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Vol 41 • No. 12
www.theactiveage.com November 2020 Kansas’ Award-winning Top 55+ News Source
No Competition
By Joe Stumpe It took Elizabeth Bishop a couple tries to get over the electoral hump. But for the second election in a row, she can rest easy. The state representative from southeast Wichita, who lost her first four races for office, drew no opposition on the Nov. 3 election ballot, something of a rarity for a Democrat in southcentral Kansas. Bishop, who turned 77 in June, will return to Topeka as the oldest member of the Legislature, something that was on her mind as she sat down for an interview last month. Bishop missed nearly all of last year’s shortened regular legislative session as her husband, Darrel, recovered from heart surgery, although she followed proceedings closely from home. She attended the 24-hour wrap-up session in May as well as a two-day special session in June. After each of those, she stayed in Topeka several days longer than usual trying to make sure she wasn’t experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms that she could bring home to her husband. State lawmakers “constitute a big group of people who are vulnerable to the (coronavirus) pandemic,” Bishop said. Next year, she added, “I fully intend to serve.”
Photo by Joe Stumpe
State Rep. Elizabeth Bishop says she decided See Bishop, page 6 early to "help set the agenda when I could."
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Wichita, KS 67276 Permit 1711
Enter our holiday recipe contest on Page 4
COVID claims 9 lives in weeks at local home
State's senior lawmaker unopposed in return to Topeka
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Inside:
By Mary Clarkin COVID-19 made a rapid, deadly march through the 106-bed Meridian Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, claiming nine lives and infecting 78 people in a matter of weeks. The long-term care facility at 1555 N. Meridian, which has a history of health inspection problems, was identified last month as Sedgwick County’s second-deadliest COVID-19 cluster. Only Clearwater Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has lost more residents — 12 — to the pandemic. COVID-19 progressed quickly at Meridian, according to a timeline provided by the county. On Sept. 1, a county press release identified it as one of four long-term care facilities experiencing new clusters. Twelve
See COVID, page 8
Homeless heroes: Vets get a hand up
The Active Age
“Without Passageways, I would be homeless. Or worse.” — Military veteran Sometimes even heroes need a hand. That’s the idea behind an organization that aims to keep homeless veterans from living and dying on the streets of Wichita. Nearly seven years ago, Jennifer Garrison and her mother, Susan Moellinger, left their careers to start Passageways, which operates a group home for homeless veterans and an outreach program for other veterans in need. Now the organization is close to launching an even more ambitious project — Homefront Veteran
Courtesy photo
Residents and volunteers get together for dinner at the Passageways group home for veterans in west Wichita.
See Heroes, page 7
Questions about services?
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging or call your county Department on Aging: 1-855-200-2372
Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800- 279-3655 Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655