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

HHS students to explore careers

OISINGTON - Hoisington High School students will begin exploring careers in real-time in the real world instead of only in the classroom through a pilot program in the fall.

City to change special purpose vehicle registration fee

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood City Council voted Tuesday evening to change the golf cart and special purpose vehicle registration fee. The city changed the vehicle registration and proof of insurance to a one-time fee and showing of insurance, instead of annually.

USD 431 approves student trip

HOISINGTON - Hoisington High School juniors and seniors will have a new opportunity for adventure with a trip to New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. scheduled for the spring of 2012.

Reminiscent of wild west; 150th anniversary cattle drive to be held

ELLINWOOD - The old Ellsworth Cox Cattle Trail from Caldwell, Okla. to Ellsworth, long abandoned and disused, will once again come alive from Sept. 3 to Sept. 19 as 400 thronging head of long horn cattle will be driven 200 miles to Ellsworth for the 150th Anniversary of Kansas' birthday. After many years of only having people and cars, the Main Street of Ellinwood on Sept. 17 will echo with the sounds of hoofs and lowing cattle.

150th anniversary cattle drive to be held

ELLINWOOD - The old Ellsworth Cox Cattle Trail from Caldwell to Ellsworth, long abandoned and disused, will once again come alive from Sept. 3 to Sept. 19 as 400 thronging head of long horn cattle will be driven 200 miles to Ellsworth for the 150th Anniversary of Kansas' birthday. After many years of only having people and cars, the Main Street of Ellinwood on Sept. 17 will echo with the sounds of hoofs and lowing cattle.

Ellinwood chamber

Yowell to share life's adventures at KWEC

BARTON COUNTY - Skip Yowell, a man who has made it his life's goal to discover for himself and possibly climb all four corners of the earth, who chooses to motivate with kindness, respect and fun, will inspire nature lovers with his spectacular photographs and stories of his adventures at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at 7 p.m. April 15. Snacks will be served at 6:30 p.m.

Immunizations still necessary

Prevention is the best medicine.

Area-wide oration contest held Saturday

Catholic students from the Dodge City Diocese learned about the importance of forming healthy habits and spoke about their knowledge at the annual Civic Oration Contest held Saturday in Great Bend.

City of Hoisington repairs major water leak

HOISINGTON - The city of Hoisington had a major community water leak on Tuesday when the main transmission line to the community failed.

‘HomeWords’ wanted

Kansas Poet Laureate Wyatt Townley wants to bring poetry home to Kansans, and in that vein, is beginning a weekly poetry column that will be published in the Great Bend Tribune.

Poet laureate magically weaves words

ELLINWOOD - Wyatt Townley, Shawnee Mission, finds poetry in every day life, in trains, in the Kansas wind, and in nature. Imaging magical ways to weave words, she comes home to poetry.

Council considers one-way streets at EGS

ELLINWOOD - At its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Ellinwood City council discussed traffic flow in front of Ellinwood Grade School on Sixth Street.

Camp Aldrich dining hall destroyed in fire

An early morning fire destroyed the Camp Aldrich dining hall on Saturday. It created an orange glow that could be seen from Claflin.

Camp Aldrich Dining Hall destroyed

USD 431 considers construction project

HOISINGTON - At the Hoisington School Board meeting on Monday, the school board heard preliminary plans for separating the Hoisington Middle School Library into two rooms.

Claflin Library celebrates Library Week

CLAFLIN - The Claflin Independent Township Library will celebrate National Library Week, April 14-19, showcasing the new copies of micro film of historic Claflin Clarion, Claflin Gazette and Claflin Banner newspapers and having an open house.

The Saga of Miss Sally

Miss Sally visited the Kansas Wetlands Education Center this week for the first time since its opening in 2009.

Ellinwood-Claflin join forces to combine chamber

CLAFLIN - In an agreement designed to be mutually beneficial, the Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce and Claflin have joined forces to promote rural Kansas, market events and promote businesses.

Whooping cranes

USD 355 adds iPads to technology mix

ELLINWOOD - Anticipation abounds at Ellinwood School District this spring as 5th and 12th graders receive cutting edge technology that allows them to search for the front door of Ellinwood Grade School on Google Earth or message a teacher with a question about an assignment.

Bellendir, Boeckman dispute highlights need for third party reporting

Monday following the Barton County Commission meeting, the below explanation was given on the dispute between Sheriff Brian Bellendir and County Attorney Richard Boeckman on the county's Facebook page. It said: