Archive By Section - News
Dogs find drugs at GBHS
Drug sniffing dogs from the Great Bend Police Department and Barton County Sheriff's Office made two positive "hits" on possible narcotics during a surprise, random search at Great Bend High School Thursday morning, Unified School District Superintendent Tom Vernon said.
Birding heritage expressed in bronze
Great Bend City Council members gave their approval this week to a plan to use public property to help advance a design plan that ties in downtown Great Bend with the region's birding attractions. The council approved using the lawn around the Great Bend Library for bronze statues that will include a bird design, according to Beautification Committee Chairwoman Linda Dougherty. She told the council that the bronzes, if the fund raising is successful, ...
FIRE DESTROYS RURAL HOME
There were times all Great Bend Fire Department personnel could do Thursday afternoon was stand back and watch as a house southeast of Great Bend burned. Although everyone had gotten out safely, authorities said the house was a total loss. A lack of water once halted the battle to save the home of Shawn Crane Jr., 144 SE 20 Ave. Pumper trucks from the Ellinwood, Hoisington and Stafford fire departments were called ...
Christmas Past
"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens The Ghost of Christmas Past is a cheerful spirit, at least in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." At the Barton County Historical Village and Museum, staff and volunteers celebrate the season with the "Ghosts of Christmas Past" open house. The annual event will take ...
Child abuse prevention group changes name, hires director
Ourselves and Our Families Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse has changed its name to the Child Abuse Prevention Education and the board of directors has hired Dana Murphy as the executive director.
Gas heads closer to the $4 mark
Speculation has it that $4 gas is just around the corner, and a 20 cent per gallon hike in local prices in recent days certainly seems to point in that direction.
CAMEL LOT
Things can get mixed up in dreamland, and that's how a modern auto sales lot turns up in Bethlehem - and travels more than 2,000 years back in time - for Holy Family School's annual Christmas musical, "Camel Lot." The musical by fifth and sixth graders is part of the school Christmas concert featuring music by students in grades K through 6. The ...
Seasonal swing
Moms send more goodies to service personnel
The Great Bend Military Moms group recently packed and shipped another 150 boxes for soldiers serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan areas. Each soldier will receive at least 2 boxes loaded with food , snacks, games, toys, DVD's, CD's, personal care items, and lots of love and appreciation from home.
City honors workers for 135 years city service
City employees were honored for their longevity when the Great Bend City Council met Monday night.
Make sure the right toy goes to the right child
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles about winter safety preparations.) Many of us will be shopping for children during the Christmas season, and that can introduce special dangers - not just from the possibility of being trampled in the toy aisle, either. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, it's important for the child's safety to make sure that we are buying the right toy for the right child. Toys ...
Proposed Head Start regulations raising concerns in Kansas
TOPEKA - The 28 local Head Start programs in Kansas and others across the nation are facing changes considered the most significant since Head Start was launched 45 years ago as a cornerstone of President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty. The chief goal of Head Start, which is federally funded, has been to better prepare low-income children for school. Studies show that those who do better at school tend to ...
BCC considers early-childhood ed certificate option
Barton Community College may have the answer to a federal mandate requiring Head Start employees to be better educated, said Cheryl Couch, coordinator of the college's Early Childhood Education program. Her department has spent the past year developing two certificate programs for child-care workers. Couch presented the idea to the BCC trustees at last week's study session. The college could meet an industry need by offering a Preschool Education & ...
Barton County Progressives hold first meeting
The elections of 2010 are history, but on Tuesday a new group, Barton County Progressives, held its first meeting. It was spearheaded by Marty Keenan and Christina Stein. In addition to being Democrats, one thing they have in common is that they've both run for state office and lost, Keenan said by way of introduction. "When the election ends and you're not successful, what do you do now?" Keenan ...
'reinvent my normal'
HOISINGTON - With a great ability to connect with teenagers, motivational speaker Mike Donahue spoke to Hoisington High School students on Monday and urged the students to stop self-medicating with alcohol, drugs and negative behavior, and to begin treating the pain underneath the mask.
Articles by Section - News
Garden tour replanted
After a one-year hiatus, the once annual Gardens Galore garden tour will return Sunday, June 2. Only now, it is a project of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee. It had been sponsored by the local Soroptimist International, but it has since disbanded.
Great Bend prepares to honor vets
The Great Bend Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 3111 is organizing the Great Bend Memorial Day service this year. It is set for 10 a.m. Monday at the Veterans Circle, Great Bend Municipal Cemetery
Perfect attendance pays off
Perfect attendance is a rare accomplishment for most students. It takes planning and preparation, with illnesses and bad weather to contend with from time to time, to make it in to school every day on time. But for those who achieve it, it's nice to be recognized for the effort. Dale Shaner wanted to do that for USD 428 students. He had an idea, and after sharing it with his wife, Karen, and some friends, the group put the idea into action.
BCSO participating in 'Click It or Ticket'
Barton County Sheriff's officers are emphasizing seat belt laws by participating in the Click It or Ticket program. For the week prior to Memorial Day, and continuing until June 2, drivers can expect to see more BCSO deputies on the highways, aggressively enforcing "Kansas Occupant Restraint" laws and other traffic statutes. Click It or Ticket is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Sheriff Brian Bellendir said his ...
Two Barton coaching contracts 'pending'
Nine head coaching contracts were renewed Wednesday when the Barton Community College Board of Trustees met, but the contracts of two head coaches are "pending final review." The board discussed personnel matters behind closed doors for nearly an hour before voting on head coach contracts, administrative contracts and contracts for managerial staff. Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman said there were no changes in head coaches, but the board did not approve a contract for a ...
Bridge work to cause traffic delays
Orange cones and construction crews are already in place on the U.S. 281 bridge just north of the Great Bend city limits as the Kansas Department of Transportation begins to replace the span, a project that could take until next spring.
Two flee; child left in truck
A minor child was left in a truck with a loaded gun Monday night as two suspects fled from Barton County deputies.
Tornado-safe room building starts
Workers began pouring the foundation of the new Great Bend Middle School tornado safe room Tuesday morning, less than a day after the devastating F4 tornado that struck Moore, Okla., tore the roofs off two elementary schools, injuring many and killing nine confirmed at the time of this writing.
Bridge work completed
Work on the bridge north of the Club at StoneRidge has been completed and the road is open, according to the Barton County Engineers Office.
Claflin set to open Community/Fitness Center
CLAFLIN - Numerous volunteers have put their hands together and established a new Community/Fitness Center for the Claflin area. The project involved refurbishing the old Claflin Elementary School for the new purpose.
City Council: Dog laws need more teeth
Great Bend residents George and Zola Weber said they love living in this community. But now they live in fear of their neighbors' pit bulls and suggested to the City Council Monday night it ban such vicious dogs from inside the city limits.
Higher gas prices not likely to drop by weekend
Gasoline prices have risen dramatically in the past two weeks throughout much of the Midwest. While the price increases may ease off by June, but don't expect relief at the pump this Memorial Weekend, industry experts say. The American Automobile Association's online daily fuel gauge report and GasBuddy.com both showed the average price for a gallon of regular gas Monday in Kansas was $3.92. Just one week ago, the average price was $3.64, and it ...
These services are always needed
The last week in April may have been National Crime Victims Rights Week, but the needs of those impacted by crime continue even without any special recognition, Camila Komarek told the Barton County Commission Monday morning.
Although pricey, road sealing vital
When Dale Phillips first started working for Barton County, the oil used to seal the county's 380-plus miles of paved roads cost 15 cents per gallon. This year, it costs $2.50.
