Baldwin City residents will head to the polls on Tuesday, November 4, to cast their votes in the 2025 General Election — an important opportunity to help guide the city’s future leadership and priorities.
This year’s ballot includes races for Mayor and City Council, roles that will shape decisions on infrastructure, growth, and community development in the years ahead.
Earlier this fall, the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce hosted a Candidate Forum at the Baldwin Junior High Performing Arts Center, giving
voters the chance to hear directly from the candidates.
Mayoral candidates include Gerald “Gerry” Cullumber, a retired police chief emphasizing public safety and steady growth, and Casey Simoneau, the current mayor focused on infrastructure improvements, water supply, and grant funding to reduce financial strain on residents.
City Council candidates include Robert “Bob” Flegal, Jay King, Dan Riney, Susan Pitts, and Peter Wentz — each bringing unique experience
and perspectives on planning, fiscal responsibility, and preserving Baldwin City’s small-town character while supporting smart growth.
The forum highlighted key themes of transparency, collaboration, and community connection, giving residents valuable insight before heading to the polls.
Election Day Information: Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4.
Advance mail ballots must be
postmarked by Election Day and received by Friday, November 7.
Voters can find polling places, check registration, or review advance voting options at the Douglas County Election Office website.
After casting your vote, keep the community tradition alive by attending the Election Day Chicken Noodle Dinner at Ives Chapel United Methodist Church, 1018 Miami Street, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Dine in or take out and enjoy a warm meal with neighbors as Baldwin City celebrates another meaningful Election Day.
Gerald “Gerry” Cullumber Mayor Candidate
Jay King City Council Candidate
Susan Pitts City Council Candidate
Robert “Bob” Flegal City Council Candidate
Dan Riney City Council Candidate
Peter Wentz City Council Candidate
Casey Simoneau Mayor Candidate
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HOST EVENT TO HELP PREPARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND OTHERS TO ENTER THE BUSINESS WORLD
Two local groups are organizing a November 15th event to introduce high school and college students to challenges they may encounter in future professional and business settings. The program would also be helpful for those already in a business or professional environment to learn more about how to manage business settings and improve their skills.
The Baldwin City Local of the Business and Professional Women organization and the Baldwin City Library are co-sponsoring an individual development program. The
program covers topics such as working with local and state governments; preparing a presentation; developing leadership qualities, and tips and techniques for interviewing.
Participants are asked to pay a small registration fee. A light lunch and a program booklet are provided for attendees. Registration forms are available at the Baldwin City Library or those interested can request one at baldwinbpw@gmail. com. The event will be held in the Activity Room at the Baldwin City Library.
COMMUNITY
EVENTS EVENTS
November 3
Best Movie Nite
Baldwin City Library, 6:00 p.m.
November 4
Election Day
Chicken Noodle Dinner
Ives Chapel UMC, 5 p.m.
November 7
Infant Feeding and Parent Connection Group
Baldwin City Library, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
November 7
Bingo Night – a Masked Soiree
Stony Point Hall, 6-10 p.m.
November 8
Local Author Talk: John Musgrave
Baldwin City Public Librar,y 12p .m.
November 8
UMW Annual Turkey Dinner
Baldwin United Methodist Church, 5-7 p.m.
November 11
2nd Tuesdays Are For BEF at Baldwin City Beer Co
Eat at Baldwin City Beer Co and 5% of sales will support the Baldwin Education Foundation
November 12 Blood Drive at BHS
BHS Cafeteria, 415 Eisenhower Street, B. 2-6 p.m.
December 6 Festival of Lights Parade
Downtown Baldwin City, 6:00 p.m.
COMMUNITY
DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOD SECURITY ADVOCATES WORKING ON EMERGENCY PLAN FOR SNAP BENEFICIARIES; HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES
Food security advocates with nonprofits, the local government and organizations throughout Douglas County began discussing an emergency response plan last week if SNAP benefits don’t come in for November.
Here is the start of that plan, plus resources for SNAP recipients and the community at large.
The state of SNAP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture administration announced Friday that it would not dip into a $6 billion SNAP emergency fund to cover November benefits as the government shutdown continues. This message contradicted an earlier statement from the department saying that funds would be shuffled to ensure SNAP’s continuance.
