While gangs fight each other in Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City. While people are getting shot in our big cities. You can rest assured that our community, which is recognized as one of the safest cities in Kansas, will be safeguarded by a helicopter on Friday and Saturday night.

I feel so much safer that not a single college student will be able to pee in their back yard. And if they try to run, we have an infrared tracking device to catch them. I hesitate to think of the detail they can "illuminate."

As a community, let's decide whether we want Oktoberfest. Last year, we gave our citizens and visitors to our community 210 tickets over the four day reporting period: 210 tickets in a community of 20,000 people.

I believe the Lawrence Police Department gave out about five tickets the night they won the NCAA basketball national championship. Reports were that officers had revelers pour their drinks into plastic cups. It was a day of celebration! (Sorry about all the exclamation points). I think Boston police gave out about 30 or 40 tickets when they won their first World Series in a thousand years. 210 tickets! What the hell. Let's set up a cash register at every road that leads to Hays.

It's time the chamber, FHSU President Hammond and the Volga German Society sit down and decide if we want the Oktoberfest and FHSU Homecoming to coincide. If we don't want our motel rooms full, and we don't want 20,000 people in a park on Friday, and if we don't want our restaurants and taverns full for three or four days -- let's stop.

Keep in mind, I have had a day off on every Oktoberfest. It's hard to believe. They once ran the odds on a NASA computer. They inputted "Glenn D. Staab of Hays, Kansas, having a day off on every Oktoberfest in Hays, Kansas, since 1972." The odds came out "even." Imagine that.

It pains me to think this great tradition will come to an end. I love Oktoberfest. But, it's time for a discussion. When we see the need to bring in helicopters with infrared cameras to our community celebration, it's time for a discussion.

My kids are grown and gone. It's your kids I'm worried about.

* * *

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was in Hays on Wednesday. She spoke to the Kansas Economic Developers Association on the FHSU campus and then dropped by to be a special guest for a fundraiser for Kansans for a Democratic House and Sen. Janis Lee.

It's always great to see the governor. You might have heard that us taxpayers may be owning some investment companies. My favorite line of her speech was "Since it looks like we are going to have socialized insurance, maybe we can socialize healthcare, too."

I love the gov.

* * *

About an hour before the governor's appearance at our headquarters, I discovered the air conditioning wasn't working. Since it was the first day of autumn, that shouldn't really matter, but it was almost 90 degrees outside -- a balmy fall day to say the least.

As the room filled up, it did get a little toasty. In my remarks, I reminded the governor, "You can't say you've had a warmer welcome anywhere in Kansas." She agreed.

* * *

As I've said before, we have great neighbors all around the block. And we just got another one. Chad and Jessica and Chason Fabrizius welcomed Jersee (Jessica was nanny in New Jersey, hence a moniker she wanted to pass onto her daughter) to the family six days ago. She is adorable just like her big brother Chason. Understandable, as Chad and Jessica make a handsome couple.

And by the way, Chad has a snowblower.

* * *

Sen. John McCain wants to postpone the debates because of economic crisis. I can understand that. He's the guy that said, "I want to be known as 'The Deregulator.' "

How's that badge fitting right now?

* * *

Next week, I will celebrate my 35th Hays High class reunion. I would like to invite our TMP Class of '73 (or any year for that matter) to the Fanchon on Friday to say "Hi" and reminisce. We'll be out there after the parade, and some of us will attend the football game.

Our classmate, Doug Marlette, and his wife, Dawn, will be late to all reunion activities, as always. They own JD's Chicken. They have several high school students that work for them. Doug and Dawn man the restaurant so their employees can attend homecoming activities.

How cool is that?