Governor signs executive order in Cottonwood Falls
Special to The Gazette
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Cottonwood Falls — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed Executive Reorganization Order No. 36 Wednesday during a news conference at the Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls, moving the Division of Travel and Tourism from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).
“My top priority is to grow our state’s economy,” Gov. Brownback said. “Moving the Division of Travel and Tourism to KDWP creates a great economic development opportunity for our state. It combines the resources and talents of two state agencies who have the same goals — promoting our great state and increasing visitors to the many wonderful parks, historical sites and events Kansas has to offer.”
To read complete story see the print edition or the online print edition.
Buffalo_Breath (anonymous) says...
Sounds like we cut One "Asst Secretary" but we added Two "Asst Secretaries".
???
This just seems bizarre.
January 27, 2011 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
5.4 BILLION, THAT'S ROCK SOLID MONEY FOR KANSAS. This is really something, while were complaining about rocks and saying it can't be done--these ole sodbusters are doing it and they are saying to the rock sayers--IN YOUR FACE.
January 27, 2011 at 12:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Kansas is 38th in the US in tourism. That ranking will continue to fall as gas continues to rise.
We should focus on what we are good at. Producing. Tourism is a waste of money until the economy is in full rebound, it just makes sense. Less disposable income = less tourism. Good grief, if Vegas is having trouble......
January 27, 2011 at 12:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Oh baloney, reddog. Don't you dare blame this on the "rock sayers." Why not celebrate this landmark decision for Cottonwood Falls, our neighbors.
For one thing, they had something to work with to begin with -- they had an entire ecoregion, the Flinthills Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Plus, they had the Flinthills Scenic Byway. They've also worked long and hard for this.
Cottonwood Falls doesn't depend on industry like Emporia does because they have a much smaller population. They have niche merchants which draw visitors from the park and the Z Bar and the Byway.
Why don't you take a trip to see Greg Markowitz, Chase County's school superintendent, and ask him how much tourism is doing for his budget.
You wanna see a sign? HERE'S A SIGN.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_Hills
January 27, 2011 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Its a very dark day for Kansas sportsmen and the wildlife.
January 27, 2011 at 6:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
barefooting (anonymous) says...
That was an interesting link, Create thanks for sharing it.
January 27, 2011 at 7:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I agree emporian. The new secretary is going to make the previous one seem real desirable.
January 28, 2011 at 12:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
It is estimated that 10 million people come through Emoria each year.
http://www.morningsun.net/news/x16145...
January 28, 2011 at 2:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
With the huts coming down, the stones look even more distinctive.
http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?C...
January 28, 2011 at 2:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Emoria should have been Euforia.
http://www.euforiaexpeditions.com/
January 28, 2011 at 3:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
barefooting,
You are welcome. I have had a penchant for studying this area ever since moving here in 1975 and making it home. I find the sweep of wind along the grass reminds me of where I was born in Hawaii where wind sweeps from the mountains across grass pastures on the windward side of Oahu. When I was growing up, this was ranching and dairy area.
Last night on public TV, Sunflower Journeys covered ranching in the Flinthills and how the Rogler Ranch was begun by a young boy in his early twenties who walked to Kansas from Iowa on foot.
One comment heard recently by an international journalist is that in the Flinthills, as in Africa on the plains, you can stand barefoot and feel the earth breathe. I like that.
Speaking of Hawaii, I will say this about tourism. That state decided many years ago to put all its eggs in the one basket of tourism. Even they find it very tough going because tourism is a very testy and fickle thing. Large numbers of people lost their jobs when air fares went up during the last gas crunch. People don't spend on vacations when the economy is in a rough patch.
My sister lives in Las Vegas and that city is in dire straits right now because they too depend entirely on tourism. They have the highest rate of foreclosures in the nation.
Tourism is the last thing we need to be developing right now. We need real jobs that make house payments, and buy groceries.
January 28, 2011 at 7:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
reddog, people keep saying;
It is ESTIMATED that 10 million people come through Emporia each year.
Let's break it down.
that would be an ESTIMATED 27,397 per day.
My ESTIMATE on the number who stay overnight and then proceed on is 100 per night.
Does that mean that 27,297 who are now sailing on by will stop if we put these rocks up?
Great, let's get started on some new hotels / motels. We are going to need them.
January 28, 2011 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
What would our traffic look like if nearly 30,000 people per day were coming through Emporia?
That sure would change our 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. 10-minute traffic jams.
We'd better take care of our streets.
LOL
January 28, 2011 at 9:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tawais (anonymous) says...
@Steve Corbin, love your estimations. lets put that "hard earned Rock money" into building a big hotel with 125 rooms, this will create jobs and be suitable for all the "tourist traffic" that will be coming through.
January 28, 2011 at 9:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EsqEB (anonymous) says...
This bad news for Kansas Hunters and Fishermen and Women. The KDWP will now pander to out of state sportsmen and so-called guide services. BAD BAD BAD!!
As a Republican, I am glad I didn't vote for spineless Brownback.
January 28, 2011 at 11:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
The new KDWP Secretary is a former Legislator and former House Speaker. For those of you not familiar with in house politics at the Capital, the House Speaker is typically the senior most Legislator of the majority party. Currently and for the last several years, Western Kansas Republican Legislators have maintained majority and senior status in the House, no matter what their beliefs and ethics are. Being elected into one of those positions in Western districts often means a life long position. They generally have few or no opponents in elections. The current Secretary of KDWP left politics to become a paid lobbyist for many years. He mostly represented Pro-agricultural lobby groups, commercialized hunting groups, and groups that wanted to turn the Flint Hills and the entire state into a commercialized hunting and fishing destination. He also tried a run at the Governor's position in the last election but was defeated in the primary. One of his frequent offices to visit in the Kansas Senate, was occupied by a Senator who believed as he did that our wildlife and natural resources should be exploited in the name of tourism and sold to the highest bidder. That senator was elected to go to Washington to represent us. He too was a Western Ks politician. Now our Governor is showing that he is buying into their plan. Wonder when the Buffalo hunts and guided fishing will begin at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve?
January 28, 2011 at 1:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPj0ho...
January 28, 2011 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Wow ! Does reddog live in " Space " or is he just " Spaced Out " !
January 30, 2011 at 10:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )