do your stuff…