Rural Connections
BY SHIRLEY BLOOMFIELD, CEO NTCA–THE RURAL BROADBAND ASSOCIATION
Ensuring Access for All
Supreme Court upholds Universal Service Fund
Money raised by a small fee on your communications bill makes a critical difference throughout rural America. Earlier this year, a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Universal Service Fund, or USF, to continue.
I can’t emphasize enough how critical this ruling was in a journey that began in 1934, when the Communications Act decreed all Americans should have access to rapid, efficient and nationwide communication services at reasonable prices.
Then, the 1996 Telecommunications Act created the USF to better connect rural areas and make voice and broadband services more affordable for rural and low-income consumers, schools, libraries and rural health care facilities.
By affirming that the Federal Communications Commission has discretion to collect the fees, the court kept this foundational tool in place. A March survey of nearly 270 NTCA members indicated that the USF programs help keep rural broadband rates more affordable. Without this funding, rural consumer rates could be more than double those in urban areas.
Policymakers in Washington, D.C., are debating how to reform universal service programs going forward, so that they can continue to serve the needs of millions of Americans.
It is essential that our elected officials understand the positive impacts the critical USF programs have had—and continue to have—on the availability, affordability and sustainability of voice and broadband services for millions of consumers, businesses and anchor institutions in rural America.
Visit ntca.org/universalservice to learn more.
Secure Your Digital World Keys for success
While October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, protecting yourself requires year-round vigilance. And everyone’s needs vary based on the online tools and resources you use.
Remember, bad actors are increasingly sophisticated—they want access to your information. The FBI offers a few tips for some of the key points of emphasis, and they provide a good starting point for planning your personalized security strategy.
• Update systems and software. Also, install a strong, reputable antivirus program.
• Be careful when connecting to a public Wi-Fi network. Avoid sensitive transactions, including purchases, when on a public network.
• Create a strong and unique passphrase for each online account.
• Establish multifactor authentication on all accounts possible.
• Examine the email address in all correspondence and scrutinize website URLs before responding to a message or visiting a site.
• Don’t click on anything in unsolicited emails or text messages.
• Be cautious about your information in online profiles and social media accounts. Sharing the names of pets, schools and family members gives scammers hints they need to guess your passwords or the answers to your account security questions.
• Don’t send payments to unknown people or organizations, particularly those urging immediate action.
Plan ahead. Stay safe all year.
Adobe Stock images by Backcountry Media, Elisa, Eightshot Studio, Cosmic Edge
Making
SCTelcom sends student on FRS Youth Tour
In June, Abby Schreiner represented SCTelcom on the Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour of Washington, D.C.
Since 1995, FRS has hosted the Youth Tour for thousands of high school students from across rural America. The tour is a chance for students to visit the nation’s capital, learn about rural broadband legislation and share their community’s story with key legislative, regulatory and government figures. It is also a forum for participants to meet and interact with their peers from other rural communities.
“This trip taught me how important government funding is for small rural communities and their internet companies, so they can still update and upgrade their internet quality and speed,” Abby says.
She explored many historical sites and landmarks during the whirlwind trip, including the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, Mount Vernon, the Vietnam and Korean War memorials, the Holocaust Museum and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
“My favorite part of the trip was meeting people from all over the country,” Abby says. “I met some great people and made friends that I will have for a long time.”
She is already recommending this trip to other students. We will begin accepting applications for the 2026 FRS Youth Tour early next year. Check out SCTelcom’s Facebook page for more information.
Rest Easy With Protect IQ
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the perfect time to strengthen your home network’s defenses against the growing tide of cyberthreats.
SCTelcom's ProtectIQ is your internet watchdog, included with all our residential internet packages. It checks all inbound internet traffic to protect all devices from viruses, malware and intrusions.
Here are a few other ways ProtectIQ safeguards your network:
• All security threats result in notifications sent via our free app, SCT WiFiConnect.
• Automatically blocks detected malware
• Includes intrusion prevention you control
With ProtectIQ, your network is antimalware, antivirus and antiworry.
SCTelcom also provides advanced network security to its business customers keeping them safe online.
