Podcast appearances and mentions of Flint Hills

Roger Brown is the most frequented guest on King of the Ride podcast and HE'S BACK! With 5 episodes prior to this one, covering the thousand-plus miles he's ridden across the Flint Hills, what Roger lacks in training he makes up for with ignorance and enthusiasm. Here in 2026, however, it's not just Roger, but he's riding and podcasting with his wife Jenny who took on her first 200 miles of Unbound gravel this year!  We sit around the back deck, catching up in the days after Unbound to hear the blow-by-blow how it all shook out. This is a great one, stay tuned! Use code RECOVERYKING at checkout for 20% off any UnTapped Recovery product at www.untapped.cc Use code king for 15% off your next pillow at www.LagoonSleep.com/king

Logan Jones-Wilkins is back from the mud in Kansas to break down a wild 26-mph crash, the dominant Specialized Crux 5 debut, and why gravel racing might never be the same. As we mentioned last week, Logan was in Emporia, Kansas covering Unbound 2026. Now he's back in the studio and Mike Levy and I get to talk about what he saw. Part of that is the new Specialized Crux, but before we get there, we start with a discussion of how Logan did in his own Unbound 100 race. It wasn't exactly a quiet day out. Logan details a wild situation that unfolded right in front of him, going from 26 mph to on the ground in an instant. Despite the crash, he still managed a 5-hour and 50-minute finish on the new Crux 5, and he finally shares the real details on what the bike is like to ride. From there, we get into the rest of the racing in Kansas, and that means the mud. This year, the Flint Hills delivered thick, sticky mud that forced massive sections of walking and led multiple pros to pee on their drivetrains just to keep moving. We also tackle the arrival of true team tactics. Specialized exerted absolute control over the front of the pack in the Men's 200, prompting the question: is this the natural evolution of the sport, or does it completely change the fabric of gravel racing? The Women's 200 was a slow build with constant anticipation, blowing up early and culminating with riders Sophia Gomez Villafañe and Geerike Schreurs texting mid-race to orchestrate attacks for the final sprint. Finally, we look at the giant prototype Scott 32-inch wheeled bikes that made their debut. What does that mean for the technology, and will you see it roll out on production models soon? Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & Logan's Unbound 100 10:03 – The Specialized Crux Deep Dive 21:55 – The Mud & Drivetrain Drama 27:00 – The Men's 200 & Team Tactics 42:05 – The Women's 200 46:38 – The 32-Inch Wheel Debate Resources Check out the Unbound Gravel hub for all the articles covered this week: https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/unbound-gravel

Find out about all the fun in the area of Rice Park in St. Paul, courtesy of Flint Hill Resources. Holli VanOverbeke joined Vineeta with a rundown of the fun!

Find out about all the fun in the area of Rice Park in St. Paul, courtesy of Flint Hill Resources. Holli VanOverbeke joined Vineeta with a rundown of the fun!

Jason talks with Chris Harrington, President and CEO of The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, about this weekend's Flint Hills Family Festival in St. Paul, the good work it supports, and why you should attend!

Dan Hughes is a certified Unbound legend, having won the very first edition way back in 2006 and another three times for good measure. He's seen the race go from 34 people in a hotel parking lot in Emporia to the most prestigious gravel race in the world. An Emporia local, he now works for Life Time as a Content Specialist and has already spent hours doing recon in the Flint Hills. In other words, there is no better person to talk to about the course. Payson sits down with Dan this week for a detailed breakdown of this year's route. For the 20th anniversary of the event, the organisers decided to make this one extra special, incorporating new roads and some old favourites. They discuss weather, water crossings, trains, a new feed zone for the pros, and much more. But first, Dan provides some backstory on the race that has become the focal point of the gravel calendar. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Welcome back to Barn Talk! In today's episode, you'll get a front-row seat for a deep, honest conversation with Luke Schultz, a fifth-generation cattleman from the heart of Kansas and a seasoned ag lender at Conterra Ag. Known as the “Force of Nature,” Speaker A shares how his upbringing in the Flint Hills shaped his approach to both ranching and banking. Speaker B and Speaker C dig into everything from the evolving world of agricultural lending, to multi-generational farm transitions, to the state of the cattle market and creative ways producers are adapting in uncertain times. From stories of Mormons feeding gum to hard truths about land consolidation, succession planning, interest rates, and capitalizing on long bull runs in livestock, there's wisdom for every listener, young or old, in or out of agriculture. Plus, you'll hear candid thoughts on trades vs. college, the unintended effects of pop culture on rural life, and what it really takes for a farm family to thrive across generations. If you're interested in the real stories, challenges, and innovations happening on America's farms and ranches and want to hear it from folks who truly walk the walk this episode is for you. Pull up a seat and join the conversation! JOIN THE BARN TALK NEWSLETTER & GET LIVE EVENT ACCESS: We're on a mission to get 10,000 subscribers, and once we do, we're hosting a live event at the barn! Sign up to get exclusive access to tickets and details.

Over two million acres in the Flint Hills region of Kansas are intentionally burned each spring between March and May for land management purposes.

We catch up with Lisa Isaacson on how the Flint Hills Community Accelerator is expanding childcare in Manhattan through eight licensed suites and a hub built around education, health care, workforce, and family support. We dig into what it takes to keep providers from burning out, meet hard-to-serve needs like overnight care, and build a model other Kansas communities can copy. • rapid build-out and first months of operations at the Flint Hills Community Accelerator • eight childcare suites filled with KDHE-licensed family child care providers • how the four pillars shape daily work: education, childcare, health care, workforce • early childhood education credits launching with Manhattan Area Technical College • realistic look at childcare churn and how support keeps providers open • provider transitions into the community and the challenge of finding locations • exploring overnight childcare for shift workers and first responders • childcare support for military families living off Fort Riley • why other towns can start accelerators without new buildings • safety practices families value: codes, sign-in, badges, cameras • conference space rentals and partnerships that sustain the building tell them that you are supporting the Flint Hills Community Accelerator on the 15th from five to sevenGMCFCFAs

In this episode, we delve into the remarkable experiences of Linda from northeastern Kansas, whose encounters span decades and stretch across the mountains of Montana, the forests of southeastern Oklahoma, the high country of Colorado, and the rolling Flint Hills of Kansas. Her journey began in childhood after a frightening mountain incident near Butte, Montana and a moment that changed how she viewed the famous Patterson-Gimlin film.Linda shares her 1977 experience near Broken Bow, Oklahoma, where an overwhelming warning forced her to leave an isolated trail. Years later in Bailey, Colorado, she and her husband were awakened at 4:00 AM by a powerful vocalization rising from below their mountainside home. Near Pine Junction, she describes a whistle that answered her own from the trees.Back in Kansas, the activity continued—wood knocks near a camper, unexplained footprints in winter ground, a towering shadow passing a window, and a long, distant Ohio howl echoing across the Flint Hills followed by chilling responses. While camping near a quiet lake, she encountered massive tree breaks and an X-shaped stick structure placed directly in front of her vehicle.Linda also opens up about deeply personal experiences that shaped her understanding of these beings, touching on moments that felt protective, purposeful, and transformative.This conversation moves through multiple states, landscapes, and seasons, weaving together firsthand encounters and reflections that build into something far bigger than a single sighting. Join us as we explore Linda's lifelong journey and the enduring mystery of Sasquatch in the American heartland and beyond.

Coach Frank describes a 3 month Unbound training plan that you can follow FREE for 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/app Develop your Diesel Watt power by knowing how to train it in March, April, and May to arrive in Emporia fresh, fit, and ready to send it. Whether you're lining up for the 200, 100, or XL, this video covers the training concepts that have helped thousands of FasCat athletes finish strong,from sweet spot base building to full gravel simulation rides to the art of a proper taper. You'll learn: the Gravel Power Workout (the single best workout for gravel racers) how to build your long ride from 2.5 hours to 5+, why Flint Hills repeats matter, and what race-winning power data from Ian Boswell, Pete Stetina, and Cam Jones tells us about pacing Unbound.

We share how a grassroots directory grew into a regional network serving over 200 entrepreneurs a year and why the Yuma Street Cultural Center will unite culture, community, and commerce. We unpack leadership lessons, capital readiness, and partnerships that close access gaps across the Flint Hills.• Founding story of Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills• Journalism and marketing roots shaping social entrepreneurship• Why a directory was not enough for lasting impact• Kitchen and restaurant incubators as missing infrastructure• Capital readiness beyond grants to loans and hiring• Partnerships with Chamber, Commerce, Network Kansas, GMCF• Reaching Manhattan, Fort Riley, Junction City, Salina, Topeka, Lawrence• Volunteer beginnings and long-term funding from Kansas Health Foundation• Leadership influenced by family ethos and pipeline building• Preserving local Black history while expanding resources• Details for the Yuma Street Cultural Center groundbreakingGMCFCFAs

We trace how the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program builds servant leaders who think bigger than their zip code and act locally with speed and empathy. Alumni form deep networks, serve on boards, fuel civic conversations, and find purpose that anchors long-term community impact.• origins in 1980s agricultural leadership and 1990s regional expansion• 683 alumni to date with seven-county reach• sharp rise in women leaders and cross-sector diversity• visits to the Statehouse to build civic fluency• systems thinking and collaborative decision-making• lifelong networks that support personal and professional growth• alumni service on boards, councils, and commissions• application window May 15 to July 15 at FHRLP.org• Eileen Cray Memorial Scholarship covering up to 50 percent of tuitionTo get signed up to find out more, the website is FHRLP.orgGMCFCFAs

We share how a joyful Valentine gala with big band music and a ballroom lesson funds urgent aid, food security, critical repairs, and long‑term homeownership. We also outline the repair program, ReStore impact, and new builds that move families toward lasting stability.• new Monday 9am slot and show setup• three nonprofits join for a Valentine benefit• big band, dance lesson and community building• short‑term, medium‑term and long‑term impact explained• limited tickets and how to buy online or by phone• repair program scope and city partnership• income eligibility and five‑year forgiveness model• ReStore throughput and Hope Restored gift cards• rehab of Oak Grove School and modular builds• ways to plug in if not attendingBuy your ticket to Valentine's Day.GMCFCFAs

We share how Flint Hills Breadbasket transformed into a grocery-style space that welcomes 800–900 families each week and why demand continues to rise. We also spotlight the Super Bowl food drive, our Valentine collaboration with Habitat and Shepherd's Crossing, and the role of Grow Green Match Day in stabilizing support.• rising demand after relocation and during government shutdown• grocery-style, dignified shopping experience that eases fear• volunteers, Knights of Columbus, and store partners enabling smooth drives• Super Bowl food drive logistics across Dillons and Hy-Vee• how to give if you cannot attend in person• collaboration with Habitat and Shepherd's Crossing on Valentine's event• how joint events expand reach and reduce duplication• Grow Green Match Day as a key budget stabilizer• guidance on healthier donation choices for pantry shelvesSuper Bowl Saturday. Dillons locations and Hy-Vee collection efforts for soups, dry food, hygiene items. FlintHillsBreadbasket.org is where you can find out more and also help out financially if you are so inclinedGMCFCFAs

   So much buildup and so little sizzle as Mayor Q is a panelist on CBS Face the Nation and I'm really disappointed.  We were hoping he'd be asked about KC being the per capita homeless capital of America or his police chief declaring "drastic" measures to cutback the force because the budget is whacked.  Instead, he almost got edited out completely.    The word around the cowtown is the Chiefs will be announcing the exact location of their new stadium this week... we'll tell you where the smart money is.  Meanwhile, the Royals say they will be announcing their decision sooner than later where they are going.    NBA coach Steve Kerr has been forced to apologize for his outrageous lies about the Trump administration and ICE.  It was real.  But another coach won't back off and is worried ICE will start kidnapping international players and sending them home.  What a fool.    KU star Darryn Peterson sits again after KU built a huge lead over BYU.  He's healthy for tonight's game so maybe this was something else.  I have a new theory.    Mark Turgeon is the new basketball coach at Kansas City (UMKC) and this is a great hire.  Goalies throw down at center ice and one of the world's most famous musicians makes a video in the middle of the Tallgrass Prairie reserve in the Flint Hills.

Carolyn Perrier is a ranch wife, mother of three and grandmother of nine. She is a servant in her community, a leader for countless organizations through the years, and most importantly... my mom. On this episode, we talk about her journey from city to country life and the countless challenges and blessings along the way.Past episode mentions:Tom Perrier https://www.buzzsprout.com/1995747/episodes/12299829Symphony in the Flint Hills https://www.buzzsprout.com/1995747/episodes/12898676

We follow a leader who connects counties, sectors, and people to turn local needs into regional action. From childcare capacity to urban renewal and Fort Riley immersion, the program shows how networks and context create durable change.• origins and scope of the regional leadership program • associate counties and why the bylaws matter • Fort Riley immersion and workforce context • alumni impact on childcare and civic boards • Discovery Center as anchor for Third Street growth • recruitment dates, eligibility, and application format • how regional networks amplify local ideasApplications run May 15 to July 15 at FHRL.org. Check dates, see alumni photos, and apply online. Follow us on Facebook for session photos, livestreams of class announcements, and graduation.GMCFCFAs

We talk with Flint Hills Breadbasket's Carla Hegemeister about the Thanksgiving surge, the shockwaves from SNAP uncertainty, and how a bigger space and tight partnerships kept up with record demand. We share details on the community meal, holiday hours, and simple ways to help.• Thanksgiving as peak season for donations, volunteers, and holiday meal support• Holiday week schedule, turkey pickup times, and office-only days• Community Thanksgiving meal hours, location, and inclusive purpose• Volunteer capacity filled early, ongoing needs beyond the holiday• New facility enabling higher throughput and safer distribution• SNAP shocks and shutdown uncertainty driving mid to high 800s weekly families• Rising demand among military and furloughed federal workers• Forthcoming SNAP administration changes and state cost burdens• HUD shifts likely to tighten rent support and raise risk of food insecurity• Nonprofits coordinating to avoid tunnel vision and share resources• Christmas focused on stability, not extra meat distributions• Lighted parade as a food and funds driver• Clear ways to help through drives, volunteering, and donationsFlintHillsBreadbasket.org is where you can find out more informationYou can always find out more about the work of the foundation on our website at mcfks.orgGMCFCFAs

In this bonus episode, new American Angus Association president Jim Brinkley joins fellow Board members Darrell Stevenson and Ron Hinrichsen to recap Angus Convention, what they learned and the conversations had among Angus breeders in Kansas City.The 142nd Annual Convention of Delegates concluded the weekend of education, fellowship and celebration. The group shares updates about newly elected leadership, strategic plans and what's ahead.HOST: Mark McCully GUESTS:Jim Brinkley, 2026 president and chairman, has served on the American Angus Association Board of Directors for the past seven years. Along with their children, Crystal and Justin, Brinkley and his wife, Sherry, own 1,300 acres and 400 registered Angus cattle at Brinkley Angus Ranch (BAR) near Milan, Mo.Darrell Stevenson, 2026 vice president and vice chairman of the American Angus Association Board and native of White Sulphur Spring, Mont., holds strong ties to the Angus breed and a history of activity in the Montana Angus Association. In 2019 Stevenson and his wife, Sara, expanded from Hobson onto a new unit in White Sulphur Springs to establish a later-calving herd operating as Stevenson Down T. Although separated by a mountain range, Darrell continues to breed and market genetics with Stevenson Angus Ranch.Ron Hinrichsen, director on the American Angus Association Board, has been involved in multiple sectors of the beef cattle industry throughout his professional career and is a third-generation Angus breeder. Ron and his wife, Lynne, established R&L Angus/Hinrichsen Ranch in the Flint Hills of Kansas near Westmoreland, upon graduating from Kansas State University. While raising high-quality cattle, Ron and his wife, Lynne, have two children — Cale and Eva. Along with the cattle operation, Ron's professional career started in semen sales and later moved into animal health sales.RELATED READING:President's LetterAngus Genetics Inc. research projectsAmerican Angus Association Annual Report  Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

We celebrate Manhattan's Veterans Day with the biggest parade in Kansas, a salute to the National Guard and Reserve, and a free, accessible ceremony that welcomes everyone in person and online. From breakfast at the American Legion to mall exhibits and mounted color guard, the day blends pageantry with purpose.• Parade details and route from mall to City Hall• Focus on honoring National Guard and Reserve• Free veteran breakfast hosted by Knights of Columbus• Ceremony at 11 a.m. with senior Guard leader speaking• Broadcast on KMAN, Facebook Live, and Cox Channel 3• Mall exhibits with artifacts and local veterans' stories• Volunteers from E-9 Association and K-State historians• Flags and dog tags for attendees and care facilities• How to register, join meetings, and get involvedOur next meeting is going to be October 28th at 10 a.m., the Manhattan Chamber of CommerceYou can RSVP at chamber at manhattan.orgGMCFCFAs

On this episode, Jason sits down with Samantha Ellison, a 20 Under 40 recipient and member engagement manager at the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. Ellison discusses her career journey from Derby, KS, to Kansas State University and the hotel industry, and eventual transition to the Chamber. Samantha highlights her involvement in community activities, including coaching soccer, volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and participating in the Junior League of the Flint Hills. Ellison emphasizes the importance of networking and mentions her recent recognition as a top young professional. Samantha also shares her love for Manhattan's small-town feel and her favorite podcasts.

USMA graduate, combat veteran and President of the West Point Society of the Flint Hills in Kansas, Katrina Lewison joins Dane Neal on WGN Radio. Hear as Katrina shares excitement around bringing “Old Grads” and football fans together from Kansas and beyond for the pregame celebration between Army and K-State in Manhattan Kansas. Listen as […]

Kansas is a big place, and not one particularly well-known for national park destinations. But that doesn't mean you should overlook the Sunflower State. In the closing days of September, as the country seemed destined for a government shutdown, the Traveler's Kurt Repanshek and Patrick Cone headed into Kansas to visit some of the parks there to better understand their role in the National Park System. And we were not disappointed. Back in 2022 Kurt made a similar trip, and stopped at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills of central Kansas. During that stop Ranger Eric Patterson gave Kurt a wonderful tour of the preserve and explained its history.  Eric has moved on, but during Kurt and Patrick's recent visit Heather Brown, the preserve's chief of interpretation, sat down with them to discuss the preserve in general and the tallgrass prairie specifically. During their swing through Kansas, Kurt and Patrick also headed to Nicodemus, a well-off-the-beaten path destination in the National Park System, one so far off the beaten path that the state of Kansas does Nicodemus National Historic Site a tremendous disservice by providing very little signage showing you how to get to Nicodemus. But stay determined and you can find the site. While the Park Service only claims five buildings at Nicodemus, and only two are open, the history of how the townsite was founded in post-Civil War America by more than 300 previously enslaved peoples is an uplifting history of self-determination, grit, and perseverance. What follows are two conversations they had with rangers – before they were furloughed when the government shut down – at the two sites, LueCreasea Horne Horn at Nicodemus National Historic Site and Heather Brown at Tallgrass prairie.

Kansas is a big place, and not one particularly well-known for national park destinations. But that doesn't mean you should overlook the Sunflower State. In the closing days of September, as the country seemed destined for a government shutdown, the Traveler's Kurt Repanshek and Patrick Cone headed into Kansas to visit some of the parks there to better understand their role in the National Park System. And we were not disappointed. Back in 2022 Kurt made a similar trip, and stopped at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills of central Kansas. During that stop Ranger Eric Patterson gave Kurt a wonderful tour of the preserve and explained its history.  Eric has moved on, but during Kurt and Patrick's recent visit Heather Brown, the preserve's chief of interpretation, sat down with them to discuss the preserve in general and the tallgrass prairie specifically. During their swing through Kansas, Kurt and Patrick also headed to Nicodemus, a well-off-the-beaten path destination in the National Park System, one so far off the beaten path that the state of Kansas does Nicodemus National Historic Site a tremendous disservice by providing very little signage showing you how to get to Nicodemus. But stay determined and you can find the site. While the Park Service only claims five buildings at Nicodemus, and only two are open, the history of how the townsite was founded in post-Civil War America by more than 300 previously enslaved peoples is an uplifting history of self-determination, grit, and perseverance. What follows are two conversations they had with rangers – before they were furloughed when the government shut down – at the two sites, LueCreasea Horne Horn at Nicodemus National Historic Site and Heather Brown at Tallgrass prairie.

