Hutchinson Magazine by Sunflower Publishing

Hutchinson M aga z i n e

Fall 2014

P h i l

e pp â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

artistic

inspiration

$4.00

The men

behind the Name

making your backyard

cluck

Step inside

the Lair White House

Hutchinson Volume 07 / Issue 02

Magazine

dear readers Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Director Dave Gilchrist Marketing Solutions Manager Anita Stuckey For Advertising Rates and Information

(620) 694-5700 ext. 222 sales Executives

Tammy Colladay Jade Piros de Carvalho Shelby Dryden Kyle Flax Mitch Hixson Alexis Rhodenbaugh Tom Sullivan Sam Wilk ad designers

DeRay Gamble Kim Hoskinson Rachel Hixson Jessica Price Nate Weaver Photographers

Aaron East Deb Hagen Kristen Garlow Piper Deborah Walker Contributing Writers

I was on assignment a few years ago when I discovered Phil Epp’s artwork. The Newton painter has captured the attention of art enthusiasts with his approach to Kansas’ clouds—seen beautifully in our Reno County landscape. Epp has also created some monumental larger works—including pieces for the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead and Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane. Seeing Epp’s pieces across Kansas got us at the magazine thinking: Where does he derive all of this fantastic inspiration? So we went straight to the source. This season you’ll enjoy a glossy gallery of Epp’s work, along with the photographic inspirations he draws upon. Also this fall, we dabble in the name game. From George W. Pyle Park to Gowans Stadium, we wanted to find out more about the outstanding citizens behind these landmarks—and why those landmarks were named for them. Writer Amy Bickel takes us on this unique journey. Don’t miss our Lifestyle piece on raising chickens at home. Three Hutchinson families have spread their wings to take off on this (somewhat) simple endeavor. And the payoff … well, it’s egg-cellent! This and so much more this season!

— Katy, Editor Follow us on twitter @hutchinsonmag find us on facebook: facebook.com/HutchinsonMagazine

Amy Bickel Amy Conkling Kathy Hanks Edie Ross Richard Shank

Production and Editorial Services for Hutchinson Magazine provided by:

Editor Katy Ibsen Designer Penny Brockman COPY EDITOR Deron Lee GENERAL MANAGER Bert Hull Publishing Coordinator Jenni Leiste Editorial comments (866) 655-4262 Subscriptions

$25 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Hutchinson Magazine. For subscription information, please contact:

The Hutchinson News Circulation Department Jenifer Sterling 300 W. Second | Hutchinson KS 67501 (620) 694-5700 ext. 115 (800) 766-5730 ext. 115 jsterling@hutchnews.com

Send your comments and suggestions to hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com

Hutchinson Magazine

Fall 2014

contents Features 38

The name game

From the ARchives

Inside the Mind of Phil Epp

Hear the stories behind some of Hutchinson’s most prominent namesakes

The Kansas artist known for painting our majestic clouds dives into his own inspiration

departments Lifestyle

Life’s a beach

gang of chickens

In landlocked Hutchinson, it’s always summer at the beach for John and Patty Hindman Raising chickens in the backyard is on trend in Hutchinson

Profiles

The Big Hunt

Keep Calm and Paint On

Heart Strings

The Lair White House

Dan Power follows his passion for hunting large game animals Hatch Studio inspires a new cadre of artists (plus wine!) Acclaimed traveling musician David Vidal finds a home away from home in the Heartland Celebrating over 100 years of the Kansas State Fair

Travel

Lone Star state of mind

Local pride shines through in a visit to the Texas capital— and it’s easy to see why

Hutch Talks

Kevin J. Miller

Laura Dick

President and chief executive officer of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System President of First National Travel Agency

In Every Issue: 2 dear readers

the end quote

best bets

Hutchinson Magazine

departments

8..................................... Lifestyle 20.................................. Profiles 52.....................................travel 58............................hutch talks

Fall 2014

Lifestyle

Hutchinson Magazine

John and Patty Hindman live a “staycation” lifestyle with their Hutchinson beach house.

Life’s a

Beach

In landlocked Hutchinson, it’s always summer at the beach for John and Patty Hindman Story by Amy Bickel

Photography by Deborah Walker

The only thing missing is the smell of the salty sea air. From the curb, the residence of John and Patty Hindman looks like any other small, ranch-style home on a middle-class street. But step inside and find jars filled with every variety of seashells and a pool glistening out the French doors. Pictures of the beach and ocean hang on the walls. “If there is anything in here that doesn’t say ocean or coastal, it goes,” Patty says with a chuckle. Creating a coastal home became their plan 10 years ago

when the Hindmans left the island of Oahu, where they lived just a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, to move back to Reno County. They loved the Hawaiian atmosphere, the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves. But when John retired as an airline pilot, the couple decided it was time to move back to where they grew up—central Kansas. Ten years later, the Hindmans have turned their Hutchinson home into what Patty calls a peaceful, spa-like space. “This is our paradise,” she says.

Fall 2014

Lifestyle

Mementos

“To the Beach” The sign that hangs on the wooden fence by the pool traveled with John and Patty Hindman from Hawaii— pointing people in the right direction toward the sand and sea. Ocean décor

Seashells and sand dollars create much of the beach feel at the Hindman home. John built shelving in the bathroom to display nautical items, including a starfish. All the pictures that hang on the walls are of waters and beaches. “If it doesn’t say Hawaii or coastal, it doesn’t belong in here,” Patty says. Craft Room – When having a party in Hawaii, it’s customary to always have a craft for the children to do, according to Patty. The couple added a craft room in their basement—sort of a storage room for future art projects—some of which they do with the neighborhood kids, “adopted grandchildren” Fifi and Olivia. Japanese fishing floats

These floats are coveted trophies for Hawaiians who find them bobbing in the ocean, says John of the hollow glass balls once used by Japanese fisherman to keep their nets afloat. Plastic ones are now used instead, but many glass balls still are floating in the Pacific Ocean, and they are sought-after collectibles. The Hindmans found many over the years and have glass floats of all sizes on display in the home.

“When I walk through the door and shut it, I am in my paradise. I can walk in and put my swimming suit on.” —Patty Hindman

Hutchinson Magazine

Nautical and beach décor pepper the house. After living in Hawaii for years, the Hindmans brought the beach with them when they returned to Hutchinson.

John had been a commercial airline pilot flying across the globe for United Airlines. “We could live anywhere,” he says, and, in the early 1990s, he and Patty decided to settle in Hawaii. “The mountains were on one side and the ocean on the other,” Patty says of their oceanfront property. John retired in 2000. Soon, John, a Haven native, was beginning to get island fever. “I wanted to get off the island,” he says. Patty, however, who grew up in McPherson, admits she was beginning to live and breathe the sea. She couldn’t stand the thought of leaving. She cried as they ventured back to Kansas. “I just fell apart. I just couldn’t believe I was having to leave that paradise,” she says. “I was out there on the ocean every day.” They came back to a little home in northwest Hutchinson. Patty had first purchased the small house, an old church parsonage, in the early 1970s, raising her two children there. After Patty married John in 1983 and moved away, her son took over the house. When they moved back in 2002, the house was far from an ocean paradise. John began doing the work to transform it into their Hutchinson beach house. John says he tore out walls and closets to enlarge rooms, including the master bathroom, which features a jetted tub. A wall was also knocked out to open up the kitchen, which is now divided by a bar area accented with pendant lighting. To regain a sense of the ocean, they transformed the backyard. They dug the underground pool, which is surrounded by

Fall 2014

Adopted Grandparents

For John and Patty, it is important to share their “coastal” home and pool with their adult friends. However, some of their most frequent guests are their “adopted grandchildren,” Fifi McClain, 11, and her sister Olivia, 16, children of their adult son’s friends, who live down the street. The couple met the McClain family in Hawaii. They had traveled to the islands with Patty’s son, who became friends with his neighbors while living in the Hindmans’ home back in Hutchinson. “They came for two weeks and we just loved them,” Patty says. “When we moved back and my son moved to Missouri, we connected with them.” John and Patty have no grandchildren of their own, so they dote on Fifi and Olivia, who spend many days during the week playing at Patty and John’s home. The girls come over and work in the couple’s basement craft room or the makeshift playroom. For the girls, it is their spa. They have makeup and nail polish, chairs and tables. They even have a sign they hang on the door to tell the Hindmans when the business is open. “They do my toes,” Patty says. “We created an imagination room,” she says. “If they want to paint, they paint. It is a room down there where they can use their imagination.”

