Replenishing units for the blood bank

PAWS is out for blood and they are sponsoring the Red Cross blood drive to get it. On Feb. 4 Cowley will be holding a blood drive in the Wright Room of the Brown Center. The blood drive will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year the theme is Battle of the Sexes. Guys and girls will compete to see which side can donate the most blood. The blood drive will be open for anyone in the community who wishes to come and donate. Therefore, it will not just be between the male and female students but the men and women of the community.

“Our goal this year is 55 units,” said Vice President of Student Affairs, Sue Saia. “So I hope that students, staff, faculty, and the public turn out.”

Many people are notorious for donating, such as Director of Theater, Scott MacLaughlin, who tries to donate at every blood drive that Cowley has.

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Educating students on more than college transfers


Whether it is elementary education or postsecondary education, Julie Rhoads has got it covered. She has been working with Cowley’s education program for many years and will now be the new director of education and service learning.

“I am very excited for this new position. I really enjoy education and working with service learning and now I can enjoy both.”

Rhoads was previously the elementary education instructor. Now, as the director of education, she will oversee the education program for students. This includes checking to see if classes transfer to major universities, making sure Cowley has the best classes for students to take, advising students who are enrolled in the education program, and working with high schools that way students can earn college credit for education.



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Celebrating the dream of racial equality in America

Sunday evening, Cowley College once again held their Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. The evening was filled with singing, dancing and inspirational speakers. Speakers spoke on unity and equality. The theme of the night was “Yes We Can” and it was a hit among the community.

“I think the theme this year Yes We Can, with all that’s going on in the world, I think it’s perfect,” said Kim Hager, Ark City.

 “The theme this year is really, really good,” said Marddith Watson, of Ark City.

Mayor Jay Warren was also present. “It’s an honor to be here and see all the happiness here at the Brown Center,” said Warren.

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The Book of Eli hits theaters

The Book of Eli, directed by the Hughes Brothers, Allen and Albert, is their first film since From Hell (2001). This post-apocalyptic America film takes places three decades after “the flash”, the only reference made to the cause of the desolation. With just the plain description it is referring to a nuclear holocaust of some sort.

Eli (Denzel Washington) is a sojourner, armed with a machete and a shotgun, traveling westward along a road filled with black teethed bandits with poor hygiene and some with a taste for human flesh.

The main plot has a God appointed Washington, carrying a leather-bound Bible to the west coast where “…people need it.”

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Theater students prepare for 'South Pacific' premiere

The upcoming spring musical, one of Cowley’s biggest events of the year, will be performed March 4 through the 6. This year the musical being performed is the 1949 classic, South Pacific.

Despite it being “a classic” most newer generations have probably never even heard of this beloved musical that has been made into several film and television versions over the years.

The beginnings of the musical South Pacific began with the publication of Tales of the South Pacific in 1947.The Pulitzer Prize winning novel, by James A. Michener, served during World War II in the South Pacific and is the inspiration for the book.


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Cowley music students to attend KMEA

Between February 25 and 27 the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) State Convention will take place. The KMEA State Convention will be at Century II in Wichita. About 16 of Cowley’s own music students will be going to the state convention where they will attend workshops, go to seminars, and watch performances from many of Kansas’ student musicians.

Connie Donatelli, the director of vocal music here at Cowley, explained that Kansas’ best student musicians would be attending the KMEA State Convention “for the State Choir, State Band, State Orchestra and State Jazz Band rehearsals and performances."

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Affordable Health Care Not So Affordable

Since the election of President Barack Obama, there has been much ado about what kind of job he is doing in the White House. I have heard people talk about the war in the Middle East, taxes and the economy. One thing I have not heard much about among students and peers is the health care reform.

Working in the health care industry myself, I know I will be greatly affected by the bill if it is passed, no matter in what form of it is passed. It could change the way the hospitals operate, and could cause some to lose their jobs. I read up a little on the bill itself, H.R. 3962, also known as the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Some of what I found made me cringe: a public option coverage plan, which employers may elect not to participate in, and an excise tax on medical devices such as insulin pumps.

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New teen texting law covered by ‘inattentive driving’

Driving down the streets of Ark City I notice a lot of things about other vehicles and their drivers. Some drivers are listening to music, some are enjoying the nice weather with their windows down, and some are not paying attention to the road at all and paying attention to a text they received on their mobile phone.

Texting while driving is extremely dangerous and for some drivers impossible not to do. When they receive a message they cannot wait to read it at a safer time. But is it any more dangerous than other things I catch people doing while driving?

The debate about the law began Jan. 1 and if it passes would prohibit drivers under 17 or those with a permit to use a cell phone in any way while driving.


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‘Indy’ and ‘The Big Easy’ to meet in Miami

It took 20 weeks and 266 games to get here, but we finally arrived at Super Bowl central. This year’s exclusive guest list includes the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. The Colts are returning to the Promised Land for the second time in four years while the Saints are playing on the big stage for the first time in franchise history.

