WestSide Story August 2017

August 2017 - 2

I INSIDE

Volume 32 • Issue 10 August 2017

ON THE COVER Crowning moment | 8

WestSider Krystian Fish, a Northwest High School and Wichita State graduate, will compete for the Miss America title in September.

Contributed photo

Features People and Places.......................4 Wichita Homes.............................5 From the Publisher’s Files.........6 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Dateline...........................................7

WestSide 4-Her went all-out for the county fair | 24 The center of the internet lies in a nearby lake | 28

Pet Smarts...................................11 Focus On Business.............13-22 Performing Arts Calendar......18 Jim Erickson’s movie reviews will return in September

WestSide Story Editorial

Publisher Paul Rhodes Managing Editor Travis Mounts Graphics Abbygail Brown Reporters/Contributors Sam Jack, Tessa Castor, Dr. Jason Albertson, Philip Holmes

Sales & Billing

Sales Valorie Castor, Shelby Riedel Billing/Circulation Briana Bade A Division of Times-Sentinel Newspapers 125 N. Main • P.O. Box 544 Cheney, KS 67025 Phone: (316) 540-0500 Fax: (316) 540-3283

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It is delivered free to most west Wichita homes within our coverage area, although distribution is not guaranteed. Single copies are available for free in west Wichita Dillons stores and at Times-Sentinel Newspapers.

Email story ideas and photographs to news@tsnews.com. Visit us on Facebook. © 2017 Times-Sentinel Newspapers

Traveling back in time with teens My son, Aaron, and I decided to have a last-minute holiday party last month.

With most parties for the Fourth of July weekend already planned and peoples’ schedules set, we decided to have a July 1 party and celebrate Canada Day. This led to both of us being asked multiple times, “Are you Canadian?”

Nope, although I visited a couple times as a youth. The closest my son has been to Canada is Mount Rushmore.

However, we do love hockey, and there are several Canadian adult beverages I have a fondness for. Oh, and one of my brothers once met Michael J. Fox. That seemed to be reason enough to throw a party.

(And before anybody accuses me of being a socialist or a traitor, I celebrated the Fourth of July the rest of the weekend, and have celebrated for four-plus decades. I offer that defense mostly in jest, but the last year or so has taught me there could be one or two folks who need to be reassured I still love the country of my birth).

And a good party it was.

The adults lasted until nearly 11 p.m. and then left me alone with about a half-dozen teenagers.

And they were a blast.

Not long after the median age of the crowd dropped into the teens, my son asked for a blanket.

The kids were setting up a movie screen on the patio. One of them owns a 16-mm projector and a number of old films purchased off eBay. We watched an old movie of Paul McCartney being filmed by his late wife, Linda McCartney. Another was silent black-and-white game film from the Wichita State Shockers’ 1969 football season.

Then there were several educational films that predated even my schooling.

And those films were bad.

The kids commented how cheesy they were. Most of them weren’t very

Travis Mounts | Managing Editor

educational, although they would have done a good job of eating up class time and keeping kids relatively entertained.

As bad as they were, they weren’t that much worse than the good entertainment at the time.

It was enlightening to hear the kids’ takes on the movies, and the current version of me agreed with them. I’m sure the young version of me would have agreed, too.

I was impressed with their criticism that the educational films were not educational enough. I loved that they embraced simple fun together. And I was tickled with their love of “old” technology.

In addition, I tried my hand at making poutine.

If you’re not familiar with this northof-the-border dish, it’s primarily found in French-speaking Canada and some parts of the northern United States.

Basically, it’s just French fries with cheese curds and brown gravy.

Some friends from Maize said one of their sons fell in love with the dish in college at Oklahoma State. I didn’t know Stillwater was such a bastion for Quebecois cuisine.

Next year, we may change it to a NAFTA party, or a Canada Day/preFourth-of-July/belated Cinco de Mayo Party. That way we can expand the beer selection, and add tacos and Philly cheesesteaks to the menu.

And we’ll celebrate all three nations with some good, old fashioned, Chinese fireworks.

WICHway, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) on Wichita’s highways, offers a new feature sending subscribers texts and/or emails that share special traffic alerts created by operators at the WICHway Traffic Management Center. The alerts are created when a traffic problem such as a major crash, a highway closure or a similar event causes a significant disruption on a Wichita highway.

The alerts are an extension of the WICHway website (www.WICHway. org), an informational resource the public can consult before traveling on Wichita’s highways. The website adjusts to the type of device being used – a computer, a tablet or a smartphone – and can be bookmarked on a smart-

phone so that it performs similarly to an app. A short video showing how to bookmark any page from the site can be viewed at KDOT’s YouTube page at www.bit.ly/WwBookmark.

WICHway shares information that is gathered from 55 roadside cameras and 63 traffic sensors. Messages are displayed on 25 electronic message signs, shared on the website and can now be sent to subscribers so that travelers, commuters, freight operators and others using Wichita’s highways can make informed decisions about their route.

To subscribe to WICHway alerts, create an account at My Kansas 511 (www. safetravelusa.com/ks/cp511) and select Wichita WICHway Alerts.

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WICHway traffic alerts available by text or email

WestSide Story

August 2017 - 4

WestSide Story People and Places The Wichita Northwest Lions Club installed new officers for 2017-18 at Rolling Hills Country Club. New officers are: Rudy Diethelm, treasurer; Sandra Childs, secretary; JoLynne Campbell, second vice president; Bill Murphy, first vice president; and Scott Helmke, president. Kaitlyn Beck, a 2017 graduate of Northwest High School, was awarded the first Dr. Bill Wunder Founders’ Scholarship. The Northwest Lions also contributed $5,100 to 14 different agencies of service during 2016-17, and sponsored five musicians from Northwest and Maize high schools to participate in the Kansas State Lions Band.

Mary Peter of Wichita was part of the largest graduating class in the 159-year history of Benedictine College in Atchison. Peter earned a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education and special education.

W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Anna R. Bohr received the outstanding journalism student award from the Kappa Gamma Pi Honor Society at Mount Mercy University’s honor convocation on May 19. The school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Bohr graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in May. She was named to the spring 2017 dean’s list, with a grade-point average of 3.60 or higher.

WestSider Colin Adams has been named to the University of Wisconsin-Madison dean’s list for the sprint 2017 semester.

More than 4,400 University of Nebraska-Lincoln students have been named to the deans’ list for the spring 2017 semester. The students are Reid Jones, Spencer Jones, Kristen Jones, Emily Turner and Cooper Downs of Wichita, and Wakon Lee of Maize.

Kansas Wesleyan had 102 student-athletes receive Academic All-KCAC honors during the 2016-17 year.

In order to be named to the Academic All-KCAC team, student-athletes must maintain a 3.333 GPA as defined by the institution, be at least sophomore academic status and letter in their respective sports.

WestSiders who earned All-KCAC honors include volleyball team members Shelby Craig and Aspen Lungwitz, men’s basketball team member Arique Moss, and women’s basketball team member Sydney Mortensen.

Elaina Brownlee and Sally Olmstead have been named to the St. Olaf College dean’s list for the spring 2017 semester. Students must have a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be on the dean’s list.

WestSider Alexandra Johnson has been named to the University of Iowa’s dean’s list for the 2017 spring semester. Undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the Tippie College of Business who achieve a

grade point average of 3.50 or higher on 12 semester hours or more of UI graded course work during a given semester or summer session are recognized by inclusion on the Dean’s List for that semester.

Gabe Schlickau, Meritrust Credit Union, has been named chairman of the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) in Local Area IV. Schlickau transitioned to the position on July 1 taking the role from Kathy Jewett of XLT Ovens. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) establishes local workforce boards which connect employers and job seekers together to strengthen the local economy. The LWDB’s role is to develop regional strategic plans that set funding priorities for their area. The LWDB for the South Central Kansas region covers Butler, Cowley, Harper, Kingman, Sedgwick and Sumner counties. Members of the board include business leaders, economic development officials, education and training providers and community based organizations.

Samantha Carter of West Wichita graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in art history from Carleton College at its 143rd Commencement exercises, held on Saturday, June 10.

KMUW news director Aileen LeBlanc and assistant news director Carla Eckels have been awarded a prestigious national Edward R. Murrow Award for their news feature looking at the return of anti-abortion demonstrations to Wichita. The award recognizes excellence in hard news reporting in the small-market radio category. The story also won the regional award.

LeBlanc and Eckels reported on how, 25 years after the original Summer of Mercy, protesters with Operation Save America came back to Wichita to pray, demonstrate and try to stop abortions. Organizers called it the “Summer of Justice.”

LeBlanc previously produced a documentary and call-in show for the fifth anniversary of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, one of just a few physicians in the U.S. who performed late-term abortions.

Eckels reported from the site of some of the weeklong demonstrations at the clinic and spoke with some of the participants. Other voices included in the piece were former Wichita mayor Bob Knight, who was in office during initial protests in 1991; Trust Women founder and CEO Julie Burkhart, who worked with Tiller and now runs the South Wind Women’s Center; and Rusty Thomas, director of Operation Save America.

The Radio Television Digital News Association has been honoring outstanding works of digital and broadcast news since 1971.

The board of directors for Wichita Women’s Initiative Network has named four new members to three-year

terms. They are Janelle Conway of Equity Bank, Stephanie Gaskill-Jakub of J.P. Weigand, Nicole Howerton of Howerton+White Integrated Marketing Agency, and Todd Tedesco of Foulston Siefkin. Wichita Women’s Initiative Network is a non-profit collaborative endeavor that provides women survivors of domestic abuse with educational and employment opportunities that foster healing and self-sufficiency. Since its founding in 1997, it has helped nearly 400 women and their children to emotional and financial independence.

Heartspring has added two new board members to its board of trustees: Kristen Aberle of Westar Energy and Jay Voncannon of Koch Industries. Aberle has been a business manager at Westar Energy since the spring of 2015. She has given her time as a board member with the Red Cross and as a volunteer with Girl Scouts of America and Junior Achievement of Kansas. Voncannon is the managing director at Koch Industries. He’s held that position for the past six years and has been an employee of Koch Industries for more than eight years.

