Westside story may 2015 by Travis Mounts

May 2015 - 2

I INSIDE

Volume 30 • Issue 7

ON THE COVER

From West, to Wichita | 16

The WestSide’s city council representative is Wichita’s new mayor.

New airport puts modern face on the region | 4 WestSider named as Admiral Windwagon Smith | 6

Features From the Publisher’s Files ...............................................10 Focus On Business...................12 Pet Smarts ..................................15 Performing Arts Calendar.....20 People and Places ...................25 Cinema Scene ...........................26 Movie Review............................27

Summer Activity Guide | 20

Dateline.......................................29

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Editorial

Publisher Paul Rhodes Managing Editor Travis Mounts Graphics Abbygail Wells Reporters/Contributors Sam Jack, Dr. Ron Helten, Jim Erickson, Amy Houston, Paul Rhodes

Sales & Billing

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

Now in our 30th year! The WestSide Story is a monthly newspaper focused on the far west side of Wichita. It is delivered free to most west Wichita homes within our coverage area, although distribution is not guaranteed. Guaranteed home delivery by mail is available for $10 per year. Single copies are available 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. © 2015 Times-Sentinel Newspapers

When spring arrives in full force... Spring has sprung. Actually, it’s been springing out all over the Great Plains for a while, but there always seems to be a point where it quickly kicks into high gear. That moment, for me, came in the middle of April. I had gone out of town for a little more than 48 hours to attend the Kansas Press Association’s annual convention. When I left, most of the green in my yard came from the weeds on the ground. My poor yard is now about 85 percent weeds, so I have to count on them to make it look passable. The perrenials were just beginning to poke up through the ground. I left midday on a Thursday and got home well after dark on a Saturday. So when I emerged from my house on Sunday morning, it seemed as if somebody had gone to the giant “spring” switch in the Mother Nature control center and flipped it to the “on” position. My trees – especially the grand old elm – were full of bright green leaves. All the brown that had still been hanging on in my grass/weeds had been replaced by various shades of green along with colorful little flowers on the clovers and other such stuff. The shrubs were suddenly in high gear, and the flowers were now in full bloom. In addition, the blues in the sky had intensified significantly, and the sun was more vibrant than the winter version of itself that I had left two days before. Before the trip, spring was just in preseason form. You could see signs of what was to come, but the hues of winter still put a pale touch on the landscape. But that Sunday morning, it felt like spring was here in full force and would not be going away. Of course, this being Kansas, it only took about two days before it began to feel like summer was creeping in. And then it got cooler. And warmer. And wetter. And then warmer, stormy, cold, stormy, sunny and warmer, and then at least one day with all of that. This is Kansas, after all. Consistency is the one thing we don’t expect – or

Travis Mounts | Managing Editor

get – in our weather. ••••• Spring weather means spring activities and the chance to spend much more time outside. Wichita State baseball is well into the season, but as the weather continues to warm, we’ll be able to leave the parkas behind when we go to the ball park. The Wichita Wingnuts will open soon, and the Wichita River Festival – the city’s biggest part of the year – is now just a few weeks away. It’s a great time to be in Wichita. ••••• One of the rites of late spring and early summer used to be taking your grade card to Joyland for free rides. For myself and thousands of others from Wichita and the surrounding area, a trip to Joyland was a milestone event each year, a reward for a long nine months of school. It’s been a lot of years since that excitement built up through the youth of Wichita. My two boys are 18 and 14, and they do have some memories of Joyland. I’m surprised that my youngest son does because of how many years it has been since Joyland was open. The demolition efforts that began last month at the old amusement park were sad – necessary and overdue, but sad. It was more than a piece of my childhood. It was a shared memory between myself and my kids. It was a piece of Wichita history. Joyland stopped being Joyland a long time ago, but the news of the demolition was still sad. It was the ﬁnal step in the long passing of an old friend.

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May 2015 - 4

STORY BY SAM JACK P H O T O S B Y T R AV I S M O U N T S A panorama shot shows off the main hall of the new terminal at Eisenhower National Airport, formerly Mid-Continent Airport, in Wichita. Construction is nearing completion on the new building, which is expected to open sometime in late May. Ticket counters are seen in this image, and stairs and escalators leading to the mezzanine are at left.

New airport puts modern face on region

The current terminal at Eisenhower National Airport, formerly Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, has served Kansas well, but a lot has changed in 61 years. Electronic and electrical demands have greatly increased, as have security requirements. And, of course, architecture that may have seemed cutting edge in 1954 has come to seem awkward and dated. The new terminal, now nearly complete, could hardly present a larger contrast. It is characterized by swooping forms and expansive sheets of glass. Local press got to tour the facility April 9. Here is a look at the new Eisenhower National Airport from the perspective of someone flying out of Wichita.

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Like its predecessor, the new airport terminal will provide plenty of room for curbside drop off and pick up of passengers. The use of glass is a sustained feature, both pre- and post-security. Combined with higher ceilings, the effect is to make the new terminal feel much more spacious than the old – even though at 275,000 square feet, it is only 10,000 square feet larger overall.

The pre-security, public area of the terminal is one long, airy chamber. The ceiling swoops down toward the center and flares up toward either end, evoking an airplane’s wing. A 330-foot-long sculpture by artist Ed Carpenter ties the space together.

This mezzanine is centrally located in the main hall of the terminal, just steps from the front doors. The mezzanine is the first and last place that you encounter visitors, loved ones or friends. As such, it’s a central part of the entire building. The security screening area and the exit from the terminal are just feet away from the mezzanine.

The security screening area is enlivened by a pattern of oval ceiling hangings, with light from 15 skylights filtering through. It is also double the size of the existing checkpoint, which will make everyone’s lives a lot easier, according to Transportation Security Administration official Keith Osborn. “In addition to four X-ray machines, we are now going to receive the body imager, the advanced image technology we have at our large airports,” said Osborn. “We don’t have space for that now, so the fact that we can get that in there is wonderful for the passengers, especially those with artificial joints.”

5 - May 2015

Here is a look at the new Eisenhower National Airport from the perspective of an incoming passenger. The enhanced visual impact at the new terminal is in evidence as soon as passengers step off a plane and onto a jet bridge. The bridges at the new terminal are glass-walled, a rare feature in the United States. “It offers a soft impact, as far as the cultural, artistic first impression that people are going to have of Wichita when they come in,” said Carl Koster, who serves on the airport advisory board as representative of the Regional Economic Area Partnership. “Obviously, it’s going to be a lot more significant, as far as visual impact, than the current terminal.” Passengers inside the security area will find a greatly expanded variety of dining options, plus plenty of electrical outlets and USB ports to power up phones, computers and other devices.

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The baggage claim area will be larger than at the old terminal. As at the old terminal, passengers will exit the security area and turn right to claim their bags. The car rental area will move out of the terminal and into the new parking garage, but it will be located just a few steps from the baggae claim area. Travelers will just need to exit the terminal and cross the street to the parking garage. Rental cars are just a few more steps away from the rental counters.

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May 2015 - 6

Wichita River Festival

WestSider named as Admiral Windwagon Smith STORY

AMY HOUSTON

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Mike Greene has held a variety of titles. He retired in 2010 from the City of Wichita’s engineering division, and he is a licensed pyrotechnician. Now he has added one more: Admiral Windwagon Smith XLII. In his new role, Greene – a WestSider – will serve as the ambassador for Riverfest and appear at various festival events in Wichita. “Part of the responsibility is to go out to groups before the festival and make appearances and promote what’s going to be happening and what’s coming each day,” Greene said. “I’ve had print interviews, radio interviews. We had our Civic Day with the Schooner Mates where we went to ﬁve different places.” Greene has been involved in Riverfest for 16 years. He served as the festival’s general chair in 2004 and 2012, and he was chair of the Wichita Festivals Inc. Board of Directors in 2006-07. He has been a member of the operations committee since 1998, and he won the volunteer of the year award in 2004. His participation in the festival began when he and his wife would volunteer on Mother’s Day to allow others working at the food court to spend the day with their families. “I was involved with the festival as a participant, but also we used to go down on Mother’s Day, back when the festival was in May,” Greene recalled. “My wife and I would go down and work the food court so that mothers and their young kids could come and enjoy the festival with their family.” He also helped with the event that featured hot air balloons in Sim Park. In addition to Greene’s engineering career, he has been shooting commercial ﬁreworks for 42 years. Through that effort, he met friends Kevin Jones, Kevin Connelly and Ron Hayworth. Jones and Hayworth previously served as Admiral Windwagon Smith. They recommended Greene for the operations

committee. After many years of remaining active in the Riverfest, Greene considered his title as Admiral Windwagon Smith to be a privilege. “It is such an honor, for one, because there are so many people that had done a lot for the festival, and there are so many people that could be the admiral,” he said. “And there can only be one chosen every year. To be selected is quite an honor. I’m really looking forward to it.” Greene, a Wichita native, graduated from Wichita North High School and attended Wichita State. He and his wife are Shocker fans, especially of basketball and bowling. Their youngest son Read more about bowled for WSU when this year’s Riverfest the team won a national on Page 31 championship. They have two children, one granddaughter and another grandchild due soon. Grandchildren Greene to receive another title: “Nanny Grandpa.” He and his wife care for their granddaughter three days a week, and Greene also volunteers for the Prairie Fire Marathon and serves on the board of directors for his credit union. Despite his busy schedule, which still includes commercial ﬁreworks each year, Greene will continue his dedication to Riverfest. “The volunteers are really what make the festival what it is,” he said. “There are only eight or 10 staff people with the festival. Everything else you see, other than the staff involvement, it’s all volunteer-driven. That’s just so important, that people in the community realize, if it wasn’t for all the dedicated volunteers that we have on an annual basis, we wouldn’t be able to do this festival.”

