General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

$9.5-million Orpheum upgrade gets financial incentive package approval

The Orpheum Theatre's plans for a full-scale renovation are getting a multi-pronged financial hand from the city of Wichita.

On Tuesday, the City Council backed an incentive package that included final approval on a new community improvement district, as well as a letter of intent for the city to issue up to $9.5 million in industrial revenue bonds that bring with them a sales tax exemption on items purchased for the project.

The unanimous vote comes after the Council in early March set a public hearing for Tuesday to consider the creation of the new CID, which will allow for an additional 2% sales tax on purchases within the theater — including ticket sales and concessions — to go toward the costs of interior rehabilitation, lighting system and audio upgrades, new seating and other improvements.

"I really want to applaud the Orpheum for being creative and thinking of a way to get to 'yes,' so that you can have the renovations that the building has so desperately needed," Council member Becky Tuttle said.

The Council's approvals on Tuesday also included backing a development agreement between the city and the Orpheum related to the project. The agreement notes the CID sales tax is authorized for a 22-year period.

Closing for a year once the process begins sucks, but should be well worth it once completed.

[SubGod22]

Wichita pimpin'

WBJ - Wichita aerospace businesses will tout the Air Capital at national events in April

Wichita aerospace companies are headed to Chicago, Colorado and Florida next weekto tell people about the advantages of working with businesses in the Air Capital.

Representatives of the Greater Wichita Partnership, Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport and six companies head to Chicago next week to showcase the city's manufacturing capabilities and talent pipeline. More than 1,000 global exhibitors will be at the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Americas exhibition April 9-11.

While the private companies will be looking for business, the Partnership will look to tout the advantages of Wichita, which it says is one of the strongest MRO markets for workforce and operating costs and has a network of more than 450 air craft suppliers and many FAA-certified repair sites.

“This is a strategic opportunity to highlight the nation’s No. 1 skilled aviation workforce to the largest gathering of aviation maintenance professionals in the world," Partnership president Jeff Fluhr said in a news release. "It also serves as a platform to leverage the region as a prime location for business and investment.”

Jet AirWerks, NIAR WERX, Mid-Continent Controls, Valence Surface Technologies and Aircraft Covers Unlimited are exhibiting with the Partnership at the MRO Americas exhibit. Representatives will have the chance to speak with more than 16,000 airline, manufacturer, MRO service provider, leasing and supply chain attendees.

A lot of potential contacts and business available.

A team from WSU Tech will also compete in an aerospace maintenance competition.

The Partnership will exhibit a Smart Rover robotics kit, a component of The Smart Factory Believers Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education program, which are made at Wichita State University.

Starting on Monday, the Greater Wichita Partnership will head to Colorado Springs for the 39th annual Space Symposium. The Partnership will highlight Wichita’s growing space and defense expertise through April 11. The event brings together global leaders from commercial, government and military areas, who plan for space achievements.

The vice president of Space, Intelligence and Weapon Systems at Boeing, Kay Sears, will speak during the conference, as will representatives from NASA, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Department of Defense and others. Around a dozen business and military leaders from around the world will also give presentations, including some from Columbia, Germany, Italy and Norway.

Continuing to grow the space industry here in ICT is important for the area. A lot of potential to be had as space becomes more accessible as private industry as well as governments continue to increase the desires to make space a new and interesting frontier for science and commercial endeavors.

[SubGod22]

A new business headed this way.

WBJ - Propelled by Covid-shaped experiences, former physician assistant launches Wichita cycle studio

She's now taking that experience and turning it into her first business: opening We Ride studio in northeast Wichita.

Jablonski's rhythmic cycling studio is set to launch May 13 in the Village at Greenwich shopping center at the northeast corner of 21st Street and Greenwich.

"I am so re-energized," said Jablonski, who added it was "bittersweet" recently wrapping her last shift as a PA. "I am just so happy and more care-free. Even though, with starting a business and running a business, I'm in here working about 16 hours a day, it's still so much less stress than I was under going through Covid."