Wesley Healthcare has named Jamie Logan its new director of critical care services. Logan, who began her career as a nurse tech in Wesley’s critical care unit in 2006, will focus on quality and patient safety initiatives as well as on recruitment and retention efforts in the intensive care units. Logan received her associates in applied science nursing degree from Butler Community College and transitioned to a registered nurse. She was promoted to assistant nurse manager in 2012 and then to unit manager in 2013 before being named director of Wesley’s critical care services. She received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Tabor College in 2011 and plans to attend Friends University next spring for her master’s degree in healthcare management.

Sedgwick County District Judge Michael Hoelscher was appointed to serve as the Kansas representative to an international court of law that deals with parental child abduction. Hoelscher, who was designated by Chief Justice Lawton R. Nuss of the Kansas Supreme Court, presides over the family law department of the 18th Judicial District in Wichita. The International Hague Network of Judges was created to help link U.S. judges with counterparts overseas in parental child abduction cases. Additionally, the group works to train state and federal judges about the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. That treaty provides the means to return a child who is taken across international borders. Hoelscher, who was elected to the bench in 2014, worked six years in the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office and six years in the Wichita City Attorney’s Office following his graduation from the Washburn University School of Law. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Newman University.

The big box store has everything you need to build a house. Why not furnish your home there, too?

The prices at the big boxes seem to be good. And the selection is OK, although limited to “builder’s quality” for the most part. For some items, that may be fine.

I personally enjoy strolling through a big box store and looking at all of the merchandise. But, there can be a huge difference between shopping at a big box and shopping at a specialty store when it comes to the finer details of home furnishings. Specifically, there can be major contrasts with respect to quality, price-value, and customer service.

Quality assortment While the big boxes are directed toward mass appeal, you would expect to find a wider and deeper range of products at specialty stores. The big box stores may carry a couple of name brands and their own house brand, which differ very little in terms of price and features.

Choices at a specialty store may be more complex, with many options available. A knowledgeable salesperson will be able to help the customer sort out quality issues. Again, big box assortments are probably just fine for drills and light bulbs, but not especially for the finer details of your home decor.

Customer service In general, the big box store’s service staff is charged with having a broad

DIABETES CLASS Facilitated by Michelle Weber RN, CDE & Gretchen Strathe RD, LD, CDE

Philip Holmes | Interior Designer

knowledge of either the entire department or perhaps even the entire store.

In that business model, there is little opportunity for specialization. The person you would expect to find at a specialty store will likely be an owner or someone else who is very familiar with the line of products.

There will be a lot of questions asked in order to direct you to the specific model or item that will best suit your needs. As mentioned above, with a larger assortment and almost unlimited options, a knowledgeable salesperson is important in helping you negotiate through the overwhelming choices.

In some cases, the service includes inhome consultations. This can help save customers a lot of time, trouble and expense in avoiding a costly mistake.

In my own experience, I once ordered some blinds from a big box. The selection looked good enough, and the price seemed OK, too. The person there took the order from my own ‘precise’ measurements. When the blinds came in, they were wrong, of course, because I did not take into account a certain architectural characteristic of my window. The next time around, I made contact with a specialty store. The person came, measured and installed for just a little more money than I wasted on the first set.

Certified Diabetes Educators Our mission is to provide a comprehensive diabetes self management program for our patients with current and accurate information. We understand the importance of empowering people with diabetes in order for them to better manage their disease and live healthy.

Course Schedule Class 1: Diabetes & Monitoring Diabetes Treatments Class 2: Basic Nutrition & Exercise Complications with Diabetes Coping Skills Class 3: Part II Nutrition Goal Setting

“The class has helped me to better understand diabetes and given me more confidence in making better choices.

I feel empowered with the knowledge I have gained from this class.”

-WWFP patient

Daytime or Saturday classes are scheduled on an ongoing basis.

Contact Michelle Weber at 316-491-6393 for more information and to sign up.

Warranty If you have an issue with the product, the big box stores will refer you to the manufacturer. You know the drill: Dial the 800 number and try to figure out the right prompts...and, never once See HOMES, Page 31

You are encouraged to check with your insurance regarding coverage (CPT Code G0109).

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Price-value Because the offerings are geared toward lower price, consumers may feel that they can get “virtually the same thing” at a big box as a specialty store.

The perception may be that prices are higher at a specialty store, which may or may not be true.

It’s probably more accurate to say that there will be a broader range of products at various price points at a specialty store. There also is the issue of the price-value relationship, the question being “What kind of quality am I really getting at this price?”

Wichita Homes

West Wichita Family Physicians, P.A.

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Shopping for home furnishings: Why bigger isn’t always better

August 2017 - 6

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Will a new set of clubs improve my golf game?

I’ve been itching to get back out and play some golf this year.

Up until recently, I’d been under doctor’s orders to not do a lot of extra physical activity until my recent round of cardiac stuff got figured out. Now that all of that’s been cleared up and I’ve been given a green light to work out at the gym, do yard work and climb Mount Everest, I’ve also decided to get back to playing a little golf again.

Okay…so the Mount Everest climb is still off the table, but I have resumed other activities and I feel great.

The only bad thing about getting back to playing golf is…well…my golf game. Years ago (like more than 40 years ago) when I was in high school and college, I actually played a decent round of golf. I was on the golf team in high school, and continued to play frequently while in college.

After that, as is the case for so many golfers, my game got put on a back burner as I worked on marriage and starting a family. There barely was time for family activities period, let alone time for myself to go golfing once in a while.

That changed a bit when my son Bill showed an early interest in golf, and I had a simple set of junior golf clubs made for him out of a garage sale find.

He proved to be pretty good at golf, and even got his picture in the paper when he hit a hole-in-one at a Topeka golf course when he was about 9 years old.

I’m 60, and I’ve never hit a hole-inone. I’m not even putting that one out there for consideration…I feel like I’ve “holed out” if I can get a tee shot on the green on a par 3.

Anyways, after Bill lost interest in golf over the years, I did again, too. A couple of years ago, I decided to come out of retirement, and started playing again.

Last year, I became more earnest about that interest when my friend Bruce Chapman and I started playing more. We found a couple of other duffers to make a foursome on some occasions.

And this was going to be our year to get serious.

Then, of course, I ran into some medical roadblocks. Finally, with that

From the Publisher’s Files

Paul Rhodes | Publisher

green light, Bruce and I are back out playing again.

My level of seriousness was punctuated a few weeks ago when I asked Bruce to tag along with me for an afternoon as I shopped for new golf clubs. Yep… Mister Tightwad was actually going to spring for something nice for himself.

For the last three decades, I’ve been playing with a set of Tremor golf clubs that were actually decent…30 years ago.

They were much better than sticks with rocks strapped to them, and a far cry from today’s well-engineered golf clubs.

While I was shopping for new clubs, a salesman at a sporting goods store noted with interest that my old clubs aren’t even made anymore.

Imagine that.

With some help from my buddy Bruce, and multiple salesmen at multiple stores, I ended up with a set of new Top Flite golf clubs that will serve me well for years to come. Bruce and I have been visiting driving ranges around the area for the last few weeks, and last week we even got out and played a round of golf.

No, my golf score hasn’t improved yet…but it will. Aspects of my game that were previously in the toilet are showing signs of improvement, and that will hopefully lead to fewer strokes as time goes on.

And even if my score doesn’t improve that much, the new golf clubs have renewed my interest in the game, and getting out to spend some time with my friend Bruce and other golf companions.

And that, alone, is a score worth recording.

Aug. 8 – Wichita Rose Society annual ice cream social, 7 p.m. Social meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. The event will be in the Lotus Room at Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, 701 N. Amidon. Guests are welcome. Attendees are encouraged to bring roses from their gardens to share.

Admission is free.

Aug. 9, 16, 23 – Living with Alzheimer’s: For People with Alzheimer’s, an interactive three-part program for people with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. Hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association Central and Western Kansas chapter at the Alzheimer’s Association Building, 1820 E. Douglas. Times will be 1-3 p.m. each session. RSVP by call the 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900 or email cwkshelpline@alz.org.

Aug. 15 – Sixth annual Empowering Women Haircut-a-thon, 6:30-9 p.m., Eric Fisher Salon West, in New Market Square. This event supports the Wichita Family Crisis Center (formerly Wichita YWCA), a non-profit organization that

Dateline

Upcoming events in and around Wichita

works to eliminate domestic violence in our community by supporting survivors through shelter, education, and advocacy.All service proceeds from this event will go directly to the Wichita Family Crisis Center. Eric Fisher Salon stylists will be providing dry haircuts for only $10, brow sculpts for only $5, and lip waxes for only $5. All services will be performed on a first come, first served basis and the event is open to the public. No appointment will be necessary.

Only cash or check will be accepted, no credit cards. Attendees are also encouraged to donate regularly-needed items for domestic violence victims. A list of these items can be found in the Empowering Women Haircut-a-thon Facebook event, located on the Eric Fisher Salon Facebook page. Donations of any kind will earn guests 20 percent off their retail purchase. For further information, call Eric Fisher Salon West at 316-729-0777. To learn more about the Wichita Family Crisis Center, please visit wichitafamilycrisiscenter.org.

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Aug. 5 – Emerald City Chorus will hold a barbershop bingo at Southwest Presbyterian Church, 1511 W. 27th St. S. Session 1 is 12-3 p.m., doors open at 11:30 a.m. Session 2 is 5-8 pm., doors open at 4:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $30 includes bingo cards, a sloppy Joe meal, and a chance to win prizes, including $250 cash for blackout. The event is open to adults and children age 12 or older. Tickets must be obtained from chorus members prior to event.

Proceeds will benefit the Emerald City Chorus Music Education Fund. For more information, call 316-773-9300 or visit online at www.emeraldcitychorus. org.

Aug. 28 – 17th annual SIDS Scramble, presented by KU Wichita Pediatrics, BOB FM and Hank FM. Hosted by the KIDS Network at Crestview Country Club. Go to kidsks.org for more information about Haley’s SIDS Scramble.

What’s your ^ story?

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news@tsnews.com | 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/TheWestSideStory If you have a business to promote, call our sales staff to discuss Focus On Business! 540-0500.

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August 2017 - 8 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Northwest graduate to compete for Miss America

S t o r y b y T e ss a C a s t o r Contributed photos WestSider Krystian Fish was named Miss Kansas in early June. She will compete in the Miss America pageant on Sept. 10.

K

rystian Fish was named Miss Kansas 2017 on June 10 at Pratt Community College.

Fish, a 2014 Northwest High School graduate, is currently studying psychology at Wichita State University. Her first pageant was during her senior year of high school, when her friend convinced her to compete together in the Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen pageant.

