Love Small Town America

The hits keep coming for Kansas, which was recently named a Top 10 state for business by three major business publications.

The good ink began in June, when Kansas was named a Top 10 pro-business state by Pollina Corporate Real Estate, one of the nation's premier corporate relocation firms. The annual Pollina report analyzes 33 location factors controlled by state governments, including taxation, economic incentive programs, economic development efforts and infrastructure.

Next up was Business Facilities magazine, which in mid-July named Kansas the No. 9 state for biotechnology industry development.

And just last week, Kansas grabbed the No. 7 spot in CNBC's annual America's Top States for Business report. The report examines 40 measures of competitiveness, which are then grouped into 10 broad categories. Of those 10 categories, Kansas ranked among the Top 10 in four -- workforce, transportation, economy and cost of living -- en route to its No. 7 overall rank

"There are states that didn't have a Top 10 finish in any of these publications," said Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David D. Kerr. "To finish in the Top 10 in all three is really an outstanding achievement, and it confirms what we've known all along -- that Kansas is one of the best places in the country for business."

Now, after months of fundraising and hours of volunteer labor, Park finally has a park.

Buffalo Park, to be exact. Complete with slides, swings and a basketball court, the park has become a popular spot for this town of about 150.

"I always bring my grandkids here when they're around," said Shirley Heier, who has served on the park committee. "Before, I had to go to another town to take them out."

Equipment started going in last year including a swingset and jungle gym that were moved from a playground near Park's former school across the street.

The city pitched in to install a basketball court. Then, the park committee received a grant to put in recycled-tire benches and picnic tables. The park has a sandbox and a playset with slides and monkey bars. One gazebo is being constructed and another is in the works.

"We're hoping to draw families in, people with young children, because our population is a lot of elderly," said Barb Goetz of the park committee.

The committee has sold bierocks, worked at an auction and made German and Italian meals to raise money for Buffalo Park's equipment.

Community members like Goetz and Heier have donated trees, flowers and other beautification items to the park project, as well.

"I've always felt that this town needed something," said Goetz, who also serves on the Park City Council.

Future plans for Buffalo Park include getting recycled-tire ground cover to put around the equipment and putting in a walking trail around the park.

The committee recently installed a memory board on the northeast side of the park.

"We're just looking to get more help from people who grew up here," Goetz said. "We're getting a lot of donations from people who graduated from Park High School. They're donating so they can have their name on that board."

Heier said many children already are using Buffalo Park, but other enhancements, hopefully, will bring more people out.

"It just makes the town seem more alive," Heier said. "It's fun to drive by here and see kids playing on the swings or in the sandbox."

NEW KANSAS HEALTH RANKINGS PUT GOVE COUNTY FIRST, WYANDOTTE COUNTY LAST AMONG 105 COUNTIES
By Associated Press
4:02 AM CDT, June 3, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A new study of Kansans' health puts Gove County first and Wyandotte last among the state's 105 counties.

The rankings are the first by the Kansas Health Institute, which looked at more than two dozen indicators. They ranged from seat belt use and binge drinking to social and economic factors such as poverty.

Rounding out the top five after Gove County in northwest Kansas were Sheridan, Johnson, Greeley and Logan counties.

In addition to Wyandotte County, the bottom five included Woodson, Geary, Labette and Montgomery counties.

The Kansas Health Institute says it expects to have periodic updates on the Kansas County Health Rankings.