05 July 2004

Governor Sebelius visits communities in Northwest Kansas
Oberlin, Atwood, Colby and Edson among stops on third day of tour

EDSON, Kan. – Concluding her three-day tour of North Central and Northwest Kansas, Governor Kathleen Sebelius today visited with residents in Oberlin and Colby, emphasizing the importance of creating jobs and providing health care in all Kansas communities.

The Governor began her day with stops in Oberlin at a community breakfast hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and at a ribbon cutting for the Business Enhancement Center there.

“Kansas has a good business climate, and we’re working every day to ensure that opportunity reaches every corner of our state. More Kansans are working than ever before, so we’re seeing job growth. But we also must work to spread that job growth to rural areas and small cities and towns,” the Governor said.

Governor Sebelius noted that Kansas has seen fifteen consecutive months of job growth, and that Forbes magazine has ranked Kansas first in economic freedom, both signs that the economy continues to grow and create jobs.

Later in the morning, the Governor visited the Williams Brothers Supermarket in Atwood to talk with residents and local business owners, before traveling on to Colby.

In Colby, the Governor toured the critical access care unit of Kids Port as well as the Citizen’s Medical Center.

“Just as good schools are important to maintaining the vitality of rural communities, access to first-class health care is crucial to maintaining and improving quality of life. Access to quality health care makes it possible for people to stay in communities like Colby, and it helps attract new businesses and families,” Governor Sebelius said.

While in Colby, the Governor also visited with students at Colby Community College and with residents and travelers at the local visitor’s center.

The Governor ends her abbreviated tour tonight in Edson, with a stop at Ken Palmgren’s farm. “The Palmgren’s were so gracious when I was in the area during harvest a couple years ago,” Governor Sebelius said. “I wanted to see how they’ve been and check on their crops.”

Tuesday’s visits were part of a three-day tour by the Governor of North Central and Northwest Kansas. The tour, originally scheduled to last six days, would have taken the Governor around the edge of the state, but the Legislature’s ongoing Special Session for Kansas Schools has forced the second half of the tour to be postponed.