April 29, 2021 | By The Active Age
Advocates for older Kansans got some of what they wanted during the 2021 legislative session but found themselves on the losing end of several political battles. The Legislature adjourned April 9 and is expected to return May 3 to consider the budget and any vetoes issued by Gov. Laura Kelly. “We’re hoping a lot of […]
| By The Active Age
Helen Thomas is the winner of a $25 gift certificate donated by The Spice Merchant as the contributor of this month’s Recipe for You or Two. Thomas is a member of the “Aldi Nerds” group on Facebook, whose members frequently post recipes made with Aldi ingredients. “That’s where I found this,” she said. “I like […]
| By The Active Age
More people than ever are enjoying the hobby of photography thanks to smart phones. The Active Age is holding a photo contest with just one stipulation: the photo must have been taken outdoors using either a smart phone or traditional camera. Winners of the contest will receive gift certificates for $25 (first place), $15 (second) […]
| By Joe Stumpe
The ages of the seven children in the Bennett family are easy to remember: 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86 and 88. That kind of familial longevity may not qualify as a record, but as third-oldest daughter Ruby Tobey says: “We think we are little unusual and very blessed to have seven siblings still living.” […]
| By The Active Age
The Walking Wednesday Series is underway, offering a chance to enjoy the outside at a relaxed pace. Sponsored by Bike Walk Wichita, the walks take place in parks and urban locations, highlighting the green spaces, history and vitality of the city. Walks are free to all and open to all abilities. After the walk, participants […]
| By Rep. Elizabeth Bishop
The 2021 Kansas Legislature is winding down its business for this year. We return from spring break on May 3, conduct our “wrap-up session” until May 11. We may adjourn sooner, depending on how the action goes. As we finish up, here are some musings on the future. I can’t help but observe that the […]
March 31, 2021 | By Joe Stumpe
Rita Hephner calls March 31 her “day of freedom.” That’s the date she expected to return to a more normal lifestyle, having passed 14 days since the second of her COVID-19 vaccination shots. And Hephner planned to celebrate. “I’m going to make an appointment at Beau Monde and have a massage,” she said. Across Wichita, […]
| By Amy Geiszler-Jones
The troubling calls from Pat and Linda O’Donnell’s only daughter often came in the middle of the night. Prompted by her boyfriend, then 23-year-old Patricia would blame her parents for her failings. The O’Donnells, who were then in their 60s, believed their daughter was being controlled and intimidated as part of an unhealthy relationship. They […]
| By Amee Bohrer
Linda Jabara was a happily married mother of two young boys when military personnel from McConnell Air Force Base knocked on her door. She was informed that her husband, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Thomas, had been killed in a missile silo accident. The date was Aug. 24, 1978. “It was my 28th birthday, and I […]
| By Joe Stumpe
I know these days won’t last forever/So while we’re here let’s endeavor/To laugh more than we cry/To live more than we die “We Are One,” Kevin Herrington For years, Kevin Herrington worried that his best music was behind him. Not anymore. Herrington, a member of several successful Wichita bands in the 1970s […]
| By Beth Bower
When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was go to the drugstore and buy penny candy. Today, I’ve found something even better: dollar stores. One chain, Dollar Tree, prices everything at a dollar. Two others — Dollar General and Family Dollar — offer many items for that amount. Most of […]
| By Mary Clarkin
Lisa Bramblett had underlying health issues and realized she could die if she caught the novel coronavirus. The licensed practical nurse, who was the charge nurse overnight at Pittsburg (Kan.) Care and Rehabilitation Center, continued to work as the pandemic rolled through 2020. “The nursing home was testing everybody twice a week, and she tested […]
| By Rep. Elizabeth Bishop
On March 18, the Kansas House of Representatives returned to the House Chamber in regular order. No longer socially distanced by using every other desk. And you have never seen 125 more happy people in your life. The new legislators explored their new desks. They have been sitting on chairs or benches in the galleries […]
| By The League of Women Voters Wichita Metro
The League of Women Voters Wichita Metro was contacted last fall by an assisted living facility to help their residents with voter registration for the 2020 General Election. We were honored by this request, and based on this successful project and relationship, the League realized that this effort could be expanded to all senior living […]
| By Patrick O’Connor
The Country Overlook neighborhood was built in the late 1940s. Wichita had jobs and workers wanted to buy homes, often through the G.I. Bill. JAMES HAYS and his family shared a duplex with his grandparents. “We were right across the street from MacDonald Golf Course. We would hop over the fence and go sledding on […]
March 24, 2021 | By Joe Stumpe
The Downtown Senior Center and three others in Wichita will reopen on a limited basis April 1, more than a year after closing because of the coronavirus pandemic. Numerous congregate meal sites that provide lunch to seniors have also reopened for in-person dining or announced plans to do so. “Everybody is kind of ready to […]
March 1, 2021 | By Amy Geiszler-Jones
David Dennis retired from two careers spanning 40 years before deciding to pick up another vocation: elected public official. At 74, Dennis is the oldest commissioner on the five-member Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners. In November, he was re-elected for his second four-year term representing District 3, the county’s western district that includes a big […]
| By Bonnie Bing
About now you’re wondering why last September you changed out spring and summer clothes to fall and winter. We haven’t gone many places. Not many people are seeing us and if they are, it’s from the waist up on FaceTime or Zoom. That doesn’t mean, however, there aren’t good times ahead and there is a […]
| By The Active Age
Sedgwick County on Friday reduced the age threshold from 70 to 65 for eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations. Here’s what you need to know to get your jab: HOW DO I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT? Appointments are offered Monday through Saturday and can be scheduled online at https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/vaccine-information/covid-19-vaccine-dose-1/ ; those unable to schedule online can call the county […]
| By Mary Clarkin
It’s not a good time to be 93 years old, says DeAnn Triboulet, director of the Augusta Senior Center. Triboulet recently talked by phone with a friend that age who has family and lots of other friends but whose social interactions have been limited for health reasons during the pandemic. Many older adults enjoy even […]
| By Lacey Cruse
Dear Seniors, The abundance of information around vaccines is confusing and hard to follow. I know there is a problem, and I want you to know there is an entire team of public servants working to administer vaccines we received. We are working for our community so everyone can get back to a life filled […]
| By The Active Age
With March Madness here, you might ask why college kids should be having all the fun. Actually, they aren’t. Granny Basketball, founded in 2005, provides fun, exercise and a little good-natured competition for women 50 and older. This six-player version of women’s basketball dates back to 1898. Kansas teams were among the best in the […]
| By The Active Age
EL DORADO — Butler County history is being brought to life through a series of short documentaries produced by the Butler County Historical Society. Each episode in the “Rural Crossroads” series examines a different community. So far, segments have run on El Dorado, Augusta, Towanda, Douglass, Cassoday and Rosalia. More are planned for Beaumont, Benton, […]
| By Rep. Elizabeth Bishop
The Kansas Legislature is busy churning out bills in 2021. One reason for the frenetic activity is that many bills made it through either the House or Senate in 2020 but then were left incomplete when the pandemic panic set in and the 2020 legislature shut down early. However, so far, most of the action […]
| By The Active Age
Wichita’s bike transportation business, known as Bike ICT, is ready for riders again. The bikes, stations and prices are the same as before but it’s being run by a different management company. Bike ICT features 200 bikes, 40 stations and several pricing options. For a $30 annual fee, you get unlimited trips of up to […]