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Written by Aaron Cedeño
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:00 |
The early morning light was cold and gray in downtown Louisburg, when a chorus of angry, almost desperate moans shattered the stillness. 
Clutching a crowbar so tightly her knuckles whitened with the effort, a young woman crept silently toward the source of the haunting sound. It was hunger that had driven her from the relative safety of her home in search of food, but curiosity that guided her steps now.
Pressed closely against the bricks of MoKan Dial, she peered carefully around the corner. That’s when she saw them: a pack of ravening zombies, as they fell upon yet another unfortunate victim.
Transfixed, all she could do was stare in horror, until one of them noticed her. Tempted by the scent of a fresh meal, the undead shambled toward her — first, one, then a second and a third, until the entire horde joined in the chase.
At that point, the young woman turned and ran, the distance between she and her pursuers shrinking with each step. In the instant it appeared hope was lost, a cry rang out:
“CUT!”
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Written by Aaron Cedeño
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:00 |
Slowly but surely, the muddled picture that is the Louisburg USD 416 budget for the 2010-2011 academic year is starting to become clear.
In recent weeks, a list has been made available to the general public at board meetings and public forums, containing recommended suspensions to programs and personnel — as well as possible sources of additional income.
Current legislation being discussed in Topeka could result in a reduction of as much as $600 to the state’s per-pupil funding of public education, which would in turn mean a $2 million loss in the budget for Louisburg schools. While they may not ultimately be that steep (a reduction of $300 per student would mean a loss of $1 million next year in Louisburg, for example), the likelihood of further cuts to some degree is high.
Until Monday, the district’s budget priority list was merely a topic for discussion, but a survey recently administered to members of the Louisburg USD 416 Board of Education and administrators throughout the district asked them to rank the 80 included items according to priority. Once the results were tallied, items at the top were considered the lowest priority and, therefore, most likely to be cut. Or, in the case of additional revenue sources, most likely to be implemented.
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Written by Aaron Cedeño
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:00 |
Jerry Moran knows things look a little different on this side of the state. 
As United States congressman from Kansas’ 1st district, Moran currently represents 75 percent of the state’s geography; from as far west as Wallace and Greeley counties along the Colorado border, to as far east as Lyon county and the city of Emporia.
From his perspective, however, no matter where they’re from, Kansans share a common bond.
“One of the great things about Kansas is that so much of our state is tied together,” Moran said on Friday, during a reception for him at First National Bank. “Yeah, there’s some geographic differences and there’s more population east than west, but the kind of things we believe in, the way we look at life, is very similar.”
Moran recently concluded a brief tour of Miami County and the surrounding area, including stops in Louisburg, Paola, Osawatomie and Ottawa. The purpose of the visit? To drum up interest in his run for Sam Brownback’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in the United States Senate. Brownback recently announced his intention not to run for re-election in 2010, and has instead filed paperwork to run for Kansas governor.
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Written by Aaron Cedeño
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:00 |
His face a mixture of excitement and trepidation, Kane Bottorff eyed the electronic scoreboard. 
When the lights blinked to tell him it was his turn, he hurried to the ball return machine, from which he carefully lifted his bowling ball. As the gutter-protectors slid up he sent his ball sailing down the lane, smiling when it took down a number of white pins. A “little” in the “Bigs in School” program within Louisburg USD 416, he then rushed back to tell his “big,” Louisburg High School student Logan Johnson, about his success.
The scene was a sampling of just a few moments Saturday afternoon at Olathe Lanes East bowling center, where the annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami County “Bowl for Kids’ Sake” fund-raiser was running full-steam ahead. But it was representative of what the organization is all about.
2010 marks the ninth year of Big Brother Big Sister’s existence in Miami County, and thus their ninth year of participation in the annual bowling fund-raiser – a national event. This year, 31 teams from throughout Miami County entered, raising a minimum of $100 per bowler to spend a couple of hours popping the pins for a good cause.
After the Osawatomie Police Department received an e-mail from Big Brothers Big Sisters requesting their participation, Officer Angela Peuser gathered four of her fellow law enforcement officials and took to the streets, soliciting donations for the cause from local businesses.
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:00 |
MANHATTAN — Adrian J. Polansky, state executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Kansas, recently announced that USDA is accepting comments on the Final Environmental Assessment for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
On Sept. 26, 2006, a legal settlement was signed between the National Wildlife Federation and FSA that limited the frequency of haying on CRP lands to once every 10 years and grazing to once every five years in Kansas; with a suspension of haying and grazing during the primary nesting season (April 15 to July 15).
The settlement stipulated that if a change to the frequency of haying and grazing or the primary nesting season (PNS) dates is desired, then an Environmental Assessment would be prepared that identifies the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of such a change.
FSA proposes to change the allowable frequency of managed haying and grazing to once every three years on certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands in Kansas. FSA has determined that the alternative frequency will not have significant impacts on the quality of the human environment, and, therefore, will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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