Category: Featured

September Theatre

August 29, 2025 | By Diana Morton

El Dorado Elks Lodge, 121 East Pine St., El Dorado, Cafe Murder featuring the Act 1 Players.  A strange murder occurs at Cafe Murder; the audience votes on whodunnit and a prize goes to the winner. Sept. 26-27. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., dinner served at 6:30 and performance begins at 7 p.m. Dinner and […]

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Elephant baby boom adds more than just cuteness to the herd

| By Meg Britton-Mehlisch KMUW

The Sedgwick County Zoo is in the midst of a baby boom. The majority of the African elephants born in North America this year were delivered there. Three have been born to the herd since April and a  fourth calf is due any day. Dr. Hannah Arens, the zoo’s director of animal health, said there’s […]

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Get proactive with your eye health

| By Family Features

Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of permanent blindness, often does its with few noticeable symptoms as vision is lost. The condition affects an estimated 3 million Americans, but most people don’t know they have the condition until it’s revealed in an eye exam. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness. That’s why when it […]

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Protect yourself and help stop Medicare fraud

| By Dr. Mehmet Oz Family Features 

When I took on the role of leading Medicare, one of my primary goals was to crush the chronic fraud, waste, and abuse in the program. Ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and that Medicare resources remain available for those who depend on them is a top priority. People with Medicare are at the […]

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Kansas bishops urge compassion for immigrants

| By Grace Hills

Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — An open letter from Kansas Catholic bishops urges people to approach immigration with compassion, and condemns portrayals of all immigrants as criminals. “Treating all migrants and refugees as if they were violent criminals is simply unjust. They are human beings made in God’s image,” wrote Archbishop Shawn McKnight, Bishop Carl Kemme, and Bishop […]

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Donate for chance to win Botanica membership

| By The Active Age

Donate at least $50 to The Active Age, and you could win a family membership to Botanica. The Active Age holds a drawing for a family membership each month from among people on our Honor Roll list of donors. This month’s winner is Carolyn Anderson. Donations may be made by calling 316-942-5385; through our website, […]

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‘The Girls in White’ tells story of trailblazing women doctors

August 1, 2025 | By Joe Stumpe

As a medical student in the late 1960s, Anne Walling was required to read a book called “Boys in White.” It was the standard sociology textbok about medical students, and it completely ignored women. Walling didn’t forget. When it came time to name her own book about the challenges facing women doctors of that era, […]

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The Little House on the Prairie really is … little

| By Joe Norris

I never read any of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books when I was a kid. I wasn’t intentionally trying to avoid the lady, I was just more into The Hardy Boys. My wife and I never tuned into the “Little House on the Prairie” TV series, either. Nothing against Michael Landon or his luxuriant forest of […]

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Couple finds navigating these obstacles enjoyable

| By Joe Stumpe

When Sharon and Hank Brillhart started dating, they found they had a few things in common. For one: “We like to drive fast,” Sharon said. But not recklessly. Today, the Brillharts are regulars in the Sports Car Club of America’s Autocrossing events. In Autocross, drivers compete to see who can complete an obstacle course in the […]

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Her glass works are ‘imperfectly beautiful just like you and me’

| By Kerry Kennelly

A lot of times when people buy art, they’re looking for the perfect piece to, say, hang above their mantel or the perfect color to match their dining room walls. However, for artist Becky Manson, her glass creations are about celebrating imperfections. Her Imperfectly Beautiful line is “imperfectly beautiful just like you and me,” she […]

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Quiet houseguests worked their way into her heart

| By Teresa Schmied

This spring, we took on four of the smallest — and quietest — houseguests I’ve ever had. They weren’t invited, but they were certainly welcome. It all started when a stray cat gave birth beneath our house in the Sonoran Desert. I never saw much of her — just quick glimpses as she darted from […]

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Wu, that’s some story!

| By Joe Stumpe

To understand George Theoharis’ quirky quests, it helps to know something about him.  He’s not afraid to put it out there, is one way to put it. For instance, when comedian Jay Leno visited Wichita in May for a show at the Orpheum, Theoharis sent a message offering to pick Leno up at the airport, […]

