Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
Longoria hearing continues today
When text messages were exchanged between Adam Longoria's and Alicia DeBolt's cell phones, Nex-Tech Wireless towers were collecting the data. That was the source of much of the testimony on Wednesday, as Longoria's second preliminary hearing in connection with the Great Bend teenager's murder got under way. Longoria is charged with capital murder, as prosecutors allege that he committed the premeditated murder of 14-year-old DeBolt on or about Aug. ...
Don't Talk to the Actors
Great Bend Community Theatre kicks off its 2011-12 season this week with a comedy about the crew of a Broadway-bound play.
Attorneys prepare for next Longoria hearing
Attorneys for Adam Longoria have filed a new motion seeking to have his case thrown out of court, saying the Kansas Attorney General's Office has prejudiced potential jurors through the media. At the same time, defense attorneys are asking the court to reinstate some of the privileges Longoria lost after making statements to reporters this past summer. Longoria is scheduled to appear in Barton County District Court at 9 a.m. on ...
Local businesses model fall styles
Animal prints are still in style this autumn as ladies wear longer sleeves and add layers to their fashion ensembles. Volunteers modeled clothes from four Great Bend clothing stores Monday at the Fall Style Show, sponsored by the Great Bend Senior Center and the Recreation Commission. The program got under way Monday afternoon at the Senior Center. Models included Alice Brozek, Pauline Mong, Rozie Tomlin, Megan Hammeke and Margaret Ann Younker, ...
Facebook official subpoenaed for Rykiel case
The preliminary hearing for the man arrested after the death of a 15-year-old runaway did not happen on Thursday as scheduled. Joseph Jeffery Rykiel, 30, is charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy with a child 14-16 years old, and aggravated endangering of a child through a reckless situation. He was arrested after Jessica Cheyanne Shearer died on July 4 at a Great Bend residence. <p ...
Harmon starts prison sentence
The Great Bend man responsible for more than a dozen burglaries and thefts has begun his prison sentence, according to information from the Kansas Department of Corrections. Christopher Allen Harmon, 28, was released from the county jail to KDOC custody last week, and has been incarcerated in the El Dorado Correctional Facility. His earliest possible release date is June 11, 2013. The KDOC website shows the level of custody for ...
Good Question: This summer was one for the books
With the heat advisories of July and August behind us, a Tribune reader asks, "Did Great Bend break the record for the number of 100-degree days?" At the end of August, Good Question reported that the record was set in 1954, when this area suffered through 50 triple-digit days. Going into Labor Day we were pushing toward that number at 48 days, but things were finally starting to cool ...
Local women join Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure
Two Great Bend women endured sore feet and rain to walk 60 miles for the cause of breast cancer. Rebecca Ford and Pattie McGurk traveled to Washington, D.C., this past weekend to take part in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the global leader of the breast cancer movement. Raising funds through events such as the Susan ...
Vehicular burglaries reported
Great Bend Police Department received several reports of vehicular burglaries Friday. On Friday morning, a resident at 1821 Baker Ave. discovered a burglary had occurred overnight. A wallet and charger were stolen from a vehicle parked in the driveway at 3118 Stone St., and keys were taken from a car at 3138 Morton St. An iPod was stolen from a pickup at 6025 Aspen Drive. Stereo equipment was stolen ...
Bike Rally wraps up
This weekend, the Big Bend Bike Rally offered the most fun to be had on two wheels. Friday and Saturday saw hundreds of motorcyclists gather at the Expo Complex west of Great Bend for bike games, the All Harley Drag Races and Run What You Brung Races. Live music, concessions and a beer garden where also among the attractions. The three-day event concludes today. ...
Grieving family fights to prevent suicides
Those who loved Chad Roberson remember him as a fun-loving, generous man who would do anything for family - and would always help an underdog. He was a leader, protective, hard working. In the summer of 2010 he was baptized. When he died on Dec. 13, 2010, he was 22 years old. The cause of his death was suicide. Chad's mother, Faith Jacobs, and sister Melaine VanderMeer, are ...
Kansas Court of Appeals hears cases at Great Bend
Justices from the Kansas Court of Appeals brought their work to Great Bend Tuesday. At Barton Community College and the courthouse, justices heard arguments on cases dealing with child custody, a driving under the influence arrest, and the post-release supervision of a man convicted of a sexual offense. The hearings were held here as part of the county's Constitution Day observance. Although none of the cases originated in Barton County, several ...
Plane knocks out power line at Ness City
Fire trucks and law enforcement officers were standing by Sunday evening at airports in Ness and Barton counties, but the pilot of a damaged two-passenger airplane landed at the Larned/Pawnee County Municipal Airport. Steve Gross, airport manager at Larned, said the pilot had landed and left by the time he arrived at the airport. Gross had been advised of a possible landing gear problem sometime after 8:30 p.m. Pilots can activate ...
Police investigate kidnapping report
Great Bend Police are investigating a report of an aggravated kidnapping. A man contacted the police late Sunday morning, saying that three white males came to his residence in the 2900 block of Lakin Ave. around 4 p.m. on Saturday and forced him into a vehicle. He said he was taken into the country, west of Great Bend, where the alleged kidnappers battered him and threatened to hurt his family. According ...
