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by Kamaria Cartledge

Chantal Burd, Lawrence, Kan., can't believe the recent deal she and her children got at a Lawrence fitness center.

"I was concerned with how much exercise my kids were getting after school," Burd said. "But as a single mother, I didn't think I would be able to afford membership fees for me and my kids."

            The current recession has caused Burd and other parents to penny-pinch, and most parents do not think they have the extra money for fitness centers. Since the recession, families are more concerned with the
simple act of putting food on the table, disregarding nutritional value.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 32 percent of children
ages 2 to 19, approximately 23 million, are overweight. The number has not
increased since 2006, but the number is so high, health experts are encouraging parents to keep their children active. Fitness centers are offering child memberships at discounted prices to prevent overweight children.

               Tony Turner, co-owner and personal trainer at Fitness Together, Lawrence, Kan., says the number of single adult memberships has decreased 12 percent this year, but new family packages increased the total revenue 20 percent. At Fitness Together on Wakarusa Drive, a single membership is $235 annually and a family package, consisting of a family of four, is $165 annually.

               "This year, we decided to offer a discounted family package, in addition to our single adult membership," Turner said. "Our goal was to see
more parents bring their children to participate in our child fitness activities."

              Since April 2009, child fitness activities at Fitness Together include supervised swimming games for children ages 4 to 11 and a Zumba fitness class for children ages 10-17. Zumba is the combination of Latin rhythms and dancing. Children are also educated on balancing a proper diet.

            "I think the family package deal at Fitness Together is a very reasonable price," Burd said. "My kids really enjoy the Zumba class and I know they are staying fit at the same time." 

            Lawrence Athletic Club on Mesa Way Street also offers a new child fitness program. Jesse Cohen, head personal trainer and assistant strength
coach, said the club started offering a new hip-hop aerobics class in March
2009 for children ages 5 to 13. A child membership for children ages 5 to 13 is $9 monthly, reduced from $14 monthly.

           "The kids really enjoy learning hip-hop dances and they are taught at a steady pace so that everybody can keep up," Cohen said. "We want kids to
know that exercise can be fun."

           Alisha Bonner, Lawrence, Kan., LAC member and parent, said she appreciates the child focused fitness activities.

"When I told my 11-year-old daughter about the new hip-hop class, she couldn't wait to start," Bonner said.
            "It made both of us happy because now I don't have to leave her at home while I'm working out."

While some fitness clubs make additions to their child-fitness activities, Maximus on Iowa Street focuses directly on kid fitness centers. Eric Stein, regional sales manager at Maximus Fitness and Wellness, said his customers demanded a Kid's Club.  

"Parents said they didn't just want a daycare center for their children, but activities that will also keep them healthy," Stein said.

 The Kid's Club will open May 15, 2009 and will consist of cheerleading, team building, football and aerobics based off of gender and age. The price per child is $12 for the first child and an additional $6 for children ages three months through age 12.

Irene Turner, Maximus member and parent, said the new Kid's Club will provide her children with supervision and teach them how to stay active.

"Me and my husband think it's very important to work out together, and now we will be able to get our kids involved without paying a fortune," Turner said.

Integrated Martial Science on Haskell Avenue also provides children with physical fitness activities. Erik Riley, martial arts instructor, said the martial arts training was originally only for adults, but parents requested training for their children.

"In February we started offering our members the option of adding their kids to the adult membership fee for $10 less than a single adult membership," Riley said. "Martial arts training is a challenging way kids can become active, and a safe way for them to release aggression."

One adult membership at Integrated Martial Science is $85 monthly, but when parents add children to their membership fee, the discounted price is $60 monthly.

Kids Staying Active by Kamaria Cartledge 

Kevin Turner, Baldwin City, Kan., Integrated Martial Science member and parent, said he was really interested in getting his 11-year-old son involved in martial arts classes. 

Extended Interviews 

"My son doesn't get enough exercise and I knew he would enjoy martial arts training as much as I do," Turner said.

