By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays Arts Council Spring Art Walk has no boundaries.

Brenda Meder, HAC executive director, said the walk has no boundaries in the types of art that will be displayed or performed and no boundaries of the types of people expressing themselves through their art. The Spring Art Walk will be 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday.

The Spring Art Walk again will be anchored by the Smoky Hill Art Exhibition, which is celebrating its 50th year. The Smoky Hill is the longest, continuously running juried art show in the state of Kansas and is set annually at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.

In honor of the 50th year, the show awarded more prize money than in any time in the past — $3,330, including a $750 prize given in honor of former Fort Hays State University art professor Skip Harwick to Mic Jilg, also a former FHSU art professor.

The show, which is open to any Kansas artist, is as diverse as ever, featuring photography, paintings, collage, block printing, ceramics, sculpture, stained glass and assemblages. The juror choose 73 pieces from more than 300 entries.

“It really sets a tone for how broad the scope of art is and how many different ways there are to be personally expressive and celebrate that creative voice and expression that you need to speak,” Meder said.

Mike Michaelis, CEO of Emprise Financial Corporation, juried the Smoky Hill Exhibition this year. He has assembled the largest collection of art by Kansas artists.

“I was certainly honored to have him lend his eye and his background  and his appreciation for the arts to this show.

“There was a lot of amazing work,” Meder said. “The juror could go so many different ways. He acknowledged that when he came to look at the work in its actuality after he had selected it from photos.”

The Spring Art Walk has 30 participating locations, many with more than one artist or visual art and performance art or music.

“I love the fact that our art walk really does truly represent this cross section of arts and artists in our community,” Meder said.

Styles Dance Centre will host Jana’s Campaign.

“People are using the power of the arts to give a voice to something else, to activate people for a cause and to create awareness,” Meder said. “Those are some of the ways that the arts are celebrated or utilized to bring voice, to bring awareness, to bring a visual presence to things that they are committed to working on through that project.”

The Hays Pubic Library is hosting The Collaborative Art Project with art made by FHSU students and DSNWK clients. FHSU professor Amy Schmierbach recently won an award for her work with the program.

See related story: Art sale to highlight ribbon cutting for collaborative effort between FHSU, DSNWK

See related story: FHSU professor honored at FATE conference

“It’s fabulous. It is another one of these collaborative projects that she has been partnering with DSNWK for a long time with some of her students and getting them acclimated and connected to a world where it is both creative and artistic but also service-oriented,” Meder said.

“It also facilitates others to bring whatever form of expression they are capable of, they are interested in pursuing to their lives whether they are adults with some sort of disabilities or the most professional of artists,” she added.

Meder also noted on the second floor of the library, the young adults department will display the costumes created from recycled material for their Trashion Show.

“The way the creative mind works is fabulous,” she said. “So many people have different ways in which they express that creative mind.

“When you can see how that diversity is represented in a community like ours, that is when you can really, truly appreciate the role of the arts in our community — the diversity of the ages bringing that expression, the diversity of backgrounds, ability whether that is physical or intellectual to their art creation. There are no boundaries, and I hope people will see that Friday night.”

Meder noted a number of locations on the art walk will be open early or late, especially some of those on campus or outside of the downtown core.

The Sternberg Museum of Natural History will have free admission between 4 and 6 p.m. to see “Art & the Animal,” the 58th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Animal Artists.

BriefSpace and Grow Hays have invited the community to their new space and will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

“They are featuring the beautiful Kansas photography of Jessi Jacobs,” Meder said. “She is a very good photographer, and this is basically celebrating the visual majesty of Kansas.”

Three FHSU exhibits will also be opening early — “Introspective,” by BFA student Ashley Smith at the C.A.T.S. Gallery, Fatimah Alhazmy’s MFA exhibition at the Moss Thorns Gallery and the open studio exhibit at the FHSU Painting Lab in Rarick Hall.

Meder also wanted guests to enjoy the art walk’s music Friday, including the FHSU Jazz Ensemble from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Downtown Pavilion; jazz by Jim Pisano and William Flynn from 6:30 to 8:15 at Salon 1007 and 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Gella’s Diner; 80 Proof Alice from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Paisley Pear, Sunrise Biscuit at Breathe Coffee House; music by 809 Studio students at the 809 Studio; and the Community Acoustic Jam Session outside of the Ellis County Historical Society.

Meder encouraged street musicians to join the festivities. She said they could play outdoors as long as they don’t block the sidewalks.

Meder also encourages art lovers to come downtown and enjoy one of the Brick’s many restaurants or bars the night of the art walk.

