Casino plan makes no sense

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 23 May 2007 09:01

Is there more to read about casinos and the effect they have on communities in the news—including national news these days—or is it just because Kansas is going down that slippery road and I am more aware of the issue?

From what I have read, the whole idea is flawed down to the paltry 22 percent take that the state is willing to take for putting so many people at risk.

I really can’t believe, with so many casinos surrounding us now, that Wichita (which is where the casino will go) could become a destination casino.

And without it being a destination, it will have to make a living off of locals. Then the money is shifted out of the local economy to the gaming interests.

A lousy return on the hard-earned dollar, in my...

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Three trips in one day

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 16 May 2007 07:46

I can’t remember the last time I went to Marion three times in one day, but did it last Friday. It was business and pleasure that took me there. I needed to be here and there at the same time, which made it necessary to run back and forth.


Because of the flooding in the Nickerson area, the Mid-Central Activities Association league track meet was moved to Marion. Lucky for me, because I wanted to watch and couldn’t have made it to Nickerson.

I can’t run anymore, but it’s fun to watch teenagers burn up the track. The weather was perfect for a change, too, which made it even better.

What a beautiful day for Mother’s Day. We spent the day trying to see how many calories could be consumed. By mid-afternoon I...

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Greensburg experience difficult

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 09 May 2007 10:48

When watching the weather on television Friday night, we knew Greensburg was probable for a tornado. Since my cousin Paul Unruh and wife Shirley live there, I took more notice of the warning than usual.

My heart sank Saturday morning when I read an e-mail from Paul’s sister Carol that Paul and Shirley’s farm seven miles south of town had been hit and everything was destroyed.

I decided to help clean up. I knew other cousins and family members were going there Saturday, so I decided to wait until Sunday and take my brother-in-law along.
Not knowing exactly how to get there because U.S. Highway 54 was closed at Pratt, we opted to take U.S. Highway 50 to Kins­ley and then south on 183 past the west side of...

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Father, son share good moment

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 02 May 2007 07:46

In the like-father-like-son department, I headed to the James ThomasInvitational track meet Friday. I ran into Greg Topham, his wife andher parents just after the boys’ 3,200-meter race. They were delightedas Topham’s son, Andrew, running for Peabody-Burns, had just betteredGreg’s all-time high school best by about a second.

They now have a special memory that will stay with them for alifetime. Andrew is listed as having one of the state’s best times thisseason in the 3,200.


When you think about it, track is one of the most unforgiving sports there is. Unlike football, basketball or golf, where you have a second chance to make up for a mistake, track doesn’t give that option.

Fall down and you can’t recover, false start...

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