City seeking two homes to complete rehabilitation project

The City of McPherson has made significant progress toward completion of the second housing rehabilitation project supported by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The current grant provides funding for 11 home rehabilitations and two demolitions. While work has been contracted or completed on most of the selected homes, the City seeks two additional homes for the current grant cycle. Typical rehabilitation improvements include windows, siding, air conditioning, heating and roof replacement.

The CDBG program assists with housing rehabilitation projects designed to benefit low- to moderate-income families. The project utilizes a $300,000 federal grant designated for specific home improvements up to $25,000 per home. Both homeowner-occupied and rental properties are eligible to participate as long as current occupants meet income criteria. Eligible resident homeowners can potentially qualify for full grant funding. Rental properties can qualify for 75 to 85 percent grant funding.

The designated target area for the project is defined as “an area bound by 1st Street on the south, west to Main Street, north on Main Street to Hulse Street, then east on Hulse Street to Wheeler Street; south on Wheeler Street including both sides of the street, south to Loomis Street, then east on Loomis street, including both sides of the street, to the alley between Barber Street and Myers Street, then south in the alley to the southern border at 1st Street.”

Applicants will be screened and rated in accordance with eligibility criteria as defined in the Housing Rehabilitation Plan. When the final two homes are selected and completed, the City will apply for an additional grant focused on a new target area. CDBG guidelines and applications are available at www.mcpcity.com. For more information contact City Administrator Nick Gregory at 620.245.2535.

Finally, some good news for KU basketball

After an offseason of tumult that has fans wondering if the sky truly is falling, the Kansas Jayhawk basketball team finally got a piece of good news that it probably didn’t expect.

Big man Udoka Azubuike announced on Monday that he would be returning to Kansas for his senior year.

Finally, somebody in Lawrence made a sensible decision.

It’s been a star-crossed three years for the hulking Azubuike, who missed a good portion of his freshmen and junior seasons with injuries. When the 7-footer was lost early this season, KU was 9-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation, but the season slowly disintegrated after his departure.

Hopefully he can finally stay healthy. We have seen flashes of what he can do as he’s a powerful inside presence, though very limited. He needs a healthy senior year to make his game more attractive to NBA teams, not to mention he needs to get into NBA-level playing shape. Stamina has always been one of his problems, but I have a feeling he’s going to be totally committed this offseason and be ready for a monster senior year.

What also has to be remembered is how young Azubuike is. He arrived in Lawrence as a raw 16-year-old and is still a teenager as he’s 19. So it’s not like his life is passing him by, and there’s few places better to play basketball than KU and its adoring fans.

KU has had four potential returning players commit to the draft, not to mention KJ Lawson and Charlie Moore transferred. Dedric Lawson, the team’s mainstay this past season when Azubuike was lost, is almost a cinch to stay in the process. He’s regarded as a second-rounder and while he’s not overly athletic, he knows angles and how to play with his “old man” game.

Devon Dotson, who was the team’s second-best player, sounds like he’s basically just dipping his toe in the water. I think he’ll probably be back as he knows with a big sophomore year he could vault perhaps to the lottery as he’s fast and powerful.

Quentin Grimes is getting some bad advice. After his disappointing freshman year, he’s banking on the NBA teams believing he really was the No. 8-ranked player coming out of high school and that last year was an aberration. NBA teams often draft on potential over production. Grimes has an NBA-type body at 6-5 and 210, but he doesn’t have explosiveness of getting to the rim and he’s not a good shooter. Another year at KU would also improve his stock, but I think he needs to get out. He was unfairly a lightning rod for the overzealous faction of KU fans who were expecting the moon and probably needs a fresh start, be it the NBA or overseas.

Silvio DeSousa has put in his name and at this point isn’t even eligible at KU, having been suspended by the NCAA for next season. KU has appealed and if somehow it’s granted (fat chance), he says he’ll return. For a guy who has played only a handful of games in his career, all as a backup, much has been written and said. If the NCAA somehow does deem him eligible, all of a sudden KU’s gloom and doom of an offseason could get brighter.

Bill Self has rolled through his KU coaching career with few speed bumps. But with all of this happening, plus his top two targeted recruits eschewing the Jayhawks for Duke, it will be interesting to see how he navigates through the stormy waters.

Nowak takes first in Gayer Classic

Doug Gayer had to be looking down with a big smile as the tennis tournament bearing his name played out on Monday at the McPherson High Tennis Complex.

Gayer, the longtime MHS tennis coach and Wall of Fame member, passed away this past August, but his legacy carried on with the Doug Gayer Classic and his presence was palpable.

“As I spoke with Tamara and Amanda Gayer, they put it best saying, “It was a Doug kind of day,” said MHS coach Tyler Brown, who served for many years as Gayer’s assistant. “Overcast so the servers didn't have to look into the sun and cool enough once you got out there and started playing, players had to feel pretty good.”

MHS’ Jarrod Nowak, one of the top players in Class 5A, won the No. 1 singles division to highlight the Bullpups’ performances. Jackson Schrader took sixth for the Bullpups.

“Jarrod did what he has been doing all year and that was win another tournament at the 1 singles division,” Brown said.

Independence and Maize shared first, with Buhler, MHS’ Red Team, MHS White Team and Salina Central rounding out the order.

“I would say Independence was the surprise of the tournament,” Brown said. “Only getting votes in 4A to be in the Top 10, they tied with Maize which has been at No. 2 in 5A most of the year. But Salina Central and Maize didn't bring most likely their top dogs or at least not all of their top dogs. But Indy I think could make a lot of noise in the 4A state tournament after seeing them today.”

At No. 2 singles, MHS’ Jaden Fox and Zachary Wash were fifth and sixth, respectively.

Brennan Gipson and Conner Glazner were third at No. 1 doubles, while Zac Butler and Gavin Dobson were sixth. At No. 2 doubles, Wesley Wurm and Tyler Bontrager took second place, with Logan Hardgrave and Alex Houston placing fifth.

“Conner and Brennan had a big win over the Engelken brothers from Buhler for third,” Brown said. “I also was impressed with the freshmen Tyler Bontrager and Wesley Wurm getting to the finals of the (No. ) 2 dubs division.”

MHS is right back in action today at Hesston.