East wichita news march 2015 by Travis Mounts

March 2015 - 2

I INSIDE

Volume 32 • Issue 3 March 2015

ON THE COVER Ramey returns. | 20

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Opera great and Kansas native Samuel Ramey now calls East Wichita home.

After Grand Slam appearance, teen tennis ace looks toward pro career. | 4 East Wichita News’ spring home and garden special section. | 26-39

East Wichita News Editorial

Publisher Paul Rhodes Managing Editor Travis Mounts Production Abbygail Wells Reporters/Contributors Sam Jack, Amy Houston, Jim Erickson, Philip Holmes

Sales & Billing

Sales Sherry Machek, Valorie Castor Billing/Circulation Tori Vinciguerra A Division of Times-Sentinel Newspapers 125 N. Main • P.O. Box 544 Cheney, KS 67025 Phone: (316) 540-0500 Fax: (316) 540-3283 © 2015 Times-Sentinel Newspapers LLC

Features Dateline.................................7 Movie Review................... 12 Cinema Scene.................. 12 Focus On Business.......... 14 Performing Arts Calendar............................. 16 People and Places.......... 18 From the Publisher’s Files............... 20 Eastside Homes............... 29 Now in our 32nd year! The East Wichita News is a monthly newspaper focused on the people and places on Wichita’s East Side. It is delivered free to most homes within our coverage area, although distribution is not guaranteed. Guaranteed home delivery by mail is available for $10 per year. Single copies are available in a variety of Eastside locations. Visit our website for more - www.eastwichitanews.com. Email story ideas and photographs to news@tsnews.com. Visit us on Facebook.

Faces wanted. At East Wichita News, we’re already working on feature stories for upcoming editions. If you know of someone whose face (and story) should appear on these pages, please let us know!

ewn@eastwichitanews.com 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/ EastWichitaNews

From the Publisher’s Files

Paul Rhodes | Publisher

Something new that I’m personally excited about also can be found in this issue: a healthy cooking column written by yours truly. I love cooking, and over the past year since my heart attack I’ve been focusing my kitchen efforts on heart-healthy cooking. I’ve already launched this cooking series in our weekly newspapers – The Times-Sentinel, the Haysville Sun-Times and the Conway Springs Star and Argonia Argosy – and the response has been very positive. Speaking of our weekly newspapers, they also are going through a print format change beginning this month. We’re excited about this transition, as well, and if you’re a subscriber to one of our weekly papers, you’ll notice those changes in the weeks ahead, too. All of us at Times-Sentinel Newspapers are excited about the opportunities we’ve been given as a community newspaper staff, and we’re humbled by the positive responses we so often get from you, our readers. We want that relationship to last for a long, long time. We hope you’ll appreciate the changes we’re making to our publications, and enjoy the added beneﬁts that those changes will bring, as well. Happy reading!

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Staying progressive with a business model means you have to be willing to take some risks on a regular basis. Boy, is that ever true for the newspaper industry. Yes, the basic product produced by any newspaper or newspaper group is still just that – a newspaper. But times change, formats change, and economic pressures can dictate some changes of their own. To that end, your East Wichita News is changing a little bit as we enter a new year. Last month, we took a seemingly bold leap for us – and possibly a minor leap for you, our readers – as we moved to a slightly smaller-sized tabloid newspaper format. The test run went well, and this month we are making a long-term commitment to the new format. We’re starting to introduce some design changes to the publication, as well, but the biggest advantage we see will be the opportunity to run more color pages on a regular basis, as well as more total pages in the newspaper. At the same time we are accomplishing those goals, we also have found a printing format that actually will save us some money each month, and help ensure the continuing success of this newspaper. Both the East Wichita News and the WestSide Story are moving to this format, and both publications are setting records this month for the number of pages in their individual issues. That’s exciting, and we hope the expanded news content is exciting, as well. You’ll ﬁnd a large Spring Home and Garden section in this issue, and in the months ahead our new format will help accommodate more special features for our readers.

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3 - March 2015

A new look for your favorite neighborhood publication

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Awe s ome

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Austr alia

After Grand Slam final appearance, teen tennis ace looks toward pro career I arrived a few minutes early to the Wichita Country Club’s tennis facility for my interview with Katie Swan, a junior tennis player currently ranked 12th in the world, first among British nationals and, beyond any doubt, first among East Wichita residents. A WCC employee told me that Swan had not arrived yet, so I went to the sitting room beside the courts to wait. On a far court, a girl was practicing with her coach. Could the employee be mistaken? Could that be Swan? When the real Katie Swan arrived shortly thereafter, I had to chuckle at the magnitude of my error. The girl I had seen from across the room was quite good; but even in practice, Swan commands a whole other level of accuracy and power. If anything, television cameras under-sell how wide the gulf between a player like Katie Swan and the rest of us duffers really is. Swan’s talent for tennis, honed in countless hours of focused practice, took her all the way to the Jan. 30 final of the Australian Open girls tournament and seems likely to take her even

Story

and

photos

Sam Jack further in the months and years ahead. Swan, who turns 16 this month, first picked up a racket less than nine years ago. Her parents, Nicki and Richard Swan, were looking for a way to keep their seven-year-old daughter occupied on a family trip to Portugal. “That was my first tennis lesson,” said Swan. “My mom arranged it for me with my cousin. The coach there told me that I had natural hand-eye coordination and should get lessons back home in England. Basically from there, I had lessons, got better and better.” By age 10, the Bristol native had landed an invitation to a national training camp and found herself working under the sharp eye of Judy Murray, mother and former coach of Olympic champion and two-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray. “She was so nice,” said Swan. “I know some people say that she seems pretty serious on TV, but she’s one of the nicest people I’ve met. She’s a great coach, too, really encouraging and by

positive.” Swan linked up with Judy Murray again when the coach led Swan’s team to victory in the Maureen Connolly Challenge Cup, an annual event pitting the top junior girls from the UK and US against one another. Two years ago, Swan’s family made the move from England to Kansas. Father Richard Swan works for Koch Industries and received a promotion that required him to relocate to the company’s international headquarters here in Wichita. “I really like it around here,” said Swan. “Everyone’s really nice, and it was definitely a really good move for my family. We have a really good lifestyle here.” That lifestyle includes an amount of tennis practice and athletic training that might seem daunting, but that Swan said is actually moderate for a tennis player on her level. “I’ve heard that most people play more than me. Usually you’d hear people say they play four or five hours a day at least, and then an hour’s fitness, but up until near the end of last year, I

Katie Swan with one of her coaches, Rex Coad, head tennis pro at Wichita Country Club.

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Katie Swan eyes a return during practice.

study, tutoring and to keep up with local friends when she is in town. “I love spending time with my friends when I’m home,” said Swan. “I have such good friends here, and they’re really nice. Sometimes we’ll go out to dinner, go see a movie or go shopping. Normal teenage stuff.” Taking the court at Melbourne’s 15,000-seat Rod Laver arena did not qualify as “normal teenage stuff,” but Swan said the final round appearance, and the tournament leading it up to it, was definitely the high point of her tennis career so far. “From the start of the tournament I was playing well, and I felt confident on the court,” said Swan. “The best that I felt that I played was in the third round, when I played against the number one junior in the world, Shilin Xu from China. I felt really confident the whole way through the match, and I played really aggressive and how I wanted to play.” Two rounds later, in the semifinal, Swan won a seesawing contest against Hungary’s Dalma Galfi, a friend. “I lost the first set 6-0 and was trailing the whole second set. I managed to come through in the second set, 7-6, and then I was 5-4 down in the third set, and she had three match points. And I managed to get through it,” said Swan. “It was amazing; there was so much riding on that match, because it’s the semifinal of a Grand Slam, and of course everyone wants to See SWAN, Page 23

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was only doing one and a half to two hours a day on court,” said Swan. “I’ve done pretty well to keep up with these people, having not played as much as they had.” In view of her recent successes, Swan is now ramping up the intensity of her training regimen, but she said she appreciates the sense of balance and normalcy she has been able to achieve in Wichita. Last year she was a full-time student at Wichita Collegiate School. This year, her ﬁrst traveling to all four Grand Slam junior tournaments and other international events, she has switched to an online school, but she still goes to Collegiate for

March 2015 - 6

Frederick “Freddy” Simon is pictured on the floor of the Kansas Senate with his sons, Randy (left) and Bill. Contributed photos

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Freddy’s founder honored

Frederick L. Simon, co-founder and namesake of Wichita-based restaurant franchise Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, was honored by Kansas Sen. Michael O’Donnell on the Senate floor Feb. 16. Simon, an East Wichita resident who recently turned 90, was born Feb. 24, 1925, in Colwich. He is a lifetime resident of the state of Kansas. After being denied admittance to the Army because he was underage at the time Pearl Harbor was bombed, Simon joined the United States Army in 1943 following his graduation from high school. He trained at Fort Riley, after which he was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. Then-Pfc. Simon was on the first wave of ships at the historic amphibious landings at Leyte, Philippines, on Oct. 20, 1944. The landings commenced the liberation of the Philippines and fulfilled General Douglas MacArthur’s famous “I shall return” commitment of the United States to the Filipino people. While serving, Simon earned and was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained, and the Bronze Star for valor. He was promoted to sergeant shortly before the end of the war, only 10 months after the landing. After World War II, Simon returned to Wichita, where he graduated from Wichita University with a degree in accounting. He joined a wholesale liquor company shortly after

prohibition in Kansas was repealed and worked there for 56 years. Simon and his wife, Norma Jean, have been married for 67 years and raised six children. They have 19 grand- and step-grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Over the past 20 years, Simon has provided a ﬁrsthand account of his World War II experiences to nearly 100 audiences of young and old Kansans but primarily to high school history classes across the state. Simon was recognized in Topeka for his service to the United States during World War II and for the success of the nationwide restaurant concept that bears his name. Now in its 12th year, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has created nearly 6,000 new jobs.

Freddy Simon in uniform

Upcoming events in and around Wichita

March 21 – Wichita Genealogical Society monthly meeting, 1 p.m. at Lionel Alford Library, 3447 S. Meridian. Topic: How to deﬁne a problem using a research technique. Most people spend more time planning a family weekend than they do planning to make a trip to the courthouse or library. This lecture lays the foundation for planning research trips.

Continuing - The Wichita Center for the Arts, along with Elizabeth Koch and The K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, Inc., is once again host to the regional Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition, which showcases select artwork created by high school and middle school students from 70 Kansas counties. The exhibition will be on display at The Wichita Center for the Arts through March 8. Scholastic Art Awards are the

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Continuing - CityArts is presenting the 29th annual Art Show at the Dog Show exhibit throughout its building through March 21. Art Show at the Dog Show is a competitive art exhibition started by the Wichita Kennel Club. This unique show features pieces of original canine art by national and international artists. It is the only exhibit of its kind anywhere that is dedicated solely to man’s best friend. The show includes drawings, paintings, photographs, sculptures, fiber and other exclusive artworks that are available for purchase. Art Show at the Dog Show is being held in conjunction with the Sunflower Cluster Dog Show that will take place April 3-6 at the Kansas Coliseum Pavilion in Valley Center. Both events are sponsored by the Sunflower Cluster Dog Shows, which is made up of the Wichita Kennel Club, Wichita Dog Training Club, Hutchinson Kennel Club and the Salina Kennel Club.

largest and longest running recognition program for young people in the United States. Maurice R. Robinson, the founder of Scholastic, Inc., the children’s publishing and entertainment company, established the awards in 1923. Alumni of the Scholastic Art Awards include Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath and Robert Redford. Supported by their visual arts teachers and other community mentors, participants create and submit their best works of art. Each work is reviewed by a panel of art professionals for originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal voice or vision. A total of 2,700 entries were submitted to this year’s Scholastic Art Awards from 70 Kansas counties, and 662 student works were selected for this year’s exhibition. From those 662 selected student works, 140 pieces were awarded the “Gold Key Award” and 188 pieces received the “Silver Key Award.” Gold Key works are automatically entered into the national judging process. From the Gold Key awards, ﬁve are nominated for the American Vision Award. One national American Vision Award recipient is then recognized from each region. This year’s National American Vision Award nominees are: Anastasia Bell, student of Pamela Delay, from Rock Creek Junior/Senior High School; Rachel Anderson, student of Ward Hilgers, from Rose Hill High School; Gregory Tinkler, student of Ward Hilgers, from Rose Hill High School; Talah Bakdash, student of Gary Buettenbach, from Wichita Collegiate School; and Azim Kamalulrahim, student of Gary Buettenbach, from Wichita Collegiate School. The Wichita Center for the Arts will recognize the award-winning students of the 2015 Scholastic Art Awards in two events March 7 and 8. Both events will be hosted by Elizabeth B. Koch and the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, Inc. Silver Key and Honorable Mention award winners will be recognized at an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. The event will be held at The Wichita Center for the Arts, Rounds Gallery. The 2015 Scholastic Art Award Gold Key ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8, and will be held at The Wichita Center for the Arts, Irene Vickers Baker Theatre.

