Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
College trustees discuss ENDS
The conversation at Barton Community College's board study session Thursday centered on the ENDS. That's what college trustees call the keys to how they oversee Barton. "ENDS," as in goals, final outcomes and desires, are usually referred to in all capital letters and are presented in the form of six ENDS statements, such as ENDS Statement No. 1: "Students will have the essential skills to succeed in the workplace." ENDS ...
Auditions scheduled for 2nd annual Barton County's Got Talent dinner theater
The area Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors will hold auditions next week and the following Sunday, for the second annual Barton County's Got Talent dinner theater. The program, on Jan. 15, 2011, will be a fun, local spin-off on the TV show "America's Got Talent," sponsors said. Audition sessions will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday and 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14, at Grace Community Church, 210 ...
Zoo gets bird DNA samples
Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Mike Malone found himself eyeball to eyeball with an eagle. Malone is veterinarian to Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo. This week he completed collecting blood samples on 20 of the zoo's birds. Samples will be sent to a lab to determine the sex of the birds. The eagle has been at the zoo for several years, but its sex was never known for certain, Zoo Director ...
Baby animals born during Zoo Boo
Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo has two new baby agoutis, named Steve and Sam. They were born last Saturday, the day of Zoo Boo, Zoo Director Scott Gregory said. The agouti (ah GOO tee) is a rodent from the rain forests of Central and South America. The babies, a male and female, came as a surprise. "We thought we had two female adults, but I guess not," Gregory said. ...
Wolf re-elected
Rep. Bill Wolf will return to Topeka for a third term as Representative of the 112th District, winning his bid for re-election Tuesday with nearly 60 percent of the votes. In the unofficial election results posted Tuesday night by Barton County Clerk/Election Officer Donna Zimmerman, Republican candidate Wolf received 3,432 votes. Democratic party challenger Christina Stein received 2,307 votes - just over 40 percent - and there were eight ...
MONSTER MASH
Little lawmen and firefighters walked the streets with cowboys, ninjas and princesses, Saturday in downtown Great Bend. Mild fall weather boosted attendance at the annual Halloween parade, where hundreds of kids picked up candy.
Sixth-grader Muth sings for crowd
It's not often that the Great Bend High School marching band yields the field to a guest singer when it's time to perform the national anthem. But for the Oct. 15 football game, the honor went to 12-year-old Allison Muth.
Topeka couple visits state’s courthouses
Weeks before the Jack Kilby Plaza in Great Bend became a construction site, a Topeka couple was on a summer quest to visit every courthouse in each of the state's 105 counties. Barton County's courthouse ranked as an overall favorite with travelers Randy and Gayla Starkey. It took the Starkeys 13 days to stop at every Kansas courthouse, Randy Starkey told the Great Bend Tribune. "We ...
Firefighters holding fundraiser
Great Bend's Firefighters hope to honor a World War II veteran with some of the proceeds from this year's Spaghetti Feed and Raffle, firefighter Brad Descher said.
Sparking Curiosity: Science Day lights the fires of imagination
First came a sizzle/whoosh!, like a firework launching into the air. That was followed by the sound of running feet, as two high school students came around the Fine Arts Building. "Did you see where our rocket landed?" Approximately 600 Kansas high school students and their science teachers descended on Barton Community College on Tuesday for the college's seventh-annual Jack Kilby Science Day. They could compete in math and ...
Great Bend Zoo joins ferret hunt
Great Bend zoo staff headed to western Kansas in September for the Fall 2010 Ferret survey. Marge Bowen, curator at the Brit Spaugh Zoo, and zookeeper Trish McKinley traveled to Logan County, where conservationists have reintroduced the black-footed ferret, bringing the species back from the brink of extinction. The black-footed ferret differs from tame ferrets sold at pet stores, which are mostly of European descent, McKinley said. They are brown ...
Hell is only one option at Judgement House
While fantasy Halloween horrors await brave souls who attend other haunted houses, area churches are offering a different sort of fall program this weekend at Judgement House. This seven-scene walk-through drama promises "Real people, real choices (and) real consequences," with characters going to heaven or hell. The program will be held from 6-10 p.m. Friday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday at Great Bend Church of the Nazarene, 4811 ...
K-12 superintendents chat with college trustees
Three trustees of Barton Community College sat down with four public school superintendents Thursday to discuss the college's partnership with secondary schools in the area. Joining Barton trustees Paul Maneth, Robert Feldt and John Moshier were Great Bend Unified School District Superintendent Tom Vernon, Ellinwood USD 355 Superintendent Ben Jacobs, Hoisington USD 431 Superintendent Bill Lowry and Lyons USD 405 Superintendent Gary Sechrist. Dean Elaine Simmons said the ...
Longoria in court today
More motions and responses have been filed this week in connection with the capital murder trial of Adam Longoria. The Great Bend man is scheduled to appear in Barton County District Court this morning for a pre-trial hearing. Longoria, 36, is charged with capital murder and sodomy in the death of 14-year-old Alicia DeBolt, Great Bend. Previous motions filed by the Attorney General Steve Six for the State of ...
Midnight pursuit ends in arrest
A speeding motorist who refused to stop for Barton County Deputy Keith Kennon was arrested early Monday after a pursuit. Kennon reports that at 12:09 a.m. he notified the 911 dispatch center he was attempting to stop a speeding car, a brown Chrysler, north of Great Bend. When the car pulled off North Washington St. onto U.S. 281, he said, "I realized that the vehicle was pulling ahead of me. ...
Articles By Author - Susan Thacker
Mom, son walk across Kansas for a cause
A mother and son walking across Kansas find plenty of ways to pass the time between towns. There are friendly people to meet and historic markers to read, amazing sunrises/sunsets, and an occasional game of "tumbleweed toss" – where walking sticks are used like hockey sticks to pass tumbleweeds back and forth.
Wetlands Aquatic Center opens for summer
Great Bend's Wetland's Aquatic Center opened Saturday, making a splash as usual. "Everything is up and working," said Aquatic Director Paige Achatz. Weather permitting, the pool is open from 12:30-5:30 p.m. daily. Starting next week, on June 4, the pool will also be open for family nights from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Achatz noted there will be no family nights this week because it is still a little too cold, and because she ...
Wetlands Aquatic Center at Great Bend photos
Great Bend's Wetlands Aquatic Center opened for the summer on Saturday. Here are some photos taken in the afternoon.
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.
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