Technical education is so important; Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has made it a priority in her administration.

Jeff Bates, Beloit Jr./Sr. High School Business Instructor and USD 273 Career and Technical Education Coordinator says, a step in the right direction is a pilot program in the Beloit School District that meets the need by using the student’s own resources.
2-20-12 Bates Cut #1

Bates says Career and Technical Education is all about what’s already going on in the business community.
2-20-12 Bates Cut #2

Bates says the focus in career and technical education should be to equip students with the skills needed to compete for the high-wage, high-demand jobs out there – jobs that require technology-based training.
2-20-12 Bates Cut #3

Research recently published by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce shows that 4.7-million new workers will be needed by 2018 to fill the jobs the technology age is generating.

In light of lopsided vote from Beloit residents, City Administrator Glenn Rodden said, at tomorrow night’s Beloit City Council meeting staff will recommend the North Campus Plat be sent back to the Planning Commission to rezone the park residential.

The North Campus Plat sent to the city council by the planning commission has the Roadside Park property zoned commercial.

The council will most likely formally vote to follow the recommendation, keeping a promise made by all of the council members who attended the January 16th council meeting. Each agreed to, “let the people decide.”

Another big crowd of Roadside Park supporters is expected to attend tomorrow night’s city council meeting. That’s why it seems a little like pouring gasoline on a fire to include an item in the work session titled – Roadside Park Rental Fee.

Best advice, get there early if you expect to get a seat.

Promise in hand, a large crowd is expected to be on hand to see just how the council chooses to proceed at this point.

Rewind a bit, the 7-coouncil members present at the January 16th City Council meeting publicly promised to follow the dictates of the survey results.

Beloit City Administrator Glenn Rodden said the issue will be on the agenda at tomorrow night’s meeting.

The item will appear on the council’s formal agenda. Last Friday Roden said staff’s recommendation will be to send the North Campus Plat back to the city’s planning commission for a re-write.

The planning commission’s recommendation currently has that property where the Roadside Park sits, zoned commercial. Staff is asking the park property be zoned residential.

The staff recommendation reflects the survey results which show an overwhelming number of respondents do not want the property developed commercially. They want it to remain a Roadside Park.

Horting was northbound on West Avenue in a 1999 Toyota Passenger Car. His vehicle was struck as it pulled out onto Kansas Highway -18 by a 1996 Chevy Pickup driven by 63-year old James R. Pruitt of Ellsworth.

Neither Pruitt nor his passenger 35-year old Gary Lee Narron of Holyrood were injured.

The KHP Report says Horting was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident which was recorded as 2:40 last Saturday afternoon.