We Ride, which is not a franchise, will offer rhythm-based cycling classes in an environment Jablonski hopes will help individuals' mental and physical health.

Classes are 45 minutes, with a focus on letting go of stress and losing one's self in the music more than being concerned with the numbers surrounding a person's workout.

Sounds like an interesting concept that could actually do really well. Cycling is a good form of low impact exercise. Hope she finds success.

[SubGod22]

A list of shows coming to Wichita this year. I'm sure more will pop up down the road.

Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience, Feb 9, Orpheum Theatre
Cody Johnson, Feb. 9, IBA
Rockin' The Fe with the Sunset Sinners, Feb 9, Stiefel Theatre (Salina)
Mountain Deer Revival, Feb 10, Wave
Hariball, Feb 10, Hartman
Extreme with Living Colour, Feb 13, Cotillion
Wade Bowen, Feb 15, Cotillion
That Arena Rock Show, Feb 16, TempleLive
The Legends Tour, Feb 17, Century II
Jukebox, Feb 17, TempleLive
Yo La Tengo, Feb 20, Wave
Postmodern Jukebox, Feb 20, Orpheum Theatre
Tommy Emmanuel, Feb 21, Stiefel Theatre
Matt Anderson, Feb 22, Stiefel Theatre
Mr. Big, Feb 23, Cotillion
Social Cinema, Feb 23, TempleLive
Vehicles, Feb 24, Wave
Arkansauce, Feb 24, Wave
Steel Panther, Feb 24, TempleLive
Josh Abbot Band, Feb 24, Cotillion
Gregory Alan Isakov, Feb 28, Cotillion
Kolby Cooper, Feb 29, Cotillion
Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen, Feb 29, Stiefel Theatre

Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Mar 1, Cotillion
My So Called Band, Mar 1, Wave
Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy, Mar 2, Wave
Whitey Morgan and the 78's, Mar 3, Wave
Winter Jam, Mar 3, IBA
Drew Lynch, Mar 6, Orpheum
Boy Named Banjo, Mar 6, Wave
Zach Rushing, Mar 9, TempleLive
Anthony Gomes, Mar 9, Cotillion
Flogging Molly, Mar 9, Kansas Star Casino
Brian Seltzer: Rockabilly Riot, Mar 9, Stiefel Theatre
Tropidelic: Il Nino Tour, Mar 14, Wave
Me Like Bees, Mar 15, Wave
Frank Foster, Mar 15, TempleLive
Jo Koy, Mar 15, Orpheum
The Ultimate Doors, Mar 16, TempleLIve
Liverpool Legends, Mar 22, Orpheum
Jackyl, Mar. 22, Cotillion
Ed Bassmaster, Mar. 22, Century II
Kansas, Mar 22-23, Stiefel Theatre
Rock and Roll Never Forgets: A Tribute to Bob Seger, Mar 23, Cotillion
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Mar 23, TempleLive
Darkest Hour, Mar 23, TempleLive
The Astronauts, Mar 23, Wave
Vincent Neil Emerson, Mar. 27, Wave
Blake Shelton, Mar 29, IBA
Cinderella's Tom Keifer, Mar 29, Cotillion
Gary Owen, Mar 29, Century II
Trey Kennedy: Grow Up, Mar 30, Orpheum
Not.Greenday, Mar 30, Wave
Jaret Ray Reddick, Mar 30, TempleLive
Three Dog Night, Mar 30, Kansas Star Casino
Chicos de Barrio, Mar 30, Cotillion

