TEG
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016
V V V
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895
V V V
Good Evening
VVV
Good job,
Polar Plungers!
WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM
LEGISLATORS
PREPARE FOR
TESTIMONY
BEFORE
TURNAROUND
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
The midpoint of the legislative
session is fast approaching. Today and Tuesday bring full days of
testimony before legislators take
a one-week break for turnaround.
“We are at turnaround,” Representative Don Hill said. “So there
is a push that if legislation is going to get passed this session, it
first needs to meet the hurdle and
the deadline of passing out of its
house of origin before Tuesday.”
House Bill 2676 is likely to
be heard on the floor this week.
HB 2676 would compel Kansas
school districts to develop new
standards for reading, math,
science and other subjects that
would replace the Common Coreinspired Kansas College and Career Ready Standards which have
been in place since 2010.
Hill says the dilemma is determining what to replace Common Core with. He isn’t in favor
of making rash decisions without
having a clear plan in place.
“I don’t have any appetite at all
to do away with something without having a level of confidence
and comfort that we have something better to replace it with,”
Hill said. “An analogy would be
last year when we did away with
the school finance formula, which
I thought was a really bad mistake.”
Representative Peggy Mast
doesn’t anticipate HB 2676 passing the house floor.
“The common core ... it is my
understanding that bill is definitely flawed and so I don’t think
we will see it come to the floor in
the next couple days,” Mast said.
“I think it will be re-referred back
to another committee.”
Budget bills from both the
House and Senate were reconciled in conference committee
and will go to the Governor for
his signature. The agreed-upon
budget leaves a $6 million ending
balance for the year.
WARM WEATHER PROFITS POLAR PLUNGE
By Melissa Lowery
Special to The Gazette
Fun Run
Thanks to unseasonably warm
temperatures for February, this
year’s Polar Plunge saw hundreds
of people turn out to enjoy the many activities at Mouse Lake, 1101
Topeka St., on Saturday morning.
The Polar Plunge raises money
for Special Olympics athletes in
Kansas for training and competition in 22 sports and for basic
health screenings.
The event began with a 5K fun
run and one-mile “strut” around
Mouse Lake, an activity that did
not require getting wet. Young
Lane Dall, a kindergarten student
from Ottawa, ran in the 5K along
with his grandmother Kandy Dall
of Emporia. He was hot and sweaty
afterward, taking a break to drink
some cold water and rest, but said
it was a positive experience.
“It was far, but I beat the blue
team,” Dall said, with satisfaction.
“This was my first time but I will
do more.”
In the men’s category, Asher
Delmont placed first with Hugo
Escobar and Isaac Hall placing second and third respectively.
In the women’s category, Cassie
Crotts placed first — running
while pushing her two children in
a double-stroller — with Leslee
Euler and Wesenia Vazquez rounding out the top three finishers.
Costume contest
Plungers are encouraged to
wear costumes whether they participate as individuals or as a team.
This year’s theme was “Being a Hero,” which was reflected in many of
the costumes. Some teams chose
to dress as everyday heroes like
firefighters while others dressed
as superheroes with the occasional
villain sprinkled in for balance.
In keeping with the “hero”
theme, three retired Army veterans served as judges for this year’s
costume contest. Sgt. Dave Stormont, Sgt. E-5 Ron Whitney and
Sgt. Mjr. Steve Harmon awarded
honors for the best costumes by a
team, a couple and an individual.
Beard Team Kansas won in
the team category, augmenting
their usual cut-off jeans and crop
tops with capes and tights. The
Freakin’ Idiots won the couples
category with their warrior-style
camouflage and face paint. Frequent plunger Marjean Anderson
won the individual category, addPlease see Plunge, Page 3
KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE
Joel Smith and John Armstrong, Beard Team Kansas, say a prayer
before jumping off the dock into Mouse Lake for the Polar Plunge
on Saturday. Above: Vanessa North, dressed as a Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtle, jumps off the dock.
KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE
Emporia fire and police rescue workers get splashed with water
after someone jumped into Mouse Lake for the Polar Plunge on
Saturday.
NELSONS, KLEIN, CLINT BLACK BOOKED FOR GRANADA WEAPONS
TASK
FORCE TO
DECIDE ESU
CONCEALED
CARRY
POLICY
By Regina Murphy
[email protected]
The Granada Theater has announced three new shows for spring.
“Ricky Nelson Remembered”
will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 22.
“‘Ricky Nelson Remembered’
is a unique multimedia entertainment event featuring the live music
of Ricky Nelson’s hit songs (including “Hello Mary Lou,” “Travelin’
Man,” “Garden Party”) performed
by Ricky’s own twin sons Matthew
and Gunnar (of the 90’s Rock Band
Nelson),” said Granada Theater Director Bryan Williams. “It includes
never-before-seen big screen video
footage of the Nelson family with interviews from celebrities influenced
by Ricky Nelson. The show appeals
to a wide audience and multiple
generations and celebrates the life
VOL. 124, NO. 200
of America’s original ‘Teen Idol.’”
For those of a certain age, the
Nelson twins are grandsons of 1950s
TV icons Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.
The twins are listed in the Guinness
Book of World Records as the only
family to reach number one record
status in three successive generations
Tickets will range in price from
$10-$50 and go on sale at 10 a.m.
Thursday at emporiagranada.com
or 807 Commerc