Riverfront? Good Idea!

Reading the Topeka Capital-Journal this morning I came across an article about creating a riverfront are in Topeka. This would include paths for hiking, commercial businesses and maybe an art district. The city's group Think Big Topeka has been organizing a downtown project that would change a lot in the city's downtown area, and the riverfront project would end up being an extension.

As I have written previously in my blog posts, I am all for change in Topeka. The only problem I have with this article is that it didn't go into detail about what would be happening until the project was done. The author states twice that it will take years, maybe decades until the project would be completed, but never what sacrifices would have to be made. The project is still in its planning stages and I am excited to see what they come up with. With change there is always debate, and someone will be left not completely satisfied, but I am glad people in Topeka are trying. I can't wait to see what happens!

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http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-04-22/riverfront_questions_and_answers

$8,000 for Buying A House?

As a first-time homebuyer that is getting ready to close on a house before the April 30 deadline, I am very interested in this article. I like that the author covers people that are excited about the tax incentive and uses them as their main source of information, because this is an exciting deal for people like me.

As someone who also tried to hurry along our purchase of a new home to obtain that $8,000 it is nice to know there are other people out there doing the same thing. On the other hand, there are people who are not swayed either way by the tax incentive. They don't want to rush their purchase to get a mere $8,000 or so they say. I think that is a lot of money and it helped open our eyes to different houses than what we would normally look at.

My husband and I look forward to using our money to make the house better and fix it up the way we want it. If we were looking at houses and weren't planning on that extra money, I am sure we would have been more picky. We tried to look at this as a positive incentive from the government and I am glad that for the most part other first-time homebuyers are as well.

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http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2010-04-14-firsttimehomebuyers14_CV_N.htm

Royal Valley Students try their hand in politics

Royal Valley Middle School is trying something I think more students their age need to try as well. They are doing something for their hometown as well as learning about the country's political system. They are trying to name a portion of the US-75 highway, north of Topeka after James Lane in tribute to the underground railroad that ran near there. This is a good way for young students to learn about the legislative process in their country, I wish we would have done something like that when I attended Royal Valley.

Not only are these students learning the political system in this country, but if they are successful they will also need to do other things. They will need to raise money for signs to post on the highway, which will also teach them money management and time management as well as the responsibility of naming a highway as a memorial. This is a huge deal for these students and I am proud to say I went to Royal Valley!

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http://cjonline.com/news/legislature/2010-04-08/a_hard_lesson_in_democracy

Google is Topeka for a Day

Not only was Google the talk of Topeka today, but Topeka the talk of Google as well. I am so excited that Google has noticed our efforts to get their attention and actually renamed their company for an entire day. It may be an April fool's joke but it is a funny one that means a whole lot to this city.

When Mayor Bill Bunten named Topeka Google, Kansas for the month of March, he was criticized by people from all over the world. Now it just goes to show that being a little unorthodox pays off once in awhile, he got their attention! Now Topeka may have a chance at being the test site for Google's new higher speed internet. Google’s spokesperson Andrew Pederson says that their April fool’s joke has nothing to do with who they choose as their test site, but I still think it is a positive step in the right direction!

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http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-04-01/google_gag_tickles_topeka

Guns on Campus? Please, NO!

I can't believe there is a new law that may allow students to carry guns on Washburn's campus. I am all for the NRA and carrying concealed weapons and all that jazz, but there are some places you just shouldn't be able to do it! I am outraged that there isn't something stated in the law that prohibits guns on college campuses like they have for school districts. The two should be included in the same category in my opinion.

I enjoyed this article in the Topeka Capital-Journal because it gave the facts, then it gave the perspective of Washburn University students. I also liked that Kevin Elliott used quotes from all different perspectives so you got a taste of each side of the argument. Of course there are students and others that think it is a good thing they can carry guns on campus, and they have a right to speak what they believe too. I still don't agree with this law, and I don't look forward to the day when I am sitting in class and don't know who in class might have a loaded gun in thier pocket, I hope I don't cross them the wrong way!

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"No Guns on Campus, But That May Change" Barbara Hollingsworth and Keving Elliott

Streets in Topeka Will Only Get Better!

I am excited about the plans to fix the major intersection of 21st Street between Interstate 470 and S.W. Wanamaker Road. This means Topeka's tax dollars are going to something much needed and important that most everyone in town should be happy about as well. Not only will they keep a lane open throughout the project, which will keep business at a steady flow, but hopefully when the project is over it will create potential for new businesses to open up.

Topeka's concern for local business is very important and will aid in other business throughout the city to participate in making Topeka beautiful in the future. This article is among many that give hope to Topekans such as myself, that there is change and will continue to be change in this city. Everywhere we look this spring, we will be seeing changes and this will be one of the good ones. Especially because it is short and supposed to only take 45 days to complete. I look forward to when it is done to see where they will go next!