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Dateline

March 2015 - 8

Bald eagles winter at state parks STORY

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Winter is the ideal time to spot America’s national animal, the bald eagle, in the local area. Though only a few dozen eagle pairs nest in Kansas, many more fly in from the north in the winter months, seeking warmer weather and easier and more plentiful food. Cheney State Park and El Dorado State Park are nearly sure bets for bald eagle sightings at this time of year. “You’ll more than likely see them, whether you come in through our east shore or west shore entrance,” said Cheney park ranger Brian Haug. For decades in the 20th century, bald eagles teetered on the verge of extirpation in the United States. By 1983, there were only 487 breeding pairs of the eagles left in the wild, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Endangered species status for the eagles, along with the elimination of environmental pollutant DDT, led to a big comeback for our national animal. Today the eagle is off the endangered species list, though it is still protected by law as the national emblem. One day last winter, there were more than 300 bald eagle sightings at Cheney State Park, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. “They love to sit out on the ice, since you can’t sneak up on them out there, and they can also watch the water at the same time,” said El Dorado State Park ranger Randy Just, who enjoys capturing photos of the eagles. “Now it’s perfect because we have a little bit of open water and ice as well. They know where geese and ducks are, and they like to watch for any slow ones or sick ones so that they can take advantage.” Haug offered advice to prospective eagle-watchers. “One of the big things is that if you see them up in the tops of the tall cottonwood trees, which is where you’ll see them, keep your distance a little bit. Often people drive right up to them, and if you drive right up, they’ll fly off. The best place to see them is standing out on the ice or in the tops of cottonwoods. You can get lucky sometimes and see four or five of them in the same tree,” said Haug. The Kansas Department of Wildlife advises birdwatchers to avoid yelling, slamming car doors, honking horns or otherwise trying to make an eagle fly. Binoculars or spotting scopes can help visitors get a good view from a comfortable distance. Young bald eagles lack the white plumage that gives the species its name. “It takes three to five years to get that white head and tail, so sometimes people mistake the immature eagles for a golden eagle or hawk,” said Just. “Mature bald eagles will whip up on (immature eagles) if they get to fighting.” Bald eagles are not the only winter attraction in the state parks. “A few brave souls have gone out to ice fish on the north end of the lake,” said Haug. “I haven’t heard what kind of success they’re having. As for wildlife, we’ve always got deer and wild turkeys, lots of little songbirds and cardinals out in the park.” Vehicle permits for Cheney State Park and El Dorado State Park are $5 per day and can be purchased any time at self-pay booths, or at the park office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Workroom is hosting an outdoor artisan market to celebrate its second anniversary. The April 11 event will include an outdoor art market, and organizers want the best collection and variety of rich local talent. There is no cost to show up and sell your work, and no commission. This is a chance to give local artists the opportunity to come together and the community the opportunity to see the brilliance of local creatives.

9 - March 2015

Artists wanted for outdoor market The Flying Stove and Brown Box Bakery will be there to keep everyone fed and The Sunﬂower Espresso Truck will be one hand to keep the caffeine ﬂowing. Live music will be presented. The anniversary event will kick off the outdoor artisan market season, and will continue to run on second Saturdays in conjunction with the downtown farmers market. To reserve your spot, call 316-2954520 or email info@theworkroomwichita.com.

FACES WANTED.

ewn@eastwichitanews.com 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/EastWichitaNews

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At East Wichita News, we’re already working on feature stories for upcoming editions. If you know of someone whose face (and story) should appear on these pages, please let us know!

March 2015 - 10 www.eastwichitanews.com

Heart-healthy cooking begins with some homework STORY

PAUL RHODES

I have launched a writing foray into some heart-healthy recipes for our newspaper group, and this month I want to begin with something that’s really easy to prepare. In the world of heart-healthy cooking, however, that does not mean that this meal’s ingredients are easy to understand in terms of their impact on your heart and a heart-healthy diet. To that end, there’s always some homework that has to be done ﬁrst before the cooking actually starts. Almost exactly a year ago I found myself as a guest in the cardiac intensive care unit of a Wichita hospital, and before I could go home, I had to have two stents installed so my cardiovascular system could function again. Hospital workers I dealt with during my stay were comforting, but ﬁrm: aspects of my life had to change, or I’d be back again. A year later, I am still learning about heart-healthy cooking and eating, and trust me – I understand that it can be overwhelming. But with some simple guidelines, anyone can eat healthier for their heart. Here are some basic numbers to start with, and from there you can see how the guidelines come into play as I describe one of my favorite hearthealthy meals. Nutrition information on product labels can be overwhelming, so I tend to focus my at-

tention on four key components: total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium (salt). What I’ve been operating on for a year is an average daily diet in the 2,000 calorie range. I’m a good little eater, and can consume way more than that in a day, but that’s the baseline where most food content labels are calculated. From there, in a day, I try to not consume more than 45 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 200 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,000 milligrams of sodium. Those are the numbers I stick with because of my heart attack a year ago, and my on-going risk for heart disease. Your numbers could be different, based on your health conditions and risk factors. Now, let’s apply those numbers to a favorite meal of mine, which could be served for either lunch or dinner: a tortilla wrap, rice and fruit. I love the flavored flour tortillas, like spinach or tomato basil, but they are way higher in fat and saturated fat than a “fat free” white flour tortilla. And while most tortillas contain no cholesterol, they are high in sodium levels – almost double the salt content in two slices of wheat bread. I was surprised when I first learned that. In

contrast, two regular-sized corn tortillas have just 1 gram of total fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, and only 35 milligrams of sodium. I use them a lot in Mexican cooking, but that’s another meal…and another column. This meal is all about balance and ﬂavor, and an overall goal of heart health. You would think that grilled chicken would be awesome in a tortilla wrap… and it is! However, be prepared to tally up bad points in all four categories even with chicken – and especially if you use prepared chicken strips. Just one 10-inch tortilla and a few chicken strips will put you at more than half your allowable sodium for a day. Add some kind of regular sauce (I like an Asian sesame dressing) and you could be maxed out on sodium for the day, and well past a third of the fat and saturated fat you should have in a day. And don’t even think about cheese… See how the numbers can fool you? You can add all the veggies and lettuce you want to this healthy-sounding tortilla wrap, and it’s still not that good for you. So let’s start over: Keep your tasty 10-inch tortilla, but just do veggies: My favorites are red leaf lettuce, yellow and red peppers, sweet peas and a little onion and fresh

minced garlic. Instead of the dressing I mentioned, I have found a Mrs. Dash teriyaki sauce that is fat, cholesterol and sodium free. And it tastes good, too! Roll up the tortilla with the veggies inside, tucking the ends in as you go, and slice it in half. Add a side of brown rice (cook your own or make this meal even easier with one of the handy microwavable packets labeled as heart healthy) and a big pile of fresh grapes, and you’re ready to eat. The rice can even be added to the wrap, but I like it on the side, with a little cilantro chopped in. The grapes add sweetness and texture to the meal, and I can have about as many as I want. I think this tasty option will make you smile, and the numbers will too: This entire plate of food (pictured from my dinner on a recent evening) contains the following: Just 7 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, absolutely no cholesterol, and less than 520 milligrams of sodium. That leaves lots of breathing room for the rest of the day…and we’ll talk about that next time. Editor’s note: Like the idea of a regular healthy cooking column in this newspaper? Just let our publisher Paul Rhodes know, and we’ll see what we can do. (We’re already considering it, and a positive push from our readers will help us make that decision.) Just email Paul – prhodes@ tsnews.com – or call the newsroom at 316-5400500.

March 2015 - 12 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

‘Still Alice’ is worth seeing, but hard to watch

“Still Alice” is so well made that it is such an emotional strain that I would not care to sit through it again. It is much easier to admire than to enjoy, but I think it’s important that a great many people see it. There is so little “plot” to it that it is virtually impossible to review without giving away what little plot there is. Julianne Moore gets Alzheimer’s disease and gradually gets worse, and tries with limited success to handle it. That’s about all; there is not suggestion of hope for things getting better, and much as we admire Moore’s character, she is disappearing before our eyes. It’s nobody’s fault, and nobody can do anything about it, really. It’s not fun to watch. But a great many people in real life are going through what “Still Alice” represents, and I’m not sure we have a right to ignore it. The most important thing – and here comes some unavoidable spoilers – is the tactics that can be used to keep things from being even worse at each stage of the disease, even though the next stage will inevitably wipe out any alleviation you can achieve. A number of the devices Moore uses were reportedly observed in real

Movie Review

Jim Erickson

life during her extensive research into the disease. She reportedly turned her thumbs down on things she had not observed and didn’t consider realistic. Written communication between the patient’s current person and future self appear even before the disease is diagnosed. Moore posts notes for herself behind a leaflet in her kitchen, supposedly to conceal her memory problems from her husband, son and two daughters. As her condition worsens, the notes appear on her laptop computer, including lectures to herself from her former self and what appears to be a suicide plan. She eventually gets so bad that she has to carry the laptop with her, because

her memory collapses in the time it takes to go up the stairs to the second floor. A short public speech has to be written and read, with a yellow marker following her delivery so she won’t just keep reading the same thing over and over. When she knows her daughter is coming over, she goes through an album of family photos to help her remember what her daughter looks like. Things could have been even worse. Little attention is given to the fact that Moore’s rare form of Alzheimer’s is hereditary and daughter Kate Bosworth is going to develop it. Husband Alec Baldwin and daughter Kristen Stewart are willing to sacrifice themselves to Moore’s aid, and almost no attention is paid to the stunting of their lives. Son Hunter Parrish is barely visible. There almost has to have been family disputes about unequal sacrifices, but writer-director Richard Glatzer (who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2001) does not let the concentration drift away from Moore. I’m just as glad he doesn’t – there was misery enough to make me squirm. But nobody on screen wallows in misery. “Still Alice” is almost clinical in its lack of

sentimentality, which in a way makes it all the harder to sit through, since there is no allowance for audience emotional release. Technically, “Still Alice” is as perfect as movies get. Moore’s performance is letter-perfect and has to be, because her character is not given to emotional display. Only once does she raise her voice above the conversational level and that’s early, before things get really grim. Shallow-focus camera work is used very effectively to suggest the narrow range of Moore’s understanding of what is going on around her, though its use for other purposes occasionally gets confusing as a result. There is one glitch, perhaps, involving a speech spilled to no effect. I expected the pages to be picked up in the wrong order and Moore not to notice it, but nothing happens. Otherwise, concentration is always on Moore, with no subplots and nothing irrelevant. The only other movie I can recall reacting to the way I did to “Still Alice” is 1981’s German “Das Boot,” about a submarine crew trapped at the bottom of the ocean. This is a masterpiece, too, and I don’t want to ever put myself through either one again.

