KOFO Expects to Purchase an FM Translator This Summer

Ottawa, Kansas - Brandy Communications, parent company of KOFO Radio – 1220 AM, announced today that the FCC has granted its request to purchase an FM translator, which will allow the station to broadcast on an FM signal. KOFO 103.7 FM is expected to be on-the-air later this summer.

KOFO's new logo unveiled
at the announcement

KOFO Co-Owner’s, Bob and Liz Reusch, and Co-Owner/General Manager and Morning Show Host, Brad Howard, shared a joint statement, in which they said, “The addition of the 103.7 FM signal gives KOFO another avenue to further our mission in becoming THE information and entertainment source for East Central Kansas. Our listeners will enjoy the increased coverage and quality sound, as well as the ability to listen via their smartphone through the NextRadio app. We are very excited to add the 103.7 FM brand to KOFO.”

Translator Coverage Map

The expected date for the KOFO 103.7 FM signal to be on-the-air will be established in August, 2016, and will go live during a reception held in conjunction with the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce.

Phil Messenger, Ottawa, owner of Messenger's Home Furnishings and a long-time advertiser on KOFO, said, “I know it’s been a long time goal for KOFO to be airing over the FM frequency and their investment in this effort and it’s finalization is a testament to the radio station’s and the community’s successes over the last several years. The FM format will be a welcome addition that will benefit both listeners and advertisers alike.”

The 1220 AM signal will remain in place and both frequencies will simulcast the KOFO format.

KOFO 1220 AM has been on the air, originating in Ottawa, Kansas, since 1949. The station format is focused on Local and National News, Weather, Local Sports Coverage, Kansas City Royals affiliate, Agricultural Programming, with a Country music format. More information is available at their website at www.kofo.com.

Anniversary: Ralph and Marja Pearson to Celebrate 67 Years on July 7, 2016

 Ralph and Marja Pearson to Celebrate their 67th Anniversary on July 7th, 2016.

Ralph and Marja were married in 1949 at her family home west of Baldwin.  Ralph, along with his wife, owned and operated Pearson Heating and Sheet Metal in Baldwin for over 25 years.

Their children invite anyone interested to help them celebrate by sending well wishes to:

Ralph and Marja Pearson, c/o 232 Elm St., Baldwin City, Kansas  66006.

Baldwin City Area Residents Turn Out to Support Senior Wheels

Residents lined up for biscuits and gravy.
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Saturday June 25, 2016 volunteers for Baldwin City Senior Wheels held their annual fundraiser in front of the Lumberyard Arts Center at Eighth and High Streets in downtown Baldwin City. The fundraiser, which accepted freewill donations help raise funds for the cities transportation services for the elderly and handicapped.

After getting their plate, residents had the opportunity to go inside and sit down at tables to eat at inside the Lumberyard.  Coffee, an orange drink and water were offered to wet their whistle.

Baldwin City Senior Wheels Van
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Baldwin City Senior Wheels Van
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Kansas Dad Gets Tattoo to Match His Son's Surgery Scar

Hutchinson, KS - A Hutchinson father’s effort to ease his son’s insecurity after a cancer surgery left him with a scar on his head is gaining attention across the internet  around the world. After undergoing surgery for brain cancer,  Gabriel Marshall, age 8,  was left with a scar on the right side of his head. In order to boost his self-confidence, Gabriel's father, Josh Marshall, decided to get a tattoo exactly like his son's scar.

photo courtesy of Josh Marshall

According to national and international press reports, his father said that his son, felt insecure with a scar on the right side of his head after the surgery.  So Marshall decided to do something about it.  Telling Gabriel, "if people want to stare at you, then they can stare at both of us."
After getting the tattoo, Marshall shared a photo of himself and his son showing off their scars on Facebook for a Best Dad competition in Wichita, being held by the St Baldricks Foundation, writing “got my son’s scar tattooed to help his self confidence.”  He received 5,000 votes in the competition to win the title of Best Bald Dad, and after Baldnicks shared the photo, the father/son duo has won the hearts of people all over the world. Leading the hosts of the weekend edition of the Today Show to quip, that in their minds he is the Best Dad Ever.  Not just the Best Bald Dad.

