May 2, 2022 | By Ted Ayers
“The Old Philosopher” by Bob Walterscheid (Walterscheid Productions, 2021, 55 pages, $12.00). Available at Watermark Books and theoldphilosopher.com. Bob Walterscheid enjoyed a career in sales and advertising in Wichita that spanned over 50 years. During that time, he made the first TV commercial for Pizza Hut, training films, infomercials and a full-length feature motion picture. He was […]
| By The Active Age
Senior centers in Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties could receive a boost from money sent to Kansas as part of the America Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package passed last year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “We think we will be able to use some of those ARPA dollars in help […]
| By The Active Age
Sedgwick County Commissioners are once again sparring over spending geared toward older residents. At their April 6 meeting, 5th District Commissioner Jim Howell reiterated an argument he’s made in the past, that the commission is ignoring the will of county residents and underfunding those Department on Aging services and programs by millions of dollars. In […]
| By Tammara Fogle
Carrying on The article “Carry Nation: Reconsidered” by Gina Kaufman (February 2022) was excellent. There has been a long chain of successors to Carry Nation in Kansas. The efforts were active for decades and had a significant influence. I cannot trace the chain back all of the way, but my memory goes back to the […]
April 4, 2022 | By Tammara Fogle
The head of Kansas’ largest philanthropic organization has abruptly resigned after less than a year on the job. Teresa Miller, president and CEO of the Kansas Health Foundation, resigned effective Friday, April 1, KHF said in a news release issued today (April 4). The news release did not say why Miller resigned or what her […]
March 31, 2022 | By Debbi Elmore
Positive aging and its nemesis — ageism — can happen anywhere. With that in mind, Wichita State University is hosting a conference next month that aims to tackle both topics. Called University Community Innovations for Positive Aging, the event’s stated purpose is “promoting positive aging and combating ageism within the University and the broader community,” […]
February 25, 2022 | By Joe Stumpe
DERBY — Myrna and Ray Messer knew they were doing something important for the nation’s Minuteman nuclear missile defense program in the 1960s and 70s. Otherwise, they might not have been willing to pack up and move 15 times as part of a group who called themselves the “Boeing gypsies.” “Considering the amount of pressure […]
| By Diana Morton
Forum Theatre, at the Wilke Center, First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. Words & Music: Girls Sing Elvis. The Forum’s female performers interpret songs by Elvis Presley and early rhythm and blues performers, with plenty of dancing thrown in. 8 pm Sat, Mar 19, 2 pm Sun, Mar 20. Tickets $23-$25. 316-618-0444 Mosley Street […]
February 9, 2022 | By Joe Stumpe
Sedgwick County health director Adrienne Byrne is urging residents to get their third and in some cases fourth COVID-19 vaccine shots, known as “booster” shots. “We haven’t given that many booster shots for the amount of people that have been fully vaccinated,” Byrne said. “At first, we had a lot of people coming for booster […]
February 1, 2022 | By Bonnie Bing
It’s February, and you know what that means. No, not the Super Bowl. Well, yes, it is being played on Feb. 13, but what’s the very next day? Valentine’s Day! Of the two, a win on Feb. 14 is likely to matter a whole lot more. At the mention of this special day some people […]
November 29, 2021 | By Tammara Fogle
The Wichita Public Library is putting 250 internet bundles into circulation for customers to borrow. The internet bundles will feature a wireless hotspot and a Chromebook. “This service gives the Library a unique opportunity to bridge the digital divide in Wichita by giving residents with low or no internet connectivity at home the tools they […]
November 1, 2021 | By Mary Corrigan
When I was asked to write the Thanksgiving column this year, I admit to having a few moments of panic. There are so many things I am thankful for, and so few column inches to work with. Though I will be stepping down as president of The Active Age’s board of directors in December, I […]
| By Tammara Fogle
