ELLINWOOD - Graduation from high school is major transition for students and signals the beginning of a new era of independence, increasing freedom, jobs and careers.
Officials with the National Wildlife Refuge System met with the public Monday evening at the Stafford Senior Center in Stafford to present three proposed options for a 15 year plan for managing the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.
In observance of National Arbor Day each year, the Tree Board visits fourth graders in Great Bend, gives them each a tree, and encourages them to plant it. Board members made their rounds last Wednesday through Friday, which was the official Arbor Day.
A nagging problem dating back to when the Barton County Detention Facility was completed in 2004 should be eliminated after action taken by the County Commission Monday morning.
A 15-year-old boy was flown to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita on Saturday after being shot in the right eye with an arrow, Sheriff Brian Bellendir reports. The Barton County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the 1900 block of NE 130 Ave. around 1:30 p.m., and found Claflin Emergency Medical Service treating the teenager. Bellendir said the boy looked inside a 6-inch plastic pipe at the same time his friend, also a juvenile, shot an ...
Students at Park Elementary school Friday voted for their favorite among 11 menu proposals as offered by Eric Dowson's sixth grade class. For the past three weeks, the class has been studying the progressive era of the late 1890s to the early 1920s in American History. The period was marked by an increase in social activism, with sweeping changes brought forth such as the women suffrage movement and prohibition to name a few.
A motorist was flown to Via Christi's St. Francis Hospital in Wichita on Friday after two vehicles collided at Eisenhower Ave. and Patton Road.
Sunflower Rod & Custom Association is celebrating the 60th anniversary of drag racing at the old B-29 bomber runway west of Great Bend, and in a big way. Kansas Speedweek got under way Saturday with the first-ever West Central Super Quick Series.
WILSON – Volunteers working on behalf of Bushton, joined others in the state to accept community development awards at the Kansas PRIDE Program's 2013 Day of PRIDE.
First United Methodist Church of Great Bend will host Early Responder training Saturday, April 27 in the church basement. Early Response Teams help remove debris and make temporary repairs, reduce future damage and help to make buildings safe and reduce health hazards, observe and report victims needs and begin a caring ministry of listeners that help victims begin to heal.
Rev the engines, the 25th-annual Mid-America Mopars Car Show is set for Sunday, May 5, at Brit Spaugh Park, come rain or shine.
A local company was awarded the contract to build a $4.2 million, 172-bed dormitory for Barton Community College. BCC trustees on Thursday chose C.V. Cale Construction, Great Bend, over two lower bidders from other parts of the state. Dean of Administration Mark Dean reviewed the initial bids, and bid deductions made after conversations with each contractor. Items such as subcontractor selection, time required for the job and material suppliers were all questioned, Dean said. The ...
It's time to mark calendars for May 31-June 2 to take part in the second-annual K-96 June Jaunt. This 176-mile long event, held the first weekend of June, stretches from Ellinwood to Tribune, featuring arts, antiques, crafts, cuisine, music and so much more. Non-stop, the trip would take about three hours and 40 minutes, but organizers are hoping folks will take a lot longer, and see what they have to offer in arts, history and commerce.
Kansas Speedweek has arrived. The much anticipated nine-day event will shine the spotlight on Great Bend as the Sunflower Rod and Custom Association celebrates it's 60th anniversary with a whole slate of activities that will draw visitors from across Kansas and out of state to the city.
WASHINGTON D.C. - Wednesday night, Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) was Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae's guest at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan. Japan recently raised the age cap on its beef imports from 20 months of age to 30 months. The U.S. Meat Export Federation projects this change will increase U.S. beef exports to Japan by 45% in 2013.
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 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.
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 ...
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 ...
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.
A minor child was left in a truck with a loaded gun Monday night as two suspects fled from Barton County deputies.
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.
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 - 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.
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.
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 ...
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.
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.
Great Bend High School principal Tim Friess welcomed family and friends to the graduation ceremony at Panther Stadium Sunday, where he announced the 206 graduates of the Class of 2013. The sun broke through clouds briefly late afternoon, making it possible for the ceremony to be held outside, despite the threat of impending thunderstorms.