Friday, June 29, 2018

New law to protect life-saving efforts from good Samaritans to take effect July 1


It’s summer time and we don’t need to tell you that we are in the middle of a heat wave. It’s hot outside and heat advisories and warnings are in effect. The dangers of being exposed to heat for long periods are fresh on our minds.

But even when the weather is slightly cooler, danger still exists, especially when a child, pet or vulnerable person are trapped in a car.  According to Safe Kids Kansas, every 10 days in the United States, a child dies when they are left alone in a vehicle and hundreds of animals also lose their lives every year.

According to the Humane Society Legislation Fund (HSLF) we now have more information about why it is so dangerous:
  • 80% of the temperature increase inside a hot car happens in the first 10 minutes.
  • Cracking a window has been proven to not slow down the heating process or decrease the car’s maximum temperature.
  • A child’s body temperature rises 3 to 5 times faster than an adult.
  • Since pets do not sweat the way we do, they cannot cool their bodies efficiently. An animal can sustain brain damage, organ damage or failure or die from a heatstroke within just 15 minutes of being trapped in a hot car. 


The HSLF says that when it comes to rescuing an individual or pet trapped in car, time is critical.

"Because heat-related deaths can happen quickly, KS HB 2516 passed during the 2018 legislative session," The HSLF said. "This new law grants good Samaritans the legal right and immunity (under certain conditions) from civil liability to rescue a vulnerable person or domestic animal (livestock not included) from a locked vehicle when the individual believes that the person or animal is in imminent danger unless saved."

This new law goes into effect July 1, and Kansas will join 20 other states who protect good Samaritans from legal retribution for assisting people or animals in imminent danger who are trapped in a hot car.


Hot car deaths are preventable, breaking a window may save a life and the new law will protect Kansans who
exercise their right to save someone from dying. (Photo Courtesy of John Reeves, KDHE) 

Events have been held across the state to help educate the public about the new law. On Monday, KidsandCars.org partnered with the HSLF and Safe Kids Kansas to answer questions and demonstrate how to safely exercise their right to rescue a trapped person or animal from a hot car.  


Miranda Pratt, the HSLF Development Director said that they also used the platform to bring awareness to the dangers of hot vehicles.

"Every year, at least 37 children and dozens of animals die from vehicular heat stroke," Pratt said. "We hope that the new law will help lower that statistic and empower the Kansas community to act quickly to rescue a child or animal trapped in a hot car without fear of legal retaliation. Educating our community on this issue and how they are empowered through the new law is key. 


Hot car deaths are 100% predictable and preventable."




Cherie Sage, State Coordinator for Safe Kids Kansas, said that in more than 50 percent of all the cases where a child died from heatstroke in a vehicle, they were accidentally left behind. 

"Any parent would be grateful to a bystander for taking action that might save their child from a horrific death," Sage said. 

According to the HSLF before exercising your right to save a child, vulnerable person or animal, please be sure to check the following:
  • Is the car locked?
  • Is the person or animal suffering in imminent danger?
  • Have you notified local law enforcement?
  • Are you using reasonable force to break entry?
  • Can you remain with the person or animal until law enforcement arrives?
  • Is the animal in question domestic? This law does not apply to livestock animals.
Remember, the first line of defense when it comes to heat-stroke safety is to prevent it from happening in the first place. NEVER leave your child or pet in a car, even when you don’t believe it’s that hot out. 

Here is a short video from WIBW out of Topeka that explains how to help safely:
http://www.wibw.com/content/news/Minutes-matter-What-you-need-to-know-to-get-kids-pets-out-of-hot-cars-486898511.html


Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Transportation enhancements save lives

Truncated domes are an enhancement that provide individuals living with sight disabilities a cue to stop at intersections and wait until it safe to cross. 
By Mallory Goeke, KDOT Communications Specialist 

June is Pedestrian Safety Month. At some point throughout our day, we are all pedestrians. To get from one destination to the other, we navigate sidewalks and cross the streets safely.  
As a person who lives with the ability to see, I never realized how challenging it could be for someone who lives with a visual impairment to travel if life-saving equipment isn’t in place to help. It took an experience to help me learn about enhancements that help people living with disabilities travel. 

