POWERING THROUGH AFTER SLUGGISH FIRST HALF, WILDCAT OFFENSE COMES ALIVE IN WIN OVER NORTH TEXAS
SPORTS D1 COVERING THE BETTER PART OF KANSAS
THE HUTCHINSON NEWS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2012
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Al-Qaida calls for more embassy attacks ■ But Muslim religious
leaders plea for no violence. BY AYA BATRAWY AND LEE KEATH Associated Press
CAIRO – Al-Qaida’s most active branch in the Middle East called for more attacks on U.S. embassies Saturday
to “set the fires blazing,” seeking to co-opt outrage over an anti-Muslim film even as the wave of protests that swept 20 countries this week eased. Senior Muslim religious authorities issued their strongest pleas yet against resorting to violence, trying to defuse Muslim anger over
the film a day after new attacks on U.S. and Western embassies that left at least eight protesters dead. The top cleric in U.S. ally Saudi Arabia denounced the film but said it can’t really hurt Islam, a contrast to protesters’ frequently heard cries that the movie amounts to a humiliating at-
tack that requires retaliation. He urged Muslims not to be “dragged by anger” into violence. The head of the Sunni Muslim world’s pre-eminent religious institution, Egypt’s Al-Azhar, backed peaceful protests but said Muslims should counter the movie by reviving Islam’s moderate ideas.
In the Egyptian capital Cairo, where the first protests against the movie that denigrates the Prophet Muhammad erupted, police finally succeeded in clearing away protesters who had been clashing with security forces for days near the U.S. Embassy. Police arrested 220 people and a concrete wall
Keeping the fair’s ship afloat Commercial exhibits director juggles duties BY KATHY HANKS The Hutchinson News khanks@hutchnews.com
Sue Stoecklein was striding to the Pride of Kansas Building Friday morning to greet the exhibitors. Never mind that she was still recovering from a fall off her bicycle on May 30 that shattered her right elbow in seven places and injured her leg. As the commercial exhibits director there wasn’t the time for Stoecklein to slow down. Not this week. She will have her first day off in a month on Sept. 22. “Come on, Chuck,” Stoecklein says to Chuck Harris, who supervises the Pride of Kansas Building during the fair. “Show off your building.” Harris proudly leads her past exhibitors related to all things agricultural. She tries to talk to every vendor, despite having 680 to visit within 10 days, located in 1,165 spaces. But she wants the people who work hard during the fair to know they are appreciated. Stopping to greet Will Ruder, who is manning U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s booth, he thanks her for having them at the fair. “The fair seems to go off without a hitch,” Ruder said, as
was erected across the road leading to the embassy. No significant protests were reported in the Mideast Saturday; the only report of violence linked to the film came from Australia, where riot police clashed with about 200 protesters at the
See ATTACKS / A4
GOV’S DINNERS
Officials fall short on open meetings ■ Transcripts from probe
show legislators have little knowledge about law. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
showed up for Kamp KIK, an overnight education program KLC is testing out. Mulch-Hart said the students, all education majors in their junior year, would spend Wednesday night at the fair and then go through KLC activities as students and teachers. Criss Palacioz, supervisor for KLC, said the goal was to help Kamp KIK participants become better teachers, as well as increase KLC numbers in the future. “We wanted to try and inform teachers about the programs so hopefully when these people (Kamp KIK participants) graduate, they’ll be familiar with the program and…the possibilities of education at the fair,” Palacioz said. Mulch-Hart said she got the idea from a
TOPEKA– Dozens of Kansas legislators questioned about private dinners with Gov. Sam Brownback at his official residence weren’t well-versed in the state’s Open Meetings Act, transcripts of their interviews show. The lawmakers were interviewed as part of a prosecutor’s investigation of the dinners. Few had read the open meetings law, and most reported receiving no formal training on how to avoid violating it, the transcripts showed. They had little written guidance other than a section in their legislative guidebook. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor released transcripts of interviews conducted by two deputies with 53 legislators regarding seven dinner meetings held in January at Cedar Crest, the governor’s residence. The lawmakers sat on 13 legBROWNBACK islative committees and almost all were Republicans, like Brownback. Taylor, a Democrat, concluded last month that legislators violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act, scolded them publicly and admonished them to become better informed about the law’s requirements. But he did not pursue further action, saying he could prove only “technical” violations. An exchange between Taylor’s deputies and Rep. Joe Scapa, a Wichita Republican,
See BIGGER / A3
See DINNERS / A3
Photos by Travis Morisse/The Hutchinson News
Above: Kansas State Fair Commercial Exhibit Director Sue Stoecklein looks at a photo album as she talks with Audrey Rush at the Kansas Honey Producers booth in the Pride of Kansas Building on Friday. Stoecklein visits all 680 commercial exhibitors during the fair. Below: Stoecklein shakes the hand of McPherson College’s Anna Ruxlow.
Stoecklein moves on to the next exhibitor. “All you have to do is look around. This is a tightly run ship, the crowds, the vendors. All from different socio-economic backgrounds from Kansas City to
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Kansas’ Largest Classroom gets even bigger this year BY KAYLA REGAN The Hutchinson News kregan@hutchnews.com
Junru Huang/The Hutchinson News
Evan Smith, left, 17, edits videos he took throughout the day while his teacher, Tim Woodcock, helps the Kansas’ Largest Classroom video journalism group edit on Tuesday.
Kansas’ Largest Classroom, the Kansas State Fair’s education program, already attracts thousands of elementary and middle school students from across the state with interactive demonstrations and hands-on experiences. However, with increasing demand for the fair’s high school program, as well as a new course for college students on the roster, Lori Mulch-Hart, state fair assistant manager, said Kansas’ Largest Classroom was bigger than ever. Previously, the fair didn’t offer formal education programs for college students. That changed Wednesday evening when 40 students from Tabor and Sterling colleges
INTERCEPTED LETTER: Sue Stoecklein, fair commercial exhibits director TV LISTINGS B5 Dear Sue: We’re sure you’ll be ready for a much deserved day off. Yours, Hutch
LOTTERIES OBITUARIES SPORTS
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CLASSIFIEDS OUTDOORS CROSSWORD WEATHER
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