HPL

Americana folk duo Bettman & Halpin (made up of singer/fiddler Stephanie Bettman and multi-instrumentalist Luke Halpin) are bringing their inimitable talents to the Hays Public Library on Wed., November 2nd at 6 PM.

Critics throughout the country have heaped praise on Bettman, a singer with an angelic voice and a magical touch with the fiddle and her musical partner, the guitar/mandolin virtuoso Halpin. Their concert performances and recordings have drawn favorable comparisons to the likes of Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss, all of them world-renown musical artists. On stage, Bettman and Halpin exude a warm and joyous personality in interpreting their original songs and meticulous musical arrangements.

Their live show is a combination of charm, humor and unforgettable original music. Living Out Loud Los Angeles says “Every song hijacks your heart and takes you through an emotional ride. The chemistry that Bettman & Halpin have on stage is genuine. Their performance was a breath of fresh air….”

Together, Bettman & Halpin are fast earning a reputation in folk and bluegrass circles for mesmerizing performances filled with irresistible lyrics, transcendent harmonies and roof-raising instrumentals. Cellist Phil Norman enriches their sound with his eclectic and sophisticated cello playing, and Carl Sorensen’s unerring beat adds the perfect groove.

As is often the case with versatile and somewhat eclectic musicians, critics and audiences can be hard-pressed to categorize the music of Bettman and Halpin. The duo calls what they do “Americana / Folk.” Some call it folk music. “Well, we’re acoustic, that’s for sure, but we don’t worry about labels much,” says Bettman, an innovative fiddler and a singer who brings passion and occasional whimsical humor to her vocal stylings. “We just try to make good music and we invite the people to come along.” Most of the duo’s songs are originals. Bettman is principal writer of the songs.

Some songs in their vast repertoire are unabashedly foot-stomping bluegrass-tinged tunes that seem to make audiences beam with joy and practically dance in their seats. Some songs are haunting explorations of love and loss. Some offer reflections about the understated magic and mystery of seemingly quotidian struggles in everyday life.

They have played various festivals and performing arts centers all over the country, and are the subjects of the documentary “Stephanie Bettman & Luke Halpin; The It All Comes Back To Love Tour” which recently aired on public television in Los Angeles.

Join Bettman & Halpin for an evening of entertainment at the Hays Public Library on Wed., Nov. 2nd. The concert starts at 2 p.m. This is a free concert. For more information on the musical duo, visit their website: www.bettmanandhalpin.com.

ELLIS COUNTY – Rural fire crews responded to a fire at 1011 Yocemento Avenue on Friday afternoon.

The blaze consumed 25 or more bales and approximately 3 acres of grass and trees, according to Ellis County Rural Fire Chief Darin Myers.

Volunteers with the Ellis County Rehab Trailer assisted firefighters on a warm Friday afternoon with temperatures in the low 90s.

Embers that escaped an uncovered barrel during an unreported controlled burn started the fire, according to Myers.

Fire crews were on the scene until 10p.m. and again on Saturday morning checking for hot spots.

There were no injuries.

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

The lecture series named for one of Fort Hays State University’s most notable alumni, former representative Keith Sebelius, will feature a November appearance by Dr. Edward Larson, who holds the Hugh and Hazel Darling Chair in Law and is University Professor of History at Pepperdine University.

He is a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in history and numerous other awards for writing and teaching.

Larson will discuss “The Origins of Presidential Politics” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in FHSU’s Sheridan Hall. This is the first lecture of the 2016-2017 academic year.

The lecture will begin with the Electoral College. The Framers of the Constitution, who created the Electoral College system, envisioned a presidential selection system without national political parties. Larson will explore how the United States moved from a non-partisan system to the highly partisan system we have now in just 12 short years. For better or for worse, by 1800, presidential politics had become much as we experience it today.

“We’re honored to have Dr. Larson at Fort Hays State University,” said Jacob Ternes, chair of the Special Events Committee and assistant director of the Memorial Union. “As the author of 10 books and over a hundred published articles, he brings a wealth of knowledge in a variety of topics. It will be fascinating to hear his perspective on how presidential politics have been shaped over the course of American history.”

Larson’s books, which have been translated into over twenty languages, include “An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science”; “A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America’s First Presidential Campaign”; “Evolution’s Workshop: God and Science in the Galapagos Islands”; and the Pulitzer Prize winning “Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion.” His latest book, “The Return of George Washington,” was on The New York Times bestseller list in 2015.

Larson has taught short courses at universities in China, Europe, and South America; been a featured speaker at book festivals and the Chautauqua Institute; and given addresses at more than 80 American universities. He is interviewed frequently for broadcast, print, cable, and internet media, including “The Daily Show,” “The Today Show” and multiple appearances on PBS, BBC, the History Channel, C-SPAN, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and NPR.

Larson earned a B.A. from Williams College (1974), a law degree from Harvard (1979), and a Ph.D. in the history of science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1984), and received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Ohio State University in 2004.

Tickets are available now for pre-order online at www.fhsu.edu/sebelius, will go on sale at the Student Service Center in the Memorial Union beginning Monday, Oct. 24, and can be purchased at the Beach/Schmidt box office the evening of the lecture. Tickets are free for Fort Hays State University students and $10 for the public.

Numerous patrons, who donate $150 per person, help sponsor the Sebelius Lecture Series each year. These donations are tax deductible, less benefits received. Patrons will receive an exclusive invitation to a reception with the speaker on the day of the lecture and exclusive tickets to sit in rows A-C for the lecture. To become a patron, visit www.fhsu.edu/sebelius and complete a ticket order form as a patron.

For more information about the Sebelius Lecture Series, call Jacob Ternes at (785) 628-4664 or send email to [email protected].

ABOUT FORMER U.S. REP. KEITH SEBELIUS:
Sebelius, who was born in Norton, graduated from FHSU in 1941. He became active in the Republican Party and in 1968 ran for the U.S. House seat previously held by Bob Dole. He served for 12 years and didn’t seek re-election in 1980. He died at age 66 and is buried in Norton. His son, Gary Sebelius, is a federal magistrate judge and the husband of Kathleen Sebelius, a former Democratic Kansas governor and former U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services. His son, R. Douglas Sebelius, is a Norton County attorney.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort, will have a benefit barbecue for the Good Samaritan Society of Hays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6.

The meal will feature a choice of first-rate smoked meats, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, and a variety of delectable desserts. A freewill offering will be collected, with all proceeds benefiting the Good Samaritan Society.

The funds raised will go toward the Generation Courtyard.  This is a therapeutic, secured, outside area where residents can enjoy the outdoors. There are plans to include a playground area so residents can watch kids play when they come to visit.

Warm and dry conditions are expected this weekend. Today will be the warmer of the days. Near record highs are expected today, with highs this afternoon to near 80. Sunday will remain above normal, but highs will only reach in to the 70’s.

A cold front will move through the area Monday afternoon and evening. Temperatures will be warm across the area with highs around 80, falling to the upper 60’s to 70 for trick or treat time.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. South southwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. North wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. North wind 6 to 9 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. South wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Southwest wind 10 to 14 mph.