After being named first runner-up in Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen, Fish won a local pageant, Miss Heart of the Midwest, earning her way to the Miss Kansas pageant, which she competed in three times.

This June, at the end of her third Miss Kansas pageant, she got the title..

“I guess third time’s a charm, because I won,” said Fish. “This is something I’ve wanted so bad.

I went saying, ‘I will not go home without that crown.’ I don’t think I’m ever going to forget

that moment.”

Fish’s platform is “Be Unstoppable: Disability, not Definition,” a platform inspired by her passion for The Arc of Sedgwick County, a nonprofit organization in place to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families living with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Fish has volunteered with the Youth Education Summer Socialization program, a program serving students with disabilities, since she was 11 years old – even though she was more than three years younger than most of the volunteers.

When Fish was 14 years old, she was The Arc of Sedgwick County’s young volunteer of the year, having volunteered over 600 hours.

Prior to volunteering with the program, Fish attended YESS with her cousin during “sibling week,” serving as his “pretend sibling,” as she

calls it. Fish said that her love of the program started with a love of her cousin, and she now has connections to disability organizations nationwide.

Continuing her volunteer work with YESS, Fish was eventually hired to the program’s recreational staff, where she worked with the teens in the program.

“As a volunteer, her bright smile and cheery attitude made her a favorite with kids and families,” said Nancy Templin, retired volunteer coordinator. “It was easy to see that she would one day make a great staff member, and she did.”

Fish said that the most important part of YESS is the education that comes with it – education for both the students and the public.

“We are teaching our kids how to interact in the community,” said Fish. “And we’re teaching

Krystian Fish, Miss Kansas 2017, received hugs from the children in the YESS program during a visit in June. Fish has been a volunteer at YESS since she was 11 years old and said that she would have gotten the same reaction without the crown.

have as much of an impact as I can. I will definitely continue with disability services.”

While volunteering with YESS, Fish said she learned to leave her pride “at the door,” and she believes other stu-

dents can benefit from volunteer work.

“Every student needs to be required to volunteer,” said Fish. “Not getting a paycheck wasn’t a problem for me.

When you volunteer for YESS, your entire perspective changes. I see the

person first, and I respect them.”

After being named Miss Kansas 2017, Fish made a surprise visit on June 22 to YESS, where she said she was met with hugs from her “friends with disabilities,” but those hugs weren’t necessarily because of her new title.

“I would get the same reaction if I walked in without a crown,” said said, adding that some of the older kids did thank her for being “their Miss Kansas.”

Fish said the kids from YESS have been her biggest inspiration over the course of her career in pageantry.

“When I think this is getting hard, I remember one of those kids,” said Fish. “I don’t want to live another day not serving that community. I love competing for kids with special needs.”

“The kids at YESS were so excited to see Krystian again, but she looked just as excited to get to see them,” said Mary Brown, outreach and development coordinator for The Arc of Sedgwick County. “We could not be any more proud or excited for Krystian.

She has been a wonderful advocate and See FISH, Page 12

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the community these kids are just like other kids. We are constantly teaching society to be more inclusive.”

The exposure that comes with YESS, Fish said, teaches the kids and the community alike to “see people first,” a piece of her campaign to destroy labels and teach inclusion.

The Be Unstoppable Campaign, founded by Fish, was designed to educate communities on disabilities and fight prejudice against those with disabilities.

“You are not defined by your disabilities,” the campaign’s website states.

“You are not defined by the things you cannot do. You are not defined by your age, race, ethnicity, background, family history, or anything else. You are you, and you are unstoppable.”

The campaign has recently spread to a United States Army base in Italy, bringing the Unstoppable Curriculum to classrooms, but Fish said she is not finished with the work in her campaign. She hopes to one day to open a nonprofit organization for those with disabilities.

“I have a severe passion for people with disabilities,” said Fish. “I want to

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August 2017 - 10 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Sam Koehn Mortgage Loan Officer 316-945-9600 NMLS# 525759

NBC Hall of Famers announced The National Baseball Congress has announced its Hall of Fame inductions for the class of 2017: Al “Rusty” Gerhardt, Loren Packard, Doug Stokke, Jack O’Donnell, and Wayne Elliott.

Al “Rusty” Gerhardt shined on the mound in two NBC World Series appearances, nabbing the MVP in 1970 for the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Sullivans, a team that featured nine future Major League players. Gerhardt was similarly impressive in 1971 for the Fairbanks (Alaska) Goldpanners and earned his second consecutive All-American Award as a pitcher. Over both of his NBC appearances, Gerhardt compiled an impressive 6-1 record while allowing just a single earned run. Gerhardt went on to a professional baseball career following the NBC. A 12th round selection of the San Diego Padres in 1972, Gerhardt made his major league debut at the ripe age of 23. Altogether, he spent nine seasons in the Padres’ organization before coaching in the Padres and Texas Rangers farm systems. He has been a scouting supervisor in the MLB Scouting Bureau since the mid-1990s. Rusty Gerhardt was the first member of the Hall of Fame class inducted on July 22.

Loren “Big Pack” Packard was an intimidating presence in his NBC World Series appearances for the NBC World Champion Boeing Bombers (Wichita) in 1954 and 1955. Packard began his professional baseball career after serving in the Navy during World War II. He won the KOM league batting title in 1948 for the Miami (Okla.) Owls by posting a .367 average, which earned him a promotion to Topeka the following year. He finished the season third in the Western Association in 1949 with a .330 batting average. “Big Pack” soon left his pursuit of the Major Leagues in order to provide for his family by working for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita.

Boeing’s championship teams during his seasons saw Packard post impressive numbers during the NBC World Series.

For two years with the Bombers, Pack-

ard hit an astounding .425 with 5 home runs and 27 RBI. Packard passed away in 1993. Loren Packard will be inducted posthumously on Aug. 5.

Doug Stokke was an elite defensive infielder and earned All-American status three times for the Fairbanks (Alaska) Goldpanners from 1975-1977.

Stokke was a primary cog in the Goldpanners success that ended with a NBC World Series Championship in 1976 and two second-place finishes in 1975 and 1977. Stokke took his success back to the University of Southern California in 1978, winning a national title and all-tournament selection at shortstop.

The success garnered Stokke a fifthround selection by the Houston Astros in 1978. He concluded his professional career in the Astros farm system after his best offensive season in 1980, hitting .289. Stokke is currently the vice president of Duke Health Marketing and Communications.

Jack O’Donnell had consistent success throughout the 1960s in the NBC World Series. O’Donnell burst onto the scene in 1960, earning the first of three NBC All-American selections.

He played in 10 World Series between 1959 and 1969, managing the Rapid Transit Dreamliners (Wichita) to two World Series championships in 19621963. O’Donnell holds the professional record for winning four games in four consecutive days, pitching for the Atlanta Crackers. Jack O’Donnell passed away in 1991. O’Donnell was inducted posthumously on July 29.

Wayne Elliott began his path to NBC affiliation with the Zaragoza League in 1989 as the official statistician. A year later, with the backing of a local business, he assembled the Thoppers to compete in the Southwest Regional Tournament. While the Thoppers failed to place, Elliott moved on to found a new team in 1991, the Austin Gold Sox, while also becoming commissioner of the Zaragoza League. The Gold Sox See NBC, Page 31

Back-to-school time often means increased boredom for pets as their “kids” are back in the classroom during the day.

This decrease in mental stimulation can lead to unwanted behaviors. Behavioral enrichment decreases boredom and stress level, preventing and treating problem behavior.

Food-dispensing toys allow for natural foraging behavior. Their entire daily ration can be in these toys. The pet can quickly learn to manipulate the toy, thereby releasing the food.

Examples include Kong toys, Rolla-Treat Balls, Deli-Dome, and Pavlov’s Cat. Check out a link showing interactive toys at veterinaryteam. dvm360.com/honest-toy-reviewsdogs.

Owners can make their own toys with tennis or racquet balls or disposable water bottles. Simply cut small holes in the ball or container, fill it with dry kibble, and viola – the pet is entertained.

Visual enrichment can be calming.

Some pets enjoy watching television or videos produced for pets. Music or radio sounds are soothing to some pets.

YouTube has numerous videos featuring animal-calming music.

Cats enjoy chasing a feather on a string or capturing wads of paper

Pet Smarts

Dr. Jason Albertson | Veterinarian

thrown on the floor. If your cat likes to chase the laser pointer, let him finish the chase by dropping a treat in front of him at the end of the game.

An empty cardboard box makes a wonderful hideout for your cat.

Turn it upside down and cut “mouse holes” and hide some treats within.

The next day, turn the box right side up and sprinkle in some catnip. Relocate the box in another room the next day.

Dogs may enjoy a safe game of tugof-war (as long as it does not lead to aggressive behaviors).

Remember that any positive human interaction enriches a pet’s life, as well as strengthens the human-animal bond.

Don’t forget to spend some time yourself with your pet when you get home.

Have fun with your pet and strengthen the bond.

HELP WANTED TEACHER AIDES (PARAEDUCATORS)

NEEDED to work with special needs students in local school districts.

Go to www.sped618.org to apply and for additional information.

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Back-to-school behavior basics

What’s your ^ story?

WestSide

news@tsnews.com | 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/TheWestSideStory If you have a business to promote, call our sales staff to discuss Focus On Business! 540-0500.

WestSide Story

Know somebody who has a unique hobby?

An interesting past? A one-of-a-kind personal story? Let us know, even if that person is you.

August 2017 - 12 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Fish Continued from Page 12

friend for those served by The Arc for years.”

When it comes to the stereotypes surrounding pageants, Fish said that the lessons taught from her involvement are priceless, potentially helping her get a job one day.

“I was never going to get the amount of confidence I have now without this system,” said Fish. “Pageants force you to have confidence, and I was able to figure out who I am. I am someone who is competing in Miss America, and I am qualified for it.”

Fish said that she knew she wanted to be Miss America during her senior year of high school; however, that knowledge didn’t come while at a pageant.

Instead, Fish said that, while home sick one day, she began watching the pageant on YouTube.

“When I watched Mallory Hagan be crowned Miss America, I burst into tears,” said Fish.

At that same moment, Fish said her mom walked into the room and asked her what was wrong. Confused at her own tears, Fish said she was half-serious when she responded.

