East Wichita News March 2016

March 2016 - 2

I INSIDE

Volume 33 • Issue 3 March 2016

ON THE COVER An act of faith | 16

w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Matthew Vines and his Reformation Project work for a more accepting Christian church.

City OKs new central library | 4

Features

Eastside locales nominated for National Register of Historic Places | 10

Movie Review............................7

From the Publisher’s Files...............................................6

Cook’s Library...........................8 People & Places..................... 11 Focus On Business......... 12-13

East Wichita News’ Spring Home and Garden Guide| 22-31

East Wichita News Editorial

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

Sales & Billing

Sales Paul Rhodes, Valorie Castor, Briana Bade 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 © 2016 Times-Sentinel Newspapers LLC

Performing Arts Calendar................................... 15 Cinema Scene........................ 18 Dateline.................................... 21 Eastside Homes..................... 25 Now in our 33rd 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.

Concert lineup revives feelings of youth, rebellion From what I’ve heard, Wichita is pretty excited about this year’s music lineup at Riverfest.

I know I’m probably as pumped as I’ve ever been, and I think over the years organizers have done a nice job of bringing in well-know and up-and-coming acts that appeal to a variety of tastes.

The festival also does a fantastic job of highlighting locals acts.

The Violent Femmes top my list. I first heard about this 1980s alternative band at a party while I was still in high school.

They seemed to capture the need for self-expression that went hand-in-hand with being 15 or 16 years old.

Simply listening to the Violent Femmes felt like an act of rebellion, a musical middle finger directed at no one in particular. My parents had no idea who the Femmes were. I’m sure they still don’t.

I doubt my parents today would see the Violent Femmes as the same kind of threat they probably would have back then, although I’m sure their indifference now would be the same as back then.

Just the name of Huey Lewis’ song “I Want A New Drug” got a strong reaction, at least until I explained what the song was really about.

Of course, a lot of acts have since come along that made the Violent Femmes look tame. And many former “scary” acts from my youth don’t seem so bad now. Some have essentially gentrified.

The sneer of Billy Idol, the seething sexuality of Morris Day...just classic acts now, I guess.

Every generation had bands that scared the hell out of their parents, too.

Elvis Presley and the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in generations before mine. Eminem and Marilyn Manson and NWA since then.

There are lots of other acts that I

Travis Mounts | Managing Editor

hope to see, too.

The Roots are absolutely fantastic and I hope to catch them live for the first time. If you don’t know them, they’ve been the house band for Jimmy Fallon for some time.

I wasn’t familiar with Elle King’s name, but her song “Ex’s & Oh’s” was seared into my brain last year. She’s definitely a great choice for Riverfest attendees in their teens and 20s, as well as those of us who still remember that age and don’t mind tapping into that energy now and again.

There is plenty of local flavor, and that flavor is varied: Moreland & Arbuckle, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and O’Phil, just to name a few. There are many more acts, both local and national.

You can see them all for the price of a $10 button. That’s a steal compared to concerts at Intrust Bank Arena, and a bargain compared to local haunts like The Cotillion and The Orpheum (both of which do a fantastic job of bringing in great acts for reasonable prices).

That button is even cheaper early – you can get them for $7 between April 11 and May 5 at Cox Solutions Stores.

So when June rolls around, I’ll be out walkin’, I’ll strut my stuff, and I’ll be at the concerts at Riverfest.

You can reach Travis Mounts by email at news@tsnews.com or by phone at 316-540-0500.

ESPRESS YOURSELF! Now Available - Specialty Coffee Drinks

Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Espresso...

99垄 for ANY Coffee Drink

thru 03/10/16

Jump start your day with us, or kick start your afternoon!

Great Harvest Bread Co. 535 N. Woodlawn 路 Wichita 路 316.685.6455 GreatHarvestWichita.com Mon - Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat: 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Coffee

March 2016 - 4 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

City OKs new central library Story

by

Amy Houston

The Wichita City Council voted in February to move ahead with plans for a new central library in Wichita.

The $33 million project will result in a 105,200-square-foot facility. It will be located at Second and McLean, across from Exploration Place.

“It’ll link downtown to the cultural corridor,” said Kellie Hogan, president of the Wichita Public Library Board.

The city council has authorized the issuance of bonds and approved putting the project out for bid.

Funds also will come from the Wichita Library Foundation; Hogan said an $8 million capital campaign was underway and about $5 million of that already had been raised.

The new central library will replace the library near Century II, although branch libraries will remain in Wichita. Hogan said local officials were studying the future of Century II and investigating the possibility of using the current central library property in conjunction with that.

Architects’ renderings of the interior (above) and exterior of the new central library, which will be located across McLean Boulevard from Exploration Place.

“The current building is an iconic building,” Hogan said. “It has served us well.”

However, she described the new library as an advanced learning library and not just “a warehouse for books.” One of the problems with the current, poured-concrete building is technology “dead spots” inside.

The new library will feature advanced technology with public computers and free Wi-Fi. A drivethrough window will be available and people will be able to pick up items they reserved without leaving their cars.

Hogan said that 75 percent of the building would

O

M

Committed to being the leader in providing quality personal services for our residents, while honoring the experience of aging

Why we are Di erent? conveniently located.”

Another important aspect of the new library is that it will adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hogan said organizers spent more than 10 years developing the plan for this project.

“It’s certainly been well-studied,” she remarked. Officials wanted to be good stewards of taxpayer money, so they spent time deliberating and also looked into the cost of rehabilitating the current central library.

Land was acquired for the new library in 2008. Groundbreaking is tentatively set for sometime this summer.

Hogan said other cities that have built new libraries doubled their number of patrons. Wichita includes about half a million library patrons.

“I always think about when people have grandkids visiting, or out-of-town relatives, you’re always wondering where to take them,” Hogan said. “And I think the library’s going to be a very good asset for our community. The other thing is, I think having a new library is going to speak to people visiting our community the way our airport does – we’re not stale, we’re moving forward.”

F

ew decisions made in life cult are as as the decision to place a loved one with dementia in a care home. At Cypress Springs Alzheimer’s Special Care Center we understand the challenges and emotions involved and we are here to help.

Our exclusive Meaningful Moments® program is speci cally designed to help meet the needs of those residents living with dementia. We begin by learning the life story of each individual by nding out their preferences, likes, dislikes

and cherished memories.

By adding details and preferences from the residents’ life stories into their day we can build comfort and a sense of meaning for each resident individually. e result is a familiar atmosphere for your loved one.

Given that everyone has a unique personal history, we’ve found that the more we honor each resident’s life story, the more successful we are with their day-to-day ay y living experience. nce. By understandingg the person and being familiar miliar with their life story, ourr

CYPRESS SPRINGS WICHITA ALZHEIMER’S SPECIAL CARE CENTER

1859 N. Webb Road, Wichita, KS 67206

316-558-5775

skilled sta members help ease the current challenges and bring meaningful moments of joy and self-worth to the person’s present time.

Meaningful Moments is a care philosophy that takes a holistic approach to caring for our Residents; physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

It is a philosophy that comes from the heart heart. rn mor mor oree or ttoo To learn personalized arrange a pe pers rson onal on aliz al ized iz ed ttour our ou pl 51 519- 1. please call 316-558-5775

www.eastwichitanews.com

be accessible for public use. A new auditorium that seats up to 300 people may be partitioned for smaller groups as well. The current library auditorium accommodates fewer than 100.

Planners have worked to attract children and youth. A teen area will be featured, and a children’s area will be located on the first floor. Hogan explained that the current kids’ area is on the third floor, which is inconvenient for parents and other caregivers using strollers and other child accessories.

“The new library will have space where full classes can come into the library and the facilities,” Hogan added.

“They’re going to have an outdoor learning center for kids that connects to the children’s area. The children’s area will be on the first floor, with appropriate restroom facilities nearby.”

A café will be present inside the library, and parking will be located behind the building. That will increase the aesthetic value from the street, according to Hogan.

“You’ll see the beautiful new building – you won’t see a new parking lot,” she said. “But we’ve certainly paid attention to having adequate public parking

Meaningful Moments

5 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

CYPRESS SPRINGS - ALZHEIMER’S SPECIAL CARE CENTER

March 2016 - 6 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Sometimes our histories are intertwined My brother Bruce and I shared a chuckle during a phone conversation the other night…along with some important information.

Bruce had tried to catch up with me over the weekend, but I was in Kansas City on a three-day holiday. I finally called him back Sunday evening after returning home, and he totally understood that I had pretty much ignored my cell phone for the weekend.

Our disdain for cellular telephones is just one little thing the two of us share.

And of course, there’s more. We’re brothers, for heaven’s sake.

The two of us are it as far as siblings, and we’re just two years apart in age.

Bruce is the younger one, on which we both agree. From there we could spend the rest of this column arguing and laughing about our differences and similarities, which is probably spot on for a sibling relationship.

On one subject, though, the two of us rarely squabble – our medical conditions. Instead, we’re more apt to offer up a sympathetic ear than a sarcastic jab.

Heredity can play such a connective role in our lives, and my brother and I have found over the years that it certainly has played a role in our lives.

We sound exactly the same when we talk. We buy the same tennis shoes. We share a similar sense of humor.

And, we have some similar medical issues.

That’s exactly why my brother was trying to get in touch with me over the weekend. He knew I had a doctor’s appointment coming up, and he wanted an update. Unfortunately, that appointment was still a couple of days away, so I didn’t have much to report on my latest concern, which is blood sugar related. Instead we talked about other medical commonalities, including the definitive description of sensations in our feet that we both

From the Publisher’s Files

Paul Rhodes | Publisher

share.

Bruce and I really started comparing medical notes several years ago when I was starting to have some problems with neuropathy in my extremities.

He was the one who told me straight up that I needed to see a neurologist because the symptoms were so similar to his.

Needless to say, we’ve been talking about neuropathy stuff ever since.

Over the years, we’ve compared notes on all kinds of conditions, from our hearts (yes, we each have one) to our eyes, ears, joints, gastrointestinal functions and blood chemistry levels.

At almost every turn, as one of us has been going through some kind of medical issue, the other has become more keenly aware of how that same issue might be impacting his life.

Genetics, we have found, can be a real killjoy. But it also can give us invaluable insight into ourselves. And sometimes, it can be just the lift we need to realize we’re never truly alone with our problems.

“So one of these days, maybe we can talk about something other than medical problems,” my brother chortled as we finished up our conversation the other night.

Maybe so, I replied.

But in the meantime, you can bet your last dollar I’ll be calling my brother soon after my doctor’s appointment this week.

Spring Spruce-up Special For

Movie Review

Your Lucky Dog Expires 3/31/16

Bring in this ad for

10% OFF

580 S. Oliver • 689-8200 Walk-in’s Welcome!

Open Mon-Sat • Flexible Hours

Jim Erickson

important in the world of athletics but might be trumped by something of even greater importance in the wider world is almost shocking in the genre of sports movies. “Race” is willing to go there, and that’s one of the reasons I like and admire this movie in a genre I usually avoid.

The great issue in “Race” cannot be whether, in the end, Jesse Owens will compete in the Olympics in 1936, because we know he will not only compete but triumph. Our attention is drawn to the question of whether and why he should do it.

Once the emphasis is on that, a lot of issues have to be presented that contribute to that decision. He should do it for his country, because otherwise he will spend his life wondering, because he should use the gifts God has given, because it represents his chance to be a Big Man. He should do it for his family, for his coach. All these factors are voiced by individualized and highly sympathetic characters.

I don’t like all the characters. The coach, played by Jason Sudeikis, is one of those drill-instructor characters whose dedication to track and field seems fanatical and unreasonable to me. But Sudeikis does not make him a one-dimensional brute.

Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler’s favorite documentary director, stands up to Nazi big shot Goebbels in defense of her art and has a very effective interchange with Owens. Chief rival Luz Long demonstrates the brotherhood of athletes and eventually pays a price for doing so.

It’s surprising how little “Race” seems like a propaganda piece. I don’t know the historical facts, but I believed everything I saw on screen.

20% All Wines R Discount Liquor & OFF

With Coupon Thru 03/31/16

J And Smoke Shop 3015 E. Douglas 681-3761

Not valid with any other offer.

Sale & discontinued items not included.

www.eastwichitanews.com

One of the things that keeps me away from movies about both sports and show business is their tendency to make some kind of cosmic issue out of whether somebody can run and play with a ball better than somebody else.

There are exceptions. In the original “Rocky,” our hero goes into the concluding match knowing he can’t win, and, lo and behold, he doesn’t. In my favorite musical, the Judy Garland version of “A Star Is Born,” the ending does not put emphasis on Garland’s ego. And the old, old pattern is still good when it’s very ably handled, as in my second-favorite musical, Doris Day’s “Romance on the High Seas.”

Still, in most sports and show biz films, we are asked to take seriously the purely personal ego of some unusual – but not very important – individual who wants the cheers in his or her ears.

That’s one of the reasons I like “Race” so much.

Jesse Owens may or may not be accurately portrayed; I’m not enough of an athletics fan to know. But, at least in the film, he does not let obsession with personal glory obscure his view of Hitler’s 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin as an event where something more than personal glory is at stake.

Owens is fully aware – as Rocky was – that he might not win. More than once, he decides: To hell with it, he’s not going.

And his motives are not self-centered. If he loses, he may be contributing, just a little, to Hitler’s odious promotion of the Aryan idea of a master race.

The movie as a whole makes some effort to keep the whole world of athletics in perspective. While it generally accepts the typically American notion that you’re either number one champion or a forgotten failure, screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anne Waterhouse and director Stephen Hopkins let one supporting character in Owens’ family insist that whether he wins or not will not really make any difference, one way or another, to the world as a whole.

Owens himself questions whether merely participating in the Olympics grants legitimacy to the Nazi regime.

The suggestion that the Olympics are

CINDY’S DOG GROOMING

7 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

‘Race’ is nuanced portrayal of well-known history

March 2016 - 8 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Beautiful food is in the eye of the beholder Every spring when the purple hyacinths bloomed, my mom would pick a big bouquet and put it in a fruit jar in the middle of the dining room table. Even as a child, I realized this was about more than bringing flowers inside. Although I didn’t understand it then, she was satisfying an innate need we all have for beauty.

Years ago, I was writing a magazine story about a church with beautiful stained glass, and one of the people I interviewed commented that beauty was a manifestation of the divine. I loved that statement and have thought about it many, many times since. It really resonated with me.

I’ve been reading “Beauty,” a book by the poet John O’Donohue. “The human soul is hungry for beauty; we seek it everywhere – in landscape, music, art, clothes, furniture, gardening, companionship, love, religion and in ourselves,” he writes. “We feel most alive in the presence of the Beautiful, for it meets the needs of our soul.”

Far be it from me to presume to explain it better than Mr. O’Donohue, but this concept continues to come up in my life. It is part of the reason I like to be surrounded by “things” that remind me of beautiful experiences. Some of them are beautiful in their own right, and some of them are probably beautiful only to me.

The adage that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is so true. I’m attracted to things others might not be interested in at all – from rocks to old vases.

Others love vintage cars or mid-century furniture. Whatever appeals to your

Cook’s Library

Patsy Terrell

sense of beauty satisfies something deep inside you.

This extends to food, too. There’s a reason presentation is always one of the things graded on a competition cooking show. Over the years, I’ve made some food that is pretty, but most of the food I make has more of a – charm – shall we say. But who doesn’t love a jar of homemade cookies on the counter?

No extra decoration is required! Homemade food is always beautiful, whether simple or dressed up.

I thought this month I’d share with you one of my absolute favorite cookie recipes. I’ve been making these cookies for more than 25 years and so far no one has turned one down. They are delicious and perfect with a cup of tea when it’s just a little nippy outside.

I decided I’d better share them while we still have some chilly days ahead.

The bonus is that your house will smell amazing while they’re baking. Don’t be put off by the crystallized ginger – it’s easy to work with. If you don’t have any and don’t want to get any, you can leave it out, but it does add a little something special to the recipe.

Ginger Cookies with Crystallized Ginger 1/2 cup shortening 1/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses 2 1/4 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 ounces crystallized ginger, minced Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and crystallized ginger and mix. Make 48 one inch balls. Put on cookie sheet and flatten with glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

See more photos and recipes at cookslibrarywithpatsy.com. Patsy Terrell lives with many, many pretty rocks - and fewer ginger cookies than she’d like.

The author is fond of old vases, like this one.

$20 Admission Per Day or TUNE IN TO 107.9 KWLS TO LEARN HOW TO GET 1/2 PRICE COUPONS FROM PARTICIPATING SPONSORS! Children Under 12 are FREE with Accompanying Adult

www.kwlsradio.com

Gates Open at 10 am

PLANNED EVENTS:

» 2 Major Country Concerts » Midwest’s Finest Real American Country, Red Dirt & Bluegrass Bands » Chuckwagon Cooking » Car Show » Petting Zoo » Pig Races » Helicopter Rides » Gospel Sing-A-Long » Pony Rides » Antique Tractors » Gunfighters » Wagon Rides

Red Dirt

FASTEST GROWING STATION IN KANSAS & OKLAHOMA

March 2016 - 10 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Sam Koehn Mortgage Loan Officer 316-945-9600

East Wichita locales nominated for Register At its regular quarterly meeting held at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka in February, the Historic Sites Board of Review voted to forward five nominations to the office of the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C., to be evaluated by its professional staff members. If they concur with the board’s findings, the properties will be included in the National Register. The board also voted to list one property in the Register of Historic Kansas Places.

Two of the nominated locations are in East Wichita.

The Grandview Terrace Apartments are located at 1736-1748 N. Hillside.

Constructed between 1949 and 1950, the Grandview Terrace Apartments are nominated as a rare example of a postWorld War II, private apartment building in the Fairmount neighborhood in north central Wichita. With the influx of WWII veterans and the increase in job opportunities in aviation, the housing shortage in Wichita that began in 1940 and 1941 continued well into the 1950s.

Local real-estate women Maud Beech (sister of Beech Aircraft founder) and Marguerite Mollohan took advantage of the unmet demand for modern living. The apartment complex included covered off-street parking as well as a beauty salon, pharmacy and restaurant.

The property is also significant as a distinct 1950 Modern style building designed by Wichita architects Overend & Boucher. The Grandview Terrace Apartments reflect the general tenets of the post-WW II Modern apartment

building not unlike the federal housing during and after the war.

Also in East Wichita is the AshGrove Historic District, located from the 2100 to 2330 block of East Douglass Avenue.

The Ash-Grove Historic District is nominated for its association with the growth and development of this commercial cluster opposite Wichita East High School. The 2100-2300 blocks of East Douglas Avenue were initially developed during a time when the city was experiencing explosive growth that led to neighborhood and commercial expansion outside the city’s core.

Development along this section of East Douglas followed the establishment of Wichita’s “Auto-Row” immediately east of downtown and coincided with the selection of the south side of the 2200 block as home to Wichita’s new high school, built in the 1920s to serve the eastward-marching Wichita population. This growth stalled by the end of the decade as the 1930s ushered in a focus on survival, not expansion.

The second wave of development within this district spanned from 1940 to 1960. Wichita’s World War II and post-war growth was related largely to Wichita’s aviation industry. Grove Street, the eastern boundary of the district, served as the north-south thoroughfare connecting the aviation businesses that had developed south and east of the city.

Eight new buildings were constructed in this three-block area in the post-war era.

The district generally took its current form by 1960.

CELEBRATE SPRING AT UNIVERSITY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Palm Sunday Sunday, March 20, 2016 10:30am Maundy Thursday Thursday, March 24, 2016 6:00pm Easter Sunrise Service Sunday, March 27, 2016 7:00am Se Traditional Easter Service Sunday, March 27,2016 10:30am

University Congregational Church 9209 E. 29th North, Wichita KS 67226 (316) 634-0430 - www.ucchurch.org

• East Wichita resident Harry Dobbin will be inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame as part of the band Sawdust Charley, a local band in the 1970s.

The induction will take place March 3.

Dobbins, a kidney transplant recipient 34 years ago, also has been involved with a Wichita State University project that is documenting the history of rock ‘n’ roll in Wichita from the 1950s through 1980s. He has produced an album of his own music and currently plays with the band FunTones.

• Via Christi Health, a member of Ascension, and Ascension Senior Living and the Catholic Diocese of Wichita announced that, effective March 1, Cindy LaFleur will become executive director of the Catholic Care Center located in Bel Aire. LaFleur will be responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day management of the largest continuing care retirement community in south-central Kansas. LaFleur joins Ascension Senior Living after 20 years with Via Christi where she was most recently the senior administrator of post-acute care.

• U.S. Army Reserve Pvt. Jacquelahn D. Dubose has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Jackson, S.C. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, his-

tory, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises. Dubose is a 2015 graduate of Southeast High School.

• Emporia State University named nearly 700 students to the honor roll for fall 2015. The Eastsiders on the honor roll are Elia Brown, Tanner Cairns, Michael Ceramella, Jared Germann, Madison Gray, Hannah Hewett, Courtney Maddux, Hayley Meisch, Abigail Rinkenbaugh, Jaden Strobel, Paris Tibbs, Abigail Timmermeyer, Monica Verkinderen, Chandler Wellner and Johnny Yelverton.

• Emporia State University has named more than 500 students to dean’s lists for fall 2015. Students from the east side are Elia Brown, Abigail Timmermeyer, Tanner Cairns, Michael Ceramella, Hayley Meisch, Courtney Maddux, Abigail Rinkenbaugh, Jaden Strobel, Paris Tibbs, Chandler Wellner and Johnny Yelverton.

• Eliana Jacobsen, a student at Trinity Academy, has been selected to represent Andover as a National Youth Correspondent to the 2016 Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University. Jacobsen joins a select group of students from all over the country for an intensive study of journalism and media. Jacobsen was chosen based on academic accomplishments and a demonstrated interest and excellence in journalism and media studies.

The Washington Journalism and Media Conference will be held July 10-15.

• Eastsider Archer Gordon was named to Fort Lewis College’s dean’s list for the fall 2015 semester. Gordon’s major is political science. To be eligible for dean’s list, a student must carry a semester GPA of 3.6 or better in no fewer than 15 credit hours. The college is located in Durango, Colo.

ka-Lincoln students have been named to the deans’ list/Explore Center list of distinguished students for the fall semester of the 2015-16 academic year.

Qualification for the deans’ list varies among the eight undergraduate colleges and the Explore Center. These east Wichita students have been named to the list: Anna Kuhlman of Andover, and Wichitans Ryan Paul Irick, Artem Shukaev and Kay Rose West.

• Allyson Lien of Bel Aire was one of more than 200 Cornell College students named to the dean’s list for the fall 2015 semester. Lien earned Honors. Honors signifies a semester grade point average of 3.6 to 3.79.

• Abbi Timmermeyer of Andover is part of the regional premiere of “The Flick” by Annie Baker. Timmermeyer, a sophomore theater major, is the sound board operator. “The Flick” runs March 2-5 at Emporia State University.

• The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announced that Zach Baker of Andover was named to the dean’s list for fall 2015. Baker is majoring in health, human performance and sport management at UALR.

• Nearly 4,500 University of Nebras-

See PEOPLE, Page 20

The Independent School is the 2016 debate State champion. The Panther debaters won the 3-2-1A four-speaker State Championship Tournament held in Independence. Team members were Casey Shaw, Graham Potter, Rob Steere, Nathan Tokala, Matt Link and Neema Fathi. They were coached by John Steere.

Contributed photo

www.eastwichitanews.com

The Independent School Scholars Bowl team of Casey Shaw and Sarah Mayer (co-captains), Nathan Tokala, Graham Potter, Malar Muthukumar and Max McIntire (alternate) won the State championship on Saturday, Feb. 13. The students were undefeated in State championship play and achieved the trifecta of winning league, regional and State championships this year. Contributed photo

• Tufts University recently announced the dean’s list for undergraduate students enrolled for the fall 2015 semester. Among these students is Katherine Walker of East Wichita. Dean’s list honors at Tufts University require a semester grade-point average of 3.4 or greater.

1 1 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

East Wichita News People and Places

March 2016 - 12 www.eastwichitanews.com

FOCUS ON BUSINESS

Featured this month Women Walking With God............ Page 12

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.

Keller Williams Hometown Partners – Sharon Brinks................................ Page 13

Local Christian women’s event brings big names to Kansas What started in 2007 as a Christian women’s conference with 600 in attendance has now more than doubled in size.

The Women Walking with God Conference (WWWG) is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Wichita this year. The conference is bringing a TV celebrity, a star from NYC’s Broadway and a vice president for diversity to refresh and renew women from the daily battles of family, finances, and life.

“This is such a phenomenal event,” said Amy Dopps, director of marketing for WWWG. Dopps noted some big numbers tied into the event: this year’s conference will draw more than 1,300 people from across the nation, representing 19 states and 48 denominations.

Offering first class speakers, humorists, and vocal performers, WWWG draws women from across the country for two days of spiritual growth and fellowship. WWWG 2016, “The Greatest of these is Love,” will be held at Hartman Arena on April 15

and 16. Limited seating remains and can be secured through online registration at www.WomenWalkingWithGod.org.

The 2016 lineup will be headlined

by Missy Robertson of “A&E’s Duck Dynasty” and wife of Jase Robertson.

Her presentations will include “Fighting for your family” and “Holding onto your faith when the world seems against you.”

Other speakers and performers will include: • DeLois Smith, VP for Diversity at the University of Alabama, Huntsville - “Living in a world divided” and “True love and forgiveness” • Elaine Denman, Biblical scholar and counselor – “Love like Christ in today’s real-life challenges” and “God as our GPS through a world of fear, darkness and pain” • Kathy Bishop, founder of Hangar 6 Ministries – “ Everything I learned about ‘flying solo’, I learned at the airport” and “Loving yourself, imperfections and all”

• Lisa Smartt, Christian humorist and author – “What to say, how to say it and when to keep your mouth shut” and “How to live for Christ even when someone cuts in the buffet line” • Desi Oakley - Kansas Singer/ Songwriter, performed in Broadway’s “Wicked,” “Annie” and “Evita” • The Herndons - Renowned a cappella singing siblings, twins featured on reality show “Can You Duet?”

Dopps encourages women who want to attend to secure their tickets now. The event sold out for six consecutive years.

“This will be an unforgettable time of laughter, heartwarming stories of triumph and spiritual renewal,” she said. “Many family and friends utilize the conference as a ‘girls weekend.’”

Registration is $60 online. Reserved lunches are available for $7 online through April 1, 2016. A promotional video available on website or DVD by request.

For more information, visit www.

WomenWalkingWithGod.org.

Missy Robertson of “A&E’s Duck Dynasty” is one of several speakers at this year’s Women Walking With God Conference, set for April 15-16 at Hartman Arena.

Your directory of wellness services, care providers, and products.

Sharon Brinks

DENTIST

Prairie View

Bhargava Family Dentistry

BRA FITTINGS

HOSPICE CARE

All About Her

Interim Healthcare & Hospice

9333 E. 21st St. North • Wichita 1-800-992-6292 www.prairieview.org Behavioral healthcare for all ages.

Transforming Lives.

536 S. Bluff St., Wichita 316-260-9608 Call for Appointment www.AllAboutHerBras.com Fashion and mastectomy bras, hard to find sizes, breast prosthesis, swimwear.

Most insurance accepted, incl. Medicare.

PHYSICAL THERAPY PT Plus Physical Therapy 1503 Washington Ln. • Augusta 316-775-0700 418 Andover Rd. Suite 400 • Andover 316-733-0077 www.ptplusrehab.com Physical Therapy for the Generations!

1230 N. Broadmoor Ave. • Wichita 316-630-0002 www.BhargavaDDS.com We are a family dental practice — entirely digital, kid friendly, and we would love to be your dentist.

9920 E. Harry St. • Wichita, 67207 316-265-4295 www.interimhealthcare.com/wichitainterim When it matters most, count on us!

Your business can go here!

For information about listing your health-related business, product or service, contact East Wichita News at 316-540-0500 or ewn@eastwichitanews.com

www.eastwichitanews.com

just won’t do for me!), and I try to use all 36 pictures our local MLS will allow.

I want the listing to appeal to buyers in such a way as to translate into showings, which evolve into offers, a contract, and a smooth sale for my sellers that nets them the most money possible.”

Brinks also stressed the need for buyers to be represented as well and said that many people do not realize the listing agent, the person whose sign is in the yard, works for the seller. “Buyers should have an agent in their corner working for them to represent their interests. I love helping buyers find the perfect home for the best price possible and making sure they are treated honestly and fairly.”

Brinks has the confidence, experience, and personal life experiences to represent buyers and sellers in all price ranges and in all walks of life. She can help any person find a place to call home and can help with investment property as well. Her goal is for clients to have complete satisfaction from doing business with her.

Call Sharon Brinks today at 316350-5199 or send an email to SharonSellsKansas@yahoo.com and she will reply promptly and courteously. Be sure to check out her website, www.SharonSellsKansas.com.

Brinks is a member of the REALTORS of South Central Kansas, the Kansas Association of REALTORS, the National Association of REALTORS, and the Wichita Area Builders Association.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

FOCUS ON BUSINESS

Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest decisions a person will make in their life.

It can also be one of the most nerve-wracking...but not with Sharon Brinks, an Associate Broker with Keller Williams Hometown Partners. Brinks has been a property owner since she was 19 years old and knows what it takes to make the buying or selling experience a good one.

“My focus is on client service with the utmost personal attention throughout all phases of the buying or selling process, like the concierge level service you would expect from an agent when they are entrusted with the largest investment most people make in their lives,” Brinks said. She works one-on-one communicating closely with her clients. “I work very, very hard for my clients and am the point of contact for them from contract to closing. If someone needs to sell their house and buy another, I can help with both. The continuity helps alleviate confusion and frustration for the clients,” she said, “and that puts people more at ease. If they need to find a lender, a repairman, have questions, or just need to talk, I am there for them.”

Brinks lives in east Wichita with her husband and a son who is still in high school. She and her husband also own several rental properties. Her hard work, ethics, attention to detail, and professionalism are reasons her sales continue to increase in each year through referrals from satisfied clients.

“The key to getting a property sold as quickly as possible is pricing it right for its location and condition,” Brinks said.

“I give sellers a free comparative marketing analysis, to help them determine the correct price of their property. A lot of people think the agent sets the listing price. That is not true! The seller sets the listing price, but the listing agent has the responsibility of giving them the input and information about the market to help them price it accordingly.” She continues “I am thorough and honest with my listing descriptions (one or two lines

HEALTH outlook

13 - March 2016

REALTOR gives excellent service to clients

March 2016 - 14 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Music Theatre for Young People will stage “Pirates of Penzance” March 4-6 at Century II’s Mary Jane Teall Theater. Show times are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Eastsiders in the cast include Tate Langston, Cameron Vance, Cyan Rose, Daniel Carney, Thomas Higgins, Noah Sickman, Olivier Scholl and Elise Powers. Staff photo/Travis Mounts

March 9-20 – Wichita Community Theatre, “Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) [revised].” An updated version of the play that presents 37 of the Bard’s plays in 97 minutes. “If you like Shakespeare, you’ll love this show. If you hate Shakespeare, you’ll love this show,” said The Today Show.

Performing Arts Calendar

March 2016

Performances at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets $14 and $12 for military/seniors/students. Opening-night ticket price of $10 on March 9. Call for reservations, 686-1282. The theater is located at 258 N. Fountain.

March 20 – Delano Jazz Orchestra concert of big band and jazz favorites, 3 p.m. West Side Baptist Church, 304 S. Seneca. Selections include hits from the bands of Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton and Count Basie. Admission is free; donations welcome.

Through March 26 – “The Golden Girls,” a theatrical parody, Roxy’s Downtown. Starring Wichita comedians/actors John Bates, Tom Frye, Kyle Vespestad, Monte Wheeler. Shows at $8 p.m. Tickets $27, $30 for premium seating. Limited $20 cheap seats. Call 316-265-4400.

Through March 26 – “Little Miss Moonshine” followed by “Bangin’ 90s and Beyond Musical Comedy Review,” Mosley Street Melodrama. Call 316263-0222 for reservations.

To add your event to the Performing Arts Calendar, email news@tsnews. com.

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

1 5 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

March 4-12 – “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence,” staged by The Forum Theatre Company. Shows at the Wichita Scottish Rite Center, 332 E. First, Wichita. Shows at 8 p.m. March 4-5 and March 10-12, and at 2 p.m.

March 5 and March 12. Tickets $25 for Friday and Saturday evenings, $23 for Thursday evening and Saturday matinee shows. Limited $15 tickets available for preview performance on March 3. Call 316-618-0444 or visit www.forumwichita.com. Optional dinner for $15. This is the regional premiere of Jethro Compton’s adaptation of the classic short story by Dorothy M. Johnson. Guest artist and Equity actor Martin Landry stars in the role of Ransom Foster.

www.eastwichitanews.com

March 2016 - 16 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Matthew Vines’ Reformation Project invites gay Christians and allies from across the U.S. to participate in conferences and leadership seminars.

The goal is to produce change from within the evangelical and conservative Christian community. Native East Wichitan Matthew Vines created the Reformation Project. Contributed photo

East Wichitan works for more accepting Christian church Story

by

Sam Jack

East High graduate Matthew Vines left Wichita to attend Harvard in fall 2008. By his sophomore fall, in 2009, he had come to terms with being gay.

But he struggled to reconcile his new understanding of himself with the traditional, conservative interpretation of Christian Scripture that was valued by the members of his childhood church.

He worried about being forced into a choice: either denying an inherent part of himself or feeling as though he was turning away from his faith.

“I didn’t know for sure: Did the Bible

really condemn all same-sex relationships? Because I am a Christian and because I love Christianity, I didn’t feel like that should be the case,” Vines told the Harvard Crimson in 2012. “The Bible is not going to be promoting injustice, and it’s not going to be promoting oppression and hatred.”

Vines withdrew from Harvard to immerse himself in theological scholarship – particularly scholarship that takes “gotcha” verses anti-gay Christians often point to and placing them in historical context.

The first fruit of his research was an hour-long lecture he delivered at

College Hill United Methodist Church and posted on YouTube in March 2012.

It has now been viewed nearly a million times.

“My main point is that the Bible does not address, or condemn, loving, committed, same-sex relationship,” said Vines. “The types of same-sex behavior that are described and condemned, in six different verses, center around lustful, promiscuous, self-seeking, excessive behavior. In the Old Testament, it’s gang rape, and in other cases, it’s behavior that the biblical authors explicitly described as consumed with lust. ... Same-sex marriages between

equal-status partners were not a part of the ancient world. It wasn’t something that was on anybody’s radar screen.”

Following the success of his video, Vines wrote a book, “God and the Gay Christian,” addressing the subject in greater depth.

Vines’ childhood church was not receptive to his message, and he and his family ended up transferring membership. But Vines does not have hard feelings, he said, and he is still close with many members of his former church. He understands how emotionally fraught the issue is among Christians, since he experienced many of the

provide gay and straight Christian leaders with tools to make that progress.

Since 2013, the group has run five conferences, training and connecting with around 1,000 people from across the country. Approximately 4,000 people are affiliated with the group’s broader network.

“We’re preparing for the long haul,” said Vines. “These types of changes do not happen quickly, because we are talking about very deeply held beliefs that people have, that are ground in interpretation of Scripture. For most Christians, Scripture is an incredibly important part of their lives.

“We’re not expecting that within a few years, the tide will have fully turned. But we are seeking to change the trajectory, so that over the course of the next 20 years, we can see a significant shift in practices, attitudes, beliefs and teachings, even in more conservative churches throughout the country.”

For more information on The Reformation Project, visit www.reformationproject.org.

In March 2012, Matthew Vines delivered a lecture at College Hill United Methodist Church. Nearly a million people have now viewed a video of the speech.

“Being different is no crime. Being gay is not a sin. And for a gay person to desire and pursue love and marriage and family is no more selfish or sinful than when a straight person desires and pursues the very same things.

“The Song of Songs tells us that King Solomon’s wedding day was ‘the day his heart rejoiced.’ To deny to a small minority of people not just a wedding day, but a lifetime of love and commitment and family, is to inflict on them a devastating level of hurt and anguish.

“There is nothing in the Bible that indicates that Christians are called to perpetuate that kind of pain in other people’s lives rather than work to alleviate it, especially when the problem is so easy to fix. All it takes is acceptance. The Bible is not opposed to the acceptance of gay Christians, or to the possibility of loving relationships for them.

1 7 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

emotions himself.

“It’s often framed as just a question of sexual morality, but it goes far beyond that, in terms of the impact for people’s lives. The choice it demands of people is whether or not they will ever experience romantic love, intimacy or companionship in their lives. To choose between having that kind of love and having the support of your community is a terrible choice.

“It often feels very cruel to a lot of LGBT people that they have to make that choice (between accepting their sexual orientation and being accepted at church), but rarely do people in their church grapple with what they are asking people to do in a very thoroughgoing way,” said Vines. “If we can encourage people and really ask them to consider how terrible those consequences are, while at the same time showing a path to fully affirm the authority of the Bible and fully affirm same-sex relationships, then we can make progress.”

The Reformation Project, a group Vines founded three years ago, aims to

“And if you are uncomfortable with the idea of two men or two women in love, if you are dead-set against that idea, then I am asking you to try to see things differently for my sake, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

“That is how deeply you should care, and that is how tenaciously you should fight, for the very same things for my life, because they matter just as much to me. Gay people should be a treasured part of our families and our communities, and the truly Christian response to them is acceptance, support and love.”

Matthew Vines in a photograph that appeared in Time magazine. He is author of the book “God and the Gay Christian,” which address the issues of faith and same-sex relationships. Contributed photo

Excerpt from Vines’ lecture on YouTube. Visit https://youtu.be/ezQjNJUSraY to watch the video.

www.eastwichitanews.com

“I’m asking you to ask yourself this: How deeply do you care about your family? How deeply do you love your spouse? And how tenaciously would you fight for them if they were ever in danger or in harm’s way?

March 2016 - 18 w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

Thoughts on recent films • In “Deadpool,” it is fun to see the heroine punch out the giant Colossus, who must be four hundred muscular pounds and seems to be made of metal (pewter, in my opinion).

But effective movies don’t necessarily need to go to such lengths. Charlize Theron did not need to be a one-armed Amazon in the latest “Mad Max” movie. By way of contrast, Natalie Portman’s character in “Jane Got a Gun” made a quite satisfactory heroine despite her need for masculine helpers and non-deployment of physical violence. Psychological strength was more than sufficient for her to carry the film.

• Did you notice the bad news in the recent “Go!” section of the Feb. 12 Wichita Eagle? Twenty-seven (27!) more comic book movies are already scheduled between now and November 2022.

That’s seven this year (if you want to include “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”), six in 2017 (including such originals as “Untitled Wolverine Sequel,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and “Spider-Man Re-Reboot”), five in 2018, five in 2019 (a real pioneering year featuring “Captain Marvel,” “Shazam,” “Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2,” and “Justice League, Part 2”), and mercifully, only four in 2020, with no sequels, reboots or Part Twos.

• On the same page, Rod Pocowatchit says that if “Deadpool” does well, it “could pave the way for more lower-budget, less extravagant, off-thebeaten-path comic book movies.”

And “Deadpool” is setting box office records all over the world.

Even if “Deadpool” had failed, Pocowatchit anticipated only “more and bigger ‘Avengers’ megablockbusters.”

He concluded, “I’m a self-professed superhero movie fan, and even that exhausts me.”

• The third biggest box office movie of the weekend of Feb. 19-21 was the faith-based “Risen,” with Joseph Fiennes as a Roman soldier investigating the resurrection. “Heaven is for Real” seems to be reaching a considerable audience, and it is one of the best I’ve seen in the faith-based genre.

On the other hand, “God Is Not Dead,” one of the poorer faith-based

Cinema Scene

Jim Erickson

movies, has also done a big box office.

• The series of successful real-lifeevents movies like “The Social Network” and “Spotlight” is continuing, though the failure of “Concussion” suggests that football must not be challenged. Still, it’s clear that Americans have an appetite for these kind of serious, fact-based efforts.

• I used to emphasize to my students that there was nothing inherent in film that required it to form a conventional narrative at all. Robert Altman’s “Nashville,” for example, was highly successful despite a very weak narrative line.

