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Vol 43 • No. 9
www.theactiveage.com Kansas’ Largest Newspaper
August 2022
Pulling through
Tenacity and a new treatment help Wichitian survive cancer
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Bill and Carrie Van Sickle ply the Little Arkansas River in their kayak last month. sculling river for small boats,” Bill said. By Joe Stumpe between four and seven miles, their But the excursions are more than More mornings than not, Bill and oars and sleek craft barely rippling the a great start to the day: Bill Van Sickle Carrie Van Sickle can be found gliding mirror-like surface. believes they helped keep him alive. along the Little Arkansas River in one “This river is basically a hidden Diagnosed with fast-spreading, or two kayaks, enjoying the exercise gem,” Carrie said. “We see a beaver stage 4 skin cancer four years ago, and scenery. They usually cover once a day, see the geese grow up.” Van Sickle lost 60 pounds and saw “This is what I consider a perfect
Prison painter inspires quest By Joe Stumpe If you own a painting by Ernest Aspinwall, Bob Bayer wants to talk. Aspinwall is hardly a household name, but he was something of a criminal celebrity in Wichita in the 1940s and '50s. Charged with kidnapping a Wichita taxi driver in October 1940, Aspinwall escaped from the Sedgwick County Jail three months later and wasn’t returned to face trail here until a decade later. He soon attracted the attention of newspaper reporters for his artistic talents — and at least one regular female visitor for his sensitive good looks. An article by a United Press correspondent said that during
See Artist, page 6
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Courtesy photo
Ernest Aspinwall's artwork attracted attention during his stints in the Sedgwick County Jail and Lansing state prison, where this photo was taken.
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging/Sedgwick County Department on Aging: 1-855-200-2372
Photo by Fernando Salazar
his strength ebb away due to the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. “It was looking pretty dark there,” he said. See Cancer, page 20
Aging budget draws debate
The Active Age Spending by Sedgwick County’s Department on Aging won’t keep up with the current level of inflation under a proposed budget for 2023. The department, which is the primary provider of senior-related services in Wichita and the rest of the county, would see its budget rise 3.2 percent to $13.95 million next year. Commissioners David Dennis and Pete Meitzner said the overall county budget addresses their three biggest priorities — employee compensation, public safety and behavioral health issues. All employees would receive at least an 8 percent raise starting Jan. 1, the county would increase funding for See Budget, page 7
Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800-279-3655 Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655