TOP: WestSider Mike Greene is this year’s Admiral Windwagon Smith, the ambassador for the Wichita River Festival. ABOVE: Greene holds his granddaughter, Linnea, during last month’s press conference unveiling him as the Admiral.

May 2015 - 8

City, county seeking feedback on community plan Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell and other public ofﬁcials are urging residents to attend one of the upcoming open-house meetings seeking public feedback on the draft Community Investments Plan, 2015-2035 for Wichita and Sedgwick County. The draft plan guides Wichita’s longterm growth and sets priorities for future investments in municipal buildings and infrastructure such as streets, bridges, water supply, sanitary and storm sewer, parks, libraries, and ﬁre and police facilities. Three of four meetings remain; one was held in April. The remaining openhouse meetings are scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

• May 4, CityArts, 334 N. Mead St. • May 11, WSU Metroplex, Room 138, 5015 E. 29th Street North. • May 18, Sedgwick County Extension Ofﬁce, Sunﬂower Room, 7001 W. 21st Street. The meetings are the last in a series of community engagement efforts that have occurred during the past two years. Residents are now being asked to view the draft plan and provide comment regarding its overall direction and content. The draft plan can be viewed at www. communityinvestmentsplan.org. If a group or organization wants to receive a presentation on the draft plan before June 12, contact Dave Barber at 316268-4490 or dbarber@wichita.gov.

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Celebrate World Red Cross Day by giving blood The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood this May in honor of World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on May 8 – the birthday of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement founder Henry Dunant. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood. org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800733-2767). Upcoming blood donation opportunities include: • May 1, Monumental Health, 400 N. Woodlawn, Suite 212, 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. • May 2, St. Anne’s Church, 2801 S. Seneca, 8-11 a.m. • May 3, Reformation Lutheran Church, 7601 E. 13th, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. • May 5, Heritage College, 2800 S. Rock Road, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and

4-7:15 p.m. • May 6, Marshall Middle School, 1510 N. Payne, 1-5 p.m. • May 8, Hadley Middle School, 1101 Dougherty, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. • May 8, Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 431 S. Woodlawn, Derby, 3-7 p.m. • May 9, NewMarket Square, 2441 N. Maize Road, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. • May 11, West Heights United Methodist Church, 745 N. Westlink, 2-6 p.m. • May 14, American Red Cross Midway Kansas, 1900 E. Douglass, 11 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. • May 15, Murdock Companies, 1111 E. 1st, Derby, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations may be made to the Wichita Blood Donation Center, 707 N. Main, Wichita. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

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May 2015 - 10 WestSide Story

Honoring the present, looking to the future I took part in something this past month that I hadn’t done in a long while – I attended the annual convention of my state press association. The Kansas Press Association convention was a three-day event in Junction City this year, but I only made an appearance through the day Saturday. It was plenty of time to take in the workshops I wanted to attend and visit with old friends in the industry. Years ago, I was a ﬁxture at KPA conventions. I served many years on the association’s board of directors but stepped down from that kind of public involvement several years ago. At that point, my attendance at statewide KPA events dropped off dramatically. Almost immediately after that transition, I was able to take great pride in the fact that our managing editor, Travis Mounts, was named to the KPA board of directors, and this year he was elected by the organization to serve another tour of duty as a board member. I think it says something about our organization here in south-central Kansas to have an ongoing relationship with the press association’s state structure. Our assumption, of course, is that we’re getting as much out of that relationship as we give to it, but in the end it is yet another level of community service we gladly give. It’s the rent we pay, if you will, for the privilege of doing business on our main streets. In addition to Travis being re-elected to the board of directors (he serves as a non-daily director, meaning he focuses his efforts on weekly newspapers across the state), he also was able to collect several awards for our newspaper group during the convention. We garnered about a dozen awards and the top two were ﬁrst-place honors for editorial writing (Travis Mounts) and advertising design (East Wichita News graphic artist Abbygail Wells). While I long ago stopped entering

From the Publisher’s Files

Paul Rhodes | Publisher

my own work in the annual contest, I still encourage our staff members to be involved with the process. No, press association awards can’t be used to pay down on business loans – which is my standard of success these days. But those awards do speak to the level of service we are providing our readers, and to the craftsmanship our staff members are bringing to the workplace each day. A ﬁnal boost of positive energy from the convention happened as I had the opportunity to sit in on workshops hosted by a community newspaper group in the suburban Chicago area. Much of what that newspaper group is doing resembles what we are trying to accomplish with Times-Sentinel Newspapers, only on a much larger scale. No, we don’t aspire to grow to that size, but the business models that are being successfully deployed by that operation are worthy of study. Travis and I had some really good conversations with that group’s management representatives, both in and out of the workshops, and we were invited to travel to Chicago sometime soon to examine their operation in detail. And we might just do that – if we can ﬁnd a little time between our own self-imposed production deadlines for a business trip to Chicago. Getting the next newspaper off to press still is – and probably always will be – our most pressing concern. It’s just nice when we can slow down enough to do that job well.

The death of Kevin McKay is Goddard’s second tragic loss of an administrator this spring Story

Sam Jack

Apollo Elementary staff wore “McKay’s Militia” t-shirts to school Monday in honor of principal Kevin McKay, who died of colon cancer April 3. Staff photo/Sam Jack

leadership internship as part of his master’s degree studies. “He’s been a great mentor – accommodating, willing to take time to show me or include me on projects that I don’t think I’d necessarily have a chance on with another administrator,” said Cavanaugh. “He loved to tell stories, and when he first interviewed me for my teaching job, I figured that, at the two hour mark of my interview, I had a pretty good chance of earning the job. “At that point, I’d gone past the point of, ‘This is a potential employer.’ I thought, ‘This is someone that’s a colleague and a friend.’ And we reached that point in the job interview; that’s just who he was.” Colleagues said that McKay considered them part of his family, and that they reciprocated the feeling. “He would always say in emails, ‘I love you all,’” said school secretary Vicki

Cole. “He always said that. We were his Apollo family. And even when he became very ill, he said, ‘Why would I not go to work and be with people that care about me so much?’ I don’t think there’s anybody here who wouldn’t do anything he asked.” Third-grade teacher Kim Cressler fondly recalled McKay’s support for students diagnosed with leukemia. “We did all these fundraisers, for them and for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and he humbled himself to be taped to walls, have spaghetti poured on him, dress like a woman,” said Cressler. “He was that kind of principal, and the kids just loved being around him. He didn’t think he was too cool to do those things.” It was a very difficult week for the Goddard school district, which also lost Eisenhower Middle School assistant principal Greg Clamons to an apparent

heart attack on March 28. “The district has lost two amazing educators, and not just educators, but good people,” said Apollo counselor Tina Markham. “The good thing about all this is that Kevin will always be a part of us. That’s how much he has his fingerprints here, how much he has influenced all of us. Everybody here is an extension of Kevin.” Howell and Cavanaugh will share administrative duties at Apollo for the remainder of the school year. “They have such a strong faculty over there, and their whole staff works together so well, so our part will probably be very minimal. We’ll make sure that things are running and the kids are safe,” said Howell. A service in memory of McKay was held in April. Memorials may be sent to the Colon Cancer Alliance at www.ccalliance.org.

