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Letters: tree aid, corn show, rough intersection, kids first

By Staff | Aug 14, 2002

Aid for city’s trees
To the editor:

Members of the City Tree Board have been contacted by residents with concerns about the condition of their trees and shrubs, especially trees which have been planted within the past two to three years, during this period of extremely hot weather with no rain.

Residents of Tonganoxie continue to be under a ban on all outside watering from their own city water source. Short of significant rainfall, there is no quick and easy resolution of the water problem.

There is no substitute for water, especially for young trees that have not established a good root system. Proper mulching of all trees, young and old, and landscape plants can be very effective in retaining moisture in the soil, preventing evaporation, and reducing the amount of watering needed. Mulching keeps the soil cooler during these periods of extremely hot temperatures, and warmer in the winter. It helps control weeds. Trees, again especially young trees, do not compete well with weeds and grass for the water and nutrients necessary for healthy growth. Mulch! Mulch! Mulch!

Many older trees in the community received damage as a result of the tornado, which places greater stress on them. Foliage on some trees and landscape plants appears wilted and in some cases yellowing. If they look better early in the morning, after the temperature has cooled, this is probably the result of extreme heat rather than lack of water. Some trees are starting to drop leaves. Trees experience most of their growth during the spring of the year and the growing season is now over. These trees will likely go dormant and with improved moisture and favorable weather conditions this winter will recover and produce new foliage next spring. If we continue to have a lower than average amount of moisture this winter, you should develop a plan for watering your trees during the winter months.

Trees under stress are more susceptible to disease and insect damage. If you have a problem, take a small branch and leaves to a nursery or garden center and get a professional opinion. Unless you have damage to a tree, which creates a hazardous condition, it is better to delay any pruning of your trees and shrubs until they are under less stress.

We have compiled some information to assist you in selecting and maintaining your trees. Topics are Selecting and Planting a Tree, Irrigation and Weed Control, Pruning Young Shade Trees, Mulching Your Landscape Plants and Trees, Don’t Top Trees, Insect and Disease Control. This information is available at the city offices, library and The Mirror office.

Tree Board members are not experts, but we have a genuine interest in providing information from the Kansas Forest Service and others that is helpful to you in maintaining trees and landscape plantings for your enjoyment and benefit and for the community as a whole. If you have questions, please leave your name and telephone number at the city offices, 845-2620, and request a member of the Tree Board contact you.

Velda R. Roberts,
Chairman,
Tonganoxie Tree Board.

Memories of corn show
To the editor:

I wonder how many people remember the corn show that used to be held in the Tonganoxie High School gym. That was the forerunner of the Leavenworth County Fair.

Yes. I remember. I was a freshman in the high school that fall. There were a lot of nice ears of corn. There may have been other exhibits, but I don’t remember. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge in more than 70 years.

Ahman Karr,
Edwardsville.

Hands off, please
To the editor:

If you want to see the waste of all totaled probably $600,000 to $700,000 and the useless damaging of private property, look to the construction, or maybe I should say destruction, taking place at the junction of County Road 25 and Evans Road.

The traffic problem we’ve had in the past at this intersection could have been better solved with two additional stop signs and possibly a red blinker light instead of tearing up yards and fences and ruining the contour of the land.

This is all taxpayer money being wasted but the bureaucrats say, “That’s OK because we are getting state and federal funds,” as if they did not know that is taxpayer money, also.

We were assured the banks in the cut east of Leavenworth 25 would be mowable. When contractor was finished, only a mountain goat could climb the slope on the north.

1. Appealed to contractor to slope banks back. They refused. (King Construction Co.)
2. Appealed to KDOT. They said talk to Leavenworth County.
3. Appealed to Leavenworth County. They refused help.
4. Appealed to the county counselor. He said he and a commissioner would come and look. They never showed up to my knowledge.
5. Hired another excavating contractor at my expense to straighten out the mess they left.

I hope the bureaucrats and politicians will leave us alone for many years.

Too bad they think they are supposed to control our lives and squander our money.

K.G. (Joe) Neff,
Tonganoxie.

Take an interest in children
To the editor:

As we prepare to send our children back to school, the PTA wants to encourage parents to be involved.

Studies show that parents who are involved in their children’s education greatly improve that child’s chance at success. Not every parent can volunteer in the school, but you can spend 10 minutes every evening and ask your child about his or her day. Contact your child’s school or the PTA for other ways to get involved.

Tammy Bartels,
PTA vice president.