Hutchinson Magazine

Upon their return, priority No. 1 was quick and easy access to the pool. The Hindmans made many upgrades to the home to create their own slice of paradise.

a flower garden of daylilies, daisies, roses, sunflowers and black-eyed Susans. A sign on the wood fence ushers visitors “To the Beach.” “It was just a plain backyard,” John says. “We wanted to have some water.” Now, they are able to use their heated pool from April through October. Since they were used to seeing the sea every day, John took out two small windows on the back of the home and put in French doors that opened up to a deck and a “nautical” view. From there they enlarged two small windows in the kitchen to let in more light and create a greater view of the backyard. “I wanted to see through the house,” Patty says. “Even though we were going back to Kansas, I still had to see the water. As you walk through the house, you can see water from each room.” Although they do travel back to Hawaii and coastal areas several times year, this is now home. “You don’t have to have a lot of furniture or a big house to say this is paradise,” says Patty.

Fall 2014

Lifestyle

Heath and Theo Adams with the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clucker, Pepper.

The adams Family 14

Hutchinson Magazine

gang

chickens Raising chickens in the backyard is on trend in hutchinson Story by Amy Conkling

Photography by Kristen Garlow Piper

Farm fresh eggs don’t have to necessarily come straight from the farm. Grass-fed chicks don’t necessarily have to graze on acres of fields, either. For these Hutchinson residents, all it takes is a few steps in their backyard to enjoy the eggs— and fun—that raising chickens has to offer, minus the living-out-in-the-country part.

The “Mom, Can We Have One?” Purchase

Angela Adams can thank her 12-year-old daughter, Alina, for her family’s love of chickens. She can also thank the tween for the family’s stylish chicken coop—a hotpink and lime-green paint scheme that Alina envisioned and painted herself. Angela Adams says her daughter begged for months to own chickens. An animal lover, she was a city girl who had a farm heart. Angela and her husband, Heath, gave in and made a visit to Orscheln to pick out two chicks. “After a few months it was obvious one of them was a rooster,” Angela says. “He crowed at 6 a.m. every morning.” Due to city ordinance—and to keep the neighbors happy— the Adamses sent the rooster on his way with a family friend who lived outside of town. And because they couldn’t have a lonely chicken, they purchased two more, bringing their total count to three. Angela says the chickens have been a father-daughter project from the beginning, more than a year ago, when Alina raised the chicks in an old guinea pig cage while Heath sketched plans for the chicken coop. Older brother

Theo joined the fun, too, helping name the brood that includes white-feathered McNugget, reddish-brown feathered Cadbury, and black-and-white barred-feathered Pepper. Their family dog, Snickers, even acts as guard dog when an unwelcomed cat in the backyard goes by the coop. The chickens roam around hunting for bugs and eating grass when the Adamses are at home. And when company comes over—especially younger nieces, nephews and cousins—the chickens take center stage. “Each chicken has its own personality, with McNugget being the bossy one and Cadbury and Pepper staying closer together since they’re younger and grew up together,” Angela says. “We’ve learned to keep a closer eye on them when they’re out in the yard, though. They’ve escaped through a gap in the fence and we’ve had to chase them across several backyards. Chickens can be tough to catch.” Angela says the chicks have become a part of the family as they’ve watched them mature from fuzzy chicks to adults hatching that first egg. “We often tease Alina that they’ll be going off to college with her,” Angela says.

“After a few months it was obvious one of them was a rooster … He crowed at 6 a.m. every morning.”” —Angela Adams

Gina Adams with Pepper. Fall 2014

Lifestyle

Austin and Amy Johnson with their herd of chickens.

The Johnson Family 16

Hutchinson Magazine

The Young “Experts” in the Field

Amy and Austin Johnson have become chicken-raising experts in the Hutchinson area. The young couple has led a few workshops in town as they help other interested residents begin the chicken-raising process. The couple has dreams of someday living on a farm, but for now, they enjoy animals that can be kept in the backyard. Amy says the best part of keeping chickens is having an in-house supply of fresh eggs, which she says are far better than any store-bought eggs. “There is a huge difference,” Austin says. “We know what our chickens are eating and that our eggs are the healthiest and freshest we can find. The best part is if you’re making something and it calls for eggs, all you have to do is go in the backyard, reach into the coop and pull out a fresh egg for your recipe.” It also helps that the chickens tend to be the couple’s personal weed-eaters and bug-zappers, as they eat them both. They also eat chicken scratch, leftovers and watermelon. And as chickens tend to do, they have produced great fertilizer for other plants in the Johnsons’ yard. “Our cherry trees have never produced so much up until this year, thanks to the chickens fertilizing them,” Amy says. Like the Adamses, the Johnsons say their chickens have become family pets, each with their own personalities. Amy claims they’re “spoiled rotten” and are too smart for their own good, especially one of their hens named Sally. “As soon as we step down to go out to our back door, she hears us and alerts the others that we are coming out,” Amy says. “They’re all unique and so smart.”

“We know what our chickens are eating and that our eggs are the healthiest and freshest we can find.” —Amy Johnson

Fall 2014

Lifestyle

Sara, Emmet, Lacie and Ava (inset) all enjoy playing with the chickens when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of their stylish coop.

The Penner Family

Hutchinson Magazine

The Wannabe Country Folks

When Sara Penner was about 14 years old, she decided, with the help of her brother, to raise about 50 chickens one summer. She did it on a whim, but through the process, fell in love with them. As a result, she determined that when she “grew up” she’d live on a farm with a barnyard filled with cows, chickens and horses. Today, Sara and her husband, Mike, along with their three young children, do not live on a farm, but instead live on two acres north of Hutchinson, right outside the city limits, with the same dreams of eventually having cows and horses on their property to join their new clan of chickens. This spring, the young family built a bright red and blue chicken coop for the eight young chicks, three of which their children received as an Easter gift from the grandparents. The Penners’ chicken family includes three Ameraucanas, which produce pastel-colored eggs, as well as three Rhode Island Reds and two all-white chickens. The Penners have made it a family affair from the beginning, including their children in the construction of the coop and the daily care of the chickens. Oldest child Lacie, 6, says her favorite job is feeding the chickens. Ava, 4, enjoys holding them and feeding them crickets she’s caught with her dad. “We felt having the chickens would teach the kids about the animal cycle and how to care for animals,” Sara says.

“We felt having the chickens would teach the kids about the animal cycle and how to care for animals.” —Sara Penner

Fall 2014

profile

Dan Power in his game room. The hunting enthusiast has traveled on many big-game hunts, retuning with some magnificent animals.

Hutchinson Magazine

The big

hunt

Dan Power follows his passion for hunting large game animals Story by Kathy Hanks

Photography by Deb Hagen

The South African Cape buffalo, often referred to as “Black Death,” stared Dan Power in the eye. With precision, Power readied his bow and arrow, setting up the perfect shot. Tension was high as he released the arrow, not realizing it had been pulled off its rest as he came through the brush. Whoosh…. The arrow flew, but missed Black Death, who was just 20 yards away from Power. The animal is known for its unpredictable nature and is highly dangerous to humans. “He was looking for us,” says Power. “We stayed stock-still.” It took two more days on the Eastern Cape of South Africa before Power took another aim at Black Death. This time he used a Remington .375 Ultra Magnum with a 300-grain bullet, and the animal fell with one shot. The recent safari, last June, was the most challenging of his more than 30 years pursuing wild game. As with so many of Power’s other hunting trips, there were several prize trophy mounts to add to his collection. Most days, Dan Power is a dapper partner with Edward Jones Financial. But, when his personal financial portfolio allows it, he puts on his camouflage gear, smears his face with dark paint and heads into the brush—or to a mountaintop, or even a glacier—with his bow and arrow in hand, pursuing yet another wild animal. Entering Power’s Hutchinson home, which feels more like a natural history museum, guests first visit the North American room, where looming brown bears, bison and a mountain lion stare back at them. “I took that mountain lion 6 miles north of U.S. 50 highway,” Power says. But, he adds, not in Kansas—near Salida, Colorado. Power sees big-game hunting as a way to help the balance of nature. He hunts on wild game concessions where the owners breed for the best genetics. And he hunts only the older males who are out of production and about to be booted out of the herd. Many of his North American trips are facilitated through Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures. From hunting caribou and mountain goats in Alaska or black bears in Canada, to fishing in the Amazon, Power has experienced the exhilaration of these unique hunts. Sometimes his trips have been downright uncomfortable. Like the time in the Arctic, where he rode in a dog sled and experienced a heat wave when temperatures rose to 25 below. “I couldn’t tell where the sky started or the tundra stopped,” he says. He slept in a tiny cabin, where there was a Coleman cook stove to heat both his dinner and the cabin. The warmth from the stove gave him the courage to quickly peel off a layer or two of clothing, before slipping into a sleeping bag.

Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures aren’t for the hunting novice, but for serious, accomplished hunters who want to experience something beyond Kansas. A variety of hunting adventures are available yearround. BIG GAME NORTH AMERICA Elk Moose Caribou Mule Deer Antelope Dall’s Sheep Stone’s Sheep Rocky Mt. Bighorn Sheep Desert Bighorn Sheep Black Bear Brown/Grizzly Bear Goats Lions Whitetails Polar Bear/Musk Ox/Wolf Blacktail Varmint/Alligator Aoudad Coues Deer Wild Hogs (Archery and Estate hunts also available) BIG GAME INTERNATIONAL HUNTS South Africa Namibia Zimbabwe Mozambique Tanzania Cameroon Botswana Zambia Australia New Caledonia New Zealand Argentina Spain Scotland Mongolia Turkey

Fall 2014

profile

“??????” —????

Power’s trophies include (clockwise from top): a mountain lion, a South African Greater Cape Kudu, a musk ox and a mountain goat

Hutchinson Magazine

Nature calls were answered posthaste. But the bitter conditions were worth the time. Power bagged a caribou with a “matched set of shovels,” the lower part of the antlers, which is rare. While hunting trips have taken him around the globe, he is not above hunting outside his front door just north of Hutchinson. That’s where a red fox was bagged, after it killed nine of his ducks. He doesn’t mind coexisting with red foxes, but when they start to pick on his livestock, it gets personal, he says. Or there was the time he came home from work, still dressed in his suit and tie, and a gorgeous Tom turkey was standing in the yard. He didn’t bother to change his clothes; he just grabbed his bow and arrow, getting within 30 yards. Power’s wife, Shirley, was happy to cook Tom for dinner. Though Shirley traveled with him to South Africa, she doesn’t hunt; but she respects her husband’s hobby. “He enjoys it and it’s important to him,” Shirley says. At the same time, she was forced to lay down some ground rules on where his collection of wild game could be displayed in their spacious home. After taking over the family room, Shirley warned him there would be no wild animals in the kitchen, living room, dining room or bedrooms. That left him with his home office, which he turned into his South African room. It’s filled with such trophies as a kudu and gemsbok—both types of antelope, but the gemsbok has a striped face like a zebra. The Cape buffalo is still in Africa, in preparation to be shipped fully mounted. In fact, Shirley made leopard-print curtains for the room, and they have decorated it with a collection of artifacts brought back from several trips to Africa. Power says he must be in perfect shape to endure the grueling experience of big-game hunting. The trips can be both high energy and high stress in all kinds of weather and terrain. “You are not a responsible hunter unless you do your homework,” he says. Big-game hunting is a passion—but, he says, it’s a passion he can control. Growing up in Chicago, he loved watching adventure shows, like Wild Kingdom. “I always imagined what [big-game hunting] would be like, but never thought that it would happen,” Power says. After college and meeting Shirley, he began hunting on her family farm for recreation and stress release. By the time he moved to Hutchinson, he made friends with other hunters who took him hunting for ducks and upland birds. It snowballed from there. “It’s something I got a taste for,” he says.

Fall 2014

profile

Kimberly Carson and Mandy Holmes get crafty at Hatch Studios, Hutchinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest artistic hub.

Hutchinson Magazine

Keep Calm and

Paint On Hatch Studio inspires a new cadre of artists (plus wine!) Story by Amy Conkling

Photography Deb Hagen

Hatch Studios is slightly off the beaten path of the arts and cultural heartbeat of Downtown Hutchinson. And that’s just how owner and founder Lacey Schechter likes it. What’s not to love, she says jokingly, about a painting studio that’s next door to a music store and across the street from a tattoo parlor? “We were first worried that we were too far north from the downtown action,” Schechter says. “But this helped us carve out our own niche. We have our own art scene on this part of Main Street.” Hatch Studios opened its doors on Main between Fourth and Fifth Streets early this year, but the idea of owning a community art studio had been rolling around in Schechter’s head years before it even took off.

it in Hutchinson. Her original vision was to simply offer bimonthly wine and painting classes. From that single activity, however, the company has since expanded to offer youth art time and open adult painting time, with private parties squeezed in between—which happen to be booked solid for at least three months out. Schechter has added a partner in the business, Kaycee McGill, as well as an additional instructor and another employee who assists with kids’ classes. As with all small start-ups, promotion was done by word of mouth, social media and one 15-second radio ad during the studio’s first month in business. “That’s all we could afford at the time,” Schechter says.

Hatching an idea

Location, Location, Location

More than five years ago, when Schechter was an art education major in college, she became nervous right before she was about to start her student teaching. She knew art education in public schools was limited, and she came to the realization that she didn’t want to teach in a school setting. Instead, Schechter wanted to teach the community. She wanted to inspire adults who had never picked up a paintbrush or hadn’t picked one up in years. With that idea in mind, she took on a concept that had become quite popular in larger cities—wine and painting parties—and introduced

Schechter admits that when she first went location-shopping about two years ago, it was tempting to locate her business on the south part of Main Street and in the midst of the Downtown Hutchinson and Third Thursday action. But after looking at various locations, she decided it was the spot between Fourth and Fifth Streets that she really liked—and she also liked the landlords, who now live above her business in a renovated studio apartment. Originally the building housed Jackson Dairy’s storage space upstairs. Schechter thinks the

Fall 2014

Lacey Schechter

Hutchinson Magazine

For more information on what Hatch Studios has to offer, including private parties, open hours and other events, visit Hatch Studios on Facebook or at www.hatchstudioshutch.com.

Kaycee McGill

downstairs area may have been an ice cream parlor, as evidenced by the Neapolitan ice cream colors of cream, brown, light green and pink still on parts of the plastered walls. “We started blasting off the plaster walls and noticed the striped ice cream colors, which we now try to incorporate into our existing décor,” she says. The entrance area has a chalkboardlike floor—perfect for when kids come and want to color on the surface—and the space boasts a vintage honeycomb-shaped white and brown tile scheme in the painting area. The original floors have worked well for the studio, blending in nicely with the canvas art and pictures scattered across the walls. Partners with a Purpose

Both Schechter’s and McGill’s artwork hangs on the walls, mirroring their

personalities. Schechter, the free spirit, paints her canvases using whimsical strokes and bright and cheerful colors. McGill— who admits she’s more type-A—has a more straight-lined, realistic style. Schechter was immediately drawn to McGill before she even took a glance at her artwork and resume, which included a fine arts degree from Newman University in Wichita. McGill says they’ve become more than business partners, but also friends and moms to each other’s children. Schechter has an 11-year-old daughter, a 5-year-old son, and a 3-year-old daughter, while McGill has two boys, ages 4 and 2. They bring their children to the “office” and also tag-team when it comes to picking them up from childcare or running errands.

