Time to step up for local businesses

Our local businesses need your business now more than they ever have?and I am not kidding. You have probably heard this from me a hundred times before. This time I am not suggesting?I am pleading for you to consider making purchases from your friends and neighbors right here at home.

If you think it always costs more to shop locally, then think again. When there are fewer people in our county to pay the bills, then your bill goes up. Less money to fix the streets, less money to support your causes when you or your children come around to local businesses asking for donations.

Has your local merchant always earned your business? Probably not every time, but what if one day they aren?t here when you need them?

If every household made a commitment to spend an additional $100 per month with local businesses instead of out of the county, it would add more than half-million dollars to the local economies. That?s only a few bags of groceries, or similar product, that need to be purchased here.

Studies show that money turns seven times in a local economy, which jumps the benefit to the local economy of almost $50 million per year.

Do I hear $200 per month?

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Last Thursday?s change in temperature reminded me of how quickly the weather can change in Kansas.

One September, in the early ?90s when I was working for the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, I was in Quinter selling ads for a special magazine feature on its high school sports programs.

It was 70 degrees during the day. That night was a football game so I stayed for it. By kickoff time it was snowing and blowing. I wasn?t prepared.

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Within the past few days I have received e-mails from my trade associations advising me to contact my congressmen to ask them to remove a provision in the new health-reform bill that requires small businesses to provide 1099 forms for all of its vendors. This would create a hardship and lots more paperwork for us.

At the same time, I?m getting e-mails from people who are giving seminars on how to deal with the new law and asking me to sign up for those.

What a system we have.

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I?m already getting crap about KU football after the miserable showing in the opener against North Dakota State. On the Web, some folks are already calling for Turner Gill to be fired and for Kansas to bring back Mark Mangino.

Seems a bit rash for one lousy game. I?m willing to wait and see what develops.

K-State was impressive in its opener. Coach Snyder obviously has the team back to believing in his system.

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Best of luck to Brenda McGinness as she feverishly works to reopen Olde Towne Restaurant and Bakery this month. She has really shined up the place and has cleveryly added a ramp on the south side of the building for those who find steps hard to negotiate.

Olde Towne has a storied history beginning with Dr. G. George Ens and wife Evelyn, who developed the building and opened the first restaurant there. They were followed by the Lunas, the Meiers and, most recently, the Thiessens.

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You know you are aging when you face two temptations and choose the one that gets you home sooner.

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