The November highway lettings mainly consist of maintenance projects, along with a couple of bridge replacements.
This post has been updated to reflect the approved bidders and the bid amount as announced by KDOT in a release on December 10. The approved bids announced on November 5 will be noted in red.
Time for the September lettings, and we’ve got a major project included.
This post has been updated to reflect the approved bidders and the bid amount as announced by KDOT in a release on October 7 and November 5. The approved bids announced on October 7 will be noted in red. The approved bids announced on November 5 will be noted in blue.
I share who I voted for of my own free will. No incentive or consideration has been made to share my voting selections.
I made it out to the polling place for the 2020 general election at about 11:30. I was ballot number 181.
President: I cannot stand Donald Trump. In 2016, I couldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton, either, and went third-party. (knowing full well that Trump was likely to take Kansas, which he did) I had no qualms about voting for Joe Biden this year. Trump is still likely to take Kansas.
US Senate: Clarance Oveur… I mean, Pat Roberts… is retiring. I went with Republican Roger Marshall over Democrat Barbara Bollier. Had Kris Kobach won the primary, Bollier would have gotten my nod. Although Bollier had the fundraising advantage leading into the General, Marshall will likely carry his home territory in the 1st Congressional district. (The ‘Big First’ has also moved Bob Dole, Roberts, and our other current Senator, Jerry Moran) The Balance will likely be in Shawnee and Sedgwick Counties.
US House, District 2: I voted for Jake LaTurner. Although I think Michelle De La Isla will fare well in Shawnee and Douglas Counties, I doubt that her credentials as the current Mayor of Topeka will fare well in the rural districts.
Kansas House, District 47: I expect the incumbent, Republican Ron Ellis, to easily carry the house district.
Kansas Senate, District 2: Even though she is a Democrat, I told Marci Francisco that I would not vote against her unless I was her opponent. I did not run for the Republican nomination for this seat, and neither did anyone else.
Everything else: The State Board of Education seat, currently held by Democrat Ann Mah, was unopposed, as were all of the county and township races. Five Court of Appeals seats, along with one Supreme Court seat and one District Magistrate seat, were up for uncontested retention.
The KDOT August lettings consist primarily of maintenance projects, including three state highway signage projects and a major collector signage project. The main replacement/widening project is on K-33 in Wellsville.
This post has been updated to reflect the approved bidders and the bid amount as announced by KDOT in a release on September 14 and October 7. The approved bids announced on September 14 will be noted in red. The approved bids announced on October 7 will be noted in blue.
For me, Labor Day weekend would not be one without me going out and taking pictures of something railroad related. This year, I decided to head out to Camden, Missouri on the joint BNSF Marceline Sub and Norfolk Southern Kansas City District. I was last here on Labor Day weekend in 2018.
Because my family had to quarantine for two weeks leading to the Primary, my mother and I both applied for and received advanced ballots.
After filling out and signing out ballots, I dropped them off together at the drop box at the Downtown Lawrence post office on August 1.
The ballots should have gone from Lawrence to the Shawnee Mission sorting facility, then to Oskaloosa for delivery to the Jefferson County Clerk.
For this year’s primary election, I did not go to the polling place on Tuesday. Because of a COVID-related quarantine, I elected to receive a mail-in advance ballot. I mailed the ballot in on August 1st.
There were only two contested races on my primary ballot. Both of the contested races were won by my preferred candidate.
My exploits capturing a series of late Amtrak trains in late June and early July of 2020
There are 13 projects up for bids in July, including signage replacement along US 50 and K-61 in Reno County.
Following up from my trip to Wedel Acres a couple of weeks ago… after leaving Wedel Acres, I pointed my Subaru west on US 50 and headed toward Newton.
While in Newton, I went browsing through the local antique dealerships (mask on, of course). The first one happened to be trackside, and just as I was entering the first store, I heard the familiar sound of a crossing signal activating. I turned back outside to catch a westbound manifest with a little bit of color within the power.