I was leaving a local store recently when one of the cashiers noticed that an individual who lives with a visual impairment and walks by the location every day was headed in a different direction after pacing for a few minutes. While they had chosen to use a long white cane to help them detect where they were, it appeared that they needed assistance.

I left the store and offered to help them. I learned that they were trying to find their regular bus stop but were unsure where they were. They told me that they usually relied on the sound from the intersection WALK indicators but said the sound was distorted because of high winds.

After we talked for a few minutes about their experience, we were able to cross the street and make it to the correct bus stop safely.

As I walked back to my vehicle, I couldn’t help but realize that this world looks and feels very different to people who are living with disabilities. I wanted to understand some of the transportation enhancements that help make travel better for others.

There are many ways that people who are living with a visual disability can detect where streets are located. They can feel the curb or the slope of a street. They can listen for the sound of traffic on the street beside them or the street they are approaching. But there are also some great enhancements that can be made to the infrastructure itself.

Truncated domes are an enhancement that provide individuals living with sight disabilities a cue to stop at intersections and wait until it safe to cross. 

One of these enhancements that is overlooked by people who can see are the bumps in the sidewalk just before an intersection called truncated domes. This enhancement was originally invented in Japan to be used in train terminals to help those living with visual impairment know when to stop.

Truncated domes can be found at many intersections and vary in design depending on where they are located and how they are used. Some truncated domes can indicate direction as well as help someone know when they need to stop at an intersection before crossing.  Truncated domes are usually put in place on either side of the intersection so the pedestrian can know when they have reached the other side safely.



Walk Indicators provide assistance to individuals living with both vision and hearing
impairments as they cross the street. Some indicators even make sounds or talk to pedestrians.
Another great enhancement is of course, the WALK indicator at intersections. In many communities, this indicator will either beep or talk to the pedestrian and indicates when it is safe to cross. 

This enhancement also assists persons living with hearing disabilities and helps provide visual cues.

All Kansas Department of Transportation projects follow the Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). These guidelines cover the design specifications for pedestrian features in all new or altered public rights-of-way. This applies to all sidewalks, paths, street crossings, medians and traffic islands, overpasses, bridges, parking, transit, signage and even furniture that exist within a transportation project.

Even though these guidelines are only proposed, KDOT and the Federal Highway Association in Kansas support the guidelines and recognize that they are needed to serve all Kansans and those who visit.

You can learn more about PROWAG here.

We are just cracking the surface on what transportation enhancements are doing to help everyone travel safely. KDOT also makes sure that every project has an accessible route through the construction of projects. We will discuss that topic and more in future blogs.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Good old fashioned road trip games


Remember the days of the family vacation when the entire family piled into the car and hit the road for two weeks?  According the New York Times, the American road trip is making a rebound.  It may be a shorter four- or five-day road trip versus the two-week road trip of the past, but it still counts.   

Road trips in general offer a families a chance to unplug from social media and their devices. They can also build memories. Here are some good old fashioned road games that are sure to keep you and your loved ones entertained on your next road trip.

20 Questions
One player thinks of a person, place or thing. The other players then ask that player up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out what the person is thinking about. Whomever figures it out wins, unless nobody figures it out by the 20th question. If that happens, the player who thought of the person, place or things wins.

I spy
The classic game "I spy" is yet another guessing game. In this game, one person looks around the car and chooses an object. They decide which of the object's characteristics will serve as a clue and then say, "I spy, with my little eye, something that is _____." For instance, if he or she chooses a banana, the phrase would be, "I spy, with my little eye, something that is yellow." The other players then take turns guessing the object until someone figures it out and wins.

Geography
In this game, the first player thinks of a location that can be found on a map. The location can be anything — a continent, city, mountain or landmark — it must be found on a map. The first player says the location he or she has in mind, and then the next player has to think of a location that starts with the last letter of the named location. For example, if the first person says, "Florida," the next player must name a location that starts with the letter "A." The players take turns naming locations until someone takes longer than 10 seconds to come up with an answer. That person is out of the game, and the game continues until one player wins by being the last one remaining.  This can also be played with numerous other topics.

