We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Year: 2016

Former Hays resident opens ‘Asian fusion’ restaurant in Emporia

Posted on
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo

By JOHN ROBINSON
[email protected]

One of Emporia’s newest restaurants is looking to offer diners a variety when it comes to Asian cuisine.

Ichiban Asian Bistro opened Oct. 21 and despite being a primarily Japanese-style restaurant — serving hibachi and sushi dishes — Ichiban also serves Thai, Korean and Chinese dishes. This is a style Manager Wayne Tsao calls “Asian Fusion.”

“We are mainly a Japanese restaurant; we have sushi and hibachi,” Tsao said. “But we also have a lot of Thai food, some Korean food and some Chinese food.”

Growing up in Hays, Tsao said his family has operated Chinese restaurants across Kansas. Ichiban is their first attempt at a Japanese restaurant.

Tsao said his family moved to Hays the summer before his freshman year, and he then graduated from Hays High School. His uncle owns Imperial Garden Express at Big Creek Crossing, which Tsao’s parents managed until they branched out on their own.

Tsao said the community reception to Ichiban had been strong, noting the restaurant had plenty of diners in its first few days of operation.

“A lot of people have come in and said they have enjoyed it and would recommend it,” he said. “We’ve been pretty steady so far.”

According to Tsao, the restaurant prepares food cooked to order. In the kitchen, Tsao said the sushi chef has 30 years of experience while the hibachi chef has been at it for a decade.

“You can always come in and talk to our sushi chef,” he said. “He will make something special for you,”

For those stopping into Ichiban for the first time, Tsao said there are plenty of dishes which make for great introductions.

“If anybody likes any kind of curry, everyone has loved our curry so far,” Tsao said, adding there are options for people who dislike spicy foods. “Everything is homemade here. We have three different kinds of curry — red, yellow and green — red is a little sweeter, green is in the middle and yellow is a little saltier.”

Tsao also recommends trying one of Ichiban’s hibachi dishes. The menu is available online at ichibanasianbistro.com.

Ichiban — located at 1430 Industrial Road — is open from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 – 9:30 p.m. for dinner on weekdays. Friday and Saturday Ichiban closes at 10:30 p.m. with a 9 p.m. closing time on Sundays.

Story republished with permission from the Emporia Gazette.

Kansas Fire Marshal offers fire safety tips for Thanksgiving cooking

Posted on
Doug Jorgensen, State Fire Marshal, Kansas
Doug Jorgensen, Kansas State Fire Marshal

TOPEKA — The Thanksgiving holiday is upon us and Kansas families will be coming together for a time of celebration and thankfulness. The hours spent in the kitchen preparing turkey, mashed potatoes, pies and all the other fixings, however, comes with an increased risk for household fires. The Kansas Fire Marshal would like to remind Kansans of the importance of taking safety precautions to ensure a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.

Cooking is, and has long been, the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries, and according to the records collected from reporting fire departments in Kansas, home cooking fires increase significantly around the times of major holidays.

“With Thanksgiving being such a hectic holiday, with all the activity and guests in a home, it can be easy to get distracted and lose track of what is cooking in the oven and on the stovetop,” said Doug Jorgensen, Kansas Fire Marshal “We encourage all Kansans to take common sense precautions to prevent a fire tragedy on their holiday.”

The Office of the State Fire Marshal recommends the following safety tips for cooking on Thanksgiving:
* Keep an eye on what you fry. Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

* Keep things that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels and curtains away from the cooking area.

* Be alert when cooking. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

* Consider installing an automatic suppression unit attached magnetically to stovetop hoods. Shaped like small tuna cans, these units automatically put out fires when flames reach the hood.

If you have a small (grease) cooking fire and decide to fight the fire:
* On the stovetop, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
* For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
* If you have any doubt about fighting a small fire: Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from outside the home.

The Kansas Fire Marshal also discourages the use of turkey fryers which can lead to devastating burns and the destruction of property due to the large amount and high temperature of oil used. Those who prefer fried turkey should look for grocery stores, specialty food retailers and restaurants that sell deep-fried turkeys.

For more fire safety tips, visit the Website for the Office of the State Fire Marshal at http://firemarshal.ks.gov.

ECMA gears up for annual Thanksgiving Day Feast

Posted on

ECMA Thanksgiving color

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance is continuing to meet the needs in our community by hosting the annual Thanksgiving Day Feast on Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall at 2350 E. Eighth.