A Packed Agenda on the First Day of Summer

Mayor Marilyn Pearse called the June 20, 2016 meeting to order. Before the council dived into it's business, one city resident, approached the podium, to speak before the council about an issue that was not on the agenda. Bill Snyder addressed the council about moving his oversized shed to a trailer park. However, the shed is larger then any currently located in the trailer park which is already considered non-compliant.
He was informed, he needs to go to the Board of Zoning Appeals. If he didn't like their decision he could then take it to District Court, but the city council could not over rule this kind of decision.
The  Wellsville Water Agreement was again on the agenda.  The 40-year contract between the two cities is set to expire next year, on December 31, 2017. 
Baldwin City finance director Brad Smith told the Baldwin City Council on Monday that the city and Wellsville were close to an agreement that would sell water to Wellsville at a rate of anywhere from $1.09 to $1.25 per 1,000 gallons. That charge would be on top of Baldwin City’s purchase price from Lawrence of $2.91 per 1,000 gallons. Wellsville currently pays $3.60 per 1,000 gallons. Smith said the city is looking for an agreement that makes sense, with simple updates as both communities look at their annual budgets.
Mike Brungardt, Wellsville City Engineer, said Wellsville wants Baldwin City to be compensated for it's costs of getting water from Lawrence to Wellsville.  Smith said that he hoped to have a new agreement in the next month.

In other business:

Bill Neuenswander addressed the council about the Seniors Wheel Program.
Honored Fire Chief Allen Craig who retired last week after 45 years with the cities volunteer Fire Department.
Approved ordinance 1335, the animal control ordinance that officially allows up to twelve chickens and ducks, but continues the ban on roosters.

Approved ordinance 1093, which ends the practice of having a first and second reading of ordinances before being voted on.

Approved charter ordinance 24, which brings the city into compliance with a new state Corporation law, that requires the spring local elections to be moved to November of odd years.

Heard from Hank Booth and Dave Hill about the Economic Development (EDC), seeking $15,000 from the city to go alongside private sector funding. The council postponed a decision, so that they could have time to consider the matter.

Cancelled the July 5 meeting due to the majority of the council being unavailable after the holiday.  The following week, July 11 is still a special Council of the Whole, tackling the upcoming budget. That meeting will meet at 6:30 P.M.

Trump Meeting with Politically Conservative Christian Leaders

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yesterday, June 21, 2016, some politically conservative Christian leaders will meet with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to learn more about the candidate and his position on certain issues.
The following statement can be attributed to Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World:
“The group that is meeting with Donald Trump today does not represent the entire Christian community – or even all evangelicals.
"The leaders of a wide array of Christian church bodies have asked presidential candidates to explain what they would do about hunger and poverty if elected. These are issues that are important in all faith traditions. Nearly all the candidates have provided statements (www.circleofprotection.us). But despite repeated requests, the Trump campaign has yet to respond.
“Bread for the World calls on Donald Trump to offer a statement on what he would do to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in the United States and around the world.
“Currently, 48 million Americans, including nearly 16 million children, struggle with hunger. A recent voter survey commissioned by Bread for the World found that 1 in 3 voters say they will vote only for candidates who promise to make ending hunger one of their top priorities. Bread for the World is working to elect leaders who will make this happen.
“Bread for the World hopes that Mr. Trump considers ending hunger and poverty to be an important issue, just as millions of Christians across this country do.”

Saturday 25 is a Day Full of Events

Start your Saturday June 25 off with a delicious breakfast of Biscuits and Gravy (and a Cinnamon Roll to). It's all to support the Baldwin City Senior Wheels. Serving 8 A.M. to 10 A.M. in front of the Chamber Office at 8th and High Streets in Baldwin City. All donations received will support the continuation of the Senior Wheels Program.