The Bright Light Social Hour, Apr 3, Wave
Mo Lowda & The Humble, Apr 3, Wave
Bumpin' Uglies, Apr 4, Wave
Night Ranger, Apr 5, Kansas Star Casino
G-Space, Apr 5, Wave
Glenn Miller Orchestra, Apr 7, Orpheum
Galactic Empire, Apr 7, Temple Live
Dust City Opera, Apr 8, Wave
Toto, Apr 12, Stiefel Theatre
ABBAFAB, Apr 12, Cotillion
Uncle Lazer, Apr 12, TempleLive
Johnny Woods, Apr 12, Wave
The Offspring, Apr 12, Wave
Slaughter Beach, Apr 13, TempleLive
Fit for a King, Apr 13, TempleLive
When Doves Cry, The Prince Tribute Show, Apr 13, Orpheum
Voyage - The Ultimate Journey Tribute Band, Apr 18, Cotillion
Dexter and the Moonrocks, Apr 18, Wave
The Mountain Goats, Apr 19, Stiefel Theatre
Flux Pavilion, Apr 19, Cotillion
Sum 41, Apr 20, Wave
The Tierney Sutton Band, Apr 20, Orpheum
meth. w/Dreamwell, Leech Fetish, Virgins, Apr 22, Wave
Icon for Hire, Apr 23, TempleLive
Jeff Dunham, Apr 25, IBA
John Craigie & Mason Jennings, Apr 25, Wave
Rend Collective, Apr 25, Orpheum
Home Free, Apr 26, Stiefel Theatre
The Wallflowers, Apr 26, TempleLive
Terri Clark, Apr 26, Crown Uptown Theatre
Tom's Elton Tribute, Apr 27, Century II
The Comedy Function, Apr 27, Orpheum
Joe Satriani & Steve Vai, Apr 29, Stiefel Theatre
Wild Party, Apr 30, Wave

Creed Fisher, May 2, TempleLive
Pony Bradshaw, May 2, Wave
Turnpike Troubadours, May 3, IBA
Peter Antoniou, May 3, TempleLive
Little Miss Nasty, May 4, Wave
Whiskey Myers, May 4, Hartman
Hippie Sabotage, May 4, Cotillion
Earth, May 4, TempleLive
City Morgue, May 5, Cotillion
P.O.D., May 5, TempleLive
Eidola, May 5, TempleLive
Josh Turner, May 9, Cotillion
Flaw, May 9, Wave
Damage Inc./Noise Pollution, May 10, Cotillion
Steel Skarecrow, May 10, TempleLive
Zach Top, May 10, Wave
Ashley McBryde, May 11, Stiefel Theatre
Nekrogoblikon, May 11, Wave
Get the LED Out, May 11, Cotillion
Emo Orchestra: Escape the Fate, May 12, Orpheum
Lacuna Coil, May 14, TempleLive
Havoc, May 15, TempleLive
Cake, May 16, Wave
Chicago, May 17, Hartman
Ian Munsick, May 17, Wave
Josh Gates Live, May 17, Orpheum
The Steel Wheels, May 22, Wave
Mo B. Dick, May 24, Wave
Shaggy 2 Dope, May 25, Wave
Uriah Heep & Saxon, May 25, TempleLive
Alien Ant Farm, May 28, TempleLive
Rivers of Nihil, May 29, TempleLive
Southall, May 30, Wave
Legends of Country Rock: Firefall and Richie Furay of Poco & Buffalo Springfield, May 31, Stiefel Theatre

Hunter Hayes, Jun 1, Riverfest
From Ashes to New, Jun 2, Cotillion
Brit Floyd, Jun 4, Orpheum
The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Jun 4, TempleLive
Randy Travis, Jun 7, Orpheum
Kool & The Gang, Jun 8, Riverfest
Of Montreal, Jun 11, Wave
Punch Brothers, Jun 17, Stiefel Theatre
Brad Williams, Jun 21, Orpheum
Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Jun 26, Cotillion
Sunset Sinners, Jun 27, Wave
James McMurtry, Jun 29, Wave

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, July 11, Wave
The Wallflowers, July 13, TempleLive
Left to Suffer, July 13, TempleLive
Maddie & Tae, July 19, Kansas Star Casino
Muscadine Bloodline, July 19, Cotillion
Jo Dee Messina, July 19, Dam Jam
Brantley Gilbert, July 20, Dam Jam
Stone Temple Pilots, July 20, Dam Jam
Ryan Upchurch, July 20, Dam Jam
Wheeler Walker Jr., July 20, Dam Jam
Demun Jones, July 20, Dam Jam
Killer Queen, July 23, Cotillion
Eazybaked, July 25, Wave
Gabby Barrett, July 25, Kansas Star Casino

Blues Traveler & Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Aug 6, Wave
I Prevail & Halestorm, Aug 6, Hartman Arena
Graham Nash, Aug 10, Steifel Theatre
Ben Folds, Aug 10, Cotillion
Bored Teachers, Aug 10, Kansas Star Casino
Graham Nash, Aug 10, Stiefel Theatre
Bulls, Bands and Barrels featuring Koe Wetzel, Aug. 16, IBA
Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood, Aug 18, Orpheum
Fitz and the Tantrums, Aug 20, Wave
Dwight Yoakam, Aug 22, Hartman Arena

Wynonna Judd, Sep 6, Kansas State Fair Grandstand
Goo Goo Dolls, Sep 7, Kansas State Fair Grandstand
Gary Clark Jr., Sep 10, Wave
Broadway's Rock of Ages Band, Sep 12, Kansas State Fair Grandstand
Riley Green, Sep 14, Kansas State Fair Grandstand
Oak Ridge Boys, Sep 15, Kansas State Fair Grandstand
38 Special, Sep 21, Kansas Star Casino
Intocable, Sep 26, Century II

John Lyndon, Oct 1, Cotillion
Celtic Thunder, Oct 4, Orpheum
Kansas, Oct 5, Hartman Arena
John Michael Montgomery, Oct 11, TempleLive
Jelly Roll, Oct 15, IBA
Michael Jackson Tribute, Oct 27, Cotillion

Barenaked Ladies with Toad the Wet Sprocket, Nov 2, Stiefel Theatre
Heart, Nov 16, Intrust Bank Arena


Some things to look forward to. Just for fun, I went through and highlighted the ones I'm most intrigued by.

Updated list. New acts in green

[SubGod22]

MSN - Botanica announces dates for Tulip Festival

Botanica announced dates for the annual Tulip Festival. The garden announced it will take place April 13, 14, 20 and 21 with hourly time slots at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

The festival will have live music, treats and adult beverages. Families can enjoy many activities, such as yard games, children’s art and science activities, carousel rides, tulip information stations, face painting and a petting zoo on the Grand Lawn.

Tickets must be pre-purchased and are $12 for non-member adults and $10 for youth, Botanica members, and military. Children 2 and under are free of charge.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Wichita native Scott Engler suiting up for Wind Surge on Opening Day

Engler’s agent gave him the call and told him to gather his things and immediately join the Minnesota Twins organization, which meant a stop in his hometown.

“When it really started to hit me was about 10 o’clock at night,” Engler said. “I was just lying in bed, and I was like, I mean, I couldn’t sleep. I was so excited. I slept from maybe 10 to midnight, and that was the rest. I woke up, and I was just thinking about my next day and how exciting it was going to be because I had a pretty good feeling that I would be coming back to Wichita to play. And I was just filled with like such joy.”

A graduate of Bishop Carroll High School in 2015, Engler has worked with many Golden Eagle athletes. The team is happy to have him home.

“I was in on a couple of their practices, you know, playing catch with a couple of them and just hung around them. And then there’s guys that I gave lessons to,” Engler said.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Overland Park firm already engaged in Wichita market plans $105M Bel Aire project

Aspen Funds, an Overland Park-based real estate investment firm with ties to Wichita, has secured funding for a new speculative buildings project in Bel Aire's Sunflower Commerce Park.

The firm, which is also responsible for the build-out of south Wichita's Ironhorse Manufacturing Park, will build five spec buildings that will cover just over 20 acres of the almost 80 acres of land contracted to the firm on the northeast corner of 53rd Street North and Webb Road. The buildings will be used for industrial, manufacturing, warehouse, distribution and office purposes.

