October 31, 2019 | By The Active Age
Black history explored A new exhibit looking at African American history in early Wichita focuses on what was known as the “West End” or “Black Belt” area of the city. It’s on display through Nov. 23 at The Kansas African Museum, 601 N. Water, which is located in the former Calvary Baptist Church that was […]
| By Joe Stumpe
After 30-plus years in the newspaper business, I finally got to utter the words “Stop the presses!” It wasn’t quite as much fun as in the movies. Let me set the scene. A day or two after sending the edited and corrected proofs of last month’s issue to our printer, Valley Offset Printing, I sat […]
| By Tim Marlar
It is fall and football season is in full swing. Have you heard the NFL has a new promotion? In honor of its 100th season, it is inviting coaches, players and fans to take part in Huddle for 100. You do this by donating 100 minutes of your time in a way that helps your community. […]
| By Diana Morton
Crown Uptown Theatre, 3702 E. Douglas Ave. A Very Special Crown Christmas. An evening that promises you a bountiful buffet, belly laughs and beautiful holiday music to get you in the Christmas spirit. Featured are some of the most talented performers in this area: John Bates, Jenny Mitchell, Ryan Schafer, Cindy Summers, Kyle Vespestad and […]
October 2, 2019 | By Val Cheatham
English is a living language. Which means it’s a dying one, too. Words and phrases periodically disappear from our daily conversation, remembered only when we watch an old movie or pick up something to read that was written years ago. For instance, when did you last say: Don’t touch that dial It’s a carbon copy […]
| By Joe Stumpe
The Sedgwick County Advisory Council on Aging and Disabilities has new leadership amid questions about what its role should be. Chairman Joe Brown abruptly resigned in August, although his departure didn’t become public until last month. At that time, Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis, who appointed Brown, said Brown left because of stress caused by […]
| By The Active Age
A free service that sounds like a famous razor might just help trim your spending on prescription drugs. Here’s how SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas) works: Open enrollment for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (known as Medicare Part D) begins Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7. During that period, eligible people can sign […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Think young hipsters are the only folks enjoying all those local brewpubs that have popped open in recent years? Think again. A group of beer lovers headed by semi-retired Wichita CPA Charlie Buess have been sampling Kansas brews on a regular basis the last couple of years, and Buess says they’re in good company. “I […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Beer isn’t the only reason friends show up at Charlie Buess’ office on Fridays. One week he put together a batch of chili in a slow cooker, and “everybody enjoyed it so much I sort of expanded. I’ve cooked all kind of things – chili and pulled pork, sloppy joes. Dora Wat, which is an […]
| By The Active Age
Wichitans will vote in November whether to keep their current mayor, Jeff Longwell, or replace him with his challenger, state Rep. Brandon Whipple. The active age asked both candidates six questions, which appear below followed by their responses. 1. What are your top priorities for the city of Wichita and its residents? 2. Why do […]
| By The Active Age
Singing Quakers Alumni Choir readies 25th anniversary concert A love of singing is something that never goes away, especially when the songs have special meaning to the singer. That’s how Bonnie Bauer explains her attachment to the Singing Quakers Alumni Choir, which will present its annual concert on Saturday, Nov. 9. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, […]
| By The Active Age
When Wichita’s new airport terminal opened in 2015, one of the most talked-about features was the large-scale display about the city’s aviation-related history. Now that material has been expanded upon and put into book form, so you can enjoy it even when not traveling. Wichita: Where Aviation Took Wing was created by the Greteman Group, […]
| By The Active Age
We had so much fun with our last puzzle/theater ticket giveaway contest that we’re staging a sequel. This time, winners will receive tickets to one of these theaters: Crown Uptown, Mosley Street Melodrama, Kechi Playhouse, Guild Hall Players or Wichita Community Theatre. To qualify, first complete the accompanying puzzle. Using the clues below, find and […]
| By The Active Age
Telling tales If you enjoy a good tall tale, the Derby Public Library has an event for you. And that’s no exaggeration. Jim Hoy, an Emporia State professor and syndicated newspaper columnist, will present “Kansas Legends and Folktales” at the library at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. The free event is sponsored by Humanities Kansas. […]
| By The Active Age
The active age’s new 2019-2020 Resource Guide is now available. The FREE 82-page publication lists hundreds of organizations and businesses that serve seniors. Copies can be picked up at the active age office, 125 S. West St, Ste. 105, local senior centers, and libraries
| By The Active Age
Celia Easley was the fun-loving face of Central Plains Area Agency on Aging to many local seniors, as the accompanying photo shows. “She advocated for those facing illness and difficult life circumstances as if they were her own family,” Monica Cissell, director of information and community services for CPAAA, said. Easley’s unexpected death this summer […]
August 30, 2019 | By Amy Geiszler-Jones
Last year, 67-year-old Lynn Ackerson became a parent again. When she became the legal guardian of her granddaughter, Gracie, who’s 11, Ackerson joined the growing ranks of American grandparents who are raising grandchildren. As many as 3 million grandparents are raising grandchildren, according to some recent studies, which is up from the 2.7 million reported […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Sedgwick County’s spending on senior-related services and programs won’t keep up with inflation in 2020. County commissioners last month approved an aging services budget of $11,009,880 for next year. That’s an increase of $36,122, or .3 percent over this year. The county’s total budget will increase by 4 percent next year, from $439.5 million to […]
| By Clark Bastian
Sometimes a project just falls into your lap. In 2010, I arrived early for a board meeting at Rotary Club headquarters. In the meeting room was a coffee maker. I started searching for some cups. The cabinets were chock full of stuff, above and below the sink. That stuff was the Rotary Club’s history, nearly […]
| By The Active Age
It’s hard to imagine a better use of late-summer tomatoes than this luscious and colorful tomato pie. Angie Prather found a version of this recipe in a magazine last year and has been delighting friends and family with it ever since. The only changes she makes are to leave out the thyme – “I’m a […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Half the fun of this job is running into people like Maxx Fairbanks. Maxx introduced himself via email. He’d spotted an article in last month’s issue about the filming of a movie here called The Gypsy Moths. He wanted to pass along his own connection with it, which went something like this: In 1968, when […]
| By The Active Age
5K run and fun The final leg of the Heartland Games – a 5K run – takes place Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Downtown Senior Center, 200 S. Walnut. The event actually starts at 8:30 a.m. with a one-mile family walk; participants are invited to bring their grandchildren and other family members. The 5K run […]
| By Ted Blankenship
I like punctuation as well as the next guy. The period is pretty handy and so is the comma if you don’t make it into an apostrophe and stick it on every word that ends with an “s.” The hyphen is okay for combining two words into one. But I have a problem with the […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Dolores Cooper wants to keep helping people. But the respite program in which she’s done that for 30 years has come to an end. Cooper, 89, had no intention of retiring before being laid off. “To me, it was fulfilling and rewarding,” she said. “I felt like I was making a difference in peoples’ lives.” […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Ben and Mary Grisamore are headed back to school again this fall to share their love of books with children whose homes sometimes contain none. Members of the Rotary Club of Wichita’s Reading Is Fundamental program, the Wichita couple have been reading to students and giving away books for nearly 30 years. “It’s an exciting […]