Tag Archives: Manhattan

Bill Murray charms them in Manhattan (Kansas)

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A gentleman  (and a lady) is someone who never makes someone else feel uncomfortable. That’s what cool is. Not what music you listen too, not what clothes you wear, Not who’s the most popular. … But the person who looks you in the eye, who’s always there, that’s the person you’ll remember from high school.

That was the message actor Bill Murray delivered to Manhattan High School students, alumni and hangers-on like me and Amy in between the girls and boys basketball games tonight.

Murray was in town to pay homage to former Manhattan High School attendee Del Close, who was inducted along with three others to the MHS wall of fame tonight. Close was regarded as a founder of improvisational comedy favored by Chicago’s Second City, where he mentored a long list of Saturday Night Live alumni, including Bill Murray. The night before Close died in 1999, he held a live wake in his hospital room and declared he was tired of being the funniest person in the room. He bequeathed his skull to the Goodman theatre for a performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Alas, poor Yorick, I hardly knew thee).

Murray was charming, heartfelt and funny as he paid homage to his late friend, and to the town of Manhattan (Kansas). His brother, Brian Doyle-Murray apparently lives in Manhattan (Kansas), although he’s in California working on a film, and there are stories of annual Murray brother sightings around town. Ask Kyle.

Afterwards, while Bill graciously talked to the locals, I got a chance to give him a barfblog and French Don’t Eat Poop T-shirt. He seemed amused (left).

Anyone who’s been here knows Manhattan (Kansas) really is in the middle of nowhere and really is in the middle of the contiguous 48 states. It’s not easy to get here. So yeah to Bill Murray.

Bill Murray coming to Manhattan (Kansas)

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But the real news is that his brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, lives here, and his wife is a student in veterinary medicine at Kansas State.

Who knew.

He not only played Lou Loomis in Caddyshack, which made his brother Bill famous, he co-wrote the script with Harold Ramis and Douglas Kenney. What about that turn in Wayne’s World? And the numerous characters on the Canadian television version of Second City TV.

Anyway, the Manhattan Mercury reports that Bill  Murray is expected to be in Manhattan Friday to attend the induction of Del Close into the Manhattan High School Hall of Fame.

The story says that his fame began at the Second City comedy theater in Chicago, which is where he came under the guidance of Close. Close is regarded as the comic godfather of many Second City talents, including John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Chris Farley and others. Close was in the Manhattan High School class of 1952.

Doyle-Murray was cited as telling the Mercury today that he wouldn’t be able to attend the induction ceremony because of a movie commitment in California, but that Bill would be here.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place between the boys’ and girls’ games — about 7:15 p.m. — at Manhattan High, in the north gym.

Ice storm hits Manhattan 3 — keeping food safe

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On Tuesday night, the entire sky over Manhattan was colored green. And it happened at least five other times.

Those were transformers blowing up.

Westar electric says Manhattain may have no power for a week.

Yikes.

And then, Wednesday night, just when we thought we would have to wash dishes by hand, the power came on.

We’re fortunate, as hundreds of thousands across the Midwest still have no power, including several thousand in Manhattan. With that in mind, Reuters and USA Today picked up on my fridge on the front porch theme (also works well for beer).

CHICAGO — For nearly 610,000 customers in the U.S. Central Plains without power, the contents of their refrigerators and freezers may not be a total loss, a food safety expert said on Wednesday.
Meat, milk, cheese and other food can temporarily and safely be stored outside during freezing weather, said Doug Powell, an associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at Kansas State University.

Freezing rain and ice brought down tree branches and power lines on Sunday and Monday, initially leaving 1.2 million customers without electricity. Utility companies were estimating it may take up to 10 days to restore power to all customers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.

To turn a backyard into a refrigerator, place food in a cooler to protect it and monitor with a thermometer. Pack ice or snow around the food to help keep it cold.

Frozen foods will be fine for a couple days below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius). Refrigerated foods will keep at temperatures below 40F (4C).

While it’s fine for consumers to use their backyards as make-shift refrigerators, it’s not an option for restaurants and other businesses that serve food, Powell said.

For more information:
www.foodsafety.ksu.edu
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_121007_01/index.asp

The pictures were taken this morning as the sun shone once again.