The development is projected to create 609 jobs with an average salary of $44,000.

They've had some success at Ironhorse and if they can have it here, it will be a nice little boost to NE Wichita/Bel Aire.

There's a lot more potential for it should Integra eventually get their CHIPS funding.

[SubGod22]

KSN - SNL star Pete Davidson bringing tour to Wichita

Comedian Pete Davidson will bring his “Prehab Tour” to the Wichita Orpheum Theatre on May 22.

Be one of the first to get tickets starting Wednesday at 10 a.m. (code: TURBO). Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 12.

Davidson spent time as a cast member on NBC’s Saturday Night Live for nine years. He was listed as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - What the launch timeline now looks like for a big northeast Wichita pickleball project

Construction is about to ramp up at the site of a 35,000 square-foot pickleball venue in northeast Wichita.

The pre-engineered metal building components for TapNPaddles, a new concept from owners Mike and Kelli Ventling, are set to arrive later this week at the District 96 development just north of K-96 at Oliver and 35th Street.

From there, Mike Ventling said the structure can start going up.

Ventling said the team should know more by the end of May, but he's targeting a September or October soft opening for the facility, which will feature 12 indoor pickleball courts, an event space and a full-service bar and restaurant.

The courts will be built to USA Pickleball standards, with Ventling highlighting that he's paying a premium for details such as lighting that provides nearly zero glare.

"That's kind of our philosophy — to create it, make it pro level, and everybody from beginner on up is going to enjoy playing there," said Ventling, a pickleball player himself.

Greening Construction Inc., based in the Wichita area, is the general contractor.

Tomas Hoyos, a research scholar at Texas A&M University, is helping with the design, recently completing exterior renderings. Ventling said Hoyos has worked with other pickleball clubs, which is how he got connected with him.

This is not an area of town I've spent much time around, outside of driving by on K96. But it sounds like this could potentially end up being an area that once fully developed could be another potential destination type of area. A lot will depend on how they fill out the rest of the area, but there's some potential to make it a nice area that can build upon and support itself.

[SubGod22]

KWCH - Forbes says Wichita is 5th best city for pet owners

A recent study Forbes Advisor found that Wichita is the fifth best city for pet owners.

The study said dog owners in Wichita pay the lowest prices for vet visits ($57.95 average cost), vaccinations ($196.82) and dental cleanings ($346.95 average cost), and the second lowest average amount for spay and neuter surgeries, at $462.20. Wichita cat owners also pay the lowest prices for vet visits ($57.95 average cost), vaccinations ($85.82), spay and neuter surgeries ($267.20 average cost) and dental cleanings ($346.95 average cost).

Wichita boasts the highest concentration of pet stores with 25.07 per 10,000 businesses, and it has the third highest concentration of veterinary offices, with 81.98 per 10,000 businesses.

The top four were Kansas City, Mo.; Nashville; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Raleigh, N.C.

Some of those prices seem a little high. Granted, my vet is outside of Wichita so maybe that plays a part. I'm sure size of pet sometimes plays a role in pricing and I have medium sized dogs which may help a little bit as well.

[SubGod22]

New, fun game being created by a couple of guys from Wichita? I'm intrigued.

Eagle - Like movie trivia? This new game a couple of Wichitans created may be for you

Some people used the pandemic to clean their closets, start a craft or learn to bake bread, but you might call Jace Bothner and Jake Treat toppers thanks to what they did.

The two used that time — the last four years, actually — to invent a game they’re now trying to take to market through Kickstarter.

Martini Shot is a movie trivia game that can be played online or as a “quasi virtual game,” as Bothner put it, both online and on a traditional game board.

I love movie trivia and have a number of friends who are too. This could actually be a fun way to get together and play over a few drinks and just shoot the ****.

There were a number of hurdles Bothner had to overcome, such as grouping movies into easy, medium and hard categories.

He said he didn’t exactly create an algorithm, “but it’s definitely a formula we’re using.”

