Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
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 ...
BCAC to hold drawing for Chet Cale carving
The Barton County Arts Council has enough Christmas art at its gallery to fill a sleigh, and one lucky art lover will win an original Chet Cale carving this holiday season, BCAC Director Karen Neuforth said. "Mr. Cale is Great Bend's own," Neuforth said. The piece to be given away is "Whooping Crane I," a marble relief carving depicting the profile of the ...
Santa's Workshop is Monday
For shoppers there was Black Friday - a crush of humanity in the holiday spirit. For elves at the North Pole, the biggest activity leading to Christmas takes place the first Monday in December, when hundreds of kids meet at the Great Bend Auditorium for Santa's Workshop. The 14th Annual Santa's Workshop will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Monday in the City Auditorium. This free Christmas event is designed ...
BCC's Camp Aldrich still a 'hidden gem'
An Ellinwood man who attended Thursday's study session of the Barton Community College Board of Trustees had questions after listening to discussion on the college's Camp Aldrich facility near Cheyenne Bottoms. "Does this board have a vision for Camp Aldrich?" Dennis Carson asked. If so, the former owner of C&V Home Improvement continued, what is it? If the board doesn't have a vision, why not? The question of what ...
Zoo news: Brit Spaugh Zoo is on the move
The biggest news this week at Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo was the arrival of a new animal on Wednesday. (See story on page 1.) Seems like the zoo is always adding new animals, especially if one counts the hundreds of migrating birds that visit every December. White domestic geese can be found at the zoo year-round, but flocks of Canada geese start their noisy southern migration in the fall, ...
Binturong arrives at Brit Spaugh Zoo
What has the head of a cat, the body of a bear - and smells like freshly popped popcorn? That would be a binturong (BIN-tu-rong), commonly known as an Asian bearcat, and it's the newest animal at Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo. The binturong arrived Wednesday afternoon from Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, N.D. Great Bend Zoo Director Scott Gregory said the animal has a clean bill of heath, but ...
Mystery couple gives ride to boy
Police were asked to conduct extra patrols near one Great Bend school after two strangers in a car gave a boy a ride home Tuesday afternoon. Lt. Bill Browne at the Great Bend Police Department said officers wrote up a "miscellaneous case" report to document the incident, but their investigation did not show any crime was committed. The man and woman may have been two Good Samaritans, concerned to see ...
Woman injured in van-deer collision
A Pawnee Rock woman was injured Sunday after the van she was a passenger in struck a deer in Barton County. Dora Jeanne Hayward, 61, was taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital with undetermined injuries. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol online crashlogs, Howard Myron Hayward Jr., 61, was driving the Ford van at 6:14 p.m. and was 1.2 miles west of Albert on K-96 when a deer entered the ...
Stitches required after brawl
A woman received 40 stitches to her face Sunday after being cut in a fight, officials report. Great Bend Police were dispatched to investigate the alleged aggravated battery at 2:28 a.m. Sunday. According to Lt. William Browne, officers were first dispatched to Central Kansas Medical Center, where they learned that "a very large fight" involving several people had occurred a short time earlier at a residence at 12th and ...
Shop 'til you drop
Frigid weather mixed with cheerful madness - that was the scene late Thursday and into the early morning hours Friday. Bargain hunters turned out early for sales that marked the unofficial opening of the holiday shopping season. It may not appear on any calendar, but for serious shoppers, Black Friday - the day after Thanksgiving - is as exciting as the first day of pheasant season is ...
Website helps college-bound students
Comparing Barton Community College to area peers using the institution's own data is one thing, but an independent, apples-to-apples survey is even better, says Charles Perkins, Barton's dean of information services. A website allows prospective college students and their parents to compare schools online, checking everything from enrollment and graduation rates to costs, Perkins said. The Integrated Postsecondary Education DataSystem (IPEDS) collects data from nearly 6,700 post-secondary institutions across ...
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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