Multimedia Reporting (Bradford-Utsler)

New magazine to debut next week

On Oct.18, 2005, Katy Ibsen led a brainstorming session in a conference room at the Lawrence Journal World building. The Boulder, Colo., senior, stood in front of 23 other KU students furiously scribbling obscure words shouted at her on a white board.

“Larry!”
“What about ‘Distraction?’”
“Fig!”
Fig?
Perplexed glances ensue.

As each suggestion became increasingly strange, and after more than an hour of painstakingly searching for that perfect word, Ibsen and her peers finally stumbled upon one that worked.

And Chalk magazine was born.

“Think of sidewalk chalk that you see every day,” Ibsen said. “It's almost always written by college students, and it is definitely always written for college students.”

Which is exactly what the magazine represents, she said. The new publication primarily targets college-aged Lawrence residents, something surprisingly new to a very KU-centric city. With assistance from several staff members at the World Company, the 24 student staff members wrote and produced the premiere issue of the magazine. And although the magazine’s launch date had to be pushed back because of less-than-anticipated advertising interest, 15,000 of the premiere issue will be distributed on campus and around the city next week.

The fact that no other magazine of its kind exists in Lawrence gives Chalk an advantage, Al Bonner, advertising director at the Lawrence Journal World, said.

“It’s kind of creating a new, previously untapped niche,” Bonner said, who was one of three main LJ World employees overseeing the magazine’s progress. “People are going to automatically think The Kansan is a competitor, but it’s really not.”

He’s right. If all goes as expected, Chalk will come out once a semester. It’s a full-color, high-gloss paper, 60-plus-page product. The staff is going for polish, Bonner said, and it’s going to take the time it needs to achieve that.

“This is really meant to be a learning experience for the students,” Bonner said. “We’re not going to rush things just yet. It’s obviously a commercial venture, but it’s an invaluable tool for those students working on it.”

Ibsen, one of the four main student editors of the magazine, agreed.

“I’ve had a summer internship before, and I’ve taken the journalism classes at KU,” Ibsen said. “But I’ve never had so much responsibility put on me. To start with a project at zero and work all the way up to publication - it was quite an opportunity.”

The venture seemed less opportune for the advertising side of production. Initially, the plans were to have another issue out by April 2006, but lack of interest and wariness on the part of local businesses meant less money, making that issue not possible. The staff also decided to delay the magazine’s debut, pushing the launch back from late January to late February, in an attempt to squeeze out any last-minute advertising interest. Bonner said, though, that once the first issue is among the masses, local businesses currently on the fence about advertising in the new magazine might be more on the same page with him.

“I think there was a lot of skepticism, being a mostly student-run publication,” Bonner said. “The newness of it and whether or not they wanted to associate themselves with a publication they had never seen or read kept some businesses from advertising just yet.”

The student factor may have deterred some businesses from being a part of the premiere issue, but Susie Fagan, a copy editor at the LJ World who also edited the stories for the magazine, said that’s what sets the magazine apart.

“I tried to keep my voice out of there when editing,” Fagan said. “They know what their peers want. I’m 15 years older that most college students. I may think I know what they like or what they do, but obviously I’m not one of them.”

Their peers make up more than one-third of Lawrence’s population. That’s a big audience that previously went ignored in Lawrence’s magazine world. LJ World’s two other publications, Lawrence Magazine and Lawrence: Family and Life, both have circulation numbers of less than 10,000. Chalk is starting with 15,000, but those numbers may increase if it’s successful.

Although a few of the articles focus on the University of Kansas, Bonner and Ibsen said they expect the magazine to be of interest to Lawrence high-schoolers as well as 20-to-25 year-old Lawrence residents not necessarily affiliated with the University.

Even so, staff members will be holding their breath during the debut next week. Bonner said the fact that Chalk wasn’t put together by “a bunch of 30-to-50 year olds that think they know what students like” obviously works to its advantage. But he knows success isn’t certain.

“We think we’ve done a good job of getting a student perspective, obviously,” Bonner said. “But what ultimately matters is what the audience thinks.”

Ibsen said she felt confident about Chalk’s future and possible staying power in the community.

“I’d like to think of it as a magazine that people keep on the coffee tables, and can read again and again,” Ibsen said. “It’s edgy, it’s interesting and it’s done by students themselves. No one knows what students want more than students themselves.”

Staff members plan to hand out the magazines on campus next week. In addition, magazines can be found in dorms, several apartment complexes, fraternities, sororities and in businesses around the city.

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Homicide Arrest
At 7:30pmWednesday, the Lawrence Police Department, with the help of the Topeka Police Department, arrested 18-year-old Rashaun T. Anderson for the first-degree murder of Robert E. Williams. Willams was gunned down outside the Granada on Feb. 5, 2006. Anderson's arrest took place in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street in Lawrence. He will be held in the Douglas County Jail on a $500,000.00 bond. A media briefing was held at the Law Enforcement Center, 111 East 11th in Lawrence at 9am Thursday.

Child Abuse
A two-year-old Lawrence boy was admitted to Lawrence Medical Hospital overnight after his mother had observed his injuries and taken him in. The hospital called the police around 8pm Wednesday for further investigation of possible child abuse. The suspect is unidentified.

Sexual Battery Follow-Up
A 19-year-old male suspect accused of battering a 17-year-old female July 10, 2005, was arrested Wednesday. The arrest took place in the 1300 block of W. 6th Street at a carwash.

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Hal Wagner knows a fake signature when he sees one.

Wagner owns Ace Sports and Tickets at Oak Park Mall and in Lawrence. Wagner said 75 percent of autographed items are fake. He collects sports memorabilia and has been in the business for 18 years. Wagner owns 10,000 autographed items. Recently, a woman inquired about purchasing a football mini-helmet signed by Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James. Wagner told her $125. She said she could buy one on the Internet for $35.

“There isn’t a chance in hell that autograph is legitimate,” Wagner said he told the woman.

With the advent of eBay, fakes in sports memorabilia are popping up all over the place – especially on the Internet. The opportunity to rip someone off is so easy on eBay, a number of eBayers don’t hesitate to scam the online shopper. However, steps can be taken to ensure that you don’t get scammed.

Todd Jones of Olathe uses eBay to purchase items for his collection – mostly Kansas City Chiefs merchandise – and he disagrees with Wagner’s 75 percent estimate. Jones said he believed maybe 25 percent of autographs are fake, but found 75 percent outlandish.

Jones never buys without a certificate of authenticity, which ensures the legitimacy of an item. However, sometimes these certificates are also forged.

“When you buy from an Internet site, you have very little recourse,” Wagner said. “Go try and find the person who sold it to you. All he has to do is change his Web site, his e-mail.”

In Lawrence, Kansas basketball memorabilia is the hot item. Autographed items from former Jayhawks fill Wagner’s Lawrence store. Autographs from mostly current players flood eBay. One seller of a signed Sasha Kaun jersey on eBay claims: “Stop paying high prices for a signed jersey that cost even more money to have framed.”

On the “buy it now” option on eBay, someone could purchase the Kaun jersey right now for $13.99. But when a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is, Wagner said.

Dale Jones, a Jayhawk fan from Goddard, attended the Baylor game at Allen Fieldhouse with his family. Jones and his family waited around after the game for autographs. Jones was getting a ball signed for a co-worker. Autograph seekers who bring floor tiles to the game irk Jones, because he said he knows they plan to turn around and sell the tiles. Jones said he would never consider selling autographed items.

