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Opinion
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Written by Travis Perry
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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 08:00 |
My home has become a diminutive war zone.
Day and night, the battle rages on. From the living room to the kitchen and everywhere in between, the conflict I am waging is one of moderately-sized proportions. My enemy: ants. 
OK, so maybe I was being a bit overdramatic, but despite their miniscule size, I’ve quickly discovered these seemingly-insignificant insects can pack an annoying punch no one enjoys dealing with.
It wasn’t that long ago, about two months, when this whole thing started. They first caught my eye when I saw a line of them soldiering across my countertop in search of a delectable treat. Luckily, we were able to clear things away to prevent any major food-related damage, but we had to move fast in our next course of action.
Now, if you’ve never dealt with ants before — or any other real pest — if you’re like me, you might not be aware that not all traps and baits are created equal. My wife and I found this out the hard way, and after sinking $5 into what I thought was a cheaper, but just as effective, option, I wised-up and soon found the proper tool necessary for my planned insect massacre.
In the war against ants, quality traps are your friend.
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Opinion
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Written by Grady Atwater
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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 08:00 |
Howard and Dora Brown worked together as a team to preserve Osawatomie’s history and heritage from the 1930s until the 1980s. They were historians who studied John Brown’s life and effects on U.S. history in depth. In 1985, Howard Brown wrote in The John Brown Forte newsletter, published in Chicago. 
“I have researched the old fellow and his activities in Kansas,” Howard Brown wrote.
That is an understatement. Howard Brown’s knowledge about John Brown was rivaled by few, and he educated Osawatomie citizens young and old about John Brown’s role in history and his connection to the town
Howard Brown continued in The Forte: “I have been active in the Osawatomie Historical Society for several years.”
“Active” also is an understatement. The Browns were instrumental in educating Osawatomie citizens and the public nationwide about the town’s history. In addition, they played an important role in preserving its historic sites.
Howard Brown also wrote about he and his wife serving as curators of the John Brown State Museum for several years: “This we found to be a very interesting and rewarding experience and by this we became pretty well-acquainted with the old guy.” The Browns made John Brown State Historic Site a welcome place for kids. They patiently answered questions from young people with a caring spirit that fostered an interest in history on the part of their listeners.
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Opinion
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Written by Editorial Board
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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 08:00 |
Last week, Osawatomie City Council members again proposed instituting a minor storm water utility fee on city utility customers to help pay for improvements to and the expansion of storm water control infrastructure.
This issue was previously put to a vote a few years ago and met a sound defeat at the hands of local residents; the second time around, local voters would be wise not to make the same choice. The fee being proposed is small — $2 for residential customers and $3 for commercial per month — but could have a big effect on our local community. Aimed at helping improve and expand city storm water control infrastructure, the funding generated from the project could help such initiatives as further excavating various ponding areas throughout town, installing improved sewers and maintaining the levy protecting the community. Additionally, the fee could generate upwards of $60,000-80,000 annually.
As a prime example of a project already underway that could have effectively utilized such funding, Osawatomie City Manager Bret Glendening pointed at the city’s current levee certification process. A government-requirement, Glendening said the three-year project will cost the city upwards of $400,000, more than half of which could have been paid for had the storm water fee been passed when it was initially put up for a vote.
While an additional fee, however small, may seem unpalatable, do not overlook the method by which council members are pushing this action. Officials could easily draw up the proper forms and language to vote on the issue within their own governing body; if that were that the case, the issue would almost certainly pass. However, they have instead chosen to put the choice before the people, asking them to cast their vote in favor of or against the motion. In doing so, they have shown respect for their constituents by not instigating additional utility fees without further consent from the public. The decision alone to avoid simply pushing the ordinance through without public input should be applauded.
Officials are set to have the proper language drawn up and submitted by Sept. 1 to have the proposal on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. As a voter, the choice is in your hands. The best course of action is to know what’s going on, speak with your representative regarding any questions you may have and make an informed decision come election day.
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Opinion
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 21 July 2010 08:00 |
Dear Editor,
Early Tuesday afternoon was a beautiful, just slightly cloudy day after a series of dark, rainy days. It seemed to be a perfect day for me to take my niece and nephew to Lake Miola outside of Paola to go swimming and play in the water. Their ages are 10 and 6, and they were very excited to go on our little outing. Unfortunately, their fun was ruined after only 45 minutes of swimming by the inappropriate behavior of other lake visitors.
The thing that has me the most appalled is the fact that the behavior was coming from the adults at the lake that day. The first occurrence happened when the two siblings were playing in the water with another brother and sister that they knew from school. The two women with these children were speaking so inappropriately that even I had to gasp at some of the phrases.
I quietly asked my niece and nephew to play on the other side of the swimming area and apologized that they would no longer be able to play with their young friends that day. Not even 10 minutes later, after the children had moved to another area, I looked up to check on them and saw an adult couple embracing each other in the water and necking and making out. This was only a few yards from where my niece and nephew were playing. Again, absolutely disgusted by the things that these children were being exposed to at a public lake, I stood and asked the kids to get out of the water.
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Opinion
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Written by Grady Atwater
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Wednesday, 21 July 2010 08:00 |
John Brown was cooking breakfast for his men on the morning of May 23, 1856, and was incensed. Pro-slavery forces had raided Lawrence on May 21, and the peaceful abolitionists had stood by and watched while the free-state town was sacked.
Jason Brown, one of his sons, listened while his father told Theodore Wiener, one of his men: “Now something must be done. We have got to defend our families and our neighbors as best we can. Something is going to be done now. We must show by actual work that there are two sides to this thing and they cannot go on with impunity.”
Brown conducted a war council, and John Brown Jr. stated: “It was now and here resolved that they, their aiders and abettors who sought to kill our suffering people should themselves be killed and in such a manner as to cause a restraining fear.”
Brown was going to strike pro-slavery forces that had threatened free-state settlers in a preemptive strike, planning to make the raid a statement that drove home the point that free-state forces were willing to fight. Brown selected four of his sons (Owen, Frederick, Salmon, and Oliver Brown), his son-in-law Henry Thomson and militant abolitionists Theodore Wiener and James Townsley for the raid. The abolitionist guerillas prepared, and H.H. Williams gave Brown a list of the most dangerous pro-slavery men in the area along Pottawatomie and Mosquito creeks.
Brown and his raiding party rode to Pottawatomie Creek and hid during the daytime on May 24, 1856. Night fell, and Brown led his men down to the cabin of the Doyles, who had worked as bailiffs for the pro-slavery court ran by Judge Sterling Cato. Their efforts to enforce pro-slavery laws had put their names on Brown’s list. Salmon and Owen Brown killed James, Drury and William Doyle with swords. John Brown spared the life of John Doyle because he was a mere 14 years old. Brown and his men then moved on the cabin of Alan Wilkerson, who was a member of the pro-slavery territorial legislature; Wiener and Thompson killed him with swords. Midnight struck, and Brown’s forces went to the cabin of James Harris; Wiener and Thompson killed pro-slavery advocate William Sherman with swords. John Brown questioned Jerome Glanville and James Harris and found that they were not active in the pro-slavery movement and let them go.
The raid created a firestorm of conflict and exacerbated tensions between pro-slavery forces in Kansas. Proslavery forces rode into Kansas Territory, seeking revenge. Osawatomie was a prime target, for it was known as Brown’s headquarters. Indeed, the Pottawatomie Massacre led to the Battle of Osawatomie on Aug. 30, 1856.
Brown had wanted to make the statement that free-state men would strike back and did so in a dramatic fashion.
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