Going back even further, the comedies of W.C. Fields and the Marx Brothers were little more than strings of vaudeville routines. “You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man” was in that genre, if I recall. Disney’s “Fantasia” is another popular film that had no story whatsoever.

• I have objected that “Mad Max: Fury Road” is nothing but a car chase – but Stanley Kramer’s “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” was pretty much the same, and a great deal longer.

“Mad Max” is nothing but violence.

Yet “Mad World” is nothing but farce, and I never objected to that.

My insistence on movies having what I call classical form – beginning, middle and end, plus some sort of organizing principle – is obviously largely a result of literary theories and the experience of movies from the studio years. Arts that don’t have such forms, like music and painting, seem to be largely beyond my appreciation.

But the world is changing, and with the rise of globalization, we are all more aware of simultaneity than we used to be. We are more aware of orders other than chronological order.

www.eastwichitanews.com

Wichitan Chris Parks is the creator of this year’s Wichita Riverfest poster and button.

Parks’ artwork was chosen nearly two decades after he previously received that honor. He won the Wichita River Festival poster competition in 1998. “Riverfest is such a Wichita institution,” said Parks, “As someone who spent my formative years here, it really feels nice to be a part of it again.”

1 9 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

Riverfest poster winner named

w w w . e a s t w i c h i t a n e w s . c o m

March 2016 - 20

Andover student wins WSU’s Clay Barton Scholarship

W ichita ’ s top 12

teachers teach at c are to D ance !

Caelan Dean, a senior at Andover High School, has won the 2016 Wichita State University Clay Barton Scholarship.

He will receive $12,000 a year for four years to attend Wichita State. The $48,000 Barton Scholarship – up from $44,000 last year – is one of the largest business scholarships in the state.

Dean, who plans to major in economics, is involved in debate, forensics, marching band and concert band, and Scholars Bowl. He is a four-time qualifier to the state debate championships and a three-time qualifier to the state forensics championships, as well as a competitor in the 2014 National Championship for Speech and Forensics.

Community activities Dean takes part in include Friends of August, Street Outreach, Habitat for Humanity and Kids Network.

“Caelan has what it takes to continue the Barton Scholar legacy,” said Dotty Harpool, a member of the scholarship

committee. “His superior academic, leadership and communication skills are exactly what we look for in a Barton Scholar.”

Barton Scholarship history In 1991, the late Rent-A-Center co-founder W. Frank Barton, who provided the naming endowment for WSU’s Barton School of Business, established a scholarship in his son Clay’s name.

Clay Barton died from cancer in 1988 at the age of 20, cutting his promising life short. While the Clay Barton Scholarship does not substitute for Clay’s presence, it is a powerful legacy.

This legacy speaks to the richness of the Barton tradition at Wichita State.

Barton Scholars are expected to be the “best of the best,” excelling in academics, leadership and service, fitting the pieces of their lives intricately into a structure that has lasting value. The candidates face a rigorous set of challenges in competing for the Clay Barton Scholarship.

People

of Technology for the fall semester 2015-2016. Rodgers is studying in the business administration-accounting program.

Continued from Page 11

• Felicity Nicole Caughran of Wichita has been named to the president’s list at Clemson University for the fall 2015 semester. Caughran is majoring in nursing. To be named to the president’s list, a student must achieve a 4.0 gradepoint average.

In the Delano District

1019 W. Douglas • 316-266-4601

• Erin Rodgers of Wichita was named to the dean’s list at Rochester Institute

• Molly Wierman of Wichita, an English major at the University of Dallas, submitted works to the Sigma Tau Delta 2016 International Convention that were accepted for presentation at the conference taking place March 2-5 in Minneapolis. Sigma Tau Delta is an international English honor society founded in 1924. Wierman will be attending the conference and reading scholarly work aloud to an audience.

Dateline

March 22 – “Run Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco,” a feature-length documentary about ultra-running legend Micah True, will screen at the Palace West Theatre. Show at 7 p.m.

Micah True, better known as Caballo Blanco – the White Horse – was the focal character of Christopher McDougall’s 2009 best-selling book “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” about the Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico. Tickets for the event are $12 in advance at www.imathlete. com/events/runfree or $15 at the door the night of the show. The Palace West Theatre is located at 535 S. Ridge Circle.

travel along Douglas Avenue from McLean Boulevard west to Walnut Street. Additional St. Patrick’s activities will take place all day long. Entry forms are available for download at www. historicadelano.com or may be filled out online. Entry deadline is March 5.

For more information email parade@ historicdelano.com.

March 12 – The 10th annual St. Patrick’s Parade in Historic Delano, beginning at noon. The parade will

Submit events for Dateline by email to news@tsnews.com.

Upcoming events in and around Wichita

You’ve Got Goals. We’ve Got Solutions.

From school athletes to adult marathoners... anyone can benefit if your sport involves running!

One On One Sessions · Group Classes Gym & Off Site Classes Available Coaches- Ask about team rates!

Nathan Wadsworth Owner & Trainer 316-200-6620 www.trainwithnathan.com

2 1 - M a r c h 2 0 1 6

March 2016

Faces wanted.

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

www.eastwichitanews.com

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 2016 - 22

East Wichita News East Wichita News

www.eastwichitanews.com

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

Small paint projects to transform your space (NAPSI)—Giving your home personality and adding a dash of character can be achieved easily and affordably with small paint projects. Experts offer these unique project ideas and helpful howto’s that will assist you with transforming your space into a haven that reflects your personality and style.

1. The Grand Entrance: Personalize your front door by painting it an unexpected hue. It will bring character and personality to your home and offer fresh curb appeal.

Color expert Sue Wadden suggests a stately shade, such as red or purple, to wake up a simple cottage-style door and accentuate a front garden. A bold yellow hue that has warmer undertones can energize an otherwise neutral exterior, and a bright pop of orange makes for an unexpected statement.

Complement your newly painted front door with colorful, eye-catching address numbers. Choose a color that complements the front door or a contrasting hue that offers an interesting accent. Numbers may be painted directly onto the door or a section of siding.

2. Make a Splash: The kitchen is the perfect place to have some fun with

color since it’s often the communal area of a home. Instead of traditional tile, cook up a scene-stealing space by giving your backsplash a makeover. Stencil in a design, favorite quote or food-inspired words.

Don’t forget to consider the other colors at play in the space before selecting the backsplash paint color. If the kitchen has dark cabinets, choose a lighter shade to keep the room from feeling heavy. For white or light-color cabinets, both brighter and darker paint colors work well for this space; and for a pop of brightness that’s also durable and stain resistant, use semi-gloss paint.

If you have the whole weekend, further customize your kitchen by painting the island a hue that complements the other colors in the room. If you’d like to keep the space neutral, select a subtle shade for the island such as cream, beige or gray. Or, if you’re looking to be a bit more daring, choose a shade such as turquoise, navy blue or mint. A striking color will make the room feel fun and inviting. You can also incorporate the island color in a few new accessories such as a rug, curtains or dishware to create a feeling of harmony

throughout the room.

3. Rethink your Wardrobe: For an element of surprise, paint the interior of your closet. A vibrant shade will dress up your everyday routine and give your wardrobe an exceptional room of its own!

4. More to Adore: Make a personal statement in the bedroom by transforming walls into exceptional works of art.

Instead of adorning walls with framed artwork, paint a multicolored diamond or chevron pattern for an unexpected pop of color. A frame wall with favorite pictures or prized album covers centered in painted blocks puts a spin on the traditional. Or create bigtime graphic impact with an oversized DIY wall clock.

Add perceived dimension to a room by creating nontraditional stripes with three or even four colors. Angled stripes painted in different widths are less structured and provide a unique design, and an exaggerated single stripe of color can rescue plain walls.

A headboard painted directly onto the wall creates an element of decorative surprise in the bedroom, and a sten-

A dash of color can be achieved easily and affordably with small paint projects.

ciled one can add definition and polish.

Choose from a premade design, such as a rectangle or whimsical silhouette, or create your own. No matter the shape, a bold hue or using two shades of the same color are both visually interesting and impactful.

Granite and Quartz Counter Top Sale!

FREE BLANCO SINK (1-3/4 bowl size)

with your order of 40 sq. ft. or more

Visit our showroom at

10680 W. Maple • 773-1600 Just west of Maize Rd. on Maple. grosstile@gmail.com

Painting & Remodeling

Big Savings on Siding & Replacement Windows! for germination. Remove sprouted FREE Estimates!

Half Price Isanother A Better Price seed, and check again after

• Interior and Exterior Painting • Siding and Wood Replacement & Bath Remodel Price• Kitchen • Window Replacement SWITCH TO BLOCK • Floor Installation AND PAY HALF WHAT YOU PAID • Tile Work SWITCH TO BLOCK

Half Price Is A Better

See PLANT, Page 26

SOMEONE ELSE LAST YEAR.

AND PAY HALF WHAT YOU PAID OFFER PERIOD FEB. 22 - MARCH 31, 2016 SOMEONE ELSE LAST YEAR. OFFER PERIOD FEB. 22 –KS MARCH 31, 2016 Wichita, SWITCH TO BLOCK 1-800-HRBLOCK

HRBLOCK.COM 800-HRBLOCK

Wichita, AND PAY HALF KS WHAT YOU PAID 1-800-HRBLOCK SOMEONE ELSE LAST YEAR. OFFER PERIOD FEB. 22 – MARCH 31, 2016

HRBLOCK.COM

Subject to $100 minimum charge. 800-HRBLOCK Subject toOffer$100 charge.

Wichita, KS valid forminimum income tax return preparation fees for new clients only. A new client is an individual who did not use H&R Block office sevices to prepare 1-800-HRBLOCK Offer valid for income tax return preparation for fees new clients only. A his or her 2014 tax return.

Valid receipt for 2014 tax fees preparation from preparer other thanwho H&R Block presented to completion new client istaxan individual didmust notbeuse H&Rprior Block office services to www.wichitapaintingandremodeling.com office interview.

May notValid be combined with other par- preparation prepare hisoforinitial hertax2014 tax return. receipt foroffers.

2014Attax ticipating offices only. Offer period Feb. 22 - March 31, 2016. To qualify, tax Owner Operated Company fees from tax preparer other than H&R Block must be presented prior to return must be paid for and filed during this period.

