August 1, 2025 | 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 […]
| 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, […]
| 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. […]
| 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. […]
| 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 […]
| 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 […]
| 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 […]
| 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 […]
| 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, […]
| 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 […]
| 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 […]
| 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 […]
| 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 […]
| 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, […]
| By Diana Morton
Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road, Much Ado About Nothing. The Bard’s most popular play about…nothing? Well, let’s just say it’s about the complexities of being in love. After 42 years, this comedy is Kechi Playhouse’s first staged Shakespeare script. Fri-Sat, 8 pm, Sun matinee 2:30 pm. Aug 1-24. Tickets are $17 on Fri and […]
| By The Active Age
A local jobs program for seniors was paused, then quickly restarted in response to action on the federal budget in Washington, D.C. Its operating agency now call it “only partially operational.” The Senior Community Service Program, run by the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, tries to help unemployed, low-income workers rejoin the workforce by […]
| By The Active Age
Congress last month approved a Trump administration plan to rescind all funding for NPR, PBS and their member stations. Locally, it was reported that PBS Kansas would lose about $1.1 million and KMUW about $225,000 per year as a result of the cuts. Voting in Congress was nearly totally along party lines, with all Democrats, […]
| By Jennifer Lister
At any given swimming party on any given summer day, there’s a good chance that someone is staying afloat thanks to “Miss Kim.” Kim Morrissey, a 69-year-old Wichita retiree who has been teaching swimming lessons in Wichita for four decades, estimates that she’s taught at least 5,000 people to swim, some from different generations of […]
| By The Active Age
Want to start receiving your Social Security benefits as soon as you are eligible or ready to claim them? The Association of Mature American Citizens advises submitting your application several months in advance of that date. In a recent column, AMAC advisor Russell Gloor said Social Security “allows you to submit your application for benefits up […]
July 1, 2025 | By Joe Stumpe
It’s not true that every time someone cracks open a can of beer, a veteran gets his wings. But it is true that collecting and turning those aluminum cans in for recycling is helping send veterans to Washington, D.C., on Kansas Honor Flights. Last month, the Sedgwick County Commission honored two of the most dedicated […]
| By Joe Stumpe
It won’t be easy replacing Laurel Alkire, who’s retired after serving as executive director of Senior Services, Inc., for more than two decades. The nonprofit operates for Meals on Wheels, four senior centers and a senior employment program in Wichita. “She’s been the face of seniors and services in this community,” said Donna Johnson, chair […]
| By The Active Age
After spending her young adult life teaching English abroad, Leah Dannar-Garcia returned to Wichita in her late 30s to help care for her parents. And so began an unexpected second act. She fell in love with her childhood neighbor, put down roots in her hometown and immersed herself so completely in a new hobby — […]
| By The Active Age
If you didn’t already consider Kansas a birder’s paradise, a new book will clear up that misconception. “The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hotspots” by Pete Janzen and Bob Gress is a comprehensive guide to the state’s feathered flocks — and a how-to for getting to know them. It’s just been published by the […]
| By Joe Norris
My great-great grandfather was a frugal man by necessity. He had no money and even less luck. His parents named him James Philip Norris, but he soon lost the “James” entirely. As a working farmer with a family, Philip Norris was already carrying enough of a load. He had no interest in lugging around an […]
| By Ted Ayres
In May, my review of “The Shadow of War,” Jeff Shaara’s novel about the Cuban Missile Crisis, appeared in The Active Age. Subsequently, I was copied on an email to Shaara from Dave Leiber, a Butler County resident who experienced the dramatic event up close as a young U.S. Marine. I reached out to Leiber to learn […]