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Topeka Capital-Journal "Get Ready for Less Rumble" by Time Hrenchir 3-12-2010

I Like the Name "Google, KS"

I want Google to choose Topeka as their test site for the new higher speed internet. I don't understand why people are criticizing Mayor Bill Bunten for doing something creative. By naming Topeka Google, Kansas for the month of March he seems to have created both positive and negative reviews, from all over the country.

By doing something unorthodox I feel the mayor might have had the right idea. Look at all the publicity and hype Topeka is getting because of it. Google will now definitely hear about us and maybe put us at the top of the list. Maybe some people feel Bunten was "sucking up to Google" but I think he was trying to get their attention in a humorous way.

Not only could Google bring incredibly high-speed internet to Topeka, but it could also help the business community here as well. This is the perfect direction for the city, and I hope Google chooses us!

The Topeka Capital-Journal March 3, 2010 "Mayor an Internet sensation"


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Downtown Topeka has never had more hope than it does 5 p.m Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center, 420 S.E. 6th St. Heartland Visioning Group will be holding a community meeting regarding what direction to take with downtown Topeka. This is exactly what this town needs, a chance for something different!

I think the idea of having everything changed around in downtown Topeka is a great one. If there was an area in town to walk from business to business at night, it would be something completely new to the city. I think it would bring more people from surrounding areas to Topeka on the weekends, as well as the weekdays. It would be very convenient to have dinner and then walk to get a drink somewhere. From what they have been considering there would be less vehicle traffic and more pedestrian traffic, which would be beneficial in indefinite ways.

Whatever they decide to do, I am all for it. Everything in the article gives me hope that Topeka's night scene may be improved before I am too old to enjoy it!

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http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-02-23/visioning_focuses_on_downtown

Why Throw Out Perfectly Good Food?

Anyone who has ever questioned the safety of a food product and threw it out because they weren't sure, needs to read this article. I can only imagine the amount of food Americans throw out daily because they think something is bad but it is not. I personally go by appearance and smell, as opposed to what some printed date on a package tells me. Sometimes those dates are premature, and you could end up throwing out perfectly edible food.

Maybe I am just paranoid, but I look at it like the manufacturer is going to tell me an earlier date, therefore I will buy the product sooner than I really need to. Mostly this happens because they have to play it safe like the article says. Accounting for those irresponsible consumers, manufacturers end up short-changing smart consumers. But with a little bit of information, like this article for instance, we can save a couple bucks and waste less food at the same time.

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http://www.slate.com/id/2244249?yahoo=y

The Double McTwist 1260

Shaun White is my new favorite sportsman in the Winter Olympics. After hearing about his awesome new move and the fact that it won him 48.4 points, I was amazed. Not only is he inventing new moves, he does them with incredible talent and he won an Olympic gold medal! The Double McTwist 1260 sounds ridiculously hard because of all the spinning involved, but Shaun does it with ease, enough to awe the judges into giving him the gold.

I feel like he should have earned extra points because he invented the move himself, who does that? After going to YouTube and watching the Double McTwist again, I think it finally sunk in how incredible the move is. This article not only justifies the way I feel, but it also makes me even prouder that Shaun White is an American. The Olympics is the time for athletes to shine, and with this awesome new snowboarding move, he has done just that.

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http://www.entertainmentandshowbiz.com/shaun-white-double-mctwist-1260-wins-him-2nd-gold-medal-2010021937114

Take-out food on the Rise

Environmentally concerned people are going to hate this article, although it is completely correct. I myself cringe at the thought of how many disposable containers are used in one day in the restaurant industry alone. Not to mention the materials that are being used for most of them aren't biodegradable, and for some reason they are becoming more popular. That reason, according to this article, is the fact that more Americans find it simpler to pay for dinner instead of prepare it.

Although the writer touches on the environmental aspect of this trend, she waits until the end and I feel like it should have been addressed more in the middle. She focuses too much on the convenience of the size and shape of the container, instead of what it is made of and how that will affect the economy on that level. I feel like this story would have more impact on the consumer if the issue of asking for environmentally safe containers was the last topic of the article. Yes it's convenient, but will it be convenient when our landfills are over-filled with styrofoam?

http://www.foodchannel.com/stories/2364-takeout-trend-still-growing-adapting-

The Break Room in Downtown Topeka Tries Something New

After reading "Arts on the Menu" by Lyle Vaughn I was inspired. He describes a wonderful restaurant where the owners want to do something different and bring a new type of entertainment to downtown Topeka. Not only by extending their hours into the evening, but adding dinner-theatre and a new cuisine labeled "SpanItalian" gives The Break Room an intrigue not usually found in Topeka.

This article definitely brings up the issue of Topeka's nightlife and the lack thereof. As a 25-year-old female that grew up in this city, I have been at a loss many times while searching for something to do on a Thursday or Friday night. By bringing art, entertainment and good food to the downtown area I believe it will bring a new life and culture that was never found here before. Since it has me interested, I am sure there are others that are ready for something new, and I see success for The Break Room.

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Seveneightfive Topeka's Guide to Entertainment, lifestyle and local flavor