Priceless TTHURSDAYHURSDAY Take One VOLUME 16, NUMBER 61 THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2008 WINNER OF THE KANSAS GAS SERVICE 2006 KANSAS PROFESSIONAL 2006 KANSAS PROFESSIONAL WINNER OF THE KANSAS PRESS EXCELLENCE IN EDITORIAL WRITING COMMUNICATORS PHOTO ESSAY AWARD COMMUNICATORS EDITORIAL AWARD ASSOCIATION ADVERTISING AWARD Voter Treachery Editorial By Jon A. Brake Geary County Commissioner Florence Whitebread told the Riley County Commissioners last Thursday that Geary County had completely remodeled the Courthouse without going to a vote of the people. They also built a new Administration Building, a Jail and a building for the Cloud County Community College. Steve Opat, Geary County Councilor told the Commission that the voters had twice turned down the Courthouse remodeling and so the Commission estab- lished a Public Building Commission which allows Geary County to: • Remodeled the Geary County Courthouse and the Pennell Building used for Court Services It ain't over until the Wildcats sing. (Photo by Ben Brake) at a cost of $3,775,000.00. • Built three buildings for the Cloud County Community College, which is now called the Geary County Campus costing $1,470,000.00. • Expand the Geary County Jail using $5 million in the process. • Built the Geary County Office County Commissioners were told last week that it would cost $110,000 to Unbelievable Building worth $1,200,000.00. $118,000 to demolish the First Christian Church if Riley County were pur- The Streak Ends: shots. quicker, deeper back court dominate the • Provide for the Remodeling of chased the land it sits on. No. 22 KSU 84, No. 2 KU 75 Beasley, in the meantime, had become Wildcat guards and create turnovers. the Geary County Community MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - Michael his nearly unstoppable self and Pullen But Kansas State's guards were more Hospital in the amount of facility a few months back. With a of the citizens on higher taxes they Beasley scored 25 points, Bill Walker was darting in and out and having his than up to the challenge. Pullen had four $4,925,000.00. Public Building Commission, the are looking for ways to get around had 19 and No. 22 Kansas State ended a best game of the season. assists to go with 10-for-10 from the foul More than $16 million dollars of City could build the facility without a vote. 24-year, home-court losing streak against Walker hit a 3-pointer for a 52-45 lead, line. Clent Stewart, a senior guard, had construction without a vote of the going to another vote and put the tab The Administration Building Kansas with an 84-75 victory Wednesday his first points since drawing his third 11 points and five rebounds. Together on the citizen’s property taxes. night against the previously unbeaten foul and going to the bench in the first they outscored Chalmers and Robinson people. was purchased in 1985 and has had Jayhawks. 31-25. Some in the School District have half after throwing a vicious elbow to the The Riley County Commission three major renovations. The first Always double- and sometimes triple- face of Chalmers. Kansas, which averaged only 12 now have their eyes set on remov- talked about a second high school. floor alone cost $900,000 just ten teamed when he touched the ball inside, Then Pullen hit a 3-pointer, Beasley turnovers while winning its first 20 ing the Riley County voters on They have not taken it to the citizens years ago. The HTX Building was the 6-foot-10 Beasley was held to only rebounded Chalmers' miss and put in a games, had 10 in the first half of the such projects. because they feel the project would purchased in the early 1990’s and eight points in the first half but scored six thunderous dunk on the other end off a rough-and-tumble 263rd meeting of the As it now stands the County be voted down. With a Public has seen some renovations. in a row in the first few minutes after nifty feed from Pullen that made it 57-45. Sunflower State rivals and wound up must go to the voters to purchase Building Commission the School But, that is not all County intermission and No. 2 Kansas never Chalmers and Russell Robinson, who with 16. or the remodeling of county build- District could get the second high Commission Chairman Bob caught up. had combined to average almost six Sherron Collins had 12 points for the ings in excess of $300,000 for school without going to the voters. Newsome wants to have a new jail Beasley, the nation's leading rebound- steals this season and rank 1-2 in the Big Jayhawks, who came into the game lead- General Obligation