Kasold Drive bridge reopens after repairs

The Kasold Drive bridge across the Kansas Turnpike is open to traffic again, now that its concrete deck has been repaired.

The bridge had been closed to traffic since Sept. 23, when crews from Douglas County Public Works and the Kansas Turnpike Authority started work on what was supposed to be a four-week repair job.

Friday afternoon, the two-lane connection between Kasold and County Road 438 was cleared for traffic thanks in large part to the county crew of Larry Wilson, Bob Schirmer, John Warhurst, Byron Coates, Dusty Northrop and Tony Hadley, said Keith Browning, director of Public Works.

“They did a bang-up job,” he said.

Area cyclists to begin end-of-season events

Hundreds of bicyclists will converge today and Sunday on Lawrence to join the Lawrence Bicycle Club for its annual end-of-season ride.

Events associated with the 2002 Octoginta, an 80-mile tour through northeast Kansas, will begin at 10 a.m. today with time trials. Registration for the Sunday ride begins at 8 a.m. today and will continue until 5 p.m. at South Park Recreation Center, 1141 Mass.

The Tour De County, a 30-mile round-trip ride through Douglas County, will depart at 9:30 a.m. today from South Park. A 2 p.m. SWAP meet at South Park will round out afternoon events.

Late registration for the main event begins at 7 a.m. Sunday. The ride will begin at 8:30 a.m. at South Park. In addition to the 80-mile ride, there will be an optional 40-mile route.

Registration fees are $5 for the Tour De County and $23 for Octoginta 2002.

Edwards campus numbers up

Overland Park Enrollment at Kansas University’s Edwards Campus continues to grow despite the slow economy, officials announced.

Students at the Overland Park campus are taking 13,185 credit hours this fall, a 3.11 percent increase from fall 2001. Officials at the Edwards Campus count credit hours instead of students because many students are part-time.

About 2,100 students enroll each semester at the campus.

The schools with the biggest increase in credit hours were the School of Pharmacy (33 percent), College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (32 percent), School of Engineering (17 percent) and School of Medicine (16 percent).

The Edwards campus has 22 graduate, undergraduate and certification programs.

Officials soon will start construction on a $17.8 million, 86,000-square-foot building.

Douglas County court offers elder law program

Douglas County District Court officials will present a program to senior citizens about legal issues.

The program will be presented from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Douglas County Judicial & Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St. It will include information about probate, landlord-tenant and small claims issues.

The program is presented as part of Elders and the Law Week, Monday through Friday.

To register, contact Alice Fowler at the Leisure and Learning office in the Douglas County Senior Services building, 745 Vt., or by calling 842-0543, extension 130. Rides from the senior center are available.

McPherson College official participates in college fairs

A representative from McPherson College will visit several area high schools this month.

Sara Brubaker, admissions and financial aid counselor at the four-year liberal arts college in McPherson, will participate in college fairs:

9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Ottawa High School.

1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Oskaloosa High School.

7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive.