A public meeting will be held for those wishing to advertise on Olpe’s new sign, which will be located where the old sign was before it was destroyed when hit by an automobile in February.
The sign, which cost $18,657, will be similar to the sign that is in front of Emporia’s Civic Auditorium. Olpe Mayor Jerry Tempelmeyer said the new sign opens up a lot of avenues in informing the public in Olpe.
A meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the City Hall in Olpe for those wishing to obtain information on how to advertise on the new sign. Tempelmeyer hopes the sign will be operational in about a month. The Olpe Lions Club is assisting with the project.
rabblerouser (anonymous) says...
$18,657 WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I sure hope those folks get their money's worth. A sign similar to the one at the Civic Auditorium. WOW, I can sure see where a little town like Olpe needs a sign like that! I never saw anything wrong with the old one. I always looked forward to seeing the old one change. How much did the Insurance Company of the Semi Truck that wiped out the old one pay for damages towards this new sign? So much for the small town charm!
June 8, 2010 at 4:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnDoe (anonymous) says...
Probably only the replacement cost of what was destroyed and the labor involved with its reinstallation. Upgrading from a standard metal sign to a marquee "billboard" likely wouldn't be included.
June 9, 2010 at 12:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rabblerouser (anonymous) says...
Probably not. I hope that marquee with it's lights doesn't keep the neighbors up all night! They probably haven't thought of that, huh!
June 9, 2010 at 6:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...
What does that come out too. Like $150-$200 per person living in Olpe. That is some sound spending, I tell you what. I guess I can see the need for a modern sign declaring all of the wonderful things to do in Olpe. All the pass through towns along hardly used state highways should follow suit.
June 9, 2010 at 7:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Maybe the Emporia CVB could advertise on it. Betcha it wouldn't cost $10,000.00.
:-)
June 9, 2010 at 7:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
I hope those nasty vandals we have running around don't get word of this... The Civic Auditorium sign is in a well-lit, high-traffic area and is a stone's throw away from the police station. I fear the Olpe sign will be an easy target for kids up to no good. Smashing all the lights on a $18,657 sign might sound like a lot of fun to the dregs of society.
I think they should just put up a wooden sign that reads, "Welcome to Olpe. Sorry in advance." It is cute how they think they're a real town. Just kidding, you crazy Olpenites! Olpenians? Olpers? Whatever you kids are calling yourselves these days... 'enry
June 9, 2010 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
They're Eagles!!!
June 9, 2010 at 10:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eaglefan (anonymous) says...
What is up with all you negative people? No wonder Emporia gets no where. At least Olpe is trying to stay an active community and not die like so many small communities have already done.
If Olpe and small communities that surround Emporia don't stay active and alive, people move away. Guess what, so do the spending dollars that come from Olpe Customers spent in Emporia.
If you want to compare spending on Olpe's sign and don't think it is necessary for a "Small Town", why was money wasted on the plain (and in my opinion, "ugly") clock tower by ESU. Clock Tower didn't add anything. At least the sign will advertise local businesses and events.
Get off our backs. You just sound like hypocrites. We are a proud community with lots of good people.
June 9, 2010 at 10:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
eaglefan,
Sorry for my negative post. It was NOT directed at Olpe or it's residents, rather it was a shot about Emporia spending 10K on an ad in O magazine. I think the sign is a great idea and the ad money it makes will probably more than pay for it'self. I've often wondered why one wasn't put on the corner of the fairgrounds here in Emporia a while back when a local company offered it to the city/county. I agree with your last sentence.
June 9, 2010 at 11:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Olpe is a nice little town.
June 9, 2010 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
eaglefan,
Olpe sells booze on Sunday, so you guys are alright by me. I just fear for your fancy new sign.
'enry
June 9, 2010 at 11:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...
You're right eaglefan. Olpe is a great town if you like a bunch of non-inclusive snobs looking down their noses at you.
June 9, 2010 at 3:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I've always wondered what Gazette Staff member has ties to Olpe? They get far more press than all the other little communities and schools combined.
June 9, 2010 at 3:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
Maybe the first ad run on the new sign should be a warning to north-bound traffic to not shop or even stop in Emporia.
I don't see nearly the vandalism around Olpe as I see here in E-town. Have you seen their park? If we had half the town pride here that they have down there, our town would look better now than it did a decade ago, like theirs does. Ours doesn't.
June 9, 2010 at 3:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jasonesu (anonymous) says...
the articles states similar to the one at White Auditorium, on the radio it was stated similar but smaller. Sounds to me like the towns to the east are jealous and being nasty, just like always.
June 9, 2010 at 4:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
neighbor, I don't believe it takes a Gazette staffer to give Olpe more press. Olpe earns every bit of it. It's a cute, clean little town with generous people who give to neighbors in need, who support their children in all their activities, and who are willing to dig in with physical labor when necessary.