Riley said kids are challenged to work every muscle in their body during martial arts training.  Kids ages 10 to 12 are allowed to participate in Judo and Taekwando training. Judo is when competitors learn to use leverage to throw an opponent of any size to the floor. Kids ages 13 to 17 can participate in Muay Thai Kickboxing. When the kids have completed a session, they compete against each other in their desired event.      

   by Kamaria Cartledge       

           With a yellow highlighter in his right hand and a two-pound "Microeconomics

Theory" book in his left hand, his face is twisted with a look of concern. His wide eyes

squint tightly at the 10-point font of jumbled words in front of him, as if everything else around him is invisible.          

            Ifeolluwa Omoniyi, 23, who prefers to be called Ife, grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where he experienced first-hand the importance of a good education. Even though Nigeria lacks a strong public school system, Ife's parents always provided him with the very best educational values.

            "When I lived in Nigeria, I only attended private schools and studying was a number one priority in my house," Ife said. "I can think back to when I was in secondary school and instead of playing soccer on the weekends with my friends, my dad made me study."

            Biodun Omoniyi, Ife's father, graduated from the University of Nigeria with a degree in electrical engineering. Currently, he is the managing director of VDT Communications in Nigeria. He organizes network engineering solutions and data communication. 

            Faloshade Omoniyi, Ife's mother, also graduated from the University of Nigeria with a degree in electrical engineering. She is currently the business development assistant-manager for Lagos at First Bank of Nigeria.

            Ife is the oldest of four and the only boy.  He has three sisters, Jasola, 17, Yosola, 15 and Desola, 9. As elite class citizens, Ife's parents can afford to send their children to any university in the world.

            "Originally, I wanted to attend a university in Canada with my friends, but my parents pressured me to attend a university in the U.S.," Ife said. "I came to Kansas because my parents said KU embraces international students."

            Ife's parents did not want him to attend a university in Nigeria because the Nigerian university system lacks the funding to hire professors with experience and funding for adequate research and technology.

            "The Nigerian university system is getting better, but an education from the U.S. is more valued in Nigeria," Ife said. "Nigerian universities are preoccupied with political office holders, the private sector and the judiciary.  Basically, the government is more concerned with the military."

            Ife left Nigeria to attend KU when he was 18-years-old. Before coming to KU, Ife had his own preconceptions about America.

            "I liked that the U.S. was more economically developed than Nigeria, but I did not like the fact that they handled everything with violence and war," Ife said.

            After attending KU, Ife had a more positive view of America.

            "I still think the U.S. has its problems, but considering everything that has been going on with the economy, the U.S. has handled everything quite well," Ife said. "I really value the passion for freedom the U.S. has."

            Ife received his undergraduate degree at KU in finance and economics and is currently attending KU graduate school.

            "Even though my dad wanted me to major in computer science because of the money I could make in Nigeria, I chose to double major in finance and economics," Ife said. "I wanted to specialize in something that would help me change the economic foundation in Nigeria."

            During Ife's experience at KU, he met his fiancée, Shanxi Upsdell, 22. Shanxi graduated from KU in May 2008 and is a copy editor at the Lawrence Journal World. She and Ife dated for three years before they became engaged.

Ifeolluwa Ominiyi and his fiancee, Shanxi Upsdell

            "The first thing that attracted me to Ife was his smile," Upsdell said. "He's very outgoing, but at the same time, a very private person."

            Shanxi is from New Zealand and is from a very diverse background. Her mother is Asian and her father is Australian.

            "My family is like a mini-United Nations," Upsdell said. "I'm used to growing up with so many different cultures."

            Ife and Shanxi are from very different backgrounds, but they share the experience of being international students.

            "Both of us didn't fit into American culture, and that was something we had in common," Upsdell said. "We also share our faith in God."

            Ife and Shanxi are taking ballroom dancing lessons in preparation for their wedding and after they are married, they plan to work in the U.S. for 12 years before moving to Nigeria. She plans to become an English teacher in Nigeria.

