April 10, 2024 | By The Active Age
ANDOVER — The Greater Wichita YMCA has announced Monday, May 20 as the reopening date for the Dr. Jim Farha Andover YMCA. The branch temporarily shut down in April 2022 following a direct hit from an EF3 tornado. In a news release, the Y said “extensive upgrades” have taken place inside, including installation of a […]
April 1, 2024 | By Matthew Kelly The Wichita Eagle
It’s looking increasingly unlikely that Wichita will be able to rely on state dollars to help build a city-owned homeless shelter. And one council member has proposed scaling down or eliminating a $6 million pickleball complex planned for south Wichita so the money could be used for the shelter instead. A House bill allocating $40 […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Century II is just the most conspicuous example of much distinctive mid-century modern architecture in Wichita, including shopping centers, churches, gas stations, office buildings and more, architect and history buff Dean Bradley says. The post-World War II building style was influenced by everything from the proliferation of automobiles to new building materials and even the […]
| By Bonnie Bing
Like a spring shower, requests came pouring in for the Active Age’s Spring Makeover Contest. To make it happen, hair stylists and makeup artists at three salons gave three lucky contestants a new hairstyle and fresh makeup techniques. Here are before-and-after photos, what the stylists had to say and how the women felt about the […]
| By Deanna Harms
Have you ever thought about writing a book? If yes, I encourage you to do it. You don’t have to have an agent or a publisher, you can go it alone through one of the many options now available. I recently helped my mother publish her memoir through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, and the experience […]
| By The Active Age
Tea party brewing St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E. Douglas, will hold its 93rd annual Olde English Tea party on Saturday, May 4. Known as Kansas’ largest tea party, the event features tea, pastries, musical entertainment, mimosa, a raffle and marketplace offering baked goods, flowers, clothing and more. Two seatings are available: from 10 a.m. […]
| By Nancy Wheeler
The Active Age primarily serves readers in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties. This month’s quiz tests readers’ knowledge of all three. Answers appear below. 1. The economy of this county changed almost overnight when an oil well was discovered in 1915. 2. Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and editor William Allen White spent the majority of his […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Move over, marinara. Step back, salsa. There’s a new sauce in town that’s just as deliciously versatile. Aji verde, also known as Peruvian green sauce, comes together in five minutes and is delicious on chicken, fish, vegetables, rice and many other foods. The quantity of jalapenos called for in the recipe might suggest it’s on […]
| By Ted Blankenship
When I was a reporter in another town, I covered the two local hospitals and became friends with the head nurse. That is, I thought she was a friend until she gave me a Siamese cat. When this cat grew up, he was huge. And, as any Siamese owner will tell you, even a small […]
| By The Active Age
An angel in her book Yesterday morning, my friend and I were having breakfast at Mokas Cafe on McLean. My friend choked and could not get her breath. In a panic, I yelled to the cafe workers for help and immediately a gentleman who was eating there came over very calmly and did the Heimlich […]
| By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior, Do you have any suggestions on divvying up my personal possessions to my kids after I’m gone without causing hard feelings or conflict? I have a lot of jewelry, art, family heirlooms and antique furniture, and four grown kids that don’t always see eye-to-eye on things. Conflicted Parent Dear Conflicted, Divvying up […]
| By The Active Age
It’s hard to miss Antoine Brown when he’s out in his 2007 Cadillac Biarritz, which he is quite a bit. The fuchsia paint job and gold-striped Vogue tires see to that. Brown says he acquired the car about a decade ago. It’s not unusual to see it parked outside Mort’s in Old Town, where Brown […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Saved by concerned citizens from possible demolition, Century II is starting to look like its old self again. Make that its new self. Restoration work on the downtown landmark’s iconic blue dome is nearly done, with completion expected by the end of summer. Nearly gone is the pale turquiose shade that’s loomed over the convention […]
| By The Active Age
A burn ban will be in effect for Sedgwick County during the month of April. According to a news release, new open burn permits will not be issued during the month of April, and no current permit holders will be allowed to conduct open burns after March 31, 2024. Open burns can resume after May […]
March 22, 2024 | By The Active Age
Sedgwick County Fire District 1 (SCFD 1) is encouraging residents to take preventive measures to protect their property from the threat of wildfires. On Monday, March 25 at 11 a.m., Fire Marshal Brad Crisp and the crew of SCFD 1 Station #32, 7750 N. Wyandotte Way, Park City, will demonstrate several easy ways to reduce […]
March 7, 2024 | By The Active Age
TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly has removed all 55 Kansas counties previously categorized as being in emergency drought status. In an executive order, she placed 15 counties in warning status and 62 in the less severe watch status. “While drought conditions have improved greatly in recent months, many counties continue to be negatively impacted by the […]
March 1, 2024 | By Bonnie Bing
New season, new look. We won’t forget the frigid days of winter, but it’s time to enjoy warm spring breezes and sunny summer days. Are you ready for a new look? Well, ladies, here is your chance to get a new hair style and makeup tips that will make you feel brand new. And if […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Spend a few minutes in Cathy and Larry Mong’s house, and you won’t be surprised to learn it doesn’t have an internet connection. The Texas transplants have a passion for objects from bygone eras, especially if they still serve a useful purpose. And Larry has a talent for bringing them back to life. Antique electric […]
| By Annie Calovich
Laura Nutter was turning the soil for a new garden on the grounds of the VA hospital when it already started to accomplish its goal. Richard Manning, a Marine veteran, was going through counseling in Building 5 at the hospital at the time and would come outside and sit on a step overlooking the then-empty […]
| By The Active Age
Rachel Wingfield knew she needed to get back to exercise after cancer and chemotherapy, but it wasn’t easy. “I’d been doing nothing but sitting in my chair,” she said. Not anymore. She’s taking part in Livestrong, a free 12-week program offered to cancer survivors. It’s led by trainers with the Greater Wichita YMCA, but a […]
| By Amy Geiszler-Jones
When Robert Weems Jr. joined the faculty of the Wichita State history department in 2011, one of his first research projects was to document some of the city’s black entrepreneurs and their businesses. People like the Rev. John Henry Van Leu who at the turn of the century was one of the largest landowners in […]
| By The Active Age
Potato bake cooking The McCormick School Museum is holding a potato bake fundraiser from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, March 16, with the spuds being cooked in a 1950s-era boiler (shown above). Organizers say there’s evidence that potatoes were cooked in the boiler during the museum’s time as a school. The dinner includes potatoes with toppings, a […]
| By The Active Age
You could say that giving blood got into Raymond Grier’s blood. A World War II veteran who turned 97 in February, Grier donated a total of 40 gallons of blood before “retiring” as a donor last month. “My uncle got me into it early,” Grier said. “His boss called him up once and said ‘send […]
| By Ted Blankenship
With the recent increase in air travel has come an avalanche of lost luggage. This is nothing new. For years, I’ve apparently had an ID on me visible only to airline employees that tells them to “ship his luggage away as far as possible and don’t tell him where it is (if you know).” I […]
| By Nancy Wheeler
March 8th is International Women’s Day, so it is a great time to review your knowledge about famous women in history. Can you identify these trailblazers? Answers appear below. 1. This Polish-French physicist’s work won her a Nobel Prize in physics in 1903 and a second Nobel in chemistry in 1911. 2. This “Lady with […]