Tuesday was Kansas’ deadline to receive SNAP funds for processing by Nov. 1. Nearly 190,000 Kansans now face a delay, if not a total loss, of $34.4 million for food support come next month.
In Douglas County alone, an average of 4,832 people received SNAP dollars each month in the 2024 fiscal year, totaling about $11.1 million in service dollars.
Lawrence school district spokesperson Jake Potter said that the families of 1,149 students would be impacted by a delay or absence of food assistance.
Food security advocates also discussed the vast impact the loss of SNAP dollars would have not only on recipients but also on the entire local economy during a food systems workshop last week.
Plans for a SNAP response community fund in Douglas County are underway
Just Food is Douglas County’s primary food pantry and a food bank in partnership with Harvesters.
The organization is at the center of a countywide emergency response plan to support those who may be losing access to food.
Aundrea Walker, executive director of Just Food, said that a last-minute call to community partners yielded more than 30 attendees at a meeting Tuesday morning, including representatives from the school district, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and multiple area nonprofits.
She said their first step is to create a community fund to collect donations, which Just Food will use to purchase food in bulk and then distribute to pantries throughout the community. She hopes is to have a donation page up and running by Thursday.
Kyle Roggenkamp, CEO of the Ballard Center, said the fund will “really leverage that purchasing power over at Just Food so that we’re not encouraging people to go full retail price.”
Walker said federal guidelines state that every pound of food donated equates to $1.97 in cost. Just Food’s average cost per pound was $0.72 in September and currently averages $0.85 for October. On average, one person leaves Just Food with almost 11 pounds of food, Walker said.
“The community is very dedicated to trying to close the gap the best we can,” Walker said. “Can we completely eliminate the deficit that SNAP is going to have in the community? No. But can we do the best we can? We definitely can.”
In addition to their primary pantry location at 1000 E. 11th St., Just Food operates a mobile pantry called the “Cruising Cupboard,” and works with partner pantries on KU’s campus, in local schools and at Heartland Community Health Center. Learn more about how to get food here.
Double Up Protein Bucks to resume for returning shoppers at the Lawrence Farmers Market
The Lawrence Farmers Market runs a Double Up Food Bucks program that matches up to $25 in SNAP dollars for shoppers to buy produce.
Last year, they introduced a second Double Up-style program for protein, including eggs, meats, milk, falafel, hummus and more. Both programs working in tandem can turn $25 into $75 worth of fruits, vegetables and protein for SNAP recipients. Due to the success of the program, the market overspent its
budget for protein bucks this year and had to stop handing out tokens in September. In response to the impending SNAP crisis, the organization launched a fundraising campaign this weekend to revive the program for the last four market Saturdays this year.
The aim is to raise at least $850 per week, with a total goal of $4,000, to cover the rest of 2025.
$850 would cover the total number of SNAP shoppers the Farmers Market has seen in one week, which is 34. Emily Lysen, the market’s director of development, said they might need to adjust the total fundraising goal depending on expressed community need.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the fund had reached $2,320 in donations, and the Double Up Protein Bucks program will resume. Returning shoppers who have spent their SNAP benefits at the market before can request tokens worth $25 for protein this Saturday, Nov. 1.
Lysen also encouraged folks to use any other Double Up tokens from the farmer’s market, as those expire at the end of the year.
SNAP benefits in personal accounts do not expire, Lysen said, so people who leftover money in their account can still use it at the main Farmers Market, the Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market or at Checkers, which all have a Double Up program.
“My goal was just to get people fed as fast as possible,” Lysen said, in reference to the fundraiser. “And since we run our own token program … it doesn’t have to be tied to SNAP … It’s a oneto-one-to-one, so it’s every dollar that’s donated goes directly to a SNAP user that goes directly to a farmer.”
More resources for SNAP recipients in Douglas County
• Roggenkamp of the Ballard Center said that, starting Monday, the space will open an addition that allows them to double the number of appointments.
They will also continue initiatives like their mobile food pantry with Harvesters, which gives folks a trunkful of perishable foods on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Roggenkamp said many families will face the choice of spending money on food versus housing, so the Ballard Center offers rent and utility assistance.
Even if the center is short on resources for a client, according to Roggenkamp, staff will do all they can to create referrals and connect them to the right resources.
See a full listing of services offered through the Ballard Center at this link.