“Mom, I’m going to be Miss America one day,” Fish told her mom, who responded with laughter. Fish said the opportunity to compete in her first pageant came a few weeks later.

“Here I am, heading to Atlantic City for the Miss America pageant,” said Fish.

“They say that your son has a better chance at competing in the Super Bowl than your daughter to compete in Miss America. I’m just so excited. At the end

of the day, I’m just so excited to go.”

Fish will compete for the title of Miss America 2017 on September 10 in Atlantic City, N.J. The pageant will broadcast live on ABC at 8 p.m. The Miss America Organization is the largest scholarship organization for women.

“I believe God already has Miss America picked,” said Fish. “I’m going to represent Kansas the best I can.”

Despite the pressure that comes from competing in a national pageant, Fish said the stage is a place of comfort for her, as she began participating in music theatre when she was five years old.

“I love to sing and I love to perform,” said Fish. “I’m more comfortable on a stage than anywhere.”

If Fish wins the title of Miss America 2017, she will receive a scholarship for her psychology education and go on a national speaking tour, bringing awareness to her “Be Unstoppable: Disability, not Definition” platform as well as the national platform for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

In preparation for the national pageant, Fish said she is focusing on living a healthy lifestyle, raising money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and doing mock interviews, because “You can only compete once.”

Fish said she believes Wichita has unique opportunities and is a thriving place for young adults. She said she appreciates the “Midwest hospitality” of Wichitans, the care and respect that they show for each other. Her favorite parts of Wichita are ICT Chalk Talks, a community chalkboard art installation downtown, and walking around the fountains in Old Town. Fish said she expects to graduate from WSU in 2018.

“Wichita is a place where you always feel at home,” said Fish. “I love Wichita. This is where I’m going to raise my family.”

Miss Kansas 2016, Kendall Schoenekase of Overland Park, crowns Fish during the June 10 Miss Kansas pageant. Fish said that she will never forget the moment that she found out she was Miss Kansas 2017. After graduating from WSU in 2018, Fish hopes to continue her work with disability services. Fish founded The Be Unstoppable Campaign, a campaign focused on educating the public and cutting down prejudice about disabilities. Fish’s Miss Kansas platform is “Be Unstoppable: Disability, not Definition.” If Fish wins Miss America 2017, she will spread her platform around the nation.

13 - August 2017

Featured this month Kitchen Tune-Up............................Page 11 Animal Hospital at Auburn Hills..... Page 12 Gross Tile & Custom Remodeling... Page 13 Wichita Grand Opera..................... Page 14

Cool off in a cool white kitchen!

WestSide Story

If you’re ready to transform your kitchen in done quickly. That’s where the One-Day Restoration less time and for less cost than you ever imagined, services, as well as the cabinet refacing projects, can it’s time to call Kitchen Tune-Up! produce big smiles on a smaller budget.

Through their amazing cabinet refacing proOn this project, Kitchen Tune-Up produced cess, the professionals at Kitchen Tune-Up can the desired smiles by introducing a classic crisp transform your kitchen into the space you’ve white raised-panel door style into the equation. dreamed about.

From there, additional design elements includThe Kitchen Tune-Up team recently transed sparkling white and gray quartz countertops formed a very traditional kitchen space into a with a coordinating handmade ceramic and glass beautiful, modern statement of form and funcbacksplash. tion. And, the new kitchen provides a cool white New updated lighting under the cabinets and look that is inviting year-round – and especially in beaded glass pendants over the peninsula comthe summer. pleted the new look.

“We were excited to tackle this project be“The homeowners wanted us to retain the feel cause it didn’t involve coming in and gutting or and function of their old kitchen, but they also completely renovating the kitchen,” said Rachel gave us the freedom to bring in a totally fresh, Phillips, who owns and operates the local Kitchnew and modern feel to the kitchen,” said Rachel. en Tune-Up franchise with her husband Adam.

The refacing work involved existing cabinets Kitchen Tune-Up gave this kitchen a brand new look while “This was an expanded refacing project that with new doors, drawers, panels and moldings. In retaining the feel and functionality of the original design. produced big results.” the end, the Kitchen Tune-Up team was able to Kitchen Tune-Up has remodeled hundreds of kitchens since the local franchise create the look of a fabulous new kitchen at a fraction of the price. was launched in 2005. The company’s services range from One-Day Restoration or For more information or to schedule a free consultation, call Kitchen Tune-Up “Tune-Up” of cabinets or any interior wood surfaces, to cabinet refacing projects at 316-558-8888. to complete custom kitchens and bathrooms.

Check out the company’s extensive BEFORE/AFTER portfolio on Facebook!

That range of services has made Kitchen Tune-Up a remodeling leader in the Wich- When you visit the local Kitchen Tune-Up Facebook page, be sure to ‘LIKE’ ita area. For some clients, the goal is to keep costs down and get the transformation Kitchen Tune-Up, Wichita.

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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.

August 2017 - 14 FOCUS ON BUSINESS WestSide Story

Larksfield Place awarded Home Care Accreditation from Joint Commission Larksfield Place Retirement Communities, Inc. recently announced it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Home Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective care. As of today, Larskfield Place Home Health is the only Home Health Agency in Wichita to achieve Joint Commission accreditation for Home Care.

Larksfield Place underwent a rigorous onsite survey on July 6, 2017.

During the survey, compliance with home care standards reflecting key organization areas was evaluated, including the provision of care, treatment and services, emergency management, human resources, individual rights and responsibilities, and leadership.

The accreditation process also provided Larksfield Place with education and guidance to help staff continue

to improve its home care program’s performance.

Established in 1988, The Joint Commission’s Home Care Accreditation Program supports the efforts of its accredited organizations to help deliver safe, high quality care and services.

More than 6,000 home care programs currently maintain accreditation, awarded for a three-year period, from The Joint Commission.

“When individuals engage a home care provider they want to be sure that provider is capable of providing safe, quality care,” said Margherita Labson, RN, MS, executive director, Home Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “As the home care setting becomes increasingly popular, it is important that home care providers are able to demonstrate that they are capable of providing safe, high quality care.

Accreditation by The Joint Commission serves as an indication that the organization has demonstrated compliance to these recognized standards of safe and quality care.”

“Larksfield Place is pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Ed Cornejo, VP Home Health Services for Larksfield Place. “Staff from across our organization continue to work together to strengthen the continuum of care and to deliver and maintain optimal home care services for those in our community. In the true manner of consistent excellence in health care services that Larksfield is known for nationally, the Home Health accreditation through The Joint Commission was a natural progression. No other organization in Wichita has such a highly rated and accredited, integrated continuum of inpatient, outpatient and now, home health care services.”

The Joint Commission’s home care standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, home care providers and researchers, as well as industry experts, purchasers and consumers. The standards are conver-

sant by scientific literature and expert consensus to help organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

Larksfield Place is Wichita’s premier non-profit continuing care retirement community. Designed for independent adults, Larksfield offers a maintenance-free lifestyle with the promise of additional health care services, should the need arise at any stage. Health care services include: assisted living; transitional care; Medicare certified, 5-Star, rehabilitation and long term care; as well as Medicare certified accredited home health care.

We are a Physician led organization providing compassionate, comprehensive, accessible medical care to those we serve.

Kirk R. Bliss, DO Jennifer R. Callison, DO Joe D. Davison, MD Larry A. Derksen, DO Rick W. Friesen, MD Josh P. Froese, MD Cassandra R. Gerlach, MD Robert Gonzalez, MD Kris L. Goodnight, MD Rebecca L. Green, MD

Sheryl R. Hemmen, MD Mark A. Hilger, MD Paul W. Huser, MD D. Scott Kardatzke, MD Kimberly D. Kenas, DO David K. Lauer, MD William C. Loewen, MD Michael G. Ludlow, MD John N. May, MD Stan A. Messner, MD

Todd A. Miller, MD Tobie R. Morrow, DO Alison K. Raymond, MD Ronald J. Reichenberger, MD Gary W. Reiswig, MD Jeffrey S. Reiswig, MD David A. Robl, MD Dirk M. Smith, MD Edward J. Weippert, MD Yao Y. Yang, MD

►Total Family Healthcare:

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West Wichita Family Physicians, P.a.

Newborn/Children’s Care

►Women’s Health:

Digital Mammography, Bone Density Testing, Breast MR

►Diagnostics:

CT (Computerized Tomography) MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Ultrasound/Sonography • Nuclear Medicine Laboratory • X-Ray • Surgery Center Certified Diabetic Education Classes

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For Appointments Call:

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262-6262 721-4910

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8200 West Central • Wichita, KS 67212 www.wwfppa.com

August 2017 - 16 FOCUS ON BUSINESS WestSide Story

Wichita Grand Opera announces 2017-18 season Wichita Grand Opera’s Artistic Director, Parvan Bakardiev, recently announced the 2017-18 season.

The main subscription series includes two fully-staged operas that rank among the most beloved, most requested, and most often performed; a classic fairy tale brought to life with the true grace and beauty of Russian ballet; and an exclusive Christmas gala by one of Wichita’s national treasures – all on the Century II stage.

Three other special events around Wichita add to that lineup, including a return to the Lake at Bradley Fair and the WGO debut at the state-of-the-art new MarkARTS facility, making Wichita Grand Opera’s 16th season one of the biggest in its history.

Rossini’s Stabat Mater Special Pre-Season Event 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, Holy Cross Lutheran Church Following capacity crowds for Noah’s Flood and its July 2nd Patriotic Concert, Wichita Grand Opera continues to help Holy Cross Lutheran Church celebrate its 75th anniversary with a performance of Rossini’s masterwork, Stabat Mater.

“I am delighted to produce Stabat Mater for the second time, following my production of this masterwork in San Antonio,” said Parvan Bakardiev, WGO Artistic Director. “Holy Cross is probably the finest venue in Wichita for concert performances, due to the ambience and acoustics.”

A sacred mass, Stabat Mater features four soloists, chorus and orchestra. Alan Held, world-renowned bass-baritone and Wichita State professor, returns to WGO following his debut in the 10th Anniversary Gala Concert. Three stars of the WGO stage return to join him: soprano Yunnie Park, mezzo-soprano Suzanne Hendrix and tenor Kirk Dougherty.

General admission tickets are $35 and are available by calling the WGO Box Office at 316-262-8054, or at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church office at 316-684-5201.

