Opinions

One of my favorite characters of old west Kansas was a gambler by the name of Bobby Gill. His name has come up in several stories, but never as the main attraction, which made the newspaper article on the front page of the Oct.

As first quarter is well underway, this is a time when relationships between students, teachers and staff are really taking shape.

“Newspapers are dead,” a solemn but dubious audience of students heard. “In 10 years, they’ll be gone altogether.”We’ve all heard the grim assessment. But it didn’t come this year, when corporate greed downsized far too many newsrooms.

It seemed that James A. Gordon’s luck had run out. Sitting in a jail at Leavenworth, Kan., Gordon was waiting for a hearing before Judge John Pettit for the murder of John Gantz nearly two months before, on July 18, 1860, in Denver City, Kansas Territory.

Ilive in an old Denver building with six units, one of which was occupied, until recently, by a mathematician.

Editor/ PublisherA month ago, I was gung ho about increasing the dialogue about death by suicide during September, which is also Suicide Prevention Awareness month.We came out of the gate hot with my commentary, followed by a story about local efforts the next week.Then, life happened.

Luck was with James A. Gordon when he charged out of Fort Lupton, 24 miles northeast of Denver City, Kansas Territory, the morning of Sept. 22, 1860. Flourishing a revolver overhead, Gordon shouted at the vigilantes, “Shoot, you cowards, and follow me!

Extension FocusSeptember is National Suicide Prevention Month, and the K-State Research and Extension Stress and Resiliency Team urges people to take part in raising awareness and spreading information and resources.Starting Sept.

James A. Gordon was just one of thousands of emigrants seeking his fortune on the front range of the Rocky Mountains after gold was discovered in 1858. His father had established a ranch three miles south of Denver City, but Gordon was drawn to the sporting life.

There’s a book I turn to every now and then to remind myself not to surrender to despair. It’s called “Abandoned Topeka: Psychiatric Capital of the World” and it’s a photo album about the forgotten and mostly hidden places around town.