Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
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.
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.
Articles By Author - Susan Thacker
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.
German Wedding Roast a family tradition
One way to keep Mom out of the kitchen this Mother's Day is by taking her to lunch. Jeannie Munsch will be cooking German Wedding Roast to serve this Sunday at the Great Bend American Legion Post 180, 1011 Kansas Ave., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
GBFD roundup: Fire marshal investigates basement fire
An investigator from the Kansas State Fire Marshal's office was in Great Bend Monday to determine the cause of a fire Sunday afternoon at 2011 Jackson St. It was one of several fire calls over the weekend, Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said. Firefighters received the report of a basement fire at 4:37 p.m., at the house owned by James and Krissy Jackson. The first truck arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming ...
Job Olympics celebrates abilities
Students from 13 schools demonstrated their life skills and vocational abilities Friday during the Job Olympics at Great Bend High School's Panther Activity Center. This competition, open to any special education student in Kansas, is sponsored by the Barton County Transition Council and the Special Services Cooperative. Events at tables throughout the arena mimicked real job situations and life skills, such as food preparation, office work or automotive checking. There was event a contest for ...
Page 1 of 1
