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It's time for Positively Kansas this week.

I'm never embarrassed to say I'm from Kansas.

But this Marion High School alum says there's always room for improvement.

He writes a check to his alma mater in hopes of stimulating discussion about diversity.

Hear what he hopes the money will be used for, and why he has such a fondness for his hometown.

Also.

Maybe he is in North Carolina, but did you realize the influence Kansa had on The Andy Griffith Show?

Anthony Powell investigates the connection, and why we can claim a part of this iconic TV show for ourselves and.

On any other day Argonia Police would be chasin you down for driving like this.

But this was no ordinary da in the small Sumter County town.

See what happens when Main Street is turned into a dragstrip.

Im Sierra Scott.

Those are just some of the stories that are queued up and ready to roll.

Positively.

Kansas starts right now.

A Rutgers University professor says there's no place like home.

That's why he's hoping to stimulate discussion and understanding in his Kansas hometown.

Jeffrey Longhofers roots run deep in Marion.

His grandfather was superintendent of school for 30 years.

He says he got a great education there and has a fondness for the community that will never die.

However lon Hoffa was recently taken aback when he learned of a controversy over a rainbow flag painted in the parking lot of Marion High School.

Personalizing parking spots is a tradition for seniors at the school.

However, in this case, someone tarred over the LGBT fla a student designed for his spot.

So when I thought about this young man who painted the flag on the parking lot in Marion, I started to reflect on know what was my experience there?

So I was saddened to learn that Marion had become an exampl of intolerance for difference.

And that was not my experience living in Marion.

So I made a donation, along with other family members in the hope that, that we can broaden our conversations.

Longhofer and some family members donated $1,500 to the school, which he hopes will turn this controversy into a teachable moment.

I'd like to see the school use it to to create conversations using the arts and culture to talk about how much we have in common.

Longhofer says this type of controversy is just as common in the massiv metropolitan area where he now lives in New Jersey.

He says people in large cities actually tend to live more segregated lives than in small town Kansas.

However, he adds, there is also much more LGBT outreach on the East and West Coast.

So Longhofer hopes this donation will be used to create some inspiring theater performances that will give people something ne to think about and unite behind.

For decades, The And Griffith Show has been bringing wholesome entertainment to people around America and the rest of the world.

But what you might not know is that one cast member was born and raised in Kansas, and as Anthony Powell is about to show us the show as an important part of his roots, as well.

For decades, millions of Andy Griffith Show fans around the world have come to know the character Helen Crump, first as Opie's teache and later as Andy's girlfriend.

In the show Hele moved to Mayberry from Kansas.

The writers no doubt picking the Sunflower State because Aneta Corsaut who played Helen, was born and raised in Hutchinson.

This is her childhood home on West ninth Street.

Her sweet smile.

That's one of many memories Melva Ansel, who grew up with Aneta has of the actress.

They first met in sixth grade.

Melva was new at school.

She was very kind person, as a matter of fact, she was very kind to me, is why I took up with her.

I was kind of a backward, shy girl, and I was new at North Side, and she just kind of took me in.

The two would remain friends through high school, graduating from Hutch High in 1951.

Melva remembers Aneta passion for acting, adding she had the looks and personality suited for performing.

What's this Gomer Pyle like?

Well, he's tall.

Her features were very fine.

I thought Aneta could just fit in anywhere.

She could fit in with anyone.

Aneta would leave Hutch for Northwestern University and then New York, where she began her career.

She first appeared on The Andy Griffith Show filmed in Los Angeles in 1963.

She would star in 66 episodes.

Melva remembers the first time she saw her friend on the iconic show.

I knew that she was an actress, that I didn't know that she was going to go that far.

Aneta visited Hutchinson a few times after making it in Hollywood.

Her returns making big headlines in the local paper.

After Andy Griffith, she would star in sequels to the show, including Mayberry R.F.D.

She also had roles in General Hospital, Bonanza, Adam 12, Columbo, and many more shows.

Sadly, Aneta would die at age 62 of cancer in 1995, something that still saddens her friend Melva, who never saw Aneta after high school.

And I wish that I had seen her.

I had been able to contact her.

I didn't know how I would have love to have gotten in touch with her and seen her again.

I think there's very little recognition.

I think it's great that you're doing this kind of a story so we can inform people about her.