            "It's going to be an adventure moving to Nigeria, but it's something we both can handle," Upsdell said.

            Shanxi and Ife's families both accept their engagement, but Ife's family is still getting used to the idea.

            "My parents love Shanxi and they are happy for me, but I know they wanted me to be with a Nigerian woman," Ife said.

            Ife wants to move back to Nigeria and become a finance minister. He wants to work for a federal reserve, central bank.

            "Nigerian government officials abuse their power and the people in Nigeria do not get to experience true freedom," Ife said. "The problem in Nigeria is that people do not know how to manage their resources, and they need more business resources."

            Seventy-percent of Nigerians live on less than $2 per day. Inflation is over 10 percent on almost all goods in Nigeria.

            "I will do everything I can to change the economic system in Nigeria, and I will never turn my back on my people," Ife said.

           

           

 

 

           

           

           

 

           

           

           

             

           

 

Bethany Poole, parent-teacher association member, worries about the affects Baldwin City's school district budget cuts will have on her children.

"They're talking about losing a lot of money here," Poole said. "I don't want my children's education to suffer or see the activities they enjoy participating in disappear."

Baldwin City USD 348 faces a $137,000 budget cut proposal for this year because of health 

insurance problems and state aid reductions. State legislatures have sent a bill to the 

governor that will cut the Baldwin school district $137,000 next month, April 2009.

USD 348 Superintendent Paul Dorathy said there are fewer participants in the district health insurance plan and it's causing the costs of claims to be higher than the amount of premium being paid. These participants include all district teachers, administrators, secretaries and custodians. The district insurance company was forced to increase the premiums to make up for the reduction in participants.

"Health insurance has been a problem for this district for many years now," Dorathy said. "The only way to halt this downward spiral is to significantly increase the number of people in the plan."

More people left the plan because of the increased premium rates. Dorathy said the proposal will fund 100 percent of the basic single plan for all full-time employees, which will double the number of people on the plan. Currently, $400,000 is used to pay for the district health insurance. Next month, $800,000 will be used to pay for the district health insurance.

Cynde Frick, director of financial operations, said the money for the increased health insurance rate will come from the building supply budget, $50,150. The building supplies that will be reduced next month include classroom supplies, such as magazines, science kits, sheet music, gym class equipment, library books, art supplies, award certificates and spelling bee fees.

"We didn't want it to come to this because all of our classroom supplies are beneficial to our students' education," Frick said, "but unfortunately the money has to come from somewhere."

Activity budgets will be reduced 50 percent, which is $29,690 in order to fix the district health insurance plan. This includes ambulance standby, league dues, medical supplies, musical royalties, sports equipment and uniforms.

Source: USD 348 Budget www.usd348.com

Madison Pippert, Baldwin High School junior, worries about her favorite extra-curricular activity.

"I've been a cheerleader for two years now, and we've always got new cheerleading uniforms every year," Pippert said. "It really sucks, but I guess we'll just have to fundraise more or somehow pay for our own uniforms."

 Summer school and summer tutoring will also be cut this year. USD 348 schools that will no longer have summer programs are Baldwin High School, Baldwin Primary Center and Vinland Elementary School. The remaining buildings, Marion Springs, Baldwin Intermediate Center and Baldwin Junior High, will be used for state assessment preparation and tutoring. Summer band camp will be reduced $744 and summer maintenance help will be reduced 50 percent, $6,233. 

Vinland Elementary School parent, Stephanie Pina, is concerned about the summer school programs being cut.

"I always enroll my kids in summer school," Pina said. "I've got one in third grade and another in fourth grade and I don't want them home all day by themselves."

Vinland Elementary School students eat during the lunch period. The insurance premium plan requires the meal fee to increase 10 cents. 

 Dorathy said USD 348 will undergo three phases of budget cuts. Currently, USD 348 is still in phase one. Phases two and three would not occur until next school year and would reduce the budget between 10 and 18 percent. A 10 percent reduction would be $700,000 and an 18 percent reduction would be $1.2 million for the district.

