Archive By Author - Dale Hogg
Advance voting, advanced ballots available
Voters in Barton County can now apply for advanced ballots and cast advance votes for the April 2 city/school general election, said Donna Zimmerman, county clerk and election officer.
Scientifically speaking
This week, the Kansas Board of Education will get an update on the effort to develop new standards to guide science instruction in the state.
New county software streamlines business operations
New commercial software, used to track the myriad of county business, has been discussed by the Barton County Commission on and off for several years. On Monday morning, the commissioners took the plunge.
Stormy lessons
After what the Golden Belt experienced in the past couple weeks with the blizzards, we all know just what can be dished out by Mother Nature. But, as winter fades to spring, the area faces a different kind of weather threat – thunder storms and tornadoes.
Records yield wealth of information
There is all kinds of information available at the finger tips of the Barton County Records Management Department, as woman from Orem, Utah, found out recently.
Storms fail to keep city snowed under
Understandably, the two winter storms that pummelled the area in the past couple weeks dominated the efforts of several Great Bend city departments, City Administrator Howard Partington said. But, he praised the team effort that kept the streets cleared and doors open.
Walking path to see improvements
The Great Bend City Council Monday night approved a bid so that additional improvements could be made to the walking path on the north side Veterans Memorial Park.
Commission nixes road closure
The Barton County Commission Monday morning declined to take action vacating a half-mile portion of a dirt road in the far northwestern part of the county, effectively leaving the stretch open.
Government that works
With our ineffectual Congress stalemated by partisan bickering over the pending sequester budget cuts and our divisive Legislature seemingly oblivious to the needs of rural Kansas, it is nice to see a glimmer of government operating as intended.
PICTURES FROM THE PAST
LUCAS – Ever since he was a wee lad scrambling among the rocky limestone bluffs around what is now Wilson Lake, D. Craig Lilak has been intrigued with the Native American etchings known as petroglyphs.
Search warrants lead to arrest
Barton County Sheriff's Office deputies executed several search warrants late Thursday night, resulting in the confiscation of a quantity of illegal drugs believed to be methamphetamine, ecstasy and marijuana, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said Friday morning.
Barton County Farm Bureau to hold 14th Farm Safety Day
A lot of dangers lurk on the farm and that is why the Barton County Farm Bureau Association will host its 14th-annual Farm Safety Awareness Day Wednesday at Barton Community College.
Bill tries to fix what’s not broken
A bill now before the Kansas Senate that would juggle elections in the state may be well intentioned, but is misguided, Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman said.
Main streets focus for snow removal
Two major winter storms have dumped snow on the Great Bend area in the past week, taxing the city's Public Works Street Division.
Sheriff: Stay off roads
With another wind-whipped winter storm dumping and blowing snow on Central Kansas, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir has one piece of advice for motorists – stay home.
Articles By Author - Dale Hogg
BCSO almost ready for digital fingerprinting
The new digital finger printing machine has arrived and it will soon be in use by the Barton County Sheriff's Office. Activation is pending approval from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Barton County Administrator Richard Boeckman said during the County Commission meeting Monday morning.
Kansas Ave. work complete
Paving work along Kansas Avenue is complete, according to Great Bend City Engineer Rob Winiecke. Joint sealing crews were done Monday, and it was open to traffic as of Tuesday.
PARTNERSHIP NIXED
For the City of Great Bend and its Convention Center, it's back to square one – sort of.
RSVP selling flowers for Memorial Day
This week marks the fourth-annual Senior Corps Week, an opportunity to thank Senior Corps volunteers for their service, said Donna Baugh, Volunteers in Action director. One way folks can become involved is by purchasing their Memorial Day flowers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program this year. The flowers are on display at the RSVP office, 1025 Main, room D114 in Great Bend, and at the RSVP Thrift Store at 158 S. Main in Hoisington.
Myers walks out of meeting
After an often heated exchange between Great Bend City Council Member Randy Myers and several fellow council members over his alleged ethics violations, Myers stood up and walked out of the governing body's Monday night meeting.
TOUTING TOURISM
It is fitting that Barton County celebrate Kansas Tourism Week this week, Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Cris Collier told the County Commission Monday morning.
OF RISK AND REWARD
Three weeks ago, a fertilizer storage facility in West, Texas, not all that different from plants in many, small, rural communities, exploded. It killed 14 people, leveled much of the tiny town and rocked the nation.
