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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Corbel","sans-serif";
color:blue'>fyi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
passrailok@yahoogroups.com [mailto:passrailok@yahoogroups.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>sfrr@aol.com<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 13, 2009 11:51 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> heartland_flyer@yahoogroups.com; passrailok@yahoogroups.com;
Southwest_Chief@yahoogroups.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [passrailok] OK-KS/ Amtrak Tulsa-HSR Mentioned as a Priority:
The Journal Record Article: Ridley replaces Tomlinson as transportation
secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2>Ridley replaces Tomlinson as transportation secretary<o:p></o:p></h2>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=byline>by Tim Talley</span><br>
<span class=byline>Associated Press </span><span class=date>April 13, 2009</span><br
clear=all>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Director Gary Ridley said Friday he will stress maintenance of Oklahoma’s
network of roads and bridges and expansion of passenger rail lines in the state
as Gov. Brad Henry’s new transportation secretary.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span class=lastest-news>Latest Capitol News</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span class=current-edition>Current
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</span></u></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>Henry tapped Ridley for the cabinet post after accepting the
resignation of Transportation Secretary Phil Tomlinson, a member of Henry’s
cabinet since 2003.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>“I’d like to be able to continue the good policies and work
that Secretary Tomlinson has implemented over the past seven years. They put a
good plan in place,” Ridley said.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal>Tomlinson, who is also director of the Oklahoma Turnpike
Authority, recently told the governor he wanted to reduce his workload and
relinquish his cabinet duties. He will continue to lead the OTA, which oversees
the state’s toll road system.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“Phil has worn two hats in my administration for almost
seven years now, so he certainly deserves to have some additional time of his
own,” Henry said. “I will miss his expertise on my cabinet, but I am happy that
he has decided to remain in his leadership position at the OTA.”<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>The governor’s office said Tomlinson has been instrumental
in advancing Henry’s agenda to improve the state transportation system,
including the approval of record state funding commitments to road and bridge
repair and rehabilitation.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Just last week, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission
awarded $228 million in road and bridge repair contracts funded by the federal
economic stimulus program as part of the largest amount of transportation
dollars spent at one time in the agency’s history.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>The commission awarded a total of $270 million in
construction work including 48 road and bridge projects paid for by federal
stimulus funds.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“I appreciated the opportunity to serve the governor and the
state as a cabinet officer, and I’m proud of our accomplishments,” Tomlinson
said. “I know the cabinet post will be in good hands with Gary Ridley.”<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Ridley, a registered professional engineer, has worked at
the Transportation Department for about 40 years and has been the agency’s
director since 2001. Ridley will remain ODOT director and assume his cabinet
secretary duties immediately.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“I’m honored and certainly humbled at being asked to serve.
I can’t tell you how that makes me feel,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“During his lengthy career in public service, Gary Ridley
has done great things for the state of Oklahoma, and I’m thrilled that he has
agreed to serve in my cabinet,” the governor said.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“The transportation secretary is a critical position and it
is important to have someone who can hit the ground running. No one knows more
about Oklahoma transportation than Gary Ridley.”<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>The post requires Senate confirmation.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Ridley indicated he plans few changes as transportation
secretary.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“I think we have a good group. I think Secretary Tomlinson
has put together a good team,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Ridley said serving in the cabinet position will give him
more access to the governor but that Henry has always been supportive of
transportation infrastructure issues.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>“We’ve always had access to the governor’s office if
needed,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Ridley has said the state is burdened with an $11 billion
backlog of road and bridge repair work. “Improving the system we have is
paramount,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>The state also needs to expand passenger rail service to
open up new corridors north to Newton, Kan., and to Tulsa, he said. Currently,
only Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer serves the state, traveling daily between
Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Deborah Stout <deborahs@pbawichita.com><br>
To: sfrr@aol.com <sfrr@aol.com>; corvids@sbcglobal.net
<corvids@sbcglobal.net>; drsherman7@aol.com <drsherman7@aol.com>;
movinoninwichita@yahoo.com <movinoninwichita@yahoo.com><br>
Sent: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 9:33 am<br>
Subject: FW: The Journal Record Article: Ridley replaces Tomlinson as
transportation secretary<o:p></o:p></p>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_3_861e0d7e-0dea-411d-a77a-70efd3455dcb">
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Gary Ridley to stress expansion of passenger rail in OK….</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#632423'>DEBORAH</span></b><b><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#632423'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:#632423'>FISCHER STOUT</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'><a
href="http://www.pbawichita.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.</u><u><span
style='font-size:8.0pt'>PBA</span>wichita.com</u></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <a
href="mailto:news@journalrecord.com"><u><span style='color:blue'>news@journalrecord.com</span></u></a>
[<a href="mailto:news@journalrecord.com?"><u><span style='color:blue'>mailto:news@journalrecord.com</span></u></a>]
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 13, 2009 9:24 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Deborah Stout<br>
<b>Subject:</b> The Journal Record Article: Ridley replaces Tomlinson as
transportation secretary</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<br>
Steve Hauck says:<br>
<br>
I thought this article from The Journal Record might be of interest to
you.Has reference to Passenger Rail<br>
<br>
Ridley replaces Tomlinson as transportation secretary<br>
Tim Talley<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Gary Ridley said Friday he
will stress maintenance of Oklahoma’s network of roads and bridges and
expansion of passenger rail lines in the state as Gov. Brad Henry’s new
transportation secretary. <br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.journalrecord.com/article.cfm?recID638" target="_blank"><u><span
style='color:blue'>Click Here</span></u></a> to read the entire article.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>The Journal Record <br>
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Subscribe Today - Call 1.800.451.9998 </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:7.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
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scene in your area and hit a show tonight. <a
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