• Potter said that multiple planning and coordination meetings would take place over the next two days to create a plan for the Lawrence school district heading into November. More information will be forthcoming.
• See a list of free meals and a map of meal locations in Lawrence at this link.
• The Lawrence Public Library maintains an extensive community resource guide with contacts for food insecurity, health insurance, behavioral health care, housing, legal assistance, rent and utility assistance and more.
The library also employs a resource specialist who can refer people to social services. See here for contact information.
• The K-State Research and Extension program, alongside LiveWell Douglas County, issued a food resources guide for all of Douglas County, last updated April 21, 2025.
The guide includes a list of food cupboards, pantries and community meal options for youths to seniors throughout Baldwin, Eudora, Lawrence, Lecompton and general Douglas County.
How to support local organizations and individuals facing food insecurity
Lysen, Roggenkamp and Walker all encouraged residents to consider volunteering to support nonprofits and food pantries that will experience a major uptick in visitors in the coming weeks.
Roggenkamp said they will ask all relevant local organizations to
update their United Way of Kaw Valley profiles to include volunteer opportunities, so the platform can serve as a “one-stop shop.”
Folks can also donate money or food to local organizations addressing food insecurity, or host their own food drives through Just Food.
Lysen said the Farmers Market is planning a food drive for Nov. 8, where people will be encouraged to donate items from local farmers and makers. More information will be available once community partners identify what food items are needed most.
The Ballard Center is hosting an “Adopt a Family” program through its Holiday Bureau, with applications closing Oct. 31. Roggenkamp said they are encouraging donors to increase giving amounts through food gift cards.
He also emphasized the need for nonprofit workers to receive support from their community as they prepare for their services to be overwhelmed. Roggenkamp said these are often people who work for small salaries and don’t have access to their own physical and mental health resources.
“I’m worried about my team,” Roggenkamp said. “They’re the ones interacting with these people (service recipients) every day, taking on that secondary trauma. So we’ve not only got to serve these children and families better, we’ve got to serve our staff better.”
Walker also noted that the community is already turning to mutual aid. She said neighbors are already connecting online, check on one another and offering to provide extra food or meals when possible.
ELECTION DAY CHICKEN
COMMUNITY
DOUGLAS COUNTY BECOMES THE 88TH U.S. COMMUNITY TO MEET THE RIGOROUS BY-NAME DATA STANDARDS NEEDED TO MAKE HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF AND NONRECURRING.
Douglas County, KS— Today, 105 Inside: Built for Zero Kansas announced that Douglas County has met the rigorous by-name data standards needed to solve homelessness. This makes Douglas County the 88th community in the United States to reach this necessary and catalytic standard needed to measurably solve homelessness. Douglas County is the second community to achieve this standard for at least one population in the state of Kansas.
By-name data is a real-time, person-specific list of everyone experiencing homelessness — including those who are sheltered and unsheltered — that is updated in real time and provides communities with a full and upto-date view of homelessness in their geography. Using information collected and shared with their consent, each person on the list has a file that includes their name, homeless history, health and housing needs.
Molly Mendenhall, Director of Destination Home at the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition said, “Homeless response system partners across the state recognized that our homeless population was being significantly undercounted during the annual Point-inTime count. With support from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, we have been able to transition four out of five Continuums of Care (CoC) on Homelessness to a common information management system in order to begin obtaining accurate data for our homeless community throughout the state. This will give the Kansas homeless response system real-time data to effectively strategize with our national, state and local partners for effective solutions so homelessness is rare, brief and nonrecurring.”
105 Inside: Built for Zero Kansas is a collaboration between the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition (KSHC), and all five CoCs in Kansas. This partnership seeks to reduce chronic homelessness across the state and align system improvement efforts across all homeless response systems in Kansas. This partnership uses the CoC’s relationships with community partners to identify needs and barriers along with KDADS’ relationships with state agencies to facilitate state-level systems change. We will use real-time, person-specific data to drive our system improvement and will share this data with key collaborators and partners across the state. This data will drive our strategies and system-wide approaches to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief and nonrecurring for Kansans.
In April 2020 Douglas County joined Built for Zero, a national initiative of more than 100 cities and counties in the U.S. working to measurably and equitably reduce and end homelessness.
