ON Ye lde ewsletter September 11, 2014 Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Art gallery displays Kansas artists’ artwork Story By: Alex Veliz After more than 100 years of Kansas food, entertainment, and community participation, the fair has evolved into one of the most cherished events Kansas has to offer. Despite the fair offering many opportunities to out of state participants, one event is still exclusive to the citizens of the sunflower state. “The Oz Gallery showcases Kansas artists,” Cathy Dunn, superintendent of the amateur division said. Harboring over 4,070 pieces of art, the Oz Gallery is one of the larger spreads displayed by the fair. Dunn, who has worked in the gallery for over 23 years, is in charge of gathering entries. “This is probably one of the best places to enter artwork,” Dunn said. “There are 1,000 photography entries and 1,200 painting entries.” Categories include photography, sculptures, and 3-D artwork; wood carvings, antiques and a wide variety of paintings. Artists include professionals, amateurs, and even elementary students from around the state. “This year 60 paintings, 80 photographs, and 30 sculptures were hung in the gallery,” Sue Franko, superintedent of the professional division said. Working as superintendent for over 21 years, Franko believes art plays an important role in the Sunflower state. “It is a very important entity for the state and the city to show some outstanding pieces of art.” Franko said. Roy Hosie, Hutchinson, demonstrates wood carving to Morgan Elementary students. “My favorite part about the gallery is meeting with people about carving,” Hosie said. Hosie has worked in the gallery for 50 years. Kim Steinley, 5th grade teacher at Morgan Elementary agrees. “It is important to expose kids to the different mediums art has been made out of.” Steinley said. Barbara McGuire, business major and art extordinare has found that art is incorporated in the business world as well as for entertainment. “Art is very important and I have found our how important a comSee Stick/Page 4 Kansas native follows the mucial dream Story By: Dallas Lackey Jake Gill performs with his bass player, Christian Vieyra at the Bretz and Young Law Arena. Every year, the state fair feature concerts and music from popular artists; however, this year Kansas native Jake Gill performed at Bretz and Young Injury Lawyers Arena, and has been traveling the country performing. “We’ve played in thirteen states this year, from the tip of Texas to South Dakota.” Gill said. “probably the biggest crowd we played for was when we opened for Jason Aldean in front of 50,000 people.” Gill writes his own music, but also performs covers of other musicians’ work. “It’s a country and rock blend, I kinda have my own sound, I write my own music and I still play covers of and other artists information, but we like to showcase our own stuff.” Gill said. Before his musical career Gill owned his own chiropractic business. “I still have a See Music page 3 September 11, 2014 Ye Olde Newsletter Old, new food carts park at the fair for big bucks Column By: Alex Veliz Alex Veliz, columnist It’s no secret that mass amounts of crowds swarm to the fair just for a taste of deep-fried deliciousness, on a stick. From long lasting favorites like the legendary Pronto Pup, to new favorites like deep-fried Nutella, there may be competition but fair food is a profitable business to be a part of. Just like some plants, fair foods are seasonal and may only come out once a year. Deep Fried Cookie Dough, a four-year-old stand 0n the grounds, only sells its products once a year during the Kansas State Fair. “On Saturday I sell 6 cases of cookie dough and every day I sell at least one,” said Amy Muenk an employee of Deep Fried Cookie Dough. An old pro that rivals any other stand would have to be the classic Pronto Pup. “I think its most people’s favorite food,” Janet Dick, Pronto Pup employee, said. Dixie Wedel the president of Pronto Pup has shown that there is more to Pronto Pup than just the name. “It’s fun to meet people and making friends that last over the years,” Wedel said. The profit is very important for some of these people given the fact that some people only have 2 weeks to breakeven at least, for another year of fair fun. “The gathering of people is really what it’s about,” Dick said. There is no better way to gain the hearts of the people of Kansas than the tasty creations made every year by the State Fair family. Inmates train purebred, wild mustangs for adoption Story By: Veronica Norez The Kansas State Fair has a lot to offer making it easy to overlook things such as the Wild Mustang Program located just inside the E-9 entrance near Expo II. The Wild Mustang Program, a group that was formed after the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971, is a group dedicated to the preservation of wild Mustangs in the west and has been at the Kansas State Fair for 14 years. It trains horses with the use of inmate labor and allows them to be adopted by the public. “Mostly the horses are adopted for pleasure, trail riding, or saddle clubs, but occasionally we do have someone looking for a performance horse.” said Correctional Industries Manager, Dexter Hedrick. “But mostly we adopt to Page 2 ranchers and farmers.” Out of the total number of adoptions, only 5% don’t work out. “About 100 to 150 horses are adopted each year.” Hedrick said. All of the horses are brought in from the western states by the Bureau of Land Management wild and many are trained not only by workers of the WMP, but also by inmates from various facilities. “I