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Apollo Elementary principal Kevin McKay died Friday, April 3, after a yearlong struggle with colon cancer. Colleagues remembered him as a generous and skilled leader whose love of family extended into his professional life. “Kevin loved a lot of things,” said Explorer Elementary principal Don Howell, who shared a building with McKay when the two were principals of Challenger Intermediate and Discovery Intermediate, respectively. “He loved his family, he loved his school family, and he just loved kids, loved life. Some people who have a focus in life, they wear glasses or they use a magnifying glass, but I Kevin McKay think of Kevin more as a diamond. He had so many facets; he was just able to shine in so many directions. He was an awesome friend.” After receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree at Kansas State University, McKay taught in Topeka public schools for eight years, serving as an elementary physical education teacher and middle school volleyball coach. His next job was in Ellsworth, where he spent 12 years as elementary school principal and director of support services. McKay described his move to Goddard schools as a career-changing event. He spent eight years as principal of Discovery before becoming founding principal of Apollo in 2010. Apollo fourth-grade teacher Matt Cavanaugh, a 2004 Goddard High School graduate, was one of McKay’s initial hires at the new school. Cavanaugh recently worked with McKay on a school

1 1 - M a y 2 0 1 5

Local principal dies after cancer battle

May 2015 - 12

Featured this month

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FOCUS ON BUSINESS

Kitchen Tune-Up........................... Page 12 Auburn Spirits................................ Page 13

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.

Kitchen Tune-Up team delivers the perfect renovation project When Wichita’s Kitchen Tune-Up team finishes a project for a client, the ultimate goal is to be greeted with smiles of satisfaction. A recent Wichita project – a complete makeover of a cramped kitchen and dining room area – produced just that kind of response from the happy homeowners. “We now have a truly transformed kitchen and we give all the thanks to Kitchen TuneUp,” said the homeowners. For years, the homeowners had lived with a small kitchen space that was made even more awkward by a peninsula that jutted into the room and a set of upper cabinets that cut off the kitchen from the small adjacent dining room. “It was a very cramped kitchen for 26 years,” the homeowners said with a laugh. “We loved our home, but we didn’t get to design anything.” The resulting kitchen, while still small, has a much larger feel to it. Now, the kitchen area – with all new cabinets (including the pantry that the homeowners wanted) – flows directly into the dining room space. New dining room furniture completed the transformation, and copper accents tie everything together.

“It’s just beautiful. It’s so much more than we ever imagined,” said the happy homeowners. “It was such a smooth process! Kitchen Tune-Up presented us with ideas, and we were able to make the final decisions. And when the work was done, we walked around for a couple of days just trying to believe how we had gotten there.” Kitchen Tune-Up has remodeled hundreds of kitchens since Jim and Arlene Phillips started the business in 2005, and the company’s services range from One-Day “Tune-Up” of cabinets or any interior wood surfaces, to cabinet refacing projects to complete custom kitchens and bathrooms. All of those refacing and new construction options are available to see at the company’s new design center at 4057 N. Woodlawn, Suite 1. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, call Kitchen Tune-Up at 316-5588888 or visit kitchentuneup/wichita-ks-phillips. Be sure to check out the local company’s extensive BEFORE/AFTER portfolios on Facebook and when you visit the Facebook page, ‘LIKE’ their page, Kitchen Tune-Up, Wichita (Jim and Arlene Phillips)!

The Kitchen Tune-Up design team helped transform a cramped kitchen space and dining room (above and left) into a bright, modern and open space.

Bishop Carroll Catholic High School senior Roberto Romero signed a letter of intent to play soccer at Neosho County Community College. Romero’s host parents are Theresa and Gary Hess of St. Louis Catholic Church. His BCCHS soccer coach has been Mike Skaggs, and his Neosho coach will be Steven Harrison.

The WestSide Church Directory

Bishop Carroll Catholic High School senior Brooklyn Bockover signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Bockover’s parents are Scott and Renee Bockover. Her BCCHS basketball coach has been Taylor Steven, and her KCK Community College coach will be Valerie Stambersky.

Bishop Carroll Catholic High School senior Bryant Suellentrop signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Benedictine College. Suellentrop is pictured with his parents, Brian and Sarah Suellentrop. His BCCHS wrestling coach has been J.D. Johnson, and his Benedictine coach will be Thomas Harrison.

Worship at the Church of Your Choice Aldersgate United Methodist Church - 7901 W. 21st St. N. (west of Ridge Rd.), (316) 722-8504, www.aldersgatechurch.org. Sunday morning services at 8:15 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. 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 familycentered ministries. Asbury Counseling Center information can be found at www. AsburyCounselingCenter.com Beacon Community Church - 810 N. Casado, Goddard; 794-2424; 10:45 a.m. Sunday Service; Sunday School at 9:25 a.m.

…is for you and your family

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 • Steve Morgan, Pastor • Eric Wilson, Youth Pastor • Children’s Pastor, Kassie Taylor Good Shepherd Episcopal Church – 8021 W. 21st St. N., Wichita; (316) 7218096; Saturday 5:30 p.m. Spoken Worship; Sunday 8:45 a.m. Contemporary Worship; 11 a.m. Traditional Choral Worship; Church School - Children 9:50 a.m., Adults 10 a.m.; Children’s Chapel 8:45 & 11 a.m. 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.

Bishop Carroll Catholic High School senior Connor Evans signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Rockhurst University. Evans’s parents are Shawn and Mary Jo. Evans is pictured with his BCCHS basketball coach, Lonnie Lollar. His Rockhurst coach will be Peter Campbell.

Heritage Baptist Church – Corner of 135th St. & 13th St. N., Wichita; (316) 7292700; Sunday School 9:45 a.m.; Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.; Evening Worship 6 p.m.; Wednesday Adult Bible Study/Prayer 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. 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. Pathway Church – Following Jesus/In Community/For Others • 316-722-8020 • www.pathwaychurch.com • Westlink Campus, Saturday at 5pm, Sunday, 9:30 & 11am • Café Campus, Sunday, 11am, 2001 N Maize Rd (21st & Maize), Wichita • Goddard Campus, Sunday, 10:30am, Goddard High School (2500 S 199th St W). Trinity Reformed Church (RPCNA) – Come glorify and enjoy God with us. 3340 W. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67203 • Sunday worship 9:30 a.m. • Sunday School 11 a.m. • Evening services 5 p.m. • Pastor Adam King • www.trinityrpcna.org • 316-721-2722 Westlink Church of Christ – 10025 W. Central, Wichita; (316) 722-1111; Sunday 9:30 a.m. Bible Classes, 10:30 a.m. Worship, 6 p.m. Devotional; Wednesday 6 p.m. Meal (during school year), 7 p.m. Bible Classes; Gary Richardson, Minister; Nick Miller, Youth Minister; Website: www.westlinkchurch.org. Westwood Presbyterian Church – 8007 W. Maple, Wichita; (316) 722-3753; “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.

WestSide Story

This empty seat…

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.

13 - May 2015

Athletic signings

May 2015 - 14 WestSide Story

Erica Johnson named 2015 ‘Miss Unstoppable’ Erica Johnson was crowned as the 2015 “Miss Unstoppable” at this year’s Miss Unstoppable Pageant, Saturday, March 28, at South High School in Wichita. This was the second annual Miss Unstoppable Pageant, hosted by The Arc of Sedgwick County. The pageant is targeted to girls with intellectual or developmental disabilities, providing them with an opportunity that they might not otherwise have. This year’s pageant featured 31 girls and women ranging from age 11 to 61 years old. Age divisions were split into ﬁve categories: Little Miss, Teen, Young Miss, Miss and Shooting Star. The competition was full of poise, talent, personality and beauty. The girls competed in an interview, evening gown and talent portion. The high level of competition made judging difﬁcult, but it was Johnson who won the judges over in the end. Johnson wore her contagious smile throughout the entire competition, as well as at the reception, where she expressed her excitement and thoughtfulness after being crowned. “It’s just so amazing, it’s a huge blessing to be here,” Johnson said. “I wish my grandma was here to see this, but I know she’s up in Heaven watching me.” Johnson’s parents were thrilled for their daughter. Janet Johnson, Erica’s mother, explained how proud they were. “I never thought Erica would be able to compete in a pageant,” she said. “I’m so happy for her and all the other girls that got to participate. We are just absolutely thrilled.” Erica Johnson lives in West Wichita. Her parents live in East Wichita. The Miss Unstoppable crown was passed on by last year’s winner, Koren Shaffer. Like Shaffer, Johnson will be a big part of The Arc’s events throughout the year during her tenure as “Miss Unstoppable.” Additional awards presented were: Talent, Rebecca Oare; Interview, Erica Johnson; Evening Gown, Erica Johnson; People’s Choice, Samantha Colle; Miss Congeniality, Janet Swesh; Little Miss, Justice Baker; Teen, Rebecca Oare; Young Miss, Alicia Anaya; Miss, Kim Fry; Shooting Star, Shelly Lorie.