‘Fifty Shades’ better than the book but other movies are better It seems all the fuss about the movie version of the first volume of E. L. James’ three-decker novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” has led to a new interest in such sadomasochistic pictures as “The Story of O” and “The Image” (both soft-core porn) and mainstream movies like “9-1/2 Weeks,” “Secretary” and the less-mentioned “Exit to Eden.” Since I haven’t seen most of these for a long time, my memory is unreliable and my desire to see them again is weak, I will limit myself to “Exit to Eden,” which was on the small screen just the other night. It was not a big hit on the big screen, but seems to be having a healthy run on the small one. Both “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Exit to Eden” are distinguished mainly by presenting mutually consensual sadomasochism as acceptable behavior, though in a pretty painless form most of the time – at least as shown on the screen. “Exit to Eden” is a comedy and “Fifty Shades of Grey” is a drama with a

Cinema Scene

Jim Erickson

more serious attitude toward its subject, but in a lot of ways they are more alike than different. Both feature characters who are introduced to the world of recreational ropes and whips without the shock you might expect. In “Exit to Eden,” Rosie O’Donnell, Paul Mercurio and Dan Ackroyd encounter it, with varying degrees of acceptance. Dakota Johnson does this in “Fifty Shades of Grey” with growing acceptance through most of the film,” (which, one must remember, is based on the first novel in a tril-

ogy, with sequel movies to come). But “Exit to Eden” presents S&M mostly as a vacation recreation on a resort island run by Dana Delany (of television’s “China Beach”). Neither movie deals much with serious pain, although “Fifty Shades of Grey” presents it as an inevitability while “Exit to Eden” barely suggests it as a possibility. The notable thing is that neither movie deals with it as undesirable enough to need reforming, though the “Fifty” sequels probably will. The movie of “Fifty Shades of Grey” is enormously better than the novel, largely because of the treatment of the characters. E.L. James’ characterizations are so thin that almost any visualization would have to improve them, and Dakota Johnson as the heroine and Jamie Dornan as the hero do what they can. Johnson is helped by the abandonment of James’s insistence on epic-heroic love and the addition of a subtle undercurrent of humor, and Dornan by the abandonment of the theme of stalking,

though I fear that will be inescapable in the sequel. But only Ackroyd in “Exit to Eden” consistently rejects the new concept, and in the end even he seems to be improved by its general liberalism. Nowhere is there a serious consideration of the possible undesirability of S&M as a practice. In “Exit to Eden,” O’Donnell plays both a developing character and the emotionally uninvolved narrator who controls our reactions. She also is the sole thing in “Exit to Eden” that was generally praised, and she deserved it. Dornan’s Christian Grey is a less confident pursuer than James’s, at times seeming almost hangdog in his expectation of rejection. While this hardly makes him sympathetic, at times it makes him almost pitiable, which is surely not what anybody intended. Dakota Johnson’s Anastasia Steele (“Christian” and “Steele” – is James after some kind of symbolism? Neither name fits See FIFTY, Page 13

a.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children under 12. They can be purchased online at RainbowsUnited.org. Proceeds beneﬁt children from birth to age 21 with special needs served through Rainbows’ Targeted Case Management. Join the more than 1,000 people who celebrate each year at Wichita’s favorite St. Patrick’s Day event. Grab a hearty breakfast, enjoy bottomless cups of coffee and participate in the festivities with bagpipers, Irish dancers and much, much more. For more information, contact Michelle Eastman, vice president of marketing and communications, at 316558-3435 or visit RainbowsUnited.org.

Fifty

says that “Sex on screen has been in short supply since the late 1990s” and that “since 2003, R-rated ﬁlms haven’t crossed 35 percent” of productions. Its list of “the 10 highest-grossing R-rated erotic dramas of all time” includes Diane Lane’s “Unfaithful” from 2002, which I hardly regard as steamy stuff. It also includes 2015’s “The Boy Next Door,” which is currently making the rounds and which I have been told is notable only for a single scene. Among its upcoming hot-stuffs are “Crossﬁre,” “The Price of Salt,” “S.E.C.R.E.T.” and “The Black Door,” all based on established novels – all of which I would suspect to be better reads than anything by E.L. James.

Continued from Page 12

the character) is much more under control and less concerned with how Grey’s slacks hang from the edges of his hips than James’ version of her, which makes her more sympathetic and even attractive. (I am among the many I talked to who are mystiﬁed as to why these characters are so attractive to women, who seem to be the majority of fans of both the books and the movie.) The Feb. 27 “Entertainment Weekly”

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In celebration of the 40th Annual Blarney Breakfast, organizers are inviting the public to submit photos of the last 40 years. Photos will be used in promotion of the event. Chi Epsilon Chapter of ESA and Rainbows United asks that you send silly, fun and historical photos from previous years. Email photos to BlarneyPhotos@rui.org or post them to the 40th Annual Blarney Breakfast Event Page on Facebook. The 40th annual Blarney Breakfast, a beneﬁt for Rainbows United, Inc., will kick off St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Wichita at Old Chicago East on Tuesday, March 17. The festivities will be from 6 to 9:30

13 - March 2015

Share your Blarney Breakfast photos

March 2015 - 14 www.eastwichitanews.com

FOCUS ON BUSINESS

Featured this month Ken Jack, Attorney At Law............ Page 14

Focus On Business is a monthly feature offered to area advertisers. If you would like your business featured here, please contact our sales office at (316) 540-0500.

Wichita Grand Opera..................... Page 15

Kenneth Jack: A passion for patent and trademark law Once in a great while, a person gets to combine a mix of interests into a career. And that’s exactly what Wichita lawyer Kenneth Jack has done in his lifetime. Jack’s passions run a seemingly divergent gamut: the law, inventions, mathematics and engineering. But together, those passions have helped Jack carve out a successful career in patent and commercial law. As a long-time partner in Davis and Jack, L.L.C., Jack is a prominent expert in legal areas that include patent law, trademark law and business venture development. There aren’t many attorneys who focus their practice on those areas of expertise, and Jack is pleased to be one of the few. “I feel like I’m doing a service to the area,” said Jack, who grew up in Oklahoma and was exposed to the field of inventions at an early age. His father, Dr. Sam Jack, Sr. was a surgeon and an inventor of some of the orthopedic surgical tools he personally used in the operating room. Jack’s

Ken Jack

father encouraged him to share that passion – including a trip in the 1970s to the patent library at the University of Oklahoma to do a patent search on a pump design the elder Jack had invented. Jack studied mathematics at Oklahoma State University, but became interested in law at the end of his un-

dergraduate work. He studied law at the University of Oklahoma, and during that time met his future wife, Alison Davis. Her father, Robert Davis, was a founder of Wichita’s Bruce & Davis law firm, and Jack soon went to work for the firm. “I hit the ground running,” said Jack. He eventually found himself doing legal work in the area of intellectual property, and incorporated trademark and copyright work into the practice. After studying engineering at Wichita State University, Jack passed the grueling patent exam in 1994, entitling him to practice patent law in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a legal specialty. For the past 20 years, Jack has emphasized patents and inventor representation in his practice. “I cut my teeth on an early invention project with Nowak Construction in Goddard,” said Jack, referring to John Nowak’s trenchless pipe replacement invention. Since that first issued patent, Jack has secured hundreds of issued

patents for local Wichita inventors, covering a wide range of fields – construction, agriculture, science, consumer products and – not surprisingly – medicine. “Working with doctors and health care providers is a real satisfaction,” said Jack. “Patenting their innovative devices is very pleasing for me.” Jack works with clients in all phases of a project, from initial invention concept drawings to patent licensing and enforcement. “I help inventors with deciding on and taking next reasonable steps,” he said of his guidance of clients through the patent application process. Patents and work with inventors are dominant parts of Jack’s practice, and the remainder of his time is spent serving the legal needs of business including new product development, trademark and copyright, incorporation and business organization. “New product development goes See KEN JACK, Page 16

Story

Sam Jack

ABOVE: WGO’s Artistic Director Margaret Ann Pent directs Annalisa Raspagliosi in WGO’s 2007 “Tosca.” LEFT: From Left to Right: Anna Netrobko, Placido Domingo and Gaston Rivero after Berlin State Opera’s “Il Trovatore.” Contributed photos

Italian soprano Annalisa Raspagliosi makes her third WGO appearance since co-starring with Pavarotti in the company’s inaugural gala as Princess Elisabeth, who is forced to marry King Philip of Spain even though her heart belongs to Philip’s son, Carlo. Raspagliosi, whose previous performances with WGO set multiple box office records, has starred in virtually every major opera house in Europe; however, her performances in the U.S. are exclusive to WGO and Los Angeles Opera. Maestro Martin Mázik, WGO Principal Guest Conductor, will conduct both “Turandot” and “Don Carlo.” Following his tenure as Principal Conductor of the Slovakian National Opera, Maestro Mázik embarked on a whirlwind international career. Since his U.S. debut in 2000, he has conducted extensively

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answer three riddles to win her hand, or else die trying. Tamura’s Met Opera debut last season as Cavaradossi in “Tosca” earned rave reviews, and in addition to his appearance with WGO, he will be returning to the Met this season. As Calaf, Tamura is entrusted with “Nessun Dorma,” the aria made world famous by Pavarotti’s passionate performance for the 1990 World Cup. In another debut, Uruguayan tenor Gaston Rivero will make his first U.S. appearance in the title role of “Don Carlo” (Sept. 25 & 27). Last season saw him singing the title role in Berlin State Opera’s new production of “Il Trovatore” alongside opera superstars Anna Netrebko and Plácido Domingo, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, in a performance now available globally on DVD.

FOCUS ON BUSINESS

Kansas has a long history of producing great opera singers, but it spent the twentieth century as one of only two states in the union that lacked a professional opera company. That changed eight months into the 21st century as Founder and Artistic Director Margaret Ann Pent marshaled creative resources under the ambitious name “Wichita Grand Opera,” incorporating the company on Nov. 15, 2000. An April 2002 gala starring the great Luciano Pavarotti provided a shot of adrenaline to the young company, followed by another gala with Plácido Domingo in December of that year. Less than a year later, WGO made an international splash once again with its colossal outdoor production of “Carmen” on the Lake at Bradley Fair, which Pent directed. Pent has continued to shape the company’s artistic direction in the fifteen years since. This season’s “Don Carlo” will be her ninth outing as Stage Director or Designer with the WGO, headlining a Season of Royalty that is perhaps the most ambitious ever for the growing company. Single tickets to Verdi’s “Don Carlo” – as well as the rest of WGO’s season – are on sale beginning this month. In the nearly fifteen years since WGO’s founding, it has developed a formidable reputation both with the public and among the world’s elite opera stars. Bass Samuel Ramey, a Kansan member of that tribe, made his home state professional opera debut in Pent’s 2007 production of “Tosca.” Like Ramey, stars from around the world have flocked to WGO in growing numbers, often for the chance to debut new roles with the company. One example is renowned Bulgarian soprano Zvetelina Vassileva, who has sung dozens of leading roles at companies such as Covent Garden, Berlin and the Metropolitan Opera, but has never sung the title role in Puccini’s final masterpiece, “Turandot” (Aug. 28). This summer, Wichita will be the first to hear her sing it. Brazilian tenor Ricardo Tamura will make his WGO debut as Prince Calaf, Turandot’s impetuous suitor who must

in this country, including several WGO productions. “Turandot” and “Don Carlo” will be performed in Italian, with projected English translations. However, comedy goes over better in the audience’s native language, so WGO’s final opera of the season, Offenbach’s “The Grand Duchess” (Oct. 16 and 18), will be performed in English. In the title role of “The Grand Duchess,” triple-threat Kaitlyn Costello will deploy her quicksilver mezzo-soprano, and dance and comedy skills, to tell the tale of a monarch with a weakness for men in uniform. Critics hailed Costello as “off the charts terrific” last summer as Anita in “West Side Story.” As an enlisted man whom the Duchess rashly promotes to Commander-in-Chief, Cullen Gandy makes his WGO debut as Private Fritz. Gandy previously covered the role of Fritz in Santa Fe Opera’s acclaimed production, and made his LA Opera debut last season opposite Renée Fleming in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” “The Grand Duchess” debuted at the 1867 Paris Exposition to a royal audience including Napoleon III, Russia’s Tsar Alexander II, England’s King Edward VII, Austria’s Emperor Franz-Joseph, and Prussia’s Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck. In spite of poking fun at the military potentates in attendance, Bismarck laughed, “Yes! It’s exactly like that!” and “The Grand Duchess” became an instant hit. To kick off the season, Wichita Grand Opera will celebrate the renewal of its fruitful partnership with the Russian National Ballet Theatre. The company’s 50 dancers are dedicated to upholding the grand traditions of Russian ballet, and are trained to the exacting standards of the Russian ballet academies. They will present evening-length ballet versions of Prokofiev’s “Cinderella” (April 25) and Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” (May 3). Single tickets for the 2015 Season are on sale now at $40, $60 and $95. Season subscribers can save up to 25% off the regular ticket prices. Single tickets and Subscriptions are available through the WGO Box Office at (316) 262-8054 or online at SelectASeat.com. For more information, visit WichitaGrandOpera.org.

15 - March 2015

A ‘Season of Royals’ for Wichita Grand Opera

March 2015 - 16

Performing Arts Calendar

March 2015 March 2-4, Wichita Theater League, “Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story,” 7:30 p.m. nightly at Century II. Tickets $35$90, www.wichitatix.com. March 6 – Wichita Orpheum, 8 p.m., Ailey II, one of the most popular dance companies in the country featuring young dance talent from across the U.S. Tickets $30-$40, www.wichitaorpheum.com. March 9 – Wichita Orpheum 6:30 p.m., Abba Mania. Tickets $25-$49.50. Considered the world’s top ABBA tribute production. www.wichitaorpheum. com. March 15 – Wichita Orpheum, 6:30 p.m., The Priests, religious and secular classical music featuring Fathers Martin O’Hagan, Eugene O’Hagan and David Delargy. Tickets $35-$60, www.wichitaorpheum.com.

