Each Friday, The Gazette salutes those who make Emporia and the surrounding area a better place to live and work. Give these folks a pat on the back ...
THE GRANADA THEATRE Alliance, which recently got permission to work in and under the stage area at the old theater. Does that mean work has entered a new stage?
• Waverly High School’s football team, which captured its second straight state title last weekend. The Bulldogs ended the year with a picture-perfect 13-0 record and are 24-1 in two seasons.
• Flinthills Mall, which helped give the city a little more good news in retail by transferring land for a new Walgreens to a Topeka developer. The Walgreens is scheduled to open this summer.
• Dave Wiemers, for six years of hard work at the helm of the ESU football team. Wiemers, who in 2003 coached the team to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA playoffs, announced his resignation last week after three straight losing seasons.
• The various candidates for Emporia City Commission for showing an interest in the community. So far, five candidates have filed for office, some as early as February.
• City Commissioner Ray Toso, for 20 years of service to the community. Toso announced Friday that he would not run for re-election to the city commission after having served five terms, including five times as mayor.
• The Olpe High School football team for an impressive 12-0 run that ended just a little too early. The Eagles reached the state 2A semifinals only to be barely knocked out by a surging St. Marys team.
• All the drivers who remember to keep a close eye out for deer — and for holiday shoppers.