Heart KC Stories from the Heartland

01/02/2024

Tongie v Pleasant Ridge basketball!

01/02/2024

University Saint Mary basketball!

01/02/2024

Doing a lot of sports this past year - here's Tongie against St. Thomas Aquinas at sub-state last fall - TD reception, blocked punt and TD by the blocker!

01/02/2024

Sports photography is part of my jam - Dual meet at University Saint Mary

17/08/2023

Fundraiser for LCHS at 11Worth Station Brewhouse 11Worth Station Brewhouse is holding an Open Mic night fundraiser to raise money for the Leavenworth County Humane Society. Open Mic Night Aug. 18 By Peggy Bair An open mic night Friday, Aug. 18, will be held at 11Worth Station Brewhouse as a benefit for the Leavenworth County Humane Society. Various acts are invited to sign up to demonstrate their talents with donations going to support the local shelter....

Fundraiser for LCHS at 11Worth Station Brewhouse 11Worth Station Brewhouse is holding an Open Mic night fundraiser to raise money for the Leavenworth County Humane Society. Open Mic Night Aug. 18 B…

12/08/2023

Officials consider preservation efforts of old Lansing Correctional Facility into prison museum.

Officials Consider Prison Museum at retired Lansing Correctional Facility Preservation Efforts of LCF By Peggy Bair Local historian Ken LaMaster contacted has helped spark recent interest in preser…

08/08/2023

Leavenworth Antique Mall New Owners Kathleen Wade, left, is the new owner of the Leavenworth Antique Mall, 505 Delaware St. Wade and her husband Ric Almack, bring decades of antique experience to the business. Photo by Peggy Bair/HeartKC ©2023 By Peggy Bair Expect to see a lot of changes in the coming weeks at the Leavenworth Antique Mall, 505 Delaware St., Leavenworth....

Leavenworth Antique Mall New Owners Kathleen Wade, left, is the new owner of the Leavenworth Antique Mall, 505 Delaware St. Wade and her husband Ric Almack, bring decades of antique experience to t…

30/07/2023

https://heartkc.com/2023/07/29/leavenworth-county-fair/

2023 Leavenworth County Fair Braves Triple Digit Temps by Peggy Bair Sholanda Miller of Drexel, MO, lead the opening parade at the 2023 Leavenworth County Rodeo Thursday, July 27 at the Leavenworth…

25/07/2023

Leavenworth 4-H/FFA Horse Show Kicks Off 2023 Fair The Leavenworth County Fair opens today at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds in Tonganoxie. There were 19 participants on Sunday for the Leavenworth 4-H/FFA Horse Show. Young people from towns throughout Leavenworth County took part in halter, showmanship, trail, ranch horse and race competitions to earn prizes and recognition for their efforts. Showing horses from miniature to quarter horse in sizes, 4-H youth were able to let their talents shine in the arena....

Leavenworth 4-H/FFA Horse Show Kicks Off 2023 Fair The Leavenworth County Fair opens today at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds in Tonganoxie. There were 19 participants on Sunday for the Leavenwo…

16/07/2023

Creative session on a young ballerina:

23/06/2023

Sleep Out Fundraiser June 23 - Fourth & Chestnut, Leavenworth, KS by Peggy Bair Attainable-Housing-Final5Download Attainable-Housing-Final5Download

Sleep Out Fundraiser June 23 – Fourth & Chestnut, Leavenworth, KS by Peggy Bair Attainable-Housing-Final5Download Attainable-Housing-Final5Download

29/05/2023

Etheridge Has Pride in Her Home Town by Peggy Bair/HeartKC Melissa Etheridge poses for a portrait during an interview by HeartKC prior to an event May 27, 2023, during which she was honored for her community service to her home town of Leavenworth, KS. ©2023/Photo by Natalie Banks-Haupt for HeartKC. Nothing has stopped Melissa Etheridge from coming back to her home town of Leavenworth all these years the 1979 graduate has made appearances here, but now she can roam around wherever she wants, since on Saturday, May 27, 2023, Mayor Jermaine Wilson officially handed her a key to the City....

Etheridge Has Pride in Her Home Town by Peggy Bair/HeartKC Melissa Etheridge poses for a portrait during an interview by HeartKC prior to an event May 27, 2023, during which she was honored for her…

15/04/2023

Over a Century of Living a Life of Service At 102, Anna Marguerite Varner-Egli Tells Her Story By Peggy Bair Anna Marguerite Varner-Egli celebrated her 102nd birthday Saturday, April 8, with family and friends at the C.W. Parker Museum. Frequently breaking out in song with her still-strong and angelic voice, she summarized her longevity to the younger well-wishers who attended....

