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The Whole Story

Do you ever long for a complete story, not just the one side people are trying to push you toward? Most issues have many facets. An example is guns. Somewhere a gun is protecting someone. At the same time someone is being oppressed or held against their will by the intimidation of a gun. 

Somewhere the gun is in the hands of a child who thinks it’s a toy. And somewhere else a child is learning responsible gun handling.

It’s the same with most issues. Welfare is helping someone get back on their feet and somewhere else someone is taking advantage of the system.

Covid vaccines are saving someone’s life. And someone else is reacting to the vaccine and dying.  The reactions are played down because then people would lose faith in them. Social media companies have now said they will remove any links that go against their side because that is truth and everything else is misinformation.

I believe truth is like a prism and has many facets. And we can’t get to truth when one perspective is being hidden.

This is my personal experience and I am not alone. I share this not to frighten you but to help you make the story more complete.

Years ago a doctor put me on the antibiotic Levaquin. When I took the first pill, my legs began cramping and shaking uncontrollably. This continued for 77 hours. I was home alone and had trouble getting back and forth to the bathroom. It was awful! And scary! When I called up to the doctor, the nurse said well that’s not on our list of side effects.

I began searching online. There were hundreds of people with the same reaction from the pill. Some had torn ligaments. Some were paralyzed. I never took those pills again. And I am grateful for such a quick reaction because it led me on a journey toward holistic healing.

I took the flu shot once and got sick. Not a little soreness but in bed on a breathing machine for months. I got influenza A, B, bronchitis, viral pneumonia, and a sinus infection.

I spent most of my life on antibiotics searching from doctor to doctor to find the cure. I was ill all the time and knew if I kept going and searched and searched I would find a cure!

“Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door shall open.”

I did. But it ended up being a different door opening. It was one where I took control of my body.

For someone who was on four to five antibiotics a year and doctors were stumped, I have not been on a medical antibiotic in years. As you sit considering whether or not to take the Covid vaccine I am happy for your choice to do so. For those pushing mandatory vaccines I pray you think and fight for those like me who know our own bodies well enough that the risk is too great. I am watching videos of people reacting to the vaccine. This may be the right choice for you but don’t I have the right to choose for myself?

COVID is serious, deadly. But I don’t believe the government should be allowed to decide what is mandatory to inject in my body.

If this was anything else besides medical I doubt you would be ok with that kind of government control.

Western medicine is wonderful for so many things!! But it is not the only answer.

I have researched and learned many things by hearing different sides of an issue. I learned how much our bodies are capable of, how a vaccine is a medical procedure that is not one size fits all. And how essential oils and the right nutrition and supplements for your body is gold.

I  pray  we  always  have  a  choice.

Whether you agree or not with my choices or decisions, it is another side of the story. And it’s one that I believe is worth telling. As more and more of these websites are being flagged as misinformation, I want to share with you there is more than one side to a story.

Everything has risks.  “Safe and effective?” That is debatable. What I want the most from this column is that we could continue to debate in public forums.

OPINIONS

There's A Place For You

It’s July 2025.The year is half over. The county fair begins in just a few weeks and school will start shortly after that. I cannot believe how fast time is flying.   I am home with a fever and a cold. And quite irritated because that is for winter, not beautiful... [More]

Here I am God

It’s the end of June. My daughter is away at camp for a week, and there is a lot of quiet and a lot of space.  It is strange and uncomfortable. My first reaction is to try and fill the space. But a part of me just wants to stop and relax a little.  There are things... [More]

Hurry Up and Slow Down

It’s Tuesday morning. Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, is a federal holiday. It snuck up on me like everything else lately. So I had to knock out this paper rather quickly. It is mid June, wheat harvest is here, the fourth of July... [More]

Looking for the Good

It is mid June with a little over five weeks until the County Fair starts. We have a 4-H meeting today after we did barn chores, I took a walk, and my daughter had basketball practice and helped with our local vacation bible school.   This part of parenting is running... [More]

A Little Patience

It’s a cool, rainy Wednesday morning as I write this column. More rain is forecasted today. As long as tornados and hail stay away, I am good. Praying for protection on all our fields!  The wheat is ripening quickly. I hope everyone has a safe harvest.   We... [More]

Life in a Smalll Town

It’s the end of May. As I write this Wednesday morning boys are at state golf doing well!! Girls are headed to state track. So it doesn’t feel like school is out yet. I wish I could delay the paper’s publishing to have the results but life doesn’t work... [More]

Moments in Time

It’s the last day of school. Another school year has ended. It has had a few challenges but overall a great one. In the last week, we have covered high school graduation, kindergarten graduation, and eighth grade promotion (next week’s paper).  High school graduation... [More]

I saw God on Monday

I spent Monday on the road picking up sheep feed and covering the Junior High Hi-Plains League Track Meet.  Or in more honest terms, I spent the day running around for my daughter. LOL.   It was a busy day filled with great memories. But I spent Tuesday in a... [More]

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SPORTS

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HI-PLAINS ALL LEAGUE

The Hi-Plains League has announced recipients of all-league basketball honors. The selection process begins when individual coaches submit names. The players are then voted on by the other HPL coaches. However, coaches may not vote on their own players.   Syracuse High School... [More]

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SHS CHEER TAKES SECOND

Small but Mighty! That is the name high school Head Cheerleading Coach, Marcos Valadez put on the 2024-2025 squad last summer, “We may not have the numbers, but our team has overcome adversity and is always stepping up to the challenge.”  Proving this, the Syracuse... [More]

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BULLDOGS OPEN FALL SEASON WITH FIRST PLACE FINISH IN GOLF

The Syracuse Bulldogs Ladies Varsity Golf Team took first at their season opener in Stanton County on Tuesday afternoon. They shot a team score of 207 at the Prairie Pines Golf Course in Johnson. The varsity team  is Lanee Owens, Bronwyn Lewis, Sammy Schwieterman, Maddy... [More]

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LEWIS HEADS TO STATE TRACK

Qualifying members of the high school track team traveled to Hill City Thursday, May 16 to compete in the 2-A regional meet against 15 teams, Ellinwood, Ellis, Hill City, Hoxie, Lincoln, Meade, Medicine Lodge, Oakley, Plainville, Smith Center, Stanton County, Sublette, Thomas... [More]

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BULLDOGS TAKE SECOND AT REGIONALS - HEADED TO STATE

The Syracuse High School boys golf team battled breezy conditions on Monday May 13 competing in the 2-A Regional meet on their own Tamarisk Golf Course.  Adjusting to windy conditions and competing at home paid off for the Bulldogs Monday, placing second, qualifying... [More]

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STATE GOLF RESULTS

State golf on Monday had the Varsity Bulldogs miss playing in the finals as a team by one stroke. They finished seventh out of twelve teams.  On Day 1, Brody Keller shot a 92 missing day two by two strokes. Ian Brummett shot a 95, Mason Scott  and Johnny TeVelde shot... [More]

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JH BASKETBALL WINS

Junior High Boys Basketball A, B, and C teams travelled to Elkhart on Monday, November 21. The A team won 41-34, B team won 26-21, and  C team lost to Elkhart 13-20. Head Coach Vance Keller said, “Elkhart was a tough win for both the A and B teams but both grinded... [More]

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LADY BULLDOGS BORDER WARS CHAMPIONS!!

The Lady Bulldogs were undefeated during the Border Wars, defeating Eads on Friday, 42-7 and Walsh on Saturday 62-5, bringing their record to 3-1. But the winner wasn’t announced until Tuesday evening. Syracuse Athletic Director Josh Johnson explained, “It came down... [More]

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NEWS

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Community Rallies Around David Cartwright with Upcoming Benefit Dinner

A benefit dinner for Syracuse resident David Cartwright will be held on Friday, June 27 at the Veterans Building, located at 607 N Main Street in Syracuse. The event is being organized to help offset medical expenses following David’s recent diagnosis of stage 4 cancer.... [More]

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Hometown Vets Take Honor Flight

Palmer, visiting the Vietnam memorial, found the name of one of Syracuse’s hometown heroes, killed in Vietnam, Bobby Jantz, “He was truly a good friend.”  Two hometown Veterans, Van Vesper and Oliver Palmer, recently had the opportunity to travel on the... [More]

