A new exhibit opens Saturday, October 12, at the Deines Cultural Center in Russell.  “Consumed” features prints by Justin Marable from Topeka and sculpture Juniper Tangpuz of Kansas City.

The exhibit “Consumed” asks two questions:  What is the impact of human consumption on the earth?  How will we adapt to changes in energy and land use?

The artists fuse eras of Kansas time from the prehistoric to the present by integrating ancient creatures into modern environments, machinery with animals and even some mythological creatures.

By combining research into the geologic history of Kansas with the modern era of agriculture and industry, Marable and Tangpuz have created a whimsical yet thoughtful exhibit.

Influenced by pop art of the 1960s, Marable’s work is inspired by ordinary concepts.  He depicts the Kansas landscape through the processes of silk screening, photo transfer and painting.  Tangpuz combines cardboard, corrugated plastic and found objects to create large sculptures of machines, animals and flowers.

“Consumed” is open for viewing October 10- November 9.

The Deines Cultural Center is located at 820 North Main in Russell.  Admission is free.

Activity on the 13th Street project resumes this week.

Overlay will be put down between Vine Street and Harvest Lane, and then, the first striping for the new Hays bike path plan:

Cost of the project is about $700,000.

October is a big month in Hays, starting with the annual Oktoberfest/Fort Hays State University homecoming weekend.

There are still plenty of activities to enjoy, says Jana Jordan, Executive Director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau:

You can find out more about Hays happenings at the CVB website: www.haysusa.net

You may be seeing more junk in Hays alleys and on sidewalks, but not for long.

A week from Monday, October 14, the city of Hays will begin its annual Alley Cleanup. Residential customers are setting out items not normally collected.

Solid Waste Supervisor Marvin Honas says unwanted stuff should be sorted into four different pick-up piles:

City workers will make one collection pass starting with curbside customers.

The Hays High School DECA class, along with many other community volunteers, will be knocking at your door Tuesday night.

 

Did you miss Saturday’s Fort Hays State University homecoming parade?

No problem.  Tune in to Eagle Community Channel 14 this week to watch the entire parade.

Today, the broadcast airs at 4 and 8p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, the FHSU parade can be seen at 11a.m., and 4 and 8p.m.

National Fire Prevention Week started Sunday.  This year’s theme is “Prevent Kitchen Fires.”

As Hays Fire Captain Aaron Ditter explains, cooking is the leading cause of home fires:

National Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of October 8^th, 1871, which killed 250 people and destroyed more than 17,000 structures.

 

Perfect weather was a perfect backdrop for today’s opening ceremony of the 41st annual Oktoberfest celebration in Hays Frontier Park.

Emcee Mike Cooper of Eagle Communications, along with representatives from the city, Ellis County, the Volga German Society and Fort Hays State University, welcomed the crowd.

Special recognition was given to longtime Oktoberfest organizers, Eleanor Schippers and Leona Pfeifer.

Finally, the beer keg was tapped with singing of the traditional toast, “Ein Prosit.”

Polka music is provided by the Joe Dolezal band for the 18th consecutive year.

Oktoberfest continues until 6p.m. tonight with music and dancing, food, beer, booths and lots of fun.

 

A lot of beer will be served and consumed this weekend during the annual Oktoberfest/Fort Hays State University homecoming celebration.

The city of Hays has a public possession ordinance, which prohibits walking with an open container of alcohol on a public sidewalk or street.

Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler says officers will be out in force, along with four bicycle officers.

“Our goal is to provide a safe environment,” says  Scheibler:

HPD will conduct D-U-I saturation patrols Friday and Saturday nights.

Volunteers from Fort Hays State University Greek Life, with a little help from the FHSU Groundskeepers, are putting the finishing touches on the 750 wood pallets piled high for tonight’s homecoming bonfire.

Dakota Thompson, Tau Kappa Epsilon, applies diesel fuel to the east side of the wood pile:

Members of the football team and the coaching staff, the FHSU Marching Band, the cheerleaders, the 2013 Alumni Award recipients and the Homecoming King and Queen candidates will join mascot Victor E. Tiger as he “Saves the Day” against the William Jewell College Cardinals.

The pep rally will be hosted by the “Voice of the Tigers,” Gerard Wellbrock of Eagle Radio Mix 103FM.

Bonfire festivities start at 7:30 tonight just east of the Robbins Center.  The event is sponsored by Tigers4Ever & Greek Life.

 

Hays native and Fort Hays State University alumnus Peter J. Werth has donated $1.6 million to FHSU.

The announcement was made during a news conference this morning, as the university kicks off homecoming weekend.

Werth graduated from FHSU in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.  He founded ChemWerth Inc. in 1982 in Woodbridge, Conn., to develop active pharmaceutical ingredients to produce generic drugs.

Peter and Pam Werth founded the Werth Family Foundation in 200 to support specific projects in educational, cultural and medical-related programs.

The Werth’s gift to FHSU will be used for STEM education–the science, technology, engineering and mathematics initiative in the Institute of Applied Technology; development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem; and the Department of Chemistry.

Werth will receive the Alumni Achievement Award Friday night during the Alumni Awards and Recognition Banquet.

“They already had designated me the Alumni Achievement winner before we donated the million-six,” Werth joked.

Another all-time record enrollment at Fort Hays State University this fall–13,441 students.

However, headcount for the China partner universities fell for the second consecutive year, down to 3,294 students.  President Ed Hammond says that was expected:

“From year to year we sometimes have smaller programs in other countries,” says Hammond.  This year FHSU canceled one of those programs at Maxwell College in Indonesia.   “We pulled the plug on Maxwell because we were not comfortable with the quality of that program.”