Pam Burgardt and her Rose Garden Banquet Hall staff have, for the last nine years, provided the delicious meals Thanksgiving day. Since 2007, a partnership of cooperating Ellis County Churches and other community volunteers helped feed those who did not have a place to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. This year, ECMA Co-chairs Celeste Lasich, Kyle Ermoian and First Call For Help’s Linda Mills, who serve as hosts, believe there will be around 700 guests.

The ACCESS van will be available to pick up people who need rides. The ACCESS offices are closed on Thanksgiving Day, so those needing a ride will have to make arrangements the day beforehand by calling 628-1052.

Two Celebration Community Church vans full of non perishable groceries that were collected last Saturday will be sacked Wednesday night at 5:30 pm at the Banquet Hall.

Last year with the cooperation of a generous public, ECMA gave out after the dinner over 400 bags of food for the people who needed them.

If you would like to contribute to this event, make your tax-deductible donations payable to E.C.M.A., P.O. Box 173, Hays, KS. Please memo your checks “Thanksgiving Dinner.” Any extra proceeds after the cost of the meals will go into E.C.M.A.’s Second Mile Fund, which assists Ellis County needy people throughout the year.

Over 100 volunteers are needed. If you would like to volunteer to help, call First Call for Help at (785) 623-2800

DSNWK’s dementia home receives grant from Heartland Community Foundation

Posted on

DSNWKdsnwk logo

VICTORIA — Residents with dementia of a specialized group home in Victoria will soon be bathing in a walk-in bathtub thanks to the support of a $3,299 Dane G. Hansen Community Grant, a fund of Heartland Community Foundation.

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK), a non-profit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) since 1967, runs the Victoria group home. The home provides 24-hour care to five individuals with I/DD and dementia.

The Victoria home has a standard sized bathtub that was installed 25 years ago when the house was built. Since then, the purpose of the home has shifted to serving those with dementia, and the standard bathtub does not adequately meet their needs.

“The replacement of the old bathtub with the new walk-in bathtub will be a great benefit for persons served at the Victoria home,” said Scott Stults, Hays Program Manager for DSNWK. “It will provide a safer, more enjoyable bathing experience as often times stepping into a normal bathtub for someone with dementia/Alzheimer’s is a frightening experience due to decreased depth perception. The walk-in bathtub lessens that stress.”

Since 2007, Heartland Community Foundation has built stronger communities and helped donors make a difference through charitable giving in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego Counties. Each year, the foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars through grants and scholarships to nonprofits and individuals. Heartland Community Foundation is an affiliate foundation of the Greater Salina Community Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.

“We are grateful for the grant from the Heartland Community Foundation,” said Stults.

Hays jeweler will host ‘Diamonds 4 Diabetes’ to benefit area hospital

Posted on

15078936_1151483738281439_3766275935766208519_nNovember is National Diabetes Month. To mark the month, Diamond R Jewelry in downtown Hays will hold “Diamonds 4 Diabetes” event on Nov. 26 during regular business hours to support diabetes education in western Kansas.

Ten percent of sales will go toward the Gove County Medical Center diabetes Education Program, which provides diabetes education to western Kansans on an individual basis.

Balanced scoring leads Kansas State past Robert Morris

Posted on

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Dean Wade had a season-high 13 points and DJ Johnson and Barry Brown added 12 points each to help Kansas State beat Robert Morris 61-40 on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats (4-0) never trailed and shot 47 percent on 23-of-49 shooting. Wade also grabbed nine rebounds and Johnson had eight.

Robert Morris (0-5) shot 23 percent on 13 of 57 shooting and Kansas State was able to separate during the Colonials’ scoring droughts. On top of their shooting woes, Robert Morris also committed 25 turnovers though the Wildcats had 21 of their own.

Isaiah Still led the Colonials in scoring with 10 points on 3-of-17 shooting and Aaron Tate grabbed 11 rebounds.

Kansas beats Georgia to win CBE Classic

Posted on

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Frank Mason III had 19 points, Josh Jackson added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and fifth-ranked Kansas turned to its zone defense to beat Georgia 65-54 on Tuesday night in the CBE Classic championship game.

Devonte Graham added 14 points for the Jayhawks (4-1), who won their third consecutive in-season tournament title and second CBE Classic. They also won the tournament in 2012.

