Reviews name K-State 'cutting edge,' one of 'Best 366 Colleges'
By: Monica Castro Kansas State Collegian
Issue date: 8/29/07 K-State has been nationally recognized for being "cutting edge" and one of the best universities in the United States. The university is included in Princeton Review's "Best 366 Colleges" and has been rated one of the "25 Most Cutting-Edge Schools in the Nation" by Kaplan Publishing's 2008 edition of "You Are Here: A Guide to Over 380 Colleges and Unlimited Paths to Your Future."Pat Bosco, dean of student life, said he believes K-State has earned the recognition because of the many majors and programs available for students. K-State offers more than 250 academic majors for students."The many organizations make Kansas State University an opportunistic school," Bosco said.Lisa Freeman, College of Veterinary Medicine associate dean of research and graduate programs, also was interviewed for Kaplan Publishing's 2008 edition of "You Are Here: A Guide to Over 380 Colleges and Unlimited Paths to Your Future." At the time, Freeman was the only female associate dean of research for the College of Veterinary Medicine, and a colleague recommended her to Kaplan Publishing. Freeman said she answered questions concerning the courses she took for her major, how she liked her job and was asked to give advice to students about her career.K-State is "cutting edge" because it is student-centered with accessible faculty members, Freeman said. The university also offers its students hands-on research opportunities and other ways for involvement, she said. "Kansas State has degree programs that are unique such as milling science, food safety and security," Freeman said. "The programs are cool and current."Freeman said she thinks K-State will continue to stay ahead of other colleges and universities because of the faculty and staff's responsiveness to the students.While K-State provides students with the most popular career choices, it also maintains a friendly atmosphere. According to the 2008 edition of Princeton Review's "Best 366 Colleges," one of K-State's biggest assets is "the highly friendly nature of the student body." "The academic programs, location and atmosphere are what attract new freshmen to Kansas State," Bosco said.Ben Woner, freshman in open option, said a good atmosphere and educational opportunities brought him to K-State. Though Woner has not yet declared an academic major, he said he is confident that during his time at K-State he will find his career path."I feel honored to be accepted to K-State," Woner said. "It is so high on the list of good schools."
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Wamego, Kansas
The OZ Museum Features one of the largest privately owned collections of Oz memorabilia in the world. From the earliest books of Oz creator, L. Frank Baum to today’s collectibles that can be purchased in Auntie Em’s Gift Shop, visitors both young and “young at heart” will treasure a visit to the Oz Museum.511 Lincoln Ave. - (785) 458-8686Mon–Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun Noon to 5pmhttp://www.ozmuseum.com/Admission: $7 (age 13 and up), $4 (age 4 to 12)
Columbian Theatre, Museum & Art Center Check out the beautifully restored murals, and other artifacts, from the 1893 Columbian Exposition and World’s Fair, or catch a live theatre performance in the Peddicord Playhouse in this renovated 19th Century opera house. The first floor gallery features special exhibits.521 Lincoln Ave.http://www.columbiantheatre.com/ Tues–Fri 10am to 5pmSat 10am to 3pm
Wamego City Park This 12-acre park, just a block east of the business district, features a stone shelter house, 2-acre pond, Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, playground equipment and horseshoe pits. The park, beautifully maintained and groomed, has long been considered one of the best picnic spots in the state.
Schonhoff Dutch Mill The state’s only working stone windmill, stands sentinel on the east edge of picturesque Wamego City Park. The mill, built in 1879, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mill is still used to grind wheat to flour.
HIstoric Prairie Town On the eastern edge of the City Park sits the historic Prairie Village and Museum, providing visitors a sense of the history of Wamego and the surrounding areas.East 4th St. - (785) 456-2040Mon–Sat 10am to 4pmSun 1 to 4pm and tours by appointment
Ditto Leach House Home of Dr. Bill and Dr. Rose DittoLouis B. Leach, a prominent Wamego businessman, built the Leach House around 1890. Leach designed the house from memory after visiting villas in the suburbs of Messina, on the island of Sicily. Wamego residents, Dr. Bill and Rose Ditto, began the painstaking restoration of the 22-room home in 1987. The stately home now stands beautifully restored and tours are available by appointment. 910 5th St. -- (785) 456-7688
Birthplace of Walter P. Chrysler Wamego is the birthplace of Walter P. Chrysler, the founder of the Chrysler Corporation. Currently the original structure is being restored and renovated in preparation for its move to the corner of highways 24 & 99. After the relocation, the Chrysler home will become the new Pottawatomie County visitors center.Kansas Territorial PressHistoric Printing museum dedicated to printing equipment from the mid-1800’s – 1900’s. The collection includes table top press to large newspaper presses. The collection also displays a rare unitype simplex type setter.Monday – Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday 1:00 – 5:00 pm810 4th St 785-456-7450
Other attractions in the area:
Beecher Bible and Rifle Church A short drive south of town on highway 99, then a jog west on K-18, leads to the historic church established in late June, 1857, by Free State sympathizers. The great minister from Brooklyn, the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher, supplied money for Sharps rifles and 25 Bibles, thus the name, Beecher Bible and Rifle Church.
The Oregon Trail The historic trail, which was instrumental in the movement west, passed just a few miles north of Wamego. Actual ruts of the thousands of wagons traveling through the area can still be seen. Other remnants of the trail include the Louis Vieux Cemetery, near the banks of the Vermilion River east of Louisville. Further east, along Oregon Trail Road, sits the Oregon Trail Nature Park. This spot offers hiking and picnic areas, as well as a panoramic view of the Kansas River valley and the Jeffrey Energy Center lake, which provides a year-round home for water fowl. Check out the unique mural depicting the history of the area on the silo at the entrance of the park.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Homes: Soon on the level?
An abundance of homes on the market in Riley County could mean prices are starting to level off after years of increases. But a jump in national foreclosure rates could make getting a mortgage more challenging for buyers with less than perfect credit ratings. "We have had double digit home price increases for two or three years," said Tom Giller, president of Commerce Bank in Manhattan. "The general statement is that current prices are flat." Recent reports indicate sales of existing homes are declining throughout the country. Sales of existing homes totaled 5.91 million units nationally in the second quarter of 2007, down 10.8 percent from sales in the second quarter of 2006, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Realtors.
Locally, experts say the supply of houses has finally outpaced the demand. "I think Manhattan is still fairly vibrant, although it's slowed down in growth from the last two or three years," Giller said. "I think everyone is keeping an eye on supply and demand." While a leveling of home prices could mean a possible shift from a sellers to a buyers market locally, the uncertainty of home prices in the future and an overabundance of houses has some people want to purchase a home worried. Although buying a home when prices level or lower could mean a good value now; a drop in prices later could mean that buyer might be paying for a home worth less than the purchase price. "There are a lot of concerns with customers of what is going to happen in the Manhattan market," said Michael Brighton, senior mortgage consultant with Capitol Federal Savings in Manhattan. "Some are afraid there will be a downturn in prices." And it's not only home buyers who are worried that market conditions could lead to losses. Mortgage foreclosure filings are rising on a national level, stirring concerns with mortgage investors about poor returns on loans. Foreclosures associated with sub-prime mortgages, which are those often provided to borrowers with weak credit histories are especially high. Foreclosure filings throughout the country are up more than 30 percent from the first six months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosure properties. Foreclosure filings in Kansas rose 38 percent during the same period. The result, Brighton said, is that lenders are starting to be more conservative with lending guidelines. "We've had minor changes to our policies this summer as things nationally started hitting the news. "Nationally, we are going through a crunch where it's hard to borrow money in general," he said. "Lenders are more worried about bad loans and foreclosures and are tightening standards a preventative measure to save trouble down the road." Although area lenders said spikes in foreclosure filings haven't appeared to hit the Manhattan/Riley County area the way they have in some major cities, many lenders are tightening up on formerly loose lending practices. "We don't have the same market as a year ago," said Deb Knudsen at Community First National Bank in Manhattan. "It's a tough year for lenders and realtors... I think with all the changes going on in the current market, you're pretty much going to have to have stellar credit." Knudsen said although numbers have dropped from a year ago, business is not stagnant. Giller said Commerce Bank continues to close on mortgages daily, despite slightly tougher lending requirements. One change that even buyers with good credit will likely see is the difficulty of purchasing a home with no down payment. "One-hundred-percent financing is still available," Knudsen said, "but they are toughening up the guideline." Giller also said 100-percent financing is becoming risky in light of market trends, but