Latest news with #Wichita-area
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Doo-Dah Diner owners sell as they face health challenge
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — One of Wichita's more popular restaurants is changing hands as the owners deal with health challenges. Founders Patrick and Timirie Shibley decided to sell the diner due to chef Patrick's stage 4 prostate cancer. The new owners will be long-time customers Jeff and Jay Miller and their partner, Pat Reilly. The transfer of ownership will happen on Monday, June 16, the day after the restaurant hosts a Father's Day Feast of Kings buffet on Sunday, June 15. On Saturday, June 14, there will be a 'Shibley Sendoff.' Customers are invited for a special buffet spread. Guests are encouraged to drop by for a hug and to share well-wishes along with their favorite Doo-Dah Diner memories with the Shibleys. Complete closure of I-135 in north Wichita The Shibleys opened Doo-Dah Diner in 2012. It quickly developed a strong following for its made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch dishes, its customer service, and its retro vibe. 'Doo-Dah Diner isn't just a restaurant – it is an extension of who we are,' Patrick said in a news release. 'Every dish is rooted in love, every detail mattered, and nothing made us happier than watching someone's eyes light up with the first bite. That joy – that connection – is why we worked so hard. Pleasing people wasn't a goal. It was the reason we opened the doors every morning for 12 years.' 'We packed a lifetime of memories into the 13 years we owned this treasure,' Timirie said. 'Our moms sat together in a booth and rolled silverware while telling stories. Our daughters literally grew up working in the restaurant. I even hired my ex-husband to help manage the front of house.' The future owners, Jeff and Jay Miller and their partner Pat Reilly, also own and operate the three Wichita-area Five Guys Burgers & Fries restaurants. 'We are deeply honored to continue Patrick and Timirie's vision for Doo-Dah Diner,' Jeff Miller said. 'The diner is a place that means so much to so many people, including us. We are committed to preserving the warmth, the flavor, and the atmosphere that everyone loves about Doo-Dah. We've been in the restaurant training under Patrick and Timirie for the past several weeks so that the ownership transition will be seamless.' The diner has also made news for all the celebrities who stop in when they visit town, including actors Harrison Ford and Henry Winkler, Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo, ESPN play-by-play broadcasters, and traveling artists with Music Theatre Wichita. 'This diner isn't just a restaurant – it's a gathering place, and we can't wait to continue that tradition,' Jay Miller said. The Shibleys plan to do some traveling and connect with loved ones as they 'De-Doo-Dah' their lives. They want to start a podcast for friends and fans to follow their post-diner adventures. Look for @doodahmom on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Timirie will continue her DooDads permanent jewelry business that she and long-time diner employee Laura Shoemake have operated for nearly three years. Look for @doodadsict on social media. For those who wish to follow along with Patrick's health journey, visit his Caring Bridge page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Journals
22-04-2025
- Health
- Business Journals
Wichita's VA hospital ranks first for specialty care access
A new study reveals why Wichita has become a standout for veterans seeking health care. Story Highlights Wichita named top U.S. city for veterans health care in 2025. Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center received perfect score for care. Dole VA ranked first nationwide in access to specialty care. Wichita has been named the top city in the U.S. for veterans health care in 2025 by a study analyzing VA hospitals around the country. The city's Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center had top marks in low wait times, high patient satisfaction and superior hospital care quality, resulting in a perfect score by Trajector Medical, a private company that works with veterans to obtain health care. The study assessed all 132 VA hospitals. "Speaking for Dole VA, the Wichita community has done an outstanding job of working together to improve access to, and quality care for, our veterans," CEO and medical center director Michael Payne said in a statement. "As the hub of care for veterans in our area, we are proactive in improving, and that includes building a strong network and great partner relationships." expand Michael Payne, CEO of Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita Brittany Schowalter | WBJ The Dole VA ranked first nationwide in access to specialty care, including shortest average wait time for existing patients to see a cardiologist, second-highest percentage of veterans able to access routine specialty care, second-highest access to urgent specialty care, and third-shortest wait time for new patients accessing pulmonology. Wichita-area veterans were also found to have the seventh-shortest wait time for existing patients to access mental health-integrated primary care, and ninth-shortest wait time for new patients to access the same service. Wichita and the Dole VA placed sixth nationally in hospital-care quality. That's similar to the five-star rating the hospital has received the last two years by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dole VA said that places it in the top 8% of all hospitals, including non-VA facilities.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wichita vice mayor defends councilman after heated argument
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Five days after tensions boiled over inside a Topeka pub, the vice mayor of Wichita has gone on record to defend his colleague. Both the Wichita City Council and the Sedgwick County Commission had gone to Topeka last week to meet with state representatives and senators from the Wichita area as well as attend the South-Central Legislative Delegation Reception. The Wichita-area leaders decided to get together at The Celtic Fox. While there, a video shows Councilman Brandon Johnson getting into a yelling match with State Representative Ford Carr. At one point, the video shows Carr shoving Representative Henry Helgerson aside, making him fall into a wall. You can watch a censored version of the video below: Ford and Johnson say the argument was all over money for the 29th and Grove contamination area. In the video, Ford accused Johnson of not coming up with a plan for testing, but Vice Mayor J.V. Johnston told KSN News on Monday that's the exact opposite of what Johnson has been doing. Kansas governor reacts to heated argument among officials at Topeka bar 'I know that Councilman Johnson has worked very, very hard on that issue, and so I don't think people know how hard he has worked on that issue. Tons of meetings, some I even went to representing Guadalupe Clinic, and he's been working that for years, so I know he's working on it really hard, and I think people should respect that,' said Vice Mayor Johnston. 'It's a complicated issue, very complicated, both money and how you do it, and results, and he's been working through those issues and doing a really good job.' The state approved $1.5 million for testing. Another million is available if it's matched. On Tuesday, the city council will take a second vote on putting $125,000 towards it. The rest of the money must be matched by the county and private groups by June 30, or it goes away. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