Erica Johnson was crowned as the 2015 Miss Unstoppable at this year’s pageant.

Around six million dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year, and close to 50 percent of pets over ten years of age will develop cancer in their lifetime. In humans, cancer screening detects disease at an earlier stage than in pets. Since pets can’t talk, we may not realize that they are sick until the cancer has progressed. Treatment for cancer in the past has been surgically removed (if possible), radiation and chemotherapy. A new treatment, immunotherapy is now effective for certain cancers. Surgery to remove solid tumors has been used for many years. Some tumors, when completely removed, are cured. The location of some tumors makes surgery less effective because we may not be able to remove the whole tumor. Cancers like leukemia, where the cancer cells are in the blood stream or bone marrow, take surgery away as an option. Cryosurgery involves the freezing of tumor cells and can be used to destroy some selected tumors. Chemotherapy in pets, much like in people, is effective. Strong, toxic chemicals are injected into the body. Young, rapidly reproducing cells are killed. This includes cancer cells, but many times other body cells are destroyed, so side

Pet Smarts

Dr. Ron Helten | Veterinarian

effects are common. Radiation involves directing strong, electronic beams at tumor tissue. Cells are killed but, as with chemotherapy, healthy cells also can be destroyed. In the past, researchers have found that radiation can also cause cancer. Immunotherapy involves making a vaccine, many times from the patients own tumor. When the vaccine is injected the body responds by destroying only the tumor cells. The melanoma vaccines are showing promising results in humans and dogs. Early detection is important in cancer treatment. As your pet ages, have your veterinarian do senior testing to ﬁnd out if he has any senior diseases such as cancer.

15 - May 2015

New cancer treatment for dogs

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WestSide Story

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

May 2015 - 16 W e s t S i d e S t o r y

From West, to Wichita

WestSide’s city council representative is Wichita’s new mayor Story Wichita’s new mayor, WestSider Jeff Longwell, was still settling in to his new office at city hall when he sat down for this interview on April 17. The only memento yet on display, aside from a family photo, was a small, wooden sculpture of a finch, a reminder of the night of his March 3 primary victory. “A friend of mine gave me that,” Longwell said. “We don’t do big watch parties for primaries, so my wife and I decided to spend a quiet night at home. The polls started closing and the numbers were coming in, showing that we had a commanding lead, so everybody started coming and calling: ‘Can we get a picture? Can we videotape?’ The first people to walk through the door were from Channel 10. “When they walked through the door, a finch flew in. First time ever, and we’d been living there for 25 years. And so all night, as we had camera crews coming in, jockeying, switching out, and the Eagle reporter sitting at the kitchen table, this bird was just flying everywhere.” The point of the anecdote seemed to

and

photos

be to puncture the hoopla that comes with becoming, and being, Wichita’s mayor. The finch serves as a reminder that, no matter what the people are up to, the birds have their own agenda. Though Longwell is the singular mayor, he tended to use ‘we’ throughout our conversation, lumping himself in with his supporters, advisers, staff, fellow city council members and family. He sees the mayoralty as a public service that gradually came to seem logical, not as the fulfillment of a personal ambition or long-range plan. That’s the kind of thing politicians are generally expected to say, but Longwell seemed sincere when he said it. “I ran a graphics company in this community for a long time, and the person that I worked for felt strongly about giving back to the community in different ways. He said, ‘Listen, there’s an opening on the Maize school board; why don’t you apply for it and run?’ We did and were successful, started out at the Maize school board level, were there 12 years and got to know a lot of the

Sam Jack

local elected officials. Through those connections, I was encouraged to run for city council,” said Longwell. “After eight years representing West Wichita, this was kind of the next natural progression for me, to take on a campaign and at least have a chance to be mayor.” The general election campaign against opponent Sam Williams was hard fought, but that made the strong majority Longwell ultimately won all the sweeter, he said. “To win almost two to one in the vote outcome was pretty nice. In West Wichita, we won every single precinct,” Longwell said. “I think voters saw us carry through to fruition some of the infrastructure issues that we were able to take care of, from the intersection at 21st and Maize to straightening Central Street between 119th Street and 135th Street, to putting in a new bridge.” Other WestSide projects Longwell helped shepherd included the new fire station at the intersection of 135th Street West and 21st Street North and

stormwater management and flood prevention improvements. The 13th Street flyover bridge, which opened a few months ago, was a project Longwell advocated for years. “That was a tough project. The previous council, because they couldn’t settle on the outcome of 13th Street and what it would look like, had that debate, and 13th Street got turned down, for a variety of reasons. When I came on, I was able to convince them, ‘Let’s take a fresh look at which bridge is most important to WestSiders. We resurrected some of those old studies, set up television cameras, put out counters, had people physically watching and recording turning movements, and we said, ‘Here’s where the traffic’s going, and here’s how we could impact them the most.’ “I like to share with people that you don’t have to use the new bridge to appreciate the impact, because it took a third of the cars off of Zoo Boulevard. So if all you ever do is use Zoo, your commute’s easier because of that

all tied to public transportation,” said Longwell. Longwell was the sole city council vote against a proposed 1 percent sales tax that would have earmarked $38 million for public transportation over five years. The council majority placed it on the Nov. 4, 2014 ballot, where it lost by a two-to-one margin. “Not everything in that sales tax needed to be addressed with that sales tax, and that was part of the confusion,” said Longwell. “Not everything in that sales tax was properly bundled. ... And the bundled tax was only good for five years. How do you build up your system, buy buses, hire people, build new routes and carry third-shift workers where they need to go, and five years from now go, ‘Okay, we’re done. Now we need to roll out another sales tax?’ That’s not fair to the people that are putting everything together. If we do anything on a future funding stream for transportation, I think it should be a separate issue.” Future funding for transit could come from a sales tax, Longwell acknowl-

After representing West Wichita in District 5, Jeff Longwell now takes on the task of representing residents citywide as Wichita’s new mayor.

17 - May 2015

bridge,” said Longwell. As Mayor, Longwell will pivot from a WestSide focus to devoting equal energy to concerns of his new constituents across Wichita. A priority issue will be the need for a solid, sustainable public transportation system. For a city the size of Wichita to continue to develop as it ought, there’s no question one is needed, Longwell said. “We need to ﬁgure out how to ensure that our public transportation system can be more successful and more robust, to ﬁll the needs of this community. I try and share that every chance I get, so that people understand that public transportation is so much more than just the transit dependent; it’s critical for the vitality of a community,” said Longwell. Longwell pointed out that when Kansas City lost its bid to host the 2016 Republican National Convention, many blamed the city’s weak transit system: How were delegates to get from hotels to the convention center, or from the convention center to entertainment, dining and shopping options? “Tourism, the convention business and growth in your community, it’s

See MAYOR, Page 18

WestSide Story

May 2015 - 18

Mayor Continued from Page 17

edged; perhaps as little as a tenth of 1 percent, specifically earmarked for transit. But asked if he would support or propose a new, more targeted tax proposal as mayor, Longwell said he wanted to defer to both the city council and with community sentiment. “At the end of the day, it’s the community that should be deciding those things,” he said.

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

The mayor sees opportunity for continuing development and improvement on the WestSide as Wichita shakes off the lingering effects of the recession. “There’s still a tremendous amount of infill that can take place. At the same time, we need to make sure that we are focusing on some quality of life issues that will both encourage development and provide opportunities WestSiders deserve, from walking paths and parks and green spaces to public safety,” said Longwell.

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“You’re going to see that there’s more that’s going to happen in the NewMarket Square area,” he added. “I’ve been privy to some stuff that’s going to be pretty impactful for the WestSide. And there’s still talk, at some point in time, of seeing a 96 corridor loop around the WestSide that can help both with commutes and with growth along that corridor, like we’ve seen on the 96 corridor out east.” Though Longwell sees infrastructure as a spur to private investment, he is not fond of the practice of using cash incentives as a lure to retailers, corporations and manufacturers. “I’m encouraging us to take a different path to promote economic development. I think that we sell ourselves short in this community, in terms of what value we bring to the table. We have a skilled workforce, affordable living and low cost of doing business, and geographically, what a great place to do business with if you want to send your product anywhere in the country. ... We need to continue to share all the advantages that we have here in Wichita, from skilled workforce to quality of life, and we don’t need to be so quick to give up cash to lure people here,” he said. Longwell is still adjusting his personal and professional life to the demands of being Wichita’s mayor. His future with the business he owns, AdAstra Print Resources, is in question. “That’s the hardest part to balance, right now. We haven’t made that determination yet, if we’re going to sell it or keep it or bring someone else in to manage it. Hopefully, we’ll make that decision within the next three months. ... The mayor’s position is full-time, and I could easily spend 80 hours a week doing the mayor’s job,” Longwell said. “If you could see my calendar right now, you’d understand better.” With the excitement of election night still fresh, the grind of being a public figure has not worn Longwell down yet, if it is ever going to. “It was nice to share election night with our friends and family,” said Longwell, who is married to Susie, his wife of 34 years, with three children and one grandchild. “We just deeply appreciate the opportunity that the community has given us, to help make our city a better place tomorrow than it is today.”