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Twice The Ice Opens

Last weekend, Ark Valley Oil opened up a new self-serve ice and water vending machine at the west end of Syracuse, on Highway 50 and N Highway 27.  John Welch has had a vision for that location. When the property became available, he saw it’s opportunity. ... [More]

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Farm Store Opens North of Kendall

Drive ten miles north of Kendall where the blacktop ends, where the dust of the county dirt road flies. Travel a few more miles and on the Kearny County side of the border you will find the Horton Farmstead. Trees, farm equipment, a small backyard playground, barns, and a small,... [More]

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Weis Awarded Bronze Star Medal

Syracuse resident Marvin and Janet Weis returned home last week to find a package waiting at their door. Marvin was sure Janet had ordered something online. When they got inside and opened the manila envelope, Marvin was shocked to find he had been awarded the Bronze Star Medal... [More]

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GRAMMY D’S SWEETS MOVES TO SYRACUSE

“Since I moved back here,  everything is falling into  place.”  Diena Schwieterman, 1986 SHS graduate made the decision to move home. “As soon as I made the decision, it seems like everything began falling into place.”   Diena... [More]

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Powerlifters Head to State

Syracuse Bulldogs power lifting successful season is ending with nine athletes qualifying for the state meet Saturday, March 29 in Conway Springs at 9:00 AM CT, 8:00 AM MT. Qualifying are Natalia Figueroa, Stella Simon, Deena Rochat, Angel Peralta, Angel Ramirez, Will Roberts,... [More]

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LOCAL WOMAN HACKED ONLINE WANTS TO HELP PREVENT YOU FROM SIMILAR SITUATION

Scams. Hackers. They are everywhere. They call your phone, text a simple hi, email you from what looks like a reasonable business. They are out for your money or your identity.  We often think they get other people, not us.  Local resident Ronna Simon is exasperated.... [More]

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OBITUARIES

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Shannon Craig Thompson

Shannon Craig Thompson, of Lone Jack, MO, a man of wit, wanderlust, and unwavering honesty. He passed away on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at the age of 56. Surrounded by the warmth of family and friends at Saint Luke’s Hospital on the Plaza, Shannon’s journey came to... [More]

Gary Lee Walk

Gary Lee Walk, beloved foster son of Barbara and Kenny Bay, was born August 19, 1961, in Scott City, Kansas to Lloyd Irving Walk and Margaret Jane McCormick Walk. He lived in Lakin, Kansas until he was 17 years old when he moved to Syracuse, Kansas to live with his foster parents.... [More]

Richard Mark Jones

 Funeral Services for Lamar, Colorado resident, Richard Jones will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 23, 2025 at Life Center Church with Pastor Fabian Reyes officiating.  Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until time of the service.  Cremation will follow... [More]

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Calvin Snodgrass

Calvin Snodgrass, 79, passed away April 1, 2025 at Chambersburg Hospital, Chambersburg, PA. He was born November 11, 1945 in Springfield, Colorado, to Pearl and Ralph Snodgrass. Calvin graduated from Springfield High School and attended one year of college before being drafted... [More]

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Alma Lou (Thrush) Plunkett

Alma Lou (Thrush) Plunkett, 87, passed away in Garden City, KS at Ranch House Senior Living on May 17, 2025.  Alma was born on December 10, 1937, in Syracuse, KS to Wesley Miles Thrush and Alma Gladys Thrush, an only child.  Her parents were farmers in rural Staton... [More]

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James “Bub” McGee

A Memorial Service for James “Bub” McGee will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Bristol Grace Fellowship Church in Bristol, Colorado with Rev. Kathy Leathers officiating.  Inurnment will follow in the Hartman Cemetery, Hartman, Colorado. James... [More]

Richard Helfrich

            A graveside memorial service for longtime Coolidge, Kansas resident Richard Helfrich will be held at 10:00AM on Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at the Sunnyvale Cemetery south of Coolidge, Kansas. Following the service a gathering of family... [More]

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Harold Wayne Crawford

Harold Wayne Crawford, a devoted husband, loving father, and cherished member of his community, passed away peacefully on May 22, 2025, in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, just days before his 89th birthday. He was surrounded by his family and his beloved wife, Pat, with whom he shared... [More]

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