Subject to $100 minimum charge. completion of initial tax office Licensed General Contractor OBTP#B13696 ©2015 HRB interview.

Tax Group, Inc. May not be combined with other offers.

At participating offices only.fees Offer period Feb. 22only.

– March Offer valid for income tax return preparation for new clients A 31, 2016.

Toan qualify, taxwho return beH&R paidBlock for and filedservices during to this period. new client is individual didmust not use office ©2015 HRB Taxfor Group, Inc. prepare hisOBTP#B13696 or her 2014 tax return.

Valid receipt 2014 tax preparation fees from tax preparer other than H&R Block must be presented prior to completion of initial tax office interview. May not be combined with other offers. At participating offices only. Offer period Feb. 22 – March 31, 2016.

To qualify, tax return must be paid for and filed during this period.

OBTP#B13696 ©2015 HRB Tax Group, Inc.

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

SERVICE HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING trust your service to a pro!

Phone: 316-744-2599 PO Box: 780262

Frank Wille

Heating & air Conditioning ServiCe, LLC He’s a Dille.

Licence #5484

www.frankwille.com

www.eastwichitanews.com

week. This will give a good estimate for the percent germination.

Sowing and growing Upham said gardening soil should not be used to germinate seed indoors.

It is typically too heavy and may contain disease organisms. Use a media specifically formulated for seed germination.

Seed starting mixes usually contain a mixture of peat moss and shredded pine, among other ingredients that are lightweight, hold a lot of water and oxygen, and are sterile.

Dennis Patton, horticulture agent for Johnson County in Olathe, Kansas, said a downside to seed starting mixes is they usually don’t contain many nutrients. He recommends that at least once a week gardeners incorporate a water-soluble fertilizer when watering their seeds and starter plants.

Keep the soil moist, as this allows for germination. Using clear plastic wrap over the top of the containers can reduce the amount of watering needed.

The plastic can be removed once seeds begin to germinate.

“Then once they’re up and growing you may want them to dry out slightly between watering,” Patton said. “Water saturation can lead to rot issues.”

“Another tip is don’t water if you’re going to turn the lights off,” he added.

“If you water, that plant will push a little bit of growth. Water and fertilize going into a light to keep that transplant sturdy.”

Most plants will germinate in either darkness or light, but be sure to allow for light once emergence occurs; lighting the plants well is a major key to growing success, Patton said.

“I think when people have grown transplants indoors and have not had success, they may have been relying on the old, ‘put it in the south windowsill’ method,” he said. “But, there’s not enough light intensity for a long period of time to grow a great transplant that

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

A few abnormally warm winter days might have gardeners thinking ahead for next spring’s planting.

Popular crops grown in Kansas include peppers and tomatoes. Those are not transplanted until early to midMay, said Ward Upham, Kansas State University horticulture specialist and Master Gardener coordinator. Therefore, they would need to be seeded in mid- to late March.

Upham said growers have a window of time, a week or two earlier or later, for seeding. Those living in different climatic regions might want to adjust their seeding times; for example, gardeners in southern Kansas could start seeds a week or two earlier, while those in northern Kansas may want to wait a week later.

Use quality seed. Upham recommends buying seed from a reputable source, including garden centers and seed catalogs. Check the package date to make sure it was packaged for the current year.

“Though most seed remains viable for about three years, germination decreases as seed ages,” he said, noting some exceptions. Seed from members of the carrot family, which includes parsnips and parsley, are usually only good for less than two years.

Using saved garden seed is a possibility when starting plants indoors. Upham said that seed stores best in cool, dark and dry locations.

For those who are unsure of viability of their seed and have plenty on hand, Upham said there is an easy method to test it: • Place 10 seeds on a paper towel moistened with warm water, and cover with a second moistened towel.

• Roll up the towels, and place them inside a plastic bag with enough holes for air exchange but not so many that the towels will dry quickly.

• Place the bag in a warm location, such as the top of the refrigerator, and remoisten the towels with warm water as needed.

• After the first week, check the seeds

23 - March 2016

When to plant your different garden items

March 2016 - 24 HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE www.eastwichitanews.com

Wood finishing tips that will floor your guests (NAPSI)—While often overlooked, your floors are your home’s greatest canvas and one of its true untapped features. Replacing your hardwood floors can be expensive and time consuming, but refinishing them will not only restore the richness and elegance of the wood to a beautiful appearance, it will also protect it from everyday wear and add value to your home.

To ensure that your floor finishing is a success, consider these tips from Minwax spokesperson and wood finishing expert Bruce Johnson.

• Test it First: Always test any stain you are considering on an inconspicuous spot, such as in a closet. All woods react differently to stain, so what you see on a sample in the store or online may not be the same as how your wood accepts and responds to the stain you apply.

• Sand Away: Don’t skimp on the sanding before you stain. Stains depend on open pores for adequate absorption and only by sanding off any old finish can the pores be opened to receive your new coat of stain. Never sand after you apply your stain.

• Brush it Off: Dust is the enemy of a smooth finish. To remove all the sanding dust from the pores and joints, use the bristle attachment on a shop vacuum. Then wipe the floor with a clean, damp cloth.

• Note the Exit: Plan carefully so you can exit the room without walking across wet stain. Also plan to complete the staining of the entire room in one session to avoid lap marks that are darker in color.

• Timing is Everything: Keep in

mind that the final color of any stain is determined in part by how much stain the wood absorbs. The longer the stain sits on the wood, the darker and richer the color will be. During your test, note the amount of time that lapses between applying the stain and wiping off the excess so you can repeat this for the color you desire.

• Remove Excess Stain: Never let stain sit on the wood for longer than the label directions recommend. And always remove any stain that the wood does not absorb. Allowing stain to dry on the wood surface will prevent your clear protective finish from adhering.

• Between the Lines: When staining in sections, stop your stain application at a joint between two boards rather than in the middle of one board. Individual boards may accept the stain slightly differently, so a slight change in color between boards will not be as noticeable as a change in color created by stopping in the middle of a board.

• Give it Time: Do not apply your first coat of clear protective finish until the stain is completely dry. If a clear finish is applied over a wet stain, the stain will be pulled back out of the pores of the wood and will mix with the finish, creating a “muddy” effect.

Or worse, your protective finish may not adhere to the floor. You should allow 24 hours for your stain to dry before applying the finish.

• Protect Your Floor: Stain adds color to wood but will not protect your floor from foot traffic, spills and everyday wear. For the best results, apply a quality floor finish.

Refinishing your floors can be less expensive and less time-consuming than replacing them.

For some time now, various shades of grey have been the dominant theme in home furnishings. So, is grey a passing fad, or will it be a staple for the foreseeable future? And, if grey is to be a major design theme, then how do we use it?

To gain insight into these questions, WestSide Story columnist Philip Holmes sat down with local designer Stephanie Frey (of Stephanie Frey Interiors) to get her thoughts on this whole business of grey.

WSS: In what types of applications would you as a designer recommend a grey pallet to a client?

SF: Grey is versatile in many applications, as it is clean and calm, but it needs to be paired with a warm tone so the space doesn’t feel too cool. Grey has traditionally dominated contract settings more than residential, but today

BEFORE

Philip Holmes | Interior Designer

grey is replacing camel in residential settings.

I am using grey in all flooring from tile, carpet, and grey stained wood flooring. I recently replaced a client’s bedroom carpet with a soft grey. The grey looked much cleaner than the beige carpet. It also made the space feel lighter. I am using grey as a base color for the walls.

And I am using grey on upholstered items. Grey walls can be contrasted with a warm neutral on the upholstered pieces. Camel draperies could be updated when contrasted with warm grey walls, very sharp. This contrast of warm and cool neutrals brings a nice complement, but it also keeps the room from feeling too cool with an overuse of grey. If the walls are grey and the upholstery are in grey, then I will bring in a warm tone in chairs, pillows and case goods. Another way to keep grey from being too cool is to pair grey on the walls with dark woodwork, for very handsome combination.

WSS: Critics might say that grey is the drabbest and dullest of all colors . It can also feel very industrial. How would you respond and what colors would you use in order to compliment grey to its best advantage?

SF: Grey can be kept from being industrial through the use of a warm grey coupled with warm neutrals or colors, or by adding texture in upholstery, area rugs, wood flooring, case goods, wood trim.... Grey and green have been big for a while, but I am seeing what Sherwin Williams color forecasters call “acid green,” which is a yellow based green, not avocado but a sister to chartreuse See GREY, Page 26

AFTER

» Great LOW PRICES for Refacing » Up to 50% Less Than New Cabinets » All New Look In Just a few Days » Less Than a Week to Install » Reduced Construction Dust and Mess » Increase Resale Value » Keeps Kitchen Functioning During Construction » Can Keep Existing Countertops or Get New

4057 N. Woodlawn #1 | Wichita, KS 67220 (316) 558-8888 kitchentuneup.com/wichita-ks-phillips

www.eastwichitanews.com

WSS: How long have you been using grey in your interior designer’s tool box? Would you compare grey to the popularity of the black palette that has been a staple for so many years? Is grey the new black?

SF: I have used grey since it was introduced in the early 80’s with mauve.

Grey has certainly come and gone, but charcoal has been its replacement for a cool neutral. Grey isn’t necessarily the new black; black is used with stronger colors like gold and red, while grey is used with cleaner, warm tones like green and, most recently, pink. The pink and grey we are using now differs dramatically from the 80’s grey and mauve: the new grey is warmer, and the mauve is a much cleaner and lighter pink.

Reface & Save!

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

WSS: Grey seems to be a design trend with some staying power. Is grey here to stay? What are your observations?

SF: Grey is definitely here to stay, but the grey tone that is dominating the market is a warm, clean grey. During times of stress, trends will favor a calm palette. The stress can come from a slow economy, war, or even an election year. Grey certainly offers that calm feel.

Eastside Homes

25 - March 2016

Is grey here to stay?

March 2016 - 26

SOLERA® SOFT SHADES

Continued from Page 23

$100* Save or more with rebates on

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

qualifying purchases from January 30 – April 11, 2016

the smart smartchoice choicetoday. today.

Make the Save energy year-round.

Ask about rebates on energy-efficient Hunter Douglas window fashions.

*Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 1/30/16 – 4/11/16 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 6 weeks of rebate claim receipt.

Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 7 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations may apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. © 2016 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas.

IMPROVE YOUR FIREPLACE HEAT

Save Money With Pellet-fired Inserts & Stoves • Renewable Clean-burning Fuel • Constant Comfort Temp. Control

www.eastwichitanews.com

Plant

• Automatic Ignition • Many Unique Features Setting Harman apart from other pellet stoves

Call or Stop by Today!

WARMING TRENDS DIV. OF ESSENTIAL ENERGY SUPPLY, INC.

Online coupon availabe at www.harmon.com

3101 N. Rock Rd.

121 W. Main

636-9677

777-1515

Behind Jimmie’s Diner

11-6 M-F • 11-4 Sat.

In Mulvane

10-2 Sat.

way. Most gardeners who are growing their own starts are using ordinary shop lights that are available from any home supply or hardware store.”

How close that light is from the top of the growing plant and how long the light is left on also determines starter plant success, Patton said. The ruleof-thumb is the light should be about 2 inches, and no more than 4 inches, from the top of the plant. Gardeners may need chains or another method to raise or lower the height of the light as the plants grow.

Leave the light on at least 14 to 16 hours per day, Patton added. This will give gardeners that nice, short, stocky plant that is desired to transplant outdoors.

Another item to consider is that while

Grey Continued from Page 25

green. I have been seeing a clean, saturated color base for the last five years: fuchsia, orange, kiwi green. Today I am seeing a softer color palette in watercolor designs, coupled with grey.

I am also seeing warm metals. Yes, brass is back, but in a richer finish.

Kohler recently featured a bath in a grey and white marble, grey toilet, grey vanity cabinet, coupled with a gold faucet, gold lighting, and a gold framed mirror. By adding in the warm metals, a perfect balance or warm and cool tones was established.

WSS: Many homeowners are deeply invested in a warmer palette of golds and such in their decor. Is it possible to transition this decor style into the cooler tones without starting over completely?

germination often requires warmer temperatures than found in most homes, plants can be grown at cooler temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 to 60 F at night, Upham said. A heating mat may be required to assist with germination, or put the container closer to the celling or on top of the refrigerator for more heat.

To help the plants transition well in the garden once transplanted, growers should brush over the plants with their hands daily to help them become stockier, Upham said. About two weeks before transplanting, the plants will need to be “hardened off.”

“Plants grown inside will often undergo transplant shock if not hardened off,” Upham said. “Plants are hardened off by moving them outside and exposing them to sun before transplanting occurs. Increase the number of hours and degree of exposure over the twoweek period.”

More information is available from local extension offices across Kansas.

SF: Grey can be transitioned with existing warmer golds by making a few changes. A gold sofa can take on a whole new look when the walls are changed out into a warm grey tone.

Then come back with a handsome, textured fabric in a deep, warm grey, very smart looking. The opposite can be done as well, if you want to keep the walls in a camel or gold tone, by changing out the upholstery to a grey or even bringing in large pillows in grey, adding grey metal accessories, or a grey occasional chair.

WSS: Where would you not introduce an underlying grey theme?

SF: Grey is versatile in modern, traditional, and transitional interiors. But, if a client wants a pure Victorian or Old World interior, the grey will be more of a challenge. Grey can easily be used on both contract and residential settings.

I think grey offers a great color tone to keep a space from feeling too warm and heavy. Grey is always smart, clean and chic.

(NAPSI) – If the terms “hybrid,” “heirloom” and “GMO” have you stumped, you’re not alone. When it comes to buying seeds and plants, there’s a lot of confusion, even among seasoned gardeners. Here are a few facts that may help.

Genetically Modified Organisms GMOs are quite different from both hybrids and heirlooms. GMO seeds are the result of genetic engineering, the process of altering a plant’s DNA in a laboratory setting. This often includes introducing genes from a different species to increase a plant’s resistance to disease or spoilage. It’s important to know GMOs are found only in commercially grown farm produce. Seeds or plants that might contain GMOs are not available to home gardeners in the United States.

www.eastwichitanews.com

Hybrids and genetically modified organisms are not the same thing.

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

Hybrids First things first: Hybrids are not the same thing as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Thanks to pollinators such as bees and butterflies moving pollen from plant to plant, hybrids occur naturally in nature. A hybrid is created when two different plant varieties of the same species are cross-pollinated.

In the same way that dog breeders can cross a Labrador retriever and a poodle to create a soft, fluffy Labradoodle, gardeners can select parent plants that display particular traits to produce offspring that offer improved yield, size, hardiness, color, shape and taste.

The process of selective breeding was pioneered by Gregor Mendel in the 19th Century. When it was first used by horticulturists in the 20th Century, it resulted in hybrid corn that produced higher yields. Since that point, breeders, researchers and inventive gardeners have been using the process of hybridization to produce fruits, vegetables and flowers with highly selective features. Seed producers used selective breeding to create iconic vegetables such as the “Big Boy” tomato, a hybrid that displayed such vigor and disease resistance that it shaped the modern era of tomato breeding.

“Hybrids grow well coast to coast with stable and reliable traits across a multitude of growing environments.

The dependability of flavor and garden performance is what makes them garden staples throughout the good-and the bad-growing seasons,” said Chelsey Fields, a horticulturist at Burpee.

Heirlooms Unlike hybrid seeds that result from selective breeding, heirlooms are open-pollinated varieties prized for having characteristics that haven’t changed over 50 to 100 years. They’re often specific to a particular area and therefore not widely adaptable. Also, unlike hybrids, their flowers and fruits tend to be less vigorous, making them more susceptible to diseases and adverse conditions. Many heirloom seeds were once available commercially and have been saved from extinction by dedicated gardeners who save fresh seeds every year.

27 - March 2016

Hybrids, heirlooms and GMOs explained

March 2016 - 28 HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE www.eastwichitanews.com

Recycling chic

Urban Renewal is ‘best kept secret’ in Wichita A shopper’s delight awaits customers who find themselves inside Urban Renewal in west Wichita.

“It’s a woman’s paradise. What woman doesn’t love a great find?”said owner Teresa Miller. “And it’s a great place for men to buy gifts and personal items, as well.”

This treasure, which new customers refer to as the “best kept secret” in the area, is Wichita’s most unique consignment shop. Urban Renewal, located in the Westlink Shopping Center at Central and Tyler, is literally filled with home décor items, accent furniture, jewelry, handbags and clothing.

At prices that make you think you’re stealing those new-found treasures, customers who are in the know are always coming back to Urban Renewal to find that one of a kind item they can’t live without.

“We’re really selective about what we take in, and people are surprised that this is all consignment,” said Miller. “We’re continually transitioning with constant inventory turnover.

So don’t wait to buy that item you love because chances are it won’t be here when you come back.”

Bringing quality home décor to the consignment market was something that appealed to Miller. Urban Renewal, which is in its fifth year in Wichita, had an established niche in Wichita when Miller bought out the shop in April of last year.

When she heard that Urban Renewal was for sale, she realized it was the right opportunity at the right time.

“I’d been looking for a new challenge, and this was the perfect fit,” she said.

Since then, it has been a whirlwind of activity for Miller and Nancy Frey, her assistant. As the designer duo gears up for their first anniversary, they took a minute to talk about their backgrounds and how this shop became Miller’s focus.

Backgrounds in design Miller landed in Wichita in 1982 and has worked in graphic and interior design since then.

“Interior design is my first love,” said Miller. “I grew up in western Kansas, but Wichita is my home now.”

Her daughter and son both live here in Wichita, and Miller’s first grandchild is on the way.

Frey, who grew up in Derby and came back to the Wichita area after college, had been working with Miller at a local interior design firm. She, too, was ready for something new.

“Now it’s time for the secret to be out,” Frey said with a laugh, referring to Urban Renewal’s “best kept secret” status.

They are able to help customers with design ideas, and love to share their knowledge and expertise with shoppers. With constant changes in merchandise, some of which is seasonal, customers can enjoy a new shopping experience every time they visit the shop.

“We have great consigners who are constantly bringing us unique once loved items,” said Miller.

“We’re on Facebook, and customers can look at our page for constant updates.

“We also encourage people to share their photos on Facebook – show us how that perfect décor item you found here fits into your home.”

If you’ve yet to experience the secret of Urban Renewal, don’t delay. The unique consignment shop is located at 8999 W. Central, Suite 102, at the west end of the Westlink Shopping Center. Hours are Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the third Thursday of the month, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Plan to spend some time as there is much to see.

For more information, call 316425-7522. And don’t miss Urban Renewal’s Facebook page.

Owner Teresa Miller, below right, and assistant Nancy Frey are excited about the incredible selection of home accent and other items available at Urban Renewal.

Miller took over the shop last spring.

Step 3: Discuss your efficiency and “stage” options

March 4-6 | Century II

HOT TUBS, GRILLS & ACCESSORIES!

Step 4: Understand your warranty Finally, be sure to check the warranty coverage offered by the equipment manufacturer. Your contractor should be very clear about what’s covered.

Also, ask whether an extended warranty is available and what advantages it offers.

BIG SAVINGS AT THE OUTDOOR LIVING & LANDSCAPE SHOW

Mon-Fri 10-6 | Sat 10-5 | Sun 12-4 And By Appointment 316-733-1200 | www.FlintHillsSpas.com 6350 E. Central Ave., Wichita, KS 67208 Central and Woodlawn

Voted Territory Dealer of the Year

www.eastwichitanews.com

Step 2: Determine the location of the unit and inspect ductwork Ask your contractor where the new equipment will be located and whether your ductwork is properly sealed, insulated and sized for the equipment.

Dust and debris in the ductwork can reduce the HVAC system’s efficiency and damage its components, so have the ductwork inspected before shopping for a new system.

Your contractor should also inspect the home’s electrical system to be sure it provides enough power to handle a new, upgraded HVAC system.

Hot Tubs | Swim Spas | Grills | Saunas Umbrellas | Patio Heaters | Spa Care Products

FINANCING AVAILABLE

Step 1: Determine how much equipment you need Ask your HVAC contractor to conduct a “Manual J” load calculation to determine your home’s unique heating and cooling needs. This calculation analyzes everything that affects air temperature in your home—things like windows, orientation to the sun, and duct leakage.

Using this calculation, your contractor can recommend the right-size equipment for your home.

Whether shopping for a furnace, air conditioner or heat pump, always check the efficiency of the unit you are considering. The efficiency of a fuel-burning furnace is expressed as the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). Air-conditioning systems are rated according to their seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and heat pump efficiency is expressed as the unit’s heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF). Generally speaking, a higher AFUE, SEER or HSPF means increased efficiency and reduced operating expenses.

If you’re in the market for a new furnace, choose from a single-stage, two-stage or modulating furnace.

Single-stage furnaces operate at full capacity all the time. Two-stage furnaces have two separate heating settings—a lower setting that is used when the furnace turns on and runs during milder winter days and a higher stage for colder conditions. Modulating furnaces can run at any speed within a set range, allowing them to choose the precise speed that’s most efficient for the given heating demand and offering the most energy-efficient heating solution.

Also, consider installing a programmable thermostat to control your new HVAC system. These thermostats offer accurate, reliable, energy-saving performance, and in some cases they include Wi-Fi support to work with mobile devices to easily program a system remotely.

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

(NAPSI) – The charm of an older home is an attractive selling feature.

Less appealing are the inefficiencies of an older heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system or the absence of a cooling system. Updating to an HVAC system improves comfort and often makes good economic sense, but it requires careful planning. Asking the right questions and enlisting the help of a qualified HVAC contractor can make it possible to create a comfortable, efficient environment without spoiling the character of these classic structures.

29 - March 2016

New comfort for older homes

March 2016 - 30

SUNFLOWER STATE EXTERIORS ROOFING • SIDING • GUTTERING

When quality counts, contact our professionals!

www.eastwichitanews.com

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

Family Owned & Operated • Competitive Prices Licensed and Insured • Experienced Workman Only Quality Materials Used • Pay When Completed Written Estimates • Written Warranties Job Site Cleaned Daily • References Available

Roofing • Siding • Gutter Covers • Guttering Windows • Storm Doors • Repair Hail Damage Protect your roof with Sunflower State Exteriors LLC! 12828 E. 13th St., Suite 15 • Wichita, KS 67230 316.744.7669 or 1-866-744-7674 sunflowerstateexteriors.com

Come & visit our large deck display room!

Check out our large selection of cabinets & countertops!

Counter Tops • Fireplaces Cabinets • Mouldings

7355 W. Taft, Wichita 316-721-1288

www.fisherlumber.net

Garden Plain 316-531-2295 Andale 316-444-2125

Get the most out of your programmable thermostat (NAPSI) – Programmable thermostats can help homeowners conserve energy and reduce utility costs but only if they are selected, installed and used properly. To help realize the potential savings that come with this technology, it’s a good idea to keep the following tips in mind: • Narrow your search to a thermostat that’s compatible with the heating and cooling system installed in your home.

• Choose one that will work for those who use it. Some have traditional push buttons while more advanced models feature intuitive touch screens for quick and clear navigation.

• Consider a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat, which will allow you to control the temperature in your home, even when you’re away.

Choose from four standard models, each of which offers a distinctive scheduling style: • 7-day programming: a flexible option that meets the heating/cooling needs of homeowners with erratic schedules by allowing them to set seven different schedules • 5-1-1 programming: allows you to set one heating/cooling schedule for the week and two different plans for Saturday and Sunday • 5-2 programming: same as 5-1-1 except Saturday and Sunday have the same plan • 1-week programming: allows you to set one heating/cooling plan that will be repeated daily for the entire week.

• Set energy-saving temperature levels based on the habits in your household.

Standard models offer four daily temperature changes, although models offering six or more settings are available.

Consider programming the thermostat for a comfortable temperature when you wake up, an energy-saving temperature for when you’re at work, a comfortable temperature when you’re home and another for when you’re asleep. Ideally, a temperature change should remain at that temperature for at least eight hours to take full advantage of potential energy savings.

Installation and Usage Tips • Install the thermostat on an interior wall, away from drafts and supply registers, heat-generating appliances, skylights, fireplaces, windows and doorways.

• Follow the manufacturer’s directions for installation, or ask your heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) contractor to do the installation.

• Think about using multiple thermostats to take advantage of zoned heating and cooling and maximize energy savings.

• Use the permanent “hold” setting to save energy when you are on vacation or to override preprogrammed settings. However, consider changing your settings when you find you’re using the hold feature too often.

• Change the batteries in the thermostat annually. Some thermostats offer prompts for this as well as changing filters and scheduling maintenance for your heating/cooling system.

A Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat lets you control the temperature of your home, even when you’re not there.

FARMERS MARKET

Farmers Market

Starts Tuesday, April 12th 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Green Acres East- Rock Rd. & 21st St. N.

Kansas Grown Inc.

Early Produce, Jelly/Jam, Salsa, Specialty Cookies, Eggs, Meat

cent cost recovery on $2,100), a new garage door (87 percent on $2,300) and refinishing hardwood flooring (100 percent cost recovery on $2,500).

Depending on your home’s age, your roof has likely felt the brunt of Mother Nature. Over time, torrential downpours, fierce winds and even the cold can cause shingles to peel back, buckle and even fall off. This leaves your home susceptible to leaks and possibly mildew or mold.

Although costly ($7,600 on average), a new roof rated the highest in both cost recovery (105 percent) and happiness. When selling, a recently fixed or replaced roof also puts potential buyers at ease.

While full kitchen renovations can cost north of $50,000, smaller projects such as updating worn-out cabinet surfaces, installing touch-activated faucets and even a new backsplash are budget friendly and likely gratifying to you or a potential buyer.

Window film: A powerful defense (NAPSI) – Many Americans think they need to worry about skin protection only when they are outside. However, according to the International Window Film Association (IWFA), the harmful UV rays that people are concerned about while outdoors can also penetrate into homes, with the possibility of causing damage.

Typical windows block as little as 25 percent of UV rays which, if left unchecked, can cause extensive damage to the skin, including premature aging, wrinkles and even skin cancer.

Additionally, the UV rays may accelerate the fading of furniture, flooring and other décor.

Fortunately, professionally installed window film may act as a powerful defense against these problems, by blocking up to 99 percent of the UV rays.

Installing window film can also have a positive affect on energy costs, because it can help regulate room temperatures, thus lowering energy bills during warm and, in some cases, even cold weather.

www.eastwichitanews.com

friends and family for referrals. If you don’t feel your salesperson is knowledgeable or helpful, take your business elsewhere.

5. Go for the best value, not the lowest price. To ensure long-term performance, buy the highest-quality sleep set you can afford. View it as a long-term partnership.

6. Get the details. If you choose the convenience of buying a mattress online, you won’t have the chance to try it out, so read the reviews, carefully check return and shipping policies and be certain there’s customer support should a problem arise. Do they ensure that your satisfaction is guaranteed without extra costs and hassles?

7. Be sure it contains certified foam. A growing number of consumers want to be assured the polyurethane foam used in their bedding (and upholstered furniture, too) are low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) for indoor air quality and made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants, ozone depleters, formaldehyde, lead, mercury or other heavy metals and phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. A new resource for consumers is CertiPUR-US, a not-for-profit certification program for flexible polyurethane foam. You can find a list of companies selling products containing certified polyurethane foam in the consumer section of www.certipur.us.

Then you’ll be on your way to getting a better night’s sleep.

(NAPSI) – The next time you’re thinking about sprucing up your digs, consider these projects, which the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) recent “Remodeling Impact Report” says can bring the greatest cost recovery or deliver the most happiness based on a “joy score.”

Even if you don’t plan to sell your home in the near future, envision yourself as a potential buyer walking into your house for the first time.

Which imperfections would catch someone’s eye immediately yet are reasonable to fix? A few projects that made owners happiest were adding a bathroom, new fiber-cement siding and a complete kitchen renovation.

There are several affordable renovations that recover most of the costs when it’s time to sell your home.

Of the projects that had the greatest cost recovery, many, based on average costs, were $2,500 or less. These included insulation upgrades (95 per-

HOME AND GARDEN GUIDE

(NAPSI) – A mattress is one of the most important purchases you’ll ever make. After all, you spend approximately a third of your life in bed. In many ways, it’s like buying a car: research and comparison-shopping are essential; comfort, safety and budget are key considerations; and the number of choices can feel overwhelming. But you don’t have to lose sleep over it. These seven tips can help you find the mattress of your dreams.

1. Size matters. If you’re sharing a bed, consider buying a queen- or kingsize mattress. A healthy person moves 40 to 60 times a night and makes lots of full-body turns. For sound sleep, you need freedom of motion.

2. Test-drive different models. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes you can easily slip off so you can lie down, it’s the only way to determine what feels right for you. Compare a variety of firmness levels and styles within your budget constraints. Your mattress and foundation should support your body at all pressure points (check your alignment in a good standing posture). Beyond that, firmness is a personal choice.

3. Look “under the hood.” Ask the salesperson to show you illustrated or actual “cutaways” of the interior of the different mattresses and foundations.

The mechanics of innersprings and foams vary widely, which can greatly affect comfort.

4. Find a reputable dealer. Furniture stores, department stores and sleep specialty shops all sell mattresses. Ask

Improve your home’s ‘joy score’

31 - March 2016

Tips for buying a new mattress

Coe Financial Services Coe Financial Services Coe Financial Services Coe Financial Services

Financial advisors Jim DeKalb, left, and Richard Coe help build strong and lasting relationships through application of one or more processes designed to help you accomplish what is important to you.

Will you be ready for what is ahead?

We have 5 questions for youHave you ever been frustrated, anxious, discouraged, or confused by stock market turmoil?

Could there be significant factors about the stock market you may have never considered?

Would you admit that you do not have the time, the tools, or the desire to be an expert on investments?

If it was possible to make meaningful improvements in your investment program, would you be willing to invest time to explore options?

Coe Financial Services will accept a limited number of new clients in 2016. If your answer is “Yes” to each of the 4 questions shown above and you like the idea of investing with less stress, would you call Richard Coe at (316) 689-0900 to see if you might be a candidate for a “Right Fit” exploratory meeting?

Coe Financial Services Coe Financial Services Coe Financial Services Coe Financial Services