Perhaps surprisingly, says Reno County Museum curator Lynn Lederer, not too many people in Hutch know the name Aneta Corsaut but there are numerous pictures and articles about Corsaut in the museum for those who want to learn more.

There are also possible plan to do an exhibit featuring Aneta and other actors from Hutch including Delos Smith, who had a role in the iconic fil One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

There's also another perso we're profiling in this piece, and that happens to be my father, Richard Powell.

You see, like Aneta Corso.

My dad grew up in the Midwest and like Miss Corsaut He would eventually find his way out to Los Angeles, where he would write for TV and film.

And one of the programs he worked on.

You guessed it, The Andy Griffith Show.

Dad wrote several episodes, including The Chain Letter.

Three wishes for Opie is another of his creations.

You've been granted three wishes Ope You mean I can wis for something that'll come true?

I don't remember my dad mentioning if he met Aneta Corsaut but I do recall him saying what a fun and pleasant experience working on the show was.

A few years ago, I received this certificate from the Writers Guild stating that Andy Griffith and other shows dad wrote for had been voted some of the best ever.

So just as the people of Hutch should be proud that one of their own will always be associated with such an important par of American television history.

I too, smile every time I watch Andy Griffith, knowing tha my dad helped create something that has brought joy to so many people.

For Positively Kansas, I'm Anthony Powell.

In addition to stage and television, Aneta Corsaut also acted in films starring with Steve McQueen i the 1958 cult classic The Blob.

As for Anthony's dad, he wrote for a number of classic shows and his son Anthony is here to tell us more about that and how Anthony inherited the writing bug.

While Anthony's dad is not th only great writer in the family, I know it's a different type of writing, but it's really interesting you got into news.

You're obviously very familiar face here.

You've written a children's book.

I mean is there anything you can't do?

It's my question to you first.

Ask my wife that.

I'm sure.

I'm sure you get plenty of answers for.

Yeah.

I mean, no doubt my dad' writing had had a big influence.

I mean, as we were talking about, I don't compare anyway writing for television and film with what I did in news.

It's it's it's not apples and oranges.

And same with writing a book, but.

Yeah.

No doubt.

he, he had a great influence on what I would end up doing.

I'm going to say there was some genetic talent that flowed down for sure.

Yeah, well, listen, if I could be half the writer that my dad was, you know, coming up with characters like Sergeant Schultz on Hogan's Heroes.

Now, I don't have the mind fo something like.

I don't either.

And so he was I mean, he ha he just had an incredible mind.

But, you know, maybe I did get some.

Well, I love it.

And the thing is, again, you've been on news.

You're a very familiar face here.

I think it's kind of interesting that you decided to write a children's book.

Talk about what motivated you to do that and how you came up with the story for it.

Well, speaking of news and you can identify with this.

You know, I had a lot of idea during my 19 years in news, but news is such a chaotic busines when it comes to your off days.

You want to do one thing, basically sleep.

So that it's true.

So all these ideas I would keep, you know, having them and writing a book was one of them.

Once I got out of news, you know, I started thinking, well, I've got more time.

Maybe I can devote some time to, you know, like writing a book and some of the other things I do.

So we got this cat and we got him as a kid, and his name is Hogan for Hogan's Heroes.

I love it.

Yeah.

And as he grew older, when people would come ove and a numerous people said this, this cat is so friendly, he's more like a dog.

Wow.

So I started thinking, well, what a good title for a book.

Then I was able to meet a great illustrator here in Wichita, Lindsay Starr and things just came together.

You know, with self-publishing, anybody can write a book.

Everyone keeps saying, oh, Anthony, congratulations on your book.

Like I signed this huge book deal.

But, you know, self-publishing has been a great thing.

I found a great publisher out in San Francisco, Book Stan Publishing, they put it together.

So, you know, it's been a lot of fun.

I've been, been able to read at schools, been able to do some book signings.

And what's really fun is that so many people can identify with this book because they're like, oh my God, I have a cat.

And he's more like a dog, too.

So it's been kind of a way to, connect with cat lovers.

And I'm certainly a cat lover.

I love this.

So why a children's book, though?

You could have written mysteries or whatever you wanted to write, especially with your news background.

Why a children's book?

It just it just seeme like the right fit for our book.

because the cat is silly, does silly things.

And, you know, the word silly kind of associated with children.

And my childre were younger at the time too and they kind of got involved in it too, gave me some ideas.

So it just kind of it just kind of fit for the children's genre.

What are you hoping when a kid reads this book that he takes away from it or she to laugh?

You know, we all need laughter in our lives, right?

And I hope that, you know, I've had adults say that whe they read the book to their kids that they've they've had a good laugh because, again, anybody who has a cat can identify with some of the things with dog like behavior.

And then I also write about how he might exhibit dog like behavior.

But in the end, he also reverts bac to plenty of cat behavior, too.

So he's not all dog.

He's got plenty of cat, too.

So, you know, like you're a big reader, it's great to take your mind off our daily problems, issues, whatever, and just kind of g to another place in your mind.

And, you know, that's what I'm hoping for this and that' what people have said about it.

So it's been very satisfactory, satisfying in that way.

And I think it'd be fun, especially to read to kids and find out what they say to you after you read the book, because I bet they have funny comments or ideas.

Well you know, the kids have no filters.

So that's it.

That's funny.

When I read that in schools, they've laughed and it yeah, they've, they've said they've said very funny things.

So that that is interacting with kids when reading it has been a great part of this too.

So if we want to get a hold o this book, where can we get it?

It's on Amazon and it's also on thebookstandpublishing.com.

Again, the book stands ou in San Francisco, so.

Excellent.

Well Anthony it was so fun to see, you know, talk about always going to be on this side of the camera.

It's different, isn't it?

Is it is.

A Wichita mother and son are proving that a simple idea can make a huge difference.

And they started a tren that's spreading across Kansas.

They're called Paxton's Blessing Boxes, named after seven year old Paxton Burns.

Youve seen boxes like this used to share books in some neighborhoods, but in this case, it's food and other essentials.

Paxton's mom, Maggi Ballard, saw something like this when she was on vacatio at table Rock Lake and decided it would be a good thing to do outside their hous in their Riverside neighborhood.

It almost seems too simple, like bring something, take something and it's just been incredible.

It just is growing and growing and growing.

And I and I don't really see an end in sight, which, it is really awesome, but at the same time kind of makes me sa that there's such a need for it.

It says right there on the box, take a blessing when you need one leave a blessing when you can.

And it turns out people really respected that policy.

Tony Lane is among those who are very appreciative of this relatively simple gesture.

You know I just live down here on, Waco.

sometimes we- I got two kids and a riser.

Sometimes it's rough.

I'm on Social Security, so it really helps me out.

I do appreciate it.

I try to leave a Christmas card.

Come by as much as I can and drop off stuff too that I ain't gonna use.

Maggie says she named the box after her son, so he would develop an empathy toward those in need and a passion for helping others.

Every day and night, they make sure the box is stocked with food and personal hygiene products.

Neighbors chip in as well.

In just a year's time, this one box on West 13th Street has inspired others, and Maggie has helped set them up with their own boxes.

There are now a total of 14 Paxton's Blessing boxes in Wichita, Great Bend, Lacrosse, Hutchinson and Bel Aire with one coming to Derby soon.

If you're intereste in taking part in the movement, you can get more information by clicking on the link on the Positively Kansas page at KPTS.org Now to Wichita' historic Midtown neighborhood, which used to be one of the posh places to live wher all the movers and shakers were.

But through the years, the neighborhood declined and affluent people moved to other areas and many of the home became abandoned and neglected.

Then, in 1972, a group of history minded which transformed the historic Midtown Citizens Association.

The group's mission was to get people to restor and live in the once grand homes where many of the city' early movers and shakers lived.

They started giving annual history tours in the neighborhood, which have evolved into a grand annual affair.

Our annual walking tour for Historic Midtown is our only fundraiser that we do, and the funds that we raise are used to put back into the community to help buildings that are falling down or or need repair.

We offer these annual walking tours to allow the public to come in and see the glory of these homes an and imagine how they used to be, and also to learn how people used to live in those days.

This time around, visitors were invited to tour four historic Midtown homes, three on North Waco and one on North Lewellen.

If you'd like to learn more about Middletown's history and the organizatio devoted to it, click on the link on the Positively Kansas page at KPTS.org.

This next story is about a young Kansan whos making his mark both on the ground and from the air.

He's Jace Regier from Hesston.

The 13 year old has started his own aerial photography business.

