Tough economic times have induced the Liberal Police Department's Animal Enforcement and Animal Shelter to see an increase in dogs running loose within the city's limits.
Rod Urwin, an animal enforcement officer with the LPD, directs services at the shelter. He said dogs at large are a serious problem.
Robert Olinger, animal enforcement officer for the Liberal Police Department, holds Chloe Friday morning at the Liberal Animal Shelter. Animal enforcement officers capture dogs, and other animals, running loose and take them back to the shelter. The shelter will keep the animals for 72 hours before looking for adoption options. Photo by Laura Eastes
By early Friday afternoon, Liberal area drivers received a break from mother nature. The roads started to dry up and many wheels stopped sliding. The brown, dirty snow was pushed off to the side, and the city's road crews were tired.
"Those guys might be (tired)" Joe Sealey, city public works director, said jokingly. "Some of them probably are a little saggy eyed, but we've been through it before."
A city road crew member drives a front loader along 2nd Street during the late-January winter storm. Road crews have been recently working around the clock clearing the streets for Liberal area drivers. Photo by Tony Hernandez
Liberal car dealerships are responding in multiple ways to a series of Toyota recalls that affect millions of vehicles and have been making international headlines.
Toyota's two recalls involve gas pedal problems that can result in crashes. The recalls affect a total of 11 vehicle models. Stu Emmert Automotive Center, Liberal's Toyota dealership, currently have cars they cannot sell as a result of these recalls. Feb 8, 2010, 10:28
In Fairfield, Ala., no one would expect Matt Rittscher walking around the neighborhood adorned in flannel carrying a hammer, and dreaming of Vietnam.
Three years ago when Rittscher, 25, decided his life's work would be in Southeast Asia, he did not expect to get his training in the Deep South. However, as this Kismet native gains handyman experience fixing doors and such, he opens a passage to his life in the Far East.
Matt Rittscher of Kismet rides his bicycle through Fairfield, Ala., to perform house repars with GreaterWorks, a ministry and community service organization. Rittscher's time in Fairfield, Ala., is preparing him for work in Southeast Asia. Photo submitted by Matt Rittscher
Southwest Medical Center Chief Financial Officer DeLany Fawkes says it is the right time to take on an estimated $22.35 million hospital project for renovations, additions and to build a medical office building.
"It is a perfect storm for the project," said Fawkes. "We have a need. We haven't done a project in 20 years. A healthy hospital needs to continue to improve. Every home or business needs to keep pumping money back in. That's your enterprise." Feb 8, 2010, 10:11
A tax error made in Haskell County has caused for Seward County residents living in the Sublettle school district to owe additional taxes.
USD 374 overlaps into portions of Seward County. Those residents living in the overlap send their children to school in Sublettle and pay USD 374 taxes. Feb 5, 2010, 17:23
The highs, lows of snow...
A winter storm hit Seward County and the surrounding area Wednesday night. Snow accumulation blanketed the area. Left: The Civis family embraced the snow Thursday morning. Rosalba and her husband, Curtis, along with their 5-year-old daughter, Frida, created the giant snowman in 45 minutes. Rosalba said she believed the snowman was over 6 feet high.
Pastor Steve Saville of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd shovels the entrance to the church Thursday morning. Saville said he has lived in Minnesota and Iowa and was use to snow like this. However, he still didn't enjoy the shoveling.
For others the snow was a drag. Unlike many of the closed Oklahoma public schools, USD 480 schools were on a two-hour delay Thursday. Liberal High School seniors Samuel Martinez and Anthony Branstine walk to class together disappointed in the delay. Both had hoped for a snow day. This was the second time Branstine made the walk from his house off Second Street. He was unaware of the school's decision to delay the start of classes and walked to school early in the morning. Photos by Laura Eastes Feb 5, 2010, 17:16