STORY

19 - May 2015

Exploration Place celebrates 15 years

SAM JACK

Exhibit Timeline

2011 • Where Kids Rule – added 60 new STEM-based activities within the medieval-themed exhibit pavilion 2012 • Nano exhibit opened • Big Mouth opened – first new element in the health gallery, Head’s Up Health • KEVA: Build Your Mind opened – visitors use 4.5inch wooden blocks to build diﬀerent structures 2013 • Kansas in Miniature – completed project restoration of the model and gallery • Bridging Art and Science Gallery – located on the bridge 2014 • Butler Community College Technology Studio opened • Making a Landmark opened – exhibit about the design, construction and history of Exploration Place • CreatorSpace opened – families can tinker, build, create; part of the nationwide Maker Movement 2015 • April – two new classrooms open • September – Kansas Kids Connect – all-new exhibit pavilion for preschool-aged children will open • October – new preschool classroom opens (across from Kansas in Miniature)

Planned future projects:

2016 • Exploring Our Only Home pavilion rejuvenation • Big Eye opens in Head’s Up Health 2017 • Design Build Fly – all-new aviation exhibit 2018 • Big Ear proposed to open in Head’s Up Health

ABOVE: The Boeing Dome Theater is a major attraction at Exploration Place. TOP Exploration Place, pictured at sunset, opened 15 years ago on the banks of the Arkansas River. Contributed photos

fabrication, installation, so the traveling exhibits are a good way to keep things fresh,” said Luth. The health pavilion exhibits Exploration Place opened with are gone, freeing up the space needed to keep the traveling attractions coming. “Wildlife Rescue” closes May 5, and the next offering, “Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear,” opens May 23. The museum’s next permanent health attraction, “Head’s Up Health,” is in the works and is being designed for the central pavilion, which must be cleared out periodically for private events and receptions. A “Big Mouth” already provides a close-up, interactive look at oral and dental health. It can easily be wheeled into another area when not in use. “We’re working on Head’s Up Health, incrementally,” said marketing director Christina Bluml. “It’s fun, because when it comes to the world of health, there are so many implications with each of these body parts – the Big Eye, Big Ear and

Big Mouth – and so many organizations to partner with and get good content from.” “KEVA: Build Your Mind,” which opened in 2012 in the space formerly occupied by the pre-school area, is now one of Exploration Place’s most popular attractions, showing that engagement doesn’t necessarily hinge on elaborate exhibits or fancy technology. The museum provides a large number of 4.5-inch wooden blocks, along with spaces to stack them. Soon, KEVA will move to the space where KSN once broadcasted weather reports, which, in the years since the weathermen moved back to their studio, had hosted an exhibit on agriculture. “In September, we’re very excited to announce, we’re opening up a brand new exhibit called Kansas Kids Connect, for the ﬁve and under set,” said Luth. “In October, we’ll take one of our classSee EXPLORE, Page 30

WestSide Story

Exploration Place’s striking profile on the Arkansas River has not changed since its opening 15 years ago. The inside of the museum, however, has changed quite a bit. When I visited the museum April 16, I had not set foot inside since spending two years as a high school volunteer, in 2004 and 2005. The museum had then been around for five years, and at the time, it still had almost all the same exhibits it featured on opening day. Though that initial slate, which included creative play areas for children alongside exhibits focusing on health, Kansas and aerospace, was excellent, things started to seem a little stale and static. An uncertain financial picture didn’t help matters. But the down years are over, according to museum president Jan Luth. A renewed vision, along with support from Sedgwick County and others, has jolted the museum into a constant state of change and experimentation proper to the “Exploration” of its name. “We had a few years, in the middle, of some struggles,” said Luth. “As an organization, we have totally found our legs, and now we’re not crawling or walking, but running. We’ve got a lot of stuff going on here and a lot of stuff anticipated for the future.” Exploration Place was able to start hosting traveling exhibits in 2006, which provided a hook for return visitors. Exhibits on Star Wars, the Titanic and Sue the T-Rex, among others, created local sensations. “When we do permanent exhibits, it takes a long time, with funding,

Special Section Pages 20-24 The WestSide Story

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE

May 2015 - 20

Summer Activity Guide

WestSide Story

April 30-May 3 – “Into the Woods” by Sondheim and Lapine, 7:30 p.m. April 30-May 2, 2 p.m. May 3, Wilner Auditorium at Wichita State University. Tickets $16 general public, $14 faculty/staff/senior citizens/military, $6 non-WSU students. Current WSU students admitted free.

Performing Arts Calendar

students/military/seniors over 60. Call 316-6861282. Show times are at 8 p.m., 7 p.m. on Sunday.

restaurants and wine and beer. Tickets $100 for adults, $25 for children. Call 316-267-7658. May 16 – Grumpy Old Men present Chris Botti at The Orpheum, 8 p.m. Since the release of his 2004 critically-acclaimed CD “When I Fall In Love, Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist. Tickets $49.50-$69.50, www. wichitaorpheum.com.

Through May 23 – “Beauty School Melodrama” by Carol Hughes, followed by “Fractured Fairytales” musical comedy revue, Mosley Street Melodrama. Staring Steve Hitchcock, Jenny Mitchell, Megan Parsley and more. Tickets $28, $18 show only; 316-263-0222.

May 2 – Cirque Musica, presented by Wichita Symphony, 8 p.m. Century II. Tickets $25-$80. 316303-8100 or www.wichitaTIX.com.

tickets available, www.selectaseat.com.

May 8-16 – “Blues In The Night,” with a preview performance at 8 p.m. May 7, staged by the Forum Theatre Company at the Wichita Scottish Rite Center, 332 E. First. Tony-nominated musical review that tells the story of three sweet, sexy and sorrowful women and the lying, cheating snake of a man who does them wrong. Tickets: $25 for Friday and Saturday evening shows, $23 for Thursday evening shows and Saturday matinees. Preview show is $11.50. Ticket prices do not include handling fees. Purchase tickets by calling 316-618-0444, online at www.forumwichita. com or email kathy@forumwichita.com.

May 3 – Wichita Grand Opera presents Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” performed by the Russian National Ballet Theatre. Swan Lake tells the famous story of a Swan Queen put under a spell by an evil sorcerer, and the Prince whose love for her breaks the curse. Tickets $40-$95, $20 student

May 6-10 – “Motherhood Out Loud,” Wichita Community Theatre. Various authors, directed by Jeannine Russell. A comedy of one acts. Anyone who is or has a mother, a stepmother, a foster mother, or anything in between will be able to relate to and enjoy this insightful piece. $14 adults, $12

May 9 – Symphony Al Fresco, Wichita Symphony Orchestra fundraiser at Prairie Pines. Guests will be treated to musical ensembles, made up of musicians of the Wichita Symphony and friends, performing in four venues around the Prairie Pines farm while enjoying heavy hors d’oeurves from local

May 1-3 – “Oliver!” Music Theatre for Young People, at Century II’s Mary Jane Teall Theater. Tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door, $10 for students. Shows at 7:30 p.m. May 1-2, 2:30 p.m. May 3. Call 316-303-8100 or visit www.wichitaTIX.com.

May 2015

Through May 23 – “The Big Bang, AKA Free Food and Frontal Nudity,” Roxy’s Downtown Cabaret. Starring John Bates and Kyle Vespestad. Tickets $40 for show and dinner, $25 show only. There is no connection to the TV show. www. roxysdowntown.com.

