Chad Ehrlich operates Nobody’s Auto Recycling, a yard with more than 1,000 parts and project cars in stock. The lot is at 332 North U.S. Highway 281 in Great Bend.

Nobody’s was recently featured in magazine, and now the junkyard will be featured on a nationally broadcasted television show on the History channel.

Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes says Ehrlich and his daughter will feature Nobody’s on American Pickers.

Christina Hayes Audio

American Pickers has been airing on the History channel since 2010 as two “pickers” travel the country searching for antiques to restore and resell. Hayes says Nobody’s show will be featured Monday, February 25 on the History channel, beginning at 8 p.m.

Another stormy round of weather this weekend seems to be becoming almost normal.  Is this an unusual winter weather pattern?  Is this becoming the new normal we should come to expect?  Is this weather an indication of our summer weather pattern?  Since it’s colder and snowier than normal, doesn’t this mean global warming and climate change don’t exist?  While it’s not possible to cover these topics in great detail, let’s see if we can shed some light on this situation.  Apologies in advance are due to weather junkies for the simplifications.

Is this an unusual weather pattern?  Yes and no.  It is unusual after the last few winters that were quite dry and overall mild.  However, if you check long-term records, it isn’t.  Two factors are at work.  Drier, milder winters tend to occur when a La Nina occurs of the Pacific coast of South America.  Winters like this are more likely when an El Nino occurs.  These events vary in intensity and duration.  A compounding factor is the dipping of the Polar Vortex down below polar latitudes.  This used to be rare but with an increasing lack of sea ice near the North Pole during summer and increased warming, it is a more common occurrence.  Last year cold blasted the other side of the planet more than North America.  This year’s record cold was focused just north of Kansas and east.

One other factor plays a major role in our winter weather – the Jet Stream.  This river of air above thirty-thousand feet in altitude moves from west to east around the globe.  When it flows pretty much west to east, without big dips and crests, our weather tends to be less active and much less stormy.  This “zonal” pattern was typical of the last few winters.  This year, it looks much more like a rollercoaster ride with peaks and valleys.  This “high amplitude” pattern has resulted in this active weather pattern.  Storms arrive at the West Coast, dip down through the Four Corners region and then make a beeline for our area.  With the counterclockwise flow around the low, it is able to bring up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.  Voila, we have moisture, temperature gradients, more wind and stormy weather.  The key to the “weather” where you are at is a matter of the track of the low pressure.  Fifty miles east or west makes a huge difference and makes weather forecasting tricky at best.

Is this pattern an indication of our summer weather pattern?  No, Mary Knapp, State Climatologist at K-State has examine record in detail and it is hard to correlate winter to summer weather and vice-versa.  While patterns establish themselves, they also change from time to time.

Yes, climate change and global temperature increases are still there.  It is GLOBAL warming, not U.S., Kansas, or Great Bend warming.  Secondly, this kind of weather is pretty accurately predicted by computer modelling.  Also, these models have indicated an increase in the extremes of our weather, i.e. higher highs, lower lows, drier droughts, and wetter periods.  Finally, look around the globe and you can find plenty of heat and drought.

Stay safe and warm.  Spring will eventually arrive.

The miserable weather outside didn’t cool down the enthusiasm inside the Great Bend Events Center Saturday night as the Chamber of Commerce held their 97th annual Chamber Banquet. One of the highlights each year is the announcement of the four awards that are given out at each years event including the Citizen of the Year Award. The 2018 winner was Barry Bowers who operates Spectrum CPA Partners in Great Bend. In his short speech after accepting the award, Bowers talked about the importance of volunteerism and how it makes every person and every community better.

Barry Bowers Audio

The winner of the 2018 Business of the Year was Keller Insurance and Realestate, an agency that has operated in Great Bend since January of 1968. Kevin Keller accepted the award on behalf of everyone at the agency and says the Great Bend area has been a great community for the company to thrive.

Kevin Keller Audio

The 2018 Legacy award was presented to the Great Bend Recreation Commission for striving to improve Great Bend’s quality of life through recreational opportunities.

The 2018 NextGen Leader of the Year award went to Rachel Mawhirter for passionately creating a meaningful impact as a rising leader in the community. Mawhirter started her own marketing agency in 2016 called Marketing Maven after leaving a marketing position with the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce.

by Mary Lou Peter
Let’s go to a party. No, not a birthday party or bowl game party. This is a special event in a very rural community.  This party is helping to promote peace in the world, one personal encounter at a time.

Last week we learned about Dusty Turner, organizer and promoter of annual motorcycle rallies including one in Cedar Vale, Kansas. These yearly motorcycle rallies have brought dozens of people to Cedar Vale and raised money for local community needs. These rallies are promoted through an online forum of Moto Guzzi motorcycle enthusiasts.

The fun of the motorcycle ride and the interaction with the community has been a win-win relationship. “The mayor of Cedar Vale said she has seen an uptick in civic pride because outsiders are showing an interest in their little town,” Dusty said.

