At Tuesday&nbsp;night's&nbsp;meeting,&nbsp;the Manhattan&nbsp;City Commission&nbsp;enacted a&nbsp;new set of rules&nbsp;regulating building and development.&nbsp;

Commissioners voted 4-1&nbsp;to approve&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;Manhattan&nbsp;Development&nbsp;Code.&nbsp;

Prior to open discussion and Commission action,&nbsp;Chad Bunger, assistant director for community development&nbsp;tried to&nbsp;clear up some “misinformation and confusion”&nbsp;regarding&nbsp;the new MDC.&nbsp;

City administrators and staffers toiled to craft&nbsp;rules&nbsp;tailored&nbsp;to&nbsp;Manhattan specifically, rather than a&nbsp;set of boilerplate regulations&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bunger&nbsp;said that the&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;changes&nbsp;are&nbsp;based&nbsp;in large part on existing structures and&nbsp;circumstances. According to city data,&nbsp;since&nbsp;2003,&nbsp;a&nbsp;substantial portion of&nbsp;work&nbsp;permits&nbsp;in the Traditional Neighborhood Overlay&nbsp;have been&nbsp;for&nbsp;remodeling&nbsp;and renovating existing structures, indicating that residents&nbsp;are not clamoring for broad changes to land-use and building regulations.&nbsp;

“We crafted our tweaked set of regulations based on around the notion that people are remodeling rather than building new homes,”&nbsp;Bunger said.&nbsp;

City officials&nbsp;say they&nbsp;created language that allows for less-restricted new construction in older neighborhoods, while maintaining the existing&nbsp;character&nbsp;and appearance of the area.&nbsp;

According to Bunger,&nbsp;city staffers regularly&nbsp;hear residents’&nbsp;concerns that the ordinances handcuff homeowners from making&nbsp;certain&nbsp;improvements to their property.&nbsp;In just the last three years, zoning authorities have seen 74&nbsp;exception requests, of which nearly 25 percent were for properties in the TNO – which is an exceptionally&nbsp;large proportion considering&nbsp;the TNO makes up just four percent of Manhattan’s total land area.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;exception&nbsp;requests&nbsp;are&nbsp;often&nbsp;for&nbsp;minor&nbsp;renovations&nbsp;such as&nbsp;a&nbsp;front porches,&nbsp;garages,&nbsp;or fences&nbsp;that would not&nbsp;be out of place or&nbsp;significantly alter the&nbsp;character of the neighborhood, but would not conform to current setback or footprint limitations.&nbsp;

City officials say their&nbsp;efforts are aimed at curtailing an obligatory, ponderous process to&nbsp;override what ultimately amount to&nbsp;superfluous&nbsp;restrictions.&nbsp;

“The rules we have today&nbsp;are&nbsp;forcing&nbsp;people to seek exceptions and go through a bureaucratic process,” Bunger said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;City&nbsp;renamed and&nbsp;combined&nbsp;zones&nbsp;for clarity and efficiency, but&nbsp;the actual function&nbsp;and underlying usage&nbsp;of the zoning codes would by-and-large remain the same, according to Bunger.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We’re not up-zoning or down-zoning anything,” Bunger said.&nbsp;“Land use will stay the same.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

While&nbsp;one of the&nbsp;purposes&nbsp;of the new&nbsp;MDC&nbsp;is&nbsp;to alleviate&nbsp;tedious bureaucratic steps&nbsp;for&nbsp;property-use&nbsp;exception&nbsp;requests that are most often granted anyway,&nbsp;residents&nbsp;countered&nbsp;that those same tedious steps&nbsp;represented a&nbsp;legitimate review process and&nbsp;created&nbsp;accountability.&nbsp;They&nbsp;felt requiring&nbsp;a property owner&nbsp;to&nbsp;present&nbsp;a good case for&nbsp;experts to review prior to&nbsp;an&nbsp;exception&nbsp;was more than reasonable.&nbsp;

They insist the&nbsp;regulations were&nbsp;their&nbsp;only&nbsp;assurance&nbsp;that&nbsp;they would&nbsp;be able to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;their neighborhood’s&nbsp;appearance and personality.&nbsp;With&nbsp;the passage of the&nbsp;ordinance,&nbsp;they feel&nbsp;those exceptions are now the rule.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officials noted&nbsp;there are multiple checks to any building or usage permit.&nbsp;MDC&nbsp;language&nbsp;tries to maintain&nbsp;general neighborhood characteristics by&nbsp;addressing&nbsp;setback distances and&nbsp;total&nbsp;lot coverage&nbsp;to&nbsp;prevent&nbsp;oversized buildings. General zoning restrictions,&nbsp;subdivision regulations,&nbsp;and&nbsp;public works guidelines&nbsp;would prevent&nbsp;a&nbsp;truck stop&nbsp;or&nbsp;mega-mart&nbsp;in&nbsp;the middle of&nbsp;small, prewar family homes.&nbsp;

The commission voted to approve the&nbsp;new&nbsp;building codes and then immediately voted to direct the Planning Board to review much of the new ordinance.&nbsp;

The consensus&nbsp;reflected&nbsp;Mayor Wynn Butler’s concern about&nbsp;outsized new&nbsp;mansions&nbsp;driving&nbsp;away owners of older, smaller homes. Commissioner Usha Reddi said&nbsp;homeowners deserve&nbsp;more information and&nbsp;the&nbsp;city&nbsp;needs to&nbsp;ensure people “know what’s going on in&nbsp;their&nbsp;own&nbsp;neighborhood,&nbsp;for communication and trust.”&nbsp;

Commissioner Linda Morse&nbsp;echoed&nbsp; concerns about working to&nbsp;facilitate&nbsp;better public access&nbsp;to&nbsp;plans for&nbsp;any&nbsp;development&nbsp;or building requests&nbsp;with potential to affect&nbsp;their home and neighborhood.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I&nbsp;don’t want the&nbsp;public part of the process to disappear just because we’re changing these rules,” she said.&nbsp;

At Tuesday&nbsp;night's&nbsp;meeting,&nbsp;the Manhattan&nbsp;City Commission&nbsp;enacted a&nbsp;new set of rules&nbsp;regulating building and development.&nbsp;Commissioners voted 4-1&nbsp;to approve&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;Manhattan&nbsp;Development&nbsp;Code.&nbsp;Prior to open discussion and Commission action,&nbsp;Chad Bunger, assistant director for community development&nbsp;tried to&nbsp;clear up some “misinformation and confusion”&nbsp;regarding&nbsp;the new MDC.&nbsp;City administrators and staffers toiled to craft&nbsp;rules&nbsp;tailored&nbsp;to&nbsp;Manhattan specifically, rather than a&nbsp;set of boilerplate regulations&nbsp;&nbsp;Bunger&nbsp;said that the&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;changes&nbsp;are&nbsp;based&nbsp;in large part on existing structures and&nbsp;circumstances. According to city data,&nbsp;since&nbsp;2003,&nbsp;a&nbsp;substantial portion of&nbsp;work&nbsp;permits&nbsp;in the Traditional Neighborhood Overlay&nbsp;have been&nbsp;for&nbsp;remodeling&nbsp;and renovating existing structures, indicating that residents&nbsp;are not clamoring for broad changes to land-use and building regulations.&nbsp;“We crafted our tweaked set of regulations based on around the notion that people are remodeling rather than building new homes,”&nbsp;Bunger said.&nbsp;City officials&nbsp;say they&nbsp;created language that allows for less-restricted new construction in older neighborhoods, while maintaining the existing&nbsp;character&nbsp;and appearance of the area.&nbsp;According to Bunger,&nbsp;city staffers regularly&nbsp;hear residents’&nbsp;concerns that the ordinances handcuff homeowners from making&nbsp;certain&nbsp;improvements to their property.&nbsp;In just the last three years, zoning authorities have seen 74&nbsp;exception requests, of which nearly 25 percent were for properties in the TNO – which is an exceptionally&nbsp;large proportion considering&nbsp;the TNO makes up just four percent of Manhattan’s total land area.&nbsp;The&nbsp;exception&nbsp;requests&nbsp;are&nbsp;often&nbsp;for&nbsp;minor&nbsp;renovations&nbsp;such as&nbsp;a&nbsp;front porches,&nbsp;garages,&nbsp;or fences&nbsp;that would not&nbsp;be out of place or&nbsp;significantly alter the&nbsp;character of the neighborhood, but would not conform to current setback or footprint limitations.&nbsp;City officials say their&nbsp;efforts are aimed at curtailing an obligatory, ponderous process to&nbsp;override what ultimately amount to&nbsp;superfluous&nbsp;restrictions.&nbsp;“The rules we have today&nbsp;are&nbsp;forcing&nbsp;people to seek exceptions and go through a bureaucratic process,” Bunger said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The&nbsp;City&nbsp;renamed and&nbsp;combined&nbsp;zones&nbsp;for clarity and efficiency, but&nbsp;the actual function&nbsp;and underlying usage&nbsp;of the zoning codes would by-and-large remain the same, according to Bunger.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’re not up-zoning or down-zoning anything,” Bunger said.&nbsp;“Land use will stay the same.”&nbsp;&nbsp;While&nbsp;one of the&nbsp;purposes&nbsp;of the new&nbsp;MDC&nbsp;is&nbsp;to alleviate&nbsp;tedious bureaucratic steps&nbsp;for&nbsp;property-use&nbsp;exception&nbsp;requests that are most often granted anyway,&nbsp;residents&nbsp;countered&nbsp;that those same tedious steps&nbsp;represented a&nbsp;legitimate review process and&nbsp;created&nbsp;accountability.&nbsp;They&nbsp;felt requiring&nbsp;a property owner&nbsp;to&nbsp;present&nbsp;a good case for&nbsp;experts to review prior to&nbsp;an&nbsp;exception&nbsp;was more than reasonable.&nbsp;They insist the&nbsp;regulations were&nbsp;their&nbsp;only&nbsp;assurance&nbsp;that&nbsp;they would&nbsp;be able to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;their neighborhood’s&nbsp;appearance and personality.&nbsp;With&nbsp;the passage of the&nbsp;ordinance,&nbsp;they feel&nbsp;those exceptions are now the rule.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officials noted&nbsp;there are multiple checks to any building or usage permit.&nbsp;MDC&nbsp;language&nbsp;tries to maintain&nbsp;general neighborhood characteristics by&nbsp;addressing&nbsp;setback distances and&nbsp;total&nbsp;lot coverage&nbsp;to&nbsp;prevent&nbsp;oversized buildings. General zoning restrictions,&nbsp;subdivision regulations,&nbsp;and&nbsp;public works guidelines&nbsp;would prevent&nbsp;a&nbsp;truck stop&nbsp;or&nbsp;mega-mart&nbsp;in&nbsp;the middle of&nbsp;small, prewar family homes.&nbsp;The commission voted to approve the&nbsp;new&nbsp;building codes and then immediately voted to direct the Planning Board to review much of the new ordinance.&nbsp;The consensus&nbsp;reflected&nbsp;Mayor Wynn Butler’s concern about&nbsp;outsized new&nbsp;mansions&nbsp;driving&nbsp;away owners of older, smaller homes. Commissioner Usha Reddi said&nbsp;homeowners deserve&nbsp;more information and&nbsp;the&nbsp;city&nbsp;needs to&nbsp;ensure people “know what’s going on in&nbsp;their&nbsp;own&nbsp;neighborhood,&nbsp;for communication and trust.”&nbsp;Commissioner Linda Morse&nbsp;echoed&nbsp; concerns about working to&nbsp;facilitate&nbsp;better public access&nbsp;to&nbsp;plans for&nbsp;any&nbsp;development&nbsp;or building requests&nbsp;with potential to affect&nbsp;their home and neighborhood.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I&nbsp;don’t want the&nbsp;public part of the process to disappear just because we’re changing these rules,” she said.&nbsp;

New building code approved

Thanks to the generosity and leadership of K-Staters worldwide, Kansas State will officially move forward and break ground on the indoor practice facility, Morgan Family Arena and Olympic training facility on Wednesday prior the Marquette men's basketball game.&nbsp; &nbsp; The ceremonial shovel turning, featuring President Richard Myers, Athletics Director&nbsp;Gene Taylor, and other special guests, will begin Wednesday at 3 p.m.&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Morgan Family Center and Olympic training center and wrap up with the ceremony for the indoor practice facility.&nbsp;Both ceremonies are open to the public.&nbsp; &nbsp; The new indoor football center, which will include an accompanying outdoor practice field, will provide an enormous recruiting and operational advantage for the football program and allow it to operate in a more efficient manner throughout the year. This new facility will feature a full outdoor turf practice field, 130-yard indoor turf practice field, accessibility to the Vanier Family Football Complex and a limestone exterior to match stadium and campus architecture.&nbsp; &nbsp; The volleyball arena will dramatically enhance the student-athlete and fan experience at K-State volleyball matches. The arena will include a seating capacity of approximately 3,100, two practice courts with retractable seating, two video boards, team meeting rooms, locker room, team theater and coaching offices.&nbsp; &nbsp; Attached to the new volleyball arena will be the new Olympic performance center, which will improve the student-athlete experience, training and strength and conditioning opportunities of multiple Wildcat teams. The facility will feature a 14,000 square foot strength and conditioning center, 8,000 square foot second level multi-use turf area, plyometric ramp, sports medicine rehab space, hydrotherapy recovery area, nutrition and refueling station, office space for athletic training and strength staffs along with a state-of-the-art Mental Health and Wellness space which will house all of the necessary tools for overall wellness and performance enhancement.&nbsp;

--from Kansas State University&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638891261793.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638891313152.png" alt="Artist renditions of future KSU athletics facilities" />
 <figcaption>Artist renditions of future KSU athletics facilities</figcaption>
 </figure>Thanks to the generosity and leadership of K-Staters worldwide, Kansas State will officially move forward and break ground on the indoor practice facility, Morgan Family Arena and Olympic training facility on Wednesday prior the Marquette men's basketball game.&nbsp; &nbsp; The ceremonial shovel turning, featuring President Richard Myers, Athletics Director&nbsp;Gene Taylor, and other special guests, will begin Wednesday at 3 p.m.&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Morgan Family Center and Olympic training center and wrap up with the ceremony for the indoor practice facility.&nbsp;Both ceremonies are open to the public.&nbsp; &nbsp; The new indoor football center, which will include an accompanying outdoor practice field, will provide an enormous recruiting and operational advantage for the football program and allow it to operate in a more efficient manner throughout the year. This new facility will feature a full outdoor turf practice field, 130-yard indoor turf practice field, accessibility to the Vanier Family Football Complex and a limestone exterior to match stadium and campus architecture.&nbsp; &nbsp; The volleyball arena will dramatically enhance the student-athlete and fan experience at K-State volleyball matches. The arena will include a seating capacity of approximately 3,100, two practice courts with retractable seating, two video boards, team meeting rooms, locker room, team theater and coaching offices.&nbsp; &nbsp; Attached to the new volleyball arena will be the new Olympic performance center, which will improve the student-athlete experience, training and strength and conditioning opportunities of multiple Wildcat teams. The facility will feature a 14,000 square foot strength and conditioning center, 8,000 square foot second level multi-use turf area, plyometric ramp, sports medicine rehab space, hydrotherapy recovery area, nutrition and refueling station, office space for athletic training and strength staffs along with a state-of-the-art Mental Health and Wellness space which will house all of the necessary tools for overall wellness and performance enhancement.&nbsp;--from Kansas State University&nbsp;

Public invited to K-State groundbreaking ceremonies 

Getting legal entry into the United States has never been an easy or quick process, and it seems to be getting harder, according to the latest data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (via a great article from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/11/19/the-backlog-in-americas-immigration-courts-keeps-growing" target="_blank">The Economist</a>).&nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://trac.syr.edu/phptools/immigration/court_backlog/" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;shows there are almost&nbsp;1.5 million immigration cases&nbsp;currently pending in the U.S.&nbsp;— exactly&nbsp;5x&nbsp;the number that were pending a decade ago — with the average wait time to get through the system now up to&nbsp;930 days&nbsp;(roughly&nbsp;2 ½&nbsp;years).&nbsp; Some of the more recent backlog can safely be blamed on the pandemic, but policy over the last&nbsp;10-15 years&nbsp;across multiple administrations and governments has undoubtedly been the longer-term driver. Stricter enforcement, a surge in encounters at the borders and only limited increases in resourcing for the courts, have all added up.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638889261065.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Getting legal entry into the United States has never been an easy or quick process, and it seems to be getting harder, according to the latest data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (via a great article from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/11/19/the-backlog-in-americas-immigration-courts-keeps-growing" target="_blank">The Economist</a>).&nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://trac.syr.edu/phptools/immigration/court_backlog/" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;shows there are almost&nbsp;1.5 million immigration cases&nbsp;currently pending in the U.S.&nbsp;— exactly&nbsp;5x&nbsp;the number that were pending a decade ago — with the average wait time to get through the system now up to&nbsp;930 days&nbsp;(roughly&nbsp;2 ½&nbsp;years).&nbsp; Some of the more recent backlog can safely be blamed on the pandemic, but policy over the last&nbsp;10-15 years&nbsp;across multiple administrations and governments has undoubtedly been the longer-term driver. Stricter enforcement, a surge in encounters at the borders and only limited increases in resourcing for the courts, have all added up.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Chart of the Day: Immigration cases clogging courts

Dolla dolla bill y'all In 1986 the first five locations opened of a new retail outlet, which had a simple premise for what it would sell, and an even simpler name&nbsp;— "Only $1.00".&nbsp; &nbsp; Although not the first of its kind, "Only $1.00" would grow into what today is&nbsp;Dollar Tree, which is a&nbsp;$33bn&nbsp;giant with more than 15,900 retail locations throughout the U.S., split between its two biggest brands&nbsp;Dollar Tree&nbsp;and&nbsp;Family Dollar.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dollar-and-a-quarter Tree doesn't exactly roll off the tongue &nbsp;Dollar Tree had some big news last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/23/investing/dollar-tree-prices-inflation/index.html" target="_blank">announcing that most of its prices will rise</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;$1&nbsp;to&nbsp;$1.25. That's a change that the company has been putting off for some time, dropping some products over the years that it could no longer afford to stock for just $1.&nbsp; &nbsp; When the company started $1 could get you a fair amount. Today it buys you much less. In fact,&nbsp;$1&nbsp;in&nbsp;1986&nbsp;is more like&nbsp;$2.50&nbsp;in today's money once&nbsp;you&nbsp;account for inflation over those 35 years.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dollar Tree&nbsp;investors liked the news — with Dollar Tree shares&nbsp;gaining 8% yesterday. If you were lucky enough to buy $1 worth of Dollar Tree shares, instead of spending it in their stores back in 1995, your $1 would be worth more than&nbsp;$125&nbsp;today.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638886689491.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dolla dolla bill y'all In 1986 the first five locations opened of a new retail outlet, which had a simple premise for what it would sell, and an even simpler name&nbsp;— "Only $1.00".&nbsp; &nbsp; Although not the first of its kind, "Only $1.00" would grow into what today is&nbsp;Dollar Tree, which is a&nbsp;$33bn&nbsp;giant with more than 15,900 retail locations throughout the U.S., split between its two biggest brands&nbsp;Dollar Tree&nbsp;and&nbsp;Family Dollar.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dollar-and-a-quarter Tree doesn't exactly roll off the tongue &nbsp;Dollar Tree had some big news last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/23/investing/dollar-tree-prices-inflation/index.html" target="_blank">announcing that most of its prices will rise</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;$1&nbsp;to&nbsp;$1.25. That's a change that the company has been putting off for some time, dropping some products over the years that it could no longer afford to stock for just $1.&nbsp; &nbsp; When the company started $1 could get you a fair amount. Today it buys you much less. In fact,&nbsp;$1&nbsp;in&nbsp;1986&nbsp;is more like&nbsp;$2.50&nbsp;in today's money once&nbsp;you&nbsp;account for inflation over those 35 years.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dollar Tree&nbsp;investors liked the news — with Dollar Tree shares&nbsp;gaining 8% yesterday. If you were lucky enough to buy $1 worth of Dollar Tree shares, instead of spending it in their stores back in 1995, your $1 would be worth more than&nbsp;$125&nbsp;today.&nbsp;

Chart of the Day: Dollar Tree prunes motto

Chilly&nbsp;temperatures and the&nbsp;winter&nbsp;holiday season&nbsp;are the perfect backdrops for a farmer’s market.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This Saturday, December 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the&nbsp;corner of&nbsp;Third&nbsp;Street&nbsp;and Leavenworth&nbsp;in Manhattan&nbsp;will be filled with&nbsp;Winter Fest&nbsp;activities to&nbsp;celebrate the newest season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Winter Fest&nbsp;will have fun games, photo ops and activities for&nbsp;kids.&nbsp;The&nbsp;first 100 kids get a free goodie bag.&nbsp;

Big kids are not forgotten:&nbsp;Winter Fest&nbsp;also have a&nbsp;giveaway&nbsp;basket with&nbsp;grown-up&nbsp;goodies from vendors,&nbsp;and a $50 gift certificate to spend&nbsp;on the&nbsp;loadsof&nbsp;food and crafts&nbsp;at the Market.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the holiday spirit, organizers&nbsp;are providing&nbsp;ways to give&nbsp;back. Anyone with&nbsp;the desire to participate with the Angel Tree or&nbsp;providing&nbsp;food for the Blessing Boxes around town&nbsp;can bring donations to the event for later distribution.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Organizers say&nbsp;participants should anticipate&nbsp;other&nbsp;new surprises&nbsp;coming&nbsp;for the&nbsp;event.&nbsp;

The Winter Fest is a partnership of the Downtown Farmer’s Market of Manhattan and Bubble Luscious Soap Company.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638881759125.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Chilly&nbsp;temperatures and the&nbsp;winter&nbsp;holiday season&nbsp;are the perfect backdrops for a farmer’s market.&nbsp;&nbsp;This Saturday, December 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the&nbsp;corner of&nbsp;Third&nbsp;Street&nbsp;and Leavenworth&nbsp;in Manhattan&nbsp;will be filled with&nbsp;Winter Fest&nbsp;activities to&nbsp;celebrate the newest season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Winter Fest&nbsp;will have fun games, photo ops and activities for&nbsp;kids.&nbsp;The&nbsp;first 100 kids get a free goodie bag.&nbsp;Big kids are not forgotten:&nbsp;Winter Fest&nbsp;also have a&nbsp;giveaway&nbsp;basket with&nbsp;grown-up&nbsp;goodies from vendors,&nbsp;and a $50 gift certificate to spend&nbsp;on the&nbsp;loadsof&nbsp;food and crafts&nbsp;at the Market.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the holiday spirit, organizers&nbsp;are providing&nbsp;ways to give&nbsp;back. Anyone with&nbsp;the desire to participate with the Angel Tree or&nbsp;providing&nbsp;food for the Blessing Boxes around town&nbsp;can bring donations to the event for later distribution.&nbsp;&nbsp;Organizers say&nbsp;participants should anticipate&nbsp;other&nbsp;new surprises&nbsp;coming&nbsp;for the&nbsp;event.&nbsp;The Winter Fest is a partnership of the Downtown Farmer’s Market of Manhattan and Bubble Luscious Soap Company.&nbsp;

Winter Festival set for Saturday

Kansas State University will present an honorary doctorate to a member of the Osage Nation credited with preserving and making the Osage language more accessible.&nbsp;

Herman "Mogri" Mongrain Lookout will receive the honor and serve as the speaker at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation" target="_blank">commencement</a>&nbsp;for the K-State Graduate School Friday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. in Bramlage Coliseum.&nbsp;

The Kansas Board of Regents approved K-State's request to honor Lookout with an honorary doctorate in September. He&nbsp; to recognize his work in preserving the Osage language and culture.&nbsp; &nbsp; "Mr. Lookout's impact on the Osage community and in the academic and educational world is the greatest form of leadership, innovation and diligence," said Claudia Petrescu, K-State's vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School. "We are honored to recognize him and his work."&nbsp; &nbsp; Lookout, an Osage language master teacher and founding director of the <a href="https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/language-department?fbclid=IwAR3Q8USW9lYCKURlQuoz46wnKsh3AVrACevI4RUDjx8h_kKTwoFldY0vqvs">Osage Language Department</a>, is the inventor of the official Osage orthography — or alphabet — and language database. Before Lookout's efforts, there was no standard way of writing the Osage language as it was a spoken language. When the language was spelled, it was written the way one heard it.

The need to preserve the Osage language began long before Lookout was born and is tied to the history of Kansas. The Osage historically occupied lands in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Throughout the 19thcentury, they were forced into a section of land in northeastern Oklahoma where the Osage community still lives today. As land was taken from them, Osage children were sent to boarding schools that mandated English and forbid using Indigenous languages and spiritual practices. The use of the Osage language dwindled as the boarding school system continued into the 20thcentury.&nbsp; &nbsp; Lookout wants to change that and has dedicated his life to learning and preserving the Osage language. His grandparents and parents were fluent in the language and Lookout's father taught him how to pray in Osage. He also attended classes taught by Osage elders and taught Osage language classes. In 2003, the Osage Tribal Council created the Osage Language Program and council member Jerry Shaw hired Lookout to be the program director.&nbsp; &nbsp; To develop the orthography, Lookout worked with Osage elders, experts and linguists. Their work included listening to recordings of Osage elders to identify the different sounds and sound combinations of the language. Although some letter sounds are the same or similar to the English alphabet, the Osage orthography had to include new characters for letter sounds not made in English.&nbsp; &nbsp; The Osage Nation officially adopted Lookout's 36-character Osage orthography. It has become the backbone of all Osage language education efforts and is available for all to learn and use through multiple digital platforms, including Google and Apple.&nbsp; &nbsp; "This new orthography has become the curricular backbone of all Osage language education efforts," said Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education. "Mr. Lookout has been the primary leader behind the Osage language revitalization efforts and because of his dedication and leadership, there are many more Osage citizens, young and old, who are able to use the language in a variety of settings across multiple digital platforms. This work will influence many generations to come."&nbsp;

Kansas State University will present an honorary doctorate to a member of the Osage Nation credited with preserving and making the Osage language more accessible.&nbsp; Herman "Mogri" Mongrain Lookout will receive the honor and serve as the speaker at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation" target="_blank">commencement</a>&nbsp;for the K-State Graduate School Friday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. in Bramlage Coliseum.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638879159070.jpeg" alt="Herman "Mogri" Mongrain Lookout&nbsp;is the inventor of the official Osage orthography — or alphabet — and language database. was nominated for an honorary doctorate by the College of Education" />
 <figcaption>Herman "Mogri" Mongrain Lookout&nbsp;is the inventor of the official Osage orthography — or alphabet — and language database. was nominated for an honorary doctorate by the College of Education</figcaption>
 </figure> The Kansas Board of Regents approved K-State's request to honor Lookout with an honorary doctorate in September. He&nbsp; to recognize his work in preserving the Osage language and culture.&nbsp; &nbsp; "Mr. Lookout's impact on the Osage community and in the academic and educational world is the greatest form of leadership, innovation and diligence," said Claudia Petrescu, K-State's vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School. "We are honored to recognize him and his work."&nbsp; &nbsp; Lookout, an Osage language master teacher and founding director of the <a href="https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/language-department?fbclid=IwAR3Q8USW9lYCKURlQuoz46wnKsh3AVrACevI4RUDjx8h_kKTwoFldY0vqvs">Osage Language Department</a>, is the inventor of the official Osage orthography — or alphabet — and language database. Before Lookout's efforts, there was no standard way of writing the Osage language as it was a spoken language. When the language was spelled, it was written the way one heard it. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638879532930.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The need to preserve the Osage language began long before Lookout was born and is tied to the history of Kansas. The Osage historically occupied lands in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Throughout the 19thcentury, they were forced into a section of land in northeastern Oklahoma where the Osage community still lives today. As land was taken from them, Osage children were sent to boarding schools that mandated English and forbid using Indigenous languages and spiritual practices. The use of the Osage language dwindled as the boarding school system continued into the 20thcentury.&nbsp; &nbsp; Lookout wants to change that and has dedicated his life to learning and preserving the Osage language. His grandparents and parents were fluent in the language and Lookout's father taught him how to pray in Osage. He also attended classes taught by Osage elders and taught Osage language classes. In 2003, the Osage Tribal Council created the Osage Language Program and council member Jerry Shaw hired Lookout to be the program director.&nbsp; &nbsp; To develop the orthography, Lookout worked with Osage elders, experts and linguists. Their work included listening to recordings of Osage elders to identify the different sounds and sound combinations of the language. Although some letter sounds are the same or similar to the English alphabet, the Osage orthography had to include new characters for letter sounds not made in English.&nbsp; &nbsp; The Osage Nation officially adopted Lookout's 36-character Osage orthography. It has become the backbone of all Osage language education efforts and is available for all to learn and use through multiple digital platforms, including Google and Apple.&nbsp; &nbsp; "This new orthography has become the curricular backbone of all Osage language education efforts," said Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education. "Mr. Lookout has been the primary leader behind the Osage language revitalization efforts and because of his dedication and leadership, there are many more Osage citizens, young and old, who are able to use the language in a variety of settings across multiple digital platforms. This work will influence many generations to come."&nbsp;--from Kansas State University&nbsp;

Native language master to receive honorary doctorate, deliver commencement address

The Kansas State University School of Music, Theater, and Dance presents its final Jazz and Big Band performances of the year tonight and tomorrow.&nbsp;

Tonight, McCain Auditorium will see the K-State Orchestra’s final 2021 performance. The orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Rachel Dirks, plays from 7:30-9:30 p.m.&nbsp;

Tonight’s performance explores the many facets of dreaming through Hector Berlioz' epic work,&nbsp;Symphonie Fantastique. Make sure to bring your non-perishable food donations to the concert in support of the&nbsp;Cats Cupboard&nbsp;Food Pantry.&nbsp;

Wednesday evening from 7-9, the K-State Big Bands will perform a concert jazz ensemble in Forum Hall inside the KSU Student Union. The show is a saxophone&nbsp;suite, featuring alto, tenor, and bass sax accompanied by trumpets and trombones as well as a dynamic rhythm section.&nbsp;

The Kansas State University School of Music, Theater, and Dance presents its final Jazz and Big Band performances of the year tonight and tomorrow.&nbsp;Tonight, McCain Auditorium will see the K-State Orchestra’s final 2021 performance. The orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Rachel Dirks, plays from 7:30-9:30 p.m.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638877811602.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tonight’s performance explores the many facets of dreaming through Hector Berlioz' epic work,&nbsp;Symphonie Fantastique. Make sure to bring your non-perishable food donations to the concert in support of the&nbsp;Cats Cupboard&nbsp;Food Pantry.&nbsp;Wednesday evening from 7-9, the K-State Big Bands will perform a concert jazz ensemble in Forum Hall inside the KSU Student Union. The show is a saxophone&nbsp;suite, featuring alto, tenor, and bass sax accompanied by trumpets and trombones as well as a dynamic rhythm section.&nbsp;

Jazz & Big Band shows 

Kansas State University prides itself on being a tightly bound family, and that family recognizes it is part of an equally tight community.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Part of that community suffers from food insecurity, according to a recent study.

In early spring of 2020, prior to K-State's&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;transition to remote learning, a total of 10,000 Manhattan-campus students were randomly selected from that semester’s enrollment rolls. Students participated in the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (NCHA). The ACHA-NCHA included a validated scale measuring food security from the USDA Economic Research Service.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The assessment data revealed that nearly 40 percent of KSU respondents reported low, or very low food security. The K-State figure is consistent with national data for the typical college campus – revealing a huge student population battling uncertain and unreliable food realities on what can be an arduous academic journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cats’ Cupboard&nbsp;&nbsp;

As a remedy, the Cats' Cupboard provides immediate access to food and personal hygiene items at no cost. There are no income requirements for participation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The lone qualification of Cats' Cupboard is that participants be a current K-State student, staff or faculty member on the Manhattan campus.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Upon an individuals’ first visit, they are asked to fill out a short survey – with no income information required. The exceptional pantry staff can provide a tour any time and are here to help as you might need.&nbsp; The Cats' Cupboard is organized based on consumer choice.&nbsp; This allows you to select your own items based on your preferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Located in Fairchild Hall, Cats' Cupboard is organized as a consumer-choice model, so participants may come in and make their own choices among available items. All that is asked is that you take what you need, and use what you take.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

There may be items with suggested limits to ensure items are available for the next shopper. When finished shopping, participants simply take their items and go – no payment or checkout required.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cats' Cupboard Initiative is focused on promoting food security at K-State through a collaborative effort among students, faculty, staff, and community. In addition to an on-campus food pantry, Cats’ Cupboard provides education, engagement opportunities, and support through initiatives that promote health, success, and well-being.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By providing support for food and hygiene, Cats’ Cupboard hopes to prevent food insecurity from being a barrier to student success by building awareness and the capacity of the KSU campus community to address this challenge from a holistic perspective.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m15u6l_u4Jc&amp;t=1s" target="_blank">Click here for a short video about the Cats’ Cupboard shopping experience</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Harvesters&nbsp; Community Food Network

An even broader food swath is cut by Harvesters – a regional food bank serving a 26-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas. Harvesters provides food and related household products to more than 760 nonprofit agencies, including emergency food pantries, community kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes and others. Harvesters also offers education programs to increase community awareness of hunger and teach about good nutrition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For every dollar donated, Harvesters is able to provide six meals to families and individuals in need during the holiday season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Harvesters is a certified member of&nbsp;<a href="http://feedingamerica.org/" target="_blank">Feeding America</a>, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks. In 2011, Harvesters was Feeding America’s Food Bank of the Year, and is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Directed by a board of leaders from regional businesses, industry, higher education and government, Harvesters partners with Manhattan-area churches and civic groups to provide over a dozen food pantries in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Harvesters even operates drive-thru food pickup sites and food kitchens with hot meals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvesters.org/get-food-assistance/food-locator" target="_blank">available at several locations</a>&nbsp;in the greater Manhattan and Ogden.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.harvesters.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/KS-12-2021.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for a printable list of available items from Harvester.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hands On K-State pickup is the second Friday of each month from 4-6 p.m. at 2201 Kimball Avenue. Organizers highly suggest calling 785-532-6085 to confirm hours and dates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thanks to Harvester’s friends Peter &amp; Veronica&nbsp;Mallouk&nbsp;and Creative Planning Inc., each&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvesters.org/how-to-help/donate" target="_blank">donation made to Harvester</a>&nbsp;this holiday season will be matched to make twice the impact.&nbsp;

Kansas State University prides itself on being a tightly bound family, and that family recognizes it is part of an equally tight community.&nbsp;&nbsp;Part of that community suffers from food insecurity, according to a recent study.In early spring of 2020, prior to K-State's&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;transition to remote learning, a total of 10,000 Manhattan-campus students were randomly selected from that semester’s enrollment rolls. Students participated in the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (NCHA). The ACHA-NCHA included a validated scale measuring food security from the USDA Economic Research Service.&nbsp;&nbsp;The assessment data revealed that nearly 40 percent of KSU respondents reported low, or very low food security. The K-State figure is consistent with national data for the typical college campus – revealing a huge student population battling uncertain and unreliable food realities on what can be an arduous academic journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638875617816.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cats’ Cupboard&nbsp;&nbsp;As a remedy, the Cats' Cupboard provides immediate access to food and personal hygiene items at no cost. There are no income requirements for participation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The lone qualification of Cats' Cupboard is that participants be a current K-State student, staff or faculty member on the Manhattan campus.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon an individuals’ first visit, they are asked to fill out a short survey – with no income information required. The exceptional pantry staff can provide a tour any time and are here to help as you might need.&nbsp; The Cats' Cupboard is organized based on consumer choice.&nbsp; This allows you to select your own items based on your preferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;Located in Fairchild Hall, Cats' Cupboard is organized as a consumer-choice model, so participants may come in and make their own choices among available items. All that is asked is that you take what you need, and use what you take.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There may be items with suggested limits to ensure items are available for the next shopper. When finished shopping, participants simply take their items and go – no payment or checkout required.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cats' Cupboard Initiative is focused on promoting food security at K-State through a collaborative effort among students, faculty, staff, and community. In addition to an on-campus food pantry, Cats’ Cupboard provides education, engagement opportunities, and support through initiatives that promote health, success, and well-being.&nbsp;&nbsp;By providing support for food and hygiene, Cats’ Cupboard hopes to prevent food insecurity from being a barrier to student success by building awareness and the capacity of the KSU campus community to address this challenge from a holistic perspective.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m15u6l_u4Jc&amp;t=1s" target="_blank">Click here for a short video about the Cats’ Cupboard shopping experience</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638875862143.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Harvesters&nbsp; Community Food NetworkAn even broader food swath is cut by Harvesters – a regional food bank serving a 26-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas. Harvesters provides food and related household products to more than 760 nonprofit agencies, including emergency food pantries, community kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes and others. Harvesters also offers education programs to increase community awareness of hunger and teach about good nutrition.&nbsp;&nbsp;For every dollar donated, Harvesters is able to provide six meals to families and individuals in need during the holiday season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Harvesters is a certified member of&nbsp;<a href="http://feedingamerica.org/" target="_blank">Feeding America</a>, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks. In 2011, Harvesters was Feeding America’s Food Bank of the Year, and is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;Directed by a board of leaders from regional businesses, industry, higher education and government, Harvesters partners with Manhattan-area churches and civic groups to provide over a dozen food pantries in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;Harvesters even operates drive-thru food pickup sites and food kitchens with hot meals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvesters.org/get-food-assistance/food-locator" target="_blank">available at several locations</a>&nbsp;in the greater Manhattan and Ogden.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvesters.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/KS-12-2021.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for a printable list of available items from Harvester.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Hands On K-State pickup is the second Friday of each month from 4-6 p.m. at 2201 Kimball Avenue. Organizers highly suggest calling 785-532-6085 to confirm hours and dates.&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to Harvester’s friends Peter &amp; Veronica&nbsp;Mallouk&nbsp;and Creative Planning Inc., each&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvesters.org/how-to-help/donate" target="_blank">donation made to Harvester</a>&nbsp;this holiday season will be matched to make twice the impact.&nbsp;

Campus and Community resources help overcome holiday food insecurity 

Tonight, McCain Auditorium hosts the final concert of the semester for the K-State Orchestra. The show, “Dreams and Passions!” starts at 7.

 Explore the many facets of dreaming through Hector Berlioz' epic work, Symphonie Fantastique. 

Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation (or cash) in support of the local campus food pantry, Cats' Cupboard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cats' Cupboard is requesting the following donations:&nbsp;

Red Lentils, Brown Rice, Canned Chicken, Canned Pineapple, Canned Mandarin Oranges, Canned Pumpkin, Toothpaste (please no toothbrushes), Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, Women's Deodorant, Hand/Body Lotion&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638813833266.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tonight, McCain Auditorium hosts the final concert of the semester for the K-State Orchestra. The show, “Dreams and Passions!” starts at 7. Explore the many facets of dreaming through Hector Berlioz' epic work, Symphonie Fantastique. Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation (or cash) in support of the local campus food pantry, Cats' Cupboard.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cats' Cupboard is requesting the following donations:&nbsp;Red Lentils, Brown Rice, Canned Chicken, Canned Pineapple, Canned Mandarin Oranges, Canned Pumpkin, Toothpaste (please no toothbrushes), Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, Women's Deodorant, Hand/Body Lotion&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638813996337.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Final Orchestra performance Tuesday

This week the iconic toy retailer announced it would be opening a two-story, 20,000 square-foot store in New Jersey, less than a year after the brand's first&nbsp;failed relaunch.&nbsp; &nbsp; Children's Bargain Town&nbsp; &nbsp; Toys "R" Us, first founded back in 1948 under the name "Children's Bargain Town", was one of the most iconic retailers to fall victim to big-box competition and e-commerce. At the height of its reach, the company operated more than 900 stores across the United States, all of which&nbsp;were closed in mid-2018&nbsp;as the company fell into bankruptcy after 5 years of declining sales and a looming debt pile.&nbsp; &nbsp; Since then, the Toys "R" Us brand has had quite a ride. After the bankruptcy the rights were picked up by a company called&nbsp;Tru&nbsp;Kidz&nbsp;Brand, which opened 2 smaller stores... which lasted about a year before succumbing to COVID-19, leaving the brand to be sold on again.&nbsp; &nbsp; The latest owner is WHP Global, which along with building the new flagship store has&nbsp;struck a deal with Macy's&nbsp;to sell toys under the Toys "R" Us brand in more than 400 Macy's department stores. A Toys "R" Us comeback? Stranger things have happened.&nbsp;

Righty tighty, lefty loosey An Austrian surgeon has been fined&nbsp;€2,700&nbsp;(~$3,000 USD) for gross negligence, after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/02/austrian-surgeon-fined-2700-for-amputating-wrong-leg">accidentally amputating the wrong leg&nbsp;</a>of a patient in surgery.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It's like soccer, with less scoring. Or anything else, evidently. The first&nbsp;5 games&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Chess World Championship&nbsp;have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/dec/01/rare-nepomniachtchi-error-allows-carlsen-to-escape-with-another-draw">all ended in draws</a>,&nbsp;following the pattern of the last championship —&nbsp;where all&nbsp;12 games&nbsp;ended in a draw.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Alexa, set my biological clock for never 44% of non-parents&nbsp;say it is <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/11/19/growing-share-of-childless-adults-in-u-s-dont-expect-to-ever-have-children/">not likely that they will have children</a> someday, an increase on the&nbsp;37%&nbsp;who answered similarly in 2018,&nbsp;according to Pew Research Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Finally, a Tesla I can afford... Tesla is finally going to start shipping the&nbsp;Cyberquad. Sorry,&nbsp;correction, they're going to&nbsp;ship a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/2/22813719/tesla-cyberquad-for-kids-pricing-features-availability">kids&nbsp;version&nbsp;of the vehicle</a>... a&nbsp;$1,900&nbsp;all-electric&nbsp;mini ATV.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Turns out releasing new models every 45 minutes not a great plan Apple&nbsp;is&nbsp;expecting to ship&nbsp;<a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/12/report-apple-has-cut-iphone-13-production-plans-amidst-supply-constraints/">10 million&nbsp;fewer iPhones&nbsp;over the coming months</a> than it was&nbsp;initially expecting — blaming supply constraints&nbsp;and weakening demand for the new models.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638811645044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This week the iconic toy retailer announced it would be opening a two-story, 20,000 square-foot store in New Jersey, less than a year after the brand's first&nbsp;failed relaunch.&nbsp; &nbsp; Children's Bargain Town&nbsp; &nbsp; Toys "R" Us, first founded back in 1948 under the name "Children's Bargain Town", was one of the most iconic retailers to fall victim to big-box competition and e-commerce. At the height of its reach, the company operated more than 900 stores across the United States, all of which&nbsp;were closed in mid-2018&nbsp;as the company fell into bankruptcy after 5 years of declining sales and a looming debt pile.&nbsp; &nbsp; Since then, the Toys "R" Us brand has had quite a ride. After the bankruptcy the rights were picked up by a company called&nbsp;Tru&nbsp;Kidz&nbsp;Brand, which opened 2 smaller stores... which lasted about a year before succumbing to COVID-19, leaving the brand to be sold on again.&nbsp; &nbsp; The latest owner is WHP Global, which along with building the new flagship store has&nbsp;struck a deal with Macy's&nbsp;to sell toys under the Toys "R" Us brand in more than 400 Macy's department stores. A Toys "R" Us comeback? Stranger things have happened.&nbsp;<h2>DATA SNACKS</h2>Righty tighty, lefty loosey An Austrian surgeon has been fined&nbsp;€2,700&nbsp;(~$3,000 USD) for gross negligence, after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/02/austrian-surgeon-fined-2700-for-amputating-wrong-leg">accidentally amputating the wrong leg&nbsp;</a>of a patient in surgery.&nbsp;&nbsp;It's like soccer, with less scoring. Or anything else, evidently. The first&nbsp;5 games&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Chess World Championship&nbsp;have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/dec/01/rare-nepomniachtchi-error-allows-carlsen-to-escape-with-another-draw">all ended in draws</a>,&nbsp;following the pattern of the last championship —&nbsp;where all&nbsp;12 games&nbsp;ended in a draw.&nbsp;&nbsp;Alexa, set my biological clock for never 44% of non-parents&nbsp;say it is <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/11/19/growing-share-of-childless-adults-in-u-s-dont-expect-to-ever-have-children/">not likely that they will have children</a> someday, an increase on the&nbsp;37%&nbsp;who answered similarly in 2018,&nbsp;according to Pew Research Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, a Tesla I can afford... Tesla is finally going to start shipping the&nbsp;Cyberquad. Sorry,&nbsp;correction, they're going to&nbsp;ship a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/2/22813719/tesla-cyberquad-for-kids-pricing-features-availability">kids&nbsp;version&nbsp;of the vehicle</a>... a&nbsp;$1,900&nbsp;all-electric&nbsp;mini ATV.&nbsp;&nbsp;Turns out releasing new models every 45 minutes not a great plan Apple&nbsp;is&nbsp;expecting to ship&nbsp;<a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/12/report-apple-has-cut-iphone-13-production-plans-amidst-supply-constraints/">10 million&nbsp;fewer iPhones&nbsp;over the coming months</a> than it was&nbsp;initially expecting — blaming supply constraints&nbsp;and weakening demand for the new models.&nbsp;

Chart of the Day: Toys "R" trying it again this Christmas

Back glass smash On December 3,&nbsp;a 20-year-old female reported that someone threw a rock through the back window of her car.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 700 block of Vattier Street in Manhattan.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ogden glass smash On December 3,&nbsp;a 32-year-old female reported that someone broke out the windows to her car.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 300 block of Twelfth Street in Ogden. The&nbsp;loss is&nbsp;approximately $700.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Glass smash trifecta On December 3,&nbsp;a 49-year-old male and 50- and 51-year-old females reported that someone broke out the rear windows of all three of their cars. Officers filed three reports for criminal damage to property in the 1100 block of Claflin Road in Manhattan.&nbsp;The losses are estimated at $1,600.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Galaxy far, far away On December 4, a 29-year-old male reported that someone stole his black Samsung Galaxy S20 from his unlocked car.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 1300 block of Anderson Avenue in Manhattan. The&nbsp;loss associated is approximately $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stolen handgun On December 5, a 21-year-old male reported that someone broke into his truck and stole a black and silver Smith and Wesson .40 handgun.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 200 block of North Park Street in Ogden.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;

People still write, and forge, checks On December 5,&nbsp;a 62-year-old female as the victim when it was reported that someone stole, endorsed, and cashed a check the victim sent in the mail.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for forgery in the 500 block of Leavenworth Street in Manhattan.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $1,600.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gun-wielding bicycle bandit On December 5, a 51-year-old male reported a 36-year-old male suspect stole his bicycle while pointing a gun at him.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for aggravated robbery in the 400 block of Leavenworth Street in Manhattan.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $700.&nbsp;

Be on the lookout for golfing musician On December 5, a 20-year-old male reported that someone stole his white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado with Calloway golf clubs and a Taylor acoustic guitar inside. Officers filed a report for theft in the 1500 block of Tuttle Creek Boulevard in Manhattan. The estimated&nbsp;loss&nbsp; is&nbsp;$9,100.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635959253549.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Back glass smash On December 3,&nbsp;a 20-year-old female reported that someone threw a rock through the back window of her car.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 700 block of Vattier Street in Manhattan.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ogden glass smash On December 3,&nbsp;a 32-year-old female reported that someone broke out the windows to her car.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 300 block of Twelfth Street in Ogden. The&nbsp;loss is&nbsp;approximately $700.&nbsp;&nbsp;Glass smash trifecta On December 3,&nbsp;a 49-year-old male and 50- and 51-year-old females reported that someone broke out the rear windows of all three of their cars. Officers filed three reports for criminal damage to property in the 1100 block of Claflin Road in Manhattan.&nbsp;The losses are estimated at $1,600.&nbsp;&nbsp;Galaxy far, far away On December 4, a 29-year-old male reported that someone stole his black Samsung Galaxy S20 from his unlocked car.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 1300 block of Anderson Avenue in Manhattan. The&nbsp;loss associated is approximately $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stolen handgun On December 5, a 21-year-old male reported that someone broke into his truck and stole a black and silver Smith and Wesson .40 handgun.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 200 block of North Park Street in Ogden.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;People still write, and forge, checks On December 5,&nbsp;a 62-year-old female as the victim when it was reported that someone stole, endorsed, and cashed a check the victim sent in the mail.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for forgery in the 500 block of Leavenworth Street in Manhattan.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $1,600.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gun-wielding bicycle bandit On December 5, a 51-year-old male reported a 36-year-old male suspect stole his bicycle while pointing a gun at him.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for aggravated robbery in the 400 block of Leavenworth Street in Manhattan.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $700.&nbsp;Be on the lookout for golfing musician On December 5, a 20-year-old male reported that someone stole his white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado with Calloway golf clubs and a Taylor acoustic guitar inside. Officers filed a report for theft in the 1500 block of Tuttle Creek Boulevard in Manhattan. The estimated&nbsp;loss&nbsp; is&nbsp;$9,100.&nbsp;&nbsp;Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;

Police Briefs December 6, 2021

Richard Linton was selected as president of K-State by the Kansas Board of Regents at a December 2 meeting on the Manhattan campus and plans to start as the&nbsp;the 15th president of Kansas State University on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2022. Linton is the dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University. Until he arrives on campus in mid-February, current K-State President Richard Myers will remain at the helm. While Linton wraps up his responsibilities at NC State, he and Myers will also start on leadership transition plans. "I am honored to take on the role of president of Kansas State University," Linton said. "The university is on an exciting trajectory, and its community has a contagious passion, culture and connectivity. I'm energized to help K-State forward and build on this positive momentum.”

Land-grant missions, food science, and agriculture&nbsp;&nbsp; Linton is strongly connected to land-grant institutions, which is one of the reasons why he applied to become the next president of K-State. He earned his bachelor's degree in biology, master's degree in food science and doctorate in food science from Virginia Tech. From 1994-2011, he was a food science faculty member, director — and founder — of the Center for Food Safety Engineering and associate director of agricultural research programs at Purdue University. He served as department chair of food science and technology at The Ohio State University from 2011-2012 before accepting his current position with NC State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Richard Linton was selected as president of K-State by the Kansas Board of Regents at a December 2 meeting on the Manhattan campus and plans to start as the&nbsp;the 15th president of Kansas State University on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2022. Linton is the dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University. Until he arrives on campus in mid-February, current K-State President Richard Myers will remain at the helm. While Linton wraps up his responsibilities at NC State, he and Myers will also start on leadership transition plans. "I am honored to take on the role of president of Kansas State University," Linton said. "The university is on an exciting trajectory, and its community has a contagious passion, culture and connectivity. I'm energized to help K-State forward and build on this positive momentum.”Land-grant missions, food science, and agriculture&nbsp;&nbsp; Linton is strongly connected to land-grant institutions, which is one of the reasons why he applied to become the next president of K-State. He earned his bachelor's degree in biology, master's degree in food science and doctorate in food science from Virginia Tech. From 1994-2011, he was a food science faculty member, director — and founder — of the Center for Food Safety Engineering and associate director of agricultural research programs at Purdue University. He served as department chair of food science and technology at The Ohio State University from 2011-2012 before accepting his current position with NC State.&nbsp;&nbsp;--by KSU Communications

It's a date: Linton will take over on Valentine's Day

Both the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceKansasPolice?__cft__[0]=AZV5k33vvOd7Qu7QAb5zg-sIhr93NRakmVdEHs7FJGgIcNd4q59s_6JtdubxDh8Qf7T8thb9aAqDjnP4NlYqA5Um384dmOerrw8LzF69jfR2AW2kjNp8BittNOiDbn5h-SJG10l4bmz3cC7H0jHGMdTpESMF-_-sRQUZ2N4cT3tEVA&amp;__tn__=-]K-R" target="_blank">Lawrence Kansas Police Department</a>&nbsp;and the Riley County Police Department continue to jointly investigate cases believed to involve the Kansas College Rapist.

Law enforcement encourages all residents to be vigilant in exercising personal safety and report any suspicious activity during the Winter break. Even for those not traveling, it is important to pay extra attention to activities surrounding your home.&nbsp;

ATTACKS OVER SCHOOL BREAKS With the exception of the very first incident, each rape coincided with a break from classes at the University of Kansas or Kansas State University.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Law enforcement officials encourage heightened awareness, especially during breaks and periods when many students go home, affording potential attackers more freedom to act with less chance for witnesses.

RESIDENTIAL SAFETY&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep doors and windows closed and locked.&nbsp;

Install good quality locks on doors and windows. Deadbolt door locks are always best. Sliding glass patio doors are frequent points of entry for burglars. They should always be reinforced by wedging a stick or pole firmly in the lower track behind the door.&nbsp;

Unplug your automatic overhead garage door opener when leaving for an extended period of time.&nbsp;

Keep shrubbery trimmed so doors and windows are not obscured.&nbsp;

Ask reliable neighbors to watch your residence when you are away. Keep newspapers, handbills, and mail picked-up while you are gone.&nbsp;

Keep valuables well-hidden, especially checkbooks and extra checks. Record and safely store serial numbers from valuable items, such as electronics and firearms.&nbsp;

Keep premises&nbsp;well-lit&nbsp;at night.&nbsp;

Never give information indicating when you will or will not be at home to those you don't know or through social media.&nbsp;

Never let strangers know if you live alone.&nbsp;

If you are gone overnight, use automatic timers on interior lights to give the appearance that the residence is occupied.&nbsp;

PERSONAL SAFETY&nbsp; Be aware of your surroundings.&nbsp;

Never open door to strangers; require ID of service or repair people.&nbsp;

Plan several escape routes from your home.&nbsp;

If you come home and something looks wrong or different - do not enter, go to a safe place and call police.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Keep money in a pocket instead of a purse or wallet.&nbsp;

Portray a confident and self-reliant person, walk like you have a mission.&nbsp;

If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or the situation just does not seem right, trust your instincts and leave.&nbsp;

Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.&nbsp;

If you are attacked or robbed, or you witness violence, contact the police immediately.&nbsp;

Immediately report anyone seen watching people or acting suspicious.&nbsp;

Both departments offer these tips to help students in combatting crimes of all types. As always, to report crimes in progress, call 911 immediately. For non-emergent reports call (785) 537-2112 in Manhattan and (785) 832-7509 in Lawrence. You may also contact&nbsp;CrimeStoppers&nbsp;by calling (785) 539-7777 in Manhattan and (785) 843-TIPS in Lawrence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638789956391.jpeg" alt="Between 2000-2015, there were 14 completed or attempted rapes of female college students inside their off-campus homes in Manhattan and Lawrence. Investigators believe the attacks were committed by the same man.&nbsp; (photo illustration)" />
 <figcaption>Between 2000-2015, there were 14 completed or attempted rapes of female college students inside their off-campus homes in Manhattan and Lawrence. Investigators believe the attacks were committed by the same man.&nbsp; (photo illustration)</figcaption>
 </figure>Both the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceKansasPolice?__cft__[0]=AZV5k33vvOd7Qu7QAb5zg-sIhr93NRakmVdEHs7FJGgIcNd4q59s_6JtdubxDh8Qf7T8thb9aAqDjnP4NlYqA5Um384dmOerrw8LzF69jfR2AW2kjNp8BittNOiDbn5h-SJG10l4bmz3cC7H0jHGMdTpESMF-_-sRQUZ2N4cT3tEVA&amp;__tn__=-]K-R" target="_blank">Lawrence Kansas Police Department</a>&nbsp;and the Riley County Police Department continue to jointly investigate cases believed to involve the Kansas College Rapist. Law enforcement encourages all residents to be vigilant in exercising personal safety and report any suspicious activity during the Winter break. Even for those not traveling, it is important to pay extra attention to activities surrounding your home.&nbsp;ATTACKS OVER SCHOOL BREAKS With the exception of the very first incident, each rape coincided with a break from classes at the University of Kansas or Kansas State University.&nbsp; &nbsp;Law enforcement officials encourage heightened awareness, especially during breaks and periods when many students go home, affording potential attackers more freedom to act with less chance for witnesses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638789935318.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RESIDENTIAL SAFETY&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep doors and windows closed and locked.&nbsp; Install good quality locks on doors and windows. Deadbolt door locks are always best. Sliding glass patio doors are frequent points of entry for burglars. They should always be reinforced by wedging a stick or pole firmly in the lower track behind the door.&nbsp;Unplug your automatic overhead garage door opener when leaving for an extended period of time.&nbsp;Install peepholes in doors.&nbsp;Keep shrubbery trimmed so doors and windows are not obscured.&nbsp;Ask reliable neighbors to watch your residence when you are away. Keep newspapers, handbills, and mail picked-up while you are gone.&nbsp;Keep valuables well-hidden, especially checkbooks and extra checks. Record and safely store serial numbers from valuable items, such as electronics and firearms.&nbsp;Keep premises&nbsp;well-lit&nbsp;at night.&nbsp;Never let strangers into your home&nbsp;Never give information indicating when you will or will not be at home to those you don't know or through social media.&nbsp;Never let strangers know if you live alone.&nbsp;If you are gone overnight, use automatic timers on interior lights to give the appearance that the residence is occupied.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638790960922.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PERSONAL SAFETY&nbsp; Be aware of your surroundings.&nbsp;Never open door to strangers; require ID of service or repair people.&nbsp;Plan several escape routes from your home.&nbsp;Park in well-lit areas.&nbsp;If you come home and something looks wrong or different - do not enter, go to a safe place and call police.&nbsp;&nbsp;Keep money in a pocket instead of a purse or wallet.&nbsp;Portray a confident and self-reliant person, walk like you have a mission.&nbsp;Do not walk or jog alone at night.&nbsp;If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or the situation just does not seem right, trust your instincts and leave.&nbsp;Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.&nbsp;If you are attacked or robbed, or you witness violence, contact the police immediately.&nbsp;Immediately report anyone seen watching people or acting suspicious.&nbsp;Both departments offer these tips to help students in combatting crimes of all types. As always, to report crimes in progress, call 911 immediately. For non-emergent reports call (785) 537-2112 in Manhattan and (785) 832-7509 in Lawrence. You may also contact&nbsp;CrimeStoppers&nbsp;by calling (785) 539-7777 in Manhattan and (785) 843-TIPS in Lawrence.&nbsp;

RCPD on the hunt for Kansas College Rapist 

Deer hunters across Kansas can have deer harvested during the 2021-2022 seasons tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free of charge through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).&nbsp;

KDWP, in collaboration with the University of Missouri, is continuing a three-year research project to better understand where CWD is present in Kansas and how the disease spreads. As part of the research project, the cost of CWD testing will again be covered for up to 450 samples per Deer Management Unit (DMU). All hunters need to provide to receive free testing is harvest location of the deer in the form of GPS coordinates, section Range-Township-Section number, or nearest intersection.

Here’s how hunters can receive cost-free CWD testing during the 2021-2022 seasons:&nbsp;

Hunters may obtain collection instructions from University of Missouri staff by calling (620) 402-4195 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kscwdsurveillance@gmail.com" target="_blank">kscwdsurveillance@gmail.com</a>. And, hunters in DMUs 5, 6, 15, 16, 17 and 18 may receive direct assistance from University of Missouri staff. Simply call or email to make arrangements.&nbsp;

Hunters may drop off samples to their local KDWP district biologist. See&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Administrative-Offices" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Administrative-Offices</a>&nbsp;for KDWP contact information.&nbsp;

Hunters may also receive assistance collecting lymph nodes samples (necessary for testing) by visiting one of the approved sample collection locations listed here:&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD/CWD-Sampling" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD/CWD-Sampling</a>.&nbsp;

For more information on CWD in Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cwdks.com/" target="_blank">www.cwdks.com</a>.&nbsp;

Deer hunters across Kansas can have deer harvested during the 2021-2022 seasons tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free of charge through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638791844895.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;For more information on CWD in Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cwdks.com/" target="_blank">www.cwdks.com</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;For more information on CWD in Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cwdks.com/" target="_blank">www.cwdks.com</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KDWP, in collaboration with the University of Missouri, is continuing a three-year research project to better understand where CWD is present in Kansas and how the disease spreads. As part of the research project, the cost of CWD testing will again be covered for up to 450 samples per Deer Management Unit (DMU). All hunters need to provide to receive free testing is harvest location of the deer in the form of GPS coordinates, section Range-Township-Section number, or nearest intersection.Here’s how hunters can receive cost-free CWD testing during the 2021-2022 seasons:&nbsp;Hunters may obtain collection instructions from University of Missouri staff by calling (620) 402-4195 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kscwdsurveillance@gmail.com" target="_blank">kscwdsurveillance@gmail.com</a>. And, hunters in DMUs 5, 6, 15, 16, 17 and 18 may receive direct assistance from University of Missouri staff. Simply call or email to make arrangements.&nbsp;Hunters may drop off samples to their local KDWP district biologist. See&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Administrative-Offices" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Administrative-Offices</a>&nbsp;for KDWP contact information.&nbsp;Hunters may also receive assistance collecting lymph nodes samples (necessary for testing) by visiting one of the approved sample collection locations listed here:&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD/CWD-Sampling" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD/CWD-Sampling</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638792026438.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For more information on CWD in Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Big-Game-Information/Chronic-Wasting-Disease-CWD</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cwdks.com/" target="_blank">www.cwdks.com</a>.&nbsp;

KDWP providing free CWD testing

Police searching for hairy green man in cheap Santa suit&nbsp; On December 2,&nbsp;a 25-year-old female reported that an unknown suspect stole her 12-foot Christmas tree off her front porch.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 3100 block of Ella Lane in Manhattan. The estimated loss is $540.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Grand Theft Work Truck" not a hot new video game On December 2, a 65-year-old male reported that someone broke into his shop through a window and stole a red 2004 Chevrolet Silverado truck with miscellaneous tools inside. Officers filed a report for burglary in the 100 block of&nbsp;Moores&nbsp;Lane in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss is approximately $11,200.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635959253549.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Police searching for hairy green man in cheap Santa suit&nbsp; On December 2,&nbsp;a 25-year-old female reported that an unknown suspect stole her 12-foot Christmas tree off her front porch.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 3100 block of Ella Lane in Manhattan. The estimated loss is $540.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Grand Theft Work Truck" not a hot new video game On December 2, a 65-year-old male reported that someone broke into his shop through a window and stole a red 2004 Chevrolet Silverado truck with miscellaneous tools inside. Officers filed a report for burglary in the 100 block of&nbsp;Moores&nbsp;Lane in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss is approximately $11,200.&nbsp;&nbsp;Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;

Police Briefs December 3, 2021

Even the inflatable turkey?!&nbsp; On November 26, Manhattan Running Company reported an unknown suspect stole an inflatable turkey, a Honda Run Quiet generator and a Monster Bluetooth speaker.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft. The&nbsp;loss is approximately $1,250.&nbsp;

MacBook jacked&nbsp; On November 24, a 21-year-old male reported an 18-year-old female and a 25-year-old male stole his Apple MacBook Air computer.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 2200 block of College Avenue.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $1,000.&nbsp;

Stolen handgun&nbsp; On November 24,&nbsp;an 18-year-old female and a 23-year-old male reported an unknown suspect broke into their car through a passenger side window and stole a Colt 1911 .45 handgun and financial and identification cards.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary and criminal damage to property in the 800 block of Fremont Street&nbsp;in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss is approximately $1,400.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scooter looter&nbsp; On November 24, a 63-year-old male reported an unknown suspect stole his blue 2008 Yamaha scooter.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 500 block of North&nbsp;Ninth&nbsp;Street in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $800.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Flossy&nbsp; On&nbsp;November 24, a 31-year-old female reported an unknown suspect broke into her car and stole a rose gold diamond ring and a white gold black diamond ring.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 300 block of Stallion Circle&nbsp;in Ogden.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stolen Stihl still stolen&nbsp;&nbsp; On November 24, Waters True Value reported a 32-year-old male suspect stole a 14" Stihl concrete saw.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 300 block of North&nbsp;Seth Child Road&nbsp;in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss is approximately $1,100.&nbsp;

Stolen gun&nbsp; On November 25, a 21-year-old male reported an unknown suspect stole his black Taurus 1911 handgun. Officers filed a report for theft in the 500 block of Rio Hondo Way in Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $600.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tool exodus from Genesis&nbsp; On November 26, Genesis Plumbing and a 33-year-old male reported an unknown suspect broke into a company truck and stole Milwaukee M18 tool combo set to include a screw gun, hammer drill,&nbsp;sawzall, skill saw, angle grinders and flashlight; Milwaukee M12 and M18 rapid chargers, crimp tool, charger radio, toilet auger, air pump, bandsaw, expansion tool and three stackable storage bins; and a Dewalt socket set and storage bins.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 1900 block of Judson Street&nbsp;in Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $3,600.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Second Stihl still stolen&nbsp; On November 26,&nbsp;Waters True Value reported a 32-year-old male suspect had not returned a rented 14" Stihl concrete saw.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 300 block of North&nbsp;Seth Child Road&nbsp;in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss&nbsp;is approximately $2,500.&nbsp;

Flatbed bandit&nbsp; On November 26, a 52-year-old female reported an unknown suspect stole her black 2009 16-foot flatbed trailer. Officers filed a report for theft and criminal damage to property in the 100 block of East Kansas Avenue in Riley. The loss is approximately $2,525.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Converter crimes continue&nbsp; On November 28, a 54-year-old male reported an unknown suspect cut off and stole the catalytic converter from his car. Officers filed a report for theft in the 1300 block of El Paso Lane in Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $500.&nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even the inflatable turkey?!&nbsp; On November 26, Manhattan Running Company reported an unknown suspect stole an inflatable turkey, a Honda Run Quiet generator and a Monster Bluetooth speaker.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft. The&nbsp;loss is approximately $1,250.&nbsp;MacBook jacked&nbsp; On November 24, a 21-year-old male reported an 18-year-old female and a 25-year-old male stole his Apple MacBook Air computer.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 2200 block of College Avenue.&nbsp;The estimated loss is $1,000.&nbsp;Stolen handgun&nbsp; On November 24,&nbsp;an 18-year-old female and a 23-year-old male reported an unknown suspect broke into their car through a passenger side window and stole a Colt 1911 .45 handgun and financial and identification cards.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary and criminal damage to property in the 800 block of Fremont Street&nbsp;in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss is approximately $1,400.&nbsp;&nbsp;Scooter looter&nbsp; On November 24, a 63-year-old male reported an unknown suspect stole his blue 2008 Yamaha scooter.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 500 block of North&nbsp;Ninth&nbsp;Street in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $800.&nbsp;&nbsp;Flossy&nbsp; On&nbsp;November 24, a 31-year-old female reported an unknown suspect broke into her car and stole a rose gold diamond ring and a white gold black diamond ring.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 300 block of Stallion Circle&nbsp;in Ogden.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $500.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stolen Stihl still stolen&nbsp;&nbsp; On November 24, Waters True Value reported a 32-year-old male suspect stole a 14" Stihl concrete saw.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 300 block of North&nbsp;Seth Child Road&nbsp;in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss is approximately $1,100.&nbsp;Stolen gun&nbsp; On November 25, a 21-year-old male reported an unknown suspect stole his black Taurus 1911 handgun. Officers filed a report for theft in the 500 block of Rio Hondo Way in Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $600.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tool exodus from Genesis&nbsp; On November 26, Genesis Plumbing and a 33-year-old male reported an unknown suspect broke into a company truck and stole Milwaukee M18 tool combo set to include a screw gun, hammer drill,&nbsp;sawzall, skill saw, angle grinders and flashlight; Milwaukee M12 and M18 rapid chargers, crimp tool, charger radio, toilet auger, air pump, bandsaw, expansion tool and three stackable storage bins; and a Dewalt socket set and storage bins.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for burglary in the 1900 block of Judson Street&nbsp;in Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $3,600.&nbsp;&nbsp;Second Stihl still stolen&nbsp; On November 26,&nbsp;Waters True Value reported a 32-year-old male suspect had not returned a rented 14" Stihl concrete saw.&nbsp;Officers filed a report for theft in the 300 block of North&nbsp;Seth Child Road&nbsp;in&nbsp;Manhattan.&nbsp;The&nbsp;loss&nbsp;is approximately $2,500.&nbsp;Flatbed bandit&nbsp; On November 26, a 52-year-old female reported an unknown suspect stole her black 2009 16-foot flatbed trailer. Officers filed a report for theft and criminal damage to property in the 100 block of East Kansas Avenue in Riley. The loss is approximately $2,525.&nbsp;&nbsp;Converter crimes continue&nbsp; On November 28, a 54-year-old male reported an unknown suspect cut off and stole the catalytic converter from his car. Officers filed a report for theft in the 1300 block of El Paso Lane in Manhattan.&nbsp;The loss is approximately $500.&nbsp;Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police Briefs Nov. 29

Taking advantage of Cyber Monday and snagging some stocking stuffers?&nbsp;

Here's a few things to remember before your purchases so a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/hashtag/cybercriminal?__eep__=6%2F&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUg4I4YDLAnUUCltmDGtTbdzA3sAgjrQMg2GEcVZzu3ecB8FxLlVn2y4BCghwPCKjeQwLf8XF_3VVn-oXAKvo-0IBsUbr-KnpD-vNjWXYXvookG9rXi_Zo_45EMnXyObgUJLUcNxlvAu-hPz9-7NxVhE8KTlKa_CIqJyGxxjQhxaQ&amp;__tn__=*NK" target="_blank">#CyberCriminal</a>&nbsp;doesn't end up buying their family gifts with your money.&nbsp;

Online Transactions&nbsp;&nbsp;

- Reputable and established online businesses utilize encryption to protect your payment information. Look for the Lock&nbsp;

&nbsp;icon next to the website address in your browser&nbsp;

- Don't ignore certificate error notifications, they can be a warning sign that you may be visiting a fraudulent website&nbsp;

- When shopping from your phone, only consider vetted apps from trusted businesses and download only from the device designated app store&nbsp;

&nbsp;Account Passwords&nbsp;&nbsp;

- Change passwords to online shopping sites and other accounts regularly, and use different passwords for each system and account&nbsp;

- Utilize multi-factor authentication when available&nbsp;

&nbsp;Payment Cards&nbsp;&nbsp;

- Verify online transactions by checking your credit card and banking statements routinely&nbsp;&nbsp;

- Do not conduct online shopping or banking using publicly available Wi-Fi networks. While the network may require a password, there is no guarantee how secure the network is or who may be monitoring or intercepting your online transactions&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638184394564.jpeg" alt="Shopping online is the ultimate in convenience and need not be intimidating.&nbsp; The Riley County Police Department says using a few simple precautions can significantly reduce the risk of being scammed&nbsp; or having your information or identity stolen online." />
 <figcaption>Shopping online is the ultimate in convenience and need not be intimidating.&nbsp; The Riley County Police Department says using a few simple precautions can significantly reduce the risk of being scammed&nbsp; or having your information or identity stolen online.</figcaption>
 </figure>Taking advantage of Cyber Monday and snagging some stocking stuffers?&nbsp;Here's a few things to remember before your purchases so a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/hashtag/cybercriminal?__eep__=6%2F&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUg4I4YDLAnUUCltmDGtTbdzA3sAgjrQMg2GEcVZzu3ecB8FxLlVn2y4BCghwPCKjeQwLf8XF_3VVn-oXAKvo-0IBsUbr-KnpD-vNjWXYXvookG9rXi_Zo_45EMnXyObgUJLUcNxlvAu-hPz9-7NxVhE8KTlKa_CIqJyGxxjQhxaQ&amp;__tn__=*NK" target="_blank">#CyberCriminal</a>&nbsp;doesn't end up buying their family gifts with your money.&nbsp;Online Transactions&nbsp;&nbsp;- Reputable and established online businesses utilize encryption to protect your payment information. Look for the Lock&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="data:image/png;base64,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" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;icon next to the website address in your browser&nbsp;- Don't ignore certificate error notifications, they can be a warning sign that you may be visiting a fraudulent website&nbsp;- When shopping from your phone, only consider vetted apps from trusted businesses and download only from the device designated app store&nbsp;&nbsp;Account Passwords&nbsp;&nbsp;- Change passwords to online shopping sites and other accounts regularly, and use different passwords for each system and account&nbsp;- Utilize multi-factor authentication when available&nbsp;&nbsp;Payment Cards&nbsp;&nbsp;- Verify online transactions by checking your credit card and banking statements routinely&nbsp;&nbsp;Public Wi-Fi&nbsp;&nbsp;- Do not conduct online shopping or banking using publicly available Wi-Fi networks. While the network may require a password, there is no guarantee how secure the network is or who may be monitoring or intercepting your online transactions&nbsp;

RCPD Advises caution during Cyber Monday shopping

At the end of last year, Amazon reported that it employed almost&nbsp;1.3 million&nbsp;people, with roughly 950,000 employees in the U.S. alone. That means that roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-employees-number-1-of-153-us-workers-head-count-2021-7?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank">1 in every 150 American&nbsp;workers</a>&nbsp;get a paycheck from Jeff Bezos and Company&nbsp;

During the holiday period, that number goes up even more.&nbsp; &nbsp; This year&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/18/business/amazon-jobs-holiday-hiring/index.html" target="_blank">Amazon announced</a>&nbsp;it would take on&nbsp;150,000 seasonal employees&nbsp;to help fulfill the demand of the final few months of the year — something the company has pretty much always done.&nbsp; &nbsp; That&nbsp;150,000&nbsp;may not be the biggest seasonal hiring Amazon has ever done, but for some context it's essentially the equivalent of hiring the entire workforce of&nbsp;Nike...&nbsp;twice.&nbsp; &nbsp; Most of the roles are somewhere in Amazon's enormous supply chain; delivery, warehouse work and fulfillment — and it's not the only company hiring.&nbsp;Walmart&nbsp;plans to hire a similar number and Target needs&nbsp;100,000. Hiring that number of people, at a time when the labor market is really hot (re: the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chartr.co/newsletters/2021/10/13/no-time-to-die" target="_blank">great resignation</a>)&nbsp;and&nbsp;supply chains are already creaking, might not be as easy as it used to be.&nbsp;

DATA SNACKS&nbsp; European stock markets&nbsp;fell almost 3%&nbsp;on Friday as<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/boeing-airline-stocks-tumble-as-new-covid-variant-spurs-travel-curbs.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;concerns over a new COVID variant emerged</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; YouTuber&nbsp;Jimmy Donaldson&nbsp;- AKA "MrBeast"&nbsp;- has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e3GPea1Tyg" target="_blank">recreated viral show&nbsp;Squid Game&nbsp;in real life</a>, handing out&nbsp;$456,000&nbsp;to one lucky winner, while racking&nbsp;up 60 million views in less than 48 hours.&nbsp; &nbsp; Good&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/r0jg31/oc_animation_showing_how_thousands_of_boats_of/" target="_blank">animation from the FT of thousands of Chinese boats</a>&nbsp;turning&nbsp;off their AIS transponders at the start of this week,&nbsp;adding to global&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/24/business/china-shipping-data-mic-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">supply chain woes</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/pandemic-air-travel-record-thanksgiving/index.html" target="_blank">TSA revealed that it scanned more than&nbsp;2.3 million people</a>&nbsp;at airports across the country on Wednesday - which is only down 12% on the same time in 2019 (pre-pandemic).&nbsp; &nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59327293" target="_blank">NASA&nbsp;dart has begun its mission to test technology</a>&nbsp;that could one day nudge an asteroid off course, were one&nbsp;to become a threat to Earth.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1638183545484.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>At the end of last year, Amazon reported that it employed almost&nbsp;1.3 million&nbsp;people, with roughly 950,000 employees in the U.S. alone. That means that roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-employees-number-1-of-153-us-workers-head-count-2021-7?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank">1 in every 150 American&nbsp;workers</a>&nbsp;get a paycheck from Jeff Bezos and Company&nbsp;During the holiday period, that number goes up even more.&nbsp; &nbsp; This year&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/18/business/amazon-jobs-holiday-hiring/index.html" target="_blank">Amazon announced</a>&nbsp;it would take on&nbsp;150,000 seasonal employees&nbsp;to help fulfill the demand of the final few months of the year — something the company has pretty much always done.&nbsp; &nbsp; That&nbsp;150,000&nbsp;may not be the biggest seasonal hiring Amazon has ever done, but for some context it's essentially the equivalent of hiring the entire workforce of&nbsp;Nike...&nbsp;twice.&nbsp; &nbsp; Most of the roles are somewhere in Amazon's enormous supply chain; delivery, warehouse work and fulfillment — and it's not the only company hiring.&nbsp;Walmart&nbsp;plans to hire a similar number and Target needs&nbsp;100,000. Hiring that number of people, at a time when the labor market is really hot (re: the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chartr.co/newsletters/2021/10/13/no-time-to-die" target="_blank">great resignation</a>)&nbsp;and&nbsp;supply chains are already creaking, might not be as easy as it used to be.&nbsp;DATA SNACKS&nbsp; European stock markets&nbsp;fell almost 3%&nbsp;on Friday as<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/boeing-airline-stocks-tumble-as-new-covid-variant-spurs-travel-curbs.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;concerns over a new COVID variant emerged</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; YouTuber&nbsp;Jimmy Donaldson&nbsp;- AKA "MrBeast"&nbsp;- has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e3GPea1Tyg" target="_blank">recreated viral show&nbsp;Squid Game&nbsp;in real life</a>, handing out&nbsp;$456,000&nbsp;to one lucky winner, while racking&nbsp;up 60 million views in less than 48 hours.&nbsp; &nbsp; Good&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/r0jg31/oc_animation_showing_how_thousands_of_boats_of/" target="_blank">animation from the FT of thousands of Chinese boats</a>&nbsp;turning&nbsp;off their AIS transponders at the start of this week,&nbsp;adding to global&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/24/business/china-shipping-data-mic-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">supply chain woes</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/pandemic-air-travel-record-thanksgiving/index.html" target="_blank">TSA revealed that it scanned more than&nbsp;2.3 million people</a>&nbsp;at airports across the country on Wednesday - which is only down 12% on the same time in 2019 (pre-pandemic).&nbsp; &nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59327293" target="_blank">NASA&nbsp;dart has begun its mission to test technology</a>&nbsp;that could one day nudge an asteroid off course, were one&nbsp;to become a threat to Earth.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Chart of the Day: Amazon & Bezos employ 1 in every 150 Americans

By Scott Edger&nbsp; Little Apple Post&nbsp;

Earlier in the year, Manhattan residents&nbsp;began noticing&nbsp;a bluish-purple hue emitting from street lamps around town.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While many of us&nbsp;appreciated&nbsp;the K-State glow, it was clear the bulbs were defective and the&nbsp;light coming from them far too dim to provide safe&nbsp;nighttime&nbsp;travel on the city’s streets.&nbsp;

With the recent time change and fewer daylight hours&nbsp;there is greater need for adequate lighting after dark.&nbsp;

Evergy&nbsp;said in the spring&nbsp;that the problem was a manufacturing defect and&nbsp;that it would swap out the violet bulbs over the next four to six&nbsp;months. That was about four to six months ago, and&nbsp;hundreds still remain on Manhattan streetlamps.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jared Wasinger,&nbsp;assistant to the City Manager, said he wasn’t sure how many bulbs in Manhattan have been replaced thus far.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The timeline has likely changed,”&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;said. “They have identified many more that are defective&nbsp;in Manhattan and&nbsp;in many places.”&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;said he has not received an update from&nbsp;Evergy&nbsp;in some time, and that he&nbsp;plans&nbsp;to reach out&nbsp;to the company&nbsp;in the immediate future.&nbsp;

American Electrical Lighting, a division of Acuity Brands, manufactured the defective bulbs. A company spokesman claimed&nbsp;the number of defective bulbs was limited to “small percentage” and that they had not been sold for several years. AEL said that the “light output is in no way harmful or unsafe.”&nbsp;

AEL&nbsp;said the defective&nbsp;bulbs&nbsp;were&nbsp;sold between 2017 and 2019.&nbsp;

There is&nbsp;a phosphor coating on the LED. When the coating delaminates or degrades, the color is affected and the light takes on atypical characteristics.&nbsp;

Evergy&nbsp;initially identified a batch of nearly 6,000 defective bulbs. As the phosphorous coating degrades, more and more streetlights in the city are beaming with&nbsp;indigo illumination.&nbsp;

The bulbs are causing a purple glow in cities and&nbsp;neighborhoods&nbsp;across the country&nbsp;as dozens of&nbsp;utility&nbsp;companies received the defective bulbs.&nbsp;Duke Energy has reported the defective bulbs in its east coast markets&nbsp;and Tampa Electric in Florida has installed thousands of the&nbsp;LED&nbsp;lights.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The vast majority&nbsp;of the&nbsp;defective bulbs seem to have been distributed in the&nbsp;northern and&nbsp;eastern&nbsp;parts&nbsp;of the United States.&nbsp;Practically every mile of Wisconsin’s interstate system is illuminated in a faint purple haze.&nbsp;The glow has gone&nbsp;international as&nbsp;Canadian utility company&nbsp;Manitoba&nbsp;Hydro’s planned LED conversion in&nbsp;Winnipeg has reported the defects.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The lights are glowing purple in other Kansas towns, including Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence, Junction City and Marysville.&nbsp;&nbsp;

No word on whether or not&nbsp;AEL&nbsp;will try&nbsp;to&nbsp;replicate its error and market the bulbs to K-State fans.&nbsp;

By Scott Edger&nbsp; Little Apple Post&nbsp;Earlier in the year, Manhattan residents&nbsp;began noticing&nbsp;a bluish-purple hue emitting from street lamps around town.&nbsp;&nbsp;While many of us&nbsp;appreciated&nbsp;the K-State glow, it was clear the bulbs were defective and the&nbsp;light coming from them far too dim to provide safe&nbsp;nighttime&nbsp;travel on the city’s streets.&nbsp;With the recent time change and fewer daylight hours&nbsp;there is greater need for adequate lighting after dark.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637944497955.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Evergy&nbsp;said in the spring&nbsp;that the problem was a manufacturing defect and&nbsp;that it would swap out the violet bulbs over the next four to six&nbsp;months. That was about four to six months ago, and&nbsp;hundreds still remain on Manhattan streetlamps.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jared Wasinger,&nbsp;assistant to the City Manager, said he wasn’t sure how many bulbs in Manhattan have been replaced thus far.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The timeline has likely changed,”&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;said. “They have identified many more that are defective&nbsp;in Manhattan and&nbsp;in many places.”&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;said he has not received an update from&nbsp;Evergy&nbsp;in some time, and that he&nbsp;plans&nbsp;to reach out&nbsp;to the company&nbsp;in the immediate future.&nbsp;American Electrical Lighting, a division of Acuity Brands, manufactured the defective bulbs. A company spokesman claimed&nbsp;the number of defective bulbs was limited to “small percentage” and that they had not been sold for several years. AEL said that the “light output is in no way harmful or unsafe.”&nbsp;AEL&nbsp;said the defective&nbsp;bulbs&nbsp;were&nbsp;sold between 2017 and 2019.&nbsp;There is&nbsp;a phosphor coating on the LED. When the coating delaminates or degrades, the color is affected and the light takes on atypical characteristics.&nbsp;Evergy&nbsp;initially identified a batch of nearly 6,000 defective bulbs. As the phosphorous coating degrades, more and more streetlights in the city are beaming with&nbsp;indigo illumination.&nbsp;The bulbs are causing a purple glow in cities and&nbsp;neighborhoods&nbsp;across the country&nbsp;as dozens of&nbsp;utility&nbsp;companies received the defective bulbs.&nbsp;Duke Energy has reported the defective bulbs in its east coast markets&nbsp;and Tampa Electric in Florida has installed thousands of the&nbsp;LED&nbsp;lights.&nbsp;&nbsp;The vast majority&nbsp;of the&nbsp;defective bulbs seem to have been distributed in the&nbsp;northern and&nbsp;eastern&nbsp;parts&nbsp;of the United States.&nbsp;Practically every mile of Wisconsin’s interstate system is illuminated in a faint purple haze.&nbsp;The glow has gone&nbsp;international as&nbsp;Canadian utility company&nbsp;Manitoba&nbsp;Hydro’s planned LED conversion in&nbsp;Winnipeg has reported the defects.&nbsp;&nbsp;The lights are glowing purple in other Kansas towns, including Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence, Junction City and Marysville.&nbsp;&nbsp;No word on whether or not&nbsp;AEL&nbsp;will try&nbsp;to&nbsp;replicate its error and market the bulbs to K-State fans.&nbsp;

Purple Haze: still acting funny

Spark MHK is&nbsp;pleased to announce that enrollment for the Spring 2022 cohort of Entrepreneur Business Basics is now open and accepting applications&nbsp;for its&nbsp;next Entrepreneur Business Basics cohort&nbsp;beginning&nbsp;February&nbsp;3, 2022.&nbsp;

Seats&nbsp;are limited as&nbsp;Spark&nbsp;only&nbsp;accepts&nbsp;up to 15 businesses&nbsp;for the program. Spark&nbsp;sold out&nbsp;its last EBB class in the fall in a matter of hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637937732278.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Spark MHK is&nbsp;pleased to announce that enrollment for the Spring 2022 cohort of Entrepreneur Business Basics is now open and accepting applications&nbsp;for its&nbsp;next Entrepreneur Business Basics cohort&nbsp;beginning&nbsp;February&nbsp;3, 2022.&nbsp;Seats&nbsp;are limited as&nbsp;Spark&nbsp;only&nbsp;accepts&nbsp;up to 15 businesses&nbsp;for the program. Spark&nbsp;sold out&nbsp;its last EBB class in the fall in a matter of hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;In partnership with Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce, Pottawatomie County Economic Development Center, and&nbsp;NetWork&nbsp;Kansas, Spark offers Entrepreneur Business Basics cohorts, hosted and facilitated through the EBB program.&nbsp;Entrepreneur Business Basics is a 12-week cohort built on Kauffman&nbsp;FastTrac, a nationally-recognized entrepreneurship curriculum. This course was designed with a focus on the unique challenges and opportunities of Entrepreneurs of Color within the first five years of operating their business.&nbsp;Utilizing a blended format of EBB Classic and Kauffman&nbsp;FastTrac&nbsp;curriculum, the EBB program prepares the entrepreneur to understand the basics of&nbsp;entrepreneurial&nbsp;mindsets, business structures, financial statements, branding and marketing. Participants are equipped to successfully complete a business plan throughout the course and determine business feasibility.&nbsp;This program was designed with a focus on minority business owners and entrepreneurs in our region who have been disproportionately affected by persistent inequities in wealth and access to capital. The goal of the program is to reduce these barriers and promote the achievement of sustainable and scalable success for minority businesses.&nbsp;The goal of&nbsp;EBB&nbsp;sessions is to equip and train low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs to start or grow their business to sustainability through practical and sound fundamentals. EBB accomplishes&nbsp;Spark’s&nbsp;mission by providing workshops, training sessions and resources facilitated by successful entrepreneurs, seasoned corporate executives and thriving organizations focused on entrepreneurship.&nbsp;&nbsp;If your business could benefit from this educational opportunity, check out the link below to learn more and apply today.&nbsp;

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