We talk with Leslie White, director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation, about how Bison, Beef & Bourbon funds exhibits, programs, and a new outdoor classroom to serve learners year-round. We clarify the roles of foundations vs. cities, share event details, and explain how to bid or donate even if you can't attend.• Difference between the Discovery Center and the 501(c)(3) foundation• What past Bison, Beef & Bourbon proceeds funded• Why the outdoor classroom matters and phase one timeline• event date, time, venue, distilleries, food, cigar demo• ticket options, tables, and online purchase links• remote bidding for the silent auction and close time• Kansas Community Tax Credits for $250+ gifts• region-wide mission across the Flint Hills• Leslie's favorite space and what it means for kids• how to attend, reserve a table, or donateGather your friends, reserve a table, and get your tickets at flinthillsdiscovery.org or the Foundation's Facebook page. If you can't attend, register for the auction only, bid online, or donate $250+ to leverage Kansas Community Tax Credits. Please call the Foundation with any questions.GMCFCFAs

Lori Bishop from the Flint Hills Volunteer Center and board member Ronnie Grice are discussing their upcoming 9/11 Family Event and Picnic on September 7th at Pottorf Hall.• Annual event honors the memory of 9/11 through community service projects• 400 pairs of athletic shoes will be distributed to children in grades K-5• First responders will personally fit children with their new shoes• Emergency vehicles will be on display for children to explore• Activities include commemorative rock hunt, tattoos, and coloring pages• Barbecue provided by Riley County Police Department• Event creates opportunity for younger generations to learn about 9/11• First responders share personal memories of where they were on September 11, 2001• Event runs from 3-6 pm at Pottorf Hall and the surrounding areasJoin us Sunday, September 7th, at Pottorf Hall from 3-6 pm for this meaningful community event that honors our heroes while serving local families.GMCFCFAs

Meadowlark's Parkinson's Program provides free education, exercise, and support services to anyone affected by Parkinson's disease throughout the Flint Hills region. The program helps combat the depression, anxiety, and apathy often associated with Parkinson's while providing crucial exercise opportunities that are proven to slow disease progression.• Boxing therapy shows immediate results with participants taking larger steps by mid-class• Virtual and hybrid formats connect participants from as far as Indiana and Kansas City• The 17th annual Speedy PD race aims to reach 1,000 participants this year• Race features a half-mile memorial walk/run, 5K, and 10K events starting at 8:00 am• Special recognition for VIPDs (Very Important People with Parkinson's Disease)• Post-race celebration includes food, drinks, and activities - "a party with a purpose"• K-State's Ireland game has sparked international connections with Dublin Parkinson's organizations• Coach Kleiman and wife Rhonda support the program through their personal connection to Parkinson'sRegister now at runspeedypd.org, in person at Meadowlark, or at the event on Saturday, August 23rd at Tuttle Creek State Park.GMCFCFAs

HAQAST is working to better understand the impact prescribed controlled burns have on air quality.

Candice McIntosh and Melissa Colby share their mission at Girls on the Run of the Flint Hills, bringing joy and confidence to girls in third through eighth grade across a ten-county region. The program combines physical activity with lessons on confidence, friendship, and community engagement.• New "Hello Bold Heart" curriculum focuses on helping girls find and use their voices• Program teaches girls to be good teammates and friends while building individual confidence• Expanding to new counties with Clay Center joining this season• Volunteer coaches don't need running experience—just a desire to empower girls• Male coaches especially welcome as positive role models• Annual fundraiser "Sneaker Soiree" becoming a luncheon on October 16th at Manhattan Country Club• Looking for event sponsors and auction item donationsVisit gotrflinthills.org to register a girl, become a coach, or learn more about supporting the organization. Tickets for the Sneaker Soiree Luncheon go live September 1st and typically sell out quickly.GMCFCFAs

Every year, the Flint Hills of Kansas call Rachel Wills back to Unbound XL. At 350 miles, the race is a test of endurance: relentless heat, drivetrain-clogging mud, a horizon that stretches on forever, and a thousand sharp, punchy climbs that chip away at you one by one.Rachel has lined up in five times: finished four, scratched once. And with each ride, she's uncovered a new experience. For her, Unbound XL has become so much more than a race. It's become a ritual. A way of grounding herself in place, community, and the kind of effort that reveals something new every time.In this episode, Rachel reflects on what's kept her coming back and how the Flint Hills have shaped her over time. She shares about the power of all women's spaces like Velocio // Exploro, lessons from big days in the saddle, why tandem wheels are surprisingly great to follow, and the descending advice she picked up from Rebecca Rusch.Topics include:What makes Unbound XL so challenging (and so special)The emotional weight of scratching and coming backGrowth through repetition and ritualRiding with Velocio // Exploro and the power of a women's teamLetting go of racing for results—and finding something deeperFollow Rachel on Instagram: @rachelawills Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

Sheila Ellis-Glasper of Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills shares how her organization has distributed over $114,000 in grants to business owners of color and launched a groundbreaking loan fund with a 4% interest rate. She unveils plans for the Yuma Street Cultural Center, the first Kansas initiative combining African-American heritage, entrepreneurship support, and cultural preservation while revealing fascinating historical connections, including Dr. King's impromptu Yuma Street speech.• Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills has graduated over 20 entrepreneurs through a 12-week Kauffman Foundation business training program• The Elevate and Empower Loan Fund offers entrepreneurs up to $15,000 at just 4% interest• Yuma Street contains rich but often overlooked history, including visits from Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, and Lena Horne• The Woods family (including Tiger Woods' father, Earl Woods) was among Manhattan's first African-American settlers• The inaugural Yuma Street Cultural Festival takes place August 31st from 1-9 pm with free admission, food, dancing, and historic tours• The $2.3 million Yuma Street Cultural Center project is planned to open by 2027 in the historic Shepherd's Chapel building• The Center will feature event space, entrepreneurial resources, a commercial kitchen, and a rotating restaurant incubatorLearn more or contribute to these initiatives at blackflinthills.com and yumastreet.org.GMCFCFAs

In this episode, we sit down with Shane and Jeremy Hutsell, a father-son duo who took on the grueling Unbound 200 together. But this ride wasn't just about miles and mud. It was a journey fueled by purpose, love, and a reason much bigger than themselves. Tune in as they share what drove them through the Flint Hills, the highs and lows of riding side by side, and the powerful story behind why they showed up to the start line.

Jack Lindquist, Executive Director of the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, shares the 33-year history and impact of this regional leadership initiative. The program builds collaborative relationships across Geary, Riley, Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, and Morris counties to foster regional problem-solving and create positive change.• Created 33 years ago through partnership between Fort Riley, Kansas State University, and regional Chambers of Commerce• Nearly 660 graduates have completed the program since the first class in 1993-94 • Participants develop regional networks and collaborative relationships across diverse communities• Selection process targets emerging leaders already demonstrating leadership qualities• Monthly sessions rotate through different communities covering topics like team building, conflict resolution, and advocacy• Program runs September through February with graduation in Pottawatomie County this year• Application deadline is July 20th with all materials submitted through frlp.org• $600 tuition with scholarships available for nonprofit employees and small business ownersApplications for the upcoming class are now being accepted at frlp.org through July 20th.GMCFCFAs

Karla Hagemeister of the Flint Hills Breadbasket shares remarkable statistics about their new facility and the rising need for food support in Manhattan. After moving to a larger location in May, they're now serving record numbers.  With over 2,000 family visits in June alone, Karla reflects on both the community's generosity and growing economic challenges.• The Breadbasket moved to a new, larger facility in late April, beginning operations May 8th• Weekly visits have increased dramatically, with 601 families served in a single week• Monthly household visits rose from 795 in April to 897 in June• High housing costs and service industry jobs contribute to food insecurity in Manhattan• Summer brings increased demand as children are home, while donations typically decrease• SNAP benefits provide nine meals for every meal a food bank can provide• A family of eight saved $1,000 in grocery costs in one month through Breadbasket support• The organization welcomes K-State student interns who gain valuable nonprofit experience• Volunteers are always needed to meet the growing demandIf you'd like to support the Flint Hills Breadbasket's efforts to combat hunger in our community, please consider volunteering your time or making a food or financial donation. Every contribution helps us serve our neighbors in need.GMCFCFAs

Here's a quick look at today's top stories for Wednesday, June 18. Find the complete articles and much more in today's print edition and online at https://www.iolaregister.com/.

We sat down with coach, athlete, and teammate Sarah Didier, fresh off a massive ride at the UNBOUND 350XL, where she battled the Flint Hills, sleep deprivation, and 350+ miles of brutal gravel to finish 5th overall

The Flint Hills Summer Fun Camp offers inclusive summer camp experiences for all children regardless of their abilities. Founded in 2010 by mothers of children with autism, the camp has grown to serve approximately 40 children from three school districts with professional staff and community support.• Started in 2010 by mothers who wanted camp experiences for their children with autism• Serves children ages 5 through high school with and without special needs• Accommodates visible and invisible disabilities including autism, anxiety, TBI, and ADHD• Staffed by certified teachers, paraprofessionals, and ABA providers • Runs six weeks during summer from 8am-4pm at Marlette Elementary• Partners with community organizations like Beach Museum and the library• Plans special events including sensory-friendly movie outings• Currently in its 13th year with the potential to serve 44 children• Welcomes new camper registrations throughout the summer• Relies on community support and fundraisers to provide scholarships and activitiesVisit flinthillssummerfuncamp.com to register your child or find information about supporting the camp. Join their fundraiser tonight at Raising Cane's from 3-10pm!GMCFCFAs

All the activities are taking place around the Ordway in St. Paul. Why has this company taken this project and ran with it? Find out from our friends at FLINT HILLS RESOURCES!

The Symphony in the Flint Hills prepares for its final concert on June 14th after 20 remarkable years of bringing music to the Kansas prairie. This signature event has faced growing challenges, including weather disruptions and rising costs, but remains committed to celebrating and raising awareness about one of the last tallgrass prairies in the world.• Started when Jane Coger hosted the Kansas City Symphony on her property for a birthday celebration• Final event will be held at the Evans property in Chase County on June 14, 2024• General admission tickets sold out, but patron packages and sponsorships are still available• Creates a temporary "city" in remote prairie locations with stages, tents, and amenities• Features the Kansas City Symphony, Logan Mize, educational tents, a powwow, and stargazing• The organization hopes to continue its mission of promoting the Flint Hills through other programs• Has attracted visitors from every state and around the world over its 20-year history• Weather challenges and rising costs, especially insurance, contributed to the decision to end• Board Chair Mary Ice hopes the symphony's legacy will be "being remembered for having done it well."For more information or to purchase remaining patron packages, visit symphonyintheflinthills.org or call the office in Cottonwood Falls.GMCFCFAs

Robin and Connor discuss the fires in Flint Hills, KS and Nebraska's pickups in the basketball portal, and how successful he feels they've been so far. And switching to football, how the Huskers roster looks as they try to force more turnovers this season.