Introducing
SCTelcom has a long history of investing in our community. Last year alone, we put more than $75,000 toward bringing public Wi-Fi to 14 communities across our service area. We retired nearly $850,000 in capital credits to our members, and our employees logged more than 200 volunteer hours throughout the year.
CARLA SHEARER Chief Executive Officer
Now, we have something fresh to unveil—and you are holding it in your hands right now. We are pleased to introduce the new Hometown Connections magazine.
All of us at SCTelcom are deeply committed to those we serve. From scholarships and community events to supporting local fire departments and the chamber of commerce, giving back is just a part of who we are. We developed this magazine as part of that mission. We want to share more of the stories in our communities and our role within them.
Our goal is to help educate you about new industry trends that could affect you, keep you informed about community activities and share important news happening at SCTelcom. We will publish this magazine four times a year. With our continued growth and the changes in our industry and the online world on which we rely, we want to provide you with as much information as possible so you can make educated decisions about the future of your families and businesses.
Through these pages we will update you on network upgrades, share information about our services and shine a spotlight on local citizens and organizations using technology to create something special. You’ll also find helpful tips, industry news and interesting stories from across Kansas.
We really hope you enjoy Hometown Connections. Not only do we have so much good news to share about what we do, we’re also excited to share the uplifting stories of the people and communities we serve. So many people across our area are using their high-speed connections to do amazing things, and we cannot wait to tell you all about them.
SCTelcom is committed to this place we all call home. We know building our infrastructure and making upgrades to our services are good investments because our community is counting on us to pave the way for the future. We’re working diligently to equip our cooperative for the demands everyone we serve may have in the years to come— and doing so as quickly as our resources allow.
Be sure to check back here throughout the year for the latest on what’s happening at SCTelcom, in our community and the industry as a whole. When it comes to technology, change is the one thing we can count on. Thank you for placing your trust in us and for allowing us to serve you.
Hometown Connections is a quarterly magazine published by SCTelcom, © 2025.
It is distributed at no charge to all SCTelcom customers.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Brent Garvie Burlington/Byron Exchanges
Justin Koblitz Hazelton Exchange
Jesse Blasi Iuka Exchange
Joel Forester Kiowa Exchange
Josh Buck Lake City/Sun City Exchanges
Dan Hrencher Sharon Exchange
Mike VanCampen Turon Exchange
215 S. Iliff St. P.O. Box B Medicine Lodge, KS 67104 877-723-6875 sctelcom.net
On the Cover:
Mackley Glenn works the drive-thru at Daydrinkers Cafe, a business owned by her mother, Teri Glenn. See story Page 12.
Produced for SCTelcom by:
Photo courtesy of Taylor Schultz, Linae Photo Co.
GONE Phishing
Don’t get hooked by a ransomware attack
If you lost access to everything on your personal or work computer, how much would you pay to get it back? It’s a question more people are asking themselves as ransomware attacks grow in number and severity.
Many cyberattacks involve ransomware, creating significant losses for individuals and businesses. From 2013 to 2020, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center saw a 243% increase in ransomware reports. That growth comes thanks to services that offer ransomware-for-hire and the increased popularity of cryptocurrency, which makes untraceable payments to these services easier than ever.
The FBI recommends victims of these attacks do not pay the ransom. Victims rarely see their data returned, and payment only encourages future attacks. Instead, the best protection against ransomware is to understand how it works, where it comes from and how to protect your data from the start.
WHAT IS RANSOMWARE?
Ransomware is a type of malware, or malicious software, that locks victims out of data on their devices until they pay for access to be restored. Most ransomware attacks target individuals, although attacks on large organizations with even bigger payouts have grown in popularity.
In the past, these situations largely involved attackers demanding a ransom to unlock the data. Today, most are “double extortion” assaults in which attackers demand payment for returning the data and to prevent it from being stolen again.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Ransomware can infect your computer in many of the same ways as any other virus.
Phishing emails—These emails trick users into downloading a malicious attachment disguised as a harmless file or visiting a website that can download ransomware through the browsers.
Software vulnerabilities Hackers can find holes in a piece of software’s cybersecurity protection or buy information on these flaws to download the malware onto a device or network.
THAD EHRESMAN SCTelcom’s broadband operations manager
Stolen logins—Whether they’re obtained through phishing, purchased on the dark web or hacked, stolen credentials give cybercriminals direct access to download malware onto a device.