Check it out.

Here he is shooting vide of his hometown from high above.

Jace says he's always been interested in aviation and got into drone flying a few years ag with a small, inexpensive drone.

At first, it's very difficult.

It comes with a built in simulator, so you can kind of get the ropes of it and then it's easy from there.

When his skill improved, well, Jace upgraded.

Now he's reaching new heights and taking spectacular shots with his high end aircraft.

And Jason, his drones are now available for hire.

My dad had a crazy idea about taking aerial shot of properties out in the country and take it to him and try to sell it to him.

I kind of just built in a photography business.

Jace has found that sometime it's hard to get taken seriously when you're in the eighth grade.

But on the other hand, a lot of people are impressed with his Hootspa.

I think it's really good potential because I'm 13 and, you know, it's kind of unique unmanned aerial photography business.

Jace also has a passion for ground photography.

Check out these pics.

His favorite subjects are Kansas landscape types and weather.

If you'd like to see more of Jason's work or learn about his business, you can find a link to his website on Positively Kansas page at KPTS.org Downtown Argonia became a drag race stri on a recent Saturday afternoon.

Hot rods raced down Main Street in the town as onlookers watched from the sidewalks.

The cars raced down a 150ft track in the middle of town.

For around three hours.

Cars raced down the street, some accelerating to speeds of 80 to 85 miles an hour.

Race organizer Denni Dickerson says he hopes the race becomes an annual event in Argonian that will boost community pride and spirit.

Other small towns have had a it's a huge calling card to bring people into your small town.

so we thought we'd get on the bandwagon and, and see what we couldn't do t bring more people into Argonia.

just show them what we have to offer.

Prior to the race, crowds got to check out the wheels in a car show.

A lot of classic restored cars were featured.

Car enthusiasts from Wichit to Oklahoma entered the Argonia car show, and race organizers were thrilled by the turnout and are already making plans to do it again next year.

It may be the best way to bond with your family.

Sitting around the kitchen table playing games with the kids.

One family in Hutchinson has taken the tradition up a few notches.

They designed their very own professional card game based on the magic of childhood, and they're hoping a Kickstarter campaign brings their game to card tables around the country.

Justin Kraemer has the story from Hutch.

Michael Rodgers shuffles the deck and deals a game of cards to his boys around the kitchen table at their home in Hutch.

They found it' a great way to bond as a family.

If they use your intellect, they you, you know, you have to you have to think, you have to talk to people.

You have to interact.

And I love that.

And so we started just as a family, sitting around the table and playing games.

The Rodgers have taken famil games though to another level.

This game they're playing here.

The family came up with i on their own, with all the boys helping design a deck of over 60 cards along with the rules of the game.

We thought, wouldn't it be cool if we made our own game?

And so, you know, Mike would sit down with the boy and they use old business cards, and they would start strategizing and making up, and then they play it and they work on it.

So on that one, he has to flip over the top card and see what color it is.

It's called Ninja Monkeys, a play on a family nickname for their sometimes rambunctious three boys.

Each card actually encapsulates something from childhood, like the dog ate my homework.

You know, a classic one will take cards away.

They're shredded now, there's things like pillow forts.

That's a protection card so that will protect your yard.

The first one to score five points wins as players take turns either scoring points or taking them away from an opponent.

What did Dallas.

It's supposed to be a middle of the road game.

It's something where the older people and the younger people can meet.

It's easy enough for the younger kids to understand it.

Whoever pays it down doesn't have to, does it?

everybody that is the one that pinches down has to hold all cards up.

One and it goes to that page.

You don't deserve to do anything.

They just went to.

Let's roll.

Yes.

They have, one more story.

After getting the idea to design the game, the family worked with a professional artist.

Help draw up the cards.

They've no been playing with a prototype, but it's totally different.

See them in print to actuall handle them and play with them.

And we've actually played games with this prototype.

And it's.

It is cool to see the steps as we go through.

Now they're marketing the game on the website Kickstarter, hoping there's enough interest to print up hundreds more for families around the nation to play some of the games.

They say they're family friendly, and then they put some innuendo and stuff in and they try to slip stuff by us.

We didn't do any of that.

It's a good, clean game.

It's not going to embarrass you in front of another family.

So far, Ninja Monkeys has been ahead with friends and family of the Rogers.

As a family, we've bonded a lot over it.