The Flint Hills Volunteer Center coordinates over 925 volunteers serving in 85 different opportunities across Riley County. It helps seniors age with dignity in their homes while creating meaningful service roles for community members.• Operates the medical transportation program with volunteers driving 57 clients to medical appointments in Manhattan• Facilitates the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program, providing leaf removal, snow clearing, and other home maintenance services• Coordinates 69 volunteers who deliver meals through the Friendship Meals Program• Supports 248 volunteers helping with Harvesters and local food pantries• Celebrates volunteers of all ages, with the oldest currently being 100 years old• Plans community events, including an annual 9/11 commemoration and "Heart for the Holidays" fundraiser• Works to meet the increasing needs of seniors, who will outnumber children under 18 by 2035• Provides weekly email updates about volunteer opportunities• Creates meaningful relationships between volunteers and those they serveSupport the Flint Hills Volunteer Center during Grow Green Match Day at GrowGreenManhattan.com or visit flinthillsvolunteercenter.com to become a volunteer.GMCFCFAs

The Flint Hills Breadbasket is transforming food assistance in Manhattan with its upcoming move to a spacious new facility on Skyview Drive, which will open in early May. Executive Director Karla Hagemeister shares how this expansion will create a dignified shopping experience while nearly doubling its weekly service hours.• New location will feature a grocery store-like environment with polished concrete floors and tall ceilings• Moving from cramped quarters to a space designed for dignity, comfort, and accessibility• Service hours expanding from 14.5 to 26 hours weekly• Volunteer opportunities available, including preparing 15,000 bags for the upcoming letter carriers' food drive• The current Yuma Street location will transfer to the City of Manhattan for community use• Grow Green Match Day funds are crucial for operations, as federal program cuts impact fresh produce optionsGMCFCFAs

Our special guest this week for More Women More Miles likely needs little introduction in the gravel cycling world. We are joined by writer, cyclist, and host of the Hit Play Not Pause Podcast, Selene Yeager. Selene brings her wealth of knowledge on female physiology and hormones, and how we can tailor our training for Unbound Gravel accordingly. This episode gives us a broad overview of hormones in the female life cycle, starting from regular menstruation, through perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. Selene explains how our hormones affect our whole bodies as a system, and how we can structure our training and fueling to adjust for shifts in physiology during different times in your cycle and lifespan. She also gives some of her other best tips and tricks for women to stay comfortable while riding hundreds of miles across the Flint Hills. Follow Selene on Instagram @feistymenopause and @fitchick3Check out the Hit Play Not Pause Podcast on livefeisty.comLearn more about Girona Gravel Camp and Unbound Gravel camp at girlsgonegravel.com Support our Partners:Feisty Girona Gravel Camp: Join us in Girona for an immersive week of exploring on bikes, reflecting, connecting, and setting intentions. Learn more at https://www.thomsonbiketours.com/trips/feisty-girona-gravel-camp/ buycycle: Head to https://buycycle.com/ggg to SAVE 30% when you sell a bike on the leading marketplace for pre-owned bikes and components. Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code GIRLSGONEGRAVEL at https://www.previnex.com/ Feisty's Lift Heavy Guide: Get your guide to lifting heavy plus a 4-week training plan at https://www.womensperformance.com/lift-heavy

Leslie White, Director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation, shares her passion for supporting the Discovery Center through fundraising for exhibits, educational programs, and community events while making learning accessible to everyone in the region.• The annual Friend of the Flint Hills award will honor Carl and Mary Ice on April 11th for their contributions to protecting the Flint Hills ecosystem• This year marks the final Symphony in the Flint Hills event on June 14th, which White describes as "a truly remarkable experience" worth attending• The Foundation is developing an outdoor classroom with all-weather shade structures, informational panels, and prairie landscaping expected to open by fall 2026• Community tax credits are available for donations of $250+ toward the outdoor classroom project• The "Stepping into the Prairie" immersive exhibit showcases all four seasons and was developed with grant funding from Kansas Tourism and Commerce• The Discovery Center offers engaging experiences for all ages, from young children to grandparents• Grow Green Match Day donations support the youth education endowment fundVisit flinthillsdiscovery.org for information about events and donation opportunities.GMCFCFAs

