Lawrence and Douglas county
Stimulus to fund training for highway construction jobs
July 10, 2009
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Federal stimulus money will finance a job-training program for people in northeast Kansas who are interested in building highways.
The educational effort will be financed with $200,402 from the federal government, as part of the $6.7 million in financing going to 14 states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
While training grants aren’t all that unusual, this program will take a different approach, said Doug Hecox, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation, which announced the grants Thursday afternoon.
“We’re trying to teach people so they can help us build highways and get the economy going again,” Hecox said.
Specifically, the program will finance apprenticeships and training programs for “underrepresented or disadvantaged people” seeking careers in transportation, engineering or construction, federal officials said.
“Providing individuals with the job training skills they need is key to keeping our highway system up and running,” said Ray LaHood, secretary of transportation. “These training programs will help ensure that the American highway system has able stewards for years to come.”
While Hecox said he did not have details about the program for northeast Kansas, he noted that the money would be administered through the Kansas Department of Transportation.
KDOT already finances a training program, through the YWCA in Topeka, for women and minorities interested in building trades.
Also Thursday, KDOT also received notice that it would get $224,600 for a program in the Wichita metro area.
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10 July 2009
at 8:10 a.m.
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Jeteras (Anonymous) says…
I take it you own no cars? hmmm either that or you live on the 59 corridor? maybe you dont care but the trickle down effect of this lets people keep their jobs.
10 July 2009
at 8:37 a.m.
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whatadrag (Anonymous) says…
logrithmic, don't hate the player, hate the game.
How would widening a road by 24 feet involve “burning, excavating and asphalting large swatches of farmland and forrests”?
10 July 2009
at 9:01 a.m.
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consumer1 (Anonymous) says…
Uhmmm, I would like to have training on how to hold a flag on the hiway for $25.00 an hour.
10 July 2009
at 9:19 a.m.
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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…
Who ever knew Obama, Biden, Pelosi and Reid were gonna turn the economy around by laying asphalt. They're one amazing bunch!
10 July 2009
at 9:28 a.m.
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whatadrag (Anonymous) says…
I'm sure this issue was at the top of their agenda nancy, don't blame this on them.
10 July 2009
at 12:19 p.m.
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Irish (Irish Swearingen) says…
Tom, Tom, Tom! President Obama is the best thing that has ever happened to this country. Unlike some of you I am not being sarcastic, I am quite sincere. For the first time in a long time I have hope for this country.
Giving people jobs is a good thing. Now, they have to overcome the stigma of working to support their families?
Are you really saying there is shame in having this kind of job?
10 July 2009
at 12:33 p.m.
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snap_pop_no_crackle (Anonymous) says…
Whoopie! I can drive my new 25hp Pelosi Sport made by Government Motors (& which only costs $75,000) to the poor house on a good road.
10 July 2009
at 1:58 p.m.
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GardenMomma (Anonymous) says…
Are highway building companies even hiring? It's one thing to train people to do the job, quite another for them to actually be hired.
When the Hoover Dam was built, did they train the workers how to do the job before hiring them or did they just get on-the-job training?
10 July 2009
at 4:19 p.m.
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SFBayhawk (Anonymous) says…
Trained to lean on a shovel?
10 July 2009
at 5:14 p.m.
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edjayhawk (Anonymous) says…
Nancy Boy probably thinks that the New Deal was a bad thing…I bet there weren't very many Republicans who were against the New Deal. Why are they now?
10 July 2009
at 5:19 p.m.
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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…
edjayhawk, the interstate system was Ike's baby, in the 50's…..if that's what you're referring to. And, I'm not convinced the New Deal was a great thing, no.
10 July 2009
at 5:46 p.m.
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tunahelper (Anonymous) says…
you don't need to be trained to hold a stop sign. or to lay asphalt. or to drive a dump truck.
Question: what is orange and sleeps three?
Answer: a KDOT dump truck!
10 July 2009
at 8:02 p.m.
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Seamus (Anonymous) says…
The expansion of our highway system is infrastructure without a future. The ramifications of Peak Oil are already upon us and plug-in whatevers are not going to replace the liquid fossil fuels we guzzle each day. There needs to be a moratorium on new road development with available funds going to fix what we already have while planning a move back to rail and making our cities more walkable and bicycle-friendly.
10 July 2009
at 11:43 p.m.
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labmonkey (Anonymous) says…
edjayhawk… Republicans actually had most of the New Deal programs overturned by 1945. Some programs were good, but most were wasteful government spending.
I would rather see these people GET highway jobs instead of being trained for them. Really, how much training do you need?
Consumer…actually, I think holding the flag would be the worst job. Just standing there in the sun, on the concrete, basically doing nothing. Time would just creep by. I think I would rather be doing something.
Tom…our infrastructure sucks. Building highways are a good thing and a good use of taxpayer money. There are much worse ways to spend our money.
Irish…I'm glad you have hope, but there are many of us out here who have pretty much lost all hope for this country, and I have to admit I am in that boat right now. If the Senate passes Cap and Trade, stick a fork in us, we are done. It scares the hell out of me that the Senate, with the Dems having 60 seats, is the only thing that stands between us and absolute economic disaster.
10 July 2009
at 11:46 p.m.
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labmonkey (Anonymous) says…
All for all of you knocking KDOT… I drive many miles in Missouri everyday, and notice how inferior MODOT is to KDOT. Kansans need to appreciate our nice, smooth roads that don't deteriorate 6 months after a repair.