Atlanta News

Architecture firm BNIM , which includes green-building visionary Bob Berkebile , took home a prize this week from The History Channel as part of the network's "City of the Future" challenge . via The Pitch

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“Obviously, they have to have the physical talent to make all the throws, but decision making, accuracy and athletic ability.”

College scouting director Greg Gabriel projects three or four quarterbacks will be off the board when the Bears select in the second round at No. via Chicago Sun-Times

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The first Cowley County Railroad Heritage Days event has been scheduled for April 19-20, at Wilson Park in Arkansas City. via Arkansas City Traveler

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“All those committees added something”

Editors Note: This is the third in a series of articles about the new jail recently opened in Winfield. via Arkansas City Traveler

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Atlanta, Kansas City and Oakland are involved in a complicated coin flip scenario to decide the third, fourth and fifth picks in the NFL draft in April. via Oakland Raiders Football

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The Chicago Bears will have the 14th pick in the NFL Draft. The draft picks were announced Monday with Chicago's 7-9 season this year giving the team the 14th spot behind Carolina and before Detroit. via WQAD-TV Moline

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“They're well trained, and they're good workers.”

sba loan helps veterans' startup

When their private financing package fell through at the last minute, Eric Gove and Ronald Redenius said they thought their startup trucking venture might be doomed.

That was before Dan Corman at Citizens Bank of Kansas told the military veterans from Winfield about the Small Business Administration's Patriot Express loan.

'He said he could get it turned around in 48 hours, and he did,' Gove said.

The Patriot Express loan program began in June. Kingman-based Citizens Bank -- which has branches in Atlanta, Pretty Prairie, Sylvia, Turon, Wichita and Winfield -- was the area's first lender to approve a loan. Patriot Express loans can be made for up to $500,000 and can be used for most business purposes. Read more

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“So I began thinking, who is it that's over 25 and earning so little?”

Wichita woman's volunteer program adopted by IRS

Judy Stengel's professional experience with the IRS and her personal experience as the mother of a son with a developmental disability have dovetailed in a way that's helping others nationwide.

The retired senior tax specialist with the IRS in Wichita and the mother of Kurt Stengel, 41, noticed something: People who are disabled or mentally ill often don't file tax returns because they don't make enough money to be legally required to do so. Read more

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“The accidents are much more prominent than other times. People need to be on guard this time of year, especially in the evenings.”

The gun deer hunting season opens tomorrow, and runs through Dec. 9. Several deer have already been killed in accidents involving automobiles. via Arkansas City Traveler

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“People are kind of going back to the natural stuff”

Talk of a green Christmas seems to be bigger than talk of a white Christmas anymore. (That may be an idea for a songwriter right there.) Green, of course, is a trendy word for being environmentally conscious, and it's a term that can be trotted out in favor of real Christmas trees. Unless, of course, you manufacture artificial trees.

'The big benefit of an artificial tree is 'reuse,' ' Thomas Harman says. He's founder of the high-end artificial tree manufacturer Balsam Hill.

I have to come down on the side of real trees because I love Christmas tree farms and I want them to stay in business. We have one fewer farm in the area this year -- the owner of Noel Christmas Tree Farm in Atlanta has retired. But there's good news, too: Read more

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