Repurposed malware—Some ransomware is actually malware developed for other attacks, like stealing bank information, and it’s reworked to encrypt and lock personal data.
HOW CAN I AVOID IT?
Since paying attackers is not a reliable way to deal with ransomware, the best defense is to protect yourself and your devices before an attack can begin.
Keep backups of any important data to eliminate most of the leverage an attacker might have.
Update your computer’s software and operating system regularly to protect against the latest threats.
Update your computer’s cybersecurity tools to help response teams detect and react to new ransomware attacks faster.
Always be aware of phishing, social engineering and other strategies that can lead to a ransomware attack.
Photo courtesy of Becki Clouse Photography
Adobe Stock images by Nsit0108, Smux, Pingebat
Ready forKickoff
Local teams prepare for football season
Story by DREW WOOLLEY
Get ready for the Friday night lights with this rundown of your favorite local football team’s key players, coaches and games.
MEDICINE LODGE HIGH SCHOOL
The Indians have had some shots at the state championship and will have that in their sights again this year. A tough schedule means the road will be difficult.
THE NEW SEASON
While Medicine Lodge graduated some important players after last season, head coach Nick Schmidt believes his team still is one of the more experienced in the league. The schedule will be challenging, but Schmidt sees an opportunity to better prepare his team for tougher tests in the postseason.
THE PLAYERS
This will be senior Jack Schreiner’s first stint at varsity quarterback. Schmidt is excited to see what Schreiner’s football IQ and dynamic decision-making can bring. On the defensive side, the Indians can always count on middle linebacker Zayne Keller.
THE COACHES
Expect to see Schmidt running the defense from the field while offensive coordinator James Manning calls plays. Coach Shane Hahn brings nearly a decade of experience, balancing out the arrival of coach Richard Ratley, who is relatively new to football but brings years of experience coaching rodeo.
KEY GAMES
The Indians hope for revenge against Conway in week four after the Cardinals knocked them out of the playoffs two years ago and came from behind to beat them last season. The game against Sterling in week five is
starts.
Medicine Lodge’s Jack Schreiner will be back at quarterback when the season
Photo courtesy of Scott Paske
another key. The Black Bears have consistently had an older, more experienced team than Medicine Lodge, and their big senior class this season will pose another stern test.
CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL
The Chaparral Roadrunners have a challenging season ahead as they adapt after the Kansas State High School Activities Association moved the school from Class 2A to 3A. The team will rely on an experienced group of players.
THE NEW SEASON
The majority of head coach JC Zahradnik’s returning players have at least one year of varsity experience. They must pick up new offensive and defensive systems. The switch from an Air Raid offense to a Wing-T means Chaparral will throw the ball less and pound out more ground yards.
THE PLAYERS
Daniel Schmidt will be one of the leaders for the Roadrunners. He has one year of experience at quarterback and two as a free safety. After taking some big hits against the Cheney Cardinals last year, his biggest challenge will be staying healthy for the full season. Also, sophomore Vohn Williams is a trusted defensive leader and linebacker.
THE COACHES
This will be Zahradnik’s fifth year as head coach and his eighth year on the sideline for Chaparral. It is also the first time he can remember having the same coaching staff for consecutive seasons.
KEY GAMES
The first two games of the season against Kingman and longstanding rival Medicine Lodge will set the tone. Cheney and Collegiate will be favorites to lead the
district, and the matchups against Pratt and Clearwater are crucial.
ARGONIA AND ATTICA TITANS
Argonia High School and Attica High School jointly field an eight-man team. This year, the Titans hope their crop of young players matures quickly for a run to the postseason.
THE NEW SEASON
The Titans graduated nine experienced seniors from last year’s 7-3 team, leaving the roster with three returning seniors and one junior. Co-head coach and defensive coordinator Wyatt Williams expects his team to show talent but says the lack of experience will be a challenge.
THE PLAYERS
Senior Carson Vineyard is one of the state’s best players. A first-team all-league linebacker as a sophomore and junior, he added first-team all-league running back to his resume last season. With the entire offensive line graduating, senior Kendall Nelson needs to become a leader for a fresh group of linemen.