Allen County, Kansas is not a place most people will be familiar with, but the story is one you've probably heard before. Located in southeast Kansas, an hour and a half from the nearest major city, it features much that's typical of rural America. Iola, the county seat, is a city of 5,300 people. It has a classic town square and lies at the junction of a couple of state highways. The beautiful Flint Hills and its majestic cattle ranches are not far away.But after the community lost its hospital in the early 2000s, the usual questions emerge - is Iola, and the whole county on the verge of permanent decline?Out of this tragic circumstance was born Thrive Allen County Jared Wheeler, their Economic Development Director, joins me to talk about the path that Iola, Humboldt and the whole county have taken since that time. And, the remarkable successes they've achieved. Humboldt, for example, was featured in 2024's “15 Best Small Towns to Visit” in Smithsonian Magazine.You might not know much, or even care much, about rural Kansas. But I think you'll still find this to be an inspiring conversation and story. Jared and I cover a lot of ground, talking about rural community development, place-making, a culture of experimentation, and even bike paths.Find more content on The Messy City on Kevin's Substack page.Music notes: all songs by low standards, ca. 2010. Videos here. If you'd like a CD for low standards, message me and you can have one for only $5.Intro: “Why Be Friends”Outro: “Fairweather Friend”Text Transcript:Kevin Klinkenberg (00:01.158)Welcome back to the Messy City Podcast. This is Kevin Klinkenberg joined in studio today by a special guest from Central, what did you call it? Central Kansas? Southeast Kansas. Southeast Kansas, yeah. Southeast Kansas, all right. Well, shout out to my buddy Jason Carter-Solomon who hooked us up. He said, you know, just was out in Iowa, Kansas and I met this guy doing really cool stuff and it's like, you've got to talk to him.And it sounded intriguing and here we are. So welcome to the show for Jared Wheeler. You got it. Jared Wheeler. I am economic development director for a nonprofit in Southeast Kansas called Thrive Allen County. So I'm thrilled to be to be here today. Well, it should be a lot of fun. I have I've been through the area a little bit, have not stopped in Humboldt, which I know is like the big.tourist draw now. Right, right. Who would have thought that a community of 2,500 people would be in the Smithsonian magazine, New York Times, all these national publications saying you got, you have to come check this place out. Yeah. So why don't we start a little bit by just talking about, first of all, what thrive Allen County is, and how you came to be a part of it. So thrive Allen County.was initiated when the hospital in Iola, Kansas was closing. And as part of the agreement, anytime a hospital closed at that point, the idea that assets would be sold and then the money put it into the, with the intention of creating a 501c3 nonprofit, specifically dedicated towards public health initiatives. So Thrive Allen County was born out of really a crisis. So it's kind of birth from a crucible.the hospital in a small town closes. If you speak rural life fluently at all, that is a recurring theme that the hospital in town closes and you are left with some amalgamation of clinics or some specialty shops or just a general practice with limited beds, no overnight stays, that sort of thing. So the hospital closes, thrive, Allen County is born.Kevin Klinkenberg (02:20.988)And its initial mandate is to improve the community health. Just to interrupt for just a sec. So give people perspective. How big is Iowa? Yeah. Iowa, Kansas is about 5,200 people. Relatively small. It's the county seat of Allen County, Kansas. The next largest community is humble of 2,500 people. So the entire county's population is 12,000. Right. So for those of you who are in urban context, you are.probably struggling to imagine that sort of lack of population density, population scarcity. It's funny. It reminds me. So I went to high school in a small town in central Missouri. That was about 12,000 people. Okay. But when I hear you say, you know, Iowa is 5,200, it just reminds me that like when you're in a smaller town, like the hundreds matter. my. Saying 5,200 versus like 5,600, that's like a big deal. Right. It's the same way, you know,parents of young children still measure their kids age in months. It's like, is it about 27 months? It's the same situation for those of us who are doing our best work in rural communities, like 5,200. Because if I say, it's about 5,000 people, somebody out there is listening going, my graduating class was 5,000 people. That makes no sense. So Thrive, that's our context in which we work. And for the last,17 years Thrive has existed to enrich the health of citizens in Allen County. And that was initially in specifically related to physical health. So we have healthcare navigators that try and make sure that as many people as possible are insured. We operate vaccination clinics throughout the county, especially in even more rural and remote context. And thenabout halfway through the lifespan of Thrive, economic development was added. And economic development is really pursued from the perspective of community health. What is going to be a source of good, benevolent disruption? That's my approach constantly is what is going to disrupt the systems that are in place that contribute to the lack of health?Kevin Klinkenberg (04:45.788)for our community members through economic development. So that's my role and I am part of, technically I'm a one man department, but we all work together at Thrive and with our partners, both public and private partners in the communities. So how big is the organization overall? We have just under 30 employees right now. Yeah, and so we're fortunate in that some of those employees are in a transition period because we operate Allen Regional Transit.which is a public transportation organization in a rural context, which I know some of y'all out there are picturing like covered wagons. That's not exactly what's going on. But so we operate a public transit organization. And then we also have within our organization, the seed of another nonprofit that will probably spin off called Thrive Kansas, which is working for the same sort of rural community health goals.that we do in Allen County, but is trying to create statewide networks to do that. And how did you, are you from the area? Man, my rural bona fides are legit. I am, I am from a town of 500 people originally called Thayer, Kansas and in the same region, Southeast Kansas again, born and raised there. And really, so you have to remember I grew up in the nineties, early two thousands. So my experience of the wider world.was purely through pop culture. We didn't go anywhere. I was as hasty as they come. I knew what sushi was. did not eat. I had not had a bite of sushi until probably when I was on my honeymoon. And my cousin and I had a wonderful time. I'm just kidding. And so that's my baseline understanding of the world. But then I...I lived and worked in churches and schools after that. Did my grad school in Portland, Oregon. And so I did intensive weeks out there. So I was spending time in Portland in the Pacific Northwest for a couple of weeks at a time for four or five semesters. And so I've experienced a lot of different contexts. And then we moved back to Southeast Kansas, my wife and family and I from Kansas City actually. And so we lived up here.Kevin Klinkenberg (07:12.294)and then moved back about nine years ago with the choice to locate our family in a rural context. that's my route towards economic or community development is incredibly circuitous. And I really, I've found that that was a point of embarrassment for me initially when I took the job, because I just thought, everybody knows this stuff better than I do. And now I'm learning more and more about our conversation off mic before that.You were in architecture school before you got into community development. And I think that's, that is true for so many people that the reason they end up in community development, economic development, especially in a rural context is because they love the place. They love the place. They are invested in it and they have lived it. And again, bear the burden of what could be, or they have lived it and they are so quintessentially formed by it.that they believe other people should benefit from that formation as well. And the same is true for me in both directions. So, really the only experience I have with your area has been driving back and forth between Kansas City and Tulsa, which is kind of like the most direct route, really. Maybe not the fastest route, it's hard to say, but it's more interesting anyway, a little more scenic.been through Iowa. don't think I actually have driven through Humboldt yet. Humboldt, as you mentioned, has been a place that's gotten a lot of attention in recent years and it's kind of on the radar for, you know, like glamping and for cycling and everything else. Why don't you talk a little bit about like how and why has the area started to get the level of attention that you mentioned before?I think there's two categories I should speak to. The first is material and then maybe the second is going to sound a little weird, but it's mythological. So materially, one of the reasons that the area has gotten attention is because quite frankly, it's cost effective to develop and to try things in Allen County. The economic ecosystem in rural Kansas has typically been one of either extraction or exploitation historically.Kevin Klinkenberg (09:35.81)It is a wildcatting pioneering economy since my goodness, since the 19th century. And so the, industries that boomed the turn of the 20th century into the 19th century were extraction based businesses. Let's pull things as pull natural resources out. mean, my goodness, near Iola, Kansas, there is literally a city called gas and it is called gas because you, you made your bones.as part of a natural gas business there, that that's the way you made it so that the name stuck and in Humboldt and Iola there, there were massive, concrete businesses. there are these huge firms that, mined a mineral from that area and then use it to turn it into cement and concrete. So it's one that's still an operation monarch cement company in Humboldt, Kansas, butThat is the case. either you're pulling a resource from the landscape and when that is exhausted, you leave. And so that that also funnels into that exploitation idea. It's extraction or exploitation. So there's a sense amongst the folks who live and this may be true if you're a real person listening, you might be nodding along or you might want to fight me either way. WhereThere's an idea, the scarcity mindset that blends in that says, well, everybody who could have left did. Everyone who had the chance and the means and the capacity to leave when it was time to leave did, and we are what remains. I don't think that's accurate. I think that's sometimes, unfortunately, the way that small communities understand themselves. They either become bitterness factories or hope factories. That's very rarely.in a community that is somewhat remote and rural, is it in between those two extremes. You're either a community of hope or you're a community of bitterness. What could have been and what might be. So those are your two extremes. And I'd love to talk to people if they feel like they live in a community that exists right in the middle of those.Kevin Klinkenberg (11:51.238)So the first reason why the community, the area is getting more attention is because materially it's more cost effective to try something new there. That economic ecosystem of extraction or exploitation is given way to one of experiment. Let's try something new. And so there are people who are either coming back to the area or they are relocating from other parts of the country.because they have an idea that is impossible due to the cost constraints of where they live. I am assuming even for our folks who are listening in Kansas City, that if I started doing cost analysis comparison between opening a storefront business of some sort in Prairie Village compared to Iola, Kansas, you will not get the population density for traffic or tail lights, butfor your permit cost, you might be able to buy a building in Iola. So that's really at end of the day, it's more cost effective in our area just because things are cheaper. I don't mean to be crass, but that's what it comes down to. That's the material side. The second one, the one that I'm maybe even more interested in is the mythological side. Why are people so interested in that area? And I wanna ask this question as I hold this off in my head.How do you think people from non-rural contexts experience or how is their perception of the rural world formed by what pop cultural artifacts, so to speak? in the fifties and sixties, I would say it's probably Mayberry, you know, it's the Andy Griffith show. And what's the essence of the rural experience? Well, everybody knows you, you're not going to get away with anything because you'reyour mom's hairdresser's aunt saw you do that. And so they're going to report back. And then as it moves forward, what there's kind of this, it's dearth of pop cultural artifacts that have, kind of monolithic effect, except I believe there is now a new pop cultural phenomenon that everyone at least is aware of that is giving people a lens to look through.Kevin Klinkenberg (14:16.988)and see the rural context. And this is going to be absolutely ridiculous to most people, but stay with me. If you're familiar, if you, if you are familiar with the incredible pieces of art, they're known as hallmark movies. You have had a rural experience because those movies never take place in urban settings. Or if they do, it's only momentary because they're trying to escape it to getto the rural place in which you are going to fall in love, achieve your dreams and feel your stress melt away. And that's silly, it's ridiculous. But at the same time, I believe there is a, I think that is a very kitschy way of seizing on a groundswell ofCollective emotion right now where people are looking for something that is more simple. Our lives are incredibly hectic. We know they're hectic. We know that we are addicted to everything and anything. So how can I simplify? And then how can I take charge of my life and do what I want to do and have some agency? And with a little bit where your dollars go a little bit farther and maybe the pace of life slows down, people feel like they have a little bit more agency.And then finally, where can I still access some version of the American dream, whatever that is? And I think that is a piece of mythology that has been so twisted and turned, but there's, it's still baked in somewhere to us. And I think at the end of the day, part of that dream in a rural context is can I be known by people and can I know other people? I'm sure you are aware of thethe emphasis and the buzzwords of, you know, quality spaces, place making third spaces. mean, we are, we are addicted to those. And in a rural context, I think the perception is when you look through the lens of an artifact, like a hallmark movie, that the entire community is a third space because you're going to bump into the person you work with elsewhere. You're going to see someone.Kevin Klinkenberg (16:38.764)at one of the three restaurants in town that you saw yesterday crossing the street or so on and so forth. So I think that's one reason why the community has been so, or the area has been of interest is because mythologically, it provides an avenue towards some essential thing that we want out of living life in community that may be a little bit more difficult.in, if not an urban context, certainly a suburban context. So if I were to put a dot in Iowa and then draw like a circle 100 miles around it, there's an awful lot of small towns within that circle. Right. What has distinguished Iowa and Humboldt that you see more positiverebound and attraction than maybe some other towns that are within that context. One thing that has really helped so much are collectivist approach to problem solving. for example, my organization Thrive Island County, especially in the area of economic development, we would be completely inept and ineffective if we didn't haveclose and active partnerships with local government and local business leaders and confederations of industry leaders as well. So that's one of the first reasons that Iola Allen County has been successful is because it's taken a collectivist approach to problem solving without any sort of political machinations behind that, or sometimes even completely devoid ofpolitical ideology, just because, something needs to change. What do we do about it? Another reason is because folks who have been successful in Allen County have taken it upon themselves, even though there isn't a whole lot of philanthropic infrastructure, or they don't see philanthropic models that you might see in a larger community. you start a foundation, that foundation does this, this is the way in which you...Kevin Klinkenberg (18:59.088)you know, are able to recoup some of what you've given away through tax breaks and so on and so forth. That infrastructure doesn't really exist in Southeast Kansas and small communities, but successful individuals have taken it upon themselves to think critically about the complex issues that their communities face, identify the areas in which they can have an impact and aggressively pursue that impact. So, andI'll be somewhat discretionary simply because the individual in question is not a huge fan of publicity, but there's an individual, a family in Humboldt, Kansas, that at the time of the pandemic redirected a considerable amount of its workforce towards making community improvements as opposed to laying off workers at their industry. That's turned into almost a parabolic story.but it is exemplary of this individual and this company's approach to community improvement. And even without a model that said, is how you do this. There's no, there's not a Carnegie library in Humboldt, Kansas, even serving as a beacon of what philanthropy looks like. This individual became a quintessential philanthropist to solveproblems and it's in his small community again, because he loves it. And that example has had a profound impact throughout the region where there are more and more folks who have been successful and have realized that their success has resulted because someone else made a provision for them and they've turned around and said, okay.How do I address the complex issues? Not merely I'm gonna endow a scholarship, which by the way, we love that, keep doing that everyone, but we need new curb and gutters in the road. I bet I could do something with that. I bet I could have an effect in that direction. So we've been very beneficial through collectivist solution making and then also,Kevin Klinkenberg (21:19.676)the inspired philanthropy of successful folks. mean, that's so interesting. It kind of hits on a broader topic. know Aaron Wren on his podcast has he's talked about this as well. But like one of the real differences today versus in communities, say 100 years ago, is that 100 years ago, the bank in town was locally owned. Right. The department store was locally owned.Right. You know, most of the, and this is true in cities of towns of almost all sizes, that your local leadership class were people who owned prominent businesses in the town. Right. And that is something that has been lost in an awful lot of communities because of, you know, just changes in the economy and so muchSo much of a shift towards sort of larger corporate owned Businesses that then just have branches in places and you just never have the same buy-in right you're like if you're like the branch manager of a bank that's got 500 Locations right you're gonna have a different buy-in than if you're like the owner of the bank. Yeah and and the same goes for for a lot of industry so I think that's it's really interesting what you mentioned that you sort of start starting from a kernel of somebody who ownedan important business and lives in the town and says, just like you said, I'm not going to just do a scholarship fund, but I'm going to invest in things that make, improve quality of life where I am. Right. And I guess that's, as you were, as you were talking about that, I, I couldn't help but wonder, and I'll, I'll ask you directly if you, do you think a community can outsource its self identity? no. Okay. Okay. So, but that's, that's the tug.When so many things are operated or owned remotely is what happens is this, I really think an existential crisis for a community to go, then what are we and who are we? And if you don't have a thing to point to that provides an place of orientation for your community, it gets really hard to then invite people to invest in that community.Kevin Klinkenberg (23:44.63)And so I think that's, I think you're exactly right. That when, when that autonomy evaporates, then you do have a, identity crisis, so to speak. And so that's one thing that's been really interesting in both Iola and Humboldt is, you know, the businesses that are added, we have some community investment, groups and, some microloan groups andso on and so forth. The businesses that have been added are not, mean, there is no retailer that's saying we'd love to drop a branch in your town of 5,000 people. It doesn't make sense for them. So what's added is homegrown. It's local entrepreneurs who we claw to find capital for them and then they take a swing and we're fortunate in that. I sit on a board of what we call a entrepreneurial community.a lending group, micro loans. although, you know, to us, they're not micro to other folks. might be, we have over 25 loans on the book right now and 99.9 % of them are making their payments with regularity. And we have businesses that are crossing that year to five to year six, year six threshold, which is enormous for anybody in the entrepreneurial world. And we've just been fortunate because, there's nobody coming to rescue us.think that is, that is a shift in mindset for small communities. That's so important and it requires a bit of, I mean, you, have to be brutally honest with yourself that you, you need to empower the folks who are there to ask why not instead of why here. Yeah. AndIf something else comes along, if something locates itself in your community, that is an extra. But if you can empower the folks who are local to take a chance, then I think you're onto something that could be sustainable. Yeah. I wonder if you can talk a little bit more, maybe some specific examples of like the homegrown approach. The reason I ask that is I'm old enough to rememberKevin Klinkenberg (26:09.818)that the standard approach to rural economic development for a long, time was go plat an industrial park on the edge of town, put the infrastructure in, and try to attract what basically were like low wage industrial jobs from big companies. that's how you will save your community. what you're describing is a really different sort of a bottom up approach to working with people who are already there.I wonder if you could talk more about like some of the successes or some of the other couple of stories you can share. Absolutely. and we still do that. I mean, I, got, I got two industrial parks right now that are planning and ready to rock. So if you're out there listening and you, and you want to, know, you need a spot for your biofuel company, hit me up. Cause I am ready to talk. so we're not, we're not opposed to that approach. I just think that, charting that as the only course is, really risky.And to be honest, I don't know how much, how reliable it is. I think it's a part of a solution model. But so for example, we have a coffee shop in Iola, Kansas. Every community has got a coffee shop at this point. It doesn't matter how small you are. This coffee shop, shout out Wild Bloom Coffee in Iola. And this coffee shop got started as alower level commercial space on the square. Like every other cute coffee shop in a small town bought the bare minimum square footage that they could afford as just one half of a building, one half of the lower level of a building. And the coffee shop has been so successful and it's been able toapply for and receive grant funding. It's been able to benefit from a neighborhood revitalization program that's a tax rebate program when they made improvements to the space. It works considerably with our organization in small business coaching and in capital pursuit through our micro loan program. And this coffee shop has now purchased the entire building that they're in. They offerKevin Klinkenberg (28:29.468)kind of a subscription based bourbon taste in nights and cigar bar evenings. And they're going to expand to catering and they they serve brunch now. And in our little coffee shop in Southeast Kansas, the other day I had the best ramen I've had in years. we have, they're really talented folks who are owning and operating that shop, but it's been able to expand consistently.due to again, these collectivist approach because there's so many people, it's not only that they serve a great product, they do. It's not only that they provide a great customer experience, which they do, but it's also because they have been willing to not only want help, but ask for help. And that's an enormous difference. Wanting help is just the awareness that you need something. Asking for help is putting your hand in the air,I said, okay, I'm willing to reach out and grab whomever is going to help out, but I'm asking for it. And so that's an example that we've had in Iola. In Humboldt, Kansas, and I can take no credit for this, there's a group known as a Boulder Humboldt. And that is a confederation of business owners, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers who have added businesses throughout Humboldt. So the best...And from my money, the best little honky tonk in Kansas is the Hitching Post in Humboldt, Kansas. And they have live music every night, every weekend night, excuse me. Probably the most expansive collection of whiskeys that you could want or need. And it is an incredibly successful business and an incredibly successful gathering place. And again, was started.by an individual who moved to Humboldt who had connections with people who had multiple generations of their family within Humboldt. And they were able to continue to build that business and be patient as it was built. they live, to your point earlier, they live and work in the community. The gentleman who owns that business is a city council person in Humboldt, Kansas. And...Kevin Klinkenberg (30:48.88)is really devoted towards overall community health and community growth. those are, and those businesses are now moving beyond. So Hitching Post is moving towards, I think it's third year of operations. So kind of living past that initial start at birth. Wild Bloom, I believe is to year four and five in Iola. So we have some wonderful businesses that are outside of what people would expect in a small community.again, because there've been collectivist approach. So hitching posts exists because of the collective that is a bold or humble and humble. Wild Bloom exists because of multiple collective groups within Iola that were, had a vested interest in these success stories. So the one, I confess the one business I remember from going through Iola is I stopped at the butcher shop right off the highway, which was a pretty incredible operation.And I think at the time I was kind of thinking about, we're not very far from ranch country. I had a cooler with me. want to buy some steaks or whatever and take them home with me. And of course the selection was incredible. The prices were way better than when I get in the city. And it's pretty much like fresh off the ranch. Right. I mean, you might have driven by cattle that were lamenting that their buddy was gone and ended up in your cooler instead.Yeah. So one of the thing I definitely I know about the area is you have this north south bike trail. Yeah. That comes through that goes for, I don't know, 100 miles or something. Yeah. Is that the Prairie Spirit? Prairie Spirit Trail. Yeah. What impact has that had on the area? So one, we have a very high rate of folks who bike or walk to work. Comparatively, I just pulled that data.We are higher than the state average, I think almost twice as high as the state average and people that walk or bike to work. So to me, that signifies two things. is it's pedestrian or bike traffic is built into the community. think part of that is because of the trails. There's 60 miles of trail in Allen County alone.Kevin Klinkenberg (33:09.622)so that's around the, what will become the new