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Veteran honored to lay wreath at Tomb of the Unknowns

| By Tom Schaefer

When John Person of  Wichita boarded a 737 in June at Eisenhower National Airport, he had several surprises awaiting him. Person, who served in the Air Force from 1971-1993, arrived in Washington, D.C., on an all-expense-paid charter flight with more than 100 other military veterans.  They were part of the 13-year-old Kansas Honor Flight program. […]

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New head of county, area aging agencies hired

| By Joe Stumpe

Stephen Shaughnessy has been hired as executive director of the Sedgwick County Department on Aging and Disabilities and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging. The post has been vacant since longtime director Annette Graham’s retirement in December. CPAAA, which is administered by the county, also works with aging departments in Butler and Harvey counties. […]

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Eggplant parm delivers summer flavor

| By Joe Stumpe

Skipping one step in the traditional method of preparing eggplant parmesan saves time and mess and makes for a tastier result, at least if you really want to savor the star ingredients. That step is breading the eggplant before sauteing it. Generally, that breading is just a soggy mess by the time the dish is […]

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| By Tammara Fogle

Savvy Senior August columns 1.) Where to find senior discounts in 2025 2.) Does Medicare cover ambulance rides? 3.) How to find a great handyman 4.) Tips and treatments for restless leg syndrome Where to find senior discounts in 2025 Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are in our 50’s and would like to […]

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Active Age changes going into effect this month

| By Joe Stumpe

In our July issue, we asked readers to contact us if they were receiving copies of The Active Age addressed to someone else. Thanks to everyone who did so for helping update our subscription list. A bonus was hearing from many people who let us know they enjoy the publication and want to keep receiving […]

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Heart disease remains leading U.S. killer

| By Family Features

While medical advances have helped people with cardiovascular diseases live longer, many of the risk factors that lead to these diseases continue to grow. Fueled by ongoing increases in high blood pressure, obesity and other major risk factors, heart disease continues to kill more people in the U.S. than any other cause, according to the […]

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Riverside Park Pagoda to be reopened

| By The Active Age

Renovations of the Riverside Park Pagoda are set to begin this summer, but supporters are still seeking donations to finish the project. On July 19, the Friends of the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit held an ice cream social and tour of the building to publicize their efforts. About 100 people attended. According to the Friends website, […]

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Upcoming Events

| By The Active Age

BP program offered A hypertension awareness and prevention program called HAPp will kick off this month at the Sedgwick County Health Department, 1900 E. Ninth St. N.  The four-month program provides a free blood pressure monitor along with instruction on how to accurately self-measure your blood pressure at home, nutrition education workshops, biweekly meetings with […]

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Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’: The good and bad, according to AARP

| By The Active Age

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly described the new temporary tax deduction for people 65 and older. The “One Big, Beautiful Bill’ signed into law by President Trump on July 4 will be a mixed bag for seniors, according to AARP.  “While we support several provisions in the (bill) that would provide […]

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Masterson, Schmidt running for governor

| By The Active Age

Two elected officials from the Wichita area have entered the Republican primary race for governor. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson of Andover and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt of Wichita declared their candidacies last month. Masterson started his political career on the Andover City Council 20 years ago, going on to serve in the Kansas House […]

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City clarifies tree planting plans

| By The Active Age

In response to concerns raised by community members, Wichita City Manager Robert Layton says the city’s 2026-27 Forestry Division budget will contain money for tree planting. Below is the email Layton sent to one member of the pro-planting group ICT Trees: “Thank you for the email. There is some misinformation circulating about the 2026 and […]

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August quiz: Arm chair traveling

| By Nancy Wheeler

In this prime season of vacation traveling, see if you can name the countries where these famed manmade and natural attractions are located. The answers appear on page 20. 1. Butchart Gardens, CN Tower, Chateau Frontenac_____________ 2. Yellow Mountains, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army___________ 3. Musee d’Orsay, Mont Blanc, Palace of Versailles_____________ 4. Algarve, Belem Tower, […]

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