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March 19 – April 5 – Wichita Community Theatre, “Last Night of Ballyhoo,” by Alfred Uhry. 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday. Winner of the 1997 Tony Award for Best Play. Tickets $14 adults, $12 students/ seniors/military. Call 316-686-1282. March 21 – Wichita Orpheum, 7:30 p.m., Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. Tickets $29.50-$39.50, www.wichitaorpheum.com. March 27 - Wichita Chamber Chorale present Joseph Haydn’s “The Creation,” 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. One performance only. With a libretto based on passagaes from “Paradise Lost,” Genesis and Psalms, Franz Joseph Haydn’s epic oratorio is among his most inspired works. The work features the 36-voice Wichita Chamber Chorale, a 30-piece orchestra, and three soloists – soprano Lily Guerrero, tenor Randolph Lacy and bass Charles Turley. John Harrison is concertmaster. The winner and runner-up of the Kansas Choral Composition Prize will be announced at

the concert. This is the inaugural year of the competition, which is sponsored by the Wichita Chamber Chorale and Senseney Music, Inc. Tickets $20 general, $15 seniors, $5 students. Free admission for high school students. Phone 316-712-2678 or visit www.wichitachorale.com. A reception will follow the concert. Through March 28 – “Always, Patsy Cline.” Based on the true story of Patsy Cline’s friendship with Houston housewife Louise Seger. The show features all the hits of Patsy Cline. Tickets $25. Call 316-265-4400 or visit www.roxysdowntown.com. Through March 28 – “My Sweetheart is Smoking’ Hot,” written by Tom Frye, followed by “Life, Love & Laughter,” a musical comedy revue conceived and directed by Patty Reeder. Musical direction by Karla Burns. Mosley Street Melodrama. 7:50 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Dinner and show $28, show only $18. Call 316-263-0222. March 31-April 2, Wichita Theater League, “Chicago,” 7:30 p.m. nightly at Century II. Tickets $50-$90, www. wichitatix.com.

Ken Jack Continued from Page 14

hand in hand with new business development,” said Jack. “I can help a new business venture with all of the trademark issues surrounding branding and labeling of a business’s product, and advise my clients on marketing strategies that enhance trademark value.” Jack’s best work is almost always behind the scenes, and it’s eclectic. But in the end, it has given him a career that has been satisfying and rewarding – and encompasses his seemingly diverse passions. To learn more about what Kenneth Jack can offer you in the areas of patent and trademark work and business development, call 316-945-8251 or view www.DavisandJack.com. The Davis and Jack law ﬁrm is located at 2121 West Maple, near the Delano District in Wichita.

17 - March 2015

Lyle Lovett to headline Symphony in the Flint Hills Tickets go on sale March 7 Four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Lyle Lovett will perform with the Kansas City Symphony at the Symphony in the Flint Hills tenth anniversary Signature Event on June 13. “We are excited to celebrate our tenth anniversary with expanded music and education programs celebrating this Tickets year’s theme, ‘Grasslands of the World,’” said Christy $90 adults, Davis, executive director of the Symphony in the Flint $50 children Hills, Inc. “It is an honor to feature an artist who shares our passion for the tallgrass prairie.” Phone Lyle Lovett was raised on his family’s horse ranch in 816-471-0400 Klein, Texas, and still lives on part of the original homestead today. The singer/songwriter and actor isn’t a Online stranger to the Kansas Flint Hills. Lovett visited the area kcsymphony.org in 2000 to film “The Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie,” a documentary he hosted, and he was the guest artist of Walk-in the fifth anniversary Signature Event in 2010. Dillards at Towne This year’s Signature Event will take place at the TallEast Square grass Prairie National Preserve where it debuted in 2006. Saturday, March 7 Symphony in the Flint Hills is partnering with The NaONLY ture Conservancy to feature speakers who showcase this 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. year’s theme. Tickets for the 2015 Symphony in the Flint Hills SigEvent information nature Event will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, March www.symphonyin7. General admission tickets are $90 for adults and $50 theflinthills.org for children under 12. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

FACES

At East Wichita News, we’re already working on feature stories for upcoming editions. If you know of someone whose face (and story) should appear on these pages, please let us know! ewn@eastwichitanews.com 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/ EastWichitaNews

The Kansas City Symphony performs at the 2013 concert. This year’s event will return to its roots at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, where it debuted in 2006. Lyle Lovett performed at the 2010 event. Paul Rhodes/East Wichita News

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WANTED.

March 2015 - 18 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

East Wichita News People and Places Oklahoma City University has awarded dean’s honor roll status to several Eastside students who successfully completed a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. The students are Madeline Razook of Eastborough and Wichitans Elizabeth Mathews, Halston Strange, Payton McAtee, Micaela Heinrich and Katie Schneider. Local students are among the 1,167 named by Fort Hays State University to the Deans Honor Roll for the fall 2014 semester. The list includes undergraduate students only. To be eligible, students must have enrolled in 12 or more credit hours and have a minimum grade point average of 3.60 for the semester. Full-time on-campus and FHSU Virtual College students are eligible. From Wichita: Lauren Elizabeth Wiebe, 2012 graduate of Wichita East, junior majoring in social work; Morgan Elise Gonzales, 2010 graduate of Holcomb High School, junior majoring in organizational leadership; Derek Rudd, 2012 graduate of Kapaun-Mount Carmel, junior majoring in art/graphic design; Krista Diane Hedrek, majoring in elementary education; Chandra Stauffer, majoring in education; Lauren Carol Davis, majoring in education; Erica Rose Furr, 2011 graduate of Wichita East, junior majoring in general studies/general business; Erin Megan Lau, 2010 graduate of Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, sophomore majoring in psychology; Kendra Kay Pahls, junior majoring in general studies/ gerontology; Crystal Dashawn Whitten, junior majoring in marketing; Lauren Emily Childs, majoring in education; Sarah E. Jogan, 2011 graduate of Kapaun-Mount Carmel, junior majoring in accounting; Victoria K. Jackson, senior majoring in early childhood unified; Angela Dianne McGill, majoring in education; Jonathan Ray Piszczek, 2012 graduate of Kapaun-Mount Carmel, junior majoring in accounting. From Andover: Mackenzie Paige Orchard, a graduate of Cheney High School, junior majoring in justice studies; James David Sutton, senior majoring in education.

Several Eastsiders have graduate from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. The airmen completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. The graduates include: • Steven V. Bohling, the husband of Jami Bohling and father of Lyric. He also is the son of Elena and Maynard Bohling of Forney, Texas. The airman graduated in 1992 from Wichita Heights High School. • Edward A. Conrad, the husband of Jinna J. Conrad. He also is the son of Lenina A. Campbell and brother of Thomas D. Conrad, Virginia L. Shresta and Jacob T. Conrad, all of Wichita. The airman graduated in 2014 from Southeast High School. • Tyler B. Espinoza. He is a 2014 graduate of Andover Central High School. • Marimar C. Agosto, daughter of Wilson Agosto and Maricruz Ortega of Wichita. She is a graduate of Wichita North. • Nicholas C. Horner. The son of Rachel Hougland and step-son of Daniel Hougland of Wamego. He is also the grandson of Jerry Horner of east Wichita, and Ann and Otto Abitz of Westmoreland. The airman graduated in 2013 from Wamego High School. • Christopher E. Lyons, son of Annette Lyons of Oro Valley, Ariz., and Bxrian Lyons of Wichita, and stepson of Lori Lyons of Wichita and Denny Eggiman of Oro Valley. The airman graduated in 2013 from Ironwood Ridge High School in Oro Valley.

and criticism; and Ellery G. Wadman Goetsch of Wichita, senior English major.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced its dean’s for the fall 2014 semester. Area students on the list include Katelyn Dawn Rochat of Andover, junior in mathematics and actuarial science; Ryan Paul Irick of Wichita, junior in nutrition and health sciences; Anne Elizabeth Rimmington of Wichita, senior in art history

The Wichita Sports Hall of Fame has announced the founding of the Kansas Pro Indoor Football Hall of Fame. In 1999, professional indoor football began in the state of Kansas with a Topeka team called the Knights, who played in the Indoor Football League. Now, as the 17th year of indoor football in Kansas begins, the Sunflower

Benedictine College is pleased to recognized those students who achieved the highest level of academic excellence in the past semester. Emily Lindeman of Wichita and Lauren Pfeifer of Bel Aire were named to the president’s list for the fall 2014 semester. To achieve the president’s list, students must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours and have a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Of the 1,854 students on campus for the 2014-2015 academic year, only 110 made the President’s List. The following Benedictine students were named to the dean’s list for the fall semester: Katherine Dillard, Cabrini Ferraro, Anne Hickerson, Rebecca Koehn, Natalie Malone, Logan McCully, Molly Sullentrop and Kathleen Wells, all of Wichita. To achieve the honor, students must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours and a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Veteran Wichita broadcaster Pat Moyer has been named General Manager of Air Capitol Media Group’s 99.7 LITE FM. Moyer brings to LITE FM more than 35 years of experience in the Wichita market. Air Capitol Co-Owners Shane and Kianne Prill announced the appointment saying, “Pat has held various positions at some of the most successful broadcast operations in this community. He has made Wichita his home for more than 40 years. His career comes full circle having started at a locally-owned radio station and now with locally-owned LITE FM.” “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of something increasingly rare in broadcasting today - a locally-owned radio station,” said Moyer.

State can boast teams that have played or still play in Topeka, Wichita, Dodge City and Salina. The inductees include three Wichitans: • Don Hall is the only person in Wichicta to be involved with every local indoor team, every year since the first year of professional indoor football in 2000. Hall has been the arena voice of the Warlords, Stealth, Aviators, Wild and Force. • Wink Hartman in 2006 bought the Wichita Wild and kept indoor professional football growing. His dedication led the Wild to the CPIFL championships in 2013 and 2014. Hartman left the indoor professional football business in 2014. • Nyle Wiren, from Northwest High School, retired with the Tamba Bay Storm at the end of the 2008 season after playing 11 season in Tampa Bay. He recorded 158 tackles, 16 sacks, 12 fumbles and four interceptions on defense. Offensively, he scored eight touchdowns, rushed for 109 yards and had 98 receiving yards. During his time with the Storm, he played defensive end, linebacker, fullback and offensive line. He earned All-Arena Honors in 2004 and as a senior at Kansas State, he earned All-America honorable mention honors. The other inductees are Skip Foster from Coffeyville and Ken Matous of Hutchinson. Foster has nearly 30 years of coaches experience including a decade in Arena Football. He has made stops with the San Jose Saber Cats, Arizona Rattlers, Columbus Destroyers and Austin Wranglers. As head coach of the Tulsa Talons in af2 from 2001 to 2003, he had a record of 44-10. He lead the Talons to victory in the 2003 Arena Cup, and became to only af2 coach to go undefeated at home with 26 consecutive victories over three seasons. Matous started his work with the indoor game in 2001 with the Carolina Cobras of the Arena Football League. He coached the Tulsa Talons of Arena Football2 in 2004 before moving back to the AFL. In addition to other stops, he coached the Wichita Wild from 2009 to 2011. Individual inductions will take place on KGSO 1410 AM or KGSO.com some-

Nearly 300 University of Dallas students have been named to the Honor Roll for the Fall 2014 semester for earning a semester grade point average of 3.0-3.49. This group includes three East Wichita students: Thomas Hand, undeclared major; Melissa Hernandez, politics major; and Katarina Schuett, math major. Missouri University of Science and Technology has announced the names of students who made the honor list for the 2014 fall semester. The students are Angelo Michael Encapera of Wichita, a senior in petroleum engineering and Jack Dwyer Womble of Andover, a junior in petroleum engineering. Honor list recipients must have carried a minimum of 12 hours and had grade point averages of 3.2 or above out of a possible 4.0. Molly Wierman, an English and French major from East Wichita, has been named to the University of Dallas dean’s list for the fall 2014 semester for earning a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Wake Forest University student Florence Morrison of East Wichita has been named to the university’s dean’s list for fall 2014 semester. Students who achieve a 3.4 grade-point average and no grade below a “C” were named to the list.

operations technology; Cheryl Tate, master of education in curriculum and instruction; Brandyn Willard, bachelor of science in physical performance and sport studies; Cindy Willis, bachelor of science in computer operations technology.

