Tim Stauffer

Listening, connecting and opening up: a conversation during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

September 25th, 2022  |  26 mins 55 secs

allen county, mental health, southeast kansas, suicide, suicidie prevention

After a long break, we’re back with a special episode. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to spread the word about actions we can take to prevent suicide, and to change the conversation to one about healing, help and hope.

A Coronavirus Q&A with Dr. Brian Wolfe

August 13th, 2021  |  25 mins 35 secs

allen county, coronavirus, covid-19, delta, iola, kansas, vaccine

Register reporter Vickie Moss interviews Dr. Brian Wolfe of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and a longtime physician in Iola about the troubling surge in COVID-19 cases. As vaccination rates remain stubbornly low and well below herd immunity, it seems we may be done with the coronavirus, but it is certainly not done with us.

Sharla Miller: "Not one more"

November 19th, 2020  |  28 mins 55 secs

Sharla Miller lost her son Matthew to suicide last June. He was 19 years old. Since then, Sharla has become an activist in our community, spreading the word about how important and difficult the battle against depression is and advocating for mental health awareness.

Last year, She was a driving force behind the first-ever 13 Reasons to Fly SEK, a suicide prevention event educating youth and communities at large. And this year, she took the lead again, organizing the event virtually.

In today’s podcast, Register reporter Trevor Hoag and Tim Stauffer talk with Sharla about the road she’s traveled so far, her hopes for our community and the passion she has for not losing one more life to suicide.

For Josh Granere, Peerless Product's arrival is personal

November 6th, 2020  |  24 mins 19 secs

allen county, economic development, iola, peerless products

In today’s episode, Tim Stauffer speaks with Josh Granere, Peerless Product’s incoming plant manager for their new Iola facility, about what it means for him as an Allen County native, to be a part of bringing Peerless to little old Iola, Kansas.

Keeping The Republic

October 29th, 2020  |  27 mins 11 secs

coalition, community, democracy, election, kansas, leadership, republic

With the election just a few days away, our country will soon finally be able to put a long and nasty campaign season behind us. But what next? How do we get back to normal again, after spending what seems like forever at each other’s throats?

In today’s episode, I speak with Ed O’Malley, CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center, about what steps community leaders can take to bring people together again and how we can, in his words, mend our civic fabric.

Bidding farewell to our beloved Bob Johnson

August 3rd, 2020  |  27 mins 28 secs

allen county kansas, humboldt, iola, journalism, learning, newspapers, reporting

Bob Johnson began working at The Iola Register on July 6, 1964. 56 years later, almost to the day, he penned his last “Weeks End” column in the July 11, 2020 edition of the Register.

In this week’s podcast, Richard and Tim talk with Bob about what he’s seen and learned over a lifetime of journalism. Remarkably enough, Bob encountered only three editors— Angelo Scott, Emerson Lynn and Susan Lynn. But in terms of content, well, Bob’s articles number in the tens of thousands, covering everything from football to city council meetings to slugs. Yes, slugs.

David Lee wants to talk growth

July 27th, 2020  |  32 mins 40 secs

allen county, allen county kansas, growth, infrastructure, politics, rural

In today’s episode, we headed out to LaHarpe’s City Hall to speak with David Lee. Lee is running for a seat on the Allen County Commission. He faces Craig Mentzer and Eugene Weatherbie in the August 4 Republican primary.

Lee believes Allen County has the tools for robust economic development, and much of our conversation focused on his ideas on how to ensure the county prospers—and how his experiences make him, as he says, uniquely qualified for the job.

John Brocker says he knows the right people

July 23rd, 2020  |  27 mins 29 secs

allen county, allen county kansas, business, infrastructure, internet, iola, politics, realtor

John Brocker has been a businessman and realtor in Iola for 45 years. He served as president of the Kansas Association of Realtors in 2012. This year, he’s running for a seat on the Allen County commission, the same seat he briefly held until losing to Bruce Symes, the District 3 incumbent, in 2018.

In today’s episode, the fifth in our series covering local candidates, we speak with Brocker about what’s motivating him to run again, his priorities if he wins the Aug 4 Republican primary against Symes, and how his business background would guide his decisions as commissioner.