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly A New WGO Production 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, Century II When Wichita Grand Opera asked its audience what operas they would like to see this season, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly was an overwhelming favorite.

Set in turn-of-the-century Japan, it is the tale of an innocent girl who falls in love with an American sailor, with tragic consequences.

Korean soprano Yunnie Park and American tenor Kirk Dougherty star as Butterfly and Lt. Pinkerton.

Following a triumphant tour in Spain, Russia, Slovakia and Germany, WGO Principal Guest Conductor Martin Mazik conducts Puccini’s ravishing score.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: This year’s season will feature Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Cinderella, and a Christmas performance by Chris Mann.

Chris Mann: Home for Christmas A Gala Christmas Concert 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, Century II Wichita native Chris Mann – who rose to fame as Christina Aguilera’s finalist on NBC’s The Voice and just completed a 700-performance national tour in the title role of The Phantom of the Opera – returns home for an exclusive gala Christmas concert, featuring the WGO Chorus, Children’s Chorus and Orchestra.

This gala will follow in the footsteps of WGO’s second inaugural event, the Placido Domingo Christmas Gala, featuring beloved Christmas classics, some sensational pop, and even a little splash of the iconic role that has made him a household name.

Maestro Steven Mercurio, artistic partner to such performers as The Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli, will make his fourth conducting appearance with the WGO.

Verdi’s La Traviata A New WGO Production 7 p.m. Saturday, April 7, Century II When a promising young man falls for a woman with a shady past, his family is outraged. She decides to sacrifice her happiness for his sake. He returns to her side for a bittersweet reunion, in one of Verdi’s most popular – and heartbreaking – operas.

After his success with last season’s La Bohème, stage director Robert Stivanello returns to direct La Traviata. He brings with him visually stunning “soft drop” sets from Milan, Italy’s famed Sormani Studios.

Prokofiev’s Cinderella Performed by the Russian National Ballet Theatre 3 p.m. Sunday, April 29, Century II Fairy godmothers, ugly stepsisters and the iconic glass slippers come to life on stage in Prokofiev’s magi-

New leaders, new roles at WGO

The Opera Ball WGO’s Premier Social Event For the first time, WGO’s Opera Ball will be held in MarkARTS’ gleaming new facility at 13th and Rock. Spend an evening with Wichita’s movers and shakers, Roarin’ 20s style. Music, cocktails, dancing, and luxury live and silent auction items will be among the attractions.

Reservations for this lavish evening are $200 per person, or a group of ten for $1,500; a portion is tax deductible.

This year’s Opera on the Lake performance in May will feature an evening of pop and operatic favorites.

TOP: Margaret Ann Pent and Parvan Bakardiev are stepping back a bit and taking new roles at Wichita Grand Opera. Pent will be WGO’s Founding Advisor, and Bakardiev will now serve as Artistic Director.

Edward Lada, above left, is taking over as President and CEO. Tony Applegate, above right, is taking over as General Director and COO.

skills and leadership abilities, according to Bakardiev.

“During WGO’s early ‘start-up’ years, Margaret and I each had to do several jobs by default – marketing, artistic direction, production, development. With Edward and Tony on board, our organization’s expertise and capacity in each of those areas has dramatically expanded,” Bakardiev said. “That gives us the opportunity to look to the future and continue to plan great projects and performances that thrill and surprise our audience.”

WestSide Story

Subscribe Now Call 316-262-8054 to choose your favorite seats for Wichita Grand Opera’s Century II mainstage season, starting Aug. 1.

Those who subscribe to all four events save 20 percent compared to regular-priced tickets; full-season subscriptions are priced at $118, $186 and $272, depending on desired seats. Those who subscribe to three or two productions can save 15 or 10 percent off the single ticket prices.

Single tickets will be available starting Aug. 21, ranging in price from $85 to $37, with senior, student, group, and corporate discounts available; call the WGO Box Office at 316-262-8054 for personalized service.

The 2017-18 season marks the first major shifts in WGO’s executive leadership since the company’s founding.

Margaret Ann Pent, WGO co-founder and longtime artistic director, transitions to the role of Founding Advisor. Parvan Bakardiev, WGO co-founder and previous President and CEO, takes over as artistic director.

Longtime WGO employees Edward Lada and Tony Applegate transition to the roles of President and CEO, and General Director and COO, respectively.

Bakardiev is using this moment of transition to reflect on what WGO, with the support of the Wichita community, has accomplished over the years.

“Margaret was courageous to push it, and I jumped on the bandwagon,” he said. “I’m very proud of what we achieved. Opera is never easy to create, because so many different disciplines need to come together on one stage. With lots of help from donors and audience members, WGO took Kansas from a state with no full-scale professional company to a state with one of the strongest.”

Lada and Applegate have been with the company for most of its history, and they have grown in their

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POPera: Simply Irresistible Opera on the Lake 7 p.m. Thursday, May 31, Bradley Fair Bradley Fair once again hosts WGO’s annual gift to the community, Opera on the Lake. Bring a chair or blanket to see stars in the sky, while the stars on stage perform a night of pop and operatic favorites, in the tradition of WGO’s previous concert performances with Celtic Woman, Josh Groban, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and the 10th Anniversary Gala Concert.

“POPera” is free to the public. A limited number of reserved seating tickets are available for $35 each, including a provided chair. VIP dinner and performance packages, including a three-course meal on the patio of Newport Grill, are available for $150 per person or a table of eight for $1,000; a portion is tax deductible.

17 - August 2017

cal interpretation of the classic fairytale. Russian National Ballet Theatre’s company of 50 world-class dancers, renowned globally, will come to Wichita direct from Moscow.

One of the most beloved ballets of all time, paired with the grace and beauty that only true Russian ballet can deliver, make this a perfect night out for the whole family.

August 2017 - 18

Through Sept. 2 – “School House Don’t Rock, or Brownback vs. the Bored of Education,” Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley Street. Written by Tom Frye. Tickets $20 for show only; $30 for dinner and show, $26 for seniors/children. Call 316-263-0222 for reservations.

Aug. 11-20 – “Disney’s Newsies,” Music Theatre Wichita. Performances at Century II, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday. Weekend matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets $32-$68. Tickets available online at www.mtwichita.org or call 316-265-3107.

W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Aug. 18-27 – “Sylvia,” Roxy’s Downtown. Written by A.R. Gurney.

The New York Times said “Dramatic literature is stuffed with memorable love scenes, but none is as immediately delicious and dizzy as the one that begins the redeeming affair in A.R.

Performing Arts Calendar

August 2017

Gurney’s new comedy.” Shows at 8 p.m. Seating $20-$30. Call 316-2654400 for tickets.

Aug. 25 – “Silver Gelation,” an exhibit of black and white photographic prints by Dale Strattman, will be held as part of Final Friday at Visual Fusion Gallery, 623 W. Douglas. Hours are 6-10 p.m. It is a benefit for the Kansas Food Bank’s Food for Kids backpack program. The exhibit runs through Oct. 6.

What’s your ^ story?

WestSide Know somebody who has a unique hobby?

An interesting past? A one-of-a-kind personal story? Let us know, even if that person is you. news@tsnews.com | 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/TheWestSideStory If you have a business to promote, call our sales staff to discuss Focus On Business! 540-0500.

19 - August 2017

AFTER

Artwork showcases Gross Tile’s new location ABOVE: The completed mural at Gross Tile and Custom Remodeling is a colorful and striking addition to the historic Delano District, where Gross tile is now located. LEFT: Artist Lynette Lee begins work on the mural. Lee has done several murals in the downtown area.

WestSide Story

In many ways, Mark Gross has been completing works of art for the past three decades.

Mark has been at the helm of Gross Tile and Custom Remodeling of Wichita, and takes tremendous pride in the quality craftsmanship he and his crews bring to every bathroom, kitchen and remodeling project they tackle. And, he’s always looking for something of a “wow” factor that sets Gross Tile apart from the competition.

So when Mark and his wife Cathy Gross recently finished moving their flooring and remodeling company to its new location in the Delano District of downtown Wichita, it wasn’t surprising that they wanted that same “wow” factor for their new BEFORE building.

Enter local artist Lynette Lee, who is well-known across Wichita for her murals and other art installations. Through her company, Fresh Paint, Lynette Lee has AFTER completed several other murals in the downtown area. tion option along with the sale of the WestSide location.

And now, she has completed a beautiful new mural for Gross Tile.

This transition will bring a new level of customer service for clients in the mid“We are so happy with our new location,” said Mark. “And this new mural has town and eastern areas of the city, while still serving clients in the western half of gotten us a lot of compliments already. People see it when they drive by, and they Wichita. stop and talk to us about it.”

“We are so excited about this location,” said Cathy Gross as she talked about the The mural features Wichita’s iconic Keeper of the Plains, rolling plains and some work that has been done to convert the historic brick building on the northeast wheat, and a radiating sun pattern. Centered in the mural is the Gross Tile logo. corner of Douglas and Fern streets. There’s a high volume of traffic in the renaisBeing a part of the Delano District means a lot Mark and Cathy Gross, who had one of their first showrooms right across the street from their new location at 1528 sance business neighborhood, and it is easily accessible from all across the city of Wichita.”

W. Douglas. With the growth of the Delano District and it’s focus on public art, “This is perfect for where we are headed with theBEFORE business,” said Mark. “Our Mark and Cathy wanted to be an immediate – and vibrant – part of that push. focus for the next several years will be on all kinds of remodeling work, but espeNext, Lynette and Mark will collaborate on a mosaic tile representation of the cially custom jobs that are a little more ‘out of the box.’ We know this is the perfect Wichita flag on the west side of their building. The flag will be made entirely out niche for us…like our unique one-of-a-kind countertops, and our zero entry of iridescent glass tiles, and will measure 4 feet by 8 feet. custom showers.”

The Gross Tile move has been in the works for some time, as owners Mark and For more information about everything Gross Tile has to offer, call 316-773Cathy Gross worked to sell their former showroom near Maple Street and Maize 1600, or visit the company’s website, www.grosstileremodeling.com. You can also Road in West Wichita, where they were located for more than a dozen years. That find Gross Tile on Facebook. sale has been finalized, and the company’s relocation has been completed.

And for a look at the city’s newest mural by Wichita artist Lynette Lee, stop by Mark and Cathy both wanted to reinvest in a showroom option for Gross Tile the new Gross Tile and Custom Remodeling showroom at 1528 W. Douglas and that was more centrally located in the heart of Wichita. They first considered the wish Mark and Cathy Gross success in their new location!