My Cows
This one only works if you're driving through rural areas, but it's great for long drives. When driving past a farm with cows, the first person to spot them calls out "My Cows!" and makes a quick count/guesstimate of how many he or she got. The object, of course, is to "collect" the most cows. If the car passes over a bridge, whoever spots it first gets to erase another player's cows. The erase landscape object doesn't need to be a bridge; it can be a graveyard or anything else you might pass periodically on a road trip well-supplied with cows.  Instead of counting cows, you could also count windmills, horses, oil derricks or whatever you and your fellow players decide!

If you aren’t driving you can also play Guess the Phrase with your fellow passengers.  It is also commonly known as Hangman or Snowman.

The rules for this game may vary. One player comes up with a secret phrase and the other players keep guessing letters one at a time until the phrase is completely spelled out on paper or until the player who guessed the phrase draws a complete figure (whichever happens first). Each time the players guess a letter that isn't in the phrase, the player who came up with the phrase draws a body part of the man (first the head, then the torso, then an arm etc.). If the guessing players guess all letters in the phrase before a complete character is drawn, they win. If not, the player who drew the man wins.

What are some of your favorite road trip games? 

Monday, June 25, 2018

Open Range Zoo


In the photos on this page are just a few of the unique creations that Jim Dickerman has designed
and can be seen throughout Lincoln County.

If you travel Lincoln County in north central Kansas, keep your eye out for Jim Dickerman’s “Open Range Zoo.” For more than 25 years, Dickerman has been combining scrap metal, old farm equipment, car parts, animal bones and feathers, driftwood, limestone, antlers and just about anything else you could think of to create his magical creatures. He sees himself as rather passive in this process, letting the pieces he finds decide what kind of creature they want to be. 
Since 2000, Dickerman, who lives in Lincoln County, has been creating his “Zoo.” He asked friends and land owners if it would be okay to exhibit his creations in their pastures, on top of billboards, utility poles, fence posts, hilltops, yards and all sorts of unexpected places. It is a visual surprise around every bend.
From just west of Lincoln moving east to Tescott on K-18, and from Lincoln south to I-70 on K-14, you will spy some very unlikely creatures as Dickerman has dotted the landscape with his creations.
While Kansas has a wonderful interstate system, sometimes you need to forego the beaten path to find the interesting and unique.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Remove the "A word:" Crashes are not accidents




By Chris Bortz, KDOT Traffic Safety Program Manager

Annually, about 60,000 crashes occur in Kansas.  This equates to more than 150 crashes each day in the state.  Four of the top five contributing circumstances listed on the crash report are driver-related behaviors.  The contributing circumstances surrounding a crash are typically: speeding, too fast for conditions, failure to yield at a stop sign or stop light, following too closely, texting and/or other distraction.  All these factors are 100% preventable. The decisions that every driver makes not only impact themselves and their passengers, but everyone else on the road.

Using the word ‘crash’ instead of accident more accurately identifies the event - it doesn’t give the perception that no one was at fault. The word ‘accident’ implies no one was at fault or it couldn’t have been prevented. That is a pretty hard pill to swallow if you were the victim in a crash and the other driver was going too fast for conditions and/or was distracted. 

You may have noticed that I didn’t include the circumstance of ‘impaired or drunk’ in the paragraph above.  Choosing to drive impaired is a horrible, conscious decision and the ramifications of this decision lead to around 100 deaths, 1,300 injuries and 2,300 crashes in the this state every year.  In Kansas, You Drink, You Drive, You Lose.

I don’t believe that people get behind the wheel and say “I think I will injure or kill someone in a car crash today.”  Just because it was not intentional, doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been prevented.  Most drivers rate themselves as great drivers and will say the problem is the other driver(s).  However, driving is a privilege, not a right, you are sharing the road with all drivers and it is important for you to drive as if your life depends on it.  Oh wait, it just might.

On the Drive to Zero fatalities, you are in the driver’s seat.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

KDOT continues to protect pollinators

A butterfly lands on a milkweed plant. 

The Kansas Department of Transportation is buzzing about pollinators lately.
This week is National Pollinator Week and KDOT, along with five other state DOTs and the Federal Highway Administration, signed an agreement that will improve pollinator habitat along I-35, a key migratory corridor for monarch butterflies.

Bee and monarch butterfly populations are on the decline.  About three-quarters of the world's flowering plants and many of the food crops eaten in North America depend on pollinators. In the U.S., pollination produces nearly $24 billion worth of products annually. The lack of pollination would mean no apples, blueberries, almonds, melons, pumpkins, chocolate, coffee and more. 
  
