NORTH KANSAS CITY and KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Bicyclists and pedestrians seeking to cross the Missouri River will soon have a dedicated, safe route between North Kansas City and Kansas City's River Market area.

A ground breaking ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 31, will mark the official start of a major project to add bicycle and pedestrian accommodation to the Heart of America Bridge. MoDOT and representatives of North Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo. along with officials in Clay and Jackson counties, and leaders of the trails, bicycle and pedestrian communities will turn soil beneath the bridge on the south side of the river, near 3rd Street and Charlotte just east of the River Market area of Kansas City, Mo. 

There is an active and ongoing discussion here in Kansas about the creation of a horse trail system in the "Flint Hills" region of our state. The Kansas "Flint Hills" make up the last vestige of the "tall grass" prairie in our country. I am a professor at Kansas State University and I've taken up the task to try to determine...at a national level...if horseback riders from across this country would be interested in riding their horses on a "trails system" that has the potential to run for hundreds of miles "in total" across this last stand of rolling prairie. I have attached a link to a short survey instrument (8 questions) that will help us determine national interest in this proposed "trails system". I ask that upon your review, you forward this email to your AERC members to obtain their input on this important matter.

All information is kept confidential following strict University protocols. Thanks for your help in this matter! To access the survey instrument/questionnaire please click on this link: https://surveys.ksu.edu/TS?offeringId=158282

National competitive trail mileage record holder Elmer Bandit, 38, passed away on February 14th, 2010. Elmer was euthanized after he was found unable to rise in the pasture of his Independence, Mo. stable.  Elmers lifetime mileage in competitive trail riding is 20,780 miles.  He won numerous National Championships in his 34-year career.  Elmer's lifelong owner is Mary Anna Wood.