Baseline Creative Inc. welcomes Jane Tarbutton and Deb Gruver to the design agency’s team. As lead communications strategist, Gruver will help Baseline’s clients grow through integrated strategic marketing, social media and public relations. She joins Baseline from the state’s largest newspaper, The Wichita Eagle, where she worked as a reporter for more than 15 years. Trained at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas, Gruver brings 26 years of journalism experience and working with media to Baseline. Gruver is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors. She is a past board member of the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government. Tarbutton is a graphic designer. She graduated in May 2014 from Fort Hays State University with a bachelor’s of ﬁne arts degree in graphic design. A Wichita native who graduated from Campus High School, Tarbutton is a former member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Tarbutton served as a graphic designer at Fort Hays and has worked as a freelance designer.

Prairie View, Inc., welcomes Mary Hotze, LCMFT, to its staff. She is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist and a registered play therapist supervisor. Working at Prairie View’s ofﬁce in east Wichita, she joins more than 40 other therapists and community-based services staff who work in Child and Adolescent Services at Prairie View’s ﬁve locations. To schedule an appointment with Hotze, call 800-9926292.

Eastsiders Erin Rogers and Codey Davis have made the dean’s list for the fall 2014 semester at Rochester Institute of Technology. Rogers is a second-year student in the business administration accounting program. Davis is a second-year student in the graphic design program. Southwestern College’s December 2014 graduates have been announced. They will participate in commencement exercises on May 10. The Eastsiders on the list include Shane Batchelder, master of science in management; Daniel Hampt, bachelor of science in computer operations technology; Christopher Koch, master of science in leadership; Shanetta Porter, master of education in curriculum and instruction; Nicholas Riedel, bachelor of science in computer

Abigail Timmermeyer of Andover is a member of the company that will pres-

ent the world premiere of “The Treehouse Effect,” an original comedy. The play is a contemporary and heartfelt exploration of memory and friendship that reunites three college friends after several years apart. Jeremy is getting married, and has invited his two best friends Lucas and Tyson back to the shape-shifting, time-altering treehouse of their childhood to compete for the honor of being his best man. Their imaginations send them to faraway planets, where they battle zombies and swashbuckling pirates. Timmermeyer plays Kate. While the action of the play is appropriate for all ages, audiences should keep in mind that it does contain adult language. “The Treehouse Effect” runs March 4 through 7 in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre at Emporia State University. For tickets or more information, contact the box ofﬁce at 620-341-6378.

East meets West With the East Wichita News and the WestSide Story neighborhood papers, you can target your advertising at Wichita’s most desirable neighborhoods on both sides of the city.

Call today for rates and more information. 316-540-0500

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The City of Andover has hired a new city administrator following a nationally advertised search conducted over the last four months. Mark Detter was the top choice from nearly 30 applicants. He is currently a vice president for Central States Capital Markets. Detter has previous municipal experience as the city administrator for Rose Hill and assistant county administrator/ﬁnance director for Butler County. Detter has spent 15 years working in municipal government. Additionally he has spent the last 5 years in the private sector and believes this blended professional experience provides him a unique perspective. Detter is originally from Seattle and received his undergraduate

degree from Southwestern College and masters of public administration from Wichita State. He is the current vice president of Board of Trustees for Leadership Butler Inc. He served on the Andover Public Library Board from 2007 to 2014.

19 - March 2015

time in march. Each appearance will be on the Press Box radio show, which airs 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

March 2015 - 20

Ramey returns

Opera great, Kansas native now calls East Wichita home With an international opera performance career that spans nearly 50 years now winding down, opera legend and Kansas native Samuel Ramey has returned to his home state and will soon move into a newly-built house on Wichita’s east side. The maestro took some time Saturday, Feb. 21 to reflect on memories of a life in opera, and on the work still in front of him as a performer, teacher and mentor.

like Newman, Ramey would eventually land at Wichita State as a professor and mentor. But before all that could occur, Ramey had to finish his degree and gain experience and expertise. In 1966, he earned a place in Santa Fe Opera’s prestigious young artist program, performing with the chorus on a semi-enclosed outdoor stage, New Mexico sunsets framed as backdrop. “After my apprenticeship in ‘66, I was supposed to go back the next year, but I couldn’t; I had to stay here and go to school, because I was getting draft deferments for that at the time, and I needed more credits. But eight years later, they hired me, and I went back to Santa Fe and sang Escamillo in ‘Carmen,’” Ramey recalled.

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Kansas Roots Ramey’s hometown, Colby, had a population of 5,000 during his boyhood and still has around 5,000 souls today. One difference between now and then is the sign on the edge of town boasting of Colby’s native son. “I’m always surprised, every time I go back, to see that it’s still there,” said Ramey. “I didn’t know anything about opera when I was growing up in Colby,” Ramey continued, “other than every once in a while, seeing some opera singer on the Ed Sullivan Show. I didn’t even know what opera was, really, until I finished high school. “I went off to K-State my first year of college, because they’re the ones that gave me a scholarship, and we were very poor, so anybody that offered money, that’s where we went. My voice teacher there had me working on an aria from ‘The Marriage of Figaro,’ and suggested that I find a recording of it and listen to it, just to get an idea of the style, help with the language. “So I went out to a local music store, to the LP bins, and came across a recording of some singer named Ezio Pinza. Of course his voice was fantastic, and something just clicked.” Ramey started listening to complete operas on LP, taking advantage of K-State’s large library of recordings. After a friend told him about a young artist program in Central City, Colo., he decided to mail in an application. “I went out to my local radio station

Big breaks in the Big Apple

Samuel Ramey, right, performed alongside Ramey Fellowship recipient Constantine Novotny and other students, reprising the role of Olin Blitch in Carlisle Floyd’s American opera “Susannah.” Contributed photo

Story

in Colby, made a tape and sent it off. Lo and behold, they hired me. That was the summer of 1963, when I went out to Central City, and that was my first exposure to opera. I’d never seen an opera until I was onstage in one,” said Ramey. It was during that summer with Central City Opera that Ramey decided to pursue a career as an opera singer.

Wichita State and onward During his stint in Central City, Ramey met some students in Wichita State’s opera program. “They started talking to me and said, ‘You should come to Wichita State, we

Sam Jack have a really good program.’ One of the voice faculty came out that summer to Central City, so I ended up auditioning for him in a bar,” said Ramey. “I got up and sang ‘Old Man River’ for him, I think, there in the bar. So that’s how I ended up at WSU.” Among Ramey’s professors at Wichita State was baritone Arthur Newman, a prolific performer whose career Ramey’s would come to resemble in more ways than one. Newman took part in more than 1,300 performances of more than 50 roles with New York City Opera between 1944 and 1959. A few decades later, Ramey would also become a frequent City Opera performer and one of the company’s top stars. And,

After finishing his degree, Ramey spent a year performing with Grass Roots Opera in North Carolina before moving to New York City, then as now the epicenter of fine arts and performing arts in the U.S. Ramey supported himself for a while as an advertising copywriter while studying voice with noted pedagogue and concert pianist Armen Boyajian. In 1972, Ramey reached the finals of the Metropolitan Opera’s auditions, and in ‘73, made his debut with New York City Opera, first in a small role in “Carmen” and then, later that season, in the substantial role of Don Basilio in “The Barber of Seville.” “I guess my debut at City Opera was sort of a big break,” said Ramey. “I had really nice success, and they almost immediately started giving me larger roles. But the really big thing: three years after my debut, they had this fantastic production of Boito’s “Mefistofele” at the City Opera, and they asked me if I would like to do that. It was a major revival, so that production sort of made me a star in New York.” The star turn began an association with devilish roles that remained with

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In a 2012 photo, Samuel Ramey works with Wichita State opera student Andrew Simpson. Contributed photo

“Carmen.”

Active in the arts in Wichita Ramey returned to Kansas and Wichita frequently throughout his career, giving recitals and concert performances. He had his ﬁrst opportunity to sing in a professional opera in the state when he took on the villainous role of Scarpia in Wichita Grand Opera’s 2007 production of “Tosca,” an event that was moved from the Century II Concert Hall to the larger Convention Hall to accommodate the large number of people that wished to attend. A few years later, Ramey made a second appearance with WGO, starring alongside fellow Kansan Joyce DiDonato and Wichita State alumnus Alan Held in the company’s tenth anniversary gala concert. Last year, performing alongside his students at Wichita State, Ramey reprised a signature role for which he shared in a Grammy award in 1995: the tent revival preacher turned rapist Olin Blitch, in Carlisle Floyd’s American opera “Susannah.” “My teacher, Arthur Newman, was in the original cast of that opera, so I See RAMEY, Page 22

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him throughout his international career. “They’re great parts, and they happen to be written for my kind of voice, so I kind of developed a reputation for doing those,” said Ramey, whose matinee idol looks and booming bass voice made him an appealing seducer of the innocent. In the 1990s, Ramey’s solo recital “A Date with the Devil,” thrilled audiences with a retrospective of his Mephistophelean characters and became an acclaimed Naxos record, one of more than 80 on which he appeared during his career. Ramey is the most recorded opera bass in history. Ramey’s decades-long performing career took him to every major opera house and through nearly every major role for his voice type, with several legendary performances along the way, including Nick Shadow in “The Rake’s Progress,” Zaccaria in “Nabucco,” Fiesco in “Simon Boccanegra,” Olin Blitch in “Susannah” and title roles in “Attila,” “Boris Godunov” and “Don Giovanni.” His most performed role was Méphistophélès in Gounod’s “Faust,” with over 200 performances in more than 20 productions, according to his website. He frequently sang on television and video as well; a YouTube search reveals a video of a Sesame Street appearance where he sings of his love for letter “L” to the tune of the toreador song from

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Ramey Continued from Page 21

always hoped I would get to do it,” said Ramey, “and I did, quite a bit, all over the place. You can look at Blitch in many different ways. I don’t look at him as a real womanizer, I look at him as just a lonely, tragic sort of man.” The maestro’s next Wichita project is set to be his most signiﬁcant since 2007’s “Tosca”: two concert performances of Béla Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” with the Wichita Symphony on March 13 and 15. The action of the two-person, oneact work is simple, but psychologically

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‘I think the Wichita arts scene has certainly come a long way since I was in school here. The Wichita Symphony is really a fantastic group, and Wichita Grand Opera, it’s not easy to be a young opera company, and they’re pushing forward really hard.’ Sam Ramey and symbolically fraught. The mysterious Duke Bluebeard brings his new bride, Judith, home to his castle. Judith demands to see what is hidden behind seven locked doors and, despite his protestations, Bluebeard opens them one by one. For the ﬁrst time, Ramey will perform in Dale Chihuly’s concert production, using the glass artists’ sculptures as stand-ins for the doors and what the doors reveal. “Actually I discovered the opera when I was a student here at Wichita State,” said Ramey. “Downtown, there used to be a music store called Jensen’s. I was down there one day, and saw an LP of Bluebeard’s Castle. I was intrigued, because the person singing Bluebeard on the recording was Jerome Hines, one of my favorite basses. “I even sent off to New York for a score of the opera, and that’s the score I still use today; I’ve had it for over 50

years.” After 20 years of owning the score, Ramey was able to add the role to his performance repertory and has since done four stage productions and many concert productions of the work, including performances at the Met Opera and San Diego Opera. “Bluebeard’s Castle” is in Hungarian, not a standard opera language, and Ramey spent hours going over pronunciations with a Hungarian-speaking usher he met at the Met. The ultimate test of his alacrity with Hungarian was a trip to Budapest, Hungary to make a recording of the work. “The orchestra and everybody else were all Hungarian, and so everybody was giving me notes on my pronunciation. But in the end, when we ﬁnished the recording, they said it was the best Hungarian they’d ever heard from a non-Hungarian,” said Ramey. Later this year, Ramey will take on roles in Wichita Grand Opera’s “Turandot,” Aug. 28 and 30, and “Don Carlo,” Sept. 25 and 27. As the Grand Inquisitor in “Don Carlo,” Ramey will once again join Annalisa Raspagliosi, his co-star in 2007’s “Tosca.” “The Spanish Inquisition, they had a not very good reputation. They were a mean group,” said Ramey, with wry understatement. “The Inquisitor is the head of the church, but he’s also the head of the Spanish Inquisition. He’s someone you deal with very carefully. He’s a holy man, but kind of a scary one.” Ramey has not ruled out further singing engagements, but they will have to be roles that work for him, and work with his growing schedule of other activities. He has an 11-year-old son with wife and fellow opera singer Lindsey Larsen, teaches and provides mentorship at Wichita State and travels with fair frequency to pick up awards honoring his career achievements, including the Opera News Award next month and the National Opera Association lifetime achievement award next January. “I think the Wichita arts scene has certainly come a long way since I was in school here. The Wichita Symphony is really a fantastic group, and Wichita Grand Opera, it’s not easy to be a young opera company, and they’re pushing forward really hard,” said Ramey.