Bonds. And again the tab would be paid by with the $55 million er and No. 4 scorer, was 4-for-4 from 12, figured prominently in a game plan ing the nation with a scoring margin of the citizens of the School District behind the 3-point arc as the Wildcats that was supposed to have the Jayhawks' 24.9 points. If a Public Building Administration Building. The (15-4, 5-0 Big 12) took over first place in Commission is formed in Riley through higher property taxes. Riley County Jail was completed a Big 12 conference they've never even County, the County Commission And what about Riley County? in 1999 but Newsome feels it competed in, let alone won. would go to the PBC for the build- The Riley County Commissioners should be downtown. Kansas (20-1, 5-1), two victories short ing and financing, not the voters. have big ideas. They want to buy the If the citizens of Riley County of matching the best start in its storied The Commission would then lease First Christian Church and demolish do not speak up now they will have basketball history, lost on its state rival's the building from the PBC. it and the HTX (telephone building) a Public Building Commission and home court for the first time since 1983. The number of projects and the and the Riley County Administration they will never have another say in The 24-game streak in an opponent's costs of the projects would be up Building and build a $55 million the construction of public building home gym came within one of tying the to the County Commission. To pay office complex. But, with the mood again. Call your Commissioner. NCAA Division I record which UCLA set against California from 1961-68. for the projects the County The capacity crowd of 12,528 in Commission would use property Bramlage Coliseum, where Kansas had or sales tax. been 19-0, sensed the victory with more The Commissioners were told than 5 minutes to go and security guards, that the PBC does not avoid public worried about a near-riot, moved near the input, because there is a 30-day court. notice protest period for each proj- It didn't keep the floor from being ect. flooded by delirious Wildcats fans, who That sounds like the voters jumped over the press table and sent would have a way to stop a proj- reporters, computers and notebooks fly- ing. ect. Protest petitions have worked Jacob Pullen had 20 points for Kansas in Manhattan and Riley County in State, giving the freshman trio of the past, for a time. Then City offi- Beasley-Walker-Pullen a combined 67. cials learned that all they needed Mario Chalmers had 19 for Kansas. to do was wait a few months, Brandon Rush had 15 and Darrell Arthur change the project a little and it 12. would pass without a protest peti- The Jayhawks had beaten Kansas State tion. Voters will soon learn that 35 of their last 36 overall. With Kansas what ever the public officials going down, No. 1 Memphis is the only want, they get. unbeaten team left in Division I. Arthur, the leading scorer in Kansas' The citizens of Manhattan voted well-balanced offense, drew his fourth down a $40 million Recreation foul with 13:33 left and went to the bench, weakening the Jayhawks offen- Besides the First Christian Church the Riley County Commissioners are looking at demolishing the old telephone sively and defensively. After Sherron building (HTX) and the present Riley County Administration Building, above. A new $55,000,000 Administration Collins hit a 3-pointer 30 seconds later to Building would be built. The Commissioners are looking at forming a Public Building Commission so they do not slice Kansas State's lead to 47-45, the have to get voter approval. Jayhawks went almost seven minutes without a field goal, missing six straight Darren Kent (42) helped the Cats with defense and rebounding. (Photo by Ben Brake) Kansas Profile - Now That’s Rural - Eric Niemann By Ron Wilson, director, Huck on national ag leaders, the United basis to serve the maximum time crops with many new traits, such as engine." Of course, unlike crude oil, well, partly as a result of the checkoff," Boyd National Institute for Rural Soybean Board is not an association. allowed by law. In December 2006, he beneficial omega III oils, low saturated soy comes from a renewable source. Eric says. "Producers need to continue Development at Kansas State Instead, it is a nationwide board of began a one year term as chairman of fat, eliminated trans fat, and drought Then there are other uses for soy to invest in research, market develop- University. people with the responsibility to allo- the national board. and rust tolerance.