Trying to keep pace with change

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 07 May 2013 14:11

Perhaps the legendary musician and philosopher Bob Dylan said it best: “The times, they are a changin’.

The seasons are also supposed to be changing. But winter has stubbornly hung on for far too long. Some area high school seniors will be graduating within the week, and we are still seeing frozen precipitation. Are we beginning to witness the effects of climate change? I hope this wild weather of the past couple of years is not going to become the new normal.

A positive change to the community is the arrival of the best ice cream on the planet, Blue Bell, to Vogt’s Hometown Market. While I am not in the habit of dishing out free product plugs, you owe it to yourself to give this frozen treat a try.

I know it is more expensive...

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Advice every student should hear

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:47

Almost by accident, I was listening to a group of radio and TV gurus discussing the topic, “What’s ahead in the job market?” at a Kansas Association of Broadcasters student seminar and career fair in Topeka last week.

The accidental part is that Hillsboro High School does not have a broadcasting program. I was actually there to take part in a workshop on 21st Century Journalism, a class I teach that launches students into yearbook and newspaper.

The opening session was a panel discussion among the movers and shakers of Kansas broadcasting: Kyle Bauer of KCLY/KFRM, headquartered in Clay Center; Nate Hill of KSNT/KTKA TV out of Topeka; Jim Ogle of WIBW TV in Topeka; and Ron Covert of Cumulus Radio, the Topeka-area equivalent of...

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Help! Teachers are under attack

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 12 March 2013 13:49

We teachers are under attack, and we need your help. State legislators in Topeka are gunning for us as never before.

If you have a friend or a relative who is a Kansas educator, or if you have a soft spot in your heart for someone who flipped on your academic switch, now is the time to speak up.

There are several bills under consideration that are undisguised attempts to weaken teacher rights, including free speech and collective bargaining. I receive daily updates on the progress of these bills, and I still don’t understand everything that is going on. But, I do know the current legislature is anything but friendly toward educators.

When Rep. Don Schroeder visited Hillsboro a couple of Saturdays ago, he seemed less than...

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I love to run — let me tell you why

Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 12 February 2013 11:52

Why do I love running? That’s a question I sometimes get asked by people who witness my jogs through town and the surrounding countryside. I often reply that I don’t exactly love to run. I do, however, enjoy the benefits.

People seem to believe I hit the streets and county roads every day. Though I might wish that were true, I actually run between three and four days per week for total distance of between 12 and 18 miles, depending upon whether I am training for a race.

Perhaps Valentine’s Day week is a great time to examine what it is about this sport that has kept me participating all these many years. I can’t speak for the millions of other Americans who join me in this pursuit, but perhaps I can shed some light on my own...

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