July 28, 2026 | By Zachary Ruth
From laps around his neighborhood to cruise ship exercise bikes, Mac McCarthy has biked every day for more than nine years — and found a way to give back to his community along the way. The retired mechanic’s streak began on Nov. 15, 2016, when he decided to ride every day for a year. Some […]
| By Sherry Graham Howerton
Nothing says “I love my town” like joining a service organization. Service clubs such as Optimists Clubs, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions Clubs and the Shriners make our communities stronger, more interesting and more engaging. But are they dying out? Decades ago, membership in such clubs was thriving, serving as the backbone of community life in America. […]
| By Joe Norris
PRATT — In the 1870s, a trapper named Johnson was one of the few residents of Pratt County. Digging into the yellow clay and gypsum along the Ninnescah River near where the town of Pratt now sits, Johnson excavated a cozy two-room cave from the side of the riverbank. In good weather, he trapped bobcat, […]
| By The Active Age
For filmmaker Kevin Patrick Allen, the 50th anniversary of the Holiday Inn Sniper shootings was more than an opportunity to retell that tragedy. In his new documentary, “Long Echo,” Allen focuses instead on how the event shaped the lives of those most affected by it over the past half-century, from victims’ families and bystanders to […]
| By Joe Stumpe
If only all wars could be as short and sweet as the Spanish-American War. Relatively speaking, of course. Hostilities between Spain and the United States commenced in April 1898, and Spain capitulated in August. There was bloodshed, suffering and death on both sides. But the gains to our nation were monumental. On a global scale, […]
| By Ted Ayres
“The Year St. Louis Became A Baseball Town” by Terry Lemons (The History Press, 2026, 191 pages, $24.99) Let me be upfront: I am an unabashed, devoted St. Louis Cardinals fan of 70-plus years. Early on, my dad and three uncles made sure I had my baseball priorities in order: The National League was the better league; […]
| By Joe Stumpe
A big, juicy cheeseburger is an indulgence for nearly anyone who’s outgrown a teenager’s metabolism. Then again, if you’re going to indulge, why not go all the way? That’s how I’d describe a sandwich known as a chopped cheese. It’s essentially ground beef sautéed with onion, seasonings and cheese and then served with […]
| By The Active Age
A new feature in Wichita’s Advanced Learning Library is designed to make preserving history easier than ever. And free. The Wichita Public Library’s Memory Lab offers self-operated digitization devices that allow users to scan, edit and restore photographs, slides, negatives, documents, film, VHS tapes, audio cassettes and more. They can be stored on USB flash […]
| By Bonnie Bing
Remember when we frequently used the word automation? Those were the days when we quit being connected to a human being when calling a customer service department, bank, large company and just about everything else. When you look up automation, you’ll find definitions such as: “It is a technology-driven approach that aims to streamline processes, […]
| By The Active Age
Lakshmi Kambampati kept a journal for 30 years before deciding to turn it into a book. The most amazing part may be that she didn’t lose it somewhere along the way. “We’ve been to 60 countries,” Kambampati said of herself and her husband, Mohan. “Travel is in my blood.” It’s also been her way of […]
| By Diana Breit Wolfe
My parents had a strange style of child-spacing — planned or unplanned, I don’t know. My sister, Joyce, was born in the 1920s, my brother, Kenny, was born in the 1930s, and I was born in the 1940s. My sister married when I was 6 and my brother married when I was 10, so growing […]
| By Joe Stumpe
When Sherry Phillips noticed a plumbing leak was endangering an old trunk in her basement, she opened it up and was plunged back into a lifetime of experiences she hardly remembered. Phillips, after all, lives in the present. Right now, for instance, she’s intensely interested in — and none too pleased with — the nation’s […]
| By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior, I’m a 62-year-old woman and have had a bunion on my big toe for years, but lately it’s become more painful and is making it hard to find comfortable shoes. I’d like to avoid surgery if possible. What can I do to ease the discomfort and keep it from getting worse? –Sore […]