Over a Century of Living a Life of Service At 102, Anna Marguerite Varner-Egli Tells Her StoryBy Peggy Bair Anna Marguerite Varner-Egli celebrated her 102nd birthday Saturday, April 8, with family …

21/02/2023

Over 200 attend to honor the passing of LHS Senior By Peggy Bair...

Over 200 attend to honor the passing of LHS Senior By Peggy Bair Over 200 attended a candlelight vigil on Saturday, Feb 18 at David Brewer Park in Leavenworth, KS. Photo by Peggy Bair/HeartKC Durin…

07/05/2022

Vendors Welcome Customers at Haymarket Square in Leavenworth, KS In stark contrast to the cold, rainy and COVID-beset Farmer's Market opening of two years ago, the 2022 opening day was a sunny, warm and welcoming 70 degree event at Haymarket Square in Leavenworth, KS. Locals returned with no masks and plenty of smiles instead. This year's Leavenworth Farmer's Market hosts 30 vendors and 15 of those appeared for the opening day....

https://heartkc.com/2022/05/07/farmers-market-2022/

Vendors Welcome Customers at Haymarket Square in Leavenworth, KS In stark contrast to the cold, rainy and COVID-beset Farmer’s Market opening of two years ago, the 2022 opening day was a sunn…

10/05/2021

Below the din of the headlines touting the record-breaking GNP numbers, those hardest hit by the pandemic economy still suffer in silence.

https://heartkc.com/2021/05/10/the-silence-of-suffering/

The Unseen Damage of COVID Crisis Over a year after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated small businesses, Amanda Rich of Topeka has amassed near-total personal and financial losses. She still has no an…

06/05/2021

KDOL Collateral Damage KDOL Payment Delays Cast Misery on Out of State Unemployed Peggy Bair Devin Nightengale and Jessica are watching over their son Brennan, 4, this week as doctors monitor his recovery from a surgery at Children's Mercy Hospital. This is a day that Devin can't put his family life on hold while he makes daily failed attempts to reach the Kansas Department of Labor to find out why he hasn't received his unemployment money....

https://heartkc.com/2021/05/06/kdol-collateral-damage/

KDOL Collateral Damage KDOL Payment Delays Cast Misery on Out of State Unemployed Peggy Bair Devin Nightengale and Jessica are watching over their son Brennan, 4, this week as doctors monitor his r…

02/05/2021

Headaches are Greater for Out of State Kansas Workers Susan Thompson Campbell got shocking news in June, 2020, when her job at T-Mobile ended suddenly with a mass conference call. "Our entire department got dissolved - everybody I know lost their job. We were literally told on Friday - "no, no, the rumors you heard were wrong, your job is fine....

https://heartkc.com/2021/05/01/texas-and-missouri-workers-caught-in-kdol-pandemic-snag/

Headaches are Greater for Out of State Kansas Workers Susan Thompson Campbell got shocking news in June, 2020, when her job at T-Mobile ended suddenly with a mass conference call. “Our entire…

28/03/2021

A Year Into COVID: Food Banks Still Filling a Need By Peggy Bair It's been a little over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic put the world in a tailspin, closing down businesses, schools, homes and even parks. As the past two months have seen a ramped-up vaccination campaign, people are slowly starting to have some hope again that normal is coming back - even though it's likely going to be a "new normal."...

https://heartkc.com/2021/03/27/need-still-strong-for-food-bank/

VFW Lansing KS Food Distribution HeartKC Peggy Bair

21/03/2021

Unemployed Kansas Workers Brace for Fewer Weeks of Benefits Under HB2196 "If you give them more time...they are not going to be as sharp," - Rep. Sean Tarwater Peggy Bair HeartKC Unemployed Kansas workers - which include workers who live in other states but are employed in Kansas - will see a reduction of benefit weeks and tighter restrictions on back-to-work requirements beginning April 1, 2021 once the HB2196 passes the Kansas senate Monday, March 22, 2021 in a final vote on the bill....

https://heartkc.com/2021/03/21/kansas-senate-poised-to-reduce-benefits-weeks-for-unemployed-kansas-workers/

Unemployed Kansas Workers Brace for Fewer Weeks of Benefits Under HB2196 “If you give them more time…they are not going to be as sharp,” – Rep. Sean Tarwater Peggy Bair Hear…

18/03/2021

The KDOL Stall -HeartKC presents another segment in a series of profiles about the ongoing landscape of financial struggles for Midwesterners as they navigate pandemic poverty in the what many of them term 'the new normal.'

https://heartkc.com/2021/03/18/the-kdol-stall/

28/02/2021

https://heartkc.com/2021/02/27/pandemic-poverty-grips-midwest-middle-class/

Cassandra Dickerson has been leading the weekly protests on Fridays at the state Capitol in Topeka. She wants Governor Kelly to come out to the next protest and meet with the group to hear them.

