Road work could affect commuters

Jefferson County will start work Tuesday on a project to improve a six-mile stretch of Wellman Road between First and 54th streets. The construction cost for the project is about $1.6 million.

Wellman Road, used by people commuting to and from Jefferson and Douglas counties, is accessible from U.S. Highway 59 and also is known as County Road 1045 and East 1400 Road. Jefferson County officials suggest commuters use U.S. Highway 59 as an alternate route during construction. Residents and farmers with homes and fields along Wellman Road will be allowed access.

Work is expected to continue through fall 2005 and potentially into the spring. The project includes putting in six-foot-wide shoulders on each side of the road and relocating water distribution facilities for Rural Water District No. 13.

Pesticide-free parks

Meeting to recruit volunteer workers

People interested in volunteering to help maintain Watson Park as a pesticide-free area are invited to an event tonight.

Supporters of the pesticide-free parks plan are hosting an event at 7 p.m. at Watson Park, Seventh and Kentucky streets, where they’ll provide information on how people can adopt a flower bed to maintain or join a crew of volunteer workers who will pull weeds and perform other tasks at the park.

People interested in volunteering but who can’t attend tonight’s event can call volunteer coordinators Marie Stockett, 832-1345, Kelly Barth, 843-8578, or Megan Phelps, 841-9058.

Military

Ceremony set for Kansas Guard Battery

A departure ceremony at 1 p.m. July 1 will honor nearly 150 soldiers of the Kansas Army National Guard in the Lee Arena on the Washburn University Campus in Topeka.

The Kansas Army National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 127th Field Artillery will be honored during the ceremony in which Kathleen Sebelius, commander in chief, will participate.

The public is invited to attend and wish the soldiers well as they deploy to Iraq.

Commission progresses on new fire station

Commissioners have moved ahead on plans for a new $2.5 million fire station to be built on the city-owned property along Wakarusa Drive that is part of the Clinton Water Treatment Plant.

City officials will open bids on the project on July 26.

The new station will replace the existing Fire Station No. 4, located in a renovated historic barn at 2819 Stonebarn Terrace.

City commissioners also agreed to discuss what to do with the barn, but said they were committed to preserving the building.

Baker University hires new administrators

Baker University has hired two administrators to deal with student life issues, the university announced Wednesday.

Shelby Coxon will serve as director of student activities, and Mark Zeno will be associate dean of student development.

Coxon, who has a master’s degree in higher education from Kansas University, worked the past two years at Nebraska Wesleyan, where she worked with greek life and student activities. In addition to directing student activities, Coxon will advise the Panhellenic Council at Baker.

Zeno most recently worked in residence life at Ashland University in Ohio, and also has worked at Ohio Wesleyan University and Case Western Reserve University. His primary duties at Baker will be residence life and housing, greek life and student judicial affairs.