Douglas County began its improvement work with Built for Zero with a commitment to making chronic homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring as a step toward those goals for all populations. Next, they coordinated a command center of all the agencies and programs that touch the homelessness sector to collaborate and share accountability for ending homelessness. Key agencies include Douglas County, City of Lawrence, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Lawrence Community Shelter, Homeless Resource Center, Lawrence Family Promise, The Willow Domestic Violence Center, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, and Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority.
Now with by-name data, Douglas County will be able to improve outcomes for individuals, understand if they are reducing homelessness and target investments for the largest impact.
By maintaining a by-name list, Douglas County has current and detailed information on every unhoused single adult. With this detailed information, they can better match housing solutions with the needs of the individuals. By-name lists often form the basis for case conferencing meetings, where all the providers within the community meet to coordinate and advance housing solutions for people.
Douglas County will also be able to track the changing size, composition and dynamics of their homeless population. This information enables them to prioritize resources, test changes to their system and understand whether their efforts are helping to drive those numbers down toward zero.
Assistant Douglas County Administrator Jill Jolicoeur said, “Douglas County made the decision to join the Built for Zero movement in early 2020
as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning. While we didn’t know how the global pandemic would impact our community, we knew there was no better time to make a commitment to ending chronic homelessness in our community. I had no idea the road to quality data would be so long, but five years later I’m gratified to have been a part of this meaningful project. In addition to our agency partners, I want to thank our community members that are reflected in the quality data numbers for trusting our partners and our commitment to this work. We are committed to using this data to ensure a place for everyone in Douglas County.”
Ashley Arganbright, Housing First Project Coordinator at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services said, “Douglas County is the first region in Kansas to reach quality data for all single adults, but 105 Inside: Built for Zero Kansas is working with all 105 counties to achieve the same milestone. We expect a few rural regions to follow suit in this process within the next year.”
‘WE DON’T SHUT DOWN’: KANSAS AG LEADERS
TELL CONGRESS TO GET BACK TO WORK
Story by Morgan Chilson, Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Kansas farm leaders are pushing Congress to get back to work and solve problems facing the agriculture industry, pointing out that a closed government doesn’t mean U.S. lawmakers can’t be in session.
“I’m up here in Republic County and there’s a lot of activity going around harvest,” said Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union. “And then, of course, wheat drilling and all that, too, and getting ready to move cattle off of pastures. The work doesn’t stop for farmers. We don’t pause, we don’t shut down. We have to keep going.”
Levendofsky, speaking earlier this month in a virtual press conference arranged by Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids, echoed comments from Kansas agriculture secretary Mike Beam to get Congress back to work.
“It’s time to get back to work on and really address some things, particularly some things that really don’t cost money — it’s just public policy that we need to address,” Beam said on the same call.
Levendofsky said the farm bill was allowed to expire, and even though some agricultural issues were addressed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, much is left to do.
“I’ve talked with farmers in our organization, farmers in my area, and farmers all across the state, and they’re very frustrated with what’s going on right now,” he said.
As farmers are grappling with increased input expenses, tariffs and weather, Davids said she was “p***ed” about President Donald Trump’s expressed intentions to import more Argentinian beef.
“I think we need to be doing everything we can to support American ranchers and producers and farmers and not importing in stuff that we’re growing here,” she said.
Matthew Steele, CEO and executive director of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, listens to news everyday with a strong dose of caution and “trying to read through the lines.” As an engineer with a compliance background, he’s always looking deeper, he said.
“You’ve got to always be thinking about this is the black and white, what does all the gray around it mean?” he said in a call with the Kansas Reflector.
For instance, outcry about the potential of Mexico reopening its U.S. border to import feeder cattle doesn’t have as big of an impact as people might expect, Steele said.
About 1 million head a year come in from Mexico, out of 83 million head produced in the U.S., he said.
“It’s not that big of a number,” Steele said. “They’re still anywhere from three to eight or nine months from being ready for harvest anyway. Where the impact comes is those aren’t prime animals that are coming up. It’s not like they’re bringing in certified Angus roasts and steaks. It’s lower quality we grind up and serve as hamburgers.”
Still, the market took that news and went “crazy,” he said. Live cattle contracts fell Monday, dropping about $7 on Monday, according to Marketwatch.
Steele said his organization is telling farmers to call their representatives to share stories and help them understand how the system works. Although organizations like Kansas Cattlemen’s are advocating, it means more coming from the people who are doing the work, he said.
Adam Phelon, a Kansas Soybean Association board member who farms with his family near Garnett, joined Davids’ call to share his frustration with the shutdown and what a challenge it can be throughout rural communities with a “snowball effect” that hits many areas.
Phelon said farmers need consistency and certainty to make plans, and they don’t have that right now. He also pointed to families that need support from programs like Women, Infants and Children payments and a friend in the Navy who is stationed in Germany and wasn’t able to make their house payment that was due in October.
“The difficult thing is that even when the government does get back up and running, we’re going to be so far behind,” Phelon said. “We applaud the Congress for getting the renewable fuel standards up to where they should be, but those should be implemented at the beginning of November, and because of this government shutdown, it may be pushed back into the following year.”
Although Davids said the Farm Service Agency announced last week it would resume partial operations, that wasn’t enough to help Kansas farmers.
“This is just a Band-Aid on a larger problem of a government shutdown, and our farmers, ranchers, producers are hurting,” Davids said. “They haven’t received some of their farm subsidies or loans. Conservation projects are stalled, like one that’s near Baldwin City, Kansas, they can’t move forward because no one is in the office to simply process the paperwork. Without crop or market reports, producers are being forced to make major financial decisions in the dark. These programs are truly a lifeline for rural America.”
FOOD PANTRIES SOUND THE ALARM AS 188,000 KANSANS PREPARE TO LOSE FOOD STAMPS
Story by Daniel Caudill, Kansas News Service
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is joining Democrats from 24 other states in suing President Donald Trump’s administration over the lapsed funding.
Kansas food pantries are preparing for increased need as tens of thousands of people in the state will not receive SNAP benefits in November.
The federal program provides food assistance to people with low or no income. But Congress missed a deadline to end the government shutdown before money for SNAP ran dry.
That means more than 188,000 Kansans will not receive food stamps at the start of the month, just weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Kansas Food Bank raised concerns Tuesday at a news conference, flanked by other organizations that work to fight hunger in Wichita.
“You know, COVID scared the heck out of us. And this is right up there with that level,” said Brian Walker, president of the Kansas Food Bank.
One in 7 Kansans is experiencing food insecurity. And about 65% of people receiving food stamps are in families with children, according to Kansas Action for Children.
In Sedgwick County, more than 49,500 people receive SNAP benefits. If benefits don’t come in November, they’ll lose a collective $9.3 million.
“(Hunger is) a hidden disease, basically, and that’s why it’s important,” Walker said. “I’ll guarantee you: Everybody knows somebody that needs help with food.”
Without food assistance programs, Walker said food banks would have to double their output to meet community demand.
Local resources:
• Food pantries in Lawrence
• Free meals in Lawrence
As they expect a surge in need, food pantries say they need community support to help fill in the gaps. Walker said people can help by volunteering, or donating money or food items.
He said certain food items are always
in demand: protein items, and canned fruits and vegetables. Walker also asked people to consider the things they eat in their own homes.
“The things that you like on your table, the folks that visit our pantries like that on their table as well,” he said.
Rachel Zielke is the community services manager for United Methodist Open Door in Wichita.
She told KMUW her staff has talked about buying additional food for the organization’s food pantry, but they are hoping it doesn’t come to that.
“Our finances are limited, of course, and so you kind of hate to spend that money before you actually maybe need to,” Zielke said.
Pantries in Wichita also accept utensils and kitchenware. They prefer food items not stored in glass, as they are less likely to break.
People who need assistance with food can visit KansasFoodSource.org.
United Way also operates its 211 hotline from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Operators can help connect people to the support they need, like food programs, housing resources and utility assistance.
People can also visit 211Kansas.org to search for resources.
Pete Najera, president of United Way of the Plains, said in a statement that “moments like this call for a united response.”
“When the government shuts down, it’s often those living paycheck to paycheck who feel the effects most.”
POLITICO reports Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is joining Democratic officials from 24 other states in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration over the lapsed funding.
U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, a Republican from Kansas’ 2nd District, announced on Tuesday his plans to co-sponsor a bill to fund SNAP despite the ongoing government shutdown.