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Katie Swan returns a volley during a recent practice.

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be in the finals. It was huge; I was so happy.” Swan came through in critical moments to claim a win despite winning 12 fewer points than her opponent over all. But the two-and-a-half hour match left her with less in the tank for the final the next day. “I was cramping in the third set of the semifinal, and I got through it, but that match didn’t finish until 7 p.m. that night, and then I played the next day at 1 p.m., so I don’t think my legs recovered fully. I tried my best just to focus on playing, though I was nervous, as could be expected for my first Grand Slam final. It wasn’t my best match, but it was still a really great experience. Hopefully I can get back and play in a final again next time,” said Swan. At home in Wichita, Swan works with two of the city’s top coaches: Colin Foster and Rex Coad. Foster is coach of Wichita State’s women’s tennis team. Coad, currently head tennis pro at the

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WOODLAWN

Swan

Wichita Country Club, is an alumnus of the Wichita State tennis team and went on to coach that team from 1980 to 1988, winning the Missouri Valley title each year of his tenure. It was Coad working with Swan when I stopped by, and he generously interrupted his lesson to let me stand on court, in the vicinity of his pupil’s scorching forehands. The racket I was feebly wielding didn’t do me much good; all I could do was try to avoid getting hit. “Working with Katie is a privilege, a pleasure and a treat,” said Coad. “You don’t often get to work with somebody with this much dedication, this much commitment, this much talent. It’s a rare situation, so we’re very lucky to be part of it, and enjoying every minute.” A few days after our meeting, Swan jetted off to Egypt to compete against adult women in a minor league tournament. Because she is holding open the option of playing for a U.S. college team, she was unable to claim any prize money she might win, but Swan has as good a chance as anyone, and better than most, to make up the difference in the years ahead.

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Concert Review

Hough resounds in Wichita performances By Sam Jack The concert pianist, composer, writer and theologian Stephen Hough spent a week in Wichita in mid-February, performing a solo recital on Tuesday, Feb. 17 to benefit the Wichita Symphony and sticking around for a program of Beethoven’s first two piano concertos, with that group, the following Saturday and Sunday. Hough’s skills as a concert pianist and composer – he’s near the top of the world in both fields – were on direct display, but his other identities also seemed near at hand. I would suggest that they are essential to Hough’s current station as one of a handful of classical musicians regarded not only as virtuosos but also as something like sages. In an earlier era, the ability to play showpieces like “Islamey” or “Gaspard de la Nuit” might have been good enough for a starry career, but as the general level of accomplishment has risen exponentially, the chance of distinguishing oneself on technical grounds alone has diminished. Google “Islamey” and it is easy to find videos of a piece that once led Alexander Scriabin to injure his hand, submitting meekly to the fleet fingers of college conservatory students and a few even younger prodigies. The pianists that today’s classical fans speak about in tones of awe have something more, though not any less, than high virtuosity. They have what the less generous might call a “schtick,” or what the more generous might call brilliance, inspiration, soul or genius. Mitsuko Uchida plays Mozart with supernatural poise, balance and evenness of tone. Martha Argerich has an air of spiritual mystery. Evgeny Kissin is “the mad Russian.” Lang Lang wears his heart on his sleeve. Go back a few decades, and observe Glenn Gould’s savant-like, eccentric performances of Bach, with Gould acting as conduit for bolts of modernist brilliance by a composer that too many had dismissed as dull. Hough is joined in my mind with another favorite pianist-sage, Marc-André

Hamelin. As is the case with Hamelin, it is clear that Hough has the ability, and the presence of mind, to employ every keystroke in service of interpretations that, though they mostly avoid extremes of riot or restraint, set distinctive paths and are full of character.

The Wichita Symphony is generally pretty great at Beethoven, but the group didn’t really come up with a convincing interpretation of Concerto No. 2, which pre-dates the composer’s other mature piano concertos, including No. 1, by 10 years and in some stretches has less drama and more classical grace Much of what Hough does with a than later-composed works. piano, I can’t explain. It’s impossible to Music director Daniel Hege’s exhortacount the tory gruntnumber of ing was intentional audible to shadings at least the Hough first 10 rows used, both of audience on Saturmembers, day and in yet I could solo pernot really formance discern a Tuesday. response In his Satfrom the urday perorchestra formance other than of Beethonot to drag. ven’s Piano Soloist and Concerto orchestra’s No. 2 with failure to get the Wichita in synch on Symphony, an interthe dynamic pretation continuum led to them seemed getting out effortless, of synch in giving a terms of satisfying tempo at sense of unone point folding and in the first deepening movement, rather than though Stephen Hough getting louda glance er, and of between folding back into smaller, more orderly Maestros Hege and Hough rectified the structures rather than just getting softer. situation quickly. The adagio movement To a sublime rendition of Beethowas the highlight of the performance. ven’s score Hough added his own The symphony was much more confirst movement cadenza, just original vincing after the intermission, in Conenough to throw light on the rest of the certo No. 1, where Beethoven’s sudden work, without breaking one’s immersion dynamic shifts and cheeky structural in it. The cadenza for the slow second turns provide handholds and footholds. movement was nothing more or less Hough’s playing was expansive. than a few ringing notes brushed out A performance of Prokofiev’s Symwith one hand, hanging and decaying in phony No. 1 “Classical” to open the the air. program was excellent, with principal

flutist Jessica Petrasek and second flutist Christina Webster, particularly deserving of praise. The obligatory standing ovation at the conclusion of the concert was well deserved in this case. Hough’s playing at his Wichita Center for the Arts solo recital Tuesday seemed unrestrained and un-self-conscious. Hough generously waived his usual fee to present the concert as a fundraiser for the symphony, but the $50 ticket price probably kept the audience numbers low. As it was, everyone present crammed into the left side of the auditorium, the better to see Hough’s fingers. In a brief talk midway through the second half of the recital, Hough described his program as a sandwich, “Polish sausage on French bread.” The sausage: Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, of whose work Hough is a leading exponent. The bread: varied works by Frenchman Claude Debussy, including “Estampes” and “Children’s Corner.” Hough has the ability to make his playing as clear as crystal, regardless of difficulty, yet his choice of thicker textures and more bass volume for Chopin’s four ballades was wholly consistent with his characterization of the works as “operas in miniature.” And though WSO executive director Don Reinhold introduced the recital as a practice session for bigger venues in the months ahead, there was no sign at all that Hough himself regarded it that way. In fact he had to take an extended pause to wipe sweat off the keys. Programmatic episodes in the Debussy selections that bookended the concert were well characterized and crystal clear, like much of Hough’s playing somehow both freely moving and fixed in place. Even from my close seat, he stroked the keys so lightly that one could barely see them depress, but I don’t think a single note failed to sound clear and true. Wichita was lucky to have a musician like Hough spend a week sharing his art with us, and we’re lucky to have groups like the Wichita Symphony that have the wherewithal and good sense to invite him to come to town.

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For a home update that will signify stability, elegance and dependability, consider going gray.

(StatePoint) Giving your home’s exterior a fresh look starts with color. And this year, many home improvement trend-spotting experts say the leading color family is gray, with its neutral yet reﬁned elegance. “Gray is an important home exterior color because it works equally well on all home styles, from historic to contemporary, and in every part of the country,” said Kate Smith, president and chief color maven of Sensational Color. “Quite versatile, gray tones can range from cool, clear bluish gray to a true neutral gray through a warm French gray or even taupe. With gray, it’s really hard to go wrong.” While you may know whether you like something once it’s in place, achieving a look you love before making a commitment is crucial. Smith is offering tips for picking the perfect hues for your home: • The best gray for your home exterior is one that blends well with your roof and other ﬁxed features, such as brick, stone or permanent design elements. For a middle tone that will work on most

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Gray trending as a home exterior color

March 2015 - 28

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Tips to add design appeal to your home

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Having the right light fixtures is Eastside Homes an integral part of an overall lighting strategy. And using the right type of light bulb will make or break a fixture’s appeal and effectiveness. There is not just one type of bulb that is good everywhere. Different types of bulbs are good for different applications and have varying degrees of performance. At the lowest link in the light bulb food chain is the cool white fluorescent Philip Holmes | Interior Designer tubular bulbs. Somebody somewhere to check your fixture for recommended thought these were a good idea. It is true maximum wattage. From there, let good that they are probably the least expensive judgment guide you. For example you lighting source for illuminating large areas. don’t want a reading lamp that is not But they create simply the worst type of bright enough nor one that creates a glare. lighting invented, ever. They distort colors and even give everything, including people, The best option is to select the maximum wattage and use a dimmer device to adjust a terrible blueish tint. I am amazed that the amount of light accordingly. these bulbs are still used outside of indusIf you have a fixture or lamp that trial situations. With so many different light features exposed bulbs, using a frosted bulb options, why would you ever use one glass bulb will be much more appealing of these in your home or business? than using a clear bulb. Clear bulbs are Manufacturers have since offered fluorescent tube bulbs that have pink and probably best used in attics, if even yellow casts intended to be more like nat- that. The worst thing you can do with a fixture is create a glare bomb. Frosted ural light. Well no, they are not: they are bulbs are designed to soften the light. pink and yellow. It is still a fluorescent. If you are looking for a close approximaThe latest evolution in fluorescent bulbs tion of natural light, then your best bet is is the compact fluorescent bulbs. A porto use a halogen bulb. They are part of the tion of The Energy and Independence incandescent family but are more energy Act of 2007 made the compact fluoresefficient. Halogens give a bright white light cent bulb THE bulb for most household and show color to its best advantage. The use. Compact fluorescent bulbs use 1/4 disadvantage of halogen bulbs is that they the energy and last 10 times longer the burn hot, and they are a little pricey. regular incandescent bulbs. They are enThe latest development in lighting ergy rated with the “Energy Star” which is LED (light-emitting diode) lighting. was developed by the EPA. The LEDs are extremely energy effiWhile they are a step above the tubes cient and give off a very specific direcin terms of color, when used right tional light. Although LED light is useful next to a regular incandescent bulb, the in many applications, the technology has compact fluorescent still gives off that not yet been fully developed for general creepy blue-grayness. Admittedly, fluorescent bulbs are getting purpose lighting. The current innovation is to create a bulb using many LEDs to better as the technology improves. They create a more general light pattern. More don’t seem to be as conspicuous as when work needs to be done on that one. they first arrived on the market. Many of LED-type bulbs also cost 5-6 times more these bulbs still need a warm up period in order to reach their full brightness, and not than other bulbs, although prices have dropped a little in the last few years. all are suitable for dimmer switches. Many other types of bulbs are on the Until recently, most common bulbs, market today. Inform yourself of the pros the incandescent bulbs, are the “regular and cons of each so that you can select the light bulbs” that compact fluorescent right lighting for every lighting situation in bulbs were supposed to replace. They are your home. Although they are “just bulbs,” relatively inexpensive and they give off a the proper selection is really a quality of life decent light. Even within the incandescent category there are different types that issue. After all, lighting has a direct effect on our mood, our efficiency, and how we may be better than others depending on perceive the environment around us. your application. It’s always a good plan

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Seeing the light

March 2015 - 30 HOME AND GARDEN www.eastwichitanews.com

Turn your bathroom into a relaxing oasis (StatePoint) Time spent in the bathroom can be precious, as it may be your only solo time. When prioritizing home upgrades, consider first transforming a ho-hum, conventional bathroom into an oasis of comfort, style and ultimate relaxation. Replace outdated fixtures with new top-quality options that offer greater functionality. Manufacturers produce fixtures and fittings designed to work in tandem. Such “suites” of a toilet, sink and bathtub can improve the look of a bathroom setting. In a toilet, there are certain features to seek. A SmartHeight toilet allows for easier access. For those who are environmentally conscious or looking for a pocketbook-friendly option, seek out a WaterSense rated toilet, signifying greater water conservation. When it comes to relaxation, the bathtub is king. Luckily, manufacturers are innovating features to go beyond whirlpools. New bathtub offerings include chromatherapy mood light systems, thermotherapy heated backrests and in-line heaters that keep water heated perfectly. Make your bathroom the perfect retreat from the rest of the house and the outside world with a few stylish accents that provide greater solitude. For example, privacy decorative glass windows and privacy acrylic block windows are design elements that don’t compromise natural light. Available in four designer frame colors, you can go beyond plain frosted glass with stylish windows that come either operable or fixed in place. Offered in varying shapes and sizes, it’s easy to match windows to other bathroom elements, such as tiles and countertops. Take your spa retreat a step further by piping music into your bathroom with humidity-resistant speakers unsusceptible to steamy showers and hot baths. On a limited budget, you can give the bathroom an elegant long-term facelift by investing in millwork products that resist humidity so you don’t experience warping. From crown moulding to trim around showers and bathtubs to ceiling medallions, polyurethane is a more practical material than traditional wood for these design elements. It’s lightweight, easy to install, and most importantly, designed to resist the humidity of bathing.

