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.

Out of the Morgue

Each week we'll take a step back into the history of Great Bend through the eyes of reporters past. We'll reacquaint you with what went into creating the Great Bend of today, and do our best to update you on what "the rest of the story" turned out to be.

Lyons man sentenced to 17½ years for rape, indecent liberties

LYONS – A Lyons man was sentenced Wednesday to 17½ years in prison after pleading no contest to charges of rape and aggravated indecent liberties, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Summer road work begins

Barton County Administrator Richard Boeckman offered his biweekly update on the activities of various county departments during the County Commission meeting Monday morning. Highlights included:

These masterpieces have wheels

Barton County Historic Society is celebrating the 60th anniversary of organized drag racing in the Golden Belt with a new exhibit and a car show during its open house this Saturday.

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.

Wanted: Several good homes

At an adoption event this past Saturday, Ebert warmed the hearts of many. But, he still needs a home.

Spring and music in the air

The Panther Jazz Band pumped up the audience at the GBHS Panther Bands Spring Contest Concert Monday night with their opening rendition of Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock. It was a night to celebrate the accomplishments of the high school music program and a select group of accomplished musicians who competed at the state level earlier this spring. Senior band members also recognized and thanked their parents for the support offered through the years of ...

More sleep time? USD 428 gives a nod

High schoolers may get a few extra zs next year thanks to a proposal approved at the USD 428 board meeting Monday night. But not for teachers. Board members approved a series of late starts for the high school during the 2013-2014 school year that would give teachers the time they need to collaborate, but take away two hours of student contact time a month

GBRC shares Blue Ribbon Award to promote health

Several people working to make Barton County a healthier place received some recognition and financial assistance Monday during the Great Bend Recreation Commission Board meeting. Doug Vance, executive director of the Kansas Recreation & Park Association, visited the meeting along with representatives from BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas, to present a $2,500 facsimile check and a banner in honor of Great Bend winning the Blue Chip award.

Residents fear stray gunfire near river

It's only a matter of time before someone is hit by a stray bullet while enjoying the Arkansas River bed south of Ellinwood, local resident Tom Komarek told the Barton County Commission Monday morning.

County hopes to spark Vet Memorial donations

The Memorial Parks Advisory Committee was given the go-ahead by the Barton County Commission Monday morning to hold two much-needed fundraisers to build the Veterans Memorial at Golden Belt Memorial Park north of Great Bend.

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.

‘To parents, be the adults’

With high school and college graduations fast approaching, the Central Kansas Partnership is urging parents to keep the community safe by prohibiting underage drinking and not providing alcohol to underage youth at graduation celebrations.

Kansas 150 years 1861-1900

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