A Wichita woman recently lost more than $100,000 in what’s known as the “Miscrosoft scam,” District Attorney Marc Bennett’s office said. The scam works by fooling people into thinking they need technical support from Microsoft. The scammer telephones the intended victim pretending to be a technician or engineer from Microsoft or a related company, or […]
September 30, 2021 | By Debbi Elmore
When Mark Mohesky retired, he quickly started volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Mohesky, who spent 33 years in the Wichita school district’s media production department, said he derives a great deal of satisfaction taking nutritious meals to people who might not otherwise have them. “Getting out into the community to deliver the lunches and looking […]
| By Joe Stumpe
NEWTON — The new director of Harvey County’s Department on Aging shares more than just mutual respect with her predecessor. Lona Kelly, who will start Oct. 4, and Robert Carlton, who is retiring, both say it was their personal experience caring for family members that led them into the field of aging services. Carlton grew […]
| By Bob Rives
It was by default that our family visited Iceland in August. My wife and I, our children and their spouses had planned a trip to France to celebrate our 65th wedding anniversary. Covid stopped that as Europe closed its doors. By 2021, though, Iceland was welcoming visitors. Tourism is one of the country’s economic drivers […]
| By Tammara Fogle
VALLEY CENTER — A half-size replica of the Washington, D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be displayed here Oct. 21-25. There is no charge to visit The Moving Wall, which will be open 24 hours each day. The wall was displayed here in 2012, but local organizers felt it didn’t get the attention it deserved. This […]
August 31, 2021 | By Debbi Elmore
By Debbi Elmore A funny thing happened to the funny-sounding game called pickleball. Popularized by older players, pickleball has captured the attention of people of all ages while becoming the fast-growing sport in the United States. The pop-pop-pop of paddles whacking plastic balls around the Wichita area indicates the trend has definitely reached here. So […]
| By Tammara Fogle
The Active Age AARP is calling for mandatory vaccinations of Kansas nursing home staff and residents, citing a significant rise in COVID-19 cases among nursing home staff and residents. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has ordered that nursing homes require all employees to be vaccinated or lose federal Medicare and Medicaid funding. “The high COVID death […]
| By Bob Rives
By Bob Rives When Major League Baseball staged a game in the Iowa cornfield where “Field of Dreams” was filmed, it became one of the most-talked-about regular season contests in decades. Something similar plays out in Wichita when the city’s two vintage baseball teams square off at Old Cowtown Museum. Baseball is now rivaled in […]
August 2, 2021 | By Mary Clarkin
By Mary Clarkin Micky Maddux encounters the homeless three to 10 times a day. She does not live or work in a shelter or sleep on a sidewalk. She’s the owner of an art gallery in Wichita’s Old Town Square. She’s cleaned their urine and feces off her gallery front in the morning, been accosted and […]
| By Joe Stumpe
By Joe Stumpe It’s no secret that dining out is one of Wichita’s favorite forms of entertainment. A new book by the Wichita Eagle’s Denise Neil shows that the city has been restaurant crazy for a long time, maybe since its earliest days. “Classic Restaurants of Wichita” is set to be released by The History […]
| By Tammara Fogle
The Active Age An idea that’s been simmering in Susan Peters’ head for years is finally ready for consumption: a TV show based around family recipes. “The Family Dinner Table” debuted on PBS Kansas (formerly KPTS) last month. New episodes of the half-hour show will air at 2:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each […]
| By The Active Age
Sedgwick County’s use of local tax revenue for older residents is not keeping up with the growth of that population, a new analysis by Wichita State University shows. In fact, per capita spending from that source has fallen 27 percent over the past decade while the population over 60 grew by almost 33 percent. The […]
| By Tammara Fogle
“The Death Project: An Anthology for These Times,” edited by Gretchen Eick and Cora Poage (Blue Cedar Press, 2021, 196 pages) By Ted Ayres I have for some time admired historian and activist Gretchen Eick, rating her 2001 book, “Dissent in Wichita,” a classic. Eick worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for more than a […]