Multimedia Reporting (Kuhr-Volek)

The University of Kansas' textbook buyback process has a textbook adoption cycle that begins with the faculty and not when a student takes a book in for cash.

The faculty decides what books to use for their classes. The professors also decide if the book to be utilized during the next semester is the same as the one used for the current semester. If a text is reused then the book has been "readopted."

According to Tim Norris, bookstore director, a readopted book results in a higher price for the student bringing the book back. If a book has been readopted and the bookstore does not already have too many of those books on-hand, a student will receive 50 percent of the retail price back when he/she sells the book to the bookstore.

If the bookstore does not know if the book is going to be readopted then the price of the buyback would go down. "The faculty creates the market," Norris said.

The bookstore asks professors to have the list of books they will be using turned in by a certain date. Those due dates are, March 15 for summer, April 15 for fall and Oct. 15 for spring. If a list is not turned in, the bookstore cannot give a student the highest percentage back on the book. Norris said there are instances where a student sells their book on stop day and only receives a couple of dollars for it but another student with the same book sells his/her book a week later and gets the 50 percent of the retail price because a list was in place.

There is not a single adopted method for informing faculty members of the textbook adoption cycle, though. The bookstore sends out an e-mail to department assistants, Norris said. The assistants act as gatekeepers. Many departments are unable to assign this function, which causes the bookstore staff to go through a list of faculty and contact them individually.

"With such a patchwork system, there will be faculty who are not contacted, or who assume someone else is handling this. We hope to convince the university administration to allow us to send out a general email to all faculty, but we do not yet have this solution in place. The textbook taskforce committee that is working on these issues for university governance is looking into this issue," Norris said.

After an adoption list is created, Norris and his staff must have these books on-hand for students. For a typical fall semester, there are over 4,000 adoptions, which can result in over 24,000 titles to research, Norris said. David Watts, textbook manager, said during the Dec. buyback, over 7,000 transactions took place and students were paid almost $400,000 in buybacks.

Students can access the bookstore Web site and find the list of books required for their classes. A textbook buyback site is also available where students can enter the ISBN on the book and find out what price the bookstore will give them.

City commissioners are working on a new development code. A consulting firm called Place-Makers came up with a new design and building code for Lawrence. The code has been the subject of several meetings and has inspired many different reactions. KUJH-TV’s Peyton Baldwin tells us the areas the city has focused on for development and community reactions to the code.

“Smart Code” - this is what city planners are calling the development code PlaceMakers is working on.

Smart is not really the word many area developers are using to describe this parallel code. Smart is not really what they call the current code for that matter.

“The current code is too complex. Even planners don’t understand it,” Thomas Howe, executive for Reece and Nichols said. “The current code is approximately 360 pages.”

Don Zimmer said he thinks the code is the commissioners’ interpretation of what a development code should be. He also thinks that city officials do not understand the code.

Zimmer, President of Kanza Properties, tried to develop in Lawrence but could never get the approval. He said it is no longer worth his time to try to develop here. A “moving target” is what he calls the biggest issue with the current code.

“Imagine that you have a teacher who tells you this is what you need to do to get an A. So you do those things but at the end of the semester he/she says ‘Oh wait, you also needed to do this, this and this.’ That is what it is like trying to get something developed under this code,” he said.

Anthony Santaularia is building luxury condos in Lawrence and disagrees with many developers about the code. He said he was able to get through the development process quickly.

“Lawrence has a high regard for their community and they do have a higher quality of standards of development. You have to bring a nice, high quality project to Lawrence,” he said.

This mix of emotions is why PlaceMakers was hired to help define Lawrence’s future growth.

Mayor Mike Amyx said the new code would only be about 80 pages and clearly lay out the developer’s responsibilities and restrictions. As he understands it, there will be specific guidelines listed and as long as a developer follows those rules then builders will receive approval.

This A-to-Z list of requirements is part of the incentive for builders to use this code. Amyx also said the code could take away some of the political aspects of developing. The “Smart Code” would allow administrative staff to approve developments. Builders would not have to go through the planning commission for approval.

Greg DiVilbiss of The Bristol Groupe said he is not in favor of replacing the current code but a parallel code would be okay. He likes the idea of the administrative staff giving approval and that the code would be clear-cut.

Howe agreed that a simpler, easy-to-follow code would be good. He does not necessarily like the idea of the “Smart Code” becoming the code developers must use for newly annexed land, though.

The decision to make the code a requirement in newly, annexed areas, such as the area south of Wakarusa, has not been decided on, Amyx said.

Zimmer thinks the proposed code is very fantasy-like. He asked how many butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers will be able to pay the price to have a shop in these areas.

“It works in Disney World, but we’re not Disney World,” he said.

Santaularia agreed that the parallel code was not a good idea for developments.

Commissioner Sue Hack would like to see the code in place and working.

“Lawrence, Kansas cannot just sit back and let all these other towns grow and develop. We have to get with it,” she said.

Hack and Amyx expected to have a copy of the code within the next few weeks. From there the commissioners would review it and get community input.

The current code took 5 years to complete and Hack says that this version cannot take that long. She hopes that, by fall, a complete parallel code would be ready for the commission to vote on.

Meat goats are usually maintenance-free when it comes to feeding. They eat grass and weeds in the summer. The winter months can cause a problem with farmers, though.

The most consumed meat in the world is not beef, chicken or pork - it's goat.

Just because it is the most consumed does not necessarily mean it is the most popular, though. The United States is not known for its goats, but America has become one of the largest importers of goat meat because of the increasing demand.

The coastal areas and southern states have a higher demand for goat products than the rest of the country. Goat meat is not found in many local grocery stores in Kansas. It is hard to find goat products in Lawrence.

The Community Mercantile on Iowa St. plans to have goat meat for sale in a few weeks. The Farmer's Market is the only other place where goat meat is sold in Lawrence. Several grocery stores, including Hy-Vee and Checkers, sell goat milk and cheese.

"Goats have been the laughing stock of the farm community for quite awhile now," Diane Hess, president of the Kansas Meat Goat Association (KMGA) said.

She has 31 goats, the majority being Boer goats or meat goats. Right now, she is building her herd so she can sell goats and goat meat. She said that although the market is growing it is not really set-up for the "little guy."

"We need a more centralized way to market our animals. There is a lot of business on the coasts and in highly populated areas of ethnic groups but there isn't much in Kansas. In order to make goat raising a viable way of life we need a meat packing plant in Kansas," she said.

Goat meat is very nutritious and Hess said it is even better for you than chicken. The meat is high in iron and has very little fat. She believes that as we become more health-conscience the more popular goat meat will become.

The KMGA has a list of members on its website. There are 100 members listed. One of those members is Jeff Hill of Hill Farms. He is the only member living in Lawrence. He started with 18-20 head of goats for brush management.

"I thought I could buy goats for pretty cheap. I found out that I couldn't so I decided to raise them," Hill said. "Right now they don't provide income."

He says a person could make money raising goats but it may take several years. The cost associated with goats is one of the reasons why it may be hard to be profitable. Hill says the costs are highly variable.

Like most businesses, there are high start-up costs which include land, fencing and shelter. Other costs can include hay and feed in the winter months. Some of the costs are based on what the market is for hay and feed. The drought in the Midwest this past year caused problems for some farmers because there was not as much hay to buy.

Ron Hennis raises Boer and Nubian goats in Mayetta, Kansas. He says there has been a shortage of hay this year. He had to lend hay to neighbors because they were not able to buy any.

Hennis started out with only a few goats for brush management. At one time he had 100 goats but is now down to 30. He is in the process of "grading" his goats.

"I'm trying to get a commercial, registered herd, or grading my goats. If goats are registered you can get a much higher price for them. Some will sell for $300-$400," Hennis said.

Hennis attends many auctions. People from around the country come to these auctions to buy and sell their goats. Hennis said he travels to Missouri and Oklahoma to attend auctions. There are several here in Kansas including Yates Center, Clay Center and Ottawa that take place every month.

"If you are getting $.97-$1.06 per pound for your goats then you are doing well. So many people have gotten into the goat market recently because the market has gone down," Hennis said.

The goats sold at auctions are sold based on live weight or as people in the industry call it, on the hoof. Courtney Skeeba sells goat meat and milk at the Farmer's Market. She sells the meat for $6 per pound.

Goats that are sold for breeding stock have a wide range of prices. Wethers, or castrated male goats, can be sold for $75-$400 depending on quality. Chad Wilson of Wilson Farms in Edgerton sells his Boer wethers for $200-$300.

There is also another side to goats: the dairy goats. The most popular breed of dairy goat is the Nubian goat. The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) says a doe, or female goat, will milk for ten months after kidding.

Goat milk or dairy products are easier to find locally. Hy-Vee sells a half gallon of goat milk for $3. Checkers does not sell milk but has a variety of goat cheese that ranges from $2.99-$4.49.

The kidding process, or females having their babies, is happening right now. These babies were born only a few weeks ago.
Photo: Peyton Baldwin

Noah Goddard began raising dairy goats in 1979. He sells raw, unpasteurized milk to customers. He is not allowed to sell the milk to stores because it has not been pasteurized.

"I cannot advertise my milk, except on my own property and customers must come to the farm to pick up the milk," Goddard said.

He has 30-35 dairy goats. Many of them are going to have babies soon. This means the goats are freshened. Female goats come into milk when they are going to have babies. Goddard sells a half gallon of milk for $4.
The price of milk goats depends on the milk records and the linear appraisals on a goat. Goddard has his stock tested for milk records.

These one-year-old goats have not yet been put with the rest of the female herd. They will be introduced to the herd later this year when all of the mothers have finished kidding.
Photo: Peyton Baldwin

"There are several ways to gain recognition for your goats: the milk records, going to shows and linear appraisals. I have my goats tested for milk weight, or the components of the milk and those are put in the milk records. I can sell stock for a premium price based on those records," Goddard said.

Shows and linear appraisals are somewhat alike. At shows, goats are judged on an image of an ideal dairy goat. Each goat is competing against all of the other goats, though, so a perfect ideal image may not be present but the best looking goat wins. A judge goes to a farm and looks at all of the goats at that one farm in a linear appraisal.

"Theoretically, your goats are going against all of the goats in the world," Goddard said referring to a linear appraisal.

He sells his goats for an average of $500 a head plus the shipping costs. If a goat is going to San Diego, for instance, shipping costs could be $300. Goddard said there are many regulations to comply with and paperwork to complete if a person is shipping a goat by plane.

Cupcake is one of the does at the Goddard Farm. She is a Nubian goat, or milk goat.
Photo: Peyton Baldwin

Dairy goats are not as maintenance-free as meat goats, either. Nubians have to be milked and can produce about a gallon a day in their peak time. Goddard estimates his day-to-day operating costs to be about $20,000 a year. Those expenses include lights, water, heaters, vaccines, food and shelter.

There is not a standard price for goat meat listed in the United States. Many regions publish newsletters or magazines that include the prices and changes of meat in their area. The San Angelo Livestock Weekly regularly prints goat market changes for Texas.

With future development and standardization goat products may become more readily available at the local grocer.

Fish could help prevent postpartum depression in new moms. The nutrients you receive from fish and plant oils contribute to the cell membranes in your brain. KUJH-TV's Peyton Baldwin explains the
effects fish can have on your brain.

Some Fair Locations In Kansas

The carnival and fair season is getting underway. There are over 3,200 fairs in the United States and over 100 in Kansas alone. The fair season usually runs from April to October. That means there are many exhibitors and carnies on the road. KUJH-TV's Peyton Baldwin tells us a little bit about living the life of a carny.

Children walk by with sticky fingers covered in pink cotton candy. The smell of corndogs and popcorn floats through the air. The sun warms your skin and muffled screams are heard in the distance. Overhead, people are waving from their seats on the Ferris wheel. This is the atmosphere of many fairs. One of the 3,200 fairs that are held in the United States, according to the International Association of Fairs and Expositions Web site.

A Little History
The International Association of Fairs and Expositions Web site said the site of the first fair is unknown, but throughout history, a form of trade took place, which many consider as the beginning of fairs. Biblical references are among the first that mention these trading events. The first North American fair is said to have been in the 1700s.

Over time, these fairs included entertainment and began to be more like the current impression of a fair. The first cattle show was introduced in 1810. Now fairs include industrial exhibits, livestock competitions, horticulture, agriculture and other activities.

The Kansas Fairs and Festivals Association lists 129 fairs that take place in Kansas. They start at the end of April and go through the beginning of October.

Wendy Schaffer, the commercial exhibitors’ executive, for the Kansas State Fair, said the fair has approximately 1,100 spaces on the grounds for exhibitors. They currently have 607 vendors hired for this year. They expect to have 700.

It’s All in the Family
History is a major part of many exhibitors and carnies’ lives. No one seems to decide on a whim to get into the business of being on the road. David Webster, of Webster Enterprises, is the 3rd generation in his family to travel and sell for a living.

Webster’s grandmother had a medicine wagon/show that contained herbal medicine. He said many people see a medicine wagon as more of a magic or witchcraft show but his grandma had real medicine and gave it to people. His grandpa was an expert violinist and together they had their own show.

His father began as a magician and running the medicine wagon at shows but eventually began attending state fairs. Webster called them “pitchmen” or people that get a crowd of people and show them how to use kitchen utensils, brooms or cleaners.

“Now we sell modern day medicine,” Webster said. They sell everything from salsa makers to curling irons.

All together, Webster’s family has been in the business for 80 years.

Phyllis Westmoreland also has a rich history of selling. She owns Westmoreland Concessions. When she was young, she worked at a restaurant and the owner and she began going to some fairs. Phyllis eventually went on the road alone in 1968.

Westmoreland said at one time she had 27 different trailers but she has cut back to 10 now that she is older. She sells cotton candy, caramel apples and popcorn in some of the trailers and corndogs and cold drinks in the others.

