Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
Spell Bee is Saturday
The Donald H. Humphreys Barton County Spelling Bee will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Great Bend High School Auditorium. The bee is sponsored by the Great Bend Kiwanis Club and member Paul Snapp is this year's chairman. "We have N.R. Weber returning as the pronouncer, and as judges we have Jean Cavanaugh, Judy Fox and Dr. David Hart," Snapp said. "There are 11 elementary and middle schools from Barton County ...
Great Bend man charged with rape
Leonel H. Galindo, Great Bend, has been formally charged with forcible rape, alleged to have happened Jan. 5 outside a rural Great Bend nightclub. His preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. on Feb. 21 at the Barton County Courthouse. The alleged rape was reported to the Barton County Sheriff's Office at 3:16 a.m. on Jan. 5, after the woman left The House (formerly Willy J's), a night club at 206 North U.S. 281, and ...
Holy Family School celebrates Catholic Schools Week
The students at Holy Family Catholic School in Great Bend approach state tests with the focus that an athlete approaches the big game. Like an athlete with a pre-game routine that is almost superstitious, the students expect the teachers to hand out mints and they also pray before every test, Principal Karen Moeder said. "We just pray for God to help us do our best on today's test," she said. While none of this makes ...
Valentine's theater a sweet option for arts lovers
It's not too early to think about Valentine's Day, especially with Great Bend Community Theatre offering a limited number of dinner theater tickets for Feb. 14. One hundred VIP tickets will be sold to the opening night of "Enchanted April," a romantic comedy showing Feb. 14-17. The tickets, which cost $50 per person, include a three-course Italian gourmet dinner at Maggie's Bar, 1318 Kansas Ave., followed by the play, just around the corner at the ...
Historical Society celebrates Kansas Day, local history
Two locally produced documentaries will be shown this week at the Barton County Historical Museum. The historical society will celebrate Kansas Day with a program today, and local history with its annual meeting on Monday, Executive Director Beverly Komarek said. Kansas became the 34th state on Jan. 29, 1861. The public is invited to today's free Kansas Day program at the museum, located just south of Great Bend's Arkansas River bridge on U.S. 281. At ...
1st Amendment: It's also for public employees
If there was any doubt about the intent of House Bill 2023, proponents made it clear on Wednesday.
Pursuits lead to arrests
Vehicular pursuits on Sunday and Monday ended with two men being booked into the Barton County Jail. At 3:29 a.m. Sunday, Jason Kramer, Ellis, reportedly led a Barton County Sheriff's Office deputy on a pursuit that began in the 300 block of NW 60 Ave. After being apprehended, he was booked into the jail on Barton County charges of flee and elude, reckless driving and driving while suspended, and a Great Bend warrant for failure ...
KDHE no longer handling local HIV tests
Since the start of the year, the state health department has stopped analyzing HIV tests for the Barton County Health Department and most other public health departments, forcing them to use private labs if they want to continue the service. As of Jan. 1, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Lab no longer provides free lab work or rapid or oral test kits for the local health department, according to a letter sent from ...
Free HazMat training offered in Great Bend
A free workshop on hazardous materials will be offered next week at Barton Community College. The workshop will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30, in the Seminar Room, F-30 of the Fine Arts Building.
Fire destroys rural home
Fire destroyed a home just west of Dundee on Sunday. The fire started in the basement of the Danny Williams residence at 778 West U.S. 56. Damage to the one-story house was more than $75,000, but the contents were also destroyed, Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said. After being gone for the weekend, the family was at home when the fire started in a work area where the water heater and furnace were located. They were ...
Living the dream
Inauguration day, which is usually Jan. 20, has been moved to Monday because it falls on a Sunday. That means the second inauguration of President Barack Obama will coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
BCC improving online course registration
Barton Community College officials plan to improve registration for online courses, Dean of Information Services Charles Perkins said. Barton offers online courses through two sources: BartOnline and eduKan, and each has had its own registration system, until now. A company called Pearson eCollege provides the platform that allows BartOnline and eduKan to provide online courses, and that company has asked BCC to change its enrollment software for more flexible enrollment. There needs to be a ...
