Heavy construction machinery did the real work in advance of Monday’s groundbreaking for a $532 million Leavenworth federal prison and satellite prison camp to replace an antiquated structure constructed in 1897 that served as the nation’s first maximum-security prison. After the speeches and applause, a gaggle of local, state and federal politicians and Federal Bureau of Prisons officials dutifully grabbed ceremonial shovels and gouged the frigid dirt at their feet to celebrate a step forward for public safety. The imposing stone facade of the U.S. Penitentiary known as “Big Top” remained solid, but the federal prison’s electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems long ago surpassed operational limits. The new prison project — a top priority of local officials in Leavenworth for two decades — belatedly gained traction in Congress about five years ago …
Source: Kansas Reflector