Armando Hernandez pledges cooperation in Topeka

July 17th, 2020  |  25 mins 47 secs

9th district, allen county, kansas, neosho county, politics

In today’s episode, we spoke with Armando Hernandez of Chanute. He’s challenging Rep. Kent Thompson of LaHarpe for his seat in the Kansas House’s 9th District, which includes Iola, Humboldt and Chanute. The Republican primary is August 4, but you can cast your ballot now—advanced voting has already begun.

A retired chiropractor and currently employed as a computer service technician, Hernandez has a strong interest in economic development, healthcare and bipartisanship. In his words, Republicans and Democrats “can work together. We always have.”

Bruce Symes: We need steady hands on the tiller

July 16th, 2020  |  33 mins 33 secs

agriculture, allen county, allen county kansas, covid-19, infrastructure, politics, roads, rural

In today’s episode, as we continue speaking with local candidates facing primary challenges in the upcoming Aug. 4 election, we talked with Bruce Symes. He’s seeking a second term as Allen County Commissioner, representing District 3. A former Register reporter, he now teaches at Allen Community College. We reached him by phone, as he was in Wichita accompanying his father undergo a heart procedure.

Craig Mentzer’s push for affordable internet access

July 13th, 2020  |  31 mins 2 secs

agriculture, allen county, allen county kansas, broadband, infrastructure, internet access, politics, rural

For today’s episode, Richard and I headed out to Craig and Denise Mentzer’s home in rural Allen County, southeast of Neosho Falls. Craig is running for a seat on the Allen County Commission and faces Eugene Weatherbie and David Lee in the August 4 Republican primary.

As we spoke in their sunroom, a multi-million dollar rain, as Craig called it, gentle fell and tapered off as our conversation advanced. We spoke on a wide variety of topics, from his interest in affordable rural internet access, infrastructure and farming.

The easiest vote Kent Thompson ever cast? A yes for Medicaid expansion

July 9th, 2020  |  27 mins 56 secs

9th district, allen county, kansas, neosho county, politics

In this week's episode, we speak with Kent Thompson at his real estate and auction office in Iola. This is the first in a series of episodes with locals seeking elected office and face a primary opponent this August 4.

A rural LaHarpe resident, Thompson has represented Kansas's 9th House District, which covers Allen County and much of Neosho County, since 2013. He faces Armando Hernandez of Chanute in this August's primary.

"We felt the knee on our neck."

June 24th, 2020  |  32 mins 16 secs

activism, african american, iola, kansas, race, racism, rally, voices

Ana Davis took the stage at Iola’s June 7th rally for Black Lives. Although seemingly a shy soul, Ana delivered a powerful and impassioned speech, insisting we have no time to waste creating a better world for our children. Her youngest son Mack, age 12, stood by her side.

Almost two weeks later, on Juneteenth, Tim Stauffer spoke with her about her experiences growing up as a Black American and living in Iola, her thoughts about what needs to change, and how, amidst the tireless struggle for justice, she finds joy.

If not me, then who?

June 21st, 2020  |  41 mins 15 secs

activism, iola, kansas, race, racism, rally, solidarity, voices

In recent weeks, Daniel and Nicole Schowengerdt of Iola have taken an increasingly active role in fighting for racial justice by attending marches, creating petitions and having tough--but necessary--conversations with friends and family.

Tim Stauffer sits down to talk with the couple about motivates them, how they discuss racism with their children and the road our country has left to travel.

Voices from the Black Lives Matter rally in Iola

June 8th, 2020  |  36 mins 45 secs

black lives matter, george floyd, iola, kansas, rally, solidarity, voices

Yesterday, on June 7th, over 250 people attended a rally on Iola's square in support of Black Lives Matter, using the event to stand against racism, express solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and to commemorate the death of George Floyd.

Register staff were in attendance speaking with demonstrators about why they were there and what needs to change. Here are their voices.

Fourteen months in, Rebecca Johnson has had few chances to catch her breath

June 6th, 2020  |  34 mins

covid-19 pandemic, health, public health, sek multi-county health department, southeast kansas

In this week’s episode, Tim Stauffer sits down with Rebecca Johnson, the director of the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department, to talk about her first fourteen months on the job.

In her short tenure, she’s been tasked with leading Allen, Anderson, Bourbon and Woodson counties in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rebecca and Tim talk about what the SEK Multi-County Health Department is doing—as well as where it can improve—in its efforts to keep us all safe and healthy.