Ladies celebrate shopping evening

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce is holding its 7th annual Ladies Night Out from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on April 7 in Ellinwood. There will be specials and discounts, drawings, give- aways and refreshments.

USD 431 to hold preschool enrollment

HOISINGTON- Roosevelt Elementary in Hoisington will have preschool pre-enrollment for next school year on April 11 from 5-7 p.m. This will be for any child that will be 3- or 4-years-old on or before Aug. 31, 2011. Please bring child's birth certificate, social security number and shot records. Physicals will be required by the start of school. If you have any questions please call the school at 620-653-4470.

Show highlights music from movies

ELLINWOOD - "A night at the Movies," is this year's theme of the Ellinwood Mystic Blues After Dinner Theatre which will be held tonight and Saturday night.

Q is for Quilts

BOE to build bus barn

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood school board approved at its last meeting a bid from Bryant Construction for $82,320 for the construction a of bus garage subject to finding suitable land, according to meeting minutes.

Four legislators present at well-attended legislative coffee

State of Kansas Sen. Ruth Teichman, R-Stafford, Jay Emler, R-Lindsborg, and Representatives Bill Wolf, R-Great Bend, and Bob Bethell, R-Alden, were all at the legislative coffee on Saturday morning, and Wolf reported good news about the intersection at U.S. 281 and K-19, south of Great Bend.

Q is for quilts

Hospital considers minimum repairs, renovation or replacement of facility

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood District Hospital is holding a series of community meetings seeking input into options for renovating or replacing the hospital and clinic. They are also asking the community if they want to leave things as they are and do nothing.

Women's History Month

All-League Basketball

Fun in the sun

China holds memories of Golden Yesterday

LLINWOOD - Mary Jo Cunningham vividly remembers when U.S. travelers moved primarily by railroad, when the penetrating sound of a whistle and the clickety clack of a train on the track could mean a vacation was in store.

The bridges of Barton County

BARTON COUNTY - Historic limestone bridges built in the late 1930s and early 1940s by the Works Progress Administration in northern Barton County may once again echo with the sounds of chisels, concrete being poured and reconstruction, as plans are being drawn to repair the old bridges.

Six candidates run for USD 355 school board

ELLINWOOD - At the upcoming April 5 election, six candidates are running for the USD 355 school board for four open at-large positions. They are: Gregory R. (Bob) Baker Jr., Patricia J. Berger, Becca Maxwell, Taunya M. Schlessiger, Dianna M. Smith, and Lori L. Thomas.

Hoisington Council prepares for election

HOISINGTON - Running unopposed for the Hoisington City Council are Clayton Williamson, Gerald Donovan, Christine Smith, Dean Andereck and Mike Alyward. The election will be held April 5. All are seeking re-election

Step into the dark recesses of the mind

ELLINWOOD - Step into the deeper, darker reaches of the mind at the "Fine Wine , Good Friends and a Wicked Murder" at 6 p.m. on May 31 in Ellinwood at Lone Wolf Restuarant, the event opening the weekend for the 2nd annual June Jaunt. The cost of a ticket is $20 and only 50 will be sold and are available from the Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce.

Copper recycling

Copper recycling can be a good thing coming out of old air conditioning or plumbing during replacement. Copper is a non-renewable resource, and apparently recycled copper is worth nearly as much as new copper.

Hoisington City Council discusses animal control

HOISINGTON - The Hoisington City Council decided at its regular meeting last week to continue the animal control options the way they currently are. The city currently takes all stray animals to the Hoisington Veterinary Hospital. The council had looked at a proposal to take care of the animals by the city as a cost saving measure, but turned it down.

City of Ellinwood to purchase property

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood City Council, at its regular meeting on Tuesday, agreed to purchase 11-12 acres of property from Alfred Pohlman for $3,600. The property is located north of 7th St. It is west of Kennedy and north of the water tower.

Hoisington to host annual ‘Mud Run’

HOISINGTON - Engines will once again roar as drivers try to drive through the mud at the fourth annual Mud Run at 1 p.m. on June 1 in Hoisington, south of the railroad track on the east side of U.S. 281. It will be held in conjunction with the Kansas Mud Racing Organization.

USD 355 board taking steps for iPad initiative

ELLINWOOD - The USD 355 School Board, at its regular meeting Monday night, agreed to take another step in the iPad initiate. Currently, about twenty percent of the certified staff have iPads. The board agreed to buy approximately 30 more so that the remaining staff would have an iPad.

Foreign tourism developing in Barton County

Travel writer Matt Bates of Scotland and Lisa Weigt, International Program director for Kansas/ Oklahoma Travel and Tourism recently toured Barton County.

Living a "Glass half-Full' Life

In the early 2000s, like so many up and coming children of the prairie, Ellinwood native J. Basil Dannebohm, had the bright lights of the city shining in his eyes.

School board makes appointments

ELLINWOOD - At its regular monthly meeting, the USD 355 school board made two appointments to the new Ellinwood Recreation Commission Board of Directors. They were Mel Waite for four years, and Rob Fisher for one year. The ERC will soon begin planning a budget, hiring a director, and making plans for 2014.

Soaring with Eagles

America's Promise and DARE contest essay winners soared to the highest height on Saturday when members of the Experimental Aircraft Club in Great Bend took them on a 15-20 minutes airplane ride over Great Bend.

Just swinging

School bell rings the last time for two retiring teachers

HOISINGTON - Touching the lives and improving the minds of over a 1,000 children after three decades of service, USD 431 teachers Darla Clark and Becky Andereck will close the last book bags of their careers this month. Both began and ended their service in Hoisington.

Logical flood insurance rules finally passed

At long last, Congress, yes that gridlocked legislative body in D.C., has made changes to the National Flood Insurance Program. Astoundingly, the new rules actually make sense.