Schechter is the visionary who voices her dreams and future plans, while McGill is the pragmatist, putting those visions down on paper and making them a reality. “I love being in this process, connecting with other artists in Hutchinson and the business owners around here,” McGill says. “Hutch art in general has made great strides, and it’s exciting to see where it will go.” Schechter agrees, but also says they aren’t resting on their current success. The duo continually discusses their future business plans and ideas. “We’re not blind to the fact that this is a trend right now,” Schechter says. “At some point we’re going to reach that breaking point, which is why we’re always looking ahead. But we’re also enjoying where we’re at right now in this business.”

Fall 2014

profile

David Vidal spends a great deal of time traveling the country, and Hutchinson has become one of his favorite destinations to perform.

Hutchinson Magazine

HEart

Strings

Acclaimed traveling musician David Vidal finds a home away from home in the Heartland Story by Edie Ross

Photography Deborah Walker

As a 4-year-old, David Vidal began fiddling with his father’s guitar. Placing the old Gibson on his lap, he would slide a stubby fingernail up the strings, fascinated at the sounds he could produce. That this childhood memory was a foreshadowing of his current, acclaimed musical career is not lost on Vidal, nor is the kindness his father showed in allowing him to explore the instrument and the sounds he could pull from it rather than correcting him. “It was a great gift he gave me,” Vidal says. The heart of Americana

Nearly six decades later, Vidal is still exploring where music can take him. Since the 1980s, he’s worked as a traveling musician. Vidal modestly says his music falls “somewhere within” the Americana genre, but critics have gone so far as to say the term “Americana” was “made for Vidal’s music.” New Mexico-born and based out of Los Angeles, Vidal’s songs have found their way into films and television shows. He’s released four critically acclaimed albums, the most recent of which has some songs that were penned in Hutchinson, a place Vidal happened upon a few years ago and says he has since become enamored with. “It is so quintessentially Middle America to me,” he says on a July morning, sipping coffee at Bluebird Books. “People use ‘heart of America’ as a figure of speech, but this truly is the heart of America.” Traveling musician

The youngest child in a musical family, Vidal says his earliest influences were his parents; his father was a talented amateur piano player, and his three older sisters had a vocal trio. Growing up, Vidal paid attention first to what he heard on the radio—from country warblers to Motown crooners—and then started catching live acts that came through town, such as Big Mama Thornton and the Grateful Dead. Vidal taught himself how to play the guitar by working through a songbook—a means of learning that also opened up the world of composing music. “I would get to the chords I couldn’t play and instead of learning the chord, which at that time was a tedious process, I’d just make up my own thing there,” he says.

Hutchinson and Kansas have benefited from traveling musician David Vidal, and in turn he gives something back to the music community here. For one thing, he is a strong proponent of live music in the area. “I think any time we have traveling musicians, it raises the expectations of live music in our community,” says Bob Colladay, local musician and booking agent for Hutchinson Theatre Guild’s Stage 9. Vidal says he finds plenty of places to play during his stops through town. Colladay agrees that there are a handful of businesses that offer the opportunity for live music, a few on a consistent basis and others semi-regularly. It’s Colladay’s hope and goal that, as live music makes its way into the community’s consciousness, additional venues will open up and current venues will make consistent live music a priority. Want more live music in Hutchinson? Support these efforts: • Smith’s Market: semi-regularly on Saturday afternoons. • Metropolitan Coffee: Friday and Saturday nights. • PiZaacos: semi-regularly on Thursday nights. • Nicholaus Jewelry and Design: as the opportunity arises. •B luebird Books: semi-regularly on Saturday afternoons. •S tage 9: semi-regularly when Hutchinson Theatre Guild’s schedule allows. •T he Rusty Needle: Saturday evenings •C ool Beans: Fridays 11:45-1 p.m. •T hird Thursdays: Third Thursday of every month. •R eno County Farmers Market: Wednesdays and Saturdays through October 25.

Fall 2014

profile

“This town is like a movie set. To me it is like an undiscovered gem.” —David Vidal

In a way, Vidal has always been a traveling musician. His family moved multiple times as he was growing up, and even after leaving home he continued to travel, guitar in hand, around the United States, Canada and Mexico, sometimes hitchhiking, sometimes jumping a freight train. Music became refuge for him. He describes his younger self as “painfully shy.” Writing and performing music was a way to connect to others. “My traveling, my wayward youth, all of that gelled into me playing music,” he says. “I had some talent and was basically a hippie who needed a job. And I just kept doing it.” His broad array of influences and life experiences give Vidal a unique sound to complement his unique talent. “I have been completely blown away by his sound and authenticity,” says Third Thursday founder and community activist Jennifer Randall, who has become a friend to Vidal. “You really listen, it is all there—no special effects, just raw. … You can feel everything through the vocals and the guitar.” Hooked on Hutchinson

In 2011, Vidal found himself searching the internet for a Kansas location to play a few gigs. His musical travels were often taking him to Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska, and he wanted to make the most of his route through the Heartland.

Hutchinson Magazine

He came upon Randall’s Facebook page and approached her about playing during a Third Thursday. Randall jumped at the chance to have him visit and play, and even gave him a place to stay while he was in town. Others he met in town showed him the same hospitality, and Vidal found himself “hooked,” as he says, on Hutchinson. “As a traveling musician I’m always amazed at, and just touched by, the kindness people show … and the openness they show,” he says. “The willingness to connect and take you in—it is one of the perks of the job. I develop friendships wherever I go, but probably Hutchinson is a little more—for whatever reason.” Over the years Vidal has visited Hutchinson multiple times, playing around the community and region. Even as a perpetual visitor, Vidal has managed to become part of the community, leading songwriting seminars at Bluebird Books, playing at Third Thursdays and adding his unique sound to the community’s soundtrack. In return, Hutchinson has provided a respite for Vidal, a place where he can stop and retrieve some of the grounding he loses as a traveling musician. And Kansas, he says, has been good for his creative juices. “It is a beautiful state,” he says. “There is a certain magic to it. There is something about the topography and geography—just the sheer emptiness of it makes the human endeavor a little bit more important.”

david vidal at a glance Instruments played: Traditional and slide guitar, harmonica, keyboard, percussion, vocals. All-time favorite musician: Mississippi John Hurt (“There is a sweetness and a greatness to him”). What he doesn’t like: “There is good music in every genre. I guess what I don’t like is bad music or mediocre music. I don’t like that.” For more on David Vidal and his upcoming shows, visit www.davidvidal.net.

Fall 2014

profile

Mary Alice Lair at the Kansas State Fairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lair White House. The new museum will celebrate people, mementoes and memories of the treasured fair.

Hutchinson Magazine

The Lair White

House

Celebrating over 100 years of the Kansas State Fair Story by Richard Shank

Photography Kristen Garlow Piper

As the 102nd Kansas State Fair approaches, the entire fair community is looking forward to one milestone in particular—the Lair White House. A sparkling new 2,684-square-foot, two-story home will soon open to the public as a museum commemorating artifacts and memories of the Kansas State Fair. Preserving the fairgrounds

In 1995, Mary Alice Lair of Chanute joined the Kansas State Fair Board of Directors at the invitation of Gov. Bill Graves. Lair was no stranger to the State Fair, as she had attended the previous 20 fairs as a volunteer. Soon after joining the board, she found herself crisscrossing the nation attending other state fairs for ideas on how to make Kansas’ even better—and not just the fair, but the fairgrounds as well. Lair was front and center lobbying in Topeka when in 2001, the Legislature debated an expenditure of $30 million to upgrade and restore the Kansas State Fairgrounds. That same session, Gov. Graves signed legislation approving what came to be known as the “Master Plan” for the fairgrounds. Although the state allocated millions of dollars to update the grounds, no funds were set aside for future upkeep, making the fair’s Board of Directors responsible for maintaining the grounds and buildings. As a result, a group of State Fair boosters took a leap of faith and established the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation in 2003. Their long-term goal would include the renovation, preservation and beautification of the fairgrounds. Building for Past and Present

