Opinion
IDs sought for 1957 photos with Blunk
Robert Blunk, a founder of our Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum, recently donated photographs taken in May 1957 of students working on the museum’s first exhibit. Blunk wrote, “This was in what was known as the Old Calvert Store on the southwest corner of Main and Highland. It was open for about two weeks.”¬†Four years later the museum opened at a permanent site on S. Grant Ave. Blunk was unable to recall every student’s name and hoped ...
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Lent is fasting and prayer before Easter
As we approach the Christian season of Lent, some have asked me exactly what Lent is. So, with that in mind, I offer the following: The English word lent derives from the Germanic root for Spring. The earliest reference to a period of fasting and prayer before Easter is in the writings of the 2nd c. church father Irenaus of Lyons (c.130-c.200), who wrote of a period lasting only two or three days. Apparently at that time there was a variety...
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Tips make homemade jerky easy and safe
Making beef or venison jerky is becoming increasingly popular; it’s relatively easy, allows seasoning the dried, lightweight meat product to your taste, and can offer a cost-savings on food, including snacks. Mistakes in the process can, however, compromise the quality of the product and cause foodborne illness, said Karen Blakeslee, K-State Research and Extension food scientist. With beef, temperature is an issue, said Blakeslee, who expl...
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Impression part of recruitment process
Neosho County Community College continues to be one of the fastest growing community colleges in Kansas. In 2001-2002 we produced about 27,000 credit hours. This year (2011-2012) we are projecting more than 50,000 credit hours. In 10 years we will have nearly doubled the size of the enrollment. There are a lot of reasons for these results Рexpansion of programs, growth at the Ottawa campus, and the addition of the online campus are just a...
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Importance of colostrum to baby calves
With my last article on calving season preparations, let us continue this week with the importance of colostrum to newborn calves. Sandy Johnson, Northwest Area livestock specialist, provided the summary from past Calving Management Schools.  Research has shown passive immunity obtained from colostrum is an important factor in determining the health of calves both pre- and post-weaning, and indirectly influences calf growth rate during tho...
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Don’t be fooled by health fraud scams
You might see ads on TV, in magazines, in direct mail, in unsolicited emails, or on the Internet that make a lot of promises about a new health product. Words like “scientific breakthrough” or “quick fix” or “new discovery” may fool some people into buying health products that sound great, but are really fakes. Some products may cause serious problems like pain, suffering, or even death. Don’t take the risk with your health or your money. A...
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There’s nothing especially romantic about Feb. 14
Yes, a single guy is complaining about Valentines Day. No, I’m not bitter. I’m not here to say that Valentines Day is necessarily a bad thing. Any time people come up with some excuse to buy more than normal can be good for business. But I have some problems with it. There’s the obvious: Valentines Day makes single people who don’t want to be single feel worse than most other days. Holidays generally make lonely people feel worse, so i...
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DD long-term care services needed
DD long-term care services needed I am very concerned that long-term care services have not yet been removed from the Administration’s ‘KanCare’ managed care proposal. I am a Kansas citizen, taxpayer, voter and supporter of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I cannot state emphatically enough that I expect these vital long-term care services to be removed from KanCare. It is simply unacceptable to conduct such a mass...
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‘Managed care’
First of all I need to apologize in advance for what I am about to say, but I am mad as hell. I feel like I am watching a train wreck right before my eyes and there is nothing I can do about it except help clean up after the disaster. I dislike writing negative columns, but something has to be done about managed care. It will have the biggest impact upon people with intellectual disabilities since the Developmental Disability Reform Act of...
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Make Super Bowl party a winner
USDA consumer food specialists report the quantity of food consumed on Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving. And, while food safety information is plentiful during the holiday season, bowl parties can create additional food safety risks, said Karen Blakeslee, K-State Research and Extension food scientist. “Football games last for several hours, making it more difficult for hosts to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold,” Blake...