Recreation Commission board hears audit report
The Great Bend Recreation Commission ended its last fiscal year with more than $1 million in the bank, board members were told Monday. Curtis Kuhn with D. McMillen Chartered certified public accounting firm of Great Bend presented an audit report that showed no irregularities.
Shootings prompt safety reviews at Barton Community College
The shootings at Newtown, Conn., and the possibility that Kansas may eventually allow people with permits to bring concealed weapons on campus, have prompted the trustees at Barton Community College to review security policies. Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman raised the issue last week at the board study session. "When we talk about tragic events, it's important to review what is being done," Heilman said. Trustees were referred to a document from 2011 that outlines ...
Mending the net
Gov. Sam Brownback announced Thursday that his administration will spend another $10 million on mental health care. His decision was reportedly prompted by the mass murders in December at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 26 students and teachers died.
Articles By Author - Susan Thacker
Poppies to honor veterans available
The American Legion Auxiliary will be out this Memorial weekend asking for donations to help with its Poppy Program. Members will be in front of Great Bend businesses with poppies this evening and all day Saturday. They will also be out on Sunday if they still have some of the 3,000 poppies, said Marianne Krallman, cochair of this year's Poppy Program. Look for volunteers in front of Walmart, both Dillon's stores, Orscheln's and True Value ...
Ironic freedom
On Thursday, Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill that establishes "Celebrate Freedom Week" during the week of Sept. 17 and requires schools to teach students about the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence in grades K-8 each year during that week. (Sept. 17, 1787, is the date the U.S. Constitution was adopted in Philadelphia.)
Two Barton coaching contracts 'pending'
Nine head coaching contracts were renewed Wednesday when the Barton Community College Board of Trustees met, but the contracts of two head coaches are "pending final review." The board discussed personnel matters behind closed doors for nearly an hour before voting on head coach contracts, administrative contracts and contracts for managerial staff. Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman said there were no changes in head coaches, but the board did not approve a contract for a ...
Two flee; child left in truck
A minor child was left in a truck with a loaded gun Monday night as two suspects fled from Barton County deputies.
Our zoo is famous and other local news
Tying up a few loose ends on stories that didn't make the front page:
Higher gas prices not likely to drop by weekend
Gasoline prices have risen dramatically in the past two weeks throughout much of the Midwest. While the price increases may ease off by June, but don't expect relief at the pump this Memorial Weekend, industry experts say. The American Automobile Association's online daily fuel gauge report and GasBuddy.com both showed the average price for a gallon of regular gas Monday in Kansas was $3.92. Just one week ago, the average price was $3.64, and it ...
Cool/Not Cool
The Imagination Playground is coming to Great Bend and will make its public debut during June Jaunt. The portable playground is a set of oversized blocks, lightweight but sturdy enough to build with. They were designed by award-winning architect David Rockwell, who was inspired by watching his own children play.
These masterpieces have wheels
Barton County Historic Society is celebrating the 60th anniversary of organized drag racing in the Golden Belt with a new exhibit and a car show during its open house this Saturday.
GBRC shares Blue Ribbon Award to promote health
Several people working to make Barton County a healthier place received some recognition and financial assistance Monday during the Great Bend Recreation Commission Board meeting. Doug Vance, executive director of the Kansas Recreation & Park Association, visited the meeting along with representatives from BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas, to present a $2,500 facsimile check and a banner in honor of Great Bend winning the Blue Chip award.
Trash talk
The senior class president of Heights High School in Wichita was suspended for the rest of the school year after posting a bit of trash talk about the school football team on Twitter.
BCC may opt out of conceal carry law
Barton Community College trustees may request an exemption to a new gun law taking effect July 1.
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