Shortly after the formation of the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation, board members set their sights on the their first project—restoration of the “House of Capper.” The structure was built on the fairgrounds in 1915 as a gift from Kansas Gov. Arthur Capper. As legend goes, early fairgoers could stop at the House of Capper for a cold

Fall 2014

profile

drink of water and might even hear a speech from the governor of Kansas. With that restoration project completed in 2009, the foundation put in motion a plan to commemorate the centennial of the fair, which would come just four years later, and drew a blueprint for establishing a museum to preserve and display the history of the Kansas State Fairs. For decades, fairgoers passed by a small white house on the fairgrounds and inquired about its existence. The house was a year-round residence for the event’s caretaker. In more recent years, the single-story structure was a sanctuary for board members, governors and legislators to relax or hold meetings during the fair. At first, it seemed the small white house might be a suitable storehouse of State Fair lore, but upon closer examination the structure had seen its better days. Options included a massive face-lift or a demolition of the existing structure in favor of a new building; the board voted unanimously for the latter. Making a Museum

To raise the more than half a million dollars needed to rebuild the house into a museum, they would need to make a major fundraising effort. The foundation created and sold a Kansas State Fair commemorative cookbook at the 2012 State Fair. Boots and Bling, an annual fundraising auction hosted by the foundation, sold everything from the work of Kansas artists to university football tickets. Meanwhile across the Midway, foundation members worked a booth to sell T-shirts, caps and other trinkets. Legacy benches that would appear on the fairgrounds were sold to supporters, and in the end donors from more than 20 states sent large and small contributions. As the centennial Kansas State Fair approached in 2013, a significant amount of money still needed to be raised. The foundation asked Brad Rayl, longtime member of the Kansas State Fair Board of Directors, to oversee the project, much as he had done with the Master Plan 12 years earlier. A single fundraising call from Rayl to Lair, his former fellow board member, was successful, and plans were underway to break ground. Rayl also sought permission to name the building in her honor, an offer she initially declined. Be that as it may, 100 years to the hour after the first official Kansas State Fair opened its gates, ground was broken for the Lair White House on September 15, 2013. Once word hit the streets about a State Fair Museum, it seemed the entire state came calling with offers to assist. Pittsburg State University School of Construction students assisted in designing and building the structure.

The Lair White House will be open daily during the 2014 Kansas State Fair. There will be no admission charge.

Hutchinson Magazine

“The Kansas State Fair is an event where you meet up with 350,000 happy people. State Fair people are one big family and to me, this event is even more exciting than Christmas.” —Mary Alice Lair

For its premiere, the museum will feature an exhibit on Bardo, famed Kansas State Fair personality and clown.

Hutchinson Community College students were on hand to weld the iron railing around the house, and Hutchinson Lawn Service installed underground sprinklers. During the 2013 State Fair, students built cabinets for the home under the watchful eye of fairgoers. In honor of Bardo

The theme for the museum’s first fair is “Year of the Clown;” on display at the museum will be memorabilia from the life of J.B. Holdren, affectionately known as Bardo the Clown. Bardo grew up in Hutchinson, and after service in World War II, he returned to his hometown in the summer of 1945 in search of a job. Armed with a creative spirit, he sought employment as a sign painter and clown for the Kansas State Fair, and his hiring would lead to an association lasting 67 years. J.B. passed away on January 1, 2013 in his home on the fairgrounds. To best honor Bardo’s legacy, the call to obtain his memorabilia was answered enthusiastically. Charlotte Summers, the Lair White House curator, soon found herself cataloging clown suits, photos and carvings of carousel horses, old shoes, stools and even Bardo’s big red wagon. His well-traveled trunk from World War II found its way to the museum, along with an autographed picture from his World War II buddy Red Skelton, who performed at the fair. “Bardo loved the Kansas State Fair,” Summers says. “He must be smiling down from Heaven knowing the honor that has been bestowed upon him.” Lori Hart, Kansas State Fair assistant manager, agrees. “For 67 years, Bardo welcomed everyone to the Kansas State Fair.” Soon, the Foundation Board of Directors will decide on an honoree for next year. Lasting legacy

Though she resisted having the new museum named after her, Mary Alice Lair could not be more excited about its grand opening. “I love the Kansas State Fair, and this museum will be something no other fair has,” Lair says. “This museum fits in perfectly with the improvements made to the fairgrounds since 2001, and is icing on the cake.” The Lair White House resembles a home one might expect to have seen 100 years ago on the Kansas prairie. It will not only display the fair’s history, but provide a central meeting place for meetings with vendors, sponsors, legislators and Kansas governors.

Fall 2014

Hutchinson Magazine

features

38.................................... The name game 43............................... from the archives 44............................. The mind of phil epp

Fall 2014

the

name game S to ry by A my B i ck el

Hear the stories behind some of Hutchinson’s most prominent namesakes They were people who made in difference in Hutchinson’s storied past. But today, most probably don’t think about Jim Martinez’s impact as they bicycle the trail around Hutchinson or Nelson Hobart’s dedication as they play baseball in Carey Park. A man named Gowans isn’t on the minds of fans as they root on the Hutchinson High School Salthawk football team at home. Moreover, residents driving across town on some of Hutchinson’s main thoroughfares don’t often consider the dedication of Ken Kennedy or Woodie Seat. There are many names to remember in Hutchinson history, but here is a sampling of a few good men who shaped the Salt City.

Woodie Seat Freeway Just a few months before he died of cancer, in May 1962, Woodie Seat’s colleagues on the city commission bestowed a lasting honor on the Hutchinson mayor. They renamed a freeway that connects Hutchinson to South Hutchinson after him. He was a Hutchinson city commissioner from 1961 to 1962, serving as mayor in 1962. Seat was born in Grandview, Missouri and moved to Hutchinson in 1947. He started the Line Construction Co., which in the 1960s was considered one of the leading outdoor electrical contractors in Kansas. After Seat received his diagnosis, the commission renamed the former Jefferson Street Viaduct as “Woodie Seat Freeway” in honor of Seat’s contributions to the commission.

Hutchinson Magazine

“While I feel very flattered, I hardly deserve it. There are so many more who have done more for the community,” Seat said at the time. He made his last public appearance a month before his death, attending an “emotion-packed” commission meeting. He relinquished his mayoral duties to successor, H.W. Thiessen. According to The Hutchinson News “He left the chambers in a wheelchair accompanied by a nurse.” Before his death, he said to a news reporter, “have you ever thought about what this world would be like without you in it? There won’t be any Woodie Seat. It’s hard to imagine. It kinda scares you.” But Seat’s legacy lives on—thanks to the viaduct that still connects the two communities.

Hobart-Detter Field

Images courtesy of the Hobart Family

Despite being struck with polio at age 12 and being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, Nelson Hobart’s love of sports—especially baseball—never went away. He is the “Hobart” in Carey Park’s Hobart-Detter Baseball Field, a tribute to his work building semi-professional baseball in Hutchinson in the 1970s. “My dad ran the Hutchinson Broncs for 16 years,” says son Ted Hobart. “Dad wasn’t a baseball player. He was in a wheelchair … but baseball was just something that he loved.” Hobart operated Hutchinson Baseball Enterprises, which brought semi-pro baseball to Hutchinson from 1970 to 1985. The company leased Detter Field, named after Bud Detter, who, among many things, did radio broadcasts at Hutchinson sporting events and announced games at the city’s NJCAA tournament. Detter died in 1957. “Detter Field had fallen into disrepair,” says Ted. His father provided some of the funds for the face-lift, which included new lights, restrooms, bleachers and a scoreboard. “He paid for the upgrades himself, out of pocket.” Nelson’s desire was to offer opportunities for those who could field and swing a bat. Some of them, in fact, were future high-profile professional players like Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro and Roger Clemens. “He was just a very gregarious person, warm and friendly,” Ted adds. “Despite him being in a wheelchair, a few minutes of talking with my dad and the wheelchair would disappear. You didn’t realize he was handicapped.” In 1991, the field was remodeled and rededicated as Hobart-Detter Field. Nelson Hobart threw out the first pitch. Hobart passed away in March 2011. Today, Hobart-Detter Field is home to another semi-pro team, the Hutchinson Monarchs, along with many other baseball games during the season.