THE COACHES
Co-head coach and offensive coordinator Luke Greenwood returns after notching his 100th win last year. Along with Williams, assistant coaches Monte Miller and Wayne Vineyard return for their third year together.
KEY GAMES
After being routed by the West Elk Patriots last year, the Titans kick off the season against them this year. Williams also circled the third game against Cedar Vale-Dexter as another chance for the Titans to show how they stack up against a team expected to be one of the best in the league.
Kickoff With SmartTown
YOUR WI-FI MEETS YOU AT THE GAME Subscribed to SCTelcom’s internet service?
SmartTown lets you connect to the same secure, reliable internet experience you enjoy at home even when you’re at the stadium.
• Get fast Wi-Fi instead of slow cellular service—and you don’t have to use your mobile data.
• Depend on SmartTown’s robust network security instead of connecting to unsecured guest networks.
• Expect a crowded game? No problem. There’s plenty of bandwidth for you!
Adobe Stock image by Edgars, David Prahl
ROUNDING UP STORIES ROUNDING UP STORIES
‘Poet Lariat’ captures the spirit of the West
Story by MELANIE JONES
Ron Wilson sits astride a horse just as comfortably as he strides across a stage. He’s a full-time rancher and cowboy poet, and he loves both jobs.
A proud Kansan, Ron, also known as the Cowboy Poet Lariat, owns Lazy-T Ranch near Manhattan. “If it weren’t for Kansas, there wouldn’t be a cowboy,” he says, acknowledging that Texans might take offense at the assertion. But, he explains, Texas drovers herded their cattle to railway centers in Kansas to transport the beef to the east. If it hadn’t been for Kansas railroads, he says, the cowboys would have had no place to take their cattle.
Ron’s poems aren’t all about his beloved home state, though.
“Cowboy poetry is a way to celebrate the history and heritage of the American West, as well as the ranching lifestyle of contemporary cowboys and ranchers,” he says.
CELEBRATING THE LIFESTYLE
What makes a poet a cowboy poet? Texas-based cowboy poet and songster Andy Hedges shares an explanation given by his friend and fellow poet, Vess Quinlan.
SHARING STORIES
Authenticity inspires events across the country, from the Cowpoke Fall Gathering in Loomis, California, to Old West Days in Valentine, Nebraska. Not to be outdone, Ron is the chairman of the annual Kansas Cowboy Poetry Contest.
The contest has a humor category and another for more serious topics. Ron writes a little of both, but his life as a cowboy poet began with a laugh. “I went to a meeting in Colorado, and the entertainment that night was a cowboy poet,” he says. “I had never seen such a goofy thing. This fella got up on chairs and told stories and rhymes. It was a hoot.”
“He told me there’s two ways you can make a deposit in the cowboy poetry bank. One is by being a working cowboy who writes poetry. The other is to be a noncowboy who writes poetry that is so good it becomes accepted by working cowboys,” Andy says. “It has to ring true to those people. A lot of people write or recite cowboy poetry or sing the old cowboy songs or write new songs. The truth is a lot of us—including myself—have never made a living as a cowboy.”
Cowboy poetry comes from the cowboy legend, which has fans far and wide.
While travelers come to the United States for cowboy poet gatherings, some performers also tour overseas. Andy even traveled to Turkmenistan as part of a cultural exchange. “The cowboy has always been the folk hero of America,” he says. “People identify with that image. You know, when I travel overseas not performing, when I wear a cowboy hat, people love that and immediately associate that image with the United States.”
Ron has great respect for any cowboy poet who immerses himself—or herself—in the culture. But he’s partial to the work from those who’ve logged time in the saddle. “I think the best cowboy poetry comes from the authentic life,” he says. “There are some excellent cowboy poets that maybe grew up with it or appreciate the lifestyle, and I want to honor that, too. I think the best cowboy poetry is from the lived experience.”
He came back to Kansas and saw a note calling for cowboy poetry.
“And I’ve been writing and performing ever since.”
Now, Ron finds inspiration in the serious days and turns to funny stories when things don’t work out so well. “I really appreciate the contributions of our farmers, ranchers and stockmen that are working every day to be good stewards of their land and livestock, as my family has done for generations,” he says of his serious work.