“I would think it’s not right to do that,” Jones said. “I think the players should sign for kids. It should be for families. I know it’s hard to differentiate.”

Wagner stays away from the current Jayhawks. He only hosts autograph sessions at his stores for Kansas players after they graduate, and the signings are set up through the player’s agents.   

“We don’t want to be partially responsible for any college kid losing his eligibility because we were involved in an autograph signing,” Wagner said.

The Downtown Barber in Lawrence, features a wide array of Jayhawk memorabilia throughout the shop. John Amyx, owner of the Downtown Barber, said he has collected memorabilia for 35 years, since his childhood.

Amyx’s collection comes from items his customers have given to him or sold for a “free haircut” – like a box of Flutie Flakes a customer once gave him that is displayed in the store. Amyx holds onto memorabilia from games he attended a long time ago, such as the free towels KU gave out this year at the Missouri games. He stores posters and stuff he has collected in an old Coca-Cola cooler in the shop and eventually displays the items on the shop’s walls.

Amyx also buys memorabilia at auctions – he attends the St. Patrick’s Day auction every year held at Liberty Hall – but Amyx said he never strays onto the Internet to make purchases for his barbershop. He doesn’t trust the stuff sold on the Internet.

“Autographed pictures, jerseys and balls, anybody could have written on those,” Amyx said.

So what steps should a new collector take to avoid the signature scams?

Wagner always starts by checking the signature. Wagner, a certified authenticator, said he rarely comes across a signature he has never seen before. If Wagner has never seen the signature or questions the legitimacy, he checks his records – a database of autographs – or he asks the seller to invest in getting the item professionally graded. If they object, he doesn’t buy.

Wagner sends any questionable items to the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) in Newport Beach, California. Wagner said PSA is the leading authority on autographs.

Wagner said some sellers have no idea their items are fakes.

“I see people bring in merchandise all the time that is so hideously fake that I crack up laughing,” Wagner said. “People bring in machine signed autographs thinking they’re real or Babe Ruth signatures on balls that were from the 1970s and 80s. Unless Babe Ruth has come back from the dead, the odds are it’s not real.”

If a collector isn’t sure something is real, ask questions and as Wagner said, be sure it is someone you can track down.

When e-mailed about his collection of Jayhawk memorabilia, the seller of the Kaun jersey on eBay, responded, but said that he would not waste his time answering questions. When messages were sent to three other sellers on eBay of autographed items from current Jayhawks, no one responded.

Wagner said he checks eBay occasionally when he needs a good laugh, but never to buy anything. Like he said, if you want to find the sellers, they could be to Mexico by now – or erased their Internet identities.

Buying sports memorabilia is a risky business and the Internet has only increased the chance to get scammed.

“When you buy anything on the Internet that’s autographed, you’re taking your life in your hands,” Wagner said.

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With the beginning of another semester of college Lisa Guan, San Francisco senior, turns to the Internet to find much needed materials for class. The Amazon and E-Bay Web sites are a few Web sites that allow students like Guan to find and purchase some required course school books. Guan said using such Web sites are convenient in more than one way.

Guan said that in the past she waited weeks to receive school books when the local bookstores were sold out, but only waited days to receive books purchased online. Besides this reliability, Guan saves money when purchasing on the Internet. She saved around $150 just this semester for the two books she purchased online.

Guan has been using the Internet to purchase her books for two years. Before then she bought all of her books at the local bookstores until she saw an Amazon Web site advertisement. It was then that she realized she could save money.

In recent years, local bookstores have seen the negative effects of Internet purchasing in their sales. However, now because of new technology used inside some classrooms and changes made by publishers and bookstore management, bookstores now have new ways to counter this loss of sales, some of which leave students without the option of buying books online.

Students buying books online is not the only way the Internet contributes to a loss of sales in bookstores. Professors also take advantage of the newest features the Internet has to offer.

Some professors use the Internet as a new medium in which to communicate course information. Web sites such as Blackboard and E-Reserve allow professors to post course information for students to receive at only a click of the mouse.

Bill Madl, textbook manager of the Jayhawk Bookstore, said the college bookstore business has changed over the course of the last ten years because of the Internet. The Jayhawk Bookstore has experienced a “slight downward trend” in sales, as has the entire bookselling industry, Madl said. He also said that he sees internet bookselling only continuing to get more popular in the future semesters.

Despite the new eagerness of some students to shop for school books online, the University Book Shop has had a good year in sales. Peter Doddema, store manager at the University Book Shop, said that many different factors play a role in sales such as the local economics, management of the store, and new means of technology that are taking place in University classrooms.

Access codes, which were first used in the foreign language classes, and can be used to do homework online, have become more common, Doddema said. These access codes are usually placed inside course books and so must be purchased at a local college bookstore.

Another factor contributing to an increase in book sales is course books written by the professor of the class. Such books can only be found at that University’s bookstores. The books Guan did not purchase online this semester were her three Accounting 200 books, “Note Supplement for Financial Accounting,” “Business and Financial Accounting,” and “Financial Accounting and the Business Environment.” Guan said her accounting teacher wrote these books and so she could not find them online.

The Jayhawk Bookstore uses the idea of selling school books online as a way to help make a profit. Madl said the bookstore buys back used books that the University of Kansas does not use again and sells those books online to students at colleges that do use them.

Publishers also contribute to books sales in college bookstores. Some publishers talk directly to professors encouraging them to require additional information with the course book, such as study guides complete with answers, and CD-ROMS, Madl said. If professors agree to additional information students must purchase the book with the additional information at local college bookstores. Both publishers and bookstores profit from this.

Madl is concerned about the future of college bookstores. More E-Reserves are be used by professors allowing students to access all course information online. Madl said he thinks this is “going to get bigger and bigger.”

Another concern is the new generation of children who will be entering college in about ten years. Madl said these children are growing up with computers in the classroom beginning in elementary school. Students currently in college read out of books in elementary school while the next generation will be reading books online. Madl said the college students in about ten years will be more willing to have all of their course information available to them online.

For now bookstores can count on books to sell because of technological advances talking place in classrooms and new selling strategies publishers and bookstores use. These changes forces Guan to shop in bookstores even though she tries not to.

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It is a common sight to see men going in and coming out of tanning salons. Tanning salons weren’t popular for a while, but that has all changed in recent years. Men especially have become popular cliental in these salons. Beth Ryszewski, manager of Sunkissed Tanning, said that her male cliental has risen 15 percent in the last year. Ryszewski attributes the popularity of tanning to the new acceptability for it.