Fall 2014

George W. Pyle Park As the story goes, a mustache would have kept George Pyle from the job as Hutchinson’s city manager in 1967. At least, that is what a city council member told Pyle when he was officially voted in by a 3-2 margin for the job, according to Hutchinson resident Joe Palacioz. But fate intervened on Pyle’s trip to Hutchinson for the job interview. “He came down for the interview from McCook, Nebraska, he stopped in Great Bend to get his mustache shaved off,” says Palacioz, who was Pyle’s assistant for 10 years before taking over as Hutchinson’s city manager when Pyle retired in 1989. Palacioz learned a lot from Pyle, whom he considered his mentor. So, when Palacioz retired as Hutchinson’s city manager in 2005, one of his last acts was to recommend the council name a park after him. “I consider him the father of my public career,” says Palacioz. “George, he was considered a great city manager. He was very professional, well respected.” Pyle was instrumental in building an industrial drainage system in northern Hutchinson. He worked to get funding to expand Hutchinson’s 30th Avenue, which today is a four-lane thoroughfare of commercial activity but back then was “just a country road.” The Hutchinson Sports Arena also underwent remodeling during Pyle’s tenure, and he worked to acquire the city’s Fun Valley sports complex for 10 cents on the dollar, as well as expand the East 17th commercial area. “He did a lot for economic development,” Palacioz says, adding that Pyle once had a job offer from Wichita to take over as city manager, but he didn’t take the officials there up on the offer. “I would say there are four main things I learned from him,” says Palacioz. “He was accountable. He was honest. He always told me to never give up and to never go too far ahead of the council—to keep each council member informed. “He was a no-nonsense type guy, always looking out for the city, no matter what,” he says. Pyle died in 2004. The downtown park was renamed from Sylvan Park to George W. Pyle Park in 2005.

Image courtesy of the Reno County Historical Society and the Reno County Museum

Ken Kennedy Freeway

Kennedy is to the far right. Image courtesy of the Hutchinson Police Department

Hutchinson Magazine

Today, Ken Kennedy Freeway is a busy street that ushers drivers north and south through Hutchinson, dedicated in memory of a Hutchinson police officer who died in the line of duty in 1972. On a Friday in September, Kennedy and reserve officer Michael J. Coldren went to the Robert E Lee, a restaurant on Plum Street. They wore plain clothes in an attempt to purchase liquor at the location, which was suspected of bootlegging, according to Hutchinson Police Captain Troy Hoover. The two purchased three bottles for $3 from employee Elmo Anderson, who was inside the restaurant with Helen Fletcher, also known as Helen Jobe. While Anderson was digging through his pockets to give the undercover men change, Kennedy pulled out his badge, identified himself as a police officer and told Anderson he was under arrest. Anderson tried to run out the door and a struggle ensued. Fletcher opened fire on both Coldren and Kennedy. Kennedy was shot in the chest and back and was killed. Coldren, shot in the face, lived. Fletcher, wounded by bullets fired by Kennedy before he was killed, was eventually convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to prison. In honor of the officer’s sacrifice, K-61 through Hutchinson was named Ken Kennedy Freeway.

Jim P. Martinez Trail Jim Martinez had just 14 pennies to his name when the 17-year-old jumped a trail in 1924 from Mexico to Kansas. Nearly 50 years later, the Hutchinson business owner, an advocate for the Hispanic community, became mayor in Kansas when he took the helm in Hutchinson in 1970. Martinez also served on the city council from 1969 to 1977. Known for supporting community groups and bridging racial and socioeconomic gaps, Martinez was encouraged by his Catholic priest to run for office, according to his daughter Connie Ybarra of Hutchinson. He helped found the Hutchinson Human Relations Commission and played a role in helping Mexican-Americans find jobs and access to a variety of educational programs for minorities. That included helping them obtain their citizenship.  “He’d spend hours helping them complete their immigration forms,” says Ybarra, adding that he was a benefactor for many illegal immigrants who made their way to town. “Mom would never know who was coming for supper because he’d see them and invite them to the house, or he’d have them come do things at the house so they could have some money.” Stacie Ybarra Nachtman, Connie’s daughter, says her grandfather eventually operated a tool and dye business out of his garage called Martinez and Sons. One virtue she learned from him was treating others equally, regardless of race, color or social standing. “He went above and beyond,” Nachtman says. “He really embraced the ‘do unto others as you would have done unto you.’” Jim Martinez died on July 4, 1996, at the age of 89. A year later, the family, which included eight children and many grandchildren, helped to dedicate the Jim P. Martinez Trail, which loops around Carey Park and part of the city for walkers, runners and cyclists. Her grandfather would be humbled, Nachtman says. “He’d probably say, ‘Thank you, but I don’t deserve it,’” she says. Or, “He’d probably say, ‘Thank you for the recognition, but I don’t need to have it named after me.’”

Image courtesy of the Reno County Historical Society and the Reno County Museum

Gowans Stadium The stadium that is home to both Hutchinson High School and Hutchinson Community College football games, track meets and other sporting events, was named after J.W. Gowans, Hutchinson school superintendent, who served for 21 years, eventually retiring in 1943. According to the school board minutes from the time, the stadium was named after Gowans “for his 21 years as superintendent.” According to Hutchinson School District spokesman Ray Hemman, under Gowans’ leadership Hutchinson Community College became a reality. In the spring of 1928, Hutchinson voters approved the establishment of a two-year college, known at the time as Hutchinson Junior College. With an enrollment of 187 students, the college had its first class that fall. The stadium, built originally in 1938-39, hosted its first event, a track meet, in the spring of 1939. It was originally known as the Juco Athletic Field before being dedicated to Gowans in 1943.

Image courtesy of the Hutchinson School District Fall 2014

Hutchinson Magazine

from the archives

Images courtesy of the Reno County Historical Society and the Reno County Museum.

Text by Ashley Maready

Historic Photos The 1920s photograph above shows the fall display windows at Star Clothiers in Hutchinson. The store opened in the Midland Hotel Block in November 1887 and later moved to 119-121 N. Main Street. It was sold to Meschkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in early 1960s and is currently the Sport Shack. This photograph to the right depicts the Hutchinson flood of October 23, 1941. It shows Poplar Street looking south from Second Avenue, with the Hutchinson Post Office in the right foreground. In 1941, Mother Nature brought a rainy summer and fall, and Cow Creek spilled over its banks for the second time in 12 years.

Fall 2014

Phil Epp Inside

the mind of

In t r o duc t i o n by R i char d SHank Ph oto g r aphy and wo r ds co ur t e sy o f Phil Epp

K a n s a s a r t i s t k n o w n f o r p a i n t i n g o u r m a j e s t i c c l o u d s , d i v e s i n t o h i s o w n i n s p i r a t i o n

Hutchinson Magazine

Phil Epp may not be a native Kansan, but after 40 years in the Sunflower State, we are prepared to claim him as our own. Phil’s love of landscapes, horses and rural America were nurtured in our neighboring state to the north, Nebraska. During his formative years he discovered Kansas as a student at Bethel College in North Newton. From all accounts, Phil liked what he saw— and the rest is history. As a youth he used pencil and paper, teaching himself how to draw anything that caught his imagination. At Bethel College, he took it a step further with a brush to produce paintings now seen throughout the world. There is more to Phil than painting, he has also honed his skills as an accomplished photographer. Even during a blizzard, don’t be surprised to see Phil cruising the byways with a smile on his face, capturing photos of animals galloping across a corral or a unique cloud formation that the old timers might call a “cold weather cloud.” Most importantly, Phil has trained several generations of future artists in the Newton school system, and we can only hope that one of them will be the next Phil Epp. We asked this accomplished artist, whose works are exhibited throughout the region and beyond, to tell us in his own words what inspires his work as a painter and a photographer.

