John Beal

John Beal is a contributor to The Shawnee Dispatch, Bonner Springs Chieftain and Basehor Sentinel. He retired in February 2008 as editor of those newspapers.

Recent stories

Honesty: the cost of maturity
By John Beal
November 19, 2008
When my oldest daughter was about 3, I took her and her brother to the movies. I don’t remember the title, just that without having seen it I thought it would be apt for viewing by children 3 and 5.
2 years in ‘a green and pleasant land’
By John Beal
November 13, 2008
I see that Rotary International is having its annual convention next year in Birmingham, England.
Cat’s bad attitude beats dog-gone luck
By John Beal
November 5, 2008
I’ve been wondering if maybe I shouldn’t take back all the bad things I wrote about our cat.
Cats suffer human housemates
By John Beal
October 23, 2008
It was a rough week for the cat. First the house was full of visitors, then the turmoil and trauma of a trip to the vet.
Stillness around house says grandkids have left
By John Beal
October 15, 2008
The house is blissfully quiet once the children and grandchildren have gone after a weeklong visit, but there is something – a sadness, almost, that lingers in the air. Oh, it’s not really a sadness, perhaps, but just a sort of vacancy.
DIY projects lack finishing touches
By John Beal
October 9, 2008
Before any project is complete, there comes a point where its final shape and appearance are easily apparent: a sort of almost-complete, if you will.
Railroad’s glory days captured in art exhibit
By John Beal
October 1, 2008
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by trains.
Beal: Weather is pleasant, but give me all four seasons
By John Beal
September 24, 2008
No seasons? How boring. Without suffering through the dog days of August, how would we appreciate the balmy days and crisp nights of autumn? Absent the rigors of winter, what would be so special about spring
Leisures of road trip wane on way home
By John Beal
September 11, 2008
Vacations have a life of their own. I mean, you can be going along, having the time of your life, enjoying the mountains or the seashore or the canyons of Broadway, in whichever is your holiday spot of choice, only to realize that the vacation is over. Where you really want to be is home.
Eyes, stomachs filled on cruise
By John Beal
September 4, 2008
There’s no excuse for going hungry on a cruise ship. The cruise lines have figured out that the way to the traveler’s heart is through his stomach.

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Recent photos

Painstaking craftsmanship and attention to detail are evident in this example of the quilter's art.

With quilts from the Bonner Springs United Methodist Church's United Methodist Women's Quilt Show laid out on the pews for all to see, two women in the background begin folding one of the heirlooms.

As mistress of ceremonies Connie Drummond, left, describes the quilt, Kristen Smith holds up a quilt she made. The "Color Wash" quilt was pieced together of hand-dyed fabric.

Several copies of a quilting journal are laid out for participants to examine.

Mary Clark, left, and Judy Anderson (back to camera) hold up a "scrappy" Irish chain-style quilt at the UMW Quilt Show Saturday. About 50 women attended the event.

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