“There are so many places in and around this downtown area that it can be truly an entire evening for you,” she said. “It is just such a wonderful celebration of who and what our community is whether you are a culinary artists at one of our restaurants or a visual artist or a performing artist or a poet and all of it you will find featured on the art walk.”

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

PLAINVILLE — The bankruptcies of two significant businesses in Plainville in just over a month has rocked the local economy.

About 40 people in Plainville lost their jobs when the furniture company and its subsidiaries closed. At its height, Dessin Fournir employed more than 90 people in Plainville, which has a population of about 1,800.

In addition, multiple buildings belonging to Dessin Fournir’s owner Chuck Comeau and his companies are under foreclosure from several local banks.

The Plainville Livestock Commission, a cattle market agent, filed for bankruptcy on March 1.

The market agent’s custodial bank account, which contained more than $900,000 that was meant to pay cattle sellers, has been frozen. More than 40 cattlemen had checks bounce.

The cattlemen expect to receive a significant portion of the funds they are owed; however, it could be months before they see any money due to the bankruptcy proceedings.

“I don’t want to minimize it. It will have a big impact,” said Roger Hrabe, director of Rooks County Economic Development. “This is not the first time.”

Schult Homes was a significant employer in Plainville. It closed its doors in 2008 after 40 years of operation in the community. The closing also threw a significant number of people out of work. However, Hrabe said the community was able to bounce back from that closure.

“Whatever becomes of this,” Hrabe said, “I think we will be able to come back from this somehow and create new jobs.”

Although Dessin Fournir has fallen on hard times, Hrabe said it was not because of its location in Plainville. He said Plainville still has quality employees and has shown that a multi-national company can operate in a rural area.

According to the latest unemployment rates released Friday, Rooks County’s unemployment rate jumped 0.4 percent to 4.3 percent, which is the highest rate in western Kansas.

Dan Steffen of the Kansas Department of Commerce said, with low unemployment in nearby counties, he thought those laid off by the Dessin Fournir closure should be able to find jobs quickly.

Ellis County’s unemployment rate was up slightly in March to 2.7 percent, but that is still considered very low.

Kansas Workforce in Hays has programs that can help the displaced employees, and its communications department is working to put together a public announcement that will help direct unemployed workers to those services.

RELATED: Kan. Department of Commerce offers rapid response for Dessin Fournir employees

The foreclosures could mean that multiple buildings in Plainville could all go on the market at once, which is significant for a small community.

However, Hrabe said the buildings are in excellent condition and would be good locations for new business that might want to locate in Plainville.

In terms of the Livestock Commission, Hrabe said, “I think the effects of any of the ag issues due to crop failure or disaster is difficult. I don’t think it is on the same scale as events in Nebraska, but it is difficult when things like that do happen. In this case, hopefully, they will recover the money.”

Hrabe said the Livestock Commission bankruptcy has caused a trickle-down effect for the community and the entire region.

Because the cattlemen have not been paid, they are having difficultly paying their bills.

Roger McEowen, an Washburn law professor, spoke to cattlemen in Stockton last week about the bankruptcy process and noted there is a multiplier of three to four times in the community associated with this agriculture revenue. With almost $1 million owed to producers, that equals $3 million to $4 million that has been taken out of circulation in the local economy.

Doug Zillinger, representing the sixth district on the Kansas Farm Bureau board of directors, said many people in his district said they have been affected by the Plainville Livestock Commission bankruptcy. He attended the McEowen discussion in Stockton on April 12.

“As I listen to my community talk, we have producers that didn’t get paid, and they are turning around trying to figure out how to get bank loans without the income to produce to pay that loan off,” he said. “They are trying to figure out how to pay their local people, so the ripple effect on this thing is pretty astounding.”

Cattlemen who did not have checks bounced from the Plainville Livestock Commission are also being affected. A group of Graham County producers, who had been taking cattle to Plainville, took cattle to North Platte to sell. That travel increases fuel costs. The trip cost $700 per load.

Hays Post contacted a number of local businesses in Plainville about the economic fallout of the bankruptcies. Those who were willing to comment had mixed feelings on the bankruptcies.

A.J. Thomas, CEO of the Rooks County Health Center, said the hospital intends to proceed with its planned expansion. He noted the hospital draws from a greater area than just Plainville. The hospital is currently one of the largest employers in the county.

Adam Kosinski, owner of the French Press coffee shop in Plainville, said he is concerned about his young venture, but has not seen a significant decrease in business yet.

