The nine stories in Mike Alberti’s debut collection shine a sharp light on small-town American life —not the Arcadian small towns of yesteryear, but the old mill towns hanging on after the mill has stopped running, the deserted agricultural communities in the middle of vast industrial farms, places where bad luck has become part of the weather. But even in these blighted, neglected landscapes, the possibility of renewal always presents itself: there is hope for these places and the characters who inhabit them. In these fresh, innovative stories, some people let you down, but some people don’t.

Interview with Louis Meade Burton and Patricia Ruth Scott Burton, a couple who were involved with the school system in Kerrville, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Burton discuss their family histories, their move move to the area, Pat's work with the Tivy school system, Louis's coaching career, and the flood of 1932. The interview includes photographs of the couple and their family, on pages 27-37.

In 1998, carbon tetrachloride was found above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 {micro}g/L in groundwater from one private livestock well at Sylvan Grove, Kansas, by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The 1998 KDHE sampling was conducted under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) private well sampling program. The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), a USDA agency, operated a grain storage facility in Sylvan Grove from 1954 to1966. Carbon tetrachloride is the contaminant of primary concern at sites associated with former CCC/USDA grain storage operations. Sylvan Grove is located in western Lincoln County, approximately 60 mi west of Salina (Figure 1.1). To determine whether the former CCC/USDA facility at Sylvan Grove is a potential contaminant source and its possible relationship to the contamination in groundwater, the CCC/USDA has agreed to conduct an investigation, in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement between the KDHE and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the USDA. This Work Plan presents historical data related to previous investigations, grain storage operations, local private wells and public water supply (PWS) wells, and local geologic and hydrogeologic conditions at Sylvan Grove. The findings from a review of all available documents are discussed in Section 2. On …

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), operated a grain storage facility at the northeastern edge of the city of Hanover, Kansas, from 1950 until the early 1970s. During this time, commercial grain fumigants containing carbon tetrachloride were in common use by the grain storage industry to preserve grain in their facilities. In February 1998, trace to low levels of carbon tetrachloride (below the maximum contaminant level [MCL] of 5.0 {micro}g/L) were detected in two private wells near the former grain storage facility at Hanover, as part of a statewide USDA private well sampling program that was implemented by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) near former CCC/USDA facilities. In 2007, the CCC/USDA conducted near-surface soil sampling at 61 locations and also sampled indoor air at nine residences on or adjacent to its former Hanover facility to address the residents concerns regarding vapor intrusion. Low levels of carbon tetrachloride were detected at four of the nine homes. The results were submitted to the KDHE in October 2007 (Argonne 2007). On the basis of the results, the KDHE requested sub-slab sampling and/or indoor air sampling (KDHE 2007). This Work Plan describes, in …

The 2007 investigation of carbon tetrachloride and chloroform contamination at Powhattan, Kansas, was conducted at the request of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE 2006a). The Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory implemented the investigation on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA). The primary purposes of the investigation were to evaluate potential contaminant source areas on the former CCC/USDA property, determine the horizontal and vertical extent of potential contamination, conduct groundwater monitoring, and provide recommendations for future action.

On September 7, 2005, the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) presented a Scoping Memo (Argonne 2005) for preliminary consideration by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). This document suggested possible remedial options for the carbon tetrachloride contamination in groundwater at Everest, Kansas. The suggested approaches were discussed by representatives of the KDHE, the CCC/USDA, and Argonne at the KDHE office in Topeka on September 8-9, 2005, along with other technical and logistic issues related to the Everest site. In response to these discussions, the KDHE recommended (KDHE 2005) evaluation of several remedial processes, either alone or in combination, as part of a Corrective Action Study (CAS) for Everest. The primary remedial processes suggested by the KDHE included the following: (1) Hydraulic control by groundwater extraction with aboveground treatment; (2) Air sparging-soil vapor extraction (SVE) in large-diameter boreholes; and (3) Phytoremediation. As a further outcome of the 2005 meeting and as a precursor to the proposed CAS, the CCC/USDA completed the following supplemental investigations at Everest to address several specific technical concerns discussed with the KDHE: (1) Construction of interpretive cross sections at strategic locations selected by the KDHE along the main plume migration …

Community Input - Day & Zimmermann Munitions and Defense - BRAC Commission Review and Analysis Joint Issues Team June 8, 2005

Community Input - Lone Star and Kansas Army Ammunition Plants - Additional Information to Consider in Analysis of Jay Berry Responses to R. Gary Dinsick, Army Team Leader, BRAC Commission

DISREGARD RESTRICTION HEADER AND FOOTER - Fort Riley Installation Familiarization Briefing (4 March 04)

DISREGARD RESTRICTION HEADER AND FOOTER - Kansas AAP Installation Familiarization Briefing (4 May 04)

Funeral Program for Ardis J.W. (Jack) Bumphus

Interview with Colonel John E. Olson, a Army WWII veteran and POW from Leavenworth, Kansas. Olson discusses his family background, commissioning in the Army from West Point, assignment to the Philippines in 1939 as an infantry officer, the start of the war, withdrawal to Bataan and the ensuing battle and surrender, the Bataan Death March, internment at Cabanatuan, transfer to Osaka, experiences there in internment at a factory labor camp, liberation, organizing the evacuation of POWs, returning to the US, and his postwar career.

Interview with Raymond F. "Hap" Halloran, businessman and U.S. Army Air Force WWII Veteran (878th Bomb Squadron, 499th Bomb Group, 73rd Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force) concerning his experiences as a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese during World War II.

Photograph used for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company. Caption: "Mike Clarke, KSU ."

Photograph used for a story in the Oklahoma Times newspaper. Caption: "Bottle Club Collectors displayed some of their rarest decorative bottles at the gathering."

Weekly newspaper from Wichita, Kansas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Wichita, Kansas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Photograph used for a story in the Oklahoma Times newspaper. Caption: "Sheldon W. Stahl, vice president and senior economist with the Federal reserve bank of kansas City, Mo., will speak on economics of an inflationary recession at the Grain Elevator Business Conference at Oklahoma State University Oct. 23."

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about Texas Rangers who spent the day in R. R. R. and that was for resting, regrouping and reinstatement of those who forced into involuntary exile.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about 24 year old Tom Watson who posted a fine 69 for his three over 213 total for the lead.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about baseball team and players who were at U. S open at Mamaroneck, New York.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about a farewell dinner which is planned at the Fort Worth Elks club for colonel and Mrs. Floyd Henk.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story of an earthquake which shook Panhandle residents about 4 seconds.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about a black prison poet under a 14 year sentence for narcotics dealing has been named as Assistant President for Academic Affairs at North Texas Station University in Denton.