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Saturday, May 07, 2011 @ 8:30 AM

Wichita Boathouse – Home of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
515 S. Wichita

Registration Closing Date
Friday, April 29, 2011 @ 11:59 PM

Mothers, daughters, sisters, friends: walk, run or push a stroller in Wichita’s only race exclusively for women and girls! You will love our perks: women’s cut t-shirts, finisher’s keepsakes, kids’ activities, and refreshments. This 5k race benefits Girls on the Run of Sedgwick County, a new non-profit in Sedgwick County, dedicated to helping preteen girls develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running.

$15 Ages 5-16
$25 Ages 17 and Older

Our scenic, certified 5k (3.1 mile) course runs along the river and is stroller friendly.

Special awards presented to top 3 over-all 5k finishers, plus the following age groups (no duplicates):

9 and Under
10-14
15-19
20-24
Five year age groups beyond.

REGISTER NOW:

http://www.active.com/register/index.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=1946428

For more information about Girls on the Run:

http://girlsontherunks.org/

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
The all-electric Nissan Leaf was named the 2011 World Car of The Year at the New York Auto Show on Thursday.

The Leaf, which went on sale in the United States in December and is also available in Japan and Europe, beat the BMW 5-Series and the Audi A8 for the top spot.

“It is a great joy that the world’s first, mass-marketed electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, has won the prestigious award,” said Nissan Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Ghosn has been an outspoken booster of electric vehicles, predicting that they will account for 10% of the global auto market by 2020. Nissan plans to release it in other global markets in 2012.

By then, almost every major automaker plans to have at least one plug-in car on the market. Toyota alone will have three, including the Rav4 EV SUV and the Prius plug-in.

General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt went on the market at almost the same time as the Leaf and has also won several prestigious awards, including North American Car of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

The Leaf is a zero-emission car, powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged in about eight hours. It has a 100-mile range.

Unlike the Leaf, the Chevy Volt has a battery range of only 40 miles. A gasoline engine kicks in after that.

The Leaf was ranked No. 2, behind the natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX, in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s Greenest Car list last year.

The Nissan has a sticker price of about $33,000, but after a federal tax credit of $7,500, the car costs about $25,000. The Leaf is considerably less expensive than the Volt, which costs around $40,000, or about $32,500 after the tax credit.

The World Car of the Year awards announced at the New York Auto Show are chosen by a panel of automotive journalists from Asia, Europe and North America.

One of just a handful of cars to wear these stripes - Honored to pace the Indy 500 yet again, Chevrolet is celebrating the event by producing a total of 500 2011 Camaro Convertible Indy Pace Car Replicas to enthusiasts. Channeling the 1969 Camaro convertible Indy pace car that instantly became a coveted collectible, the 2011 model blends Inferno Orange stripes and accents with a white exterior, all atop a powerful, loaded Camaro Convertible 2SS/RS. For the few lucky enough to own one, the freedom of the open road meets the allure of the closed course…in dramatic fashion. Limited availability beginning summer 2011.

Stripes are Just the Start - While its Inferno Orange body-length stripes are the most noticable feature, the 2011 Camaro Convertible Indy Pace Car Replica also wears a white-accent grille, unique decals and badging, 20-inch polished aluminum wheels(13) and a special orange engine cover to let everyone know this is no ordinary machine.

Design, Inside and Out - Drop the black convertible top and gaze upon an interior highlighted by Inferno Orange leather seating surfaces, accented by headrests debossed with the Indy 500 logo. The exterior stripes carry through, appearing on unique white dash inserts. The effect makes an already award-winning interior even more exclusive.

Start fully loaded and go from there - Based on the Camaro Convertible 2SS/RS package, every 2011 Indy Pace Car Replica comes with luxurious standard amenities. Bluetooth wireless technology(9) for select phones. OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation(8) standard for six months. And don’t forget the 6.2-liter V8 engine good for 426 hp (400 hp with available six-speed automatic transmission with TAPshift controls).

I know first hand how busy and chaotic our lives get and the last thing we need is any kind of car trouble. My goal here is to help eliminate some of the vehicle hassles we put ourselves through sometimes by taking a few extra minutes to perform some basic checks on our vehicles.   There really is nothing more important than car safety when it comes to hauling our “precious cargo” all over town!

Tires-  Regularly examine your tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass or other objects lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts and cracks as well as sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.  Be sure to always check the tires for proper cold inflammation pressure.   Whatever you do, don’t forget to check the spare! Take it from me, there is nothing worse than getting a flat tire on the high way with kiddo’s in the vehicle only to find out then the spare is flat as well!

Lights-   Have someone observe the operation of the exterior lights while you work the controls. Check the turn signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.

Door Latches- Check doors regularly to ensure they close properly, latches are tight and doors lock. Be sure to check child-lock safety latches on side of doors if you have to ensure it is still functioning and has not slid out of place.

Fluid Leaks- Be sure to check area under your vehicle after overnight parking for fuel, engine coolant, oil or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid or brake fluid leaks are found, take your vehicle in immediately so this get corrected.

Always remember to “Buckle up and Drive Safe”

It’s that time of the year…prom is coming up, graduation is on the horizon and summer is right around the corner!  Our kids are celebrating some great milestones and looking ahead to the life before them.  However, these fun events also coming with difficult choices and it’s inevitable that kids will find themselves, at some point, presented with the choice to drink.  TALK TO YOUR KIDS about smart choices, no matter how uncomfortable and no matter how many times they say “I know not to drink and drive”….you need to talk to them AGAIN.   The choices they make affect not only them, but their friends, families and the lives of people they may not even know.  Share this video with them and talk about the dangers and repercussions of drunk driving.  One night of celebrating isn’t worth their life – or someone else’s.