Delano showroom as a second location, and then settled on the complete reloca-

FOCUS ON BUSINESS

Move to Delano District now complete

August 2017 - 20 FOCUS ON BUSINESS WestSide Story

Fall is coming and so is Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair Delight in fine art, food and fun this fall at Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair 2017!

Shop for artwork and enjoy art-inspired activities lakeside on beautiful Bradley Fair Parkway, just east and south of Bradley Fair at Rock Road and 21st Street. The event takes place 6-9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 17. This alfresco fine-art fair, presented by Fidelity Bank, will feature 98 artists from 22 states, including 31 Kansas artists.

Original works will be available in 14 artistic media: jewelry, painting, glass, fiber, ceramics, photography, woodwork and more. Artists were invited to sell their work at the show after evaluation by a panel of expert jurors, and they compete for cash awards totaling $7,500.

Art-themed family fun on Saturday and Sunday includes a variety of free, handson art activities at Artie’s Art Studio, courtesy of Mark Arts. Artie’s Masterpiece Games give youngsters a chance to learn about classic artworks and get silly at the same time. On Sunday, Artie’s Clubhouse, a kids’-only gallery, will offer artwork for a kid’s budget. Paddle boats will be available for those who wish to take a people-powered spin around Bradley Fair Lake.

Autumn & Art is free for the public, thanks to generous sponsors and patrons who support the event by purchasing a $120 Patron pass. Patrons enjoy a lavish opening-night party with gourmet food; specialty wine, beer and spirits; a silent auction and wine pull; Patron gifts and live entertainment. The Patron pass also includes reserved parking and complimentary beverages throughout the weekend.

Patron passes are available now at AutumnandArt.com or call (316) 267-2817 to make reservations.

The Culinary Pavilion will offer a selection of delicious food for purchase from Bradley Fair restaurants. Wine, beer and soft drinks will be available to enjoy as you stroll the parkway and shop for the latest addition to your art

collection.

“The Art of Bloody Marys” will give attendees the chance to create a savory masterpiece at a build-your-own bar from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday.

Entertainment, including live music, dance, theater, and art demonstrations, will be presented throughout the weekend. “Inuksuit,” a modern music work described as “the ultimate environmental piece” by the New York Times will be performed at 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The 40-minute work is scored for 9 to 99 percussionists and was written to be played outdoors. Organizers are well on their way to recruiting 99 college and high school music students and faculty to perform this unique symphony for the first time in Kansas.

Learn more about Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair at AutumnandArt.com.

Visitors shop for art at last year’s Autumn & Art event at Bradley Fair.

This year’s Autumn & Art will be held September 15-17.

Annual fundraiser set for September be balance. It is about helping people get diagnosed, have access to treatment, and get the support they need. Susan G. Komen has that balance. And what about that determination and focus Scott wakes up with each day?

“Life. . .you get out of it what you put into it. I get up each day with the plan to fill it with joy and positivity.”

Stepanie Scott has been named as this years honorary race chair for the 2017 Wichita Race for the Cure. Scott became involved with Komen Kansas after her first cancer diagnosis. She wants to be a young voice for women struggling with cancer.

FOCUS ON BUSINESS WestSide Story

Susan G. Komen Kansas Affiliate is proud to announce Stephanie Scott as this year’s Honorary Chair for the 2017 Wichita Race for the Cure.

Stephanie Scott wakes up each morning determined.

She says she likes to stay focused. Her job as Regional Sales Manager for Bombardier Aerospace in Aircraft Maintenance Sales – Southeast USA is one of those focuses. In her spare time she turns that focus on activities like wakeboarding, fly fishing, and especially travel. And a big focus for Scott is her diagnosis of Stage 4 breast cancer.

“There’s the few seconds when you wake up in the morning that you don’t remember.” Scott said. “Then it comes rushing back. But I know it’s the minute you take the first step that determines the rest of the day.”

Scott first faced breast cancer in 2009, when she was diagnosed with Stage 2B. During this time she first reached out to Komen Kansas. Scott said she didn’t know anything about breast cancer and she felt welcomed by the Komen organization. She underwent surgery and treatment and when it was finished, Scott went to Africa for two weeks.

“I got in a mindset that maybe I should do the things that were important to me now, not wait until I retire because we don’t always know what the future might bring.” said Scott.

She continued her check-ups and began to have symptoms of back pain. At first there were many diagnoses that did not have anything to do with breast cancer. But she had a feeling, so kept pushing. When her tumor markers began to rise, in February, 2017 Scott was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. She is currently in treatment with Ibranz, a new drug with limited side effects.

“I have a great support system.” said Scott. “My mom had 6 sisters, so I like to joke I grew up with 7 moms.”

Scott also credits her strength to being raised here in the Midwest with good values. She finds strength in nature, being connected to the earth, so enjoys being outdoors. Fly fishing is a new focus. And has she caught a big trout? Scott laughed about a picture of her baby trout, but then showed her determination, talking about patience and practice to get better.

Scott became involved with Komen Kansas after her first diagnosis because she wanted to be a young voice for women struggling, she doesn’t want anyone to be afraid. But it was a big step for her to accept the position of Honorary Chair for Race this year.

“I have been more private about my second diagnosis,” Scott said “but I really believe in this organization. I hope to be able to help others.”

Scott believes that Susan G. Komen has every interest in finding a cure for her, and others struggling with metastatic breast cancer. She also believes there needs to

21 - August 2017

Susan G. Komen announces honorary race chair

August 2017 - 22 FOCUS ON BUSINESS WestSide Story

Struble Memorial Golf Tourney coming Sept. 8 Wichita Festivals, Inc. is gearing up for the 12th Annual Bob Struble Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.

This annual tournament will be held on the beautiful North Course at Crestview Country Club. Each player who participates in the tournament will receive lunch, beverages on the course, a 10-ounce copper tumbler and pizza following the tournament.

Bob Struble was active with Riverfest, serving as a Wagonmaster, Festival volunteer and past Board President of WFI before passing away from cancer in 2005. The Bob Struble Memorial Golf Tournament was established the following year by Bob’s friends. Each year a portion of the proceeds are donated to a cancer organization in Bob’s memory. This year Hope Funds for Cancer Research and Wichita Cancer Foundation will be the recipient organizations.

There is still time to register for this fun tournament, but slots are filling up quickly! You can register online by visiting BobStrubleGolf.com or by calling Wichita Festivals at (316) 267-2817. Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a shot gun start at 12:30 p.m.

The tournament is flighted, so there are lots of opportunities for teams to win great prizes, including rounds for four to some of the area’s best golf courses – Flint Hills National, Crestview Country Club, Wichita Country Club and more. Grab some buddies and join us for a beautiful afternoon of golf on Friday, Sept. 8!

The WestSide Church Directory

This empty seat…

…is for you and your family

Worship at the Church of Your Choice Aldersgate United Methodist Church - 7901 W. 21st St. N. (west of Ridge Rd.), (316) 7228504, www.aldersgatechurch. org. Sunday morning services at 8:00 a.m. (traditional), 9:30 a.m. (blended), and 11 a.m. (traditional).

Wednesday night activities. Nursery available for all services. Sunday school each week at 8:15 a.m. for adults and at 9:30 a.m. for all age groups. Youth group and youth worship on Sunday evenings. Bible studies, children’s activities, and different fellowship events available throughout the year.

For HIS Glory Church – 2901 W. Taft St., Wichita • (316) 794-1170 • Worship Sunday 11:00 a.m. • ChurchForHISGlory@gmail.com • Family integrated full Gospel church where all ages worship and study God’s word.

Asbury Church – Administrative Offices - 2810 W. 15th St., Wichita (one block north of 13th on St. Paul) (316) 942-1491.

Two locations across the Wichita Metro Area. Sunday Services: Central Campus – 15th & St. Paul.

Traditional Service at 8 a.m., a Praise Service at 9:15 a.m. and a Blended Service at 10:45 a.m.

West Campus – 119th & Pawnee.

An Upbeat Praise Service suited for the whole family at 10:45 a.m. Visit www.asburychurch. org to learn more about Asbury’s many family-centered ministries.

Asbury Counseling Center information can be found at www.

AsburyCounselingCenter.com

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church – 8021 W. 21st St. N., Wichita; (316) 721-8096; Saturday 5:30 p.m.

Spoken Worship; Sunday 10 a.m.

Combined Worship; No Church School; www.goodshepherdwichita. org.

Goddard United Methodist Church – 300 N. Cedar, Goddard; (316) 794-2207 • 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Worship • Children’s church during both services • Nursery Available • 10 a.m. Sunday School • Josh Gooding, Pastor • Haley Bieter, Youth Pastor • Children’s Pastor, Nicole Rbya

Time 7 p.m.; Wiseguys 3 yrs.–6th grade 7 p.m.; Nursery provided at all services. “Your neighborhood church just around the corner.” Email: swede132@sbcglobal.net; Website: heritage4u.net.

Hope Christian Church – Meeting 10:30 a.m. Sunday mornings, NEW LOCATION - 1330 E. Douglas.

Worship is casual and encouraging.

Online at www.hope4wichita.org and on Facebook. Pastor Mark McMahon. markm@hope4wichita. org. 316-648-0495.

Harvest Community Church – Worship at 8340 W. 21st in Wichita Sunday at 10:30 a.m.; Senior pastor Rev. Dr. Dave Henion; www. wichitaharvest.com.

West Heights UMC – 745 N. Westlink Ave. (Just north of Central on Westlink); (316) 722-3805, Email: westheights@westheightsumc.org.

Sunday services 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. (Traditional/Blended); Sunday school 9:15 a.m.; Wednesday meal (during school year) 5:30 p.m. fun classes and study for all ages; nondenominational preschool, host to the Shepherd’s Center of West Wichita providing dynamic activity for the Classic Generation, full children’s programming, and an active youth program challenging today’s generation, website: www. westheightsumc.org.

Heritage Baptist Church – Corner of 135th St. & 13th St. N., Wichita; (316) 729-2700; Sunday School 9:45 a.m.; Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.; Evening Worship 6 p.m.; Wednesday Adult Bible Study/Prayer

Pathway Church – Westlink Campus, Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday at 9 am & 10:30 am • Café Campus, Sunday at 10:30 am • 2001 N Maize Rd (21st & Maize), Wichita • 316-722-8020 • Goddard

Campus, Sunday at 9:30 am, 11 am & 5 pm • 18800 W Kellogg, Goddard • 316-550-6099 • www. pathwaychurch.com • Following Jesus/In Community/For Others.