BCC trustees change policy manual
Barton Community College's Board of Trustees may talk less about Policy Governance and more about Barton Governance in the future, after amending its board policy manual last Thursday. As noted in the update manual, BCC trustees adopted the Carver Policy Governance™® model on Nov. 21, 1996. "It serves as the foundation for all board practices/policies." However, BCC President Dr. Carl Heilman noted at the meeting, the college's board ...
Articles By Author - Susan Thacker
Representation: 3-mile zone creates issues
A while back the League of Women Voters asked Great Bend City Attorney Robert Suelter to discuss the three-mile zone around the city limits, which has been overseen by the city since 2000. The area has a mix of agricultural, industrial and residential uses.
Zoo News: Brit Spaugh Zoo continues search for new animals
One of the new animals at Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo is a 6-month-old African serval cat named Akida. This male cat was shipped to the zoo from New Zealand and Zoo Director Scott Gregory said he will try to find a female from another zoo so they can attempt to breed the pair. Although the zoo already has a female serval, she dates to an earlier time when zoo record keeping was not as ...
Historical Society announces ‘Ghosts of Christmas Past’ open house
Nostalgia, entertainment and music are on the agenda for the Barton County Historical Society's holiday open house, "Ghosts of Christmas Past." It will take place 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at the museum. Admission is free for the day. The Barton County Historical Museum & Village is located just south of the Arkansas River bridge on U.S. 281 in Great Bend. Regular winter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Executive Director ...
Every Christmas Story
Last year, Great Bend Community Theatre's holiday gift to the community was "It's A Wonderful Life, a Radio Show." This year director Sally O'Connor will deck the halls with "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)." The play opens Thursday, Dec. 5, with nightly shows at 8 p.m. through Dec. 7, and ends with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Crest Theater, 1905 Lakin Ave. The box office will be ...
'Trick or Tree' contest pleases tree lovers
As the fall colors began to turn, Great Bend's Tree Board announced its first Trick or Tree photography contest. Contest coordinator Toni Rice announced the winners this past week. "We had so many wonderful entries," Rice said. Although six were named winners – and will be awarded gift certificates – Rice had many "favorites" among the submissions – which brought out the variety in species as well as the history of trees in Barton County. ...
Wholistic center celebrates quarter century of healing hands
The "Heartland" ministries of Great Bend's Dominican Sisters of Peace have always been intended to address body, mind and spirit. One of those ministries, the Heartland Center for Wholistic Health at 1005 Williams St., is celebrating 25 years.
Acres for birds
You'd think people would be happy with the rise of ethanol, a renewable energy source, taking the place of some oil, which is non-renewable. By creating another market for corn farmers, it should be a win-win.
Santa's Workshop opens Monday
After Thanksgiving, the elves at the north pole get busy. A winter tradition, Santa's Workshop will be open from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at the City Auditorium. Garet Fitzpatrick at the Great Bend Recreation Commission notes that a number of volunteers will help to transform the City Auditorium into the 17th annual Santa's Workshop, a free event "designed for preschool through sixth graders and their families and those young at heart." Enter through the ...
Mayor to throw switch on 'Trail of Lights'
The newest holiday display in Great Bend is located on the north side of the courthouse square. Christina Hayes, Great Bend Community Coordinator, described the interactive light display. "We are very excited about this new feature," she said. "It's set to music where you can park your car and tune in your radio, and the lights will dance with the music." Parks Director Terry Hoff described the synchronized light show as a major addition to ...
2nd Grade Civics
Second graders from Park Elementary School took a trip to the Golden Belt Humane Society on Monday for story time. After Kennel Technician Aaron Pike read a story, there was time for cookies and juice. Children also got to pet some puppies and kittens while learning important lessons about animals from the shelter's staff. Heather Acheson, director of the humane society, compared lessons on approaching injured or stray animals to what kids learn about "stranger ...
Library announces Food for Fines and other events
The Great Bend Public Library is once again holding Food for Fines to support the local food bank. From Dec. 2 until Jan. 4, bring in one non-perishable food item for every $1 in late fines on library materials. Food may be dropped off inside the library anytime during library hours.
Home for the Holidays events listed
Great Bend's holiday events calendar explodes this week as Thanksgiving and the annual Home for the Holidays celebration approaches.
House fire does extensive damage (updated report)
A fire at 1418 20th St. did extensive damage to the house, Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said. Firefighters were dispatched at 2:42 a.m. Friday, for a possible window air conditioner on fire. They arrived to find smoke coming from the attic. Inspector Luke McCormick from the GBFD said police also arrived at the house and said the door was hot to touch. Firefighters forced open the front door and found fire in the ...
Great Bend youth learn 'Pillars of Stewardship'
Students at Great Bend's Holy Family School and the Prince of Peace Parish accepted a challenge to make videos about "The Four Pillars of Stewardship."
Two rollovers in Barton County
The weather was definitely a factor in a rollover accident Thursday morning on U.S. 56, west of Great Bend, Undersheriff Bruce Green said. An earlier accident south of town on U.S. 281 was also reported, promoting the Barton County Sheriff's Office to post a reminder on Facebook for everyone to stay off the highways if possible and drive carefully.