This motorcycle rally worked so well that it sparked another idea. In addition to the Moto Guzzi online site, Dusty was on another website which had a political subforum. As sometimes happens with discussions on the Internet, it became a site of bitter conflict. “People hate each other over politics,” Dusty said.  The atmosphere of the discussion was toxic. He wondered if something could be done about it.

“I’m half Lakota,” Dusty said. “In our history, there were tribes who were at war with each other, but once each year they would call a truce and get together for a few days,” he said. “I wondered if this would work for us.”

Dusty decided to try this far-fetched idea with those on the website. In 2018, he invited the people on the website to come to Cedar Vale for a face-to-face gathering. “We need to get out of our echo chamber and meet face-to-face,” he said.

He scheduled this gathering for September. Remarkably, people came.

“I called it the Peace Party,” Dusty said. “We had 25 people come from across the country.” Believe it or not, they came from places such as Chicago, Dallas, LA, Portland, and as far away as Canada and New Zealand. These were people who were already interacting anonymously online but had never met in person.  In many cases, they were on polar opposite sides of the political spectrum, and had engaged in bitter online exchanges.

For this gathering, Dusty used the same model as his motorcycle rallies. The participants were called Adventure Riders. They interacted with local citizens, camped and ate together, and had time to spend with each other. Just as with the motorcycle rallies, a portion of the proceeds went to local needs and jars were set out to collect donations.

“We raised about $1,000 for the community,” Dusty said. However, it was not the financial results which Dusty found most impactful.

His most meaningful aspect was seeing people connect on a personal basis. “I watched people who had called each other names for years shake hands and give each other a hug,” Dusty said.

This initiative also exposed these participants, many of whom come from urban settings, to rural life. “I am introducing these sophisticates to small town America so they can see why people in rural America feel left behind,” Dusty said. “I’m trying to raise a little money for Cedar Vale and expose these city people to real small town America.”

“We are reconnecting and learning how to communicate with each other again,” Dusty said. It went so well that there is interest in holding this gathering annually.  Dusty is seeking support to make this happen.

“We are doing something fun and interesting, and it is working,” he said. “It’s not just me, other people are involved.” This remarkable gathering is happening in the rural community of Cedar Vale, population 526 people. Now, that’s rural.

Let’s go to a party. No, not for a birthday or bowl game. This is a party which intends to overcome division and help people find common ground. We salute the Adventure Riders and the community of Cedar Vale for making a difference by hosting this remarkable gathering. To them I say:  Party on.

The Barton Community College Theatre Department’s three performances of the late Neil Simon’s farce, “Rumors”, are set for 7:30 p.m. March 1 and 2, with a matinee at 2 p.m. March 3. Tickets are $5 at the door. Students are admitted free.

“This is easily the funniest show I’ve ever been in; it’s just one joke after another,” said Jessica Pfortmiller, sophomore in theatre, who has been acting since eighth grade. “Not a minute passes by when you’re bored, the dialogue is hilarious, and the actions are funny. This show is very well written.”

Pfortmiller plays Chris Gorman, wife to Ken Gorman, who is played by Barton Library Assistant Joseph Doze. He agreed that the show is one of the funniest in which he’s acted.

“It’s quick-witted and there are lots of puns and word humor, which is what I really enjoy,” Doze said. “It’s really like a sitcom on stage, and it reminds me a lot of the sitcoms of the 80s and 90s. It’s a bit more modern than some we’ve done in the past.”

Pfortmiller added, “It’s very relatable.”

Doze and Pfortmiller both participated in the fall performance of “Harvey” and said most of the same crew has returned to put on “Rumors.”

“Figured we might as well keep the fun train rolling,” Doze said. “I enjoy acting because it’s a fun way to get away from everyday life. I can sort of act at work, putting on a librarian hat, but I had fun acting when I attended Barton as a student, and I had fun doing it at Hays. When I saw the auditions were open to anybody, I figured I might as well try out.”

Pfortmiller, as a theatre major, has acted in every play since she began attending Barton almost two years ago, and she’s enjoyed every moment.

“It’s an escape from reality, but it’s just something fun to do,” she said. “It gives me something else to focus on and I get to have a different personality for awhile.”

The duo encouraged anyone who is free March 1-3 to make time for the show and enjoy a few laughs.

“Everybody should come twice,” Doze added. “There will be jokes people are going to miss the first time.”

Camp Hope Heartland is pleased to announce that they were recently voted the winner for more than $10,000 in charitable donations from the individual members of the 100+ People Who Care group in Barton County. The non-profit summer camp made a presentation to the group during their giving meeting on February 12 alongside two other worthy charities, the Great Bend Zoological Society and ElderCare Inc. After hearing a brief presentation from all three organizations, the members in attendance cast their anonymous ballots and Camp Hope Heartland was named the winner of the majority vote.

Established in 1982, Camp Hope is a program of Camp Hope-Heartland, Inc., whose mission is to support families living with, through and beyond the cancer experience. Camp Hope provides campers ages 5 to 17, who have had or currently have cancer, a traditional camp experience. Campers enjoy swimming, arts and crafts, archery, campfires, a dance, a talent show, fishing, hiking, miniature golf, bowling and more. Camp Hope is held at Camp Aldrich, and is accredited by the American Camp Association, giving parents peace of mind that it meets the highest safety standards.

