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TEG WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016 V V V PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895 V V V SENATOR ROBERTS VISITS HORNET NATION By Jessie Wagoner [email protected] Senator Pat Roberts paid a visit to Hornet Nation on Tuesday. Roberts spent the morning on campus, touring museums, meeting with students and faculty and even had the chance to use  a drone. “Emporia State is a leader, nationally, in so many different areas,” Roberts said. “We went into several classrooms here that I didn’t really expect. We visited the forensic department here and, who would have thought that Emporia State is the leader with regards to law enforcement and what we are all about.” ESU President Allison Garrett expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to share the numerous Please see Roberts, Page 5 KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE Roberts talks with Mary Ralston, a master’s student in the forensic science program, about how to use fingerprints in investigations during his tour of ESU. EMPORIA ENTREPRENEURS MEET WITH BUSINESS OWNERS Budding entrepreneurs had the chance to meet with seasoned business owners at Twin Rivers Wine and Gourmet Shoppe on Tuesday evening. The entrepreneurs are the top 20 semifinalists in the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge. The Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge is a venture idea competition open to students from Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College. Tuesday’s Share Your Business Story Night was hosted by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce. The 20 semifinalists received tips from Chamber President Jeanine McKenna and ESU Professor Nathan Woolard. The semifinalists also had a chance to meet with eight local business owners using a “speed-dating format.” The semifinalists rotated quickly from table to table to meet with business owners, pitch their idea and receive feedback. “We thought it would be a great way to bring campus and community together,” McKenna said. “It is really giving some great tips and insights to these students from people who do this every day. What they have learned, what has worked, what hasn’t worked … . It is a great opportunity to give that one on one advice.” The semifinalists have a diverse range of business ideas that cover a wide variety of needs in the community. Those involved in the challenge have already submitted written executive summaries addressing their business concept, feasibility, market potential, business model and competition. A panel of judges determined the 20 semifinalists by reviewing the executive summaries. Yasir Alrasasi and Jaafar Alherz are proposing a restaurant that combines American cuisine with Middle-Eastern flavor. Alex Turley, Leah Uridge and Harriel Mack have created a plan for Fetcher’s, a food delivery system Please see Challenge, Page 5 JESSIE WAGONER/GAZETTE VOL. 124, NO. 226 WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM [email protected] Senator Pat Roberts took a tour of Emporia State University to learn about how the university performs with their STEM fields, which are science, technology, engineering and math. [email protected] Spread the good word, Senator Roberts. By John Robinson KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE By Jessie Wagoner VVV AMBRIZCERVANTES SENTENCING SET FOR APRIL 6 successes of Emporia State with Roberts. ”We are excited, obviously, to welcome government officials to Emporia State so we can share more about what Emporia State University is able to do, not only on the local level but on the national level” Garrett said. “We have terrific students in the sciences and the school of business and we were able to share some of the research that they are doing with the senator.”   The Master of Science in Forensic Science program at Emporia State is the only one in the state of Kansas. On Tuesday, students in the program showed Roberts a sampling of their forensic work, includ- Roberts smiles while working a camera on a drone with Dusti Howell, a professor in the Instructional Design and Technology program, during the tour of ESU. Good Evening Jeanine McKenna, Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce president, visits with the semifinalists in the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge. McKenna explained how the chamber can help their business grow, what resources are available for business owners and answered other questions the students had.  Sentencing for Diego Ambriz-Cervantes will continue at 2:30 p.m. on April 6 in the Lyon County Courthouse  after the prosecution objected to AmbrizCervantes’ criminal history during a hearing on Tuesday.  Ambriz-Cervantes was found guilty of kidnapping on Feb. 3 for an incident which occurred on Feb. 4 of 2014. On that date, the Emporia Police Department was called to the 900 block of Graphic Arts Road where they found a woman bound in duct tape. She explained that a man knocked on her door and, when she went to answer, he forced his way in placing a gun to her head and binding her wrists to her back with duct tape and taped her arms to her torso. After the man left the residence, the woman sought help from a neighbor. It was estimated that over $2,000 was stolen from the woman’s residence, however, AmbrizCervantes’ was not found guilty of charges of robbery.  Prosecutor Amy Aranda objected to the report of AmbrizCervantes’ criminal history, saying there was evidence of a previous offense when he was a juvenile which was overlooked. In light of this objection, Judge Lee Fowler set for the sentencing to continue in April. DRUG TAKE BACK EVENT Special to The Gazette The Emporia Police Department, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its  11th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentiall