Holiday cheer!!!

To spread the Christmas spirit throughout the library, Great Bend Children's Librarian Eric Coulbourne held the first ever tree trimming Christmas party on Saturday.

Rouse joins Hoisington EMS

HOISINGTON - Brent Rouse has recently been hired as the new Emergency Medical Services director in Hoisington, moving from Larned.

Ellinwood holds science olympiad

ELLINWOOD - Provided with a box of odds and ends such as straws, foil, paper and scissors, and armed with keen determination, seventh and eighth grade students from throughout central Kansas competed in the Science Olympiad at Ellinwood High School on Friday.

USD 431 schools achieve Standards of Excellence

HOISINGTON - Hoisington School District USD 431 received the Standard of Excellence in grades: Lincoln Elementary, third and fourth grade and Building Wide Reading and Math; Hoisington Middle School, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, and building-wide reading and math; Hoisington High School building-wide Reading and Math.

Hoisington Duckwalls to close

HOISINGTON - Duckwall-ALCO stores announced today it will close all 44 Duckwall stores including the one in Hoisington. Forty-three of the stores will be closed permanently, except for one in Hettinger, N.D. which will be reopened as an ALCO.

HHS focuses on good character

HOISINGTON - While character education is common in elementary school and junior high schools, it is unusual to find high schools that are teaching responsibility, honesty, and making good choices, but Hoisington High is doing just that.

Council considers nuisance abatement

HOISINGTON - At its meeting on Monday, the Hoisington City Council discussed nuisance abatement and will look into adding fees for cleanup.

Pink ladies greet visitors with a friendly smile

HOISINGTON - The ladies in the pink coats greet visitors at Clara Barton Hospital with a friendly smile and a warm heart as they escort patients to their destinations at the hospital.

Ellinwood Chief lifts 3/4 ton total in competition

ELLINWOOD - As a stress reliever, and as a way to stay prepared for his job, Ellinwood Police Chief Art Keffer lifts weights most people would find unimaginable.

Library to host living history photo exhibit

ELLINWOOD - Horses pulling a vehicle out of the mud, Main Street in Ellinwood in 1938, Wolf Pond in 1934 and an 1887 settlers reunion parade - remnants of the fabric of life in an earlier, simpler time in Barton County.

River: The dog with the big heart

LORRAINE - River, the Wonder Dog, opens his heart to the school children of Unified School District 112 and they, in turn, open their hearts in return. Owned by USD 112 Superintendent Steve Woolf, River, who is a trained therapy dog, spends school days hard at work. He listens to children read, lets them pet him, and provides an oasis of calm for students with both big and little problems. "He's ...

HHS celebrates Veterans Day

HOISINGTON - Each year, Hoisington High School celebrates veterans and their service to our country with a special brunch and assembly for veterans and students to pay homage to all veterans living and deceased.

St. Joes celebrates 125 years

ELLINWOOD -Celebrating 125 years, St. Joseph Catholic School in Ellinwood has scheduled several events to commemorate its history beginning with a tree planting.

Ellinwood Musical Revue

ELLINWOOD - At Ellinwood High School, it's time for a "Celebration,"a remembrance of 37 years of Broadway musicals presented by students of the vocal music department, including songs from "Kiss Me Kate," "My Fair Lady," "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and others at 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow at EHS Auditorium. Tickets are $5.

Ellinwood student collects WW II memorabilia

ELLINWOOD - Forrest Williams has an unusual hobby for a middle school student. While most kids his age spend their spare time playing video games, Williams collects World War II memorabilia, researching and reading books from cover to cover of that era as well as watching historical movies such as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers."

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.