The Altar – 321 S. 162nd & West Maple, Goddard • 316-550-6777 • www.thealtar.church • Pastor Marty Freeman • Sunday Service 10 am, Wednesday Service 6:30 pm • Nursery & Children’s Service Provided • Radical Worship.

Radical Obedience.

Westwood Presbyterian Church – 8007 W. Maple, Wichita; (316) 7223753; “Simply making disciples who walk with Jesus, grow to become like Jesus, and live for Jesus by loving others.” Worship Sunday 9 a.m. with Praise Team, 10:30 a.m. with Choir; Fellowship and coffee between worship services; Sunday school for all ages 9 a.m. Nursery open 8:45-11:45 a.m.; www. westwoodpc.org.

Rolling Hills Community Church (Church of God, Cleveland, TN) – 8605 W. Maple, Wichita; (316) 722-1251; Sunday Christian Education Classes 9:30 a.m.; Sunday Worship Service 10:30 a.m.; Wednesday Recharge Service 7:00 p.m. Pastor Mark Ingram; www.rhcc.church and Facebook. ‘We love God, love people, and help people love God.’ Come join us.

More than 430 young men from across the State of Kansas, all of whom will enter their senior year of high school this fall, participated in the 2017 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy (ALBSKLA). The event, in its 80th year, was held June 4-9 at Kansas State University in Manhattan for the 26th consecutive year.

The ALBSKLA provides a relevant, interactive, problem-solving experience in leadership and teamwork that develops self-identity, promotes mutual respect and instills civic responsibility.

Boys State is a “learning by doing” political exercise that simulates elections, political parties and government at the state, county and local levels, providing opportunities to lead under pressure, showcasing character and working effectively within a team. It’s also an

opportunity to gain pride and respect for government and the price paid by members of the military to preserve democracy.

The 2018 American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy is scheduled to be held Sunday, June 3, through Friday, June 8, again at Kansas State University. For information on becoming a delegate, visit http://kansasboysstate.com/ or http://ksbstate. org/.

Following is a list of this year’s ALBSKLA delegates: Caleb Carson, Jack Carver, Tyler McLaughlin, Ryce Olson, John Patton, Nicholas Sprowls, Justin Watkins, Braden Kerr, Joel Caporale, Jacob Ruder, Sean Zeorlin, Griffin Lamp, C.J. Brown and Jake Cardenas, all of Wichita; Larry Driscoll of Goddard; and Brendon Gassmann and Andrew Haskell of Maize.

Tiny pests causing big headaches for gardeners with your finger. Don’t shake the leaf — just tap it. If small black specks fall onto the paper, watch for movement; if they move, you have spider mites.

Cloyd’s first suggestion is to try to dislodge the mites with a forceful spray of water. Because the mites hang out on the undersides of the leaves, you’ll have to bend the leaves back, or use a garden hose attachment that allows you to invert the nozzle. The water pressure should be strong, but not so hard that it tears the leaves.

Chemical controls are effective on spider mites — you can choose organic or synthetic formulas. Persistence is the key to payoff, Cloyd said.

“On the organic side, insecticidal soaps or horticultural oils will work,” said Cloyd. “However, you have to have thorough coverage of all plant parts — especially leaf undersides. Repeat applications will be required.”

“Commercially available miticides are also effective, but the same rules apply: cover all plant parts, and make several applications for an effective treatment.”

Saturday & Sunday August 12-13 400+ Garage Sales!

The country’s first community-wide garage sale

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Maps available at the Haysville Community Library, 210 S. Hays Sponsored by the Haysville Friends of the Library.

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

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Ray’s Countryside Catering, Inc. Special Events • Weddings • Anniversaries Birthdays • Companies • Families Churches • Schools Ray and Kathy Mies, and Family

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WestSide Story

While the extremely hot weather may be giving your garden plants a case of the “blahs,” they may also be fighting a nearly invisible pet problem.

Spider mites are tiny dark-colored creatures that live on the undersides of plant leaves. Neither insects nor arachnids, these arthropods get the “spider” in their name from the protective webbing they create when they start feeding on the leaves.

“An early symptom associated with spider mite damage is referred to a ‘stippling’ and/or ‘speckling’,” said Raymond Cloyd, K-State Research and Extension specialist in horticultural entomology, “because spider mites feed on the chlorophyll of plants, thus removing the green content.”

As the infestation progresses, the plant will begin to look droopy — its leaves will be limp, hanging, with a wilted appearance. Larger stems might even be leaning to one side.

The easiest way to test for spider mites is to use a blank, white piece of printer paper. Hold the paper under a leaf, and then tap the stem of the leaf

HAYSVILLE, KS CITYWIDE GARAGE SALE

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WestSiders take part in Boys State

August 2017 - 24 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Delano senior went all-out for Fair

Story

by

Sam Jack

Delano 4-H Club member Kate Donaghue, a recent graduate of Maize South High School, decided to go all out for her final big year as a participant at the Sedgwick County Fair.

She entered seven arts and crafts items, seven cooking entries, several herbs she had grown, a handful of photographs, and, in the buymanship category, an outfit and window display.

She did very well in the judging: Her baked goods all got purple ribbons, as did her arts and crafts projects. One art piece, a painting, was chosen to represent Sedgwick County at the Kansas State Fair, and she was named reserve grand champion in buymanship.

That’s all great, but Donaghue said that she does not participate in the 4-H fair out of a desire to win prizes and ribbons.

“To me, it doesn’t feel like a competition. It’s more like I’m getting ideas on how to improve and how to do better,” she said. “To take healthy criticism is an important skill to learn. And you get a sort of companionship, of everyone at the Fair. You get to see all the hard work and dedication everyone has put into their projects.”

Donaghue has been a Delano club member for 10 years, and her younger brothers, Keaton and Hudson, are now members as well. At her urging, Keaton and Hudson each also entered the maximum number of cooking entries, seven. The kitchen at the Donaghue house was hopping in the days leading up to the Fair.

“We had to time our cooking correctly. If one of our items had to have the oven at a lower degree, you have to wait for a while,” she said. “We each had at least two or three things that needed to be made the day of the Fair, so it was hectic to get out the door by 4 p.m.”

Donaghue led Delano’s arts and crafts project this year. Her State Fair-qualifying entry is an original painting based on the classic “Let’s all

Delano 4-H Club member Kate Donaghue models her fashion revue outfit, one of her many entries in the 2017 Sedgwick County Fair. Contributed photo

delegation.

“There were at least 2,000 people there, and I met people from Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and also Hawaii and Puerto Rico,” she said.

Donaghue was president of Delano last year. This year, she is on the leadership team of Sedgwick County’s 4-H Teen Council, helping to plan events such as the council’s formal dinner and dance.

Because she is young for her grade, Donaghue will remain an active 4-H member during her freshman year at Wichita State. Next summer’s Fair will be the last in which she’s eligible to compete. But she figures the recent Fair was the last where she’ll enter more than two dozen items.

“I’m hoping to do the basic – whatever arts and photos I have, and I’ll probably model an outfit, but that’ll be the end of it,” she said.

Donaghue plans to major in theater design and focus on stage management and direction.

Sam Jack/WestSide Story

WestSide Story

Donaghue’s painting, based on an old movie theater ad, was one of a handful of arts entries from Sedgwick County selected for the Kansas State Fair.

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go to the lobby” concession ads that can still be seen at Wichita’s Starlite Drive-In. The Fair has been an impetus for her to look for opportunities to be creative year-round, she said.

“Immediately after the Fair, I’m trying to think of what art stuff I can do,” she said. “With photography, as soon as judging ends, the year of taking photos begins, to try to find my favorites for the Fair.”

Donaghue said her favorite thing about 4-H is the opportunity to meet other engaged youths, both locally and from across the state and nation.

“The opportunities I’ve gotten to meet others through 4-H have been amazing,” she said. “Because I’m an ambassador for the county, I meet other individuals who are also ambassadors for their counties, so I have lots of friends from different areas of the state.”

Last year, Donaghue traveled to Atlanta for the National 4-H Congress as part of a 44-member Kansas

August 2017 - 26

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Kansas Profile

Kansan Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto

W e s t S i d e S t o r y

By Ron Wilson Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development Feb. 18, 1930. A young man is studying outer space at an observatory in Arizona. He is comparing telescopic, photographic images of the distant night sky. Suddenly a terrific thrill comes over him as he realizes that the image he has just seen provides the scientific evidence of a historic discovery: He has discovered a planet. It was a remarkable accomplishment for a young farm boy from Kansas.

Clyde Tombaugh is the man who discovered Pluto. In his autobiography, “Out of the Darkness,” Tombaugh describes how it all began. He was born on a farm in Illinois. In 1922, his family moved to a wheat farm near Burdett, Kan. While studying geography in the sixth grade, Tombaugh thought: “What would the geography on other planets be like?”

Clyde’s uncle Lee lived on a farm nearby.

He was an amateur astronomer. Lee lent him a simple telescope and an astronomy book which Clyde found fascinating.

Scientists like Galileo became his childhood heroes.

In 1925, Clyde was a senior at Burdett High. He was selected by his school to participate in a state scholastic competition at Kansas State University and finished fourth in the physics competition. More importantly, he discovered a direction in life. “This was my first real contact with a university,” he wrote. “I liked what I saw. If only I could become a college professor.”

Unfortunately, times on the farm

were tough. “In my situation, (college) seemed utterly impossible,” Tombaugh wrote. He went back to work on the farm.

Clyde wanted a telescope of his own but couldn’t afford to buy one. He built one on the farm using the crankshaft of a 1910 Buick and parts from a cream separator. He made drawings of what he observed of the planets and sent them to scientists at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The timing was perfect. The observatory director was looking for an amateur assistant. Ultimately, Clyde was invited to come to Arizona to work in the observatory. By working for neighbors harvesting wheat, he had earned enough money for a one-way train ticket. In 1929, he went to Flagstaff and reported to work at the observatory.

One of his jobs, along with giving tours and putting logs in the furnace, was to compare photographic images of outer space in an effort to locate what scientists speculated was a “trans-Neptunian planet” – another planet beyond Neptune. The distant stars were fixed in space but planets would move, so he would compare night sky photos taken at different times to look for evidence of movement. Of course, he had to cover the entire night sky, so this was a huge and daunting task. He set about to methodically review these telescopic images. He spent 7,000 hours examining about 90 million star images.

On Feb. 18 at 4:00 p.m., he suddenly

lected. Tombaugh went back to study at the University of Kansas and ultimately became a professor at New Mexico State University, so his dream came true.

What an amazing accomplishment for a young man from a rural community like Burdett, population 247 people.

Now, that’s rural.

In 1930, young Clyde Tombaugh made the historic discovery of another planet. We salute Clyde Tombaugh and all scientists who are making a difference with discoveries of their own.

Editor’s note: By Ron Wilson is the director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

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spotted movement when comparing two photos. He carefully checked his work.

There was no doubt: He had found a planet. “For the next 45 minutes or so, I was in the most excited state of mind in my life,” Tombaugh wrote.

His supervisors instructed him to rephotograph this region of the night sky so as to be absolutely certain. He did so and verified his findings. On March 13, 1930, the Lowell Observatory announced the finding of a ninth planet in the solar system. The news caused a sensation.

“It is customary to name planets after mythological deities,” Tombaugh wrote.

An 11-year-old girl in Oxford, England suggested the name Pluto, the Greek god of the lower world, and the name was se-

NASA photo

WestSide Story

Kansan Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930.

August 2017 - 28 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

The center of the internet

Cheney Lake spot is ‘digital center’ of the United States

Story by

and Photos Sam Jack

Since April 2016, a spot in the middle of Cheney Lake has been a sort of “digital center” of the United States. How that is, and what that means, requires some backstory, starting at a rural farmhouse near Potwin.

When James and Theresa Arnold leased the farmhouse in 2011, they quickly discovered that the property was haunted, or maybe cursed.

The first week after they moved in, two Butler County Sheriff ’s deputies rang their doorbell, looking for a stolen truck, according to a legal complaint the couple filed this February. (The Arnolds did not return a call requesting a phone interview.)

That was the first of many visits over the next five years.

Private investigators, strangers looking for parties, and angry victims of scams were among those who visited “at all hours of the night and day,” according to the complaint. The Arnolds also got threatening telephone calls. Once, someone threw a broken toilet onto their driveway.

The harassment got to the point where the sheriff put a sign at the end of their drive, telling people to call him with any questions and to keep their distance from the house.

In 2013, the Arnolds’ landlord, Joyce Taylor, hired a

Wichita attorney to try and figure out what was causing the onslaught.

That effort was unsuccessful. Instead, the solution to the mystery ended up finding the Arnolds, five years after their troubles began.

Gizmodo Media Group technology reporter Kashmir Hill cracked the case. Hill had been reporting a series of stories on geolocation functions, such as the “Find My iPhone” app.

“I found out about a couple in Atlanta that had people keep coming to their house, looking for lost smartphones,” Hill said. “I determined it had to do with imprecise mapping of IP addresses.”

An IP address is the Internet version of a mailing address.

Every Internet-connected device has its own IP. The addresses look like this: “174.76.130.148.” An IP address tells a remote computer or server how to send data to where it is wanted.

What IP addresses do not do – were not designed to do – is tell people just where a computer or cell phone is physically located. However, they can often be used to make an educated guess, based on WiFi network data and patterns of how the addresses are assigned.

Cheney Lake spot marked Here’s where Cheney Lake enters the story. After Hill contacted MaxMind in April 2016 and told the company about the trouble in Potwin, the company quickly modified its database, moving its “default” U.S. location to 37°45’03.6”N, 97°49’19.2”W. Plug those coordinates into Google

and you get a marker near the middle of Cheney Lake, northeast of the Ninnescah Sailing Association clubhouse and south of the Cheney Wildlife Area.

NSA member Jack Kramer motored his sailboat to the point last Wednesday.

It was quiet, except for the wind, and several degrees cooler than on shore.

There was no buoy, nothing physical to distinguish it from any other spot on the 9,550-acre reservoir.

Kramer, a Garden Plain native and current Andale resident, races his sailboat most Wednesdays during lake season, and he noted that the spot is on the NSA’s usual racecourse. He said he found this new quirk of Cheney Lake amusing, and expected other NSA members would feel the same.

“If you put a point on a map, someone is going to go there. That’s probably what disturbed those other folks,” Kramer said.

Those folks, the Arnolds, are suing MaxMind, citing emotional stress resulting from defamation and invasion of privacy.

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That explained what was happening to Hill’s Atlanta couple. Apple’s “Find My iPhone” guessed, repeatedly and incorrectly, that the couple’s house was full of stolen iPhones.

And, Hill discovered in April 2016, it explained the more severe problems experienced by the Arnolds.

With the help of technologist Dave Maynor, Hill combed through the database of MaxMind, a company that tries to map IP addresses to locations in the real world.

She discovered that the database includes many IPs where all MaxMind knows is that they are located somewhere in the United States.

For all 600 million of those addresses, MaxMind pointed to a spot near the middle of the continental U.S. That spot happened to be in the Arnolds’ front yard.

MaxMind warns that its IP address locations are estimates, but third-party software developers that use MaxMind’s info sometimes omit the warnings. And even when the warnings do appear, they are often ignored, according to Hill.

“We trust technology,” she said.

“You pull up a map, and it’s displaying a mark: ‘Right here.’ You tend to think the technology knows what it’s talking about.”

‘A heinous pain in the butt’ MaxMind’s move means that Cheney State Park, and Reno County, have run into some of the same difficulties the Arnolds did.

In Hill’s report on the digital center’s move to Cheney Lake, she quoted Maynor, the tech expert. “I want to see the bill after cops dredge the lake looking for a missing person,” Maynor said.

As yet, no dredging has occurred, but when WestSide Story contacted Cheney See INTERNET, Page 30

Jack Kramer holds up his GPS after piloting his sailboat to the coordinates of the “digital center” of the United States, in the middle of Cheney Lake.

WestSide Story

August 2017 - 30 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

Many people who try to use IP addresses to find the physical location of somebody’s computer are now being pointed to this spot in the middle of Cheney Lake. IP addresses are unique numbers assigned to every internet-connected device. They are essential to making the World Wide Web work, but when people try to use them to physically locate internet users, they are often led astray.

Internet Continued from Page 29

State Park manager Mike Satterlee and Reno County Emergency Communications assistant director Leon Boyea, both said that they have had to deal with the issue.

“Generally speaking, and I do mean generally speaking, it is a heinous pain in the butt,” Boyea said.

Several months ago, Reno County 911 started getting calls from private-

ly-run crisis hotlines and similar agencies, letting local emergency personnel know that a person in crisis had been geolocated in the county.

When 911 dispatchers look up the latitudes and longitudes provided by the hotlines, “nine times out of 10, you find that the location is at Cheney Lake, not anywhere near us,” Boyea said.

Cellular internet users have IP addresses, but the methods companies like MaxMind use to associate those addresses with local areas mostly don’t work on mobile devices.

“If someone is doing business from their cell phone, it’s not going to have a

good static location,” Boyea said.

Satterlee said that even if a call that comes in is likely based on a misunderstanding of IP address location estimates, emergency responders might still decide to go out and have a look. Better safe than sorry.

“No matter what location we do get, the response isn’t going to change.

We’re still going to have to check it out,” he said. “It’s just a different response in the middle of a lake than if it was at a house.”

Boyea said that he does not see an easy way to make everybody understand what it means when an arrow on a

computer screen points at Cheney Lake.

“I don’t know how to best overcome it,” he said. “I know there have been other jurisdictions and locations that have dealt with it far longer than we have.”

Hill said that many of MaxMind’s customers are using out-of-date versions of the MaxMind database, meaning that false positives in Cheney Lake could become more frequent over time.

“I imagine that the Arnolds may still have gotten some visits over the last year,” she said. “The lake won’t become the full center until everybody refreshes MaxMind’s data.”

On Saturday, Aug. 12, girls ages 8 to 18 are invited to a “Dream Big: Girls Day Out” at the Cosmosphere. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will offer girls several engineering-themed activities and presentations.

Participants will have the opportunity to see and sit in a Perlan 2 stratospheric glider cockpit, meet members of its flight team, and Skype with the team’s female chief meteorologist. Attendees

will see the engineering documentary “Dream Big,” eat lunch and mingle with female engineers, and hear a number of educational presentations about engineering, student science and life in the stratosphere.

Girls and their guest can register for the event by calling 620-665-9304. The cost to participate is $10 per person and does include lunch. Participation is limited.

What’s your ^ story?

WestSide Know somebody who has a unique hobby?

An interesting past? A one-of-a-kind personal story? Let us know, even if that person is you.

NBC Continued from Page 10

first won their league in 1996 and made it to Wichita in 18 of the next 19 years for the NBC World Series.

Elliott remained as the commissioner of the Zaragoza League until 2010.

During that time, Elliott battled cancer and endured surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy, but never missed a Gold Sox game or a trip to Wichita for the NBC World Series. He was inducted on July 23.

In addition to the 2017 class, legend-

Homes talking to a real live human being. Being referred directly to the manufacturer also means that you are responsible for the return shipping.

Specialty stores are more likely to stand behind their product. They will usually deal with the manufacturer and

save you the hassle of getting a replacement, if need be.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most specialty home furnishing stores are locally owned. These businesses are more likely to support and contribute to the community and local economy than a big box chain. In addition, specialty stores are more likely to bend over backwards to take care of a client.

They personally value the support and know the importance of word-ofmouth advertising.

news@tsnews.com | 316-540-0500 www.facebook.com/TheWestSideStory If you have a business to promote, call our sales staff to discuss Focus On Business! 540-0500.

WestSide Story

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ary coach Augie Garrido was present for his NBC Hall of Fame induction on July 31. Garrido is a member of the 2016 class but will be on hand at the 83rd NBC World Series to be recognized for his contributions to the National Baseball Congress.

The 83rd NBC World Series is being played through Aug. 6, with all games being played at historical Lawrence Dumont Stadium.

The NBC World Series is the oldest continuous sporting event in the United States. A non-profit 501c(3) foundation, it operates under the supervision of a 16-member volunteer board of directors. To learn more, visit www.nbcbaseball.com.

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Girls day out at the Cosmosphere