Hoisington’s Brandon Ball wins fourth state title

HAYS - Hoisington's Ball brothers got off to a rousing start in the Class 3-1A state wrestling championship. The trio of Ball brothers - three-time state champion Brandon Ball, Jonathan Ball and Christopher Ball - all won three matches to qualify for the Class 3-1A state finals Saturday night. No trio of brothers had ever qualified or won state wrestling titles in the same year.

Three Panther wrestlers place at 5A state meet

PARK CITY - Three Great Bend High School wrestlers placed in the top six at the Class 5A State Tournament at Hartman Arena in Park City.

Class 4A state wrestling

At Salina

Blood drive set

Dear Editor,

Fundraiser for Claflin Lions Club

Claflin Lions Club members will be selling tickets for their Annual Seafood Buffet now through March 20. The menu for the evening will include all you can eat servings of fish, shrimp, clam chowder, scalloped potatoes, vegetables, bread, coffee or tea.

4H’ers compete in Edward’s County 4H Air Rifle Match

On Feb. 14, 16 Barton County 4H'ers traveled to Offerle to compete in the Edward's County 4H Air Rifle Match.

Williams seeking position on local school board

"I have a desire to help make the great school district we already have into the best that it can be for all children!" This is Dr. Don Williams' goal as he seeks a position on the USD 428 Board of Education. Although only a resident of Great Bend for a little less than three years, Williams, his wife, and family, have been long-time residents of central Kansas. After graduating from Kansas Wesleyan in Salina in 1970, he taught all of the sciences in the junior and senior high at Hanston. In addition, he was the junior high coach for ...

Estes — Shirey

Kayla Estes and Tyler Shirey announce their engagement. The bride-elect is the daughter of Stephen and Tanya Kirby of St. John and David and Gay Estes of Arlington and the granddaughter of Larry and Carolyn Mix and Lloyd and Verla Estes both of St. John. The prospective groom is the son of Kevin and Maria Shirey of Canton, Mo. and the grandson of Robert and Rita Kirchner and Alice both of Canton, Mo. and the late Art Shirey.

Price — Johns

Terry and Shelli Price announce the engagement of their daughter Megan Price to Joseph Johns, son of Terrill Johns and Marsha French Joseph.

Mayette Keith 95th

Mayette Keith will celebrate her 95th birthday on March 10, with a card shower. She will celebrate with her family with a dinner at Brookville Hotel in Abilene.

Behrendt baby boy

Adam and Kate (Corbett) Behrendt announce the birth of their son Milo Edwin Behrendt on Jan. 5, in Omaha, Neb. He weighed 9 lbs. 9 oz. and was 22 in. long. He has a big brother, Will Michael, who is 18 months old.

Stueder — Marshall

Terry and MelEasa Stueder announce the engagement of their daughter Brenna Lynn to Logan Dane Marshall, son of Paul and Debbie Marshall.

Lewis — DeHaven

Michael and Cheryl Lewis of Smithville, Mo. announce the engagement of their daughter Miranda Lewis to Garrett DeHaven, son of Tom and Deb DeHaven of Hoisington.

Farmers Mutual Insurance Company annual meeting

On Feb. 19, Farmers Mutual Insurance Company (FMI), Ellinwood, held their 119th Annual Meeting of the Policyholders. Farmers Mutual Insurance Company is a Kansas Domiciled Mutual Insurance Company that is and has been based out of Ellinwood since 1896. Originally formed by a group of Barton county citizens who had a need to insure property that the insurance industry in the late 1800's would not insure, FMI has continued to serve Kansans with insurance protection on residential and farm property throughout those 119 years. A mutual insurance company is one that has no stock investors nor individual owners, being ...

Filmmaker Jay Kriss to speak at Dust Bowl Series

Filmmaker Jay Kriss will be speaking as part of the program for "It blew So Hard: The Dust Bowl and Great Depression in Western Kansas" discussion series from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, at the Kinsley Library, 208 E. 8th St. Kinsley.

Stained Beauty

A young Don Campbell admires the beautiful, bright colors of a large stained-glass window as he helps his parents rescue the piece of history from the First Congregational Church in Great Bend in the early 1960s, only days before the church was set to be demolished. Little did he know then how significant his actions were, or how closely his path would be tied to the window's.

OTR for Nov. 2, 2012

Great Bend Fire Department

Free ASK program explains hospice options

The next ASK seminar for senior citizens will shed new light on hospice programs in the area, said Donna Baugh, director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Central Kansas. The "Nuts and Bolts of Hospice" is set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, at the Great Bend Senior Center, 2005 Kansas Ave.

Good job

Great Bend loves holidays.

​Andra L. Webb

ST. JOHN - Andra L. Webb, 62, died Oct. 31 at Hospice House in Pratt. Services are pending with Minnis Chapel in St. John.

​Edward H. Isern 1942 - 2012

ELLINWOOD - Edward H. Isern, 70, died Oct. 31 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Born Sept. 28, 1942, in Great Bend, he was the son of Edward H. and Marian Moses Isern. He was a 1960 graduate of Ellinwood High School, attended the University of Kansas, was a graduate of Western New Mexico and studied at the University of Colorado. On April 20, 1991, he married Marianne Newcombe at Colorado Springs, Colo. A longtime resident of Ellinwood, formerly of Boulder, Colo., he was a retired Realtor.

Shelby Lee “Stoney” Stone Sr. 1934 - 2012

Shelby Lee "Stoney" Stone Sr., 78, died Nov. 1 at Via Christi St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Wichita. He was born May 14, 1934, at Great Bend, the son of James Nelson and Helen Lee (DuBois) Stone. A lifetime Great Bend resident, he was a heavy equipment operator, employed as a crane operator for Chicago Bridge Company and American Bridge Company.

One paint stroke at a time

HOISINGTON -Though outdoors is becoming brisk and cool with the fall temps, the Wilson State Bank east stone wall is warm and inviting with the 9 a.m. morning for the

HMSI earns awards

HOISINGTON - The power of the Kansas Main Street network was evident on Oct. 18 as over 200 individuals from 25 Kansas Main Street communities celebrated the best achievements from this past year.

Argus Hamilton

HOLLYWOOD--God bless America, and how's everybody?

Independent’s Eye by Joe Gandelman

Everyone expected a big wind towards the end of October. But it was expected it'd be from the media, talk show hosts, blogosphere and politicians, building in a crescendo that'd end on Election Day. That wind did arrive – in gale force -- but what no one expected was that Mother Nature would also chime in by sending her offspring Hurricane Sandy.

Superstorm Sandy

BCC opens against Fort Scott

Hitting their stride at an opportune time last season, the Barton Community College Cougars made some noise last March at the NJCAA Region VI basketball tournament.

New-look Barton in transition

With a new head coach comes a new system.

No. 1 Tide heads to Death Valley; No. 3 Kansas State hosts OSU

A BCS championship game without a Southeastern Conference team?