The Kansas Oil Museu in historic downtown El Dorado, proudly displays over 14 years of Kansas history, antique vehicles, geology, natural histor for hands on fun for all ages.

Our ten acre museum in historic Boomtown has something for everyone.

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

Brought 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.

It's tim for Positively Kansas coming up.

Theyre too young to vote but not too young for governor.

Jim Grawe talks to the five Kansas teens have thrown their hats in the ring and tries to figure out what in the heck is going on with this.

Also.

Mayb you've heard of the radio show A Prairie Home Companio about Lake Wobegon, Minnesota?

Well, we have our very own version right here in Kansas.

We'll find out how it's done and meet the big time actor who's behind it all.

I'm Sierra Scott.

Those stories and more coming your way.

Positively Kansas starts right now.

It's the hottest teen trend in Kansas, running for governor.

At least five teenagers have thrown their hats into the 2018 race.

The political world is all abuz about this unusual development and what some say is a crazy law, or lack of a law that has opened the door for this.

But Jim Grawe is talk to these teens and they insist there's nothing crazy about any of it.

That's right.

Sierra it is an unusual time in history, and these teens all say they're doing Kansas a favor by running.

They insist their candidacies are anything but a joke.

At a time when politic have never seemed so childish.

These teenagers actually soun like the grown ups in the room.

If you know you stuff, people take it seriously, whether you're 16 or 80, s it shouldn't be a matter of age.

But it should be, you know, a matter of ideas.

I'm not jaded politically.

We don't have a very good reputation amongst other states, and I think we can really bring some good attention to our state.

You know, it's it's so exciting.

Just, when I had the first Hutchinson News person, reach out to me, I was sitting at school, and I, like, I jumped up and started, you know, screaming.

It was.

It was so cool.

These five teenagers are on a mission to shake up Kansas politics and throw the good old boys club for a loop by running for governor.

You know, I'm really excited about it because I think, you know, we can do a lot of good here.

16 year old Jack Bergeson of Wichita the only Democrat in the group, is the one who started all this.

You know, I'm sort of that i a political geek sort of person.

And I was just reading, you know, all the state's requirements and like all the others, seemed interesting.

It was a boring Sunday afternoon reading.

Okay.

You know, we'll see.

It's, you know, somewhere between 20 and 30.

I think Oklahoma has the highest 31.

But Kansas, he noticed, has no age requirement.

So what's a youn precocious political geek to do?

Run, of course.

And joining us now, the next governor of the great state of Kansas, Jack Bergeson.

Hello, Jack.

Hi.

Nice to see you.

But first, I just kind of thought of as a joke that, like you do, this would be funny.

But then I'm like, I could do a lot of good if I ran and ran a serious campaign.

So shortly after decided to get in as a joke, I changed my mind.

I'm like, I want to get in as a serious candidate in fight for issues that I believe in.

A few years ago, I would have said this was impossible, but now it probably is.

It might even be probable that you could be the next governor of Kansas.

Bergeson then encouraged his friend, 17 year old Tyler Ruzich of Prairie Village, to throw his hat in the ring for the Republicans.

Tyler just became the second count it, second high schooler to join the race for Kansas governor.

There's going to be at some point in time where the youth and younger people are going to be needed for this state's democrati and electoral system to thrive and for its integrity to continue and progress.

So I think that this is really that time.

Then a week later, another 17 year old took the plunge.

Hey, I'm Ethan Randleas.

I'm running as a Republican in the 2018 gubernatorial Kansas race.

I just wanted to talk to yo a little bit about my platform.

17 year old Wichita Heights senior Ethan Randleas is using his backyard as a campaign office for now, but he and his running mat have big plans for the campaign.

Im very serious.

Our goal is to win.

People are just fed up with the older politicians.

Then another week later, here comes Dominic Scavuzzo a 17 year old Republican from Leawood.

We were interviewed by CBS a couple weeks ago, and they came into tow and they were saying, you know, back in New York, people are thinking, this is all a joke.

A 15 year old governor.

Why not?

And then they started to talk to us and realize, you know, we actually know what's going on in Kansas.

These four high school student are smart, politically active, forward thinking and running for governor of Kansas.

And now there are 5, 16 year old Joseph Tutera, who goes to the same school a Scavuzzo announced he would run.

He's a sophomore and the youngest.

This is the ne generation of kids that are very you know, we're we're being raised in the election where we all, you know, the most publicized election, you know, we can remember.

And so I think that played a huge part on it.

And just the fact that politics are, you know, at almost every dinner table, people are talking about it almost all the time.

This is that's that's a big reaso why people are getting involved.

Each one of these teens say the recent presidential election captured their attention and proved that anything is possible in politics.

Donald Trump got elected and he played no - I mean, he didn't even go into politics until this election cycle.

That being said, all five agree the current political climate is too divisive and they don't want to be part of that.

They want to change that.

We have to be open.

You know, I think open is yeah, it's very vital to be a good person and a good candidate who is willing to listen to all sides.

Obviously, you know, you get on Twitter any social media, it just anger argument.

I think if we can brin a positive vibe to it, create- some the parties being able to work together and just creating a more peaceful environment.

I would rather have a good conversation with someone who disagrees with me rather than just tell them plainly they're wrong and then walk away.

We get better legislation done when we work together, and we get, you know, when we're more productive, in my view.

When we come to the tabl and we focus on where we agree and stuff, where we disagree as President Reagan would say, If any one of these teens happens to be elected, he'd be the youngest governor in American history.

The record is held by a guy named Stevens Mason, who was the first governor of Michigan.

He was 23 when he took office in 1835, Sierra.

A young Wichita woman, is combining two of her favorite things, and it's winning her major national acclaim.

I capitalized on the power of fashion to make girls feel pretty and pretty smart.

17 year old Reeny Botros has been named by the Girl Scouts as a 2017 National Young Woman of Distinction.

It's the highest achievement a scout can earn.

Renee is one of only ten girls nationwide who receive this award this year.

Her big project has been to pair fashion with technology and create flashy clothes and accessories, and teach other girls how to do it.

In the process, her mission is to get other girls interested in Stem that science, technology, engineering and math.

It started out as an invention called illuminsize, which is a series of fashion accessories that progressively light up as you get your heart rate up as a means to combat childhood obesity.

That invention got her invite to the white House Science Fair and gave her the opportunit to meet President Obama in 2015.

Since then, Reeny has created a simpler version that allows girls to program different light colors and patterns onto their clothes and accessories for everyday wear.

She's been holding camps she calls catwalk Coding to teach 25 girls at a tim how to make something like this.

For most of them, this is their first academic achievement.

and they've never touched, you know, a soldering iron or an Arduino before.

And I get to watch them look in the mirror for the first time with all lit up, and I get to see them view themselves in a way they've never viewed themselves before.

And it's an honor to be there.

Reeny is also slate to teach a camp in Mexico where she'll mentor 100 young women who have an interest in Stem.

All the accolades have made Rainey the pride of Kansas Girl Scouts.

It really demonstrates also the power of Girl Scouts and the power of the girl only space.

And when you get girls together in a learning environment, in a safe, all inclusive environment, they're not feeling afraid to take the lead.

And in Girl Scouts, that's exactly what they're doing.

It's all about a leadership experience and then taking the lead and making a difference in their community in the world.

For being named a young woman of Distinction.

Reeny has been awarded $15,00 in scholarships upon completion of her home school education.

She plans to attend Harvard.

I'm not saying you shouldn't serve coffee.

I'm only saying that maybe if you also served whiskey, you might be able to make more money.

I've seen too many lives destroyed by the devil drink mdam.

Ill serve nothing stronge than the finest Costa Rican job.

That's all the fuss Ill ever need.

Well, I admire your strength of character sweet Danny boy, but no one is ever going to pay $0.10 for a cup of coffee.

This is one of the interviews I have been looking forward to for so long.

Ray Wills, great friend of mine, probably one of the most interesting people I've ever met because there's very little you haven't done in this world that almost feels like it.

I think that's incredible.

If you live long enough.

Yeah, well, I don't know.

You take a lot of risks, which I love.

One of the things that you're doing now, and I love i because most radio stations now originate whatever you're listening to.

The music originates from Dallas or Chicago or some crazy place.

It's not local.

but you're turning that around.

You came up with this great idea.

Talk about how this came to be and what you're doing.

Well, we're, doing Kansas Radio theater, and it's live radio theater.

If you if the folks at home ever enjoyed, Prairie Home Companion, which was on the air for, I guess, 30 years or so with Garrison Keillor, it's that sort of format, except it's all Kansas.

I grew up in Wichita, and then I went off out into the world and...

I was a made my living as a professional acto in New York City for 25 years.

And then I did a couple of years in LA doing the TV thing.

And, I mean, about five years ago, I came home and I haven't had a moment free since I've been home.

No you haven'.t I taught a class in Wichita State?

I teach at Newman University, I teach at Butler Community College.

I've been acting all over town and stil I wanted to do something else.

I ran into Mayor Jeff Longwell, who's an old friend of mine.

We actually went to high school together at West High, and so did his wife, Susie and we did plays there together when we were kids.

So, he said, hey, Ray, it's great you're home.

what many ideas to help the arts in Wichita.

you have any ideas of stuff you could do?

And I said, well, you know, I have this idea for live radio, theater, all Kansas talent.

And he said, I love it.

Let's do it.

And in a flurry of anticipatory excitement, it's mayor Fionna Ohclinicalhowser, the first Irish German female mayor of Wichita.

Oh, deliver.

And gabora Huff and puff.

Madam mayor any word?.

I, Lassie, the trial date has been set.

You're to be tried on the morrow.

Maya, are you okay?

You're awfully sweaty for a minute there.

It sounded like an old timey Scottish person.

Hold on, Mademoiselle.

And also were here.

I got all of the brass.

You know, one of the things we're talking about, And I think this really is something that people aren't aware of.

The level of talent we have.

Absolutely So you're actually finding local actors and local performers?

Yes.

Well and and we're based in Wichita, but we're carried on 11 radio stations.

I've partnere with Rocking N Media, so we're carried all over the place.

if I don't want to leave any towns out.

So if you go to our Facebook page a facebook.com/KansasRadiotheater, all stations and times are listed there.

but the thing is, it's not just Wichita.

There's so much talent all over the state.

Agree.

And, I mean, if you start thinking about the history of Kansas, it's amazing.

And growing up here, I know, and you and I have had this conversation growing up here I know that we don't always stop to think how much talent there is and how great it is to live here.

How easy life is here.

the good things that we have and the musical talent, the writing talent, the actors.

I mean, look at one of the greatest opera singers in history.

Sam Raimi came home to Wichita to teach.

after all his career.

and I wanted to celebrate that.

And I want us to to really understan and appreciate all this talent.

So we have on the show, not just what we do is it's a it's a comedy variety hour.

And we have singers, we have comedy bits and routines.

I do the Kansas News Center broadcast every week, and we have reports such as the, Kansas Barbed Wire Museum and Lacrosse, has reported a sharp spike in visitors this summer.

Good writing!

I like that.

Those kind of jokes.

and we have a local historian, Becky Tanner, who writes for the Wichita Eagle.

And every week we have a history segment that is very fascinating about the history.

I mean, you know, the Chisholm Trail, the buffalo, the, native Americans that founded the area, Eisenhower, William Allen White, Carrie Nation, Wyatt Earp, I mean, just the history is so rich.

And we have a cowboy poet who does cowboy poetry Ron Wilson from up in Manhattan.

And we have our own band, and we have wonderful singers, local singers, and we have local actors who read a live radio play on every show.

And we have a guy that does sound effects, you know, in studio, and we record live so tha it has the excitement of live.

But we are also going to be, doing actual liv shows in theaters, around town and around the state.

And we'll be publicizing thos so people can actually come out and see the show live, and we'll have talent from those towns performing.

I'm so nasty.

As you all know, the bank owns most of these buildings.

And me, I own the bank.

So, you know, I own this whole town.

Suddenly, a brainy but meek citizen raises his hand and confronts the bully banker.

But Mr. McMean face please Im just a poor greeting card folder.

Businesses has been slow.

But the holidays they're just around the corner.

I only need a few more weeks and I can pay whatever.

Yeah.

Oh, I'll pay you double.

I'm sorry, Mr. Douglas, but my patience only extends so far.

Trouble is, Im too nice peopl like you take advantage of me.

I do that with patterns.

I'll let you pay later, guy.

Let the next guy pay late, and eventually it's entropy.

Nobody pays any money.

And our old civilization rots through the rouze So pay today or youre out.

Oh, I can't lose my store.

My family will starve!

You should have thought of that before you got a liberal arts degree, Mr.. How in the world did you come up to.

Because this is really a complicated idea, if you think about it.

How about you come up with it?

I it turned out to be a lo more complicated than I thought.

but, well, I don't know.

I just thought, Well, because when I was a kid, I loved to listen to the radio shows.

I mean, when I was growing up, there was CBS radio, Mystery Theater.

there was a lot of live variety shows on the radio.

And then this sense that art form sort of went away a little bit.

This it's, I call it it's theater of the mind.

But the mayor has been great.

He helped us, gets private funding, some donations and we've just gone ahead and done it.

And now we've been on the air 13 weeks.

We just did a 13 show.

That is just awesome.

And I say congratulation because I know how hard it is.

First of all, like you said, it's a lot of work.

But second of all, to fin funding too isn't always easy.

So and that was where Mayor Longwell, he he put his money where his mouth is but it's not the city's money.

He said he found some very kind donors that believed in the idea, and he wanted to do something for the city.

And it also helps the state.

And here we are.

We just did our Halloween special, and it's extremely funny.

It's written by a local playwright named Tom Fry, and, it's going to be it was so funny.

We're going to repeat it, this weekend.

So folks watching the show, you can tune in on Saturday and Sunday in Wichita.

We're on, 92.3 FM at 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon on Sundays.

What I love is, because you're dedicated, not only employing local actors and people who, have a lot to contribute, but you're providing a show.

I think that applies to all age ranges, 92 to 2.

Yeah.

I mean, this is a show that's fun for everybody.

Well, that's the thing.

our senior friends, I include myself in that, almost there, but they know the art form.

They know what it was.

And the kids that listen to this show have never heard this before, and they love it, because suddenly I had an email from a lady who said she was listening to the show, driving acros the state with her three kids.

And she said, when I put on the show, I didn't hear a peep out of them until the show was over.

Also, it's been very rewarding, that we did a show and we invited in some, blind and visually impaired young people.

People that are blind and visually impaired hear music more specifically than we do.

They, respond to every little sound and bit in the show, and it was very rewardin to see how much they enjoyed it.

Oh, I was so excited.

I think it's such a neat, just novel idea.

And I love the fact that you're doing local, because I thin we need more of that for sure.

Well, and we like to I mean, you know, we're not rich, but we do pay the talent.

And so that's rewarding to help artists, you know, make a little money and also get their work out there.

and that's what we want to do more and more and more of and we're going to so.

And I know you're really humble, so I just want to touch on this because I think it's pretty incredible.

and I know things were said when you moved back, why would you move back?

But, which I think is crazy because it's the quality of life here is phenomenal.

But and you know that are you want to go back.

But, what I think is really interestin is all the things you've done.

You've been on Broadway four times, right?

Four Broadway shows.

So I got to travel around the country doing show in all these different cities, every city I ever wanted to visit.

I've been very lucky, very, very fortunate.

And, it's been a great career.

And now I get to, like I said, give back.

But I also get to create something new.

and that's very rewarding and exciting.

And it is hard work, but it's it's fun.

And that's what the show is fun.

So, you know, can't complain.

Any ideas for the future?

What what do you want to do with the show?

Where do you hope it goes eventually?

If you had the money, if you got all the funding you ever needed, what would you want to do?

We would like to grow it and expand it.

we'd love to.

I mean, like I said, were on 11 stations.

We have a potential listenin listenership of something like two, 3 million.

and we'd like to get on mor stations, and we would love it if we, God willing, we could syndicate.

And people in other state could hear Kansas radio theater, and then they would know ho much talent there is in Kansas.

What will become of Sweet daddy prettybus will Pawy Anne be able to stand out against th villany of cedric McMean face?

And will they ever get to drink their coffees?

