NORDAM to Close Wichita Plant
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa-based aerospace company NORDAM has announced plans to close its plant in Wichita and move the work to its Interiors and Structures division in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Wichita plant has 75 employees and manufactures cabinetry for business jet customers. NORDAM CEO Meredith Siegfried said Friday that a decline in the light to medium business jet market led to the decision to close the plant. Siegfried said about 35 jobs will be transferred to Tulsa where the plant already has about 80 openings and that jobs will be offered to the displaced workers in Wichita. NORDAM opened the plant in Wichita in 2007.
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KS Farm-to-Preschool Program Seeks More Funding
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Douglas County program that pairs farmers and preschoolers to teach the children about healthy food is looking for more funding. The "Healthy Sprouts" program has been funded mainly by grants that expire this year. Officials of the three-year-old program put out the word in November that Healthy Sprouts was in danger of shutting down. Donors including the Kansas Health Foundation have given about $37,000, but program coordinator Emily Hampton says at least $50,000 is needed to operate through August. Healthy Sprouts works with about 1,000 preschool children a year at 30 in-home day cares and eight day care centers. Activities include planting vegetable gardens, cooking with kids and teaching childcare providers about locally grown food.
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KS Woman Who Lost 217 lbs. Heads to Today Show
EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — An Emporia woman who lost more than 200 pounds is telling her story to a national audience. Denise Wolford, the office manager for the Lyon County Department on Aging, lost 217 pounds on Weight Watchers and will be featured on the company's website later this spring. She's also scheduled to appear on NBC's Today Show on Monday. The Emporia Gazette reports Wolford began losing in June 2011 when she joined Weight Watchers. She weighed 346.8 pounds at her first weigh-in. She reached her goal in April 2013 and has maintained her weight. She now weighs 129 pounds and walks several miles a day.
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Haskell Names New President
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence has named a longtime university employee to the school's top position. The federal Bureau of Indian Education announced Friday that Venida Chenault, Haskell's vice president of academic affairs since 2004, will become the school's president effective today (SUN.) The Lawrence Journal-World reports Chenault also attended Haskell as a student. Chenault has held several faculty and administrative positions at the school since 1991. Haskell's last president, Chris Redman, resigned in May after two years in the job. Since his departure, Haskell's chief of finance Michael Lewis has been the school's acting president. Haskell offers associate's and bachelor's degrees and is one of two higher learning institutions operated by the Bureau of Indian Education. Haskell's enrollment averages more than 1,000 students per semester.
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KU Stomps K-State
Lawrence, Kan. (KPR) — The Kansas Men's Basketball Team won the first round of the Sunflower Showdown yesterday (SAT) in Lawrence. The Jayhawks beat the K-State Wildcats soundly, 86-60 in front of a packed crowd at Allen Fieldhouse. Andrew Wiggins led all scorers with 22 points. Wayne Selden was right behind him with 20 points. Nino Williams scored 12 for the Wildcats, while Thomas Gipson chipped in 10 points with four rebounds. The teams meet again in Manhattan February 10th.
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