The categories are based on how popular movies are.

With each question a team gets right, players can advance a token in the shape of a martini glass on the playing board.

Bothner said he’s not a particularly competitive person, but he wanted to ensure the game is fair with its questions.

“It’s pretty annoying when your team gets a really hard one, and the next team gets a really easy one.”

He also wanted questions to get progressively more difficult the more players answered correctly.

“That was kind of one of the other things I wanted to solve with my programming skills.”

I like that it can be continually updated. Most games that add cards/questions/whatever get issued in another box set that costs $20 or some such, so to keep updating a fun game can end up costing you over $100. I'm thinking something like Cards Against Humanity and the plethora of games that are similarly done with different avenues for entertainment.

I'm going to look into this one.

[SubGod22]

Also just read that Genesis Health Clubs has acquired The Sandbox in Derby.

[SubGod22]

I didn't know about this. Pretty cool if you ask me, which nobody did.

DVIDS - McConnell Airmen Volunteer to Fix Historic 'Doc' B-29

Master Sgt. Kenneth Jenkins, 22nd Maintenance Squadron flight chief, led a team of five volunteer Airmen to repair and manufacture cables for “Doc,” a B-29 Superfortress, Feb. 8, at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas.

The team spent hours successfully replacing damaged elevator control cables that previously deemed this rare World War II bomber unflyable.

“There’s people who are still alive that flew this aircraft during World War II,” Jenkins said. “There’s a lady who just turned 99 that put the rivets into that aircraft back in the 1940s.”

Jenkins’ team used their mechanical knowledge to honor those men and women who sacrificed their lives to build, fly, maintain and design the wartime aircraft.

“When younger people get involved, it’s really neat,” said Jenkins. “Being an older guy, we get sentimental about old equipment. The fact that we had so many younger people step up and volunteer to do this on their own time - it’s awesome.”

I didn't know that Doc had been effectively grounded at some point over the winter until certain repairs could be made. It's pretty cool to have some people from McConnell step up and volunteer to help make that happen. I can only imagine their mechanical knowledge and experience on more modern aircraft was still invaluable when it comes to getting things done for Doc.

I hope we can keep Doc flying for a long time.

[SubGod22]

KWCH - Andover YMCA announces reopening date

The Andover YMCA will reopen May 20, more than two years after an EF-3 tornado tore through the facility, causing massive damage and setting off a lengthy recovery process.

In February, it was announced that the YMCA would reopen in May; Tuesday’s news established the exact date. The tornado happened on April 29, 2022.

In May 2023, the water park at the Andover YMCA reopened, and in April of that year, the YMCA released renderings of the planned renovation process, which included a reimagined rock wall called the “Lucky Climber” among other amenities.

In addition to upgrades, the Andover Y will have more than 160 staff openings. You can find information on those openings and how to apply here: Andover YMCA job opportunities.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers' growth leads to top-10 placement on Yelp list

Last year, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers opened a company-record 62 new restaurants across the country and crossed the 500-location mark.

That growth has earned national recognition.

In a list released Wednesday, Yelp (NYSE: YELP) ranked Wichita-based Freddy's as the seventh-fastest-growing brand in the U.S.

"Brands that are owning their Midwestern roots are catching fire among consumers, like Culver’s (No. 14 on the list), which emphasizes community ties and family values, and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, which sells comfort food that reflects the warmth and familiarity of the region’s cuisine," Yelp's analysis said.

Culver's, based in Wisconsin, is set to open its first Wichita location later this year.

The online review and reservation company highlighted "major headway" Freddy's has made in the northeastern part of the country and New Jersey, in particular.

Nice recognition.

No. 1 CAVA
No. 2 Scooter's Coffee
No. 3 LongHorn Steakhouse
No. 4 The Habit Burger Grill
No. 5 Wawa
No. 6 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
No. 7 Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
No. 8 Rally House
No. 9 Olive Garden (This one surprised me)
No. 10 Jersey Mike's Subs