We played it with friends that have come over and played it with their kids.

My friend has kids from like 1 to 7 play it and they loved it.

They all ganged up on their mom and they were just going, you know, really enjoy and get into it.

The family is trying to raise $16,000 in pledge to put the game in production, with hopes to turn creating games into a family business.

They've been learning quite a few lessons along the way.

Most importantly that it's worth chasing a dream.

Kids need to see that you know they can dream big dreams and they can.

They can actually achieve those dreams.

And this was a dream.

We had a dream as a family.

And and it's coming true.

Regardless of what happens, the game's already helped one Kansas family bond for hours at their kitchen table, and that's a win for everyone who's played for Positively Kansas.

I'm Justin Kraemer.

You can find the Kickstarter campaign by searching ninja monkeys on Kickstarter, or follow the family's efforts on their Facebook page.

I am one who loves to read books, and my favorite books to read are actually on topics I know very little about, and especially books that are on topics that there really aren't a lot of books on this topic.

And that's where Brad Roth comes in.

He has written a book called God's Country, which I think is fascinating.

The topic is just something, again, that I haven't seen a lot of talk about.

What God's country is about.

God's country is about how does the rural church play a special role in helping bring forth the gifts that God has given rural places?

There's a lot that's written that is really addressing a more suburba or urban context, and this book really tries to get at what is the authentic vision of rural life.

And then how do we begin to as a congregation, as churches, live in a way that, that tha helps rural communities thrive?

You know, I want to touch on that because there are a lot of articles are talking about the rural communities are kind of dying, and there's an older population there.

What are some of the things that the church provides asid from the Christian foundation?

This may go all the way back.

Rural is got this double ring.

I mean, on the one hand, you have this narrative of decline and rural is kind of falling apart like a rusty pickup truck.

But rural also can have this ring of kind of pristine agrarian, you know, the salt of the earth values.

And, and I think one of th things that the church has to do is really have a vision for the whole community, having a vision that the destiny of a rural community and the destiny of the rural church are going to be tied together.

So wherever the community is going, the church is going to be going with it.

So are you hoping your book will be a roadmap as such for these communitie to maybe strengthen the church, or what are you hoping will be the outcome?

What I hope is that it helps rural leaders and rural pastors and folks who just love the rural church to have new eyes and to come with a fresh sense of what's possible and what God's doing in rural places.

So what do you see as a difference?

Because you've been in Peru, you've been in Washington State, you've been here.

Yeah.

What do you see as, kind of the foundation of what we need from churches in rural communities especially, we see ourselves tied to the good and the future of the rural, rural community as a whole.

And there's this great passage in the New Testament that says, let us work for the good of all, and especially for the family of faith.

But it starts with the good of all, right.

And so we have to hav that vision for the common good.

And I picked up some beautiful stories.

And, you know, one of them, what I think about like befriending rural communities, that's kind of a key image for me.

And one of them I heard about in a pastor in a very small community.

They used to have a movie theater and the movie theater couldn't make it.

I mean, it's a town of 800 people, right?

So the economics just don't add up.

But what they did was turn tha movie theater into a nonprofit.

And so the pastor's not the one who's running the whole show, but he's part of that.

And I just love this image of the pastor taking tickets and making the popcorn and that sort of thing.

It's not directly ministry, but if you have that that vision for the good of the whole community, then that's right up your alley, right?

And it makes perfect sens to be doing that sort of things.

It's befriending the community, caring about the whol the community that is a unique.

I love that one.

Great idea.

Yeah, I think it's beautiful.

It really is.

So if we want to get a hol of your book, how do we do that?

Yeah, it's on Amazon.

They also have copies at Faith in Life and Newton.

Excellent.

Well thank you.

And I love the subject.

And I think it's great that you picked it up because again, I've not seen any books on this before.

So yeah.

Well thank you so much for the chance to be here.

Absolutely.

That's a wrap for this week.

Do you have a story idea?

Please send us an email at Positively Kansas at Katie Fortune I'm Ciara Scott.

We'll see you next time.

Brough to you by Central Security Group your experts in home automation, security and peace of mind.

View vide on your smartphone and control your home's lights, locks, heating, cooling and more.

Security app compatible with Apple Watch and Amazon Echo.

The preceding program was brought to you by tz productions, offering 40 years of media experience.