Painting “Rain and Adobe” Fall 2014

This Page Painting “Two horses with cloud” Far Right Horse with cloud-shaped star, Painting “Running horse and cloud” & Rising moon and running horses

Hutchinson Magazine

Photograph by Aaron East

I don’t consider myself a photographer, but more of a picture-taker. I don’t enjoy the technology connected to photography, so I shoot most images on auto setting. I do think about composition and light, but I seem most concerned about iconic integrity and visual depth in a photo. I photograph something nearly every day, and most images are taken within a 40-mile radius of my home east of Newton. The picture-taking is a hobby that works nicely with my painting profession. The digital camera makes it simple to take many photos on a single outing. When scanning a new group of photos, I usually delete about 90 percent because I don’t like to muddle through too many images when I’m looking for possible painting subject matter. Photography also allows me to keep a visual journal of my daily experiences. It may diminish the moment, but it enhances the memory. My paintings often focus on an iconic image in an open landscape. I look for subjects that will interest me throughout the painting process and will also hopefully engage the viewer with recognizable imagery in an unfamiliar setting. I seldom title the paintings other than a brief description. I don’t want to dictate a response from the viewer.

Fall 2014

Church windows: north of Rosalia Stone house on the prairie with cloud

Hutchinson Magazine

Black baldy steer Painting “The Tent”

Fall 2014

Kazakh herdsman “This photo was taken when I went to Kazakhstan with the in Embassies program. The visual experience of life— on the vast Asian Steppe was a life altering experience. I am sooo glad that I was comfortable with my camera.” Painting “Southwest landscape with cloud”

Hutchinson Magazine

TOP Painting “Turbines at Night” “This painting was inspired by a night drive through the turbines west of Salina on I-70.” Bottom Three horses at sunrise

Fall 2014

travel

Lone Star

State of Mind

Local pride shines through in a visit to the Texas capitalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to see why

Story by Richard Shank

Nestled amidst the Texas Hill Country, beautiful lakes and waterways sits Austin, capital of the Lone Star state.

Hutchinson Magazine

Beautiful Austin skyline reflection on Lady Bird Lake Kushal Bose / Shutterstock.com

Alfie Photography / Shutterstock.com

Fall 2014

travel

Hutchinson Magazine

Darrell Royal Memorial Stadium at the University of Texas. Image courtesy of University of Texas

Alfie Photography / Shutterstock.com

During the 1960s, Austin was on the cusp of growth, with a population of barely 300,000. Five decades later, the metropolitan area of the Texas capital has grown sevenfold and is home to nearly 2 million residents who are proud to tell any stranger that they are more than Texans—they are Austinites. On Sixth Street, an old-timey Austin is preserved. The entertainment options abound, from shops, bars and restaurants to a variety of street performers—singing groups, solo artists strumming banjos, and more. Craving a Texas-sized steak? Head into the Hill Country for a little home-cooking at a Texas Roadhouse; anticipate a sales pitch and gentle nudge from the waiter for a helping of cherry or apple cobbler—an offer you won’t want to decline. The Second Street District is the latest addition to the area, featuring restaurants and upscale boutiques. Here, the Moody Theater is home to the long-running PBS program Austin City Limits. Annually in March, downtown Austin is abuzz with visitors and activity during the South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive Festival. More than 3,000 acts perform here in a five-day stretch in 100 venues, with representation from all the world’s continents (excluding Antarctica). As summer fades to fall in Austin, University of Texas football takes center stage. On any given Saturday afternoon, more than 100,000 faithful Longhorn fans are wedged into Darrell Royal Memorial Stadium with hands

stretched into the air displaying the school’s Hook ‘Em Horns hand gesture. Visitors to Austin for a football game can also relive the turbulent 1960s by walking across the street to the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library. And just 45 miles up the road in the Hill Country, Johnson’s famed LBJ Ranch is a national tourist attraction, open daily for tours. Lady Bird Johnson spent many years developing Austin’s 42-acre Wildlife Center, which includes 15,000 species of plants and ranks as one of the city’s top tourist attractions. At times, it may seem that there is more water in Austin than there are 10-gallon hats in Texas. The Colorado River meanders through the city adjacent to a trio of man-made lakes, which provide recreational opportunities for the city’s residents. The one-of-a-kind Austin Zoo is home to displaced animals, with special emphasis on those that have been abandoned. Throughout the city, Austinites are “darned proud” to call Texas home, and eager to lend a hand to visitors with directions and advice on the best way to reach your destination, appropriate stops to make in between, and fine dining options. A bumper sticker seen often in the Austin metropolitan area sums up local pride in the Texas Capital: “I wasn’t from Austin, but got here as soon as I could.” A two-day trip to Austin, Texas reaffirmed the bumper sticker’s credibility.

Fall 2014

travel

Hutchinson Magazine

Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library.

Get

Downtown Downtown Austin offers a great deal of shopping, eating and (to-doing.)

By the numbers 135 retail stores 190 restaurants 143 bars and clubs Congress Avenue Historic District This major thoroughfare runs straight through Downtown Austin. The district includes the area known as SoCo (South Congress), where the majority of shops and eateries are perched. Music to our Ears The annual South by Southwest and Austin City Limits festivals, welcome music fans to the Lone Star State. In recent years, the events have grown in size, putting Austin on the map of major music festivals. Learn more at www.sxsw.com and www.aclfestival.com.

Images courtesy of Austin Convention and Vistors Bureau

National publications have taken note of the Austin Miracle. In its annual survey, Money Magazine has consistently proclaimed Austin one of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Places to Liveâ&#x20AC;? in the nation. Travel + Leisure Magazine ranks the Texas capital among the best destinations based on the personalities and attributes of its citizens. Two years ago, CBS Money Watch declared Austin as one of the top 10 cities in which to retire.

Zilker Metropolitan Park This centrally located park measures 351 acres and sits on Lady Bird Lake. Aside from being the perfect picnic spot, the park includes popular attractions like the Zilker Holiday Tree (with over 3,000 lights), the Zilker Park Kite Festival, Barton Springs Pool and the Zilker Botanical Garden.

Fall 2014

hutch talks

Kevin J.

Miller President and Chief Executive Officer of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System Why is it special to be a part of the Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System?

Our system is comprised of several different corporations: Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Horizons Mental Health Center, Hospice & Home Care of Reno County, Ray E. Dillon Living Center, Health-E-Quip, Main Line, Inc., and Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation. And this leads to one of the primary reasons why I feel Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System is so special. Very few communities of our size can claim that they have a viable and flourishing health care system that offers such a broad array of health care services. As a member of the HRHS team, I also am very proud of our tremendous success over the last three years. In July, 2011, the Healthcare System had many adversities to overcome. The hospital had just finished its fiscal year with a loss of $5.5 million; the companies, listed above, were operating as individual entities and there was no “system approach.” The hospital had not attempted to be Joint Commission-accredited for over 15 years; we were not always conducting ourselves in a manner in which we always find ourselves compliant with governmental and accrediting body rules and laws; and more.

