Opinion

I don’t swear often. Honest. But I once apologized to a veterinary technician for my cat being such an “expletive” when I bring him in. Only I didn’t use the word “expletive.” She said, “Yes, it says that right here on his chart. He’s an expletive.” She didn’t use the word expletive either. And knowing my cat, I believed her about the chart. But then she laughed and showed it to me. There were no swear words on it. However the word “caution” was written across the top in big red letters. I wasn’t surprised. I half expected the chart to say, “One more infraction and this cat will be banned from the clinic forever.”

Every day local newspapers do the work of informing their communities about issues that affect their lives. They are the unsung heroes of democracy in rural and small community households across the country. Newspapers even the playing field when it comes to delivering information to rural areas. Like so many treasures that are not valued until they are lost, the local newspaper is something people can take for granted until it is no longer available.

I have so many memories of Rhonda Humble that it’s hard to figure out where to start on a tribute. I have known Rhonda for close to 20 years when I walked into her office and asked for an opportunity to write for her newspaper. She gave me a test run and I passed and for the next twenty years my byline has graced her publications regularly. Back in the early oughts, before Facebook and Twitter and other social media platforms took over the world of news, Rhonda had a stable of about five regular publications including “The African Voice” and “La Presencia Latina” both geared at giving voice to the voiceless emerging immigrant communities in southwest Johnson County. I edited The African Voice while writing regular copy for the flagship Tri-County News. As the newspaper business continued teetering on the brink of collapse, Rhonda kept on, bravely leading not only her small operation but also statewide as former President of the Kansas Press Association. Over the years she became like family to me, leaning on her in times of trouble. I was not the only one. I would sometimes tease her about collecting troubled and wandering souls and opening her door to people who for all purposes and intents were strangers. She made lifelong friends on a whim, her loyalty steadfast and true. Even when someone in her circle messed up, Rhonda was there, ever the mother hen, holding their hand, comforting them with words of reassurance, housing them if they were in trouble. She fed many hungry mouths. She was a fun boss to work for, as strict with deadlines as with punctuation. She steered her newspaper in these choppy waters and as she would often say, was the last remaining local paper in the county. She did it with an incredible sense of humor even when the viability of the enterprise was in doubt. I was proud of her resilience, her commitment to the idea of a free press. Her passing feels like an end to an era. She will be missed but never forgotten. RIP my friend, my men

1956-2022 She never missed a deadline! .

It’s nice to see the majority standing up to put God and Patriotism back in public schools. For too long a minority has ruled that political correctness is more important than the principles this country was founded on.

What a hard column to write. I joined part of this story 24 plus years ago. I needed a job with insurance due to life changes. Rita Moore knew me and told the owner of The Gardner News she should hire me to fill the position. I had never turned on a computer. Never handled office phone calls, basically knew anything about the workings of a newspaper office. She told me it was a sink or swim and I guess I swam. That was how I went to work for Rhonda Humble. The office had just moved to a bigger building out on East Santa Fe Street. She was publishing The Gardner News, The Spring Hill New Era and the Santa Fe Shopper. I can’t remember how many people were working there at the time. It was always a very busy, productive, happy place.

For a short period after my official retirement, I worked for Rhonda. She took a chance on an older woman with no previous newspaper experience. I learned a lot about the business. The struggles, the constant pressure to get the paper out on time and the ever present push to satisfy both subscribers and advertisers filled our days. Rhonda took it all head on. Her determination competing in a male dominated career was evident. She was the best boss ever had. Her sense of humor was so refreshing. I counted on my tarot card readings from her which were amazingly accurate.