The Scott County Record

Page 1

Young fishermen try their luck at Lake Scott over the holiday weekend.

Home of El Cuartelejo

32 Pages • Four Sections

Volume 23 • Number 48

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Published in Scott City, Ks.

$1 single copy

KDOT plans to convert K96 into 2 lanes Proposal calls for a passing lane in town The Kansas Department of Transportation has announced plans to convert K96 Highway through Scott City from a fourlane highway into two lanes Look Inside

with a center passing lane. It is part of a major upgrade of the highway in Scott City that was presented to the city council on Tuesday evening. While many aspects of the upgrade would be good for the city, reducing the number of lanes from four was not well received by Public Works Director Mike Todd or the city council. Tentative plans are for the

work to be done on west K96 in the spring or summer of 2017 and east K96 later in the year. “I’m opposed to the turning lane,” said Todd, who has also expressed his objection to KDOT. At a minimum, he has suggested that the turning lane be limited to the KDOT maintenance areas, which are west of Church Street and east of College Street.

He said the turning lane will create problems with snow removal since city crews pile up snow in the center of the highway. KDOT prefers that snow be pushed to the curb, but that would be a major inconvenience for residents and businesses located along the highway, notes Todd. City council members pointed out that converting south US83 Highway into a two-lane

a holiday weekend at the lake

Local State park attendance rebounds over final two days of holiday weekend Page 25 County County fire department begins process of acquiring a new truck Page 2

Index Opinions ..................4-7 Calendar ..................... 7 Youth/education ......... 9 Public notices ......10-11 LEC report ................ 10 Obituaries ................... 13 Church services ........ 13 Health care ..........14-15 Sports ..................17-24 Farm section........26-27

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Agriculture Kansas water farms are test sites for conservation ideas Page 26

What Mother Nature has given, she can also take away. And, while abundant rainfall and cooler-than-normal temperatures through late spring and early summer have led to a record-setting harvest, they are now making

a dent in both yields and profits for area farmers. Combines sat idle for three days in many fields across Scott, Lane and Wichita counties as rainfall, followed by overcast skies and high humidity, put a halt

County told lots too small for housing Scott County Commissioners are wrestling with how they can increase the availability of lots for home sites on the former hospital block. Commissioners have sold one building site in the southeast corner and had four more lots platted on the west side of the block. However, the commission has been advised that the four lots are too small for home construction under city codes. The four lots are approximately 7,000 square feet and city code requires a minimum of 9,000 square feet. Another factor which limits available property is a sewer line on the east side of the lots. In order to avoid the cost of removing the line, commissioners feel they would rather limit the depth of the lots. That would make only one, or possibly two, lots available for potential homeowners. “There is a lot of interest in the lots,” noted Commission Chairman Jim Minnix, who wanted to see at least two lots made available at the site. If only one lot was sold, Minnix said it could be a “nice-sized lot for a duplex,” but that would also

to harvest activity from July 1-3. At the time, harvest ranged from 60-80 percent completed in the surrounding area. “I’m afraid the good yields we’ve been hearing are going to disappear,” says Chris Long,

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Sports Lady Stars win 19 championships in home meet Page 17

(See KDOT on page seven)

(See HOUSING on page eight)

Rainfall is washing away wheat yields Extension Agent for the Walnut Creek District that includes Lane, Ness and Rush counties. “In some areas of our district it’s already begun to happen.” Long says that as a result of (See YIELDS on page 32)

a new direction in Topeka Senate hopeful wants to restore fiscal responsibility in legislature The opponent has changed, but the message remains the same for Mary Jo Taylor. “Things have to change in Topeka and it’s not going to happen until we get our fiscal house in order. I’d like to see a return to the fiscal responsibility that Kansans are used to having,” said the Republican candidate for the 33rd Senate District. When Taylor, a school superintendent in Stafford, first entered the race she expected to face incumbent Mitch Holmes. He unexpectedly dropped out of the race just ahead of the dead-

line and former state senator Larry Salmans (R-Hanston) entered the contest. Taylor doesn’t make a distinction between the two. “Larry and Mitch are very closely aligned and ultraconservative,” says Taylor. “A vote for one is as good as the other and that’s a vote for Sam Brownback and his policies.” As a school superintendent, Taylor has seen the impact of the state’s fiscal policies and says Kansas needs to return to the “proverbial three-legged stool” that includes a mix of (See TAYLOR on page eight)

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Health State cuts are limiting the ability of KU doctors to visit clinics in Kansas Page 14

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Education Educators across state are targeting seats in legislature Page 9

Christine Cupp and her son, Colton, Scott City, paddleboard into the cove at the northwest end of Lake Scott State Park on Sunday afternoon. After a slow start to the holiday weekend, attendance at the park was up on Sunday and Monday with the warmer temperatures. (Record Photo)

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Classified ads ......29-31

highway with a center turning lane has led to several near accidents and sometimes made it difficult to enter the highway from businesses located along US83. The heavy traffic flow entering and leaving the city on the south edge of town is limited to one lane (with a turning lane) south of 12th Street. Some council members expressed concern

State Senate candidate Mary Jo Taylor visits with Dorothy Hutchins during a recent stop in Scott City. (Record Photo)


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