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This percentage is astounding because in years past it would only increase by 15 percent over the course of three years. There are many reasons that men are coming in to tanning salons. Whether it is to look tan, clear up acne, treat a skin condition, or even treat depression, the numbers keep increasing.
Ryszewski said that as far as she can tell the most common reason why tanning has become more popular among men is because being “metro-sexual” is a trendy ideal. A metro-sexual can be described as a man that takes extra care in his appearance.
“The new role models for boys and men are stars like Brad Pitt,” Ryszewski said.
Women may also be to blame because they are becoming more demanding of how men look. “Times have changed,” Ryszewski said, “Women expect men to look good.”
Acne is the most common skin disease and it effects nearly 17 million people in the United States. There are many treatments for this disease. Pills and topical creams come highly prescribed. However, for those that this simply does not work for, tanning has become an alternative solution. “I go tanning once a week to keep my skin clear,” said Zach Hayes, KU junior.
Although most doctors advise against the sun for treatment of acne, many people have resorted to tanning as the best solution. “I tried everything and nothing worked nearly as well,” Hayes said.
Hayes also said that he likes the way he looks when he is tan. He said he felt better and it was a way for him and his girlfriend to hang out. “My girlfriend and I love going tanning together, it is relaxing,” Hayes said.
Another reason men have been filing in more often to tan is because of skin conditions. Keratosis Pilaris is a harmless condition also referred to as “chicken skin”. It shows up wherever hair grows. Even though this condition is harmless, it still makes both men and women self-conscious. Although tanning does not clear this condition, it does lessen the appearance significantly.
Another condition is psoriasis. Seven million Americans suffer from this non-contagious disease. Webmd.com describes it as red, raised areas of skin covered with a flaky white buildup. Though there are medicinal treatments for both of these skin conditions, tanning is sighted as one of the best remedies. According to Webmd.com, UV light is one of the prescribed treatments for psoriasis.
“We have people come in all the time to tan for treatment purposes and most of these tanners are men,” said Ryszewski. She also said that one time a man came in and presented a prescription from his doctor for tanning. It was to treat psoriasis.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is another issue that tanning can help resolve. Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as seasonal depression, happens when a person grows depressed during the fall and winter months and then becomes happy again during the longer and brighter spring and summer months. “I went tanning one winter to become un-depressed,” said TK Peterson, expo at The Ten restaurant in Lawrence.
Although treatment is a common use for tanning, most men go just to enjoy having a tan. “Tanning is relaxing and I just like it,” Hayes said.
There is no exact reason that can be attributed with the growing number of male tanners, but one thing is for sure the numbers are growing. “The natural glow is popular again,” Ryszewski said.

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Susan Anderson manages what she calls a “small town.” But her “small town” is one of the new student apartment complexes that have sprung up in west Lawrence during the past three years, sparking a major change in the city’s business growth pattern.

Anderson manages The Legends Apartments, a complex of 200 apartments located on West Clinton Parkway. It houses 632 students and it is one of the reasons more and more businesses are being attracted to this new section of the city.

“That is nearly a small town, and 632 people that you can deliver a pizza to. Businesses should be chasing students out here,” Anderson said.

And that is just what small and large businesses are doing-aiming their sights on that growing western end of Lawrence-as a means of expanding their operations and taking advantage of the westward student migration.

One of the latest and largest companies to set its sight on west Lawrence is Wichita-based Spangles Restaurant Corporation. Spangles, a family-owned fast-food chain since 1978, operates 16 stores in Wichita and surrounding communities, two locations in Topeka and will open its first location in Lawrence in mid-April. The company’s Lawrence store will be near the intersection of 6th Street and Kasold, in the building that formerly housed the Runza Restaurant.

The first Spangles in Lawrence will open in mid-April near the intersection of 6th Street and Kasold.

Spangles’ owners think the west-side is the perfect location for restaurant’s Lawrence premiere. “It is a high-traffic area where we hope to get business from students, family residents and retail customers,” Steven said.

Steven is not the only business owner naming west Lawrence as the place to be for businesses. Jamaica Tan, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Intrust Bank and Bistro Bella Espresso Café have all added to the western movement of Lawrence by premiering or expanding their businesses in this growing part of the city. However, these businesses were not the pioneers of Lawrence’s expansion. The westward movement began with student residences, such as The Legends Apartments, and it is these student residents that are now attracting business owners to the growing area.

Jamaica Tan, located on Wakarusa Drive and 15th Street, was one of the first businesses to relocate to a west-side strip center that opened in 2003. Mary Ellen-Hall, owner of the tanning salon, said that as more students move to west Lawrence, more money is coming into the area, which is what prompts business owners to follow the westward residential migration.

“The city has more wealth coming to this side of town and tanning is something that people with disposable income can do. So let’s put the salon where the money is,” Ellen-Hall said of her decision to move her business to Wakarusa Drive.

Private business owners are not the only people taking advantage of the increased student presence in west Lawrence. Established business chains like Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Wichita –based Intrust Bank and are taking notice of the student migration and the general development of the western part of the city, and are expanding their businesses to accommodate and capitalize on the new west-side student residents.

Jimmy John’s opened its third Lawrence store-their first west of Iowa Street-in July 2005 in the Westridge Shopping Center located on Kasold and 6th Street. Kory Norman, general manager of the new store, said owners of the sandwich-shop decided to expand from the two east-side Jimmy John’s locations in order to accommodate high delivery requests from students and family residents in the western corner of Lawrence.

In October 2005 Intrust Bank opened its third Lawrence branch near Wakarusa Drive and 15th Street. The bank’s west branch was erected in direct response to the western movement of the city and the new residential growth, which Don Johnston, president of Intrust Bank, said includes student housing.

“We have Intrust customers in west Lawrence living in student housing, and the name of the game in banking is convenience to customers,” said Johnston of the bank’s reasons for opening the west-side branch. Intrust Bank, with one branch on Columbia Drive, another on Vermont Street and the new west branch on Wakarusa Drive, is one of several Lawrence businesses to establish strategic locations throughout the city in order to reach more customers.

Other businesses that are premiered establishments for Lawrence residents also selected west Lawrence locations for their first business ventures. Bistro Bella Espresso Café opened in the fall of 2005 in the shopping-center near Clinton Parkway and Kasold. Derek Opitz, general manager of the café, said that the owner’s desire to avoid heavy competition for student and family customers among down-town coffee shops sparked the decision to open the first location in west Lawrence.

Opitz said that the café, which provides wireless internet for the convenience of student customers, is gaining loyal clients who will help the new business establish itself within the western business community. “If your business starts early, down the road when the area is more developed, people will consider you a land-mark place,” Opitz said.

These businesses and many others have heeded the suggestion of Anderson, The Legends property manager. It seems there is no end in sight to Lawrence businesses chasing students to west Lawrence.

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Netflix enables renters to choose their movies online and have it shipped directly to their mailbox.

Sitting at his computer and scanning the new releases on Netflix.com, Travis Barnicle, KU senior becomes impatient. The thought of waiting three days for his favorite movie, Waiting, is too much for the Netflix user to bear. Checking his mailbox religiously until it arrives makes him crazy. So despite his monthly Netflix subscription, he gathers his coat and wallet and heads to his local video store in order to pick it up today.

“I use the local video stores more than I probably would have with Netflix in the first place,” said Barnicle.

Online programs such as Netflix and Blockbuster Online seem to be indirectly helping local movie rental stores. By using the online program, subscribers and non-subscribers can view pages of movies, including new releases. When people don’t want to wait three to four days for their movies to arrive in the mail, they go out and get them at their local rental store. Instant gratification is winning over the convenience of having the movies shipped to your mailbox.

“There have been a lot of Netflix people in here to get movies. They just don’t want to wait that long,” said Jamie Schnee, Blockbuster employee.
Schnee also said that many online movie service subscribers simply skip out on ordering their movies online many times. They just don’t want to deal with it.

Programs such as Netflix and Blockbuster Online have gained popularity in recent years. These programs allow members to pay a monthly flat rate to rent movies. These movies are chosen from a list online and then sent to the renter by mail. Renters can choose plans that range from one to five movies at a time. There are no late fees and no mailing costs.