Hutchinson Magazine

Due to the extremely hard work, dedication and passion of our entire workforce, our medical staff, our Board of Directors and our volunteers, by the end of 2012 we had accomplished an amazing financial turnaround; we put in place a very comprehensive compliance program and had recruited our first full-time vice president of compliance and ethics; we moved from a group of independently operating companies to a true Healthcare System along with all of the associated benefits of a system; the hospital and Hospice & Home Care of Reno County joined Health-E-Quip in gaining accreditation from The Joint Commission; and we’ve had a large focus on improving our customer service skills. So I feel so lucky to be part of a team, which has accomplished so much in such a short period of time. They are a group of people who truly are professionals in every sense of the word. They are dedicated to treating the physical and mental illnesses and injuries of our community members to the best of their abilities. They are an amazing group of people who are technically competent in their jobs, but also are just simply very kind and compassionate. That blend is very hard to find, and yet within HRHS it’s the norm.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? I really enjoy several aspects of my job. I love taking a corporation and focusing on improving key metrics or what others would consider successfully completing a turnaround. I feel that one of my strengths is my ability to quickly assess and diagnose “business illnesses” and then, methodically, going about treating those business illnesses. I also enjoy getting out of my office every day and rounding on our staff and our patients. Getting to hear the stories and comments from our patients really energizes me. I love to hear their perspective of what’s going right and what we could do better. If I’m having a bad day, my simplest cure is to visit with a few of our patients. It always reminds me that my problems and frustrations aren’t all that important compared to many of their problems. Best advice you’ve received from an employee? The key to our success is our workforce. If our employees are happy, engaged, rewarded and recognized, then our patients and their families will also be more satisfied. So our leaders are spending a great deal of time talking about how do we better recognize our staff for exemplary work; how do we better communicate with our staff of over 1.400 people; how do we better gain our staff’s input on improving the work that we do; and so on. Who on your team are the real champions? I won’t single any group of people out because, by doing so, it defeats the concept of a team. I very much believe that any success that we achieve is the result of our entire team. Health care is not provided by one or two individuals. It takes the entire village of people to serve our patients, residents and clients. This includes housekeeping, food service, nursing, radiology, laboratory, business office staff and so on. None of us operate in a vacuum. I will say that, in my mind, every one of our staff members are champions because of the work they do every day. Oftentimes they do work that the rest of us would never want to consider doing. And oftentimes they’re rendering their services to people who, by the nature of our work, are already not feeling well; are anxious and afraid; and, in summary, just out of sorts. Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen. Photography by Deborah Walker.

Fall 2014

hutch talks We need a vacation! Where should we go? My favorite spot in the world is Maui or Minnesota— yes, two very different destinations each offering their own special charm. Obviously, Maui in the winter and Minnesota in the summer. Why does Hutchinson love to travel? Every person has their own reasons for traveling. For some it’s for relaxation, some for education, and some for business. In recent years, cruises have become very popular to Mexico and the Caribbean. It’s a great family vacation, which provides all ages with activities, entertainment, education and relaxation. What do you find most rewarding about helping others plan their vacation? My favorite part about booking travel is to help those who have never traveled before. I enjoy helping them explore their options and get over the nervousness of travel. The most rewarding thing is when they return home and call to tell you what a fabulous time they had on their trip. When you’re not traveling or helping others, what do you love about Hutchinson? The people. My kids often complain, ‘Why don’t we have great malls and restaurants like Kansas City?’ But I always tell them you will never find a town with people like this! It’s a great, friendly atmosphere, which is hard to find in a big city. What’s on your Hutchinson postcard? The northwest corner of Sherman and Main would be on my postcard, because that is where First National Bank and First National Travel are located. My great-grandfather helped found both the bank and the travel agency, and my family has been involved with the bank ever since. In addition, my grandfather’s drug store was right next door back in the late 1800s. You’re president of the Buhler school board. What accomplishments have you overseen? I have the distinction of being the first female Board president for the district. I told the staff last fall I hope I don’t mess it up for those who follow. Currently, the Buhler school district is in the middle of a $45 million construction project, which includes the first new school in Hutchinson since I was a freshman in high school. Plum Creek Elementary is located on 43rd Street between Plum and Lorraine. I got teary-eyed when we broke ground because the district had worked so hard to get this bond issue passed, and I am sure I will be beaming with joy when I watch the students walk into a brand new building this fall. We are currently in the second phase of a three-year project, which will renovate and remodel extensively all of our buildings. I have truly enjoyed working on the design of these projects. What do you find most valuable in serving on the Buhler School Board? Making a difference in the lives of our staff and the students. This is definitely the most meaningful volunteer work I have done, and it has significantly changed my life for the better. Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen. Photography by Deborah Walker.

Hutchinson Magazine

Laura

Dick President of First National Travel Agency Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your life in Hutchinson.

I was born and raised in Hutchinson. I earned my undergraduate and masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in business at the University of Kansas and then lived in Kansas City for 10 years. While in Kansas City, I was a commercial bank officer for Commerce Bank and Mark Twain Bank for eight years. My family moved back here in 2002 because

I knew I wanted to raise my family in Hutchinson. My husband and I spend the majority of our time attending our three teenage daughtersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities. Since moving back I have also been involved in community activities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, TECH and the Buhler School Board. Besides operating the travel agency, my husband and I are the owners of DJ Liquor.

Fall 2014

the

end quote

594

Austin or Bust 594 miles from hutchinson,

Austin, Texas

is a perfect fall getaway. Read more on page 52.

Fair “ State People are One

Big

Family.” – Mary Alice Lair,

“Hutch art in general has made great strides, and it’s exciting to see where it will go.”

“Photography also allows me to keep a visual journal of my daily experiences.”

“

Painter, Phil Epp

We’ve learned to keep a closer eye on them when they’re out in the yard… though. They’ve escaped through a gap in the fence and we’ve had to chase them across several backyards.

”

Chickens can be tough to catch. – Angela Adams,

on raising chickens at home

former member of the Kansas State Fair Board of Directors

“There is a certain magic to it. There is something about the topography and geography—just the sheer emptiness of it makes the human endeavor a little bit more important.” – musician David Vidal on Hutchinson and Kansas

“My favorite part about

booking travel

is to help those who have never traveled before.” -Laura Dick,

local travel agent and president of the Buhler school board

-Kaycee McGill,

partner at Hatch Studios

“I very much believe that any success that we achieve is the result of our entire team. Health care is not provided by one or two individuals. It takes the entire village of people to serve our patients, residents and clients.” -Kevin Miller,

“You are not a responsible hunter unless you do your homework.” – Dan Power, Financial Adviser by day, big-game hunter by night.

Hutchinson Magazine

president and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System

best bets

Fall 2014

September October October Hunt For Red The state’s largest 10-day event showcasing Kansas agriculture, industry, and commerce, with a wide variety of entertainment and exhibits. Enjoy live acts from popular artists each night. Gates are open from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. www.kansasstatefair.com.

September

Coffee at the Cosmos Enjoy entertaining educational presentations by Cosmosphere educators, the director of collections and visiting professionals who are experts in a variety of topics related to science and space. Begins at 9 a.m. www.cosmo.org

September

Annual Run for the Rocks Half Marathon

Challenge your endurance over 26.2 miles through this benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson and the Hutchinson Recreation Commission. Begins at 8 a.m. at Carey Park. www.runfortherocks.com

September

Kansas Maze 2014

Beautifully designed 4½-acre corn maze open day or night. Enjoy this festive atmosphere with concessions, 24-foot bridge, kids’ courtyard and pumpkin patch. Open weekends through October 26; 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, 2-9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Location: 13209 E 82nd, Buhler.

Hutchinson Magazine

Strataca welcomes the curious for a fun excursion out into the mine to select unique and colorful salt rocks for your personal collection. Begins at 3:30. Under ages 13-17 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets $30. http://underkansas.org

October

Haven Fall Festival

Haven’s Fall Festival is filled with events for the entire family, as well as food, crafts, parade, bike tour, alumni reception, contests, BBQ cookoff, street dance, fireworks and much more! Join the fun in downtown Haven. www.havenchamber.com

Downtown Hutchinson Chili & Soup Festival

Enjoy the annual Downtown Hutchinson Chili & Soup Festival. For only $5 per person (kids 12 & under free), you can taste the chili and soup, and cast a vote for your favorite. Enjoy the shopping and entertainment. The festival will be located downtown. Begins at 11:30. (620) 694-2677

November

2526

Kansas State Fair

Rocktober

October

5-14

Rosanne Cash at Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre

“Opening New Doors” is the 20142015 Live Subscription Series at Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre. Throughout her remarkable career, Rosanne Cash has charted 21 Top 40 country singles, including 11 No. 1 records. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $65, $60, $55. www.hutchinsonfox.com

Swap Meet

The 15th Annual Sedgwick Street Rodders Car Part Swap Meet will be held at the Meadowlark Building and surrounding outside lots on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

November

2014 Christmas Parade

Annual Downtown Christmas Parade ushers in the holiday season. Begins at 10 a.m. (620) 665-5758