| By The Active Age
Meals on Wheels needs drivers Meals on Wheels is seeking volunteers to deliver meals to homebound, isolated seniors. The program is experiencing low volunteer numbers because of the summer vacation season. A program of Senior Services, Inc., Meals on Wheels delivers about 800 meals each day Monday through Friday. To volunteer, submit a volunteer application […]
| By Jenni Anima KMUW
By Jenni Anima KMUW A newly signed path in Wichita’s North End features photos and stories from Mexican immigrants and their descendants who’ve called the neighborhood home for more than a century. The Woodland Park Historial Walk bends through the park of the same name at 841 N. 21st St., not far from the Little […]
| By Nancy Wheeler
Many famous buildings and other architectural landmarks have been constructed during the United States’ first 250 years. See if you identify a dozen of them from these clues. The answers appear below 1. What architectural masterpiece in Virginia is the only presidential home to be designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site? 2. Maya Lin, […]
| By Starla Criser
Boldfaced events are ones that Seniors on the Go members plan the attend. Seniors On The Go – Aug 5 @ 1:30 p.m. monthly meeting at Linwood Senior Center. SENIOR DAYS/COFFEE CONNECTIONS Aug 3 – Mo (first Monday) 9 am – Coffee Connection: “Trains” @ Sedgwick County Zoo – Free Aug 13 – Th (second […]
| By Diana Morton
ICT Rep, The Explorers Club, lampoon of the British Empire by Nell Benjamin, lyricists behind Legally Blond and Mean Girls. The Welsbacher Theatre, 29th and Oliver (at WSU Metroplex), 7:30 pm Aug. 7, 8, 14 and 16; 2 p.m. Aug. 9 and 16. For tickets visit ictrep.org Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road, Noir Comedy, […]
| By Feature Impact
You’re not imagining it — like many goods and services, pet care costs have gone up. In fact, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance reported a 38% increase in pet services over the past five years, with pet parents spending more than $4,200 a year on routine expenses for a cat or dog. Lots of factors are […]
| By Feature Impact
The cruise industry is not waiting for travelers to come around. By most measures, they already have. A projected 21.7 million Americans are expected to cruise in 2026, a record high and a 4.5 percent increase over last year, according to AAA. “Cruising has come a long way since The Love Boat,” said writer and […]
June 30, 2026 | By Susan Armstrong and Vlasta Honolka
Editor’s note: This year, as the United States of America celebrates 250 years of liberty, we are honored to share excerpts from a new book: “They Gave All For Freedom.” The book tells of a Czechoslovakian family who immigrated to the United States 75 years ago after living under the Nazi regime, Communist Russia’s occupation, […]
| By Sherry Graham Howerton
Midge Dempsey grew up in Wichita’s 67214 area code, in the north-central part of the city. She has fond memories of playing outdoors with her six siblings on warm summer days, visiting family and enjoying the camaraderie of many friends. Now, more than six decades later, she’s giving back to those same neighbors through her […]
| By The Active Age
In 2023, Century II started using ParkMobile’s digital payment system rather than parking meters in and around its lot at Main and Waterman. And late last year, the city instituted paid parking for street spaces, garages and other city-owned lots across downtown Wichita. The Active Age has been hearing from local seniors who find the […]
| By The Active Age
Wichita’s American250 celebration will be loud and proud. On July 2, the Summer Concert Series at Bradley Fair concludes with a free performance by the King Cabbage Brass Band and a fireworks show starting at 9:30 p.m. Bring blankets or lawn chairs to the grassy area surrounding Bradley Fair Lake. Also on July 2, the […]
| By Joe Norris
When I was in the third grade, Dwight D. Eisenhower was in the White House. I know that because he sent me an award for spelling at the end of that school year. The official certificate featured a nice color photo of the president himself. Ike had signed it, too. The photo and autograph were […]