The kids down there earn a lot of press too. They are talented athletes who are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to make their teams shine. They don't go to all that state competition year after year just because some Gazette staffer lives there.
I taught there for twenty one years and rarely had the kinds of problems in the classroom that friends of mine who teach in other districts have. Olpe is still the kind of place you hear about in times past when if a kid got into trouble in school, he would also get into bigger trouble at home. I can't count the number of times parents told me, "If you have any problems with him/her, call me right away and the problem will stop, I guarantee it."
I directed the annual school play for all those years, and we packed the house for both nights of performances every single year, even during a few wicked thunder storms amid tornado watches. Those parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and even former students were there; many came both nights. On several occasions, my cast and I had been featured in Gazette articles. Once, a photographer stood on stage during a dress rehearsal and obtained all kinds of great shots. We made the front page that year. Why? Because we worked hard for our success and we earned that praise.
It's also fair to say that Olpe has had her share of problems too. As a community, they have held their heads high, prayed about it, screamed about it, supported each other, gossipped about it, swallowed hard, and kept going.
It's a great little community that reminds me of Lake Woebegon, "where all the men are strong, the women good looking, and all the children above average."
June 10, 2010 at 9 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Stop it with all this talk about Olpe. You are making me want to move there.
June 10, 2010 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bnance (anonymous) says...
Neighbor,
The Gazette ran this story, and others, because the City of Olpe contacted us. We appreciate any and all news tips from communities in Lyon County and we'll do our best to get all the news in that we receive.
Thank you,
Brandy Nance
Reporter
June 10, 2010 at 11:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
I've been handed an unofficial transcript of the "contact" Brandy described...
'enry
(ring, ring)
EG: Hello. Emporia Gazette here, what can I do ya for?
Olpe: Hello old friend, City of Olpe here. I have a hot news tip for you!
EG: Oh, how tantalizing! Let's hear it!
Olpe: (muffled munching)
EG: I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.
Olpe: Oh, sorry. I was just enjoying some of our delicious fried chicken I'm sure you've heard so much about.
EG: Yes indeed. The tales of your fried chicken have spread far and wide. Now what of this big story?
Olpe. Oh, yes. We thought your readers would like to know that the Olpe townsfolk have agreed to purchase a fancy new sign for our town!
EG: I see! That IS a big story. I'm riveted! Please go on.
Olpe: Well, you see, we're gonna get this fancy sign with flashing lights that'll spell out words and such! Then, were gonna sell ad space on our new sign to the good people of Olpe and even inform them of all the local goings-on!
EG: Oh, similar to the debonair sign we have at the Civic Building, eh?
Olpe: Debo-what now? Uh, sure. Just like that.
EG: How much is a sign like that gonna run y'all?
Olpe: That's the beauty of it. A scant $18,657!
EG: Well, that sure is a precise figure, but I wouldn't say "scant".
Olpe: You gotta remember; this is Olpe we're talking about here.
EG: Oh, that's right. Nothing but the best for you folks.
Olpe: Darn straight! Finally we'll have a sign worthy of our magnificent town!
EG: I can't wait to get the word out to our readers! If they're as thrilled as I am, the article will be a big hit!
Olpe: No doubt, yo! Hey, we'll chat ya later.
EG: I can't wait to hear from you again. Keep the stories coming. Go Eagles!
Olpe: Go Eagles!
(click)
June 10, 2010 at 1:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Sounds good create, but the other schools and their students work just as hard to excel and deserve the recognition too. Don't take this wrong, I admire OHS, their school pride and accomplishments, I would just like to see HHS and NHHS get the same kind of coverage Olpe does. Lebo, Madison, and Chase Co schools get more press than they do. If Olpe keeps growing like they have been, and moves up into a bigger league, we'll see how they compare to schools like Riley Co, Rossville etc.
Brandy, are you're saying it takes the city and school patrons submitting all of the stories, pictures and info to your staff to make the paper? Do you not have any reporters and photographers out in the field looking for, working on these events any longer?
June 10, 2010 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hartford (anonymous) says...
HenryVIII: I must say.....that made me laugh!!
Olpe gets just as much coverage by the news as anyone in their league around Emporia. Maybe you fellow readers/listeners just aren't paying attention.
I wish our community put forth the effort as those in Olpe do. Olpe IS a great community.
Oh....and crete.....I hear you were the best teacher!! :-)
June 11, 2010 at 7:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hartford (anonymous) says...
Crete: Nice use of the quote by Garrison Keillor. I love it!
June 11, 2010 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
krazykansan (anonymous) says...
There next sign will read as you come into Olpe, on highway 99
" Olpe next 7 exits". :^)
October 26, 2010 at 11:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I hope you are wrong krazykansan because if and when that happens Olpe will no longer be a great friendly cooperative little town. Then people living in Olpe will be looking for a new Olpe to go spoil.
October 27, 2010 at 3:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )