It's time for Positively Kansas.

Coming up, 50 years after two major international events.

You'll hear from a Kansas native who was there.

Chris Bryant brings us this firsthand account of what it was like to work in the Nixon White House during dramatic times.

Then we'll meet a McPherson woman who gets some amazing news about her family heirloom.

It's the kind of thing that fans of Antiques Roadshow only dream about.

And see how a turkey family gets started in our Kansas Wild Edge report.

I0 Scott Those stories are cued up and ready to roll on this edition of Positively Kansas.

Positively Kansas is brought to you in part by.

Before investing your hard earned money, make sure your financial advisor understands your objectives.

Mark Douglass CFP Serving our community for over 20 years, providing customized financial solutions that focus on the individual.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas serves more than 930,000 Kansans in various programs independent member owned Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, an independent licensee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, supports PBS.

Program support provided by the EF Price, customer and Memorial Trust and Trust Bank Trustee.

Bringing you the Kansas Wild Ed segments on Positively Kansas.

We begin with the story of a rural Kansas boy whose life's journey took him from the farmhouse to the White House.

His job was to help President Richard Nixon stay in touch with the world.

Chris Frank has the amazing story of Harlan Little of Haven, Kansas.

This as we approach the 50th anniversary of two noted political events in our nation's history.

On February 17th, 1972, after two years of secret and delicate negotiations, the president and first lady were on their way to China.

President Richard Nixon stunned the world when he announced he would travel to China in February 1972.

It was Nixon's goal to reestablish relations with the People's Republic of China following decades of Chinese isolation ism.

It was the pinnacle of Nixon's presidency.

The Nixon presidency then went from that political euphoria to the political abyss of Watergate.

Later that same year, the Watergate scandal would dominate the news and eventually topple the Nixon presidency.

Those two major U.S. political events will be remembered during their historical 50th anniversaries in 2022.

Those are just two of the events.

Retired Colonel Harland Prindle worked around while deputy commander of the White House Communications Agency.

But when the White House comm agency thing came up, that's a door that I had no idea that would ever open.

And, you know, it's like politics.

If you don't jump through the window and it's open, it ain't going to open again.

So I was very happy and pleased and quite frankly, blessed to be selected to be in that job.

It was a job that had him traveling around the world, a job that had this former Kansas farm boy reporting to the White House daily in support of the president.

And that's where I went to work every day.

Working in and for the White House is a far cry from Riddle's humble beginnings in rural haven.

And a farm kid from Kansas that's a little different.

PRINDLE The barefoot boy in front of this century old farm truck, grew up on a farm north of Haven and attended Haven schools.

Prindle, age 91, at the time of this production, put his collection of stories in a recently released book On the Sidelines of history My Life's Journey From the Farmhouse to the White House and Back.

The Reno County native says he learned at a young age he had to work hard and compete to keep up with the other students at school.

These kids were ballplayers and really good ballplayers.

And so I decided right then, if I'm going to compete, I got to do what I can to be the best I can.

He loved playing basketball and Haven and later for the K-State freshman team when fame coach Tex winter coach their but he was almost robbed of sports competition and walking at all by a polio epidemic that caught him at age 16.

He was admitted into Grace Hospital in Hutchinson.

Treatments he received there helped him overcome the disease.

Because there was no vaccines at all.

And my treatment lasted, as I recall, about a month to six weeks.

And then I was allowed to go home and do my my training on my own.

And and that training was running the oil field roads.

Then in 1948, Prindle married Winifred Smith.

The newlyweds set up house in Manhattan with Hartland, beginning classes at KSU.

Now, it wasn't long before the Korean War erupted, calling for a nationwide military service draft to fill the ranks.

Prindle learned he was high on the draft list.

That's when he decided to join the Air Force.

I was a cryptographer and that was my introduction to communications.

Cryptography was high in demand, he says.

Later, he was selected for officer candidate school.

That led to his first overseas assignment to an air base in France.

And I spent three years then at the air base as a communications officer.

Prieto hadn't traveled far from the Haven area as a youth.

Back then, he says, going to Wichita was considered a long trip.

But then his Air Force overseas assignments had the brutal family living far from Kansas, including a move to Okinawa, Japan.

I was selected to go to Okinawa as a communications officer because that was my Air Force specialty was communications.

His group monitored and collected radio communications from mainland China.

We were collecting communications, intelligence.

His assignments required high level security clearances.

And I might say that at that time, the security service required the highest level of clearances that you could have top secret code word and so on.

Those clearances helped Prindle get job promotions.

The career ladder was easier for me to climb because I had a specialty that was on the rise.

I mean, that specialty was collection of intelligence.

Now, that doesn't mean he was a spy by any stretch of the word.

I was not a covert guy at all.

You know, I was a manager of information related to cryptography.

During the Vietnam War, Prindle was assigned as the commander of a communication squadron.

He oversaw about 1000 personnel at a Royal Thai airbase in Bangkok, Thailand.

It was a really challenging time.

It wasn't long before he was selected as the deputy commander of the White House Communications Agency.

That agency was staffed by military service members.

His office was in the Executive Office Building across from the White House.

But as mentioned before, the job required him to go to the White House and deal with White House personnel, many of whom were political appointees.

Our role was support.

Now, even though I saw the president.

He doesn't know my name.

I'm sure he would recognize me and nod.

And you know that going English.

But in the case of President Nixon, he was a person that was like just privacy.

And that's okay.

It was a whole different environment than anything he had experienced.

Total we are not in Kansas.

Brittle didn't interact with the president but did cross paths with presidential aides.

One in particular, H.R.

Bob Haldeman stands out.

Haldeman was Nixon's chief of staff.

Mr. Haldeman really was a very, very, very aggressive, organized, great manager all of his life.

He was also a control freak.

Nobody saw the president unless Bob Haldeman said so.

Prattles White House communicator Jones job required him interacting with Haldeman.

He was very, very strict in his direction of efforts.

He says Haldeman would threaten to fire Riddle and others if such things as the presidential podium wasn't set up at engagements to the president's likings.

We didn't get fired.

But getting back to Mr. Haldeman, I would not criticize the man for being efficient.

He was a protector of the president.

He was.

He was the gatekeeper.

And President Nixon, like that.

He liked that.

He did not like random access.

And I got it.

I give him credit.

So even though he was a different kind, very aggressive, he was the kind that the president needed at that time.

Haldeman was later convicted for his role in the Watergate cover up scandal that landed him in federal prison.

Nixon's passion was foreign affairs.

Working to get an opening into China was a Nixon goal even before he reached the White House.

But just getting word to Chinese leaders of the president's intentions took some doing.

Nixon's national security adviser, then the Henry Kissinger, had to work through the Pakistani government just to even approach China about a potential state visit.

When Henry Henry Kissinger did the advance work, he actually was flown in to Beijing on a Pakistani airplane.

Pakistan and Romania were the only two nations having formal relations with China.

Then in 1971, Kissinger faked a stomach ache while in Pakistan to be out of the media eyes in order to secretly fly to China.

But that's when he met with Joy Lai.

Just saying to you, is it okay if we come?

And that was the start of Nixon's China trip, which began a thaw in the Sino-American relations.

Then in July of 1971 was when President Nixon had the press conference, of which I was there that night.

I remember that.

And he said, We're going to China.

The announcement I shall now read is being issued simultaneously in Peking.

Getting China to receive the president in 1972 was a political coup.

The Washington Post said if Mr. Nixon had revealed he was going to the moon, he could not have flabbergasted his world audience more.

One of Nixon's goals with the China visit was to give the United States leverage in dealing with the Soviet Union.

The reason I went to China first was to drive the wedge.

Drive the wedge.

We were in there first.

For that reason, it gave us a political advantage on dealing with the Soviets.

Later on.

The People's Republic of China had been isolated from much of the world after becoming a communist government.

The other reason that China came first was commercial.

The Nixon visit helped awaken the sleeping giant economically.

Trudel helped plan the communications for Nixon's China trip, but didn't go to China at that time.

But I was very involved with all the planning myself and three or four of the staff guys.

We are the people that work with COMSAT because at that time, China had no ability to talk outside their country.

People now take for granted how easy it is to talk on phones.

That wasn't the case going into China then.

The China trip planning.

And it was an unbelievable event.

See, they had no ability to talk.

So we arranged for COMSAT to take a turn over so we can talk to the world.

Even when President and Mrs. Nixon were on the Great Wall of China, there was a complicated system to have a phone line available there.

It involved a helicopter hovering above the Great Wall with a microwave link.

A Secret Service agent had a phone in his coat ready for the president if needed.

The shot was from the helicopter back to our switchboard.

In in the trip office, in a hotel.

And from there, a link was made to satellite hops back to the White House.

Switchboard is always, always, always there.

Prideaux says keeping the president in constant contact was critical, especially when the nation's foes had nuclear capability.

It's amazing of how much we install to protect this country of a risk that we were taking by building emergency relocation, relocation sites and all over for the president.

All the missiles that we built.

Thank goodness we never had to use any of them.

And though the passion of the president that Prindle served involve foreign affairs, it was a scandal right in the president's backyard that brought Nixon's presidency down.

Watergate burglars broke into the National Democratic Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex.

The intruders were caught taking photos of documents and bugging office phones.

Those men were later connected to the president's reelection committee.

Crystal was on Air Force One with the president returning from the Bahamas.

Brittle observed the moment the president was informed of the break in.

On Sunday night, coming back was when he first learned that there was a break in and on that there had been some link to the White House because there were some notes that had some names on it.

Hook them up, the people that worked with the White House.

And so that's when they told him.

And he was not very happy about it.

Watergate was one more scandal added to all the other issues being dealt with then.

But there were so many things going on that everything was it was was was tense.

You had to be careful.

And and it was just kind of sad because as it turned out, Watergate should never have happened.

There was no reason.

But it did happen.

Despite Prieto's assessment that the Committee to Reelect the president didn't follow the president's directive.

And the interesting thing was, I was in the room when the president announced to all 48 and all 50, I probably had 50 there.

Committee chairmen that don't overexpose.

I'm the president.

They see me every day.

Our our our our candidate that we're running against.

We can win this thing because people see me every day.

So the committee to reelect the president and those intelligence guys, the political guys just went off the board.

There was no reason for Watergate to happen.

But as a result of the Watergate break in and the cover up attempt orchestrated by the White House, President Nixon was impeached and resigned before Congress could remove him from office.

Several Nixon aides were convicted of crimes related to the cover up while Watergate was going on.

Colonel Prindle retired from the Air Force after 22 years of service.

In mid 1974, with the White House Communications Agency his last assignment, he returned to Kansas, setting up a house in Hutchinson.

His career experiences opened doors to serve in many local and state positions, including Kansas Secretary of Agriculture and the first State Secretary of Commerce.

Even though Prindle didn't go to China while at the White House Communications Agency, he did years later go to China when John Carlin was Kansas governor.

I was intent because of my past experience with the White House on opening up Kansas door, because, you know, we sell a lot of wheat to a lot of places and a lot of soybeans, a lot of places.

And there's a lot of Chinese people that need soybeans and corn to feed those hogs because pork is their main thing.

Over the following years, Prindle held several private and government sector positions with associations, commissions, chambers, city, county and state organizations.

My previous experience, the White House pushed me along that career path in a very logical way and one which I was comfortable with.

Prindle says his family came along on this journey.

They now live in McCallister, Oklahoma, next door to their son Kevin and his wife Michelle, where they can live independently, yet close to family in retirement.

They look back on a long, illustrious career that took them from the farmhouse to the White House and back.

This is Chris Frank reporting for Positively Kansas.

Prieto became active in Kansas politics after retiring from the Air Force.

In 1990, he was Governor McCain's running mate.

In Hayden's failed attempt for a second term, and McPherson woman got more than her money's worth when she participated in the PBS's Kansas Antiques Fair.

She was in for an emotional experience she didn't expect.

Hannah Spencer was there.

It was a chance to show off their treasures and family heirlooms.

Cross, learn a little history.

I was tickled to death, you know.

And even relive the past.

As fans of the Antiques Roadshow made their way to Wichita for the PBS Kansas Antiques Fair.

Among them, McPherson resident Marianne Hanna.

My coworker said, Are you going to go to the road show?

And I said, It's going to be in Wichita.

And she said, It's the Kansas Road Show.

So we got tickets right away.

And amazing about today.

So we're just thrilled.

My husband's in line over there.

We got a couple of more items to appraise and we just we love the road show and love the information about it.

Excited for the opportunity Mary Ann sat across from an appraiser to share her family treasure and the story that had been passed down from generation to generation.

This is a watch that was given to my grandfather back in the mid forties when he was helping a fisherman, a retired railroad and more.

The sound of a man drowned while my grandfather was trying to receive credit because at his funeral his wife presented this to my grandfather.

The story doesn't end there, as Maryanne explains that her grandfather later gifted the railroad watch to his own son.

My father hired out in Santa Fe in the early fifties.

Granddad gave it to my father and said, You need to watch this right now.

And it this beautiful painting.

And so then this last summer, we were going through things and my dad said, Oh yeah.

And he told me the story of this little watch.

I'll bring it down today that lives on northern Found out its worth $2500.

and it still runs.

And it's just it's just awesome that, you know, the history and how it came to be in the family.

This Ball Railroad Watch has a significant place in American railroad history.

Railroad watches were known as standard watches because they met the railroad standards of timekeeping.

Watches like this had several reliability enhancing features to ensure accuracy and thus safety.

Marianne says she's surprised by what she learned.

I will present it to my mother and my brother and see what they want to do.

And but my dad would be.

He passed away in December and he would be very pleased.

Marianne says knowing the timepiece has historical significance and monetary worth is noteworthy.

But it's the timeless sentimental value that remains most important to her and her family in Wichita.

I'm Anna Spenser for Positively Kansas.

The PBS Kansas Antiques Fair took place in July.

It drew more than 300 participants from across the state.

Turkeys are considered the king of the Kansas game birds.

We have a lot of them because of what you're about to see right here on this week's edition of Kansas Wild Edge with Mike Blair.

The return of spring and warmth brings many signs to Kansas.

Wildflowers, coursing frogs and a common wildlife dance.

Strutting wild turkeys.

This familiar April scene plays out as the big birds prepare for nesting season, traveling in mixed flocks and feeding on insects and emerging greenery.

The hens build energy reserves for laying eggs and the bigger toms or gobblers look for girlfriends while showing off their best moves.

These strutting dances are among the most spectacular displays of breeding birds.

Dark, iridescent feathers turn fiery colors and sunlight.

And the tones turn circles to dazzle the hands.

Gatherings are often noisy, with many birds cutting and yelping as they move along.

Gobbling is the trademark call of lovestruck.

Tom's knighting may occur among the dancing male turkeys.

Each night, the turkeys fly high into trees to roost.

Even then, some gobblers call and display among the branches.

But each new sunrise brings another show by these wild Kansas residents.

Wild Turkey hands have been sitting on nests and incubating eggs for the past 28 days.

Getting up for an hour now and then to feed and exercise is now in early May.

The first clutches are hatching and I chanced upon a brood just one day old.

They had followed.

Their mama.

Into an alfalfa field to pick bugs and with a tall plant hiding them.

My only tipoff was the strange, bold action and the hand.

A wild turkey would never allow such a close approach unless she was protecting very young chicks.

I grabbed a camera and walked close while the hand spreader fan and scolded me.

Sure enough, I soon saw a tiny head of the speckled bolt.

And then another.

And then another.

I had to look closely of the little one.

Sneaked in circles, trying to keep up with the hand circling and calling just a few feet away.

It was nearly impossible to get film as they played hide and seek.

So I backed off a little and they moved toward an open lane, then walked in cold, and soon the whole group crossed the opening toward the cover of a tree line.

She moved slowly so the little ones can keep up.

Sound was their only beacon since the alfalfa was twice their height and hidden from view.

Finally, I began to see the whole clutch.

They came from several directions, but I counted roughly 13 as mom led them into the forest edge, as always.

The unexpected encounter led to a wildlife life memory I'll never forget.

I'm Mike Blair, four Positively Kansas.

Well, that's a wrap for this week.

Positively Kansas at Dawg Technology is our email address.

If you have a story idea.

We always need them.

Until next time.

I'm Ciara Scott.

See you again soon.

Positively.

Kansas is brought to you in part by program support provided by the F price.

Cosima memorial trust and Trust Bank Trustee bringing you the Kansas Wild Ed segments on Positively Kansas.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas serves more than 930,000 Kansans in various programs.

Independent member of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, an independent licensee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, supports CPAs.

Before investing your hard earned money.

Make sure your financial advisor understands your objectives.

Mark Douglass CFP Serving our community for over 20 years, providing customized financial solutions that focus on the individual.