The Jayhawks hope it’s the beginning of a sweet ride at the Sprint Center this season. They play Davidson in the building in a couple of weeks, have the Big 12 Tournament in March, and then hope to land in the NCAA Tournament regional finals with a spot in the Final Four on the line.

Sunny and mild Wednesday

Posted on

Today: Sunny, with a high near 54. North northwest wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon. 11-23

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 9 mph in the evening.

Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest 19 to 24 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. Northwest wind 12 to 17 mph decreasing to 6 to 11 mph after midnight.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58. West wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 31.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 60.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Breezy.

Late runs lifts Tigers to road win over Newman

Posted on

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

WICHITA, Kan. – Fort Hays State scored the final six points after Newman went on a 7-0 to pull within two with 1:48 to play and the Tigers hold off the Jets 73-65 Tuesday at Fugate Gymnasium. Rob Davis, who hit a deep 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds to play to push the lead to six, led the Tigers with game-high 24 points. Hadley Gillum added 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, and Trey O’Neil, who hit a 3-pointer with a little over six minutes to play to break a 57-all tie and give the Tigers (3-2) the lead for good, added a career-high 12 points.

Mark Johnson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Fort Hays State used a 14-3 first half run to build a nine-point lead and led by seven at the half. They quickly pushed the lead to 13 a little over three minutes into the second half, but the Jets (1-4) used  21-8 run over the next 8 1/2 minutes to tie the game at 57 with a little over seven minutes to play.

The Tigers, who battled foul trouble much of the night, shot 48-percent including 7-of-18 from beyond the arc. Newman was held to a season-low 34-percent but knocked down 11 3-pointers and outscored the Tigers by eight at the free throw line.

Ag lease laws and recreational lease workshop offered

Posted on

kansas-ag-mediation-services-bannerELLIS CO. EXTENSION

Renters, landowners, and recreational land users are invited to attend the Ag Lease Law and Recreational Lease Workshop offered by the Ellis County Extension office on Wednesday, December 7th beginning at 1:00 p.m. and concluding at 3:30 p.m.

This program is intended for anyone who wants to know more about agricultural lease law, fence law and recreational leasing opportunities.

Forrest Buhler, Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services staff attorney, will begin the program discussing specific Kansas laws on renting pastures and cropland, and will have further information on Kansas fencing laws and how to work through fencing considerations with neighbors, landlords, and tenants.

Nate Gilbert, an attorney and native of central Kansas, will highlight the ins and outs of recreational leases. He specializes in hunting, wildlife, and multi-use land leases across Kansas and Colorado.

To learn more about agricultural leases, laws, and recreational opportunities come join us on Wednesday, December 7th, 1-3:30 p.m. at the Ellis County Extension Office back meeting room located at 601 Main Street, Hays. The program is free to attend but an RSVP is appreciated by December 5th at (785) 628-9430.

Kansas man sentenced to life in prison for abduction, death

Posted on

prison.pngKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas man has been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping his girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter and shooting the child to death during a 2014 police chase.

Thirty-two-year-old Marcas McGowan of Atchison declined to address the judge during his sentencing hearing Tuesday in Kansas City, Kansas.

McGowan already had pleaded guilty to kidnapping resulting in death, and to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Authorities say McGowan abducted Cadence Harris on July 18, 2014, after arguing with her mother at their home.

During a chase that followed the argument, McGowan fired at police and fatally shot the girl. Authorities pursued him into neighboring Missouri before he crashed through a barricade near Leavenworth, Kansas.

Officers shot him after he pointed a gun at them.

Kansas City waterslide on which boy died to be demolished

Posted on
Kansas City Schlitterbahn Water Park was (Photo courtesy KMBC-TV)
A 10-year-old boy died Aug. 7 on the Verruckt at the Kansas City Schlitterbahn Water Park. (Photo courtesy KMBC-TV)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Operators of a Kansas water park where a state lawmaker’s 10-year-old son was killed on a waterslide last summer say that ride will be demolished.

Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts and the family that runs it said in a statement Tuesday that the 168-foot “Verruckt” at the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, will eventually be torn down.

The ride has been closed since authorities say Caleb Thomas Schwab was killed Aug. 7 while on the Verruckt, which is German for “insane.” Two other riders in Caleb’s raft, both women, were injured.

Attorneys for Caleb and the women are investigating the accident. No charges or lawsuits have been filed as of Tuesday. Messages left by The Associated Press for the attorneys were not immediately returned.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File