Then there are those days when things go wrong. “The cattle get out or the horse goes the wrong way, and we have a saying, ‘Well, if nothing else comes out of this at least there’s a cowboy poem in there,’” Ron says.
Ron’s fellow cowboy poets, songwriters, authors and lyricists hold him in high esteem, electing him the national president of the Western Wordsmith chapter of the International Western Music Association. He’s also involved in staging the first National Cattle Trails Conference, slated for October in Cleburne, Texas. Ron performs in his home state and across the country, and the highest praise comes from those who have lived the life. “The highest compliment I can receive after I do a performance is some old-time cowboy will come up and say, ‘Yeah, that’s about right,’” Ron says.
AN ODE TO KANSAS COWBOYS
RON WILSON, KANSAS’ COWBOY POET LARIAT, OPENS MOST OF HIS SHOWS WITH THIS SHORT PIECE: Cowboy poetry is a way to celebrate our quest, For the heritage and lifestyle of the American West. The legend of the Great American Cowboy came alive, Here in Kansas as part of the great cattle drives. That legacy is something which we still enjoy, So, our poetry celebrates the Great American Cowboy.
Photo courtesy of Ron Wilson
Meaningful
With his wife in labor and an unanswered telephone switchboard preventing a call to a physician, Govan Mills fetched a doctor to deliver his daughter. Afterward, Govan tore the unreliable phone from the wall and threw it into the middle of the yard.
The tale became Mills family lore, recounted decades later by Hannah Crater, that child who came into the world in a time when local telephone service was iffy, at best. A community-minded rancher in the Lake City area, Govan decided it was time for a change. He led the push—residents were asked to invest $10 each—to create the company that replaced the scattering of small telephone networks and grew into SCTelcom.
Now, a fast, reliable fiber optic network brings industry-leading internet service to homes and businesses, as well as SmartTown and public Wi-Fi hot spots. Each milestone in the decadeslong journey marks another step toward providing the communications resources residents and businesses need and deserve.
1994
Service upgrades in Burlington include fiber optic equipment connections and additional calling features. South Central Telephone creates a fiber optic ring, using 254 miles of fiber optic cable, to connect nine exchanges.
1996
The Federal Telecommunications Act, the first significant overhaul of telecommunications in more than 60 years, is passed. For the first time, internet service is addressed. South Central offers local dial-up access to the internet.
South Central partners with 30 Kansas telephone companies to form Kansas Cellular. 1989
1983
South Central Communications is formed to offer cable TV and the sale of phones and satellite dishes.
1997
Burlington installs Interactive Television, allowing students to view instructors from various parts of the state. This technology is first used in 1998.
2021
1999
Pratt office location opens.
2020
2000
Broadband DSL is introduced in Burlington.
1981
Capital credit refund for the years of 1964-69 is disbursed.
SCTelcom is awarded funding under the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program to support fiber networks in Barber, Harper and Pratt counties.
Funding under the Connectivity Emergency Response Grant allows SCTelcom to begin building 45.2 miles of fiber in portions of Barber, Harper and Pratt counties.
2001
Medicine Lodge location opens on Main Street.
2019
Fiber network construction connects Cunningham High School.
C nnections
1949
An amendment to the federal Rural Electrification Act adds telephone companies, allowing them to borrow money from the government at a low interest rate to make modern phone service available to everyone.
1980
The new business office and garage opens on land purchased along Highway 281 in Medicine Lodge.
1953
Govan Mills, a rancher from Lake City, leads the effort to create a solution for a dependable phone service in South Central Kansas. South Central Telephone Association Inc. was incorporated in July 1953, with Govan as chairman.
1970s
South Central borrows $1.6 million to place all phone lines underground and give every customer a private line, ending the party line.
2005
Fiber-to-the-home launches in the Burlington exchange, replacing copper wiring.
2008
Medicine Lodge office moves back to Iliff Street location.
2018
Fiber construction by SCTelcom in Anthony provides residential internet and telephone services.
2015
SCTelcom begins installing fiber optic cable in Harper for homes and businesses, and a main fiber line brings business services to Anthony.
1953
The purchase price for five telephone exchanges ranges from $750-$34,000.
1954
The first REA loan for $497,000 modernizes five telephone exchanges. A Medicine Lodge office opens.