21 - May 2015

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE

WestSide Story

May 2015 - 22 WestSide Story

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE

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Newman University has announced ten recipients for the Fall 2015 Cardinal Newman Scholarships and three of them were Bishop Carroll Catholic High School students. They included Nicole Beck, John DeGraffenreid and Anna Dinh. Each student receives full tuition for four years to Newman University. Nicole Beck is the daughter of Tom and Laura Beck of Wichita. She is a member of the cross country team and the National Honor Society. She is also involved with the school yearbook staff, St. Gianna’s Health Academy and has volunteered at the Lord’s Diner the past four years. John DeGraffenreid is the son of Ronal and Mary DeGraffenreid of Wichita. DeGraffenreid has declared pre-medicine as his major. He has volunteered for more than 250 hours at Via Christi hospital and is the vice president of the Via Christi Youth Volunteer Student Council. He is also a member of National Honor Society. Anna Dinh is the daughter of Billy Dinh of Wichita. Dinh has declared her major as pre-medicine. She is a two-time president of St. Patrick’s Parish youth group and is a member of Via Christi’s Teen Youth Volunteer Student Council. She served on BCCHS’s student government and is a part of the French Club, Mission club and Handmaids of Mary.

Four musical ensembles from Concordia University, Nebraska performed two combined concerts in April. The Chamber Choir and Chamber Orchestra performed on Thursday, April 23, in the Recital Hall of Concordia’s Music Center. The Male Chorus and Women’s Chorale performed on Sunday, April 26, at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Neb. Students participating in the concerts included WestSider Sloane Crawshaw, a sophomore from Wichita, Alto I in Women’s Chorale. A WestSide student was among 19 new senators elected to the Student Government Association at Fort Hays State University in elections April 8-9: 11 in the College of Arts and Sciences, five in the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, and three in the College of Health and Life Sciences. Kenton Lindsey of Goddard was selected to the senate. Lindsey is a sophomore major-

ing in mathematics. Thirteen student competitors from Fort Hays State University’s shotgun sports team participated in six events, shooting 2,191 out of 2,350 clay targets, and finishing as Division II runner-up at the Association of College Unions International, National Collegiate Clay Target Championships in San Antonio, March 24 through 29. Of the six events, the FHSU team placed first in 5-stand, sporting clays, international skeet and American trap, shooting 1,436 out of 1,550 targets. The team placed second in American skeet, shooting 480 out of 500 targets, and placed third in wobble trap, shooting 275 out of 300 targets. Team members include Emily Steenbock, a Maize South High School graduate who is a freshman majoring in radiologic technology. WestSider Mackenzie Gray was recently initiated into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Gray was initiated at The University of Oklahoma. Gray is among approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff, and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction. WestSider Corinne Penner was one of 1,666 students who were named to the Dean’s List for Fall 2014 at Biola University. Biola students are placed on the Dean’s List to honor those with a grade point average of 3.6 or higher while enrolled in twelve of more credit units and whose cumulative grade point average is at least a 3.2. Betsy Janella Bane of West Wichita has graduated from LeTourneau University with a bachelor of science

degree. The main campus is located in Longview, Texas. Bells rang and music swung with two end-of-the-year concerts at Concordia University, Nebraska. The spring JazzFest showcased Concordia’s jazz choir and jazz band on Friday, May 1, in Weller Hall Auditorium. The handbell concert showcased Concordia’s two handbell choirs on Sunday, May 3, in the Recital Hall of the Music Center on campus. Participants in the concerts included Molly Goltl, a sophomore from Wichita, who participated in the jazz band on saxophone. The Newman University 13th annual Hispanic Scholars Program (NHSP) and 11th annual Native American Scholar Program (NNASP) closed with a ceremony and banquet April 8 at the Dugan–Gorges Conference Center. This year the two programs combined to provide 23 local high schools students an overall exposure to STEM education and an introduction to career opportunities in math and science fields. The programs focus on helping at-risk student populations that nationally experience higher secondary education dropout rates, compared to other racial or ethnic groups. The NHSP and NNASP sessions are designed to help motivate students and prepare them for a successful path toward higher education and rewarding careers. WestSide participants included Christopher Arreola, Northwest High School; Angy Esteban, Northwest High School; Sasha Hull, Northwest High School; Samantha Ruvalcaba; and Cheyanne Sanders, Northwest High School. Interim Wichita Police Chief Nelson Mosley promoted nine members of the department last month. The promotions became effective April 11. Ronald E. Hunt was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant. Promoted from detective to sergeant were Chad A. Cooper, Matthew W. Lang, Roderick A. Miller and Patrick M. Phipps. Promoted from officer to detective were Andrew Q. Do, Jerry J. Manuel, Jeremy A. Miller and Maurice A. Mitchell.

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Wichita State University’s Elliott School of Communication has announced the latest winner of the Victor Murdock journalism scholarship, Maize South High School senior Megan Looper. Named for former Wichita Eagle editor-in-chief Victor Murdock, the Victor Murdock journalism scholarship is awarded by a committee of Elliott School faculty and previous Murdock scholarship recipients to one high school student each year who plans to

study journalism at Wichita State. It is one of the Elliott School’s oldest and largest scholarships, dating back to 1973. Competitors submit samples of their work in the application process, and are chosen on the basis of teacher recommendations, an on-campus interview, demonstrated writing ability and experience creating media, including video, websites and photos. The Victor Murdock Scholarship pays $1,250 per year for each of the four years the student remains in the journalism program at WSU. Looper was born in Wichita, and is the oldest of three children. She is a member of the National Honor Society and works with Big Brothers Big Sisters. She has been involved in journalism-related classes since middle school, and founded the Maverick Sports Network to broadcast athletic events at her high school. She plans to pursue a career in sports journalism. “I feel extremely fortunate and humbled to have been giving this awesome opportunity to pursue an education at the Elliott School of Communication,” Looper said. “I look forward to furthering my knowledge in this quickly evolving field. I can’t wait to get started, and am very excited about the many future opportunities.”

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Notice of Racial Non-Discrimination Policy as to Students Ascension Lutheran Pre-School and Open Arms Lutheran Child Development Center, which are operated by Ascension Lutheran Church, admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at both schools. Both schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethinic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions, policies and other school-administered programs.

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Trying to make sense of ‘Intolerance’ Seeing D.W. Griffith’s super classic “Intolerance” on Turner Classic Movies the other night got me to thinking that the century-long controversy about this movie being impossible for audiences to understand didn’t quite have the problem right, and maybe it was time to settle that matter. Se here we go, in the cause of helping posterity understand history. The original New York Times review of 1916 complained of the “utter incoherence” and “general confusion” of the movie as a whole (full disclosure – little red dots in the margins of my copy prove that I read this many years ago, though I had no memory of it) and Richard Schickel’s “D.W Griffith, An American Life” (1984) quotes Alexander Woollcott’s complaint of its “grotesque incoherence of design.” My friends and I are not sure whether something that is incoherent makes understandable sense or not. But Schickel agrees with Woollcott that “not all of the four stories (in ‘Intolerance’) bore very close examinations of ‘intolerance,’ which certainly could have caused some audience confusion. The four stories, told simultaneously, include a very incomplete summary of the life of Christ, consisting of the wedding at Cana with him turning the water into wine, the woman taken in adultery and the crucifixion; the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre of the Huguenots in the 16th-century France; Cyrus the Great’s destruction of Babylon in 538 B.C.; and a modern story of a young man accidentally caught up in an Alfred Hitchcock situation of standing over his love rival’s body with a gun in his hand. Only the first two stories have much to do with intolerance, and they are both pretty perfunctorily handled, perhaps because neither allows for the standard race-to-the-rescue-in-the-nickof-time ending that Griffith was famous for (though he did sneak an unsuccessful one into the third one to get one into it). Schickel says this left Griffith without “anything but thematic unity to bind the four stories together,” a problem

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Frederico Fellini had with “La Dolce Vita” in 1960, except that it is questionable what thematic unity Griffith could claim – military conquests by great powers and inadequate police investigations of apparent solutions to crimes don’t seem to have much in common, either. The part of “Intolerance” that I’d wager nobody who has ever seen it forgets is the scene in Babylon, especially in Belshazzar’s court – still one of the most impossibly huge sets ever constructed, stills of which are still among the most commonly reproduced in film history. There is a great deal more in Griffith than I care to try to cover here. The book is such a standard that it must be available at least in libraries. But a thought just came to me while typing that may explain why I wanted to write about “Intolerance” (which is surely still available, too): a movie that may or may not make coherent sense when all its parts are considered together, but which was popular with its niche audience (see Schickel on the myth of its failure, which in some ways parallels that of “Citizen Kane”) and had enormous influence because of its special effects (in the days before CGI and other cheats), with heroic visuals that swamped everything else and kept the audiences thrilled. Where else have I heard complaints like these? But I digress. “Intolerance” lacks a single central story or even a central character for an audience to identify with and live See CINEMA, Page 28

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me came from Felicity Jones’ sudden bursting out of the background with an interpretation that had not occupied me much, but the cop and the judge also have their interpretive moments. I had just ﬁnished reading a biography of Charles Manson, which also left important aspects of the story foggy, even when the basic facts are clear. That is something I ﬁnd more and more pervasive in current movies. Compare motivation in “The Hurt Locker” or “American Sniper” to motivation in old standards like “Sergeant York.” How much can you realistically expect to understand a character like the one Franco plays? There are touches of consideration of journalistic ethics and how much anybody’s “truth” is a matter of that individual’s psychology. But the basic material, “true” or not, is a little to far-out to make such considerations effective. Still, it’s worthwhile to keep the opening prologue in Africa in mind. It includes some of the same major themes as the main story, including perhaps the Hill character’s desperate need for a strong story to revive his journalistic career. And remember that his character wrote the book “True Story” is based on. Are the movie producers calling into question their own production? This is probably making too much of what is basically an interesting variation on a mystery story with Gothic elements and a touch of social comment. But I can’t help thinking there is more to this movie than we might suspect.