Find out soon in episode 2 of Pawnee and hillside!

A mystery is solved, and in the process, a window is open to a bygone era.

Take a look at this.

This is Elaine McKenna being reunited with her purse and its contents.

That vanished 70.

Yes, you heard it right 70 years ago.

The purse is a literal time capsule for photos, love letters, and other personal items.

The memories just starte flowing when Elaine rediscovered all the things she was carrying around.

As a very young woman.

You see, one day in 1948, the purse disappeared while Elaine was shoppin at the Hutchinson Sears store, and she never kne what happened to it until now.

Workers demolishing the former store discovered the purse hidden away in the bathroom ceiling, and apparently sat there untouched.

All these years, the business, called Queen Bee Social Marketing, is relocating its offices to that site and took the purse and started investigating.

Using their social media expertise, Queen Bees staff was able to track down Elaine, who still lives in Hutchinson, and return the purse to her.

Elaine says this unexpected turn of events was a thrill, a special thanks to Queen Be Social Marketing and Hutchinson for shooting this vide and sharing the story with us.

I am here with my really good friend Mindy Cook, who I can't even imagine how many hats you wear, but one of the things that you made time for was to write this amazing children's book.

Talk abou what kind of led you to do this?

Well, I'm a lifelong Wichitan, grew up on the West Side, and I had two horses, and I realize that the connectio between the animals and weather, because every time they would be hard to handle or a little frisky, later on, there would be a storm that would roll through.

So I starte putting the connection together.

People are fascinated not only by animals, which that was a great way to bring in the weather tide, but I think people are fascinated by the weather and what causes it.

Some kids love the weather, but most kids are afraid of weather.

And having raised three kids of my ow and now I've got grandchildren, I thought, well, you know if I could write a little book and help kids sleep better at night, that was my main objective.

So that's what you're hoping once a child reads this that they really understand weather a little bit better to not be fearful of it.

Right.

I wanted to educate and empower the young reader to know what to do during the event of any weather condition that might arise.

So what weather condition do you talk about in the book?

Well, I started off with animals instinctive behaviors to teach kids because animals know without having to be told by anyone.

They're just instinctively aware of how to take care of themselves.

I wanted to teach kids personal responsibility, self-reliance, and confidence in my first book.

It's really for the younger reader preschool, maybe up to second grade.

So I have just, you know, basi weather conditions, tornadoes, hurricane, you know, wind, rain, hail, sleet, fog, all the things that a young reader needs to learn about to keep themselves safe.

And then in my second book, I wrote about weather around the world and other natural wonders, and I've used the word wonders in place of disasters that took me all over the world to do some research.

So do you go to school and read this book or come and have you come in to do that?

I do, yes, I love to read.

My daughter and her husband are both educators.

I've been to their schools.

I've been to, preschools.

If anyone's interested they can find me on my website or just Google my name or the name of the book and I'd be happy to come.

And I give everyone a bookmark.

one of the things that I did that I'm very proud of is I've included a list of items that kids need to pull together for an emergency preparedness kit, and just knowing that they'v got everything pulled together in the event of a tornado or an ice storm or loss of power, helps them feel a little more confident.

I absolutely hav a little more control that way.

Yes, absolutely.

So best way to get Ahold of you book is to go to your website.

Or is it being sold in any bookstores here?

Or how do we get that?

It's at Watermark books it's on Amazon, it's at the, exploration place or my website.

Excellent.

Well, Mindy I love the book.

I love the fac that you made time to write it, because I think that is something that needed to be told, and it really helps children.

So.

Thank you!

Good job.

Thank you.

Well, that's a wrap for this week.

But on the next positively Kansas, a Hollywood actress returns to her Kansas hometown and gets a rousing welcome.

Find out why she credits her Kansas upbringing for helping her succeed in the tough world of show business.

And there's new goings on at the Kansas Oil Museum, and you're going to want to see it all in person after you watch this story should be a real humdinger.

If you have a story idea, please send us an email, a positivelykansas.org.

Give us a call or mail us a letter.

We would love to hear from you.

I'm Sierra Scott.

Thanks so much for joining us.

See you next time.

Brought 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.