Source: USD 348 Budget www.usd348.com

Mid-Level Hotels Lose to Recession, Less-Expensive Hotels Benefit

By Kamaria Cartledge 

            Janice Stevens, Ulysses, Kan., can't believe the recent deal she and her family got 

at a Lawrence hotel.

            "Me and my family stayed at the Econo Lodge and breakfast and dinner was all taken care of along with a clean, comfortable room," Stevens said. "Usually we stay at the Holiday Inn when we come to visit our daughter at KU, but since the recession, we just don't have the extra cash."

            The current recession has caused Stevens and other Americans to travel less. As fewer people travel, mid-level and luxury hotels suffer. For those who do travel, less- expensive hotels benefit from more business.

            The Holiday Inn, a franchise hotel under InterContinental Hotels Group, fell 22.2
 percent from 2008 to 2009 in annual corporate earnings, according to InterContinental Hotels Group Annual Review. The Holiday Inn is the largest hotel in Lawrence with 192 rooms. David Owens, general manager, said only 50 percent of the rooms are occupied on the weekdays.

            "Right now we're on a hiring freeze and had a few lay-offs" Owens said. "We've
 combined job positions to reduce labor expenses."

            On the other hand, the Econo Lodge, a franchise hotel under Choice Hotels
 International, benefits from the recession. The Econo Lodge increased 3.2 percent in annual corporate earnings from 2008 to 2009, according to Choice Hotels International Annual

Lawrence, KS: The Econo Lodge receives more 

business during the recession. Annual sales increased 3.2 percent.

Review. Joel Schossow, assistant general manager, said the recession brought in more  business.

            "Business is great, so we are able to provide our guests with more amenities without
 raising our prices," Schossow said. "We' ve always had continental breakfast, but beginning in October 2008, our guests also receive dinner."

           The Econo Lodge contains 110 rooms with nightly rates from $59.95 to $79.95. The Holiday Inn charges nightly rates from $91 to $129.95 

              "Before the recession, business was very slow," Cannon said. "But since the end of
 November 2008, almost half of our rooms are occupied on the weekends."

            Motel 6 on North Third St. contains 50 rooms with nightly rates from $45.99 standard 
Lawrence, KS: Motel 6 receives more business because of 

the recession.

rate to $65. Evan Engle, front-desk clerk said the recession reduced dead periods.

            "Most of our customers are either business travelers or construction workers," Engle
 said. "Since mid-December, more construction workers stay here for longer periods."

            While less-expensive hotels and motels benefit from the recession, mid-level hotels
 and luxury hotels make changes to increase business.

            SpringHill Suites Marriott on One Riverfront Plaza contains 105 rooms with nightly rates from $104 to $135. Audrianna Kozlowski, front-desk associate, said the new Customer Relationship Management system increases business. This system has been active since June 2001in other Marriotts throughout the nation, but the Lawrence Marriott just started using the system in December 2008. The CRM system allows the Marriott to send guests e-mails on their birthdays.

            "Guests call-in and ask if we'll lower our prices or give them a discount," Kozlowski
 said. "We don't lower our prices, but the CRM system gives us a chance to form close relationships with our guests."  

            SpringHill Suites Marriott also provides guests with discount rates for government workers,such as teachers and military officials.  

Lawrence, KS: Luxury hotels lose business during the recession.         

              While mid-level hotels make changes to increase business, luxury hotels also make
 adjustments. The Eldridge on Massachusetts St. contains 56 rooms with nightly charges from $145 to $289 per person. Ryan Kehr, guest services manager at The Eldridge hotel said more business meetings have had to cancel since October 2008.

            "Most of our guests are on business travel, and when they cancel, our hotel is slower
 on the weekdays," Kehr said.

           "I really enjoy my stay at The Eldridge, but it is very expensive," Joe Harvey,
 hotel guest and financial advisor, Parkville, Mo., said. "But if I was traveling with my family right now, I definitely wouldn't be staying here."