Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
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.
BCC needs more space
Barton Community College has been running out of room at its Grandview Plaza location, and a larger site is needed soon, college administrators told the BCC Board of Trustees Thursday. The owner of the building BCC has leased for the last five years has agreed to build a new wing for a long-term rental commitment from the college. Located in Cloud County to be close to Fort Riley, the Grandview Plaza site is where Barton ...
Great Bend goes mobile
The Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau is expanding its presence on the Internet with a mobile website and a page on TripAdvisor.com. Both were launched in December, said Cris Collier, president of the Visitors Bureau.
BEARING ARMS - Semiautomatics popular at gun show
Back for the third year, the Gun and Knife Show drew a crowd Saturday at the Great Bend Expo. Anthony Lutz, a promoter for event sponsor U.S. Weapons, based in Manchester, Iowa, said they've seen a spike in attendance at their shows in recent months.
Shrinkage
While Congress was trying to ease the pain of the so-called fiscal cliff, Representatives were apparently throwing their constituents under the bus.
OTR for Jan. 4, 2013
Great Bend Fire Department Firefighters made 12 Emergency Medical Service runs on Wednesday. There were no fires. Other fires A controlled burn in the 2000 block of NE 30 Ave. got out of control Wednesday afternoon and burned down an old barn. Firefighters were asked to make sure the fire did not spread to a farmhouse at in the 200 block of NE 200 Road. Kansas Highway Patrol A motorist was injured Thursday morning when ...
OTR for Jan. 3, 2013
Great Bend Fire Department Firefighters had six Emergency Medical Service calls on Monday and six on Tuesday. At 7:44 p.m Tuesday, burning food on a stop stove caused a fire alarm to go off at the High Rise. There was no fire. Barton County Sheriff At 4:54 p.m. on Friday, two vehicles collided at NE 40 Road and NE 10 Ave. Hope Chubb was reportedly driving east on NE 200 Road around 12:01 a.m. Saturday ...
Barton County Sheriff's Office works injury accidents
The Barton County Sheriff's Office responded to three minor injury accidents on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The first occurred at 4:17 p.m. Monday on SE 60 Ave. at SE 20 Road. Gustavo C. Delgadillo, 60, of Pawnee Rock, was westbound in a Buick Century, and Tyler L. Reeves, 17, of Great Bend, was northbound in a Ford Taurus. Reeves was reportedly driving too fast for road conditions and was unable to stop ...
Zoo News: Zoo director gives year-end report
Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo received eight new animals in 2012, not counting rehabilitation birds. The year-end report from Zoo Director Scott Gregory also notes that three agoutis were born at the zoo. An agouti is a burrowing rodent. The newest animal is an arctic fox from Assiniboine Park Zoo in Canada, which arrived in December. It will be several weeks before it is ready to move to a public exhibit area, Gregory said. Other ...
Trees accepted at compost site
Great Bend residents looking for a place to dispose of Christmas trees can use the city compost site, but they need to remove all tinsel, hooks and decorations, said Street Superintendent Mike Crawford. If the tree is in a bag, the bag also needs to be removed.
New Year's Eve taxi available
Those who need a ride home after celebrating on New Year's Eve can call 620-639-TAXI (639-8294). Once again, Great Bend Police Chief Dean Akings and Officer Gary Davis will drive people home for a $5 donation to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. The service is available from 10 p.m. Monday until 3 a.m. Tuesday, said Scott Donovan with radio station Eagle Country 100.7 FM. The Eagle Radio stations have coordinated the New Year's ...
Bill of Rights
In a novel by Umberto Eco, a character comments on the long list of rules imposed on the Knights Templar in the Middle Ages. "From prohibitions you can tell what people normally do. It's a way of drawing a picture of daily life."
Critter Ministries expanding in 2013
ALBERT - The Rev. Arthur Crider doesn't have a congregation, but he and his wife Mindy do have an evangelical Christian ministry in Barton County. In January they plan to launch a series of public events that will let more people know about "Critter Ministries." The first one will be at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 at the Best Western Angus Inn Courtyard at 2920 10th St. in Great Bend. That Friday evening meeting will ...
Fireworks lead to injury
A teenage boy suffered major burns Sunday night after playing with fireworks inside a Barton Hills residence. The Barton County Sheriff's Office reports the fire at 646 North Homestead started around 10:20 p.m. when Brennen Donovan, 13, and a 15-year-old boy were playing with fireworks and caught a mattress on fire. Donovan was taken to Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington and transferred to Via Christi's St. Francis Hospital in Wichita with burns to his right ...
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.
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