In the divisional championship games the arm of Peyton Manning guided the Colts while the Saints tried to tear off the arm of Brett Favre. These games had so much more on the line than just an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl.

For Minnesota it would be an opportunity to hold their first ever Lombardi trophy after failing in their first four tries. Dating back even farther it was an opportunity for the Jets to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since Joe Namath’s miraculous win over, the then, Baltimore Colts in 1968. The Colts would have been playing for an opportunity to be the first ever team to finish 19-0 if it were not for benching their starters early in their last two regular season games. The Saints were playing for their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

No matter what teams met in Super Bowl XLIV it was sure to be an epic experience. It was the Colts and Saints that rose to the occasion though. Out of the four possible match ups this game is sure to deliver the goods.

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Tigers ice Fort Scott with late free throws

The Cowley women’s basketball team continued their road play after splitting at the Jayhawk shootout in Coffeyville, losing the first game to Seward and beating Dodge City. The Tigers were in action in Independence on Jan.13 as they looked to get the second win in a row on the road and look to remain near the top of the leader board in the Jayhawk east conference.

Independence gave the Tigers a run for their money as they took the Tigers into overtime to get their fourth conference win 71-65 win.

Cowley had their road problems at the beginning of the season, losing the first four games they played away from W.S. Scott Auditorium but they have rebounded well and won their last three true road games.

The big win was against Independence, when Cowley reduced their win margin from 6-2 to 6-3. Cowley had a lead of 16 points in the first half but Independence would change that and cut it down to 33-28 at halftime.

With just six and a half minutes left in the game the Tigers regained their double-digit lead at 57-43 after a basket by freshman Ariani Silva. Sophomore, Kaneesha Lee, sealed the deal with a three-pointer with just 36 seconds left in the game. After the Pirates started the season off 9-0, they have lost their last five games and are 0-3 in the conference.

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Men’s Track has two qualifiers for Nationals

With one meet under its belt, the Cowley College men’s indoor track and field team headed to Joplin, MO. to take part in the Missouri Southern University Radio Shack Indoor Invitational held Friday and Saturday. The Tigers had two national qualifying performances and nine top-three finishes.

“We had some good performances,” Cowley head coach Mark Phillips said. “I thought we got more done than we did last week at Nebraska.”

Freshman Charles James continues to impress as he surpassed the national qualifying mark in the shot put for the second consecutive week. James’ mark of 50-5 ½ was good enough for third place in the event.
“Charles just keeps on rolling along and will continue to get better,” Phillips said.

Sophomore Jory Custar, who broke the school-record in the 800-meter run last weekend at Nebraska, followed up that performance by winning the 600-yard run with a time of 1:15.08.

Custar was also a member of the Tigers’ distance medley relay team, which finished first with a national qualifying time of 10:41.70.

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19 year old dies in tragic vehicle accident

Four months to the day after her brother, Dustin, was killed in an accident on country roads near Wellington, Brayden Dawn Wiley Popplewell, a 19-year-old Cowley student and a 2008 graduate from Wellington High School died in an accident on a country road near Wellington.


Early on a Sunday morning, Oct. 4, Popplewell, an education major taking classes at the Winfield campus, died when the vehicle she was riding in failed to yield and collided with a 2000 Mercury, according to an Oct. 6 article in the Wichita Eagle.


Popplewell was 1 of 3 passengers in the Dodge 2007 truck, driven by Patrick Burr, 20, of Geuda Springs. Burr is facing involuntary manslaughter, open container, driving under the influence and other charges, according the Wichita Eagle and is being held on a $50,000 bond.




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Lampwork beading: a unique craft

There are many different types of beads for anyone to choose from. There are wooden beads, crystal beads and stone beads just to name a few. However, nothing is more unique in a piece of jewelry than actually making the beads individually. This way, each bead has its own unique look. Giving the jewelry a life of it’s own.

“I started beading in 2003 and it was a part-time hobby,” said Pamela (Pam) Dowler. “[When] I retired from the car business in 2007, I started beading full time.” Many people enjoy Dowler’s work including long time customer and friend Debbie White.

“My husband commissioned Pam to make me something for my birthday a few years back,” said White, “[The beads] are a smoky color with crystals and have matching earrings. It’s my favorite piece.” White and Dowler knew each other in passing before Dowler began her beading hobby.

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Home National Bank supports the arts

Home National Bank has been supporting cultural arts at Cowley for over 10 years. During this time, they have donated over $124,000 which has been used to bring in world-class entertainment like "The Vienna Boys Choir", "African Footprint", "The Ten Tenors", and many more. Coming this year are "Straight No Chaser" and The "Harlem Gospel Choir".

“With Home National Bank’s support, we have been able to offer our community the opportunity to see fabulous entertainment that you would normally have to see in a large city and pay a lot of money for” said Cowley College Executive Director of Alumni and Development Shannon Massey. “We keep our ticket prices low so the members of our community and surrounding communities can afford to attend.”

Roger Brown, Chairman/CEO of Home National Bank, is happy to help Cowley College in its efforts to bring top-notch entertainment to Arkansas City.

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