TEG
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
LOCAL
LEGISLATORS
REACT TO STATE
OF THE STATE
ADDRESS
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
Gov. Sam Brownback talked
about a number of issues in his
annual State of the State address Tuesday but one topic
was missing — the state’s budget deficit.
He called school districts’
use of money “inefficient, if
not immoral” and called on the
state legislature to increase
the percentage of funding that
goes directly to classroom instruction. He recommended instituting merit pay for teachers
and to expand tax credits that
partially fund private schools.
“Today, of the more than
$4 billion the state puts into
education funding, not nearly
enough goes toward instruction,” Brownback said. “That’s
highly inefficient, if not immoral, denying Kansans from
putting their education dollars
where they want it … behind a
good teacher.”
Brownback talked about refugee issues and the funding of
Planned Parenthood. He criticized President Obama’s proposal to close the Guantanamo
Bay detention facility in Cuba
and transfer the terrorism suspects held there to prisons in
the U.S.
“Every member of the Kansas congressional delegation,
the lieutenant governor, the attorney general and I each stand
at the ready to thwart every
action the president takes to
transfer terrorists to Kansas,”
Brownback said.
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D I S T R I C T
SECOND CANDIDATE FOR USD 253
SUPERINTENDENT INTERVIEWED
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
The second candidate for the
open superintendent position in
the Emporia Public Schools was
interviewed Tuesday. Mike Argabright, accompanied by his wife
Carla Argabright, toured local
schools, met with staff and community members and was interviewed by the Emporia Board of
Education Tuesday evening.
Argabright currently serves
as superintendent of schools for
USD 252 Southern Lyon County,
a position he has held since 2006.
He previously served as a principal and athletic director at Eureka Junior-Senior High School.
In his current position, Argabright already collaborates with
Emporia in regards to professional development and transportation. That collaboration is one
of several reasons he is attracted
to the job.
“I feel like, experience-wise, it
is time to make a move, professionally and personally,” Argabright said. “I have a lot of positive relationships here in Emporia. I enjoy the collaborative approach this community brings to
looking at issues and resolving
issues. There is a very collaborative approach here that I respect
and appreciate.”
He would like to see collaboration continue so students of all
ages can be exposed to various
JESSIE WAGONER/GAZETTE
Community members visited with Mike Argabright, candidate for
superintendent of Emporia Public Schools. Argabright is currently
superintendent of USD 252 Southern Lyon County.
learning experiences. He says
that, in partnering with community agencies, children can learn
from experts in various fields
and gain a better understanding
of what they are interested in as
well as what they are not interested in.
Argabright is passionate about
education and he says that Emporia clearly supports education.
“The other piece that Emporia brings to the table is how they
support education,” Argabright
said. “It doesn’t matter whether
it is a little bitty munchkin or a
senior in high school, to Flint
Hills Technical College to EmJESSIE WAGONER/GAZETTE
poria State University. This community values education and that Mike and Carla Argabright visit with community members during a
Please see Argabright, Page 8
meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Mike Argabright is a candidate for
the open superintendent position with Emporia Public Schools.
Susan J.
Mai stands
in ESU’s
collection of
costumes for
the theater
department.
Mai’s
costumes for
the show “As
You Like It”
will be on
display during
the costume
parade at
the Kennedy
Center Region
V American
College
Theatre
Festival.
Please see Address, Page 8
2016 BURN
PERMITS
AVAILABLE
By Cathryne Scharton
[email protected]
Lyon County is issuing
free burning permits for 2016
through 2017.
Before starting an open fire
in Lyon County, it is mandatory to obtain a burning permit
from the Lyon County Sheriff’s
office. The burn permit is good
for two years, but burners must
call in prior to starting the fire
and again after the fire has
been extinguished. Any burning of vegetation such as grass,
woody species, crop residue
and other dry plant growth requires a permit. Bonfires also
require a burning permit.
“The thought process behind the burn permits was we
often times, particularly during the burn season or this
time of the year, you have people burning the brush piles,”
said Sheriff Jeff Cope. “People
see big black smoke in one
place. People driving down
the highway see it they call in
and say there is a fire. If we are
not aware of what that fire is,
we will start rolling resources
out to determine what the fire
is. Fire departments will get
there, law enforcement will get
there and we would realize it
was a controlled burn and so it
is really just to try and manage
our resources, to spend out tax
dollars wisely. We just ask for
Please see Permits, Page 8
VOL. 124, NO. 166
ESU PROFESSOR’S COSTUMES FEATURED
AT REGIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL
KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE
By Melissa Lowery
Special to The Gazette
Emporia State University Associate Professor Susan J. Mai, who
teaches costume design for the Department of Communication and
Theatre, will represent the university at a major theatre festival this
month. Her costumes will be on
display during the costume parade
at t