home buyers with 10- to 20-percent down payments are "ok." "Normal 80 to 90-percent values with good debt ratios are still ok, banks are continuing those," Giller said. "The risky ones are hard to do right now." Changes in lending practices hit the local market within the last three to six months, Giller said, as national default rates went up and housing prices went down on a whole. Purchasing a home with the standard 20-percent down payment provides a cushion to the loan holders in case the value of the home decreases. "I think housing prices nationwide are starting to drop," he said. "If you lent 100-percent (of the home value) and it goes down 10 to 15-percent, whoever has that loan is under water. That makes the holder of the loan nervous." Randall Anderes, president of Sunflower Bank in Manhattan, said lenders are looking forward to troops to return to Fort Riley. "We've had more homes in the market that are for sale than we have had in several years," he said. "We are really looking forward to the return of the military families. That would be a real good thing for our community. I think everyone expects that to happen." In general, lenders said buyers with solid credit and salary history; coupled with a 10 to 20 percent down payment will be most likely approved for loans, while riskier applicants could could run into stumbling blocks. "Buyers who are financially prepared to buy a house will have no problem finding a loan in this market," Brighton said. "In terms of prices — it's anyone's bet of what will happen with home prices. Some are wondering if they should wait a couple years to see if they come down, but there's hardly a guarantee."
Locally, experts say the supply of houses has finally outpaced the demand. "I think Manhattan is still fairly vibrant, although it's slowed down in growth from the last two or three years," Giller said. "I think everyone is keeping an eye on supply and demand." While a leveling of home prices could mean a possible shift from a sellers to a buyers market locally, the uncertainty of home prices in the future and an overabundance of houses has some people want to purchase a home worried. Although buying a home when prices level or lower could mean a good value now; a drop in prices later could mean that buyer might be paying for a home worth less than the purchase price. "There are a lot of concerns with customers of what is going to happen in the Manhattan market," said Michael Brighton, senior mortgage consultant with Capitol Federal Savings in Manhattan. "Some are afraid there will be a downturn in prices." And it's not only home buyers who are worried that market conditions could lead to losses. Mortgage foreclosure filings are rising on a national level, stirring concerns with mortgage investors about poor returns on loans. Foreclosures associated with sub-prime mortgages, which are those often provided to borrowers with weak credit histories are especially high. Foreclosure filings throughout the country are up more than 30 percent from the first six months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosure properties. Foreclosure filings in Kansas rose 38 percent during the same period. The result, Brighton said, is that lenders are starting to be more conservative with lending guidelines. "We've had minor changes to our policies this summer as things nationally started hitting the news. "Nationally, we are going through a crunch where it's hard to borrow money in general," he said. "Lenders are more worried about bad loans and foreclosures and are tightening standards a preventative measure to save trouble down the road." Although area lenders said spikes in foreclosure filings haven't appeared to hit the Manhattan/Riley County area the way they have in some major cities, many lenders are tightening up on formerly loose lending practices. "We don't have the same market as a year ago," said Deb Knudsen at Community First National Bank in Manhattan. "It's a tough year for lenders and realtors... I think with all the changes going on in the current market, you're pretty much going to have to have stellar credit." Knudsen said although numbers have dropped from a year ago, business is not stagnant. Giller said Commerce Bank continues to close on mortgages daily, despite slightly tougher lending requirements. One change that even buyers with good credit will likely see is the difficulty of purchasing a home with no down payment. "One-hundred-percent financing is still available," Knudsen said, "but they are toughening up the guideline." Giller also said 100-percent financing is becoming risky in light of market trends, but home buyers with 10- to 20-percent down payments are "ok." "Normal 80 to 90-percent values with good debt ratios are still ok, banks are continuing those," Giller said. "The risky ones are hard to do right now." Changes in lending practices hit the local market within the last three to six months, Giller said, as national default rates went up and housing prices went down on a whole. Purchasing a home with the standard 20-percent down payment provides a cushion to the loan holders in case the value of the home decreases. "I think housing prices nationwide are starting to drop," he said. "If you lent 100-percent (of the home value) and it goes down 10 to 15-percent, whoever has that loan is under water. That makes the holder of the loan nervous." Randall Anderes, president of Sunflower Bank in Manhattan, said lenders are looking forward to troops to return to Fort Riley. "We've had more homes in the market that are for sale than we have had in several years," he said. "We are really looking forward to the return of the military families. That would be a real good thing for our community. I think everyone expects that to happen." In general, lenders said buyers with solid credit and salary history; coupled with a 10 to 20 percent down payment will be most likely approved for loans, while riskier applicants could could run into stumbling blocks. "Buyers who are financially prepared to buy a house will have no problem finding a loan in this market," Brighton said. "In terms of prices — it's anyone's bet of what will happen with home prices. Some are wondering if they should wait a couple years to see if they come down, but there's hardly a guarantee."