1964
First capital credits are allocated.
1963
South Central Telephone Association completes acquisition of the Burlington exchange.
2009
The Federal Communications Commission introduces the National Broadband Plan to improve internet access in the United States.
2011
The cooperative lays 117 miles of fiber connecting approximately 150 additional rural customers to South Central Telephone’s fiber network.
2012
South Central Wireless completes its fiber-tothe-premises project in Attica.
breakfast to Cunningham Coffee TIME TO SMELL
Daydrinkers Cafe brings
Story by SARA DIAMOND PATTERSON | Photography by TAYLOR SCHULTZ
Pulling up to Daydrinkers Cafe feels a little more like coming home than going to a coffee shop. In fact, it’s so comfortable in Cunningham’s first breakfast spot that some customers might feel they’re in their own kitchens making requests.
“The farmers, they’re so funny,” owner Teri Glenn says. “They’ll come in on a Friday morning and joke with me, ‘Are you going to have our biscuits and gravy in the morning?’ So, I try to have them pretty regularly. But it’s a lot of work making them from scratch.”
FULFILLING A DREAM
What started as a dream for Teri has become a gathering place featuring coffee drinks, sodas and smoothies, breakfast items, pastries and ice cream. There’s even free Wi-Fi access.
“I always wanted something of my own, I just never could decide on that one thing,” the Pratt native says. “My husband, Jared, is living his dream of farming, and I’m always happy to help him, but it’s not
What was her dream? Opening a business with her father, Keith Befort. Before they could make their dream a reality, Keith died of COVID-19 in 2020. “It rocked my world hard,” Teri says. “It was just so unexpected. He was completely healthy. That made me realize how short life is, and I just started digging and researching.”
At first, Teri thought opening an events center at her family’s Cunningham farm would be natural, since they ran a small,
seasonal hunting operation there for years. But the prospect of providing overnight accommodations for wedding parties and constructing venues on the property was overwhelming and outside her area of expertise.
She knew restaurants, though, having worked in the industry in high school and college. Teri worked part time at Cozy’s Pizza when owners Ang and Aaron Murphy began opening their popular place early to give the community somewhere to gather for morning coffee.
“I realized there’s not really any place to get breakfast in Cunningham,” Teri says. “I knew I could do that, and I could offer ice cream for the kids. Cunningham is an older community, but there’s also a lot of young people, so you have to cater to both a little bit. And everyone likes ice cream.”
We were able to start fresh and design exactly what we wanted.”
On May 27, Daydrinkers Cafe poured its first cup.
“I told Jared, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m opening a coffee shop in the middle of summer!’ But he’s so good at talking me down,” Teri says. “I just have big expectations of how busy I should be, and he’s more realistic. I just want to work my butt off and enjoy every bit of it. You just have to roll with it.”
She knows her community has her back.
“Cunningham does an exceptional job supporting places and things, whether they’re school-related or business-re-
A FRESH START
While she tried to find an existing building for her new venture, Teri says “roadblock after roadblock” led her to design and build a place of her own on East First Street.
“I really wanted to repurpose an existing building but just couldn’t find one that would work,” she says. “Of course, the benefits of the new construction are that I didn’t have to go into a place and worry about the existing electrical and plumbing.
Wi-Fi for customers, welcoming atmosphere and, of course, breakfast. Her menus are available on Facebook, and Daydrinkers is also on Instagram. Teri is developing Daydrinkers’ website and plans to make online ordering available soon, all through SCTelcom’s SmartBiz service, which she says has been crucial.
“Not only do I rely on this for my everyday operations such as my point-of-sale system, managing inventory or researching trends, but I can also
I envisioned this cafe as a place for people to either work, study, read or just have a moment, and SmartBiz has enabled me to fulfill this.
—Teri Glenn, owner Daydrinkers Cafe
lated,” she says. “I think they really understand the value of a new business and making sure that they stay open.”
THREE GENERATIONS
Teri relies on the help of her six employees, including her 13-yearold daughter, Mackley.
“She loves working here,” Teri says. “But she always jokes that we can’t work together, and she’ll have to go work at Cozy’s.”
Teri can and does work with her mother, Annette Befort, and calls her Daydrinkers Cafe’s most valuable asset. “I could never have done this without her,” Teri says.
ABOVE: Sam Padilla and his son, Samuel, are ready to down their snacks and drinks.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Teri Glenn loves being able to work with her daughter, Mackley, at Daydrinkers Cafe.
offer free Wi-Fi to my customers,” Teri says. “I envisioned this cafe as a place for people to either work, study, read or just have a moment, and SmartBiz has enabled me to fulfill this.”
And Teri is happy to continue fulfilling a need in Cunningham.
“I’ve always said you go to work and you often spend more time there than you do in your own home,” she says. “I want this to be enjoyable and a place you want to be, whether you’re an employee or a patron or a customer. Life’s too short.”
A FIRST FOR CUNNINGHAM
Located at 121 E. First St., Daydrinkers Cafe is Cunningham’s first coffee shop. It’s open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow Daydrinkers Cafe on Facebook and Instagram or call 620-770-2477 for menu options.
Adobe Stock image by Ramjan, Michael, Medard
Dinner on a Stick
Kabobs make for easy meals, quick cleanup
Do you ever crave an easy meal with meat and vegetables? Try putting kabobs on the menu. It’s a tasty grill-friendly choice, and cleanup is easy.
Begin with a tender cut of meat like top sirloin, which is affordable. Filet also works well. If you’d like, substitute chicken or tofu. Just remember to cut your protein portions to about the same size so they cook evenly. You can add as many chopped veggies as you like.
Begin with a fresh marinade. Homemade chimichurri does double duty as a marinade and seasoning sauce––it works for any protein. Round out your meal with crunchy Asian coleslaw and a fresh apple cake for dessert.
Food Editor Anne P. Braly is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
GRILLED CHIMICHURRI STEAK KABOBS
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
1/2 cup cilantro, packed, leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup parsley, packed
3 tablespoons fresh oregano or 3 teaspoons dried
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
STEAK KABOBS
32 ounces top sirloin, or the protein of your choice, cut into 2-inch cubes
36-48 baby potatoes, golden or mini reds
2 medium bell peppers, any color, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 small red onions, chopped into 2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and ground black pepper. Bamboo skewers, soaked in water a minimum of 20 minutes so they don’t burn on the grill
Cut the protein into equal portions. In a sealable bag, combine the chimichurri sauce with the protein to let it marinate. Reserve some of the sauce to brush on the meat while on the grill.
Add potatoes to a large pot, cover with water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Boil for 5-7 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and rinse the potatoes. Let them sit in cold water to cool. Chop veggies and have them ready to slide onto your skewers.
Now it’s time to assemble: Using a soaked skewer, put either a potato or piece of meat on first, so the rest of the veggies don’t slide off the end. Then alternate between meat, potatoes and veggies. Prepare the grill to about 500 F. Once it’s ready, place steak kabobs perpendicular to the grill grates. Grill 3 minutes on each side for medium doneness. If you use chicken, cook for 5-7 minutes. Tofu needs to cook about 10 minutes. While cooking, brush the reserved chimichurri on the kabobs.
Remove the kabobs from the grill and let rest for 3-5 minutes. Use the chimichurri as an extra dipping sauce, if desired.
Photography by Mark Gilliland
Food Styling by Rhonda Gilliland
CRUNCHY ASIAN COLESLAW
2 packages ramen noodles, any flavor
2 16-ounce packages shredded coleslaw mix
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
Reserve the flavor packets from the noodles for another use or toss. Crush the noodles and set aside. Toss
together the coleslaw mix, almonds and green onions in a large salad bowl.
Whisk together the sugar, oil and vinegar in a small bowl until mixed. Add the dressing to the coleslaw mixture and toss to coat. Mix in the chopped noodles. Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.
Note: You may prepare the salad in advance, adding the noodles just before serving so they are crunchy.
FRESH APPLE CAKE
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
3 cups apples, peeled and chopped
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
16 ounces powdered sugar
8 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 F. Measure oil into a large bowl, then whisk in sugar and eggs. Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon, then add to the creamed mixture, beating well. Add vanilla, then fold in nuts and apples. Pour mixture into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until cake tests done. Cover with foil if it gets too dark around the edges.
TO MAKE FROSTING
Combine all frosting ingredients and spread over cooled cake.