Local rental stores have adopted new programs to compete with the convenience of renting online. Blockbuster and Liberty Hall each have a program that enables renters to check out one to two movies each visit for a flat rate each month. This allows the in-store renter to have the same freedom of an online renter. However, a trip to the rental store is still a necessity.

“Netflix contributes positively. Any showing of movies gets people in to rent,” said Douglas Redding, employee of Liberty Hall Video. “If one of your friends has three titles, in may encourage you to come to the store and rent one.”

Netflix.com lists its subscribers at about four million and Blockbuster.com estimates that they have about two million subscribers. These numbers are continuing to grow.

The frequent renters of these programs are becoming frustrated. The faster a customer returns their DVD rentals, the slower it takes to receive the next one. Netflix’s revised policy reads: “In determining priority for shipping and inventory allocation, we give priority to those members who receive the fewest DVDs through our service,” as reported by Michael Liedtke of the Associated Press.
This process, now called “throttling”, has also been adopted by Blockbuster Online. It prioritizes in-frequent renters to receive movies first. Renters who cycle through many movies a month, wait longer periods of time to receive their next DVD.

Many customers, such as Barnicle, are still using these programs to get movies that are older and are using the local video stores to get the new releases.
The video stores are not without their faults. It is not uncommon for the best new releases to be completely checked out within a day or two of release.

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It is hard to fathom that a business would concentrate on recruiting and training employees rather than selling the product, but in a small college town like Lawrence some stores are here for that reason.

Abercrombie and Fitch, at 647 Massachusetts St., does well for being in a small town, but their concentration is not pulling in profit. They work at recruiting employees and training recent graduates for manager positions.

Abercrombie and Fitch General Manager Kashan Javed said, “Our branch is a good overall store of what Abercrombie and Fitch is looking for. Recruiting, diversity, there is no excuse for us not to have great people working here.”

When compared to larger stores, such as the Abercrombie and Fitch store in Oakpark Mall in Kansas City, the Lawrence branch doesn’t even compare in sale prices.

However, they succeed in recruiting the best for Abercrombie and Fitch managers. Unlike, most chain clothing stores, to be a manager at Abercrombie and Fitch one must have a four year degree, which makes college towns such a great place to recruit.

Abercrombie and Fitch search for hard-working individuals, who aren’t quite ready for the eight to five desk job and would rather work in a fast paced environment with other individuals around the same age.

One of the main concerns for A&F recruiters is diversity. Mike Jeffries, Chairman and CEO said, “Diversity and inclusion are key to our organization’s success. We are determined to have a diverse culture, throughout our organization, that benefits from the perspectives of each individual.”

In a college town, recruiters look for just that. “There are definitely more opportunities to find diversity in a college town,” Javed said.

Abercrombie Co. started in 1892 by David Abercrombie and held gear for outdoor activities. In 1988, Abercrombie and Fitch - Fitch became part of the name when Ezra Fitch joined the company in 1900- was bought out by The Limited Corporation, then went solo in 1996, and remains the clothing store we know today.

Staying in tune with the history, Abercrombie and Fitch style continues with more of an outdoors fashion, with natural colors such as brown; nothing with the color black is ever sold in the store.

Joining the Abercrombie and Fitch team as a general manager definitely is not a stopping point for those wishing to continue upward in the company. Many possibilities await those wanting to fill the positions. Some even join the company hoping one day to fill a spot on the design team or finance department.

Known for recruiting on college campuses, Abercrombie and Fitch look for individuals interested in all of its positions, not only general managers. Often, employees come to college campuses and talk with individuals about the company, trying to sprout an interest in those who may or may not know anything about the store. Representatives for the company even make a college tour across the United States; the location of stops for the tour can be found on the website, www.abercrombie.com.

Lawrence’s Abercrombie and Fitch employees have approached students sitting in the Underground or the Union while waiting for classes. Not only do the employees look for soon-to-be graduates, but also younger students possibly wanting a job as a Brand Representative or on the Impact Team. Neither position requires a college degree.

As a Brand Representative, the employee does what the title says, they represent the company. According to Abercrombie and Fitch website at www.abercrombie.com, qualities for a Brand Representative are “an eye for quality and style, an appreciation for the A&F lifestyle: cool, casual, classic and fun, high energy, and an interest in interacting with people.”

The Impact Team contains individuals in charge of the stock room: organizing and sorting the clothes, and also restocking the shelves when needed.

Either position of course allows for movement once students receive their degree, which oftentimes occurs. Javed started in the Lawrence store as a Brand Representative, then graduated and went through the appropriate training to become manager.

Another great reason for recent graduates to apply for a manager position is the mobility. Once employees complete their training at the Lawrence store if they wish to be re-located to a different branch, generally it isn’t a problem. With over 300 stores in the United States and three branches in Canada, if the availability stands, the sky is the limit.

Even though the Lawrence branch of Abercrombie and Fitch Company does not make quite as much money as others, they recruit great employees directly out of college wanting to see the world, and what better way, than to work for a company willing to help them do just that.

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Lawrence native Scott Bellinger spent his last year in high school studying something a little unconventional. While most students finished up last minute English or math courses, Bellinger spent his time underwater.

Bellinger grew passionate about scuba diving after a family snorkeling trip in the Florida Keys. He said, “When we came back, I found out that there was a dive shop right here in Lawrence. I took discover-dive lessons and was hooked. When I came back to school the next year I had a chance to certify through school and I jumped at the opportunity.”

With the help of Blue Planet dive shop and Lawrence schools, Bellinger became a certified scuba diver for class credit. Blue Planet, located at 1301 E. 25th St., works closely with schools to provide students with a unique experience and make them aware of the rare business.

“It was cool to take a break from sitting in school and try something I’ve always wanted to do,” Bellinger, who graduated, from Lawrence High School in 2003, said. “I would never think to put a scuba diving shop right in the middle of Kansas but I guess all you need is a swimming pool and gear. Now I’ve been able to dive in St. Kitts and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.”

Blue Planet, owned by Chad Jackson, has been a part of the Lawrence community for 11 years and provides open water and technical training for aspiring divers. Blue Planet is comprised of a retail store and an 11-foot indoor pool. Instructors prepare people for local and exotic dives.

Training at Blue Planet is open to everyone, but special deals, such as 10 percent off all equipment, are
offered to local students. “We try to do something at least once a year to support local schools.” Jen
Barker, manager of Blue Planet said.

A growing number of high school students are completing scuba diving independent studies through Blue Planet. Students gain high school credit by taking lessons in the business’s pool. They conclude their certification by diving in open water sites in the Missouri area. Instructors from Blue Planet travel with the students.

Bellinger, who completed his scuba diving independent study in 2003 said, “We had scuba classes at Blue Planet about two or three times a week. We completed our book work and tests during class time.” Bellinger participated with three other students and hopes to go back to Blue Planet soon for his advanced certification.

Students complete their independent studies through David Platt, Lawrence High School social studies teacher. Platt feels it’s important for students to try something new. He said, “Students need to get out and do things that involve the physical body as much as possible. Scuba relates to the course of geography that I teach as it can be a tool to help people explore the world and get to know it better.”

Platt takes students every year to exotic locations including the Mediterranean Islands, Ecuador and Australia, where scuba diving is possible. Blue Planet works closely with these students to prepare them to dive on their trips.