A full medical staff on-site allows campers even on active treatment to attend. These 120 volunteers (physicians, oncology nurses, ER nurses, pediatric nurses, pharmacists, and a mental health specialist) assist 60-80 campers each summer to enjoy this unique experience.

“The quarterly pledges of the 100+ People Who Care Members will allow campers and volunteers to continue to attend for free,” says Gail Moeder, Chair for Camp Hope Heartland.

“We are so thrilled to receive these gifts, and can’t tell you how much the campers look forward to this annual event. It’s the highlight of the year for many of them, and these gifts will help make that possible.”

To learn more about Camp Hope Heartland, please visit their website at www.camphopeheartland.com and be sure to like the organization’s Facebook page.

The next giving meeting for the 100+ People Who Care group will be held Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at 5:30 p.m., at the Best Western Angus Inn Courtyard. At that time, representatives from Camp Hope Heartland will return to provide an update on how the organization is utilizing the $10,000+ gift. Members will also vote to select and nominate local, charitable organizations to receive future funds. More details can be found on the group’s website,
www.100bartoncounty.org, or on their Facebook page.

BUSINESS NEWS

Susan Young was apprehensive after she had the arterial valve to her heart replaced last summer. She was apprehensive about the healing process, which would include exercises and new medications.

“I was concerned about my ability to physically meet the criteria for cardiac rehabilitation,” Young said. “My general health was fair, at best.”

Then she met Mike Penn, RN, and Sara Bryant, RN, registered nurses who provide cardiac rehab services at The University of Kansas Health System St. Rose Medical Pavilion. Young agreed to share her story in observance of American Heart Month.

“Mike and Sara were very caring and explained the exercise routine,” she recalled. “They modeled use of the treadmill, recumbent bike and NuStep, as well as the stretching regimen.

“They consistently encouraged me,” Young continued. “And as with my tentative students, I responded with an eagerness to meet their criteria and improve my health,” said the long-time Great Bend teacher who now serves on the USD 428 Board of Education.

Young admires the cardiac rehab team’s professionalism based on how they cared for her. Bryant noticed the heart rate monitor showed Young’s heart rate had increased dramatically.

“She quickly and calmly took charge,” said Young, who was taken to the emergency room at The University of Kansas Health System Great Bend Campus. “I was then taken by ambulance to Wichita.”

“This was the result of a medicine-dosage problem,” Young said. “But the response to the situation is what I appreciate. I’m so grateful for Sara and Mike.”

Young’s rehab regimen included Monday, Wednesday and Friday sessions over a 12-week-period. She completed the sessions in December.

“I miss seeing Mike and Sara but am thankful they instilled in me a desire to continue exercising,” Young said. “I joined the Great Bend Recreation Center and am keeping the three-times-a-week schedule. I look and feel better because cardiac rehab gave me a healthy direction.”

“The program gave me more than I expected,” she added. “It was conveniently located on the first floor at the medical pavilion. Skilled and pleasant professionals monitored my heart and took my vitals throughout the sessions. It wasn’t long before I felt more energized and noticed my clothing was looser.”

Bryant noted that it’s not easy for people to change their habits and learn to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.

“However,” she said, “Susan was very open-minded and dedicated. She was motivated to take the opportunity to become a healthier and more active person.”

“Susan was proactive in her rehabilitation and implementing heart-healthy changes that will last a lifetime.”

James McReynolds, MD, medical director of cardiac rehab at St. Rose Medical Pavilion, said Young’s situation is not unusual. The doctor is also a physician at The University of Kansas Health System Internal Medicine on the second floor of the medical pavilion.

“Most people recognize the benefits of rehab,” Dr. McReynolds said. “Awareness is a big issue because after a surgery or procedure, patients sometimes forget they have been referred to cardiac rehab. They come back
with instructions that may get lost in the shuffle.”

Dr. McReynolds strongly encourages people to take advantage of rehab after a cardiac event.

“Even if they don’t feel great while doing rehab, they will feel better afterward,” he said. “It’s good to set goals such as walking a certain distance, or going to the grocery store or church. It’s much easier to reach
these goals after rehab.”

“In addition,” he continued, “rehab results in a decrease in cardiac-related deaths. The survival rate is much better.”

Cardiac rehab is tailored to each patient because everyone is different, the physician noted.

“Patients are evaluated based on what they can and can’t do. We start slowly. This is not like exercising in a class where everyone is doing the same thing.”

Dr. McReynolds praised the cardiac rehab nurses work with patients like Young.

“They clearly care about their patients,” he said. “They take care of day-to-day evaluations while providing education about medications, diet and lifestyle. They are quick to bring questions to me. I would trust them with my own family.”

Mike Penn, RN, has worked in St. Rose’s cardiac rehab program for several years. He also served for 30 years as an intensive-care nurse.

Saran Bryant, RN, has 13 years of nursing experience in medical-surgery care, intensive care, geriatrics and pediatrics.