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“True Story” is a pretty good movie that may be suffering at the box ofﬁce because of some of its virtues. It’s basically a psychological mystery about a mand played by James Franco, whose actions and motives in the past are mysterious and, for quite legitimate reasons, inconsistently revealed – if they are ever really revealed at all. Jonah Hill plays the narrator character, who is initially fascinated by the fact Franco, accused of mass murder of a family, has claimed Hill’s identity when the two have never even crossed paths. Hill is trying to get the truth with only Franco as a source of information, and Franco may or may not even know what he did. There are suggestions of amnesia, total or partial, or maybe schizophrenia – if indeed he did anything that he is accused of. His motives may well be as unclear to himself as they are to Hill and us, which is not uncommon in cases like this in real life, and “True Story” claims to be a true story. I am waiting for the next printing of the book written by the character Hill plays, though I doubt that it will clear everything up. There are even hints of the paranormal between the two characters, who are suggested to understand each other better than the known facts can explain. It’s all intriguingly puzzling in ways that do not seem unintended. This kind of mystery calls for either eerie or practically documentary realism, and writer-director Rupert Goold has chosen the documentary approach. There are the occasional, almost-required (these days) ﬂashback, memory and internal-action shots, which never seem to tell us anything we wouldn’t have thought of without them. But they’re about the only artsy touches in a movie that depends almost entirely on the facts themselves. In some ways it reminded me of “Dragnet” in its interview and its “only the facts, ma’am,” style. Be alert to what is being said (more said than shown). The biggest jolt to

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Every Mother’s Day weekend for the last 55 years, the Friends of the Wichita Art Museum have held the Art and Book Fair as a fundraiser for the Wichita Art Museum. A bold new take on the event brings the fair home to the Wichita Art Museum. In future years, the fair will be able to take advantage of the Museum’s newly renovated grounds, but until that transformation takes place, When: Saturday, the event will May 9 from 10 a.m. be held inside to 5 p.m. and Sunthe Museum day, May 10 from itself. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 2015 theme, “Art Where: Wichita of the Book,” Art Museum, 1400 will focus on West Museum Boulevard authors, illustrators, and Cost: Admission book sales. is free both days Hundreds of books in every conceivable genre will be available in the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall. And in the Living Room section of the museum some of the region’s best artists will offer their creations for sale in the “Small Works Market.” In keeping with tradition, “Art of the Book” will remain on Mother’s Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10. “We’re excited to bring the Fair back home to the Wichita Art Museum,” said Jill D. Miller, 2015 Art and Book Fair Chair of this Friends event. “This year’s event will be much different with lots of fun surprises to celebrate the art of the book.” For area patrons and longtime fair-

goers, the Friends of the Wichita Art Museum expect “Art of the Book” to bring new growth to this annual fundraiser as the organization evolves and continues serving the mission of the Wichita Art Museum and Wichita’s creative community. In May 2016, the Friends intend to connect “Art of the Book” back to the traditional Art and Book Fair by remaining at the Wichita Art Museum and issuing a call for entries to regional and national artists to exhibit on the newly landscaped grounds of the Museum.

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movies and some based on comic books.) A lot of the ﬁrst quarter of “Intolerance” depends so much in intertitles to tell the story that it’s almost more like an illustrated book than a real movie with the story acted out. As the movie goes along, the Christ and the French stories tend to disappear and the dramatic segments get longer, but the damage is done by then. Well, so much for the century-old question of “Intolerance.” There is nothing new here, after all. The controversy will go on.

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vicariously through, and it interrupts each story with the frequency of television commercials, so any emotional involvement it inspires is strictly temporary. Eventually, the audience tires. Try to think of short-story-anthology movies that have been successful, except maybe some that were inspired by television shows. (I give you some Edgar Allen Poe

Small Works Market – An opportunity to purchase smaller works from amazing regional artists. Art and Photography Booth – Linnebur and Miller will create a one-of-a-kind image of you as a work of art. $20 Tallgrass Film Festival showng of “Big Fish” – For the first time, the Fair is partnering with the Tallgrass Film Festival. The classic film “Big Fish” will be shown on Saturday at 2 p.m. and on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the museum’s Howard E. Wooden Lecture Hall. Admission is free. Storyrtelling – On Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon in the museum’s Howard E. Wooden Lecture Hall, featuring Arts Partners performers from “The Griots: Keepers of Stories” troupe; Amy Woolf, storyteller and puppeteer; and Chris Gulick, artist and performer. Authors and Illustrators – Jon Pirtle, illustrator, will give a presentation.

May 1 – “Miss Representation,” a documentary film by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. “Miss Representation” includes stories from teenage girls and interviews with politicians, journalists, entertainers and academics including Condoleezza Rice, Katie Couric, Jean Kilbourne and Gloria Steinem. The film offers facts and statistics to arm audiences with a new perspective. Following the film will be a discussion among the audience. The film will be shown at the Murdock Theater, 536 N. Broadway, Wichita. This is the third 2015 film by the First Friday Alternative Film Series, which aims not only toward activists but also to mainstream folks who will learn more about the topic. The June 5 film will be about immigration, “Who is Dayani Crystal?” The suggested donation is $8.

Upcoming events in and around Wichita

going on in the parking lot. May 8-9 – The Wichita Center for the Arts will hold its ﬁrst-ever student-faculty art fair from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 8 and 9 at the Center, 9112 E. Central. The event is free and open to the public. This fair will feature original, custom gifts perfect for Mother’s Day. Students and faculty members have created a variety of ﬁne art including painting, drawing, printmaking, jewelry, sculpture, metal and ceramics that will be for sale. There will be items in a variety of price ranges. Food trucks will be onsite for the art fair. On Friday, May 8, Let’m Eat Brats will be serving traditional German dishes from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening BS Sandwich Press will offer its specialties. From 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, Funky Monkey Munchies will offer a variety of street food and Kona Ice will offer a variety of refreshing options. For more information on food truck offerings during the art fair, contact Diane Tinker Hurst at dianetinkerhurst@gmail.com. Enjoy a classic car show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Attendees will be able to enjoy this three-dimensional art and vote for the best in show. If you are interested in showing your car, call Lauren at 316-634-2787. May 16 – Victory in the Valley’s 24th annual East Meets West Walk/Run at Exploration Place. Each year the East and West sides of Wichita and the surrounding areas meet together at Exploration Place to support and encourage cancer patients/Survivors and their families. Race registration began this week at Victory House, 3755 E. Douglas, at First Gear and online at www. victoryinthevalley.org. Pre-registration is $25 or $22 for team members. Any See DATELINE, Page 32

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May 2 – The 20th annual Herb Day will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 21st Street and Ridge Road in Wichita. Those who attend will learn about selecting, planting, maintaining and cooking with herbs. The national herb of the year is savory, which will be featured in the demonstrations and seminars. Chef Susie Hanna, executive sous chef at Reﬂection Ridge Resort Lifestyle Community, will be a guest speaker on cooking with herbs, including savory. In addition, seminars by members of the Herb Society and Extension Master Gardeners will cover topics relating to growing and cooking with herbs. Plant vendors from around the region will have herbs and other plants for sale. Herb Day events will include seminars in the Sunﬂower Room and Demonstration Garden, Master Gardener plant sale, Herb Society box lunch sale, children’s activity, vendors selling herbs and other gardening items, and door prizes. Kansas Grown Farmer’s Market will be

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May 1 – The Ad Astra Singers from Wichita State University will be at the Kansas Aviation Museum for a free concert in the atrium. The 16-voice a capella group will make the most of the acoustics in the museum’s atrium. The concert runs 7-9 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