While many think of the bathroom as a place to take care of necessary business, you can easily give yours an upgrade that will transform it into a whole lot more.

To get the look of a luxury hotel, the experts at Fypon, which produce thousands of pieces of polyurethane millwork, moulding and trim in a variety of architectural styles, recommend a few project ideas: • Install a set of pilasters on both sides of your shower stall and a door crosshead overhead to upgrade your bathroom’s look.

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• Surround mirrors and decorative accent windows with painted or stained polyurethane mouldings that complement the room. • Install chair rail moulding around the bathroom to add dimension. Paint above or below the moulding and use wallpaper, paneling or a different color paint in the other section.

KSU specialist says there are ﬂowers that rabbits don’t like

You can keep rabbits and deer out of flowers by planting something they don’t like.

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HOME AND GARDEN

It happens way too often – we tuck those tender flowers into our landscapes and wake up to find they’ve turned into rabbit food overnight. Something to keep in mind as we’re planning for spring planting, however, is that there are certain flowers that rabbits typically don’t eat. Rabbit-proof fencing can be an effective control, but may be too unattractive for some uses, said Ward Upham, horticulture rapid response coordinator at Kansas State University. In such cases, using plants that are less likely to be attractive to rabbits can be helpful. “These plants are resistant, but not immune to attack,” said Upham, who is also the coordinator of the K-State Research and Extension Master Gardener program. Young plants or those that are succulent due to overfertilization are more likely to be damaged, he said. A lack of other food sources also can result in rabbits feeding on plants that are normally rejected. One good source of information is a University of Arizona publication, Upham said, which has a list of flowers considered resistant to feeding damage by rabbits, including: artemisia, aster, bee balm, begonia, blanket flower, bleeding heart, candytuft, columbine coreopsis, crocus, daffodil, dahlia, daylily, ferns, gloriosa daisy, herbs (except basil), iris, lamb’s ears, pincushion flower, red hot poker, surprise lily, sweet violet, verbena and yarrow. The Arizona publication, “Deer and Rabbit Resistant Plants,” at http://tinyurl. com/y8sfgo2, also includes trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines.

31 - March 2015

Think spring…and rabbit-resistant ﬂowers

March 2015 - 32 HOME AND GARDEN www.eastwichitanews.com

If you want to make fresh, eye-catching upgrades to the exterior of your house, seek out top-quality products that add texture and pizzazz.

Top to bottom tips to boost your home’s curb appeal (StatePoint) Boosting your home’s curb appeal can help it stand out. Whether your goal is to personalize the exterior for your own enjoyment or you have plans to sell and want to improve resale value, there is great worth in this pursuit. To get started, take a logical, top-tobottom approach, and keep in mind the importance of texture, which can add personality and style to a home. You don’t need to say goodbye to the authentic look of real slate or wood shake in order to have a durable roof that’s resistant to the elements. Check out polymer slate and shake roofing tiles, which are resistant to hail, high winds, fire and other nasty conditions.

Many brands are making it easier to get the right “top” accent for your home using these materials, offering dozens of different colors and providing opportunities to create custom colors. “Color personalizes every aspect of our lifestyles,” says Kate Smith, president and chief color maven of Sensational Color. “It makes complete sense for homeowners wanting to express themselves through the color of their roof.” According to Smith, the color gray is expected to be a popular color choice this year for roofing, due in large part to its refined elegance. Here are a few projects to consider

in order to trim out your home with smooth or textured millwork: • Trim windows with crossheads over them and moulding on the sides and below. • Use faux beams arranged lengthwise or in a criss-cross pattern to add dimension to porch ceilings. • Add decorative columns in fluted square, serpentine, flat square or plain panel square shapes. • Install a woodgrain trellis system to top off a garage door. On these elements, as well as on other millwork such as shutters, porch rails and pilasters, use a variety of surface finishes to get a textured look that’s

appealing. Different textured millwork pieces are available ready-made from many brands. Your entry provides an opportunity to make an immediate impression. “Adding a confident color to a front door can update any home scheme and create a joyful feeling every time someone comes through your entryway,” says Smith, who suggests selecting a paintable fiberglass door. When shopping for a new door, look for clean lines and crisp angles that are ideal for painting. Fiberglass doors are practical, attractive and energy-efficient. Add texture by opting for a doorlite and sidelites flanking the door.

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Before

After

Before you dip into your wallet, learn which home improvements will best hold their value while enhancing curb appeal.

This year’s analysis of top midrange home improvement projects provided deﬁnite direction for homeowners: • Steel entry door replacement: The 20-gauge steel

entry door has consistently delivered the best return on investment for resale, holding the top spot in the midrange product category since its debut in this report in 2009/2010. The steel entry door is the only project that, on a national basis, more than pays back its investment, typically recouping 101.8 percent. • Manufactured stone veneer: A new project on this year’s report is the installation of manufactured stone veneer on home exteriors. This category zoomed to the top of the midrange list, grabbing second place with a 92.2 percent cost-value return. Increased product demand for Heritage Stone is a reﬂection of this trend, observed by Wengerd and others. • Garage door replacement: The installation of new four-section garage doors on galvanized steel tracks proved to be a valuable project, with homeowners recouping 88.4 percent of their costs. • Vinyl siding replacement: Replacing a home’s vinyl siding was one of a handful of projects that jumped up the list for recouping improvement costs. So not only can new vinyl siding beautify a home, it can keep it weatherproof and enhance its resale value. • Deck addition: Adding a wooden deck can do more than provide a place to enjoy the great outdoors. When it comes time to sell, you should be able to pocket more than 80 percent of the cost for this improvement.

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(StatePoint) Before you decide on a home improvement project, it’s a good idea to learn which ones will help raise your house’s value and recoup the most money when you decide to sell. From replacing your front door to adding a deck, there are many midrange improvements that won’t cost a bundle but will deliver great bang for your buck. It’s not about spending the most money; it’s about improvements that best hold their value. The experts at “Remodeling” magazine recently released their 28th annual Cost vs. Value Report, comparing construction costs with resale value for 36 of the most popular home improvement projects. When it came to midrange projects, the report found homeowners recouped the highest percentage of costs on these ﬁve improvements: steel entry door replacement, installation of manufactured stone veneer on home exteriors, garage door replacements, vinyl siding replacement, and wooden deck additions. “Making your home stand out from others on your block and others on the market is achievable if you plan wisely when it comes to remodeling projects,” says Phil Wengerd, vice president of market strategies at ProVia, a leading building products manufacturer. “This year’s statistics indicate that moderately priced exterior projects can signiﬁcantly enhance home resale values.”

33 - March 2015

Five improvements that raise your house’s resale value

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March 2015 - 34 HOME AND GARDEN www.eastwichitanews.com

Is your home hurting you? Reduce pollutants and chemicals at home (StatePoint) The spring cleaning season is a great time to take a closer look at some of the potentially harmful chemicals present in your home – and to seek out healthier alternatives. In recent years, homeowners have started asking better questions about what pollutants are lurking around nearly every corner – from building materials to the paint on the walls down to the backing on carpeting. While it’s neither realistic nor necessary to remove every toxin from a home, there are a few common sources that can be addressed easily. “The good news is, you don’t have to be a chemist to understand what products and materials are safe to have in your home,” says Anne Hicks Harney, architect and Director of Sustainability at architectural ﬁrm Ayers Saint Gross and member of the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Materials Knowledge Working Group. “You can arm yourself with the knowledge needed to make smarter choices for you and your family.” Harney offers a few tips to help reduce or eliminate common toxins in the home. Go natural. Whenever possible, use natural or water-based materials and cleaning agents. Also, be aware of: • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCS): From paint to composite wood, VOCs are found in many products and are responsible for that tell-tale chemical “smell.” When it comes to paint, “Low VOC” or “No VOC” are your best options and are easy to ﬁnd.

• Flame Retardants and Petrochemicals: Commonly found in such foam products as couch cushions and insulation, these are a bit more challenging to avoid. The risk is that these chemicals are known to accumulate over time in the human body. Looking for an alternative? Try a natural fiber such as down in your upholstery. • Plastic Additives: Plastics are beneficial in a number of household materials but their use should be limited when possible. Search for a carpet with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-free backing or try wool, a natural alternative. For tile or sheet flooring, avoid vinyl products and consider linoleum or cork and rubber options instead. Ventilate your home. It’s good to open your windows every now and then to get the air circulating into your home and any chemical smells out. If you can’t open your windows due to outdoor allergies or poor outdoor air quality, indoor plants constantly regenerate air and provide a pretty alternative. Take to the web. Manufacturers and professional organizations are becoming more transparent about educating consumers. Check out resources like the AIA Materials webpage or http://architectfinder.aia. org to learn more about sustainable products and to find professionals who can assist your efforts. Don’t know? Don’t buy. As a general rule of thumb, if you don’t know and understand what a product contains, don’t put it inside your house. Take advantage of the wealth of information now available at your fingertips to make safer choices.

During this spring cleaning season, take the time to protect your family by removing harmful pollutants from your home.

Wood is surprisingly flexible when it comes to color.

different on pine than on cherry. Test the stain on an inconspicuous area of the wood ﬁrst to see the true color. • Use a pre-stain wood conditioner to prevent streaks and blotches and ensure the wood absorbs the stain evenly. • For beautiful, even color, thoroughly stir – not shake – the can to distribute pigments that may have settled on the bottom. • If you create a custom color, measure each shade carefully and write it down so you can re-create it. • For an antique or distressed look, layer lighter and darker stain colors. Once the stain has dried, lightly sand away the top layer in different spots and then protect the piece with a clear ﬁnish.

With an extensive inventory as well as unlimited custom rug options, Rug Studio has everything in rugs.

FACES WANTED. At East Wichita News, we’re already working on feature stories for upcoming editions. If you know of someone whose face (and story) should appear on these pages, please let us know! ewn@eastwichitanews.com 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/EastWichitaNews

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(NAPSI) – When it comes to giving your home natural warmth and beauty, few things compare to wood – and wood is surprisingly flexible when it comes to color. Whether you’re refinishing your floors or cabinets, restoring a fine piece of furniture or creating a new look distressing an existing piece, wood stain can enhance the beauty of the wood and add to your style. From traditional colors such as walnut or oak, to trendy espresso or weathered gray, you can choose from a variety of wood stains or create your own custom colors by mixing stains. The experts at the Minwax Company have tips to help: • Each species of wood accepts stain differently. A dark walnut stain will look

HOME AND GARDEN

Choosing a stain color

As the name Rug Studio implies, we take every client's individual needs into consideration as a project. And, Rug Studio offers most every style, color, and fabric available in the floor fashion market. We know you are looking for more than a just a floor covering. It's an expression of how you define your living space. Phillip and Noelle are focused on the latest trends in the industry and are here to help you find the right rug for your personal taste, lifestyle, and budget.

35 - March 2015

Looking for the Perfect Rug?

March 2015 - 36 HOME AND GARDEN www.eastwichitanews.com

Dream big…and make it happen with the experts at Gross Tile Mark Gross, founder of Gross Tile and Concrete Design of Wichita, just smiles whenever someone asks about customer satisfaction. He knows that goal starts with giving customers the personal attention they need right from the beginning of a home remodeling project. But that’s just the beginning. The real test is delivering what’s promised, and giving everything to every job. It’s about finding the right solutions, and in the end, making each customer stand back and say, “Wow!” For more than three decades, Mark has been delivering that “wow” factor for his clients. “I was installing hard-surface flooring and countertops for a company here in Wichita while going to college,” he said. “I was working with vinyl and tile flooring, and was doing old-time plaster showers with concrete walls.” Mark loved the work, and the Wichita native stayed in the industry after earning his business degree from WSU. He opened a floor-covering store with a partner in the early 1980s, and later did installation work as a private contractor before he and his wife Cathy – also a Wichita native who graduated from Newman University – opened the first Gross Tile location at Fern and Douglas. Now, all these years later, they’re back in the Delano District, where a second Gross Tile showroom will open soon. Their daughter, Jenna Hill, who has years of experience working with clients at the current showroom, will staff the new Delano showroom when it opens to the public this spring. “We’ve got a lot of satisfied customers, and we want to continue to focus on our remodeling work, especially with bathroom renovations and custom curbless showers,” said Mark. “I love it when I can share my ideas with clients and give them just what they’re looking for.” Gross Tile continues to bring fresh ideas and exciting new products to the table, and Mark’s excitement level to meet customers’ needs isn’t diminishing. One of those great ideas is the concept of “curbless showers,” which can accomplish many things for new and remodeled bathrooms.