For the third year in a row, KDOT continues to help protect pollinator habitats by planting native wildflowers and grasses.  

Last year,  KDOT’s Environmental Services unit, along with KDOT crews from the Ottawa Subarea, planted approximately 15 acres of wildflower seeds on three plots of land around the Homewood rest area along I-35.

KDOT crews plant 1,196 milkweed plugs at the U.S. 59 and I-35 interchange east of Ottawa.
Recently, KDOT received a grant from the Monarch Watch and planted 1,196 milkweed plugs consisting of Common, Butterfly, Whorled and Green Antelopehorn species.  KDOT Headquarter and the Ottawa Subarea office staff completed the project. This monarch habitat restoration project is located at the interchange at U.S. 59 and I-35 east of Ottawa and covers approximately 36 acres.

KDOT crews plant 2,000 native wildflower pants, consisting of 32 different species at the U.S. 400 and U.S. 169 Junction in Montgomery County. 

Earlier this month, KDOT Headquarters and the Independence Subarea office staff used a grant from the Monarch Watch to plant 2,000 native wildflower plugs, consisting of 32 different species. This pollinator habitat project is located at the Montgomery County rest area, near the U.S. 400 and U.S. 169 junction, northeast of Independence. The plant beds are easily accessible to by sidewalk to those who utilize the rest stop and that meander through the area. Soon, informational signage will be placed along the pathways for visitors as they enjoy a leisurely walk near the colorful wildflowers.

Once these wildflowers and milkweed plugs are established, these areas will become havens for monarchs and many other pollinators.

Table display at KDOT Headquarters. 

KDOT also has a table display located at the Eisenhower State Office Building with brochures and posters available until Friday in Topeka.
You can find more information on what KDOT is doing for pollinators at 

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Harvest time: Share the road with farmers

Hot, windy days are quickly turning Kansas wheat fields into amber waves of grain. With the harvest season approaching, and even underway in some parts of the state, more farm equipment and trucks will be taking to the roadways.

KDOT and the Kansas Highway Patrol offer the following tips to help you travel safely around farm equipment this harvest season:

Slow down: Farm equipment moves slower than you and typically doesn’t exceed speeds of 15-25 mph. Use the orange triangles on the back of farm machinery as a cue to reduce your speed.

Share the road: Tractors, trucks and combines take up more lane space than a normal vehicle. Do not pass unless you can clearly see ahead of both your vehicle and the machine you are passing. Farmers may not always be able to move over for you to pass, so remember to be patient!

Watch for turns: Be aware of farm equipment pulling on to roads from fields and vice versa. Also, farm equipment pulling to the right side of the road may not always be turning. Larger pieces of equipment require wide left turns, so allow plenty of room and time for them to turn.

Don’t assume: Most farmers regularly check for vehicles around them, but don’t assume they know you are there. Farm equipment can be quite loud, hindering the driver’s ability to hear your vehicle.

Stay alert: Expect heavy truck traffic near grain elevators and co-ops. Grain trucks may be stopped on the road while waiting to unload grain. Consider using an alternate route away from elevators.

See tracks, think train: Grain goes to market by train as well as truck! Be watchful when approaching railroad crossings.

As always, make sure you and your passengers are buckled up every trip, every time.

Check out this video for more safety tips! 


Monday, June 18, 2018

Cross Timbers State Park


The photos above and below show various areas around Cross Timbers State Park.

South of Toronto, off of K-105 at Toronto Lake, lies the remote yet beautiful Cross Timbers State Park.
The 1,075-acre park and 2,800-acre Toronto Reservoir are nestled in in the southwestern corner of Woodson County. As part of the Chautauqua Hills region of the Verdigris River Valley, Cross Timbers features a diverse terrain of flood plains, oak savannah, prairie grasslands and forests.
Once a preferred hunting ground of Native Americans of the Osage Nation, abundant wildlife can be found here. Wander along the windswept shore of Toronto Lake and soak in the sunlight reflected on the waves, or fish in quiet coves for catfish, bass and bluegill. Have a leisurely lunch at one of the stone picnic tables and enjoy watching and listening to the local songbirds. Hike your way along the Ancient Trees Trail to get a closer look at the aged, twisted oaks lining the way, or take the Blackjack Oak Ridge Trail to catch glorious views of native wildflowers.
Park visitors can also go mountain biking, swimming and boating. During the summer months park naturalists lead weekend outdoor interpretative programs. Cross Timbers offers a variety of camping options, ranging from backcountry sites to modern campgrounds with restrooms and showers.
For more information about Cross Timbers State Park contact CrossTimbersSP@ksoutdoors.com or visit www.ksoutdoors.com.