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Drought conditions likely to ease in 2012
December precipitation across Kansas averaged 1.69 inches, which was almost double the normal amount. That helped ease drought conditions in parts of the state and early forecasts point to a further reduction in 2012, according to Kansas climatologist Mary Knapp. “The preliminary statewide average precipitation total for December was 192 percent of normal,” said Knapp, who is director of the state’s Weather Data Library. “That makes it the ...
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Consider closely fate of vulnerable Kansans The editorial cartoon in last Sunday’s edition of the Wichita Eagle has hit the nail squarely on the the head
Consider closely fate of vulnerable Kansans The editorial cartoon in last Sunday’s edition of the Wichita Eagle has hit the nail squarely on the the head. The intellectual and developmentally disabled are soon to be under the parsimonious managed care system of insurance companies. There are many questions that have not been answered by our elected officials. Why no information? Why have legislators not received any substantive informati...
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Walk Kansas fitness program will start soon
It’s January….that wonderfully hopeful time of year when we resolve to do better. We vow to get in shape, to lose weight, and to ditch all the other bad habits we have been accumulating for decades. If you’re like many folks, you may be looking at the exact same list of resolutions that you had last year. Lifestyle changes are hard to make. Research is continually discovering more health benefits to regular physical activity. As a nation, o...
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Kansas Profile - Super Bowl edition
The Super Bowl ring is large, hefty, and shiny – and it proudly displays the words “World Champions.” Today we’ll meet a man from rural Kansas who earned that ring as an assistant coach in the National Football League. Special thanks to Norton County Life Magazine whose article told this remarkable story. This is a Super Bowl edition of Kansas Profile. Larry Zierlein is the proud owner of a Super Bowl ring, which he earned as an assistan...
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New funding policy good news for NCCC
Prada Shoes Рthe sequel!  Last year I wrote a column about how state funding for community colleges works in Kansas.  I likened state funding for credit hours to selling shoes in a strange way.  If you recall I pointed out that no matter how much it costs to offer a particular class Рfrom inexpensive classes like U.S. History, to expensive classes such as nursing courses Рthe college received the same dollar per credit hour.  It was ...
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Start small, think big for America Saves Week
Many of you may be like me and are ‘trying something new’ with your finances and personal budget in the New Year. America and Kansas Saves have some useful resources and incentives in February to keep us going! Kansas Saves is a national social marketing Campaign to “Save and Reduce Debt”; and encourage the average person that “You Can Build Wealth if you Start Small and Think Big.” February 19-26, is America Saves Week – a great time to t...
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Starting plants from seed
January is a dreaded cold month for many gardeners. One way to combat the gardening blues that January brings is to start vegetable and flower plants from seed. The following are steps needed to be successful in seed starting. Purchase recommended, quality seed: Start by checking out the list of K-State recommended varieties. Those can be found at www.ksre.ksu.edu and follow the lawn and garden link. The plants on this list have proven the...
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Year at college provided early presents
The Inbody family is gearing up for another great Christmas together. I honestly love the holidays. We added a new feature to our Christmas display at the house – Virtual Santa! If you drive by our place at 8th and Evergreen through one of the windows you can see Santa walking around the house, delivering gifts, eating cookies, checking his list, and waving to you. It’s a lot of fun! Come by and take a look. We have a tradition in our house...
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Tips for traveling with food
Holiday meals just wouldn’t be the same without those favorite dishes made by aunts, grandmas, and other family and friends. It’s a time-honored tradition for people to bring food to gatherings. How do you decide who brings what or how to travel with food if you’re asked to bring something? When assigning foods or deciding what to take, consider the type of food and the distance to travel. Remember the two-hour rule – avoid leaving perishab...
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Christmas programs at library wrapping up
Merry Christmas to one and all from the Chanute Public Library! I am happy to report that because so many of you chose to pay your late fees with food, the library was able to donate nearly 500 items to the local food pantry in November. This program turned out to be a winning situation for everyone and I thank the library board for moving forward with this project. Children’s holiday programs are in full swing at the library. We have one ...
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