Students can participate in a discover-diving program that only costs $10. This allows students to try
scuba diving in a swimming pool without making a large investment. The program lasts a few hours in the afternoon. During this time, students can get a feel for being in the water and experiment with the equipment.

Barker said, “This year we’ve had about 43 discover- diving students who go on Platt’s annual trips. We
have a longstanding relationship with him and his students.” Through the discover-diving program, students can decide if they want to continue their training and get
certified through Blue Planet.

Local high schools aren’t the only institutions taking advantage of Blue Planet. The University of Kansas offers two scuba diving courses through the dive shop.

Students can apply for a beginner or advanced scuba course through the Health, Sports and Exercise Science Department..

With these courses, students can receive four certifications for the price of one. Barker said, “Normally people have to buy certifications separately. This allows students to get around a half-price deal.”

Blue Planet instructors utilize the PADI 5 method, or Professional Association of Diving Instructors, which Barker describes as a more recreational or family-style method than some of the other diving techniques. Blue Planet is one of the only two dive shops in the Midwest that is certified to use this method.

Many students planning to study abroad through KU look in to dive lessons at Blue Planet. “If students want to scuba dive on their destination, they have to go somewhere to learn how, and that’s what we’re here for.” Barker said.

Blue Planet is also getting geared up for Spring break. Many students from the KU classes will travel with the dive shop for a scuba trip in Key Largo, Florida. Blue Planet takes care of planning and scheduling for the five day excursion and instructors from the business travel with the group. Students will receive group traveling discounts and stay at Blue Planet’s newly purchased home in Key Largo.

Posted by Rebecca Fritzel at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Liberty tax service is one of many options students have to get help filing tax returns.

If you happened to drive by the intersection of 31st and Iowa streets in the last couple of months, you have probably seen people bundled up, dressed like the Statue of Liberty, complete with torches and spiky crowns, waving at cars in attempt to lure them into Liberty Tax Service.

“That’s our ‘paid to wave’ campaign,” Richard Todd, owner of Liberty Tax Service, said.

The wavers serve as a reminder that tax season is here once again. Filing for tax returns can be an intimidating, confusing process for anyone, whether you’re a stock broker or college student with a part time job. Luckily, there are a number of services available to help.

Todd and his staff offer one such service. He can help prepare federal tax return forms and ensure you get the biggest refund possible. He said it is not uncommon for people to increase their tax returns by a few hundred dollars with the proper help.

“The job of the preparer is to get the client to pay the lowest legal amount of tax,” he said.

His help comes with a price though—between $80 and $100 for the most basic help. The cost varies depending on which forms you need to fill out, how much time it takes and how complicated the process becomes. Only about 10 percent of his customers are college students though. He credits this to the simplicity of the forms most college students need to fill out.

The fact is that most college students’ taxes are not particularly complicated. Granted there may be some involved in trading stocks or bonds, but the average student only needs to consider a part-time job and federal grants and loans when filing taxes. Todd said this kind of simplicity will help in learning how to file taxes.

“I encourage people to learn how to file their own tax returns,” Todd said.

The problem, Todd argues, is that many students try to get help from people who are not certified and are not entirely sure what they are doing and that is where the most mistakes are made. When mistakes are made, the Internal Revenue Service gets involved.

“The less contact with the IRS the better,” he said. “Our goal is to make sure the information is correct and everything is in the proper order to keep the IRS out of it.”

The best way to ensure the client gets the biggest return possible, and that the IRS remains uninvolved, is to communicate and ask questions. Todd says many of the problems tax filing brings about are avoidable if students communicate with their parents, accountants, or whoever is helping them file.

That is why services like TurboTax, a popular automatic online filing service, might not be the best choice.

“TurboTax doesn’t have a decision making matrix to go through,” Todd said.

Other accountants may argue otherwise though. The most basic form available is the 1040-EZ. It covers the most basic deductions. TurboTax leads you through this form in just minutes, with ease. The steps are fairly self explanatory and can be completed in one sitting. This particular form costs $9.95. The deluxe package, which students will need to use if they are involved in stocks, social security benefits or mortgage payments, among many other things, costs $19.95. But for the average student who only has a W-2, which is a form provided by employers summarizing how much money you made and how much money was taken out of your paycheck for Federal Income Tax, Social Security, Medicare, and State Income Tax, the process is fairly simple.

In fact, some experts argue that Form 1040-EZ is so simple you probably don’t need the help of TurboTax or an accountant. Dan Dick, a certified public accountant at Dean Radcliffe, CPA, said there is really no need for students to seek help in filling out this form.

“It’s really a no-brainer,” Dick said. “Most students are sharp enough to follow the instructions.”

Dick said most of the college-aged people he helps are merely thinking about the future. Most students want to build a foundation and learn how to file taxes while the process is still simple.

“Some students really enjoy filling it out themselves,” Dick said.

Dick acknowledged that some students might feel overwhelmed with taxes. These are the types of people who should seek professional help. More adventurous students, however, can probably figure out the forms well enough to get the return they are entitled to.

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The Jayhawks Win! The Jayhawks Win! These words are very sweet to fans of the University of Kansas. Fans of the university are not the only people who love that phrase. Local business owners love it too.

Retail shops like Jock’s Nitch, Sports Dome and the KU Bookstore have seen a correlation between the success of KU athletics and there sales.

Brian Hoffman, owner of the Sports Dome, has seen how a team’s success can affect his business.
“When teams are wining they always sell better. It is not only KU. This also applies to the Chiefs, Royals and all professional teams.”

The last year has been very unique for these retailers. In the past year KU basketball has gone from one extreme to another. Last season the team was one of the elite teams in the country led by four seniors, only to be knocked out of the tournament in the first round. This season the Jayhawks had their worst start since 1972, only to bounce back to become one of the hottest teams in the country. The football team had its first winning season in more than a decade. These factors have all changed the ways retailers planned their business for 2006.

These changes have made work difficult for store owners, who must order merchandise several months before a season begins. Some sports require orders to be sent in before the current season is over.

At Sports Dome, preparation for the next college football season begins on Dec 30. This is days before the national championship game, two weeks before juniors declare for the NFL draft and over a month before national signing day.

Like football, orders for college basketball also must be sent in months in advance. This leaves business owners in dark when trying to predict a team’s success, which effects how much the store will order.

This season, expectations for the men’s basketball team were low, after the departure of its top six scoring leaders from last season. Which included the loss of four seniors and one first team all American. This season, KU’s success laid on the shoulders of three freshman Causing concerns for fans and business owners. The lowered expectations caused the Sports Dome to decrease there orders for the 2005-2006 season.

Hoffman said “We definitely have ordered and sold less basketball merchandise this year, compared to last year. We usually like to have a majority of our basketball merchandise sold by Christmas, but that did not happen and some of that can be attributed to the team’s struggles.”

On January 16, the young Jayhawks squad hit rock bottom, after a devastating loss to the Missouri Tigers. They had a 10-6 record and were in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1989.

The thought of missing the tournament was a little frightening to Hoffman. March is usually a successful month for business, especially if the team makes the Final Four or wins the Big 12 championship.

Since the loss at Missouri, Bill Self’s team has rebounded strongly by winning ten straight games. They are tied for first place in the Big 12 and ranked in the top 20.

Ku’s recent success has given business a shot in the arm. During the winning streak sales have increased at the Sports Dome. Specific numbers of increased sales were not available.