At the age of 8, Rex Lewellen began working for a carny picking up baseballs that customers threw at cans. “I got paid 50 cents an hour,” Lewellen said. He also worked at a go-cart track in his teens. At 15, he went on the road with Bob Ottaway and helped him run his carnival rides.

“I worked with Bob when he only had two rides. It took him 30 years to get his business as good as it is now,” Lewellen said.

Lewellen is in his 8th season of owning his own show, Lewellen Amusements. He said anyone who has less than 10 seasons of owning a show is considered a new show because of the time it takes to get a route set up.

Sabrina Nemmers also inherited her show from her family. Her father owned Toby’s Carnival Co. He started his show in 1963. They now have 20-25 rides.

The Business of the Business
One big misconception of the traveling business is that it is easy to get into.

“I don’t know how many times someone’s told me they were going to go home and start up a business like mine,” Webster said. “Everyone thinks you get big money fast, and that is just not the case.”

Six to seven months of the year, Webster is on the road. His company does a string of state fairs during the spring and summer, the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December and then several livestock shows between January and March. This means he is traveling many miles every few weeks. Those miles start to add up and cost quite a bit.

Concessions trailers are also not a cheap investment Westmoreland said. Some of her trailers cost as much as $150,000. Then a truck and driver is needed for each trailer. An average of 5-7 trailers are at each show they travel to.

Lewellen has 10-20 vehicles that go to each show. He estimates the cost of fuel to be 60 cents a mile. They travel within a 300-mile radius of Wichita, Kan.

“There always seems to be some kind of repairs that need done. A truck needs fixed or a ride needs a part changed. Safety is our first priority,” Lewellen said. He is the only level three inspectors in Kansas, which is the highest level. He frequently receives calls to inspect carnival rides in the area.

Employees are another expense. Webster has a core group of 20 sales people that work on commission but then he also hires local people. The core group travels in RVs to each destination or share motel rooms.

“It’s hard to find a fair price for a hotel room because they up the price when the fair is in town. Some people will rent out their basements to us, though,” Webster said.

Westmoreland and Lewellen say that finding good help can be one of the biggest headaches.

“We try to carry as many regular employees as we can but we do hire local people. You do have to watch them, it is hard to know who you can trust,” Westmoreland said.

Lewellen said that many of the employees he hires are people that cannot find a job anywhere else.

“Some of the best help we have had were hitchhikers. We dust them off, teach them a little bit of responsibility and some go on to do other things. We just try to be a positive influence,” Lewellen said.

The products, services and weather also contribute to the expenses.

“My dad always said ‘Nothing stays the same, you keep going forward until you fall backward,’” Webster said. He said finding new products and signage are very important aspects of the business. “Your booth has to stand out and catch people’s attention.”

So far this year, the weather has not helped Lewellen.

“Beware of those four-letter words, wind, snow and rain. We are at the mercy of mother earth,” he said.

This year has been extremely difficult he said. In fact, he has never seen it this bad. His company must fulfill their contract to be at a location but if it rains and people do not come, then he loses money. He is hoping this weekend will be better.

Pros and Cons
There are other difficult aspects of the job.

Nemmers said all the paperwork is what she hates. “There seems to be more and more of it.”

The hours are the worst part for Westmoreland. She said she gets up at 7 a.m. every morning and goes to bed around 2 a.m.

Webster said that hours and the amount of miles you put on yourself are some of the worst things. “You work 9-9 everyday and then drive 800 miles to the next show,” he said. The other thing he does not like is the time he is away from home. All of his kids are grown now, but they could not always be on the road with him while growing up.

The best parts of the job are probably what keep many of these people doing the job, though.

“I love meeting and talking to new people,” Nemmers said. She also enjoys having the freedom to be her own boss.

Lewellen also said meeting new people is one of the best parts. He also loves the idea of being in a new town every week. He has been to several shows already this year and is already booked every weekend until October.

He recalls seeing people that came to the fair when they were little that now have their own kids. He said they usually come by to have him meet their kids. His dog is famous too.

“Rex likes to walk down the midway from time to time,” Lewellen said. People will come by just to see her he said.

Westmoreland said she has a “road family.” Many of her friends are on the road and she enjoys getting to see them.

Finding new products, having the freedom to answer to himself, the camaraderie of the sales crew and having an extended family with the other exhibitors are Webster’s favorite things.

He said that because he grew up in the business he could not imagine doing anything else. His job has become more of a lifestyle than a job.

“It’s the hardest job you will ever love,” Webster said.

Bill Ball, owner of Crazy 8 Concessions, talks about the kind of person you have to be in order be a carny.