state park, Lehigh Portland state park. That's going to be on the edge of Viola. let's say it was a lake that was publicly owned and privately owned and then was deeded over to the state of Kansas and, Kansas department of wildlife and parks is turning that into a new state park. So there's a lot of trails around that and people have access to those trails for a while. Thrive Island County, maintenance is those trails on behalf of KDWP right now.we have trails though, that also we, we think of in, in rural communities, you think of your trails as out somewhere out towards the woods. I mean, you're go ride around and walk around, but there's also dedicated trails in Iola, that go to the hospital. spoiler alert, we did get a new hospital. I started the story talking about the, this, closing of the hospital, new hospitals added, to the elementary school, a new elementary school and to the high school, middle school, and also to around.Not to, we're working on getting trails all through the main thoroughfares in town, but there's also trails around Allen Community College in Iowa as well. So we are addicted to trail building and maintenance because we have a population that in many respects is income challenged. And an automobile, even though to most of us is an automatic purchase to a lot of our neighbors and friends, it's a luxury.And so if you do not have an automobile, but you need to get to work or you need to make your appointment or you need to get to school, you need to have a safe way to do so. And so I think that that trail system is. It's part of a wider, pedestrian and bike travel understanding and folks in our community are not embarrassed to do so. And it's because there's not.There's not the income stratification that exists. I mean, in some communities, if you see someone that is riding their bike to work, there's three categories either, they're, they're a granola type that just wants to show us that they're more fit and better than the rest of us. They are too poor to purchase a vehicle or they get a DUI and they can't drive right now. I mean, that is the truth in, our community because the, because of the prevalence of the trail system.Kevin Klinkenberg (35:35.002)If someone is walking or biking to work, it's really hard to codify them. I wonder if they fall into this category or that category just because it's the norm. So we're very fortunate that those trails exist and they do. It also affects, as you mentioned, the glamping outdoors, outdoor recreation, infrastructure and commercialization that exists in our area. That's very helpful. So again, in Humboldt, there is a camping, kayaking,and BMX riding facility known as Base Camp. And it is located at a trailhead. And so you can jump off Prairie Spirit or Southwind Trail. You can go into Base Camp. The, again, the state park is full of trails and also on Prairie Spirit and connect to Southwind Trails as well. Yeah. And then if you ride it far enough, you'll connect to the Flint Hills Trail. Yeah, exactly. Which is.over a hundred miles East West trail. Right. Exactly. My wife and I have ridden a few times. Okay. Cool. Yeah. we, we, one of our favorite events of the years, we go to the symphony and the foothills. Yeah. which is, I almost hate to talk about it because I don't want, I don't want it to become too popular. You don't want people to show up. Yeah. I really don't want people from the coast flying in and, and, making this, you know, too expensive, but my God, it's an incredible thing. Right.just one of the coolest events that we do on a regular basis with where the Kansas City Symphony goes out onto a active cattle ranch in the Flint Hills and performs a concert. But we've made a habit of going and writing a different section of the Flint Hills Trail every year, which is really a fun experience as well. But haven't done the Prairie Spirit, so I'm...Interested to do that. You absolutely should. mean, we, we talked to cyclists who do the same thing, who are connected using the Prairie Spirit to get to the Flint Hills. We're doing a major ride and they're always impressed with the quality of the trails. the Prairie, I, I can only say I only ride or have ridden a portion of it. so, and if you happen to see me riding, can, you can, guess a, is it.Kevin Klinkenberg (37:46.192)Poverty is a DUI or is it granola? one? What's the reason? But no, we're very fortunate that that trail system exists and fortunate that we are the custodians of that trail system. And that's one thing that I would say to, if you're in a rural context and you're just trying to think of something that you could add that would improve quality of life, would be a quality of life amenity, which by the way is an absolute necessity now.That's reason people are choosing to locate themselves in different places. Obviously housing matters, obviously childcare matters, obviously the possibility of earning a comfortable income matters. But if those three things are satisfied, they're making decisions about where to land based on, you know, is there a quality of life, amenity that I can connect myself with? You have, you have space and you have dirt. You are almost there. You are almost to the, to having a trail.or a system of trails in your community on the edge of your community. Please, please talk to Thrive Allen County. We have a lot of experience of doing trail work. We have blown it and messed it up in different places so we can help you avoid those problems as well. But that is a way in which you can activate your community and you can also contribute to the overall health of your community as well. So I want to talk a little bit more about the place making aspect of this.Like I mentioned before, went to high school in a small town in central Missouri and before that I did first through eighth grade in a small town in southern Minnesota.things that were memories that really stick out for me was, know, if you live in a small community and you're a kid, like riding a bike is a normal thing. Yeah. And I used to ride my bike everywhere. And it was accepted. It was normalized. It was easy to do and safe. There's very little traffic on most of the streets. But as soon as you hit 16 years old, like it is theKevin Klinkenberg (39:54.78)uncoolest thing in the world. You've got to have a car. You've got to be cruising around. there, one of the things that has really interested me that I've tried to, I've tried to articulate, I haven't done a great job of it, but I've thought a lot about, which is most small towns are absolutely natural places for the sort of walking, biking lifestyle that.quote unquote urbanists talk about all the time. it's actually, they were built for that originally. But it also bumps up against like the, there's a culture aspect, which seems to not embrace that in most small towns. And I experienced that. I still see it all the time. And I've often thought like really, I guess maybe I want your reaction to this. One of the things I've thought is thatone of the best economic development approaches for a lot of small towns is to be the antithesis of the big city and the big city, people think of it as urban with all this cool stuff to do. But the reality is most people are spending a ton of time in a car, getting from place to place, commute, whether not just commuting, but going shopping, kids activities, et cetera. Looking for a parking spot. Looking for a parking spot. but in a small town,those, it almost ought to be like, that's the place where you could really sell this idea of a lifestyle where you get on your bike and get to a lot of places. You could walk to the town square and that should be a real competitive advantage. wonder if you could, you think that's. Yeah. So why does that not happen? No, I think that's a, I think that is such an insightful question. and one that we struggle with a lot. so I want to, I want to tackle it in a couple of different ways.One is back to the mythology. What's a marker of success? Marker of success is to be able to have your preferred automobile and typically multiple automobiles. And that doesn't end just because you're in a small town. People still want to virtue or virility signal with their automobiles. And because of the work and the terrain in which people live in small towns in rural Kansas, automobiles are typically bigger. Automobiles are bigger anywhere.Kevin Klinkenberg (42:13.868)Always constantly. that again, back to the American dream model, excess is our love language as a culture. so at the same way you got, you have a lot of big vehicles and we need, we're going to signal that we're doing well via this big vehicle, especially if you struggle with multi-generational poverty. Here's a purchase you can make that is a signal that does not require the type of overhead as a home.So I'm going to buy this vehicle. It's going to show everyone that I'm doing okay. The only way to show everyone that is to use said vehicle until I can't make the payments on it anymore. that's not a, that's not a purely rural experience, but it's one that shows up a lot, especially in socioeconomically, depressed areas. Yeah. Here's my $50,000, vehicle in front of my $40,000 house. Sure. Sure. yeah. So that, that, that occurs a lot. There's still,There's still status signaling through via vehicles. That's the first one. Second one is it costs communities more to provide the infrastructure necessary for safe pedestrian and bicycle traffic. If you have X amount of dollars in your county budget or in your city budget to build roads and it's going to take, you know, 5 % more to add a bike lane.to change the width of your sidewalks and you have to decide either we do the project without those things or we don't do the project at all because everyone is clamoring for those things. In most cases, they're going to choose to add the infrastructure without these dedicated spaces. Part of my organization's efforts is to educate communities that you can do that in a cost effective way. You can add those things in a way that's cost effective. So,I think we're moving the needle in that direction. I think that that's still a big issue. we have some, so there's some cultural status signaling. We have some infrastructure cost challenges there. And then also the antithesis of the big city idea is very interesting because typically when people see adults riding their bikes, if you are from a rural community,Kevin Klinkenberg (44:34.576)You only see that when you go to larger communities. I remember having, again, I did grad school in Portland and Portland is an incredibly bike friendly community. If you talk to people who drive in Portland, who do not also cycle there, they lament how bike friendly it is. But if you are a person traveling in a large city, from a rural context to a large city, you see for the first time.city infrastructure that has bike lanes, has bike crossing, pedestrian cross, a lot more foot traffic, a lot more bike traffic. And it can be really alarming to your sensibility of what it is to get from place A to place B. And so, man, did we have a scare, I almost hit that person on a bike. Do I really want to deal with that back home? In a place where you're sharing literal traffic lanes as opposed to driving next to a bike lane.so on and so forth. So I think you're right. think there there is a sense in which, you do want to be the antithesis of the big city. But where you say that and you go, so make yourself more walk walkable and bikeable. There are folks in smaller towns who go, yeah, man, there's a lot of cyclists in that big city that I that I visited. And it was really difficult to navigate. I think that's shifting. We're very fortunate in that even in our town of five thousand people, there are folks who are interested in.making a transition from predominantly using their vehicle, their automobile to get around to using their bike or just walking again, twice as high as the state average of folks who getting to work that way. So I think we're seeing that, that shift. And I think that is a selling point for why we're inviting people to spend time in our area or consider moving to our area. Because if that is a lifestyle change you would like to make or that you've already embraced, thenThere's probably a way in which you can get everywhere you need to go in Iola or Humboldt or elsewhere in Allen County on your bike or on your own two feet.Kevin Klinkenberg (46:38.566)Another thing that has been really interesting the last few years, in the wake of COVID and all of the policies and changes that happened, there's been an awful lot written and talked about in regards to like people moving. People leaving cities, looking for smaller towns. Sometimes they're leaving the city and moving to the suburbs. Sometimes they're maybe moving from the suburbs to a small town or an exurb.And obviously, I don't need to rehash all of that, but there's been a lot of conversation about that for the last few years. And it feels a little bit like there's been a shift in perception in the culture about small town living in a positive way. What have you noticed the last four or five years? First, a little bit of a, I don't want to dampen that.that exuberance for small town living. But I think the data is starting to show us that people dip their toe into rural life and then they have went back to the cities or to the suburbs or so on and so forth. But in some cases, that's that's true. Just people have chosen a city, a new city, and they've left. So Austin's a great example. Austin boomed post pandemic and now their vacancy rate in particular apartments, condos, things like that.is astronomical because people are like, well, this was cool. And now I'm ready to go back to where my job is or where I lived previously. And so I think that's happening. The shuffling of the deck is resettling itself, so to speak. I do think you're right that there is a more positive perception of rural living than there used to be. I think it's because COVID taught us that everything could be truly remote.And if you can survive and maybe even thrive, and you talk to some folks and the best years of their life, with all due respect to people who lost loved ones during COVID or struggled with that, or still dealing with the health effects following COVID, there are some people who will tell you that COVID changed my life. I was at home with my family. I was taking more, more direct self-care. I was making efforts toKevin Klinkenberg (49:00.964)identify some things in my character that I want to change. It changed my life. So being remote was a positive. And so I think, what if I did that geographically as well? What if I did that socially as well? And I located myself in someplace a little more remote. Would that also be advantageous to me? And I think COVID also reminded us of the power of knowing people and being known by people.I think that is probably the primary reason in which people are choosing, if they're not business owners or entrepreneurs, people are choosing to live in smaller communities or move to smaller communities, even if the numbers aren't as great as they were immediately post-COVID, because they see an opportunity to be known by their neighbors and to know their neighbors. Because when that was taken away from us, for so many of us,that was relationally cataclysmic. And it made us, it gave us all, but it also gave us time to go, okay, how well do I really know the folks that I'm not seeing anymore? And does that bother me that I don't know them? And could I know them better? And I think in a rural context, there's still that capacity to know the people that live on your street and to really interact with them. And not that it's impossible.in an ex-urban or suburban or urban context, but it might be a little less immediate than it is in a rural context. Yeah, it kind of reminds me of the joke that the best thing about living in a small town is everybody knows everybody. The worst thing about living in a small town is everybody knows everybody. For sure. That's absolutely true. I think maybe COVID reminded us though.The worst thing isn't as bad as the best thing could be good. doubt. What are, what are some of the things that your communities need to get better at? like what, if you were to chart a positive course or continue the improvement, what, what do you need to do better? What are you trying to work on now? So one thing we need to do is accentuate a positive that I mentioned earlier, more firm and reliable collective approaches to problem solving.Kevin Klinkenberg (51:22.138)So that's one thing. A second thing that we need to get better at is our anchor institutions need to position themselves as irrepressible agencies for good. So, for example, our school districts, our community college in Iowa, Kansas, and then the city governments and county governments, they need to, we need to work together to see ourselves as innovation agents.and benevolent disruptors as opposed to status quo maintenance agencies. And again, I think that's applicable in most rural contexts and probably applicable in a lot of community contexts, because again, you are either moving towards becoming a hope factory or bitterness factory and status quo will lead you to bitterness because those who don't achieve it will become in bitter that they didn't achieve it.or those that you're trying to force feed it to as the end result of their life will wonder why you didn't chart a more hopeful course for them. So we need our anchor organizations to see themselves as agencies of good and do so without shame. And I think that is obviously a difficult thing to map out or reverse engineer, but what it requiresis leadership that is constantly in pursuit of not utilitarianism or what works, but what is going to have the best long term effect on the quality of life of the people that work for the organization or that the organization serves. those are two things that I would say even more collective approaches to problem solving. So housing is a great example.Everybody's struggling with housing right now, whether you're in an urban context or a rural context. And the old ways of solving that, just, you know, here's a here's a platable era, you know, several plaits, plaited land that the city owns. And we want a developer to come in and you can build a subdivision. And we're going to give you these tax breaks. We're going to incentivize this in so many different ways. I think that's still maybe possible in certain contexts and rural contexts. It's just not possible.Kevin Klinkenberg (53:44.828)One, because the city typically doesn't own that much land. And two, a developer then has to say, can I, what are the margins going to be? Because I'm going to have to bring a crew down here. I'm going to get supplies down here. Are there already contractors down here? There's already people. There's master craftsmen and so on and so forth. But there's not a contractor and there's not a readily available crew. So, for example, the state of Kansas right now, the Department of Commerce has offered the frame grant.that is going to give capital to community colleges that have a building trades program, construction program to help identify the gap in the housing ecosystem and address it. And I think things like that, ideas like that are going to be so important moving forward because they're going to be necessary for everyone to get on the same page. In Humboldt, Kansas, the most reliable developer, with the exception of maybe in the past year,was the school district. High school built one house every two years or so. And it was a guaranteed reliable development. One house in Kansas City, who no one will notice, in a community of 2,500 people, a new house is, I guarantee you, is the talk of the town. So I think that is something that's going to be necessary is that we continue to embrace and expect collective solutions.collaborative solutions to complex problems. And then that our anchor agencies, and this could even include our anchor institutions and maybe even our industrial partners, see themselves with a responsibility to be benevolent disruptors.One thing kind of as part of that conversation, I might be reading a little bit into this, but I certainly know from my experience that oftentimes in rural communities, there is more of an acceptance of just status quo. It is what it is. I don't mean to say this like an insulting way to anybody, but.Kevin Klinkenberg (55:58.22)not necessarily a push for excellence or striving. Maybe the better way to say it is not as much striving to achieve. And I think part of that's because it's more comfortable and easy to live in a smaller town, costs are less, et cetera, et cetera. In a big city, you find a lot more people who really striving for something. Is that an aspect at all of kind of like, as you think aboutthe next phases are achieving more in your county? No. I'll elaborate. No, if you don't, if you don't believe that striving for excellence is part of the rural expectation, you have not been to a county fair. So if you go to a county fair and see the effort that people put into things that will neverbe recognized outside of a three day event and the sweltering heat at the end of July in rural Kansas, then I don't know what to you. if it's speak with, communicate with folks who are trying to grow the best stand of wheat that they have in their life every year, speak with people who aredo not care about commodity prices, but are proud of the way that they're being fields look, or the person that is growing the best beef you've ever eaten in your life. and I think that pursuit of excellence is still there. I understand what you're saying that, and I think the, what you're, what you're actually articulating is something that's present in rural communities, which is the reluctance to be disruptive. I don't, I don't want.to in any way rock the boat because rocking the boat will, could potentially bring shame on myself. And they still on the honor and shame, social economy and small towns is still very real because most people are multiple or are part of a multiple generation. you know, family tree it's been in that area. So my gosh, if you mess up, then the shame that bring on your family.Kevin Klinkenberg (58:21.628)it moves up and down that family tree. It's not isolated to just yourself. If you are an entrepreneur in Atlanta and you have no connection to the community, you just landed there, and you try a business and it flops, but then you're able to go somewhere else. There's no shame involved in that. You, you are.a pioneer. You are, you know, you're an entrepreneur and everyone is going to be impressed by you because you had a great big idea that just didn't work. And here's 18 reasons it didn't work that you had no control over. If you're an entrepreneur in Iowa, Kansas and your business flops and you still have to live in that community and everybody's going to ask your aunt when she goes to church on Sunday, well, you know.We saw that he started that your, your nephew started that auto body place. Is this, is it still open? Didn't seem like there were many cars there. Didn't seem, didn't seem like he's doing, is he doing okay? he's, they had to close. that's terrible. And your aunt's the one who has to answer that question for you. And so I think, I don't think it's a reluctance to pursue excellence. I think it is a fear that they will somehow.do something that will be shameful. Interesting. And I think that that's very real. And that burden of failure sits heavy in a rural community. failure in a rural community historically is very obvious. It is driving by a field that is fallow. It is driving by a farmhouse that's in disrepair.because there's not money to take care of it. So it is so much louder than it can be in other places. Interesting. I appreciate that. last thing I wanted to ask about, as I've looked before at coming to Humboldt in particular, I was really impressed by just the amount of activity that is programmed in the town on a regular basis.Kevin Klinkenberg (01:00:33.979)That's something that most small towns don't do much of. I wonder if you could speak to a little bit. So like, I always think about that, like in a community there's hardware and there's software and that's like the software side and talk a little bit about what Humboldt has been doing and what that has meant for the overall success of the place. And the credit again goes toward Boulder Humboldt, that group, and then also theirCity Administrator Cole Herder, shout out Cole Herder. Listen, if you want to know what it is to be a good City Administrator in a small town, which is part PR Director, part Public Works Director, part Ombudsman and Accountant and everything else, Cole Herder and Humble Matt Rader in Iowa, those are dues that you need to put on your radar and have a coffee with.In Humboldt, that software analogy is so perfect because that directly connects to their sense of self. And so all of these events take place. For example, they brought back an event called Water Wars in the summer in which the municipal fire department is involved and it's a part parade, part massive citywide water balloon fight, part public water sports.events on the town square. And there is, it is pure frivolity, but they have embraced it because it is a spectacle of joy for the community. And in that capacity as a spectacle of joy, it ceases to be frivolous because again, if you are driving or trying to move your community toa becoming a hope factory, you need spectacles of joy. You need reasons that people can revel in the fact that they live in that place, because so often we are told as rural people, it's a shame you live there. Gosh, wouldn't it be great if you just moved somewhere else? So these spectacles of joy in which people can fully embrace, my gosh, I'm so proud or even because we don't have to defend it.Kevin Klinkenberg (01:02:54.96)And that's typically what a small town person is told they have to do. Defend why you want, why do you live there? No, I'm just going to be happy that I'm here right now. Iola just had their Christmas block party on the square in which, you know, Santa visited and kids played games and the businesses served hot chocolate. And it's, mean, it's, it is very Hallmark movie. By the way, one of the, one of the largesttown squares in Kansas. So come and visit if town squares are your thing. First of all, you and I probably aren't going to hang out at parties, but if that's what you love, come to the Iowa block party for Christmas and you will get a taste of Americana that you have been hankering for. But again, it's just a spectacle of joy and communities need those things.They need those spectacles of joy. And I think that's also to your point earlier about why people are choosing to locate themselves in rural communities, because they can do it in an unabashed way. They don't have to defend why they're doing it. doesn't have to be cool. It doesn't have to be on trend. It can just be a thing that's fun that you can revel in. And in in Humboldt and in Iowa, in Humboldt especially, there have been a group of folks who have sought to addto the community calendar, these spectacles of joy that have become a collective experience of hopefulness and celebration. And I don't know that you need to defend that. And I think we would probably all live in healthier communities if we engaged in those things without the need to qualify why they exist.Jared, I think that's a great place to wrap. Very, very, very interesting. This was a lot of fun. I think at some point down the road, I might like to have you on again and talk some more. There's probably four or five more questions that I still have in my head. I'd love to talk about. But this is super interesting. If people are trying to find you and find your communities, what's the best way to do it?Kevin Klinkenberg (01:05:09.084)ThriveAllenCounty.org. You can find out everything about the organization that I work for and you can connect with all of my colleagues there. You can email me at Jared, J-A-R-E-D at ThriveAllenCounty.org. And that's the best way to get in touch with me. I'm on LinkedIn because I'm trying to be a grownup right now. But other than that, I am willfully disengaged from social media.beyond that, for minutes, not because I'm a rural lead, but because I'm trying to protect my peace in that way. So shoot me an email, find my phone number on, on the internet. And I'd love, I'd love to talk to you. If you are rural and you want to argue with me about this stuff, please, if you are a person living in a different context and you want to chat more about this, I would love to do so. Fantastic. Jared, thanks so much.Good luck with everything and I'll definitely make a point to bring the family down and come visit one of these days. Sounds great. Thank you so much Kevin. Thanks Get full access to The Messy City at kevinklinkenberg.substack.com/subscribe

We are back with another Rodeo rider episode! This time we sat down with Jeff Chapman. Jeff is from Kansas City, Missouri, and is new to Rodeo Labs this year as he has waded further into the gravel thicket. Jeff started his journey into cycling around the pandemic and is now a two-time participant of Unbound. The race in Kansas has taken on extra meaning for Jeff whose day job is spent out on those same Flint Hills gravel roads. Nevertheless, as is common practice for Rodeo riders, the urge to explore has brought Jeff to expand his racing exploits and explores bigger challenges, most recently taking on a race in Germany. Jeff's story is different from our previous guests, but for me, it was very similar to the countless chats I've had with rodeo owners all across the country at races. Only this time did we turn on the microphones first! Host: Logan Jones-WilkinsGuest: Jeff ChapmanProducer: Logan Jones-Wilkins Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm excited to have Melissa Grimmel Schaake on this week's episode! Originally from Maryland, she was raised on a multi-generational grain operation with a passion for livestock and a strong work ethic at a young age. She moved to the midwest to attend Kansas State University. Later, her and her husband, Shane, started a herd together before they even got married. They now proudly own and operate Grimmel Schaake Cattle Company in the Flint Hills of Kansas.    As a first generation cattlewoman, it's incredible that Melissa won the 2024 American Hereford Association's Hereford Herdsman of the Year award. In this episode she shares how she started with herefords, how she stays focused on her “why”, and how she faces adversity with a strong family and friend support system. Melissa also talks about who they serve and how they achieve a superior customer experience.    There's so much wisdom Melissa leaves us to ensure we're following how to be you, do you, for you.   Resources & Links: Heritage Style Join The Directory Of The West Get our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job Description Get our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your Internship Email us at hello@ofthewest.co Join the Of The West Email List List your jobs on Of The West   Connect with Melissa Grimmel Schaake Grimmel Schaake Cattle Company website Melissa Grimmel Shaake website Follow on Instagram @grimmelshaakecattle and @melissagrimmel Follow on Facebook @grimmelshaakecattle and @melissaphotogdesign   Connect with Jessie: Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarv Follow on Facebook @jobsofthewest Check out the Of The West website Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest on this epsiode is Drew Goodman, rising senior for the Oklahoma Sooners, and the new Trans-Mississippi Amateur Champion.  He climbed back into the tournament with a final round 64, and outlasted William Sides from SMU in a sudden-death playoff.  It's been a long time since Drew captured a win, but he has been a model of consistency for the Sooners in his collegiate career.  We spoke about the upcoming season, how he prepared himself mentally and physically for each competitive round....and the PGA Tour U implications that lie ahead for him in his senior season. Drew Goodman - Oklahoma Men' GolfElite Amateur Golf Series - Official WebsiteThe Back of the Range - All Access The Back of the Range Collection at Imperial SportsCOUPON CODE: BOTR15 for 15% your entire purchase!Subscribe to The Back of the Range Subscribe in Apple Podcasts and SPOTIFY!Also Subscribe in YouTube,   Google Play , Overcast, Stitcher  Follow on Social Media! Email us:   ben@thebackoftherange.comWebsite: www.thebackoftherange.com  Voice Work by Mitch Phillips