Article by Kevin Elliott, The Manhattan Mercury
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Fort Riley Online
The Fort Riley Connection www.fortrileyconnection.com is a site launched to serve as a one-stop information source for military personnel and civilians moving to Fort Riley and surrounding area. The site is intended to ease the relocation process for new and soon-to-be residents of this region.
The official Fort Riley web site for complete post info is: www.riley.army.mil
Your local real estate agent for your move to Fort Riley is ME! www.KatieWolf.com
The official Fort Riley web site for complete post info is: www.riley.army.mil
Your local real estate agent for your move to Fort Riley is ME! www.KatieWolf.com
Thursday, August 23, 2007
OZtoberfest in Wamego, Kansas
The individuals who portrayed the Munchkins in "The Wizard of OZ" in 1939 were youngsters, teenagers and young adults. Today there are only a few of these wonderful people still with us. Several of the original Munchkins will appear at OZtoberFest 2007. Most are in their mid 80s but remain full of energy and enthusiasm for the film that made them familiar around the world. The Munchkins will sign autographs and photos at selected locations and at specific times during OZtoberFest.
A joint project of The OZ Museum, The Columbian Theatre,Kansas Children’s Service League and the Wamego Chamber of Commerce/VisitWamego.comFor more information call 1-866-458-TOTO (8686), or Find us on the web at http://www.oztoberfest.com/default2.htm
Kansas State University
- Kansas State University ranks 7th among ALL univerisites in Rhodes Scholars, Marshall Scholars, Truman Scholars and Goldwater Scholars.
1. Harvard 2. Yale 3. Princeton 4. Stanford 5. Duke 6. Brown 7. KSU 8. Cornell - KSU Ranks FIRST nationally among state universities in its number of Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater and Udall scholarship shince 1986.
- "Top 100 Most Wired Universities" (yahoo Magazine, 2002)
- "Top 10 Trendiest Schools" (Kaplan Newsweek College Catalog 2001)
- #5 Best Bargain Public Colleges (The Best 357 Colleges, 2005)
What's So Great About Manhattan, Kansas?
Well, just to name a few reasons...
- "Top 10 Best Place to Retire Young" (CNNMoney.com, 2007)
- One of "The 50 Best Places to Live" (Men's Journal, March 2002)
- #23 Quality of Life ranking out of 577 micropolitan areas (Bizjournals.com 2006)
- Tree City USA for 21 consecutive years (National Arbor Day Foundation)
- 76th U.S. City to receive "Clean Cities" designation (U.S. Department of Energy)
- Kansas State University - Go Wildcats!
Welcome to My Blog
The "buzz" is that I should be blogging. So, here it is...my first attempt.
It is my goal to provide useful information for those of you who are interested in area real estate, events, facts and fun. From Kansas State, to Fort Riley, to the Munchkins in Wamego...visit often and make my blog one of your "favorite" daily stops!
Welcome and Enjoy!
It is my goal to provide useful information for those of you who are interested in area real estate, events, facts and fun. From Kansas State, to Fort Riley, to the Munchkins in Wamego...visit often and make my blog one of your "favorite" daily stops!
Welcome and Enjoy!
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