Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
Travel back in time
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of things families can do together during the winter break.
AVOID HOLIDAY HO-HUM
Editor's note: This is the first in a series of articles about things families can do over the winter break. The winter vacation from school starts this week, but that doesn't have to mean a break from learning and healthy living. Keep kids active for the next two weeks with a home mini-camp. Plan some fun, low-cost "camp" activities to cure winter boredom and ...
Coach supporters speak out
More than 30 people walked out of the Barton Community College Board of Trustees meeting, minutes after the meeting began Thursday afternoon. They had come to the meeting for one purpose: to express their dismay with last week's firing of head cheerleading coach Debbie Warren, who had been at the college for 27 years. Board chairman Dr. Paul Maneth said student Luke O'Bryan had approached him about supporters speaking at the ...
Bison born at Brit Spaugh Zoo
When the bison at Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo started giving birth Wednesday afternoon, Zoo Director Scott Gregory was apprehensive. The animal affectionately known as "Buffy" has had two miscarriages in recent years, only with one successful pregnancy. Dr. Mike Malone, veterinarian to the zoo, was called, and a healthy baby was born around 4:15 p.m. "Bison have the same gestation as a human, about nine months," Gregory said. "That ...
PAGE TURNER
Can you believe it?! The student newspaper at Barton Community College has turned a page, dropping its familiar black-and-white tabloid look for a magazine format. Journalism Adviser Yvonda Acker hopes the new Interrobang can at least duplicate the success of its predecessor, which won one of 182 first-place awards in the American Scholastic Press Association's "Newspaper of the Year" contest for 2009-10. When Acker announced the award last May, college ...
Rec Commission gets clean audit report
The Great Bend Recreation Commission's board of directors received a clean 2009-10 audit report on Monday from Curtis W. Kuhn, a certified public accountant with McMillen Folkerts & Associates, P.A. Kuhn noted the recreation commission ended its fiscal year with $767,591 in unencumbered cash, more than $1 million less than the year before, having a major capital outlay expense with the construction of the new GBRC Activity Center. Revenue from activities ...
Barton Community College cheerleading coach Warren fired
Debbie Warren, longtime head coach of Barton Community College's cheerleading program, said she was fired Friday by Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman. Dr. Penny Quinn, vice president of instruction and student services, confirmed that as of Friday afternoon Warren was no longer an employee of the college. Warren did not elaborate on the reason or reasons given for her sudden termination, saying she had been advised by an attorney not ...
Finals wrap up BCC fall
The fall semester of 2010 wrapped up this past week, with students taking final exams at Barton Community College. On Thursday and Friday, the campus bookstore called in extra help as students sold back textbooks, typically pocketing $100-300 for Christmas. But before they could collect, students presented their ID numbers so staff could check their accounts, and any money still owed on tuition went toward that. Some students who got money ...
Christmas Past
"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens The Ghost of Christmas Past is a cheerful spirit, at least in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." At the Barton County Historical Village and Museum, staff and volunteers celebrate the season with the "Ghosts of Christmas Past" open house. The annual event will take ...
Students will present ‘Portraits of Love’ at Adventist School
The students of the Great Bend Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School will present "Portraits of Love" at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Great Bend Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1 mile west of 10th and Patton Road. This play will provide various ways that show Jesus's love. The public is invited to come and enjoy this spiritual take on the reason for the season of Christmas. For additional information call 791-7314.
CAMEL LOT
Things can get mixed up in dreamland, and that's how a modern auto sales lot turns up in Bethlehem - and travels more than 2,000 years back in time - for Holy Family School's annual Christmas musical, "Camel Lot." The musical by fifth and sixth graders is part of the school Christmas concert featuring music by students in grades K through 6. The ...
BCC considers early-childhood ed certificate option
Barton Community College may have the answer to a federal mandate requiring Head Start employees to be better educated, said Cheryl Couch, coordinator of the college's Early Childhood Education program. Her department has spent the past year developing two certificate programs for child-care workers. Couch presented the idea to the BCC trustees at last week's study session. The college could meet an industry need by offering a Preschool Education & ...
Barton County Progressives hold first meeting
The elections of 2010 are history, but on Tuesday a new group, Barton County Progressives, held its first meeting. It was spearheaded by Marty Keenan and Christina Stein. In addition to being Democrats, one thing they have in common is that they've both run for state office and lost, Keenan said by way of introduction. "When the election ends and you're not successful, what do you do now?" Keenan ...
SANTA'S WORKSHOP
Just because Santa drops in from the North Pole doesn't mean it has to be freezing in Great Bend. Unlike recent years, this year's Santa's Workshop wasn't hampered by snow or ice. So, while it was a chilly 32 degrees outside, throngs of children, parents and volunteers made their way to the Municipal Auditorium Monday night to frolic with elves. "Where do you start?" a bewildered mom asked ...
BCC tuition, fees may increase in 2011
The trustees at Barton Community College are looking at raising the rates for tuition, fees or both for the fall 2011 semester, but one scenario also has local students getting a price break. Fees were reviewed at a board study session last week. A $1 tuition increase for all students would create about $90,224 additional revenue, and $1 more in fees would generate about $99,673, according to estimates from ...
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 ...
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