The eighth annual Lawrence Memorial (LMH) Spray Run will be held from 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. on the morning of Saturday June 25, 2016. The Baldwin City event will begin at Baldwin City Golf Clubhouse located at 1102 Main Street in Baldwin City. The course is USA Track and Field (USATF)certified. As participants run or walk the certified course, they will be sprinkled, splashed and sprayed with water, all for great fun and two great causes, the hospital itself, which is ranked as one of the nations Top 100 Hospitals and a wellness grant for the Baldwin City Community. Similar events will be held in Tonganoxie and July 16 and Eudora on Jul 30. Entry Fees are Kids 12 & Under $10, Adult Preregistration $25, Adult Registration at the Event $30, and Team Relay Registration $50

The evening of Saturday June 25 head on over to the Baldwin City Intermediate Center for Bingo night to support the Communities Emergency Fund from 7 P.M. to 9 P.M.

Chisholm Trail-150th Anniversary

Abilene, KS (PRWEB) - The legacy of Chisholm and McCoy will be carried on through education. Symposiums, re-enactments and books will drive the energy and excitement toward the Labor Day Weekend Event.
September 2-4 of 2016 will kickoff the first annual Trails, Rails and Tales event to celebrate the rough and tumble, wild and woolly days of the lawless West. It is a party thrown in the spirit of Joseph McCoy’s first cattle drive.
McCoy arrived in Abilene on July 1, 1867, and within two short months, he was able to transform a quiet whistle stop town, into a bustling Cow Town filling our streets with drovers, gamblers, cowboy legends, aristocratic ranchers and tourists wanting to catch a view of Wild Bill, Jesse James or John Wesley Hardin. Abilene was the best advertised small town in America.
These are the events that will kick off the 2016 Trails, Rail and Tales: Abilene, Kansas Labor Day Event

Friday night street dance and old-fashioned bonfire

Chisholm Trail Auto Classic Car show

Saturday morning "Saddle Up, Let's Ride" parade

Abilene's Longhorn Parade of Legends, twice a day

Kids Buckaroo Camp

Red Steagall, Cowboy entertainer

Melodramas, historical performances and reenactors, tintype photographers

Saturday night country-western concert

Native American Powow

Sunday chuck-wagon breakfast and cowboy church service

The entire family and visitors from everywhere are encouraged to visit Abilene  for this annual event. 

Kwik Shop Relocation is Underway

Baldwin City, KS – According to a press release issued by Kwik Shop, Inc. of Hutchinson, KS (a division of Kroger, Inc (NYSE: KR) of Cincinnati, OH. Kwik Shop has purchased the Santa Fe Market at 522 Ames Street, and plans to remodel the facility in order to replace its smaller location at 600 Ames Street. The new store will open within the next 45 days after the renovations and re-imaging is complete. Moose’s Backwoods BBQ will remain in its current location and continue serving customers. The press release also said, "Kwik Shop is very excited to have the ability to provide a better facility/offering in order to meet our customers’ expectations."

Santa Fe and Phillips 66 signs begin to disappear
as the store begins remodeling and re-branding
to become a Kwik Shop. 
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Some of the features of the new Kwik Shop in comparison to the current location will include, more dueling dispensers from two to five (aka ten vehicle fueling positions instead of four). The new location will add diesel, farm diesel, kerosene, and racing fuel, which the current location doesn't offer.  In addition the new facility will off a larger facility, additional parking capacity and a car wash.

Kwik Shop, promises that customers can save both time and money when they participate in Kwik Shop/Dillon's fuel rewards program. Customers can redeem up to 1,000 points at one time to save up to $1 off per gallon of fuel at Kwik Shop/Dillon's Fuel Centers. Customers are invited to see the store and visit www.kwikshop.com for complete details of the fuel rewards program or visit them at www.facebook.com/kwikshopstores where for further information and additional promotions.
Requests for information on what will happen to the current location, after the move went unanswered.  

2016 Car Show in Pictures

The third annual Piston N Pin Ups Car Show was held this past weekend. Vintage cars and hot rod lined the streets in downtown along with vendors and a beauty pageant of sorts. Visitors to the car show took their time to view the numerous cars on display. 

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Photographer Kevin Surbaugh