like being able to help people and the horses,” Training Manager, Dion Pope said. “I enjoy working with the men and trying to make a difference in their lives and the horses lives.” The inmates fill out a work application and are trained for a year to a year and a half, and then Sydney Sauer points towards the mustangs from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. they saddle ride to gently break the horses. This process takes 60-90 days. The men not only train the animals, but also give them their vaccines, health care, hoof trims, and hay. “It gives the men good, hard work ethics and helps them build strong relationships.” Hedrick said. “It’s rewarding.” Ye Olde Newsletter September 11, 2014 Birthing center contributes advice to the public Story By: Aniston Ramsey Timing is everything when it comes to working at the Birthing Center; however, the main focus of the center is their new attraction known as “Bossy the Birthing Simulator.” “The best thing to offer is the education,” Doctor Tiffany Lee said. “Everyone learns from the simulator and get hands on experience on how to gel a cow give birth.” Being pregnant for 279-292 days, the Birthing Center makes it as comfortable as possible for the expecting mothers. “The best way to give birth is the natural way, but they are willing to help if necessary. If the cow is having troubles with the calf. like it being to big or not positioned right, then we will intervene.” Lee said. Diana Iman and Jessica Chavera are two students attending Kansas State University who volunteered for running the new simulator. “I like the simulator because every child that participates in the simulator is delighted and surprised,” Iman said. “You can see it on their faces and their big smiles. I just love it.” An estimated 10 to Brandi Taul helps Connor Kelley deliver a calf from “Bossy the Birthing Simulator” on his birthday. “The best thing about this is that people don’t understand where their milk comes from or how something is born. I think that’s the best benefit of this.” Diana Iman, K-State University student said. 20 animals are born at the State Fair each year. “The owners of the heifers schedule the timings of the birth, so then the cattle can give birth at the State Fair.” David Simmons, veterinarian said. This year, eight calves, three lambs, and a little over a dozen chicks were born in the Birthing Center, and three other lambs were brought by their owners. “After they’re born, with the calves, we take them after their born, we take them and put them over in a room and give them a bottle,” Iman said. “We check mom and make sure her uterus isn’t torn in any way or damaged.” Because it’s a learning center, volunteers are posed with many questions. “I get a lot of questions about if the uddersr are the babies and in their mom’s tummy.” The Birthing center has housed many babies as well as young animals and will continue to educate the public about the gift of life. an audition tape that I did on youtube, then The Voice asked me to down to do a private audition. I went four rounds deep with producers,” Gill said, “I decided there might be something to this, so I hired a local band to start playing with me.” Gill was previously asked to perform at the fair but was unable to attend. “We were asked two years ago and couldn’t make it work, so we submitted our EPK this year,” he said. “It’s neat to perform at the fair because you have a lot of people come.” Gill is optimistic for his future. “My lifetime goal is to play on the stage at the Grand Old Opery; you have to be invited, there,” he said. “that’s a goal of ours, and I’m hoping within ten years, I’m there.” Music from page 1 chiropractic company, I’m there about ten hours a week at most,” he said. Gill’s beginning in the music business started with a single audition tape. “Someone sent in Page 3 Ye Olde Newsletter September 11, 2014 Entertainment travels the streets of the fair From trash to talking robots, the entertainment at the state fair never ends. Steve Trash performs magic tricks for the public while Oscar the robot rolls about and talks to fair goers. The Recycle Cycle provides a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the fair to create a little recycled music. The Dare Devil Divers give the audience the suspense they need without having to get sick on the spinning rides. Whatever the entertainment may be, the Kansas State Fair provides fun and games for all fair goers. Cornelius Glover, Jack Pierman, and Chaz Porter create a beat on the back of the Recycle Cycle. Steve Trash performs a card trick for Macy Pitchford in front of the Denny Stoecklein Water Park. Taysen Runyon and Elspeth Kammerer get help from Oscar the robot in the Eisenhower building. Stick from page 1 Page 4 pany’s logo and artwork is.” McGuire said. The youth of Kansas has also found an interest in art. “I like how it shows what people like and the different colors used,” nine-year-old Karoline Johnson said. Participation is key when it comes to the art gallery’s success when it comes to having a people’s choice award and displaying winners of certain categories, but a few spectators want more. “I would like to see more explanation about how the winners are chosen,” McGuire said. “and maybe fundraising by selling copies of certain images to take home should also be something to consider.” From real world applications like business logos to abstract art, this gallery has earned the right to be a part of Kansas’ biggest event of the year. “It’s a joy to work with the artists and see and learn technigques and meeting unique people.” Dunn said.