The Field Museum has unveiled a new specimen of Archaeopteryx, a species that may hold the key to how ancient dinosaurs became modern birds. Also, a “green glacier” of trees and shrubs is sliding across the Great Plains, burying some of the most threatened habitat on the planet.Remarkably Well-Preserved Archeopteryx Specimen UnveiledThe Field Museum in Chicago just unveiled a new specimen of one of the most important fossils ever: Archaeopteryx. It lived around 150 million years ago, and this species is famous for marking the transition from dinosaurs to birds in the tree of life.The Field Museum now has the 13th known fossil—and it may be the best-preserved one yet. So what makes this specimen so special? And what else is there to learn about Archaeopteryx?To answer these questions, guest host Sophie Bushwick talks with Dr. Jingmai O'Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum, about what makes Archaeopteryx such an icon in the world of paleontology and why they're so excited about it.Trees And Shrubs Are Burying Prairies Of The Great PlainsIn the Flint Hills region of Kansas, the Mushrush family is beating back a juggernaut unleashed by humans — a Green Glacier of trees and shrubs grinding slowly across the Great Plains and burying some of the most threatened habitat on the planet.This blanket of shrublands and dense juniper woods gobbling up grassland leads to wildfires with towering flames that dwarf those generated in prairie fires.It also eats into ranchers' livelihoods. It smothers habitat for grassland birds, prairie fish and other critters that evolved for a world that's disappearing. It dries up streams and creeks. New research even finds that, across much of the Great Plains, the advent of trees actually makes climate change worse.Now a federal initiative equips landowners like Daniel Mushrush with the latest science and strategies for saving rangeland, and money to help with the work.Read more at sciencefriday.com.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.