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MHK Aquatics seeks to build indoor aquatics center in Manhattan

ALEXANDER HURLA

aaat. news editor

Since the Kansas State Natatorium permanently closed in spring 2021 because of maintenance and funding issues — after already being closed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic — Manhattan has been without a public indoor aquatics center.

John Balman, who calls himself the self-appointed catalyst of Manhattan Aquatics, said the organization is trying to change that.

“The MHK Aquatics group is really just a loose-knit group of Manhattan residents that all share the same goal of wanting to see an indoor aquatics center here,” Balman said.

Balman said his inspiration for the project also stems from his late son, Wyatt.

“The bottom line is that Wyatt loved swimming and the health & wellness benefits that it afforded,” Balman wrote in an email to the Collegian. “He motivated his family to pursue swimming, and I want MHK residents to have the same opportunity to experience the love of swimming [year-round].”

Balman said only 22 cities nationwide, similar to Manhattan in size and economy, do not have a public aquatics center.

“That’s less than one percent of the cities our size nationwide,” Balman said. “Most people fully agree that, of course, a city our size needs something like that for our quality of life.”

Balman said the number of people who applied to be part of the aquatics center steering committee shows the community supports the idea. When the City Commission opened up applications, 117 people applied, and the Commission had to narrow the group down to 15 people.

“That was an overwhelming response just for the community of how many people wanted to dedicate their time and effort to try to see this move forward,” Balman said. “I don’t think the city had ever seen that level of volunteerism for a steering committee for any project.”

Along with the steering committee’s work, Balman said Anderson Knight Architects of Manhattan is working with a pool construction company to develop a feasibility plan for the aquatics center.

The plan will include potential locations and costs for the center that the City Commission will review.

“What we’re looking for is simply that the City Commission sees that it is feasible if we can find a funding mechanism,” Balman said. “So that’s what I would expect the Commission to do next, would be to task our city officials with finding some options for funding mechanisms because there’s overwhelming support.”

While the City Commission still must review the feasibility plan, Balman said he believes funding from multiple sources will be the best option.

“I don’t 100 percent support this being just a taxation funding mechanism,” Balman said. “The City Commission

Dylan Connell | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Kansas State permanently closed the indoor swimming facility in the Natatorium. The pool facility was closed in March 2020 because of pandemic-related ventilation issues.

has expressed the value of partnering with private individuals, the university and USD [383].”

Balman said the plan would also include what might be at the aquatics center— possibilities include therapeutic pools, swim lanes and recreational areas, among other components.

Though the feasibility plan is in the draft stage, Sofia Leal, senior in marketing, said the aquatic center would be a positive for the community.

“It’s really nice to think that future generations will have that facility to use for either their own uses when it comes to sports, or they want to have a mental health break,” Leal said. “If it’s open to everyone and everyone is able to access it: even better.”

Isaiah Wilson, sophomore in personal financial accounting, said it would be a good place for family outings.

“Families can bring their kids there and hang out,” Wilson said. “We don’t have anything like that, so it’d be a good addition.”

Balman said that Manhattan is growing, and an aquatic center would help its residents’ quality of life increase.

“[Manhattan] really is somewhat of a hidden gem,” Balman said. “So if we can tap into that enthusiasm and that inevitability, in my opinion, that it is going to grow, how do we want it to grow?”

More information about the project is available through the MHK Aquatics website or by following them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Fake Patty’s Day: Chaos or the college experience?

MARGARET LATENSER

staff writer

Alarms blare in sync at 7 a.m. on March 5, 2022. Instead of hitting the snooze button, Marissa Plath, junior in construction science and management, and her roommates throw on their green “Kiss Me I’m Irish” shirts and take their first shots of Deep Eddy’s lemonade.

“Waking up super early and hearing all of my roommates come out of their rooms to get the day started was so much fun,” Plath said. “It’s like waking up for Christmas morning, but the college version.”

Following the early morning shots, the girls ran to their backyard, where drinking games began at 8 a.m. With vodka for breakfast and green beads around their necks, the girls felt unstoppable. Plath said they had a long day of drinking and fun ahead — she thought nothing could go wrong.

“Since we missed out on Fake Patty’s our freshman year, we were super excited to spend the day party-hopping with all our friends,” Plath said.

Aaron Wintermote, Riley Country Police Department public information officer, shared exactly what can go wrong on a fifteen-hour drinking binge. The department issued 15 driving under the influence charges and 13 minor in possession citations.

“We had extra highway patrol officers out looking for signs of impaired driving to crack down on drunk drivers,” Wintermote said.

Wintermote said police officers helped multiple unconscious individuals receive assistance throughout the day.

“We responded to a report of underage drinking at a party on Bertrand around 11 p.m. where we found a man unconscious and suffering from head trauma,” Wintermote said. “He was transported to Via Christi in critical condition and later to a Wichita hospital for further treatment.”

Wintermote said Aggieville was busy, but nothing more extreme than a regular game day. Officers’ real focus was on the large, condensed parties on Ratone Street.

“There was a large presence on Ratone Street,” Wintermote said. “We were called down there multiple times, mostly for disorderly conduct. We had one call where a man had jumped on a car and punched the driver.”

While police saw Ratone Street as commotion, students saw an opportunity for a funfilled day. Kacy Lewallen, junior in strategic sales, lives on Ratone Street and absolutely loved the excitement these daytime parties brought.

see page 05, “FPD”

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Benjamin Voller | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP K-State students gather on Ratone Street to celebrate Fake Patty’s Day.

REVIEW: ‘Inventing Anna’: A guide to scamming New York City elite

MADISON DANIEL

staff writer

The new hit Netflix limited series drama “Inventing Anna” follows the Ponzi scheme run by a 20-something in New York City.

The show is loosely based on the true story of a German girl named Anna Sorokin — better known as her alias Anna Delvey — and while it was entertaining, Netflix might have been better off sticking to the true story.

Delvey scammed friends, Wall Street investors and five-star hotels out of thousands of dollars by convincing them she was a German heiress.

For background on the story, it helps to know that in the series, Delvey made plans to open up an elite nightclub in New York City, and to do so, she had to appear wealthy.

She exploited people to network with important investors and contacts, and because she was so good at making people want to be her friend — as well as her convincing performance as a wealthy elite — tricked people into thinking she actually was.

It amazed me watching educated men, women, socialites and Wall Street financiers get scammed by a girl whose only proof of wealth came from a perfectly curated Instagram account, nice clothes and enough money held back to appear rich.

I initially really enjoyed seeing the story unfold and felt like it showed the true scope of the power and wealth imbalance that is so apparent in society today.

As the series progresses, though, I became increasingly frustrated as I witnessed people blaming her victims and twisting the story so it seemed like they were bad friends to Delvey, particularly Rachel DeLoache Williams.

Williams was just a “normal” person working as a writer at Vanity Fair when Delvey befriended her — and then stole over $60,000 from her.

As I watched Williams get laughed at by the police and eventually ridiculed by Delvey’s defense lawyer and her other friends for reporting Delvey, I felt her sense of hopelessness.

While it is impressive that they could make viewers feel that, this is not how it went down in real life and was added for the extra drama. In the end, it just made the show less enjoyable to watch.

Another character I didn’t love was the journalist who pursued Delvey’s story, Vivian Kent.

Her character is based on journalist Jessica Pressler, who wrote the original article “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People.”

Kent left a bad taste in my mouth, as she was aggressive, erratic and — to put it plainly — annoying.

As Kent uncovers more about Delvey, you see her start to feel bad for Delvey and get sucked into believing her like everyone else.

In the end, Kent realizes she was in fact scamming people, but still had a soft spot for her and assumed Delvey believed she would make it and be able to pay everyone back.

I understood this after seeing Delvey show true emotions and came to realize her cold, mean persona was all just an image meant to shield a girl just trying to make it for herself.

I was also left with some of the same questions Kent posed at the conclusion of the series, like how Delvey had enough money to go on fancy vacations, dress in designer clothing and fly around on private jets in the first place?

Overall, the series highlighted the sad reality that power and success often do not manifest through hard work but through image, status and knowing the right people.

While some of the characters annoyed me, and I wish they had followed the true story more closely, I can’t say I wasn’t entertained.

If you need a new show to watch or are looking for something even slightly entertaining, I would recommend “Inventing Anna.” However, I can’t say it is in my top 20 favorites.

FPD

continued from page 04

“I was loving the parties on Ratone: I kept telling myself it was the best day ever,” Lewallen said. “Overall, the daytime was so much fun seeing everyone out and running into old friends. I was also so surprised by the crowds on Ratone.”

Lewallen’s day took a sharp turn around 12:30 a.m. when she ended up with a black eye after being caught in a large crowd at Johnny Kaw’s Yard bar.

“We were dancing on the Yard Bar dance floor, and then everyone started pushing and trying to jump away. I did not realize what was going on, so I took a blow straight to the eye,” Lewallen said. “I instantly started crying and ended up leaving because it was a vibe killer for the night. I went to urgent care the day after and found out I have a mild concussion.”

Dennis Cook, executive director of the Aggieville Business Association, said Fake Patty’s is exactly where it should be when it comes to Aggieville, even with bar fights and law violations.

“At this point, Aggieville is probably right where we should be for the day,” Cook said. “I do feel bad about some of the neighborhoods being overcrowded, but that is not us, it is students wanting to do something.”

Cook stands by his belief that Fake Patty’s is not a ruckus — it is the college experience.

“We don’t look at this as chaos: we look at this as K-State students wanting to have the college experience,” Cook said. “There will be a percentage of people who drink too much or drink for too long, and no one is advocating for that, but that is everyone’s own personal control.”

Cook said Kansas State students love Fake Patty’s Day and always will.

“It would have been nicer if we had gone through the weekend without any arrests or DUIs,” said Cook. “But what we do not want to do is ruin the college-age experience, and I am just a fan of the experience.”

Defining ‘Home’ in Michael Perry’s ‘Population: 485’

ALEXANDER HURLA

asst. news editor

Michael Perry’s “Population: 485” was recommended to me both congregationally in a sermon by a pastor and then personally by the pastor himself. At the time, I had been out of Kansas for about five years and had just come back, so he thought this would be an appropriate story for me to read. I immediately purchased the book, and as good intentions go, it sat on my shelf for far too long.

Then one day, sort of on a whim, I picked it up and started reading. I’m glad I did.

The true story follows the account of Michael Perry as he returns to his hometown of New Auburn, Wisconsin — whose population is, aptly, 485 — after several years away. Perry grew up in the town, so he knows the buildings, the landmarks and the people.

Yet, while they might say nothing ever changes in rural places, his absence has created a chasm between the town and himself. Things have indeed changed, although they probably would not have been noticed by the casual observer. Perry is from New Auburn, but he no longer belongs to it. So, you can imagine the reactions when he moves back:

“Hey, isn’t that So-And-So’s boy? What’s his name again?”

He is recognized but not known. The town has moved on, and he is only a memory in its history.

He eventually rents a small apartment overlooking the main street in town. He writes, mostly in the evenings, and thinks about what it means to call a place home. He also joins the volunteer fire department. This is where most of the adventures stem from.

Perry goes from one emergency to the next, some actual and some less-so, meeting his neighbors and reintroducing himself to them. He slowly gets back into the rhythm of the small town, relearning its customs, nuances and quirks.

When a traumatic event shakes the town to its core, he sees the town for what it is: flawed and aging, yet real and genuine. It’s a juxtaposition only noticeable by someone who has stepped away and come back with new lenses. He knows he is home.

“Population: 485” stands out to me because it focuses on the small things in life in a little place overlooked by most of the world. Sure, there’s New York and Los Angeles, but what about the rest of the country? Those glossed over, hidden places few people outside of a twenty-mile radius have heard of?

As you know, there are plenty of these places in the Sunflower State and the Midwest, which might be why the story sticks with me so much. These places are home to people. They matter to people. Would the world go on if one of those towns dried up and vanished? Of course it would. Yet, to the people living there, that’s their world, their home.

In all, Perry has done a tremendous job of opening the door to one of these places — New Auburn — and showing us the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the living and dying of these small places. Whether you’ve lived in a small town or not, Michael Perry’s “Population: 485” is a book about what it means to call a place home and a story you do not want to miss.