Basketball is not the only team to see its sales increase when it is performing well. 2005 was the Jayhawks most successful football season in over a decade. Retailers noticed a significant rise in the sale of football merchandise last season.

Ryan Owens, manager of Jocks Nitch said, “Football is very dependent on wins and losses. When the team wins more, it brings more fans to the game, which equals more customers in here.”

Last season the Jayhawks started the season with three straight wins, which got fans excited about the season.

The KU Bookstore was able to reap the benefits of the team’s quick start. Jersey sales skyrocketed there. By the middle of the season the bookstore was sold out of jerseys and it had to order more. To avoid this problem next year the bookstore has doubled their initial jersey order for the 2006 season.

Retailers benefited the most from the football team’s appearance and victory in the Fort Worth Bowl. Fans were very enthusiastic about the bowl game and bought a lot of bowl merchandise. The KU Bookstore sold out of it’s 200 of their Forth Worth Bowl t-shirts. After KU’s 42-13 victory over the Houston Cougars; the bookstore sold approximately 500 bowl championship shirts. Each shirt cost $20.

The success of last year’s football team had made fans and retailers very optimistic for the upcoming season.

Karen Ice, buyer for the KU bookstore said “Overall interest in football has peaked now. There is a positive attitude from everyone so it has increased our sales and orders for next season. I am looking everyday for new exciting designs to promote interest everyday.” (843 words)

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The federal and state government tug of war game with Medicaid funding is causing a health care staff, whose wages are determined solely by Medicaid waivers, to become worn out.

The Bush administration is proposing a $45 million Medicaid cut over the next 10 years adding to the depletion of health care funds due to military operations. The federal government pays 60 percent of Medicaid costs while the state pays the remaining 40 percent. Governor Sebelius however, is pushing for increased Medicaid funding. This is a win-lose situation for Cottonwood Inc., a non-profit organization that helps people with disabilities.

Peggy Waller, Cottonwood Communications Manager, said she sees Medicaid growing exponentially in the state, but only for the time being. She said she is concerned political gains may be the objective instead of long-term help for her clients and staff.

The next five years however, are guaranteed to keep Cottonwood’s staff and 40 clients financially sound thanks to a Department of Defense contract. The clients sew cargo tie-down straps for military operations.

“The afternoon of Sept. 11 the Department of Defense called and said be ready, they would need these cargo straps once the war started,” Waller said.

They have sold over 3 million straps. The department recently awarded Cottonwood with their sixth straight Gold Medal for accuracy and quality as they begin their second contract. The contract allows Cottonwood to provide consistent work for their clients because most jobs for people with disabilities are seasonal.

Waller said that as long as they maintain this $20 million contract with the Department of Defense they would not have to decrease the wages of their staff, or worse drop anyone from payroll.

The inevitable cuts looming in the future will take a toll on their budget though. Waller said they offer incentives to their staff, but their wages still may not be enough to feed their own families at home and it is impacting their morale.

Waller said, “It is never as simple as it sounds, but we cannot desert the people who need help the most.”

Cottonwood has success with its funding programs. The Cottonwood Classies awards community employers and Salute! A Festival of Wine and Food, both raised over $100,000 for the organization this past year. But those funds help pay for their other services such as the residential, retirement and JobLink.

Rachael Elmer who helps clients in a group home with severe disabilities often takes her group out into the community to teach them how to behave appropriately in public. She says she feels the general public acts like these people are victims or homeless people asking for handouts, but that is not the case.

“People think that just because they are severely retarded that they can’t do anything, but it’s just not true. Steven recycles, John watches movies, and we even have a girl making candles at the Waxman,” she said.

JobLink is an employment services division of Cottonwood and supports 205 consumers with 147 clients working in the community.

The University of Kansas’ Edkhal Dining Center employs Cottonwood clients as part of their 100 full time and 50 part time staff. The clients help in areas such as the salad bar, food preparation area and the dish room.

Mark Marinell, the Unit General Manager for KU Dining Services, says working with Cottonwood helps him meet the needs of the students, and that it is beneficial for the clients and community as well. He said the clients help fill vacancies when his part-time students do not want to work because of their class schedule.

Two employment coaches employed by JobLink work closely with Cottonwood Clients providing support to people working on a job before they are given freedom to work alone. One of the coaches, Kriss Miller Kruzel, has worked with people with disabilities at Mrs. E’s since 1998. She says that clients increase their work skills and learn different positions often earning a promotion.

Kruzel sees the relationship between Cottonwood and the community as a win-win situation.

“Our clients are gaining valuable skills and it is beneficial for the students to see the integration of people with disabilities in society. We all have skill and abilities we can use to help, we are all human,” she said.

Waller said it would be ideal for her clients and staff both to receive all the support they need, but she knows they will have to actively pursue funding.

Posted by Erin Castaneda at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Students are Westward Bound

Bart Vandever

2/22/06

The pros and cons of the student living expansion.

Apart from being a Lawrence City Commissioner, David Schauner is a resident in Lawrence’s ever-growing western section. Recently, Schauner and his neighbors have detected an increase in the number of student populace.

In the past 10 years, the majority of the expansion has taken place. This growth has affected where students reside, shop, and spend their free time. Not everyone is optimistic about these changes. Considering the benefits of such development, Schauner says, “The jury is still out.”

Today, Lawrence is a city of about 88,000; including 29,272 students enrolled at KU. Of the 4,900 that live on campus, most are freshman. Diana Robertson, a director at KU housing, estimates that about 75 percent of freshmen live on campus. This leaves the majority of students living in homes throughout the community. Robertson said, “The spaces always fill up quickly, partly because living on campus is cheaper (than living outside.)”

(click the black screen, and press space bar to play)

Despite this fact, there are no plans to build any additional housing in the near future (not including the reopening of the newly renovated Hashinger Hall, which will create another 380 spaces for on campus living.) Robertson says, “the living situation out west is not aimed at the student population, it mainly caters to single families.” She feels that by living out west, students could miss an integral part of the college experience.

Although this outlook is widespread at KU, most students enjoy the freedom and independence that comes with living outside of campus. The Lawrence City Commission predicts that students will continue to live further away from campus because of the limited number of places to live near university grounds. Recently, KU on Wheels has taken notice of the western growth. The KU bus service has expanded the regular schedule to include a route to 31st and Iowa.

Like many students living near campus, Junior William Osbourn believed Western housing only catered to wealthier families. Although this has traditionally been the case, increasingly, the Western district has appeared attractive to KU students since student housing like Jefferson Commons, Colony Woods, and Union North and South have appeared to house the growing community.

To help determine the reaction to the development, the city commission sent out a study concerning the costs of western growth. Currently, the commission is awaiting the results. Schauner asks, “What does it cost the city at large? Police, fire, streets, sewers, water lines, streetlights, schools, sweeping, etc. Also, people out west want a park, which could costs upwards of 300 to 400 thousand dollars. So yes, it definitely has a price.”

Besides the monetary cost, some students wonder how the growth will affect the culture and livelihood of Lawrence’s bustling downtown. Osbourn said, “As you grow further out, people might be less likely to go downtown. Maybe people will just go to closer businesses.” Certainly the landscape has changed out west, and clusters of new businesses have emerged to cater to students needs.

