‘Gott’ Wine
This weeks G&G selection from
Joel Gott Winery. Page 5
JUNE 11 AND 12, 2016
V V V
WPS
Who was your favorite
teacher and why? Page 7
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895
V V V WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM
By John Robinson
[email protected]
When the city of Emporia
launched “Curbit,” the curbside recycling program, on June 1, 2015,
the aim was to provide families a
more convenient way to recycle
and emphasize the importance of
“being green” and recycling.
”We started out last June with
a bang,” Keith Senn, solid waste
manager, said. “People had saved
up their recycling for weeks ahead
of the program last June.”
At the end of 2015, the program
resulted in 648.95 tons of recycling. So far in 2016, 427 tons of
recycling have been collected and
participation is at 60 percent of
around 7,000 possible customers.
”May was a 90-ton month,”
Senn said. “And this month is
looking strong, so we seem to be
right on track.”
Overall, Senn said he’s seen an
increase in recycling since the implementation of “Curbit.”
“In 2015 I figured about 300 extra tons and a plastic bottle doesn’t
weigh much,” he said. “And that
tells me there are some people out
there who didn’t recycle before
who do now.”
As for complaints, Senn said he
hasn’t heard many complaints and
they recently installed a cover on
the recycling truck to prevent paper from blowing out.
“We’ll address things as they
come,” he said. “But there’s no major problems that are really looking us in the face, I don’t think.”
Any plans for expansion are still
far off in the future, including any
possibility of introducing any sort of
cost to the currently free program.
Please see Curbit, Page 3
JOHN ROBINSON/GAZETTE
The Curbit truck picks up recycling in east Emporia on Thursday.
A CAREER OF ADVOCACY
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
Vicky Lyon is a woman that
possesses a unique combination
of strength and empathy.
During the past 21 years,
those traits have been quite useful in her role as Victim Witness
Coordinator for the Lyon County
Attorney’s Office.
After 21 years of service to
victims in the area, Lyon has
made the decision to retire. She
is looking forward to spending
time with her husband, Pat, and
enjoying more visits with her
grandsons.
As Lyon reflects on her 21-year
career, she tears up. It has been
a long journey — at times a difficult and painful journey. Some
cases still haunt her: homicides,
sexual abuse of children and sexual assault cases take their toll on
even the strongest of individuals.
“There is no ‘happy’ here,”
Marc Goodman, Lyon County Attorney said. “Vicky meets each
of the victims she works with at
the worst moment in their lives.
They are in shock and involved
in a system they know nothing
about.”
Meet them she has, opening
the doors of her office and her
heart to victims for years has also
brought many rewards. Lyon said
she still has victims that have
stayed in touch with her over the
years, sending her updates and
stopping by to check in. She also
has witnessed the strength and
resilience of children in the face
of terrible adversity.
“Each person is different,” Lyon said. “Each person is unique
and you learn how to meet those
JESSIE WAGONER/GAZETTE
Vicky Lyon, victim witness coordinator for the Lyon County Attorney’s Office, is retiring June 30 after 21 years of service.
needs. I try to empathize, I try
to understand but I never say
‘I know how you feel.’ I learned
that the first month I started the
job.”
Lyon has also witnessed many
changes over the years. Three
county attorneys have passed
through the office during her tenure. She still expresses her gratitude to Rod Symmonds, who was
the county attorney who origi-
Good Evening
nally hired her.
“I just thank God that Rod
Symmonds gave me that opportunity,” Lyon said.
Goodman said Lyon has gone
above and beyond in her service
to victims. For years, she and
her church coordinated an event
for victims each year during Victims Rights Month. She also was
instrumental in developing the
first DUI Victim Panel in Lyon
County, which is still in operation today.
“She didn’t have to do those
things. She did a lot independently; it isn’t part of her job,”
Goodman said. “It’s just part of
who she is and the type of victim advocate she is for the victims she works with. I know they
mean a lot to her and I know that
she means a lot to them. I know
many of them still reach out to
her.”
It is unlikely that Lyon’s generous spirit and passion for victims
will dull during retirement. She
said she would like to do some
victim advocacy and hopefully
effect some change in a system
that doesn’t offer many rights for
victims. She will also stay busy
helping at her church and par-
VOL. 124, NO. 294
We need more people like Vicky Lyon.
Please see Lyon, Page 3