 

 

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Political signs don't belong on KDOT right of way


Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. But not on Kansas Department of Transportation right of way, where the only signs you should see are there for your safety and to help you get to your destination.
As election season ramps up, KDOT is reminding the public that campaign signs are a no-no on our right of way. So are garage sale signs and business signs.
By law, all right of way on state highways is to be used exclusively for public highway purposes. Only regulatory, guide and warning signs are allowed on the state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes on the state’s 9,500-mile system.
KDOT removes political or business signs on state right of way, taking them to the closest subarea office.
“It’s almost a full-time job,” said Area Superintendent David Lechner, who works in Wichita.
People can claim seized signs but must agree to not put them on state right of way again. Political signs not picked up will be disposed of after the election. Condition of signs is not guaranteed.
“People put them up anywhere,” said Area Superintendent Gene Watts, who works in Pratt. He remembers one candidate who was adamant that he had the right to put a sign on state right of way. The candidate later called Watts to apologize.
Political campaign advertising is allowed on private property bordering state right of way. But remember to get permission to place a sign on private property.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

KDOT calls for Transportation Alternative projects


The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is pleased to announce the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program Call for 2020 Projects.

KDOT's TA program helps fund public transportation for people who need a way to get around. 

KDOT’s TA Program provides funding for a variety of alternative transportation projects. These include the construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and infrastructure for non-driver access to public transportation, projects that enhance safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders, projects that improve scenic or environmental assets in our state, Safe Routes to School projects, and more. An estimated $7 million in federal funds are anticipated to be available to award for Federal Fiscal Year 2020. All selected projects will be required to meet a minimum 20% local cash match.

Safe routes to school is one of may programs that receives funding from KDOT's TA program.


All of KDOT’s TA Program materials, which includes the TA Program Guide, the project application form, frequently asked questions with answers, and more, are available for download at: http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/TransAlt.asp

KDOT crews improved sidewalks as part of the Safe Routes to School program in Erie last summer. 

Important Dates:
  • Wednesday, June 13, 2018 – Call for 2020 Projects announced, and website will be live with program guidance materials and the project application form.
  • TA Program Workshops – KDOT will host two workshops to inform applicants about program requirements and expectations. Attendees will also review a demo application packet, cover any changes from previous rounds of TA funding, and participate in open and one-on-one Q&A session. Space is limited so please RSVP by 4 pm on Friday, July 6, 2018 to Matthew.Messina@ks.gov or (785) 296-7448 and indicate which workshop you would like to attend.

Topeka: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – TA Workshop at Eisenhower State Office Building’s 4th Floor Auditorium, 700 SW Harrison, Topeka, KS 66603. 

Salina: Wednesday, July 11, 2018 – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – TA Workshop at KDOT’s District 2 Headquarters’ conference room, 1006 N. Third, Salina, KS 67401.  
  • Monday, September 10, 2018 at 4:00pm local time – Applications are due. Please submit 1 paper copy and 1 digital copy in PDF format on a USB flash drive, mailed to KDOT headquarters:
  • Attn: Matthew Messina, 700 SW Harrison St. 2nd Floor, Topeka, KS 66603.
  • October 2018 – November 2018 – KDOT staff will conduct Site Visits for all eligible projects.
  • December 2018 – Project selections and public announcement of awards

For more information, please contact Matt Messina at Matthew.Messina@ks.gov or call (785) 296-7448.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Governor Colyer, KDOT announce local projects funding improvements


Topeka – Governor Jeff Colyer announced  yesterday that the Kansas Department of Transportation is increasing the exchange rate for local public agencies seeking to fund local projects with state funds through the Federal Fund Exchange Program, returning the exchange rate to $.90 in state funds made available for every $1.00 in federal funds awarded a local agency, upon that agency’s request.

“By participating in the Federal Fund Exchange Program, we are hoping to increase the control that localities have over their transportation projects and make sure that funds are available when they need them,” said Governor Colyer. “It is important to me that local governments have access to resources for local projects with less federal regulation and bureaucratic red tape. We want Kansas solutions for Kansas transportation issues.”

Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson answers questions about the change in the Federal Fund Exchange Program, which was announced yesterday. 
The Federal Fund Exchange Program is a voluntary program allowing local public agencies the option to sell all or a portion of their federal funds for state transportation dollars, which provides greater flexibility of use and allows local agencies the opportunity to fund larger projects that may not have been possible with federal funding.

 “We value the partnership we have with local public agencies and we are looking forward to maximizing our capacity to help them improve their local transportation infrastructure,” said Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson. “We want to continue providing a statewide transportation system that meets the needs of the people of Kansas.”

Federal funds exchanged for state funds can be used for local projects such as road construction, maintenance or preservation, safety improvements, sidewalks, ADA ramps, bridge construction, rehabilitation or repair, and low water crossings.

Max Dibble, Phillips County Commissioner and Kansas Association of Counties President, said, “Restoration of the $.90/$1.00 ratio in the federal funds exchange program will allow counties to further stretch our transportation dollars.  This means safer local roads and bridges for our citizens, farmers and businesses depending on them.”

Michael White, Executive Director of the Kansas Contractors Association commented that, “our economy depends on good roads and infrastructure. We appreciate the Governor and KDOT’s leadership to leverage innovative opportunities for transportation funding. This is a perfect example of how we can all work together - at the local, state and federal level - to repair and grow our economy through results-driven infrastructure investments.”

“As we travel the state and talk to cities, we repeatedly hear transportation funding and infrastructure development is critically important to maintain and grow our state,” said Erik Sartorius, Executive Director of the League of Kansas Municipalities. “We appreciate the Governor and KDOT for reinstating the 90-cent exchange rate for local projects. These funds are used to build important projects in cities including the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of roads and bridges.”

The exchange rate was $.90 for fiscal years 2011-2017 and was at $.75 for fiscal year 2018. Approximately $30 million in federal funds has been eligible for the program. The new rate will take effect with all new contracts.

Monday, June 11, 2018

Bartlett Arboretum


Established in 1910, “The Arb,” as it’s called, is open by appointment and by
accident, its steward says. Courtesy of Randy Bradbury
The Bartlett Arboretum might not be able to cure what ails you, but it certainly will give you a restorative respite from the hustle and bustle of life.
The grounds in Belle Plaine were first nurtured in 1910 by Walter Bartlett, a doctor, naturalist and civil leader, and now are in the hands of steward and musician Robin Macy and her devoted band of Soil Sisters and Brothers. 
The Bartlett Arboretum has beautiful flora
and fauna year-round. Courtesy of
John D Morrison
“The Arb,” as it’s called by its fans, features several state-champion trees as well as show-stopping buds and blooms. Add in the lush Zoysia lawn, and it’s a great place to forget your worries for an afternoon or evening. 
Open by appointment or by accident, as Macy says, the Bartlett Arboretum regularly puts on concerts, art fairs and other events. A $75 season pass gets people into the gate for all concerts, salons and open days. Information about season passes as well as the cost of admission for individual events is available at www.bartlettarboretum.com.
Macy, an original founding member of the Dixie Chicks, is a small but mighty force who is dedicated to preserving and honoring the piece of paradise just a short drive south of Wichita.
Upcoming concerts include Driven, a bluegrass band, which will perform on Father’s Day, when barbecue will be served. Nashville Americana singer and songwriter Nora Jane Struthers is on tap July 1 with The Party Line. Willis Alan Ramsey, described by Macy as an iconic Texas songwriter, plays July 15. Reservations are needed for a house concert July 29 featuring Bruce Forman and the Red Guitar.
A Story Walk featuring HWY 55 is free and open to families Aug. 19.
The Outside Track will provide a “Winfield warmup” with Celtic songs and stepdance on Sept 9.
All events are listed on the website.

The Arb is a favorite place for photographers. Courtesy of Randy Bradbury