Despite this change, downtown Lawrence is still the popular choice for student nightlife and shopping. However, some recent developments are in the works to expand the public’s perception of the west, and give students and people of the town another option.

Earlier this month, the Lawrence City Commission approved a western business enterprise called the Bauer Farm project, and Mayor Boog Highberger voted to support the plan. The project will include a community theater, restaurants, shopping, apartments, 200 homes, and a hotel.
The project consists of city-like living arrangements, including loft living spaces above retail stores. In response to the development, the city of Lawrence undertook a 6.3 million solar project in 2004 to expand west 6th street into a four-lane highway. If this trend continues, the steady flow of students living out west will continue to alter the shape of Lawrence for years to come.

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Kansas farmer and fertilizer sprayer, Tom Hayden, sits in the kitchen of his Rawlins County home. He’s taking a break from remodeling his family's house, a project that he’s been working on for several months. “This winter’s been warm enough that I’ve been able to get a lot of work done on the house,” Hayden said. “I tried to hunt pheasants last week, though, and that didn’t work. I broke a sweat before I got out of the pickup. The pheasants don’t like it that hot, and it sure isn’t good for the wheat, either.”

This year’s warm winter temperatures have been great for recreational activities and remodeling projects, but Hayden and many other Kansas farmers are worried that the pleasant temperatures will take a toll on their winter crops.

According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service, January brought record high temperatures to most of the state of Kansas. Douglas County experienced its warmest January ever, with an average temperature of 52.1 degrees, up 14 degrees from average. Between December 22 and January 31, the temperature rose above 50 degrees on 20 days, and above 60 degrees on six days. December 19 was the last time the temperature dropped below 20 degrees.
Winter wheat, the variety that local farmers plant in the fall, relies on much colder temperatures to make it through until spring, when it will sprout. Frigid temperatures keep the wheat in a dormant state, much like a hibernating animal. If temperatures rise too high above normal, the wheat stalks begin to poke their heads up through the soil.

Roger Snodgrass is the owner of McDougal Sager Snodgrass Grain Company, a grain elevator that houses wheat from farms all over the area. Snodgrass says that farmers are worried about their wheat coming out of their dormant state far too early.

“If the wheat comes out of dormancy too early, there are a number of things that could happen. A hard freeze could kill it, it’s more susceptible to disease, it’s defenseless against pests, it can run out of moisture…there are just a lot of things that can go wrong,” Snodgrass said. He said that the number one concern of farmers this winter is that there’s “too much growth in the wheat.”

The winter wheat isn’t the only thing that’s coming out of dormancy dangerously early. Along with the wheat come the weeds.

Plants like mustard weed and lettuce scatter themselves among wheat stalks and try to choke the plants while they’re in their first stages of growth. Farmers usually hire sprayers to douse their fields with herbicides and fertilizers in an attempt to keep the weeds at bay. Spray plane pilot, Tom Bliss of Bliss Aero, says that he usually sprays the fields in mid to late March. This year has been very different.

“We had to spray for weeds last week, which is unheard of,” Bliss said. “That warm weather brings out the weeds, and it brings them out early!”

Bliss thinks that the warm weather will bring pestilent insects out early as well. “We haven’t had a lot of bugs in recent years, but this is probably going to be the year. The warm weather will definitely make the bug problem worse,” he said.

Without a cold winter, some species of pests will hatch much earlier in the spring than normal. Other insects, like the wheat-eating moth caterpillars which are inaffectionately called ‘armyworms,’ may never freeze to death in the first place . In other words, the winter wheat could have pests still hanging around waiting for it when it sprouts.

The real danger of a warm winter may not be the pests or the weeds or the non-dormant state of the wheat. The warm temperatures keep away the snow, which brings much-needed moisture to the crops. Area land samples show that the ground is in relatively good shape for planting, but is far too dry to support wheat crops efficiently.

Wheat, being a dry-land crop, can survive without a lot of water, and doesn’t need to be irrigated. But a dry winter will yield a very tiny crop. Non dry-land crops like corn and milo, which rely on irrigation to grow, will have to be irrigated much earlier than usual in order to survive.

Irv Hayden, Kansas farmer for over 40 years, points out that even with a warm dry winter, wheat prices are at the highest they’ve been in quite some time. “More snow equals more wheat,” Hayden said. “A warm winter is not conducive to growing wheat, but the combination of drought and a small, short crop has spiked the wheat prices.”

The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s web site shows January’s wheat prices as being the highest in four years, up from the average January price of $3.58 per bushel.

Even with the warm winter, some farmers, like Irv Hayden, are choosing to remain optimistic. “Right now, there’s more ‘poor wheat’ than ‘fair,’ and more ‘fair wheat’ than ‘good wheat,’” Hayden says. “But a wet spring changes everything.”

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At first glance Local Burger looks like your average, kitschy burger joint. A bright, primary colored patchwork tile floor and natural wooden tables create a sort of retro diner ambiance. Brightly colored art hangs on the wall and a steady stream of indie music pumps from the stereo system. At first glance, the restaurant seems like just another trendy college town hangout.

Take a second glance and instead of the retro decorations you might notice the organic condiments placed on each table, or the trio of metal trashcans in the corner that hold recycling instead of actual trash. Scan the menu and you’d come across a long list of fresh meats, fruits and vegetables all cooked in organic and all-natural oils. Instead of french fries and grease-drenched burgers, the restaurant offers cinnamon applesauce, vegetable pilaf, hummus, Yukon potatoes and gluten free salads.

Local Burger is more than just a restaurant; it is a movement towards better health and a better world. Owner Hilary Brown opened the restaurant in September of 2005 to cater towards more health conscious and food conscious consumers.

“I wanted to make food accessible to people that wasn’t very pretentious and didn’t contain any chemicals,” Brown said. “We get our meats and produce, when in season, from local farmers and we use organic coconut oils to cook everything.”

Brown is just one of many business owners in Lawrence who is waking up to a growing demand in health and organic foods. Restaurants and grocery stores alike are recognizing the need for healthier foods and are implementing new menus or are opening up new departments to compensate. Many of these businesses are also using ingredients from local farmers and growers to make the local economy, as well as their customers, healthier.

Brown uses as many food products from local farmers and growers as she can. Brown believes this creates both a healthier economy and healthier customers who benefit from the freshness. She also believes in being good for the environment too, Local Burger produces no trash, all waste is recycled right down to the coconut oil that is used make bio diesel fuel.

Local Burger takes their natural practices all the way down to their condiments, in using oragnic ketchup and mustard.

The Mercantile grocery store on Iowa Street, also seeks to support the local economy and the local environment with offering foods from local farms.

“The local market is about sustainability so we try to use local producers whenever we can because it helps our economy and doesn’t have to be shipped, so it helps the environment,” David Smith, Mercantile employee, said.

Because of their healthier practices, these businesses are noticing growth. Ty Haas, Assistant Manager of General Merchandise at the Hy-Vee grocery store on Clinton Parkway, said the store has experienced a 150 percent increase in business since the health food department was opened in the store a year ago.

“We are selling $2,000 to $3,000 a month in health food and related products,” Haas said.

While Hy-Vee has a health food department, the Mercantile is an entire store devoted to health and organic food products. Smith, said the store offers 125 different organic items and has experienced so much growth that the store had to move to its fourth and largest location in June of 2001.

“We really are noticing the demand for natural or organic foods,” Smith said. “Right now this is the only segment of the grocery industry that is growing, because people are more concerned about eating healthy.”

