Archive By Author - Susan Thacker
Explore the wetlands
Editor's note: This is the final story in a series about things for families to do over the winter break.
Man jumps from window in burning house
A Great Bend man was taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital after jumping from a window in a burning house Thursday evening, Great Bend Fire Department Battalion Chief Rick Robison said. Another man stayed inside the one-story house at 1308 Eighth St. and apparently suffered no injury, refusing treatment at the scene.
YMA reaches out to the community
Youth groups from several Great Bend churches have combined efforts this year by forming Teen Workers Alliance. As many as 100 students in grades 7 through 12 attended its first major event, a "Fifth Quarter" gathering after a recent home basketball game. The goal of Fifth Quarter was to create a safe place where kids can have fun, said Ashley Dowgwillo from Trinity Lutheran Church. For the first event, students met ...
Raptors check in for rehab
Two birds of prey - raptors - rehabilitated from recent injuries, were released back into the wild Wednesday near Larned, and an injured falcon found its was to Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo. Area Wildlife Manager Karl Grover from the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area found the injured prairie falcon in a field in the northern part of the wildlife refuge, Zoo Director Scott Gregory said. Dr. Mike Malone, veterinarian to ...
Burglary reported at P&S Security
P&S Security at 1705 K-96 in Great Bend was burglarized on Sunday, Police Chief Dean Akings reports. A front window was broken to gain entry. Two rifles, 21 handguns, one pair of handcuffs and flashlights were stolen.
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.
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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