He said in a statement he would prefer to reopen the entire government and resume negotiations on funding.
“But if a minority of U.S. senators keeps refusing that approach, then reopening critical parts of the government like food assistance is better than nothing at all.”
COMMUNITY
BEING THANKFUL
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
By Jeanine Ross
Being thankful is one of the best things we can do for ourselves, our families, and the world around us. But have you ever wondered why? What is it about being grateful and thankful that makes it so great? So, let’s explore that.
Gratitude is an act of faith. It says, no matter what is going on in my life, I know it will get better. It says even if I can’t see it now, I know God is working in my favor, and I’m so grateful that He is. The bible says, “All things work together for the good for those who love the Lord.” I say, “It’s all good!” That means, no matter how it appears on the surface, deeper things are happening to bring us to a better place…always! No matter what the world tells us about how we should feel about a thing, when you have gratitude, it says, “You can’t fool me, I already know something greater is coming.” Being thankful says “I have no doubt that it will all work out just exactly as it is supposed to.”
Being grateful with thankfulness is more than a state of mind, it is a way of life. Because we are human, we will fall back into the ways of the world sometimes and feel doubt, anger, hostility, and anxiety whenever there is something painful in our lives. It is conditioning that the world expects from us and encourages us to wallow in. But when we have gratitude and thankfulness, our souls will remind us that pain is merely an indicator of
change. Because we are human and we think we should be able to control everything around us, and everything that happens to us, we struggle with change we weren’t expecting, and that causes pain. But pain in itself only happens to let you know that something deeper is reshaping itself to move us to the next leg in your journey. As strange as it may seem, pain should be celebrated just like happiness and success.
Don’t let society, your family, and friends (even the well meaning ones) shape how you experience change. We always, ALWAYS, no matter the situation, have complete control over what we feel and how we feel it. We are not a victim of our thoughts and feelings, we are the masters of them. The bible says we have dominion over everything! EVERYTHING! But that requires us to pay attention to what we feel, not just react to it. It means when we’re sad over any given situation, we have to stop spontaneously responding to the emotion and take a moment to realize change is coming. Not just any change, but change for the better, and it only hurts because we don’t understand how things will be better.
That’s where faith comes in. When you want to change the pain to joy, dance through your tears! Shout Thank you, at the top of your voice. Give thanks for the pain and gratitude that you recognize its true meaning. Then watch it disappear and experience the most peaceful joy you can’t even imagine.
So, if you really want your life to change for the better, it begins by “Thinking Outside the Box.”
USD 348
ONLINE TEENAGE HEADACHES
Story by Addison Brown, BHS Journalism
Pure pressure has always existed, but social media has amplified it according to Teen pressure in the age of social media. For many across the globe, almost everything is online now more than ever, and for most people, looking at their phones can be a distracting way to go about your day. And recently, more trends have started to pop up, trends most teens will do that aren’t so good. As an example, a recent trend has been around, people call the “Chromebook challenge,” where a student will take their pencil lead into ports, which causes the chromebook to start smoking in some cases.
Online pressure can cause teens to develop bad habits and ways in which they view themselves in society. Social media influencers can make many feel less significant than others, trying to live up to the impossible standards that were fitted into our role in modern society. This can cause FOMO (Fear of missing out) for some, and as it popularizes, more and more teens seem to be doing it, causing an uprising within a certain video or content, making teens act out in a certain way, even in public.
Yet there is good pure pressure too, recent trends of sharing about alcohol abuse has begun popping up much more than before it ever has, and there are many positive role model influencers on social media platforms as well, this makes social media controversial because of how you can indeed find many
things good about the internet, yet at the same time, the bad will still always get in the way, creeping in one way or another, especially on social media more than anything. For many parents, their teenagers become more distant, even in their very own home, this reason is because, you guessed it, social media. It is said to increase social anxiety for teens that are 1215 years old, with an average of three hours each day. And for many teenagers, finding more social interactions has been harder than ever before. The rise of the internet began around the 90s to early 2000s. When pop music first began to popularize, such as Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Madonna, and more.
Boys have shown more obsession with gaming than girls have according to Teens, screens and mental health, estimation around 16% to 7%. While girls have shown a bigger obsession with social media platforms than boys have, estimated around 13% to 9%.
34% of teens play video games daily, with 22% playing up to four hours a day. While 68% have no problematic gaming issues, the 12% were at risk of problematic gaming. Most special media platforms require your specific age, birthdate, and password for a required sign in, and that alone, can be a risk for young users interacting with others, as it is a potential threat for online predators. The internet has many good and bad standards set within its coding, yet it is up to us to decide which route we take.
DOOM SCROLLING AND ITS EFFECT ON TEEN MENTAL HEALTH
Story by Sulivan Fincher, BHS Journalism
Many teens nowadays struggle with mental problems like stress, anxiety and depression. While a fair amount of people blame these issues on puberty and hormones there are actually many other factors that make these mental problems way worse than they used to be. Although puberty can play a part in these mental health issues one study done by the CDC shows that 8.2% kids aged 1219 had depression in 2013 but in 2023 that number rose to a staggering 19.2%.
One of the main sources of stress for teens is social media and the main increase of these mental health issues was from 2013-2019, which is also around the time that big social media companies started coming out with their scrolling features. These facts already prove that social media is a main cause of mental health problems, and more people need to raise awareness for this issue.
Some may argue that social media allows for worldwide communication, but there are many apps like facetime that allow this without having a post feature. Others argue that social media allows for people to make communities for a shared interest, this brings me to the fact that social media isn’t the main problem but the scrolling feature is. Social media is a useful tool for many things but the scrolling feature is just a trap set for teens to
TIME WELL SPENT
It’s a Friday afternoon, and you have nothing to do for the rest of the day. Where would you go? There are many great places to go in Baldwin City, and here are the top five places chosen by several BHS students.
Sullivan Square is a favorite spot in town. It is located between the post office and the Lumberyard Arts Center. It’s a large field used as a performing area, featuring a splash pad and stage. It’s one of the big places where community events are held.
“It’s fun and I enjoy it every time I go,” eighth grader Phyla Gordon said. “I have good memories there that I will always remember.”
In second place, El Patron is a Mexican restaurant near the fountain outside of the Ice Cream House. Eighth grader Marlee Chambers loves to go there with groups of friends.
“The workers there are really nice and I always go with my friends,” Chambers said. “We get our food fast and with good service.”
Next is the Baldwin City Public Library. It’s a great place for quiet study, and it provides a relaxing place for quiet reading.
consume endless amounts of useless information and ads that benefit the user in no way.
Another argument that some people say is that social media is a good way for small businesses to promote their products, and while that statement is true, those businesses don’t need to promote their products on the scrolling feature of the app and instead could just post it on the feed and have the exact same result. Another article by Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials states that scrolling is linked to fear and anxiety due to constant exposure to negative information.
A way to solve this problem is not banning social media but instead banning the scroll feature or at least educating students on its negative effects on mental health. At first social media was very useful and studies show that the mental health of users only started to decline after the scrolling features in the apps were introduced.
The scrolling feature in social media apps are a blatant trap for teens and young adults to buy products, scroll for hours, and make these companies more money, and this problem should be fixed by educating users, banning the scroll feature, or having a time limit on the apps so that its users aren’t wasting their time on information that most of the time does not benefit them.
“It’s always very peaceful and calming to go there,” freshman Lorelai Mason said.
Another popular place to spend time in Baldwin is none other than Baker University itself. There are many places to go on the campus, including the shot-put field, freshman Tehya Burnham’s favorite place on the campus.
“I like to hang out there because it’s close to Casey’s,” Burnham said. “There are also seats to sit on where we can hang out.”
On that note, Casey’s is also a common place to hang out. The gas station near the Kwik Shop is a great place to hang out, in eighth grader Gobin Hill’s opinion.
“Casey’s has nice employees,” Hill said. “They are also cheaper than Kwik Shop.”
In conclusion, there are many great places to hang out in Baldwin City, some of them being Sullevin Square, El Patron, Baldwin City Public Library, Baker University, and Casey’s. There are many more places to go in Baldwin City, and it shows that even though the town is small, there are still many great things to do.
COMMUNITY VOICES YOUR HOME’S HIDDEN HARMONY
BALDWIN HIGH STUDENTS GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Before the school day even began, Baldwin High School’s juniors and seniors were already hard at work— giving back to the town they call home. As part of a special community service morning, students spread out across Baldwin City to lend helping hands where they were needed most.
After a productive few hours, students capped off their efforts with a well-earned stop at Sonic for some refreshing drinks—a small reward after a big morning of service.
The Baldwin City Recreation Commission (BCRC) was among the many recipients of the students’ hard work and shared a heartfelt thank-you on social media:
“BCRC wants to extend a HUGE thank you to the students for their hard work! They spruced up the
flower beds around the Community Center—making them shine just in time for Maple Leaf—and added gravel around the slide at the pool (no more muddy feet for pool visitors!). That’s how you do #BaldwinBuilt!”
The annual tradition of student service projects reflects the community-minded spirit that defines Baldwin City. Whether pulling weeds, spreading gravel, or brightening up public spaces, these young volunteers proved that teamwork and pride in community make a lasting impact.
Photos shared by both USD 348 and BCRC captured the smiles, teamwork, and dedication that made the day a success—another proud example of Baldwin City coming together to serve.
DEAR HOMEKEEPER
By Cat Henry
Do you have a red thread that weaves through your home?
In decorating, a red thread is a visual or thematic connector tying one space to the next. The phrase goes back to Greek mythology, when Ariadne gave her lover, Theseus, a red thread to guide him safely through the labyrinth that had a monster and back again. Even if your maze is made of furniture rather than monsters, the thread represents a common theme —a kind of north star guiding your decorating decisions and helping your home feel cohesive. Different wall colors (not from the same palette) can break this flow.
The “common thread theory” creates a wellness-congruent environment by having individuals identify and intentionally integrate their passions and “flow” of activities into their daily lives. This involves décor that is positively charged, feels natural, helps prevent burnout, and fosters a sense of purpose and excitement. By consciously weaving these “red threads” into work, family, hobbies, and other areas, individuals create a more energized and meaningful existence.
It’s the kind of decorating that is so subliminal, creating a calming effect that influences mood without anyone ever noticing why. This act of weaving a loving thread throughout your home binds it in unity.
You probably already have a thread developed without noticing. It’s the color, or something similar, in each room. It tends to be repeated materials, textures, or accents. In my home, I have a room with black —just enough, not a lot. It could be a trunk, a coffee table, a lamp base, picture frames, or mirrors. For you, it could be soft yellows, deep burgundy, or something in between. This creates continuity.
When I had a house full of kids, I bought mass-produced bedding sets: a quilt and pillow styles, each in a different color. Each room bore the mark of its child’s spirit, while the quilts linked them softly, room to room.
Our homes feel disjointed when we decorate one room at a time, but let’s face it, the majority of us concentrate our decorating one room at a time. I once visited a friend who had invested heavily in a designer kitchen in her historic home. The kitchen itself was stunning, but stepping into it felt like walking into an entirely different house. The red thread was missing. Speaking of kitchens, they are notorious for lots of straight, hard lines with appliances and countertops. To soften the room, I hang charcuterie boards, small wreaths, or a garlic or pepper swag to soften these edges. My DIY penny backsplash (glued on with rubber cement!) that I did accidentally ended up serving the same purpose as tempering the sharpness. Cohesion doesn’t mean matching everything. Designer Kate Watson-Smyth warns against it, saying that buying a perfectly matching furniture set is “the long, slow death of your soul.” The goal in decorating includes interest, not sameness. Even doorways can carry the thread through. The door frame, like a picture frame, can give an inviting glimpse inside another room, even if it’s just a hallway lined with bedroom doors. Those doors could display a gallery wall, a slim storage bench with a pillow, or a corner shelf with interesting tchotchkes. For a dramatic effect, you could use trompe L’oeil (a piece of art that gives the illusion of 3D on a 2D surface) wallpaper on one wall along the hallway. You can find stick-and-peel Trompe L’oeil wallpaper and adhere it to a large frame hung opposite a door, offering an intriguing view with an added magical, whimsical element. Or choose one accent color for the hallway. I saw one with black frames and a black-and-white checkered floor, with a framed (black) mirror at the end of the hallway. It was striking. In design, the red thread concept creates a sense of harmony and flow by repeating a unifying element throughout your home’s rooms. Before long, your physical environment will feel more cohesive and comfortable.
With you in the keeping, Cathenry.ch@ gmail.com
P.S. Homekeepers know every home needs a guiding thread.