Businesses like the Mercantile, Hy-Vee and Local Burger are carving out a place in a largely niche market defined by ingredients and growing techniques. The Food and Drug Association has specific criteria for what can be labeled as “certified organic.” According to the California Certified Organic Farmers Web site, organic products must be grown according to standards set by the National Organic Program. The products must have no history of any conventional pesticides or chemicals and must be free of genetically modified organisms. Smith said organic differs from all natural in the fact that all-natural foods are not labeled or certified by the FDA like certified organic products are.

Six years ago, the University of Kansas first implemented the use of some all-natural foods. In the fall of 2000 the Better Bites program was developed at the University. The program endorses certain foods sold at university dining centers: both the Burge and Kansas Unions, the Underground at Wescoe and at Hawk Stop convenience stores around campus.

The Better Bites seal of approval is placed on items with fewer calories, fat, sodium and oils. Items made with lean meats, low fat cheeses and fresh seasonings also carry the seal of approval to help direct students in purchasing healthier food options. Though the demand for better foods is high, Ann Chapman, Coordinator of Nutrition Services at Watkins Health Center, said the program wasn’t an easy undertaking.

“More work is involved in getting the foods out there, it is more labor intensive,” Chapman said. “We have to do a nutritional analysis of every Better Bite product and we have to train cooks to cook those foods differently.”

Brown said the emphasis on fresh and healthier can also mean higher prices. She said Local Burger is not a restaurant to get cheap fast food. The restaurant weathered a small dip in business its second month out as it struggled to keep customers coming back once they got over the novelty of a healthy, organic restaurant.

Brown said she will be installing a soda fountain after realizing stagnant sales in the all-natural bottled juices and sodas the restaurant was offering.

“The markup is slim on this merchandise,” Brown said. “We only make about a quarter on the specialty sodas, so we will be getting fountain drinks to make more money to stay in business.”

Brown said Local Burger is currently searching for new ways to reach and cater to all customers, not just those interested in organic or all-natural foods. Both Smith and Haas said they look forward to continued increases in the health food business. All three said they view the industry as having staying power.

“People are always interested in healthier foods,” Haas said. “In the past it was just not on the more mainstream level like it is now. This has been something that’s been growing for awhile.”

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Click here to see Local Burger owner Hilary Brown discuss the business' emphasis on natural foods.

Posted by Courtney Hagen at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kansas farmer and fertilizer sprayer, Tom Hayden, sits in the kitchen of his Rawlins County home. He’s taking a break from remodeling his family's house, a project that he’s been working on for several months. “This winter’s been warm enough that I’ve been able to get a lot of work done on the house,” Hayden said. “I tried to hunt pheasants last week, though, and that didn’t work. I broke a sweat before I got out of the pickup. The pheasants don’t like it that hot, and it sure isn’t good for the wheat, either.”

This year’s warm winter temperatures have been great for recreational activities and remodeling projects, but Hayden and many other Kansas farmers are worried that the pleasant temperatures will take a toll on their winter crops.

According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service, January brought record high temperatures to most of the state of Kansas. Douglas County experienced its warmest January ever, with an average temperature of 52.1 degrees, up 14 degrees from average. Between December 22 and January 31, the temperature rose above 50 degrees on 20 days, and above 60 degrees on six days. December 19 was the last time the temperature dropped below 20 degrees.
Winter wheat, the variety that local farmers plant in the fall, relies on much colder temperatures to make it through until spring, when it will sprout. Frigid temperatures keep the wheat in a dormant state, much like a hibernating animal. If temperatures rise too high above normal, the wheat stalks begin to poke their heads up through the soil.

Roger Snodgrass is the owner of McDougal Sager Snodgrass Grain Company, a grain elevator that houses wheat from farms all over the area. Snodgrass says that farmers are worried about their wheat coming out of their dormant state far too early.

“If the wheat comes out of dormancy too early, there are a number of things that could happen. A hard freeze could kill it, it’s more susceptible to disease, it’s defenseless against pests, it can run out of moisture…there are just a lot of things that can go wrong,” Snodgrass said. He said that the number one concern of farmers this winter is that there’s “too much growth in the wheat.”

The winter wheat isn’t the only thing that’s coming out of dormancy dangerously early. Along with the wheat come the weeds.

Plants like mustard weed and lettuce scatter themselves among wheat stalks and try to choke the plants while they’re in their first stages of growth. Farmers usually hire sprayers to douse their fields with herbicides and fertilizers in an attempt to keep the weeds at bay. Spray plane pilot, Tom Bliss of Bliss Aero, says that he usually sprays the fields in mid to late March. This year has been very different.

“We had to spray for weeds last week, which is unheard of,” Bliss said. “That warm weather brings out the weeds, and it brings them out early!”

Bliss thinks that the warm weather will bring pestilent insects out early as well. “We haven’t had a lot of bugs in recent years, but this is probably going to be the year. The warm weather will definitely make the bug problem worse,” he said.

Without a cold winter, some species of pests will hatch much earlier in the spring than normal. Other insects, like the wheat-eating moth caterpillars which are inaffectionately called ‘armyworms,’ may never freeze to death in the first place . In other words, the winter wheat could have pests still hanging around waiting for it when it sprouts.

The real danger of a warm winter may not be the pests or the weeds or the non-dormant state of the wheat. The warm temperatures keep away the snow, which brings much-needed moisture to the crops. Area land samples show that the ground is in relatively good shape for planting, but is far too dry to support wheat crops efficiently.

Wheat, being a dry-land crop, can survive without a lot of water, and doesn’t need to be irrigated. But a dry winter will yield a very tiny crop. Non dry-land crops like corn and milo, which rely on irrigation to grow, will have to be irrigated much earlier than usual in order to survive.

Irv Hayden, Kansas farmer for over 40 years, points out that even with a warm dry winter, wheat prices are at the highest they’ve been in quite some time. “More snow equals more wheat,” Hayden said. “A warm winter is not conducive to growing wheat, but the combination of drought and a small, short crop has spiked the wheat prices.”

The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s web site shows January’s wheat prices as being the highest in four years, up from the average January price of $3.58 per bushel.

Even with the warm winter, some farmers, like Irv Hayden, are choosing to remain optimistic. “Right now, there’s more ‘poor wheat’ than ‘fair,’ and more ‘fair wheat’ than ‘good wheat,’” Hayden says. “But a wet spring changes everything.”

Posted by John Benda at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It’s been six months, the sky has yet to fall and no Lawrence athletic apparel stores have closed as a result of the University of Kansas’ switch from Nike to Adidas apparel.

In fact, most stores have either experienced no noticeable decline in sales or they’ve experienced gradual increases in sales and customer interest in the new apparel.

“After the whole thing settled out, we could see a big clientele coming in, saying, ‘Do you have this Adidas stuff? Do you have this Adidas stuff?’” Jayhawk Spirit manager William Wilkerson said.

The consensus on Adidas among the downtown athletic shops was mostly positive. However, the stores did have a few complaints and a representative from the KU Bookstore expressed significant displeasure with the bookstore’s Adidas merchandise. Nevertheless, all the stores acknowledged that relations with Adidas would only improve.

Joe Purcell, assistant manager at Jock’s Nitch, said the early knock on Adidas was the amount of merchandise Adidas offered compared to Nike. Purcell had no complaints about the Adid