Second location coming soon to Delano District

While the concept has been around for some time, Gross Tile is making a name for itself as a leader in curbless shower designs for today’s homes. These highly individualized shower designs offer roomier spaces for homeowners, modern looks, and easy access for handicapped individuals. “Imagine a shower that is both beautiful in design and also has easy walk-in access as well as the ability to move a wheelchair in and out of the shower,” said Mark. “It’s a perfect solution for both those who want that kind of look and design, and those who need to address accessibility issues.” Gross Tile also offers an extensive line of quartz and concrete countertops, and specializes in complete kitchen and bath remodeling projects, as well as being a leader in the Wichita area for all types of ﬂooring. For more information call 316773-1600, or stop by the current showroom at 10680 W. Maple, near Maple and Maize Road. You can also ﬁnd Gross Tile on Facebook.

ABOVE: A recent Gross Tile project included a custom concrete countertop. Gross Tile stocks and can custom design a variety of countertop products. BELOW: Curbless showers are becoming a signature home improvement for the Gross Tile team. Curbless designs help with accessibility issues and add modern design to a bathroom.

A second showroom for Gross Tile and Concrete Design is coming soon to 1528 W. Douglas in the historic Delano District of downtown Wichita. The additional showroom will help expand the company’s base in Wichita, and better meet the needs of customers all across Wichita. The current showroom near Maple Street and Maize Road is convenient and perfect for the company’s customer base in west Wichita, and the additional showroom in downtown Wichita will bring a new level of customer service for clients in the midtown and eastern areas of the city. “We are so excited about this location,” said Mark. Gross Tile is converting a historic brick building on the northeast corner of Douglas and Fern streets. There’s a high volume of trafﬁc in the renaissance business neighborhood, and it is easily accessible from all across the city of Wichita. It also brings Mark back to his roots. Soon, with two locations, the expertise that Gross Tile brings to all types of remodeling and redesign projects will be even more accessible to all clients in and around Wichita. “Our current customers know just what we can accomplish with their projects, and having an additional showroom will make us just that much more accessible to anyone interested in a new look for their home,” said Mark. Work is continuing at a rapid pace on the new showroom in the Delano District, and soon it will be open for all to enjoy – and glean ideas for that next important home renovation project. So stay tuned…it’s coming soon! And in the meantime, learn more about Gross Tile and Concrete Design by calling 316-773-1600, or take a few minutes to stop by the west Wichita showroom at 10680 W. Maple, near Maple and Maize Road. You can also ﬁnd Gross Tile on Facebook.

36-inch walk-behind mower should be ideal,” says Daryn Walters at Exmark, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial mowers. For smaller lawns, consider a small, zero-turn mower with a cutting deck around 34 inches. Many of these mowers require little maintenance and offer fuel economy and durability. If you live on a larger plot of land, don’t rule out a commercial zero-turn mower, which is more durable, tends to be more comfortable to operate, and offers increased productivity with more professional-looking results. Keep in mind, properties of more than an acre may warrant a mower with a 60- to 72-inch cutting deck. You’ll be using your mower a lot, so look for an advanced ergonomic design. After you’ve considered your budget, lawn size and terrain, you’ll want to look at the engine and features offered. Many models come with a variety of engine types and conﬁgurations, including eco-friendly models that can save you money on fuel. Mower accessories can include mulching, bagging and striping kits. Decide what your priorities are and get a model that’s right for you.

By tackling your lawn with a low-maintenance, durable, easy-to-operate mower, you can save time, money and energy. So do your research before making a purchase.

HOME AND GARDEN

(StatePoint) - Now is a great time to take stock of your lawn equipment, and assess whether your gear can withstand another season of wear and tear. If you’ve determined it’s time to replace your toolshed’s most valuable player -- your lawn mower -- get informed so you can make a savvy decision, as mower technology has changed a lot in the last several years. Whether this is your first mower, your old mower is on the fritz or you’re simply looking to upgrade, these tips and considerations can help you make a decision that’s wise for you and your lawn. The first thing to take into account is your budget. You need the most dependable and durable mower that you can afford. However, keep in mind, you may not have to pay the entire cost of the mower upfront. Some brands offer various financing options that allow you to make payments over time. Whether you’re seeking low minimum payments or you want to minimize interest payments, ask your dealer about your options. Take into account the size of your property. A smaller lawn requires a smaller machine. “For properties under a half acre, a 21- to

37 - March 2015

What to know about replacing your mower

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March 2015 - 38 HOME AND GARDEN www.eastwichitanews.com

Let dreams become reality this spring with the Kitchen Tune-Up team! If you’ve been dreaming about that new kitchen or bath, it’s time to let some reality sink in. This spring, call the Kitchen Tune-Up team to make those dreams come alive…at a budget you can live with, too. Kitchen Tune-Up has remodeled hundreds of kitchens since Jim and Arlene Phillips started the business in 2005, and the company’s services range from One-Day “Tune-Up” of cabinets or any interior wood surfaces, to cabinet refacing projects to complete custom kitchens and bathrooms. All of those refacing and new construction options are now available to see at the company’s new design center in East Wichita. The new design center is located at 4057 N. Woodlawn, Suite 1. “We’re excited to meet all of our soon-to-be new friends at the new design center,” said Arlene. Jim and Arlene take pride in their active involvement with customers, and one of the best ways they can help make dreams become reality is through their knowledge of what Kitchen TuneUp has to offer in the way of product lines, service – and the right look and budget for each project. “It’s amazing what we can do for tired, and damaged wood finishes with our Tune-Up services,” said Jim. “That’s one of the cornerstones of this business, and we really can make magic happen in just one day. The Tune-Up repairs any finish issues such as wa-

ter damage near wet areas, dark areas around handles and corners of cabinet doors, scratches, etc. This process really refreshes tired wood!” For other customers, it’s time for a whole new look. In those instances, refacing projects can utilize existing cabinetry and provide a “wow” factor that is nothing short of amazing. And for still other customers, it’s time to start over with a completely new custom kitchen or bathroom. The Kitchen Tune-Up team has proven itself over and over again with complete kitchen renovations, and their clients have the smiles to back up those high expectations. Wichita homeowners Diana Rickson and Joy McLain were repeat customers with Kitchen Tune-Up recently, and Joy is thrilled to share her story: “We first worked with Kitchen TuneUp at another residence, and they were awesome,” said Joy. “They met all deadlines and kept us posted on any changes in the schedule.”

At their new home, Joy and Diana quickly realized their kitchen wasn’t exactly what they wanted. “Our first thought was to call Kitchen Tune-Up,” said Joy. “They were able to help us with some fresh ideas, and the end result was perfect.” The new kitchen now features a vertical tile backsplash with a glass look, and contrasting white granite countertops with a marble ‘look,’ but without the issues of marble in a kitchen. Rollout trays were added, and the new look is very modern, yet very comfortable. New lighting and paint color completed the project. Joy and Diana do a lot of entertaining, and the new kitchen space is open and inviting. Guests can sit and visit along a kitchen counter, or gather in an adjoining family room that is fully open to the kitchen. And in addition to the kitchen make-over, a bank of doors in the linen storage area were re-doored to blend with the modern look they love. Working as an integral part of the

Kitchen Tune-Up team is daughter-inlaw Rachel, whose design services are in high demand. She has a strong background in design and customer service. “My goal for each customer is to design the most amazing space possible for the budget and then make the whole remodeling process as relaxing as possible,” said Rachel. “Great customer service is the cornerstone to our success. My clients know I will take care of them and their space won’t look like everyone else’s on the block.” At the design center, clients can look at samples of the new cabinet structure, sample door styles for custom remodels/refaces/redoors, a sample reface project, tile, and many kinds of countertop samples including granite, quartz, and laminates. “In addition to kitchens, we do bathrooms, countertops, back splashes – anything to do with a kitchen or bath project,” said Jim. “And when the work is done, clients can rest assured that they’ve gotten the best possible results.” For more information or to schedule a free in-home consultation, call Kitchen Tune-Up at 316-558-8888 or visit kitchentuneup.com/wichita-ks-phillips. Be sure to check out the local company’s extensive BEFORE/AFTER portfolios on Facebook and when you visit the Facebook page, be sure to ‘LIKE’ Kitchen Tune-Up, Wichita (Jim and Arlene Phillips)!

Two recent projects showcase the Kitchen Tune-Up team’s makeover talents. FAR LEFT: A full renovation turned a cramped kitchen into a beautiful workspace. LEFT: Kitchen TuneUp designer Rachel Phillips, right, interviews a happy homeowner after another successful project.

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Is your yard wildlife friendly? mosquitoes are most active, you should change the bird bath water even more often. Promote safety. A bird feeder in your backyard, full of water and seeds, will be the perfect invitation for beautiful migrating and local birds to stop by. Just be sure your property is safe for birds. Unfortunately, birds don’t see clear glass. As a result, millions of birds die every year by striking glass. Don’t let your sliding glass doors or other windows become a death trap for birds. To protect birds, apply special decals that reﬂect ultraviolet sunlight. “Wildlife can beautify your garden and be a sign that your yard is healthy” says Spencer Schock, founder of WindowAlert. “But birds and other wildlife need food, shelter, and safety.”

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(StatePoint) Being a good neighbor means more than being friendly to the humans across the street, it also means being friendly to the animals in your yard. Making your yard a safe place for local wildlife should be a top lawn care priority. With that in mind, here are some tips for creating a healthy habitat for local critters. Stock your garden with small native species of trees, shrubs and ﬂowers to give wildlife needed nourishment, as well as cover from predators. A source of water can also be a great resource for visiting fauna. Whether it’s a pond or a bird bath, be sure this zone is well-maintained so you don’t inadvertently create a haven for unwanted species. In the warmer months when

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Call 316-262-3905 office 316-993-9949 cell

39 - March 2015

Painting & Remodeling

15 questions for you in 2015 1)

Do you believe you will live to see another major stock market downturn?

Do you remember:

If you want protection for your portfolio if the market crashes, how will you know when to take defensive steps to protect your investments?

when the technology bubble burst and we had a three year bear market

the metrics and the mindset to make timely defensive moves? Did your

advisor do so in either 2000 or 2008? If not, what do you think will be

when the housing bubble burst and we had a financial crisis and a two

Do you understand that Federal Reserve monetary policy was the primary contributing factor for these bubbles?

If you use a financial advisor, are you confident that your advisor has both

(2000 – 2003)? year bear market (2008 – 2009)? 3)

Do you realize that since 2008 the Fed has massively increased the

different the next time? 10) Can you imagine how much money is typically left in harm’s way when markets crumble? 11) Would an investment approach (not annuities!) that allows occasional

size of its balance sheet from roughly $850 billion to about $4.5 trillion

modest declines but actively seeks to protect your portfolio from major

today and that these actions dwarf what the Fed did prior to the other

drops appeal to you?

bubbles? 12) Do you know your own risk score, the implications of your risk score, and 5)

Can you accept the premise that the vast amount of “quantitative easing”

how to compare it to the risk score of your portfolio?

and the extended artificially low interest rates may ultimately herald either a bubble-producing liquidity buildup or rising interest rates, either of which could derail the economic recovery? 6)

Have you noticed that when the stock market is doing reasonably well, many investors and advisors can feel comfortable and be complacent?

When you think about what the Fed and other major central banks around

13) Do you want your portfolio decisions to be made in the context of a personal financial plan which reflects your goals and concerns and is updated annually? 14) Are you interested in learning how the tools and techniques of Coe Financial Services might work for you? 15) Would you be willing to invest an hour of your time for a no obligation

the world have done (a very dangerous and massive experiment of

meeting to learn more about what we do and why? If so, this is your

unprecedented magnitude), do you think there is any realistic chance that

opportunity to call Richard Coe at 689-0900 or email him at jrcoe@

this party will end well?

CoeFinancialServices.com.

Financial advisors Jim DeKalb, left, and Richard Coe help build strong and lasting relationships with their clients. The keys to maintaining those relationships are communication and service.