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TEG THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016 V V V PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895 V V V EMPORIANS AUDITION FOR ‘SURVIVOR’ Good Evening VVV “Where all the women are strong ...” WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM DRUG SEARCH CONDUCTED AT EHS The Emporia Gazette Miller Brinkman By John Robinson [email protected] A pair of Emporia women auditioned for a chance to appear on the CBS reality show, Survivor, on Saturday. Jackie Miller and Haley Brinkman hope their auditions show they have what it takes to survive. Miller is an independent contractor and president of Midwest Search and Rescue, and Brinkman is a real estate agent for Emporia Realty Group. Miller said a friend sent her a screenshot of the auditions in Wichita and she decided to go for it. Brinkman could not be reached for comment at press time. “It was a lot of waiting in line and then it’s short and sweet,” Miller said. “You wait in line for hours, turn in a couple of things and then you have one minute on camera. They ask you ‘why do you think you can win Survivor?’ and I said ‘I’m smart, intuitive, strong — both physically and mentally — and I can play the game.’” “Survivor” is a reality show which debuted in May of 2000. It features individuals participating in challenges and competing to be the last person remaining on the island. Miller, who spent 15 years as a trooper for the Kansas Highway Patrol, said she’s watched “Survivor” in the past and has considered auditioning before, but decided to just go for it. “Sometimes you just have to quit talking about it and do it,” Miller said. “You get to be my age and you think to yourself ‘quit talking about stuff and just go do it.” Miller said her family and friends weren’t surprised when she told them she auditioned and has received plenty of support of encouragement. “They’re saying ‘go for it’ or ‘you’re a badass,’” she said. Miller doesn’t know if or when she’ll hear back from the show, but plans to send in a video audition and try again for another season if she has to, but enjoyed the audition process overall as it gave her a chance to meet with other Survivor hopefuls. “Getting to talk with other people and seeing their motivation is neat,” Miller said. “All ages, shapes, sizes and both genders. It was a really fun time and you really don’t know at the end of the day.” LONGSHIP OUTFITTERS FINDS A NICHE KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE By Jesse Murphy [email protected] Just a short amount of time after opening, Longship Outfitters at 324 E. Sixth Ave. has seen quite a bit of business. Owner Kristina Grayson, with the help of her husband Glenn, decided to open the gun store with the intentions of it being a true “outfitter.” “We’ve been doing a lot for people who are looking for something in particular that’s not going to typically be in a big order,” Kristina Grayson said. “And they’re not sitting around and waiting for six months with something that’s pushed into a bulk order. “My husband — I call him my ‘gun guru,’ is really good at tracking down hard-to-find things.” There are collectible firearms as well, and Grayson said they get a lot of custom orders for parts on AR-15’s and AR-10’s that people build on their own. Unique items — most not for sale — line the walls, and inside the counter are several antique guns and memorabilia that are display only as well. The store offers a variety of conceal and carry purses and other holsters, tannerite is available for orders as is black powder for muzzle-loading rifles. VOL. 124, NO. 197 Authorities discovered what appeared to be marijuana during a drug search at Emporia High School Tuesday morning According to Nancy Horst, director of communications with Emporia Public Schools, the drug search was a routine check conducted by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and several other Kansas law enforcement agencies. “We do, from time-to-time, have (dogs) at the high school,” Horst said. “It’s not uncommon at all. We’ve been doing that for a few years.” Horst said nine dogs searched the parking lot and the school and were alerted to three bags inside the building. Two of the bags were empty and the third contained what appeared to be marijuana. According to Horst, the student who owned the bag was disciplined by the school according to the 2015-2016 student handbook. The violation is listed under student behavior and results in an automatic suspension. Horst said the school feels “pretty good” about the results of the search. “Out of 1,100 kids there were no drugs identified in any vehicles,” she said. “And there was only one instance, so we actually feel pretty good about the results.”  Students, who did not want to give their names, counter Horst’s claim by saying teachers have been telling students there has been increased drug activity at the school this year with students also claiming the bathrooms smell of marijuana.  GRANTS AVAILABLE TO EXPLORE WHITE’S WRITINGS Special to The Gazette KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE A customer looks at guns at the newly opened Longship Outfitters Guns and Gear, located on Sixth Avenue and Exchange Street on Saturday. Grayson said that sport shooting has been a big part of her life since she was young, and it is something her family has shared over the years. “I’ve been an active sports shooter since I was a little girl,” Kristina Grayson said. “We just wanted to do something together as a family, so we went towards our passion in life and opened a gun store.” Glenn is an Army veteran, serving in Iraq and Kuwait, and they have four children with ages from 17 to their 1-year-old — a range Kristina says is on “Army time.” They’re bot