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Explore Continued from Page 19

ABOVE: Students from Caldwell Elementary School visited Exploration Place’s “Where Kids Rule” exhibit last month. More than 20,000 students and youth program participants visit each year. Sam Jack/WestSide Story

RIGHT: Exploration Place’s Flight Pavilion honors Kansas’ aviation history. Contributed photo

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BELOW: The Kansas in Miniature exhibit highlights building from across the sunflower state. Contributed photo

rooms, where Tot’s Spot has been located since 2012, and it’s going to become a classroom for the under-5 set.” The children’s pavilion, which started life as “Kids Explore,” has been “Where Kids Rule” since 2011. The museum gave a facelift to what had been a rather generic “castle,” recasting it as a medieval-themed area while still incorporating dozens of STEM-based activities. As ever, the area was a riot of jubilant kids when I visited, many of them with their classes on school ﬁeld trips. Exploration Place welcomes about 20,000 students a year, including schools as well as after-school and summer programs, Luth said. The original kids and health pavilions have been re-imagined and eliminated, respectively. The two other major exhibit areas, celebrating Kansas and its aerospace industry, are too integral to the museum’s identity to dispense with, but both need to be refreshed, Luth acknowledged. Exploration Place is in the process of raising $2 million to overhaul “Exploring Flight and Design.” “You’ll be able to go in and design different kinds of airplanes, test things, see the different things that go into an airplane,” said Bluml. “It’ll be very interactive and engaging for adults, kids and even preschoolers.”

A concept sketch displayed near the entrance of the pavilion shows what looks like an exploded or deconstructed airplane, with exhibits dispersed throughout. “It’s a rendering, not literal, but it shows what we’re striving toward,” said Luth. “It would incorporate all kinds of plane parts and pieces donated to us by the local companies.” The Kansas pavilion, with its spectacular view of the Keeper of the Plains and the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas rivers, was being patched up when I visited, with boards covering gaps in the floor and carts of reptiles drawing attention away from other work. Though substantive updates to “Exploring Our Only Home” are not on the current slate, these fixes should keep things running, Luth said. “In 2018, we’ll look and say, ‘What is the Kansas Pavilion going to be?’ because that’s a good fiveyear project,” said Luth. “That’s why we’re doing that rejuvenation, to keep it great and wonderful and dynamic.” “Dynamic” is a watchword for the new, more flexible, seemingly more energetic Exploration Place. The space formerly used by an animation studio is now used for classrooms and meetings, and a former restaurant has also been converted into flexible space. Responding to the national “Maker” movement that has sprung up around 3D printers and related tech, EP has added its own “CreatorSpace.” Staff are still figuring out how to use the workshop with visitors and classes, but “figuring out” – Exploration – does not daunt them one bit.

Wichita’s biggest party, the Wichita River Festival, will be held May 29 to June 6. The party starts on May 29, and highlights of the first day include the Safelite AutoGlass Sundown Parade beginning at 6:30 p.m., a concert by local alt-bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield 8-10 p.m. at the RedGuard Stage, and the Koch Industries Twilight Pops Concert featuring the Wichita Symphony Orchestra at 8:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Plaza Stage. The Pops Concert will be followed by the opening night fireworks along the banks of the Arkansas River. Musical acts this year include the Red Dirt Concert with Kyle Park on Saturday, May 30; the Coleman Country Concert with Easton Corbin on Sunday, May 31; a gospel concert featuring Grammy Award-winner Erica Campbell on June 1; the Wet ‘n’ Wild Dance Party featuring Village People and the Cowboy Concert featuring Riders in the Sky, both on June 3; the Big Easy Concert with Charles Bradley on June 4; the Indie Showcase featuring Flogging Molly on June 5; and the Fiesta Del Rio Concert featuring Grupo Mojado on June 6. Other Riverfest highlights include: • The Admiral’s Brakfast, 7:30-9 am. May 29 at Abode Venue, 1330 E. Douglass. Past Admirals Windwagon Smith host the traditional breakfast to celebrate Admiral Windwagon Smith XLII Mike Greene. Tables for 10 are $130. • An attempt to set the world record for the longest line of bicycles, noon on May 30. Last year’s attempt came close. Pedal down to the WaterWalk Pavillion and be one of the

1,200 bike riders needed to break the current record of 1,148. • Wet Your Pallet Raft Races. The raft races are back but with a twist – teams must build a raft with recyclable materials. Races start at 2 p.m. May 30. See wichitariverfest.com for details. • McGavock Jet Ski Racing. See the IJSBA Mid-America Watercross Championships, 3-9 p.m. May 30, and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 31. • Cardboard Regatta, May 31, 1:30 p.m. Build a river-worthy vessel in 90 minutes or less with cardboard, duct tape, pool noodles and a box cutter. One team member must ride in the vessel. Enter at wichitariverfest.com. • Goodwill Cajun Food Fest, 5-8:30 p.m. June 4 at Kennedy Plaza. Enjoy traditional Bayou dishes including chicken etoufee, red beans and sausage, shrimp gumbo with rice and bread pudding. • Hot air balloon launch, 6 p.m. June 4, south of the RedGuard Stage. • Rose the Riveter Look-Alike Contest, June 5. Register at 5 p.m., judging at 7 p.m., Kennedy Plaza Stage. • Riverfest Wing Eating Contest, 7-8 p.m. June 5, Sparkling Ice Food Court Stage. • Kansas Health Foundation River Run, 7-11:30 a.m. June 6. • Admiral’s Pancake Feed, 8:30-11 a.m. June 6, RedGuard Stage. • CapFed Fantastic Fireworks Finale, 10:30 p.m. June 6, Arkansas River.

Sailing group seeks former members The Ninnescah Sailing Association observes its 50th anniversary this year, and the group is looking for former members to join in the festivities. Several special events are scheduled for this season, including two occasions organizers hope will be attended by many alumni. On Saturday, June 20, the association will conduct the annual “Blessing of the Fleet” at Cheney Lake. The traditional blessing ceremony will be conducted at 1 p.m. at the Afterdeck Activity Center, and an on-water procession will follow. There will be opportunities for sailing excursions for the remainder of the afternoon and, later, a wine tasting, light hors d’oeuvres, introductions and photos. On Saturday, July 25, afternoon sailing excursions with on-water photography can be arranged, followed by evening cocktails and a catered dinner at the Afterdeck. Archival films and photographs will be on display. Follow signs from the south entrance of Cheney State Park to reach the Afterdeck. Let organizers know that you can attend one or both of these events by sending an email to 50thanniversary@ninnescah.org.

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Dateline

family artifacts, documents and legends into an interesting narrative.

Continued from Page 9A

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one can establish a team by having 10 or more members. Individual and team registration ends at 3 p.m. May 11. Online registration ends at 3 p.m. May 13. Packet pickup continues at Victory House, 3755 E. Douglas, through 3 p.m. May 14. As a nonproﬁt, cancer support organization, Victory in the Valley (VV) holds this annual fundraiser to help fund the support programs and services to assure it remains available to those in need of assistance. All services are provided at no charge to cancer patients and their families, and are underwritten by donations and events such as the East/West Race. May 16 – “How to write your own family history,” presented by Donnis Slusser Crane. Wichita Genealogical Society monthly meeting, 1 p.m. May 16, at the Lionel Alford Library, 3447 S. Meridian. Crane will help deﬁne the scope and outcome of our own writing process. She will present ideas on how to turn writing excuses into challenges, “quit” researching and just write it. She will show us how to knit

May 21 – Kansas Aviation Museum’s unveiling and official opening of the Beech Aircraft exhibit. The Beech Staggerwing and Bonanza are two of the models that propelled Beech Aircraft to leadership in propeller aircraft. This exhibit will cover the history and growth of Beech’s leadership in small aircraft. Reception will begin at 5 pm. This is an open house reception. May 21 – Project Beauty luncheon will be held at 12:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Airport Hilton, 2098 Airport Rd. The program will be presented by Wayne Bryan from Music Theatre Wichita. Cost of the luncheon is $17 and your check is your reservation. Send to Jean Wellshear, 6411 Marjorie, Wichita KS 67206, by Monday May 18. May 22 – Kansas Firefighter Calendar judging event, Scottish Rite Center, 332 E. First, Wichita. The VIP session is 6:30-7:30 p.m., tickets are $40. General admission begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $20. Competition begins at 7:45 p.m. Live auctions will be held. The event benefits the Kansas Firefighters Museum. Purchase tickets online at www.kansasfirefightercalendar.com.

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