The French Press has only been open a year in Plainville. He said he has seen less traffic coming through town as fewer cattlemen are bringing their cattle to the market in Plainville. The cattle market remains open, but is being operated by a different market agent.

Larry Denning, owner of the B&B restaurant and bar, said the sales at the Livestock Commission brought in a lot customers. He said Comeaus were also regular customers.

“I don’t know what is going to happen,” he said. “It is hurting everybody.”

He said he thought some families would leave the community permanently because of the closing of the furniture manufacturer.

“Those people, the jobs they had, they are not going to find anything like that around here,” he said.

Despite people being out of work, Denning said he has had no one come in asking for a job and he continues to struggle to find employees for the restaurant.

On Thursday, the Hays Public Library celebrated Easter early with story time, a visit form the Easter Bunny, Easter crafts and an Easter egg hunt.

The Easter egg hunt had about 200 eggs per age group. Library employees estimated about 200 children participated in the evening’s activities. All of the activities were free and open to the public.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post 

Steve Arthur, Ellis Public librarian, has been helping children build rockets for 10 years.

Among his latest students are members of Ellis Girl Scout Troop 11261, who willing be finishing DER Red Max rockets next week.

Arthur also works with 4-H youth and other community youngsters through the Ellis Recreation Commission in his Big Creek Rocketry program.

“What I hope they get out of it is a better appreciation of science,” Arthur said. “Some things they learn in school they can realize are hands on. They can get experience applying what they have learned in school. I hope this inspires them to study science and aerospace or engineering.”

Jade Harmon, 9, Brownie Scout from Ellis, is working on her second rocket with Arthur in Girl Scouts and has participated in the Ellis Rec rocketry class.

“I love building rockets, because we are able to construct something from scratch that can launch over 30 feet in the air,” she said. “I think it’s exciting to do STEM projects. We really challenge ourselves, and building rockets takes a lot of patience and focus. My dream is to one day become an astronaut, so rocketry helps achieve that dream!”

The girls are earning badges for their rocketry work. They also conducted experiments with water and learned about water conservation working on other STEM-related badges this school year.

Arthur pointed to current space missions as an example for the girls of the opportunities becoming available for women in space exploration.

Arthur talked about the planned all-women spacewalk at the International Space Station. American Anne McClain was pulled from the spacewalk at the last minute because the ISS did not have a spacesuit on board that would fit her.

Hoxie native Nick Hague made the walk instead.

“When I was a kid and I built rockets,” Arthur told the girls, “boys did this all of the time. There wasn’t any girls doing this. But things have changed. The same thing has happened with space.

“It used to be an all-boys thing. Not anymore. Because the girl who is up there, she almost walked in space and she would have been the first U.S. women to do a spacewalk ever.

“What does that tell you guys? … It means that you can do whatever you want. You don’t have to listen to other people tell you what they think you should do. If you want to walk in space, you can walk in space. Science is the only way you are going to get there. This is your first step into making your spacewalk.”

Arthur became interested in space watching the Apollo missions when he was a child. Astronauts were his heroes, and it was every kids’ dream to be an astronaut, he said. He also built rockets as a kid as did his sons.

One of his biggest thrills was seeing Apollo 13 astronauts Jim Lovell and Fred Haise, as well as Gene Kranz of Mission Control speak at Fort Hays State University in 2016.

“It was surreal for me,” he said. “They were incredible men.”

Although Arthur did have at least one of his rocketry students go on to study aerospace engineering, in most cases, he does not know what the impact of his students’ exposure to science and space will have.

“I hope, for the most part, the kids who actively participate in class, are the ones I impact. They may have never been exposed to this in any other way. I hope they pursue an interest in it.”

Arthur will offer a beginning rocketry class through the Ellis Recreation Commission Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22 at the Ellis Public Library for third through sixth graders. Cost is $15 and includes materials and snacks. Class space is limited. You do not have to be from Ellis to enroll. Registration deadline is May 8.

Big Creek Rocketry will have a launch in June. The date will depend on weather conditions. Watch the Big Creek Rocketry Facebook page for a date. Children and adults are welcome to attend. There will be extra rockets available to launch if a child would like to launch their own rocket.

Enrollment for Girl Scouts is open for the fall. For more information on Girl Scouts or to join, see their website. Girls can also sign up starting May 1 for an extended membership for $35, and that will include access to summer camps and activities as well as membership for all of next school year. Financial assistance for memberships is available for families in need.

Note: Cristina Janney is a Girl Scout leader with Troop 11261. You can submit other community news to the Hays Post at [email protected].