28/02/2021

Pandemic Poverty Grips Midwest Middle Class KDOL owes thousands of Kansas workers for back unemployment claims. Cassandra Dickerson of Olathe, KS is raising three young children and has turned to food pantries to help because her unemployment claims have not been paid. She has traveled to Topeka for the past three Fridays to lead peaceful protests about the plight of unpaid unemployment claims from KDOL....

https://heartkc.com/2021/02/27/pandemic-poverty-grips-midwest-middle-class/

Pandemic Poverty Grips Midwest Middle Class as Unemployment Claims and Pandemic Relief Money is delayed.

25/02/2021

Single Mom Says She's 'Defeated' from Lack of Money Peggy Bair This story is one in a series of ongoing stories about the effects of the 2020 Pandemic on area Americans outlining the hardships people are facing every day as they attempt to navigate life in a COVID-19 world - facing the fallout from unemployment and losses....

https://heartkc.com/2021/02/25/out-of-money-out-of-time/

Niah, 10, is one of three children whose mother depends on payments from Kansas Department of Labor to pay for food, rent and basics. The family has gone without payment for the past 11 weeks and c…

25/02/2021

Tapped Out, Unpaid Kansans Fed Up

https://heartkc.com/2021/02/24/tapped-out-unpaid/

by Peggy Bair Tapped Out, Unpaid Kansans Fed Up This is one in a series of profiles showing faces of Americans effected by the cascade of economic, sickness and emotional devastation since the begi…

19/02/2021

KDOL Press Release Feb. 19, 2021 While hundreds of KDOL claimants on social media sites lament that they received no payments today, a much anticipated February 19, 2021 date for payments to be released to unemployment claimants of the Kansas Department of Labor has been clarified today by KDOL communications director Jerry Grasso. The press release clarifies that 4800 claimants will begin receiving "Phase 1 of the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program" payments and that 370 claimants will be receiving "Phase Two and Three" payments - beginning the week of March 1....

https://heartkc.com/2021/02/19/kdol-press-release-feb-19-2021/

KDOL Press Release Feb. 19, 2021 While hundreds of KDOL claimants on social media sites lament that they received no payments today, a much anticipated February 19, 2021 date for payments to be rel…

14/02/2021

Portrait and event photography is how I self-support my journalism story endeavors. Recently, a young mom I had photographed in concert some years ago was looking for a portrait session for her beautiful boy's 1st birthday. We collaborated on ideas and did some pre-planning, then added some inspiration to come up with an original idea worthy of its own Pinterest. HeartKC is the home of originality by Peggy Bair.

Stories in the Heartland

26/01/2021

It's not hard to see why Lady Lions are champions. Here are my shots from their Friday game against Gardner Edgerton Jan 22 at Lansing. Their strategy and team work is tight and disciplined. Their bench is also deep enough to ensure that there are more players to come in just as strong when needed. I was truly impressed with these fine young women.

25/12/2020

Christmas Eve and a place to go - Karaoke! Starting at 6 p.m. Then, on Dec. 26, more entertainment! Support your local businesses! https://heartkc.com/2020/12/24/holiday-music-is-just-a-1-ana-2-ana-424-away/

by Peggy Bair Holiday Music is Just a 1-ana-2-ana-424 Away The Jazz 424 Lounge will be hosting Karaoke December 24, 2020 beginning at 6 p.m. in Leavenworth, KS. Owner James Diggs (shown unmasked in…

24/12/2020

Leavenworth's Jazz 424 Lounge Offers a Cozy Holiday Experience by Peggy Bair The Jazz 424 Lounge will be hosting Karaoke December 24, 2020 in Leavenworth, KS. James and Georgette Diggs are the welcoming hosts of Jazz 424 Lounge. The couple previously owned and operated Play, Bounce, Jump, much beloved venue that entertained Leavenworth families for nearly 10 years. Now, with 424 Lounge, James' dream of a Jazz Club has come to fruition....

https://heartkc.com/2020/12/24/holiday-music-is-just-a-424-away/

Leavenworth’s Jazz 424 Lounge Offers a Cozy Holiday Experience by Peggy Bair The Jazz 424 Lounge will be hosting Karaoke December 24, 2020 in Leavenworth, KS. James and Georgette Diggs are th…