Proper decorations make it a fun Christmas vacation

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles about winter safety preparations.) It may be funny in "Christmas Vacation" when Clark Griswold falls off a ladder, shorts out the neighborhood, or gets his tree on fire - but that is just a movie, believe it or not. In real life, any of the above would be a tragedy, and according to the experts at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, these sorts or ...

Edwards honored and Jones reappointed by commission

County personnel were the subject of a couple of agenda items when the Barton County Commission met Monday.

SANTA'S WORKSHOP

Just because Santa drops in from the North Pole doesn't mean it has to be freezing in Great Bend. Unlike recent years, this year's Santa's Workshop wasn't hampered by snow or ice. So, while it was a chilly 32 degrees outside, throngs of children, parents and volunteers made their way to the Municipal Auditorium Monday night to frolic with elves. "Where do you start?" a bewildered mom asked ...

Holiday cheer!!!

To spread the Christmas spirit throughout the library, Great Bend Children's Librarian Eric Coulbourne held the first ever tree trimming Christmas party on Saturday.

Kids bring light for other kids at Christmas

It's perennial - the concern that is expressed about how kids and teens are just out for what they can get at Christmas. Wish lists that run into the thousands of dollars are discussed and lamented, but not every young person out there is concerned only with what they can get at this season of the year. In fact, a group of young people are leading a traditional effort to make sure that other, less ...

Health officials warn of whooping cough

Brightly wrapped gifts may not be all we are giving each other this holiday season.

BCC tuition, fees may increase in 2011

The trustees at Barton Community College are looking at raising the rates for tuition, fees or both for the fall 2011 semester, but one scenario also has local students getting a price break. Fees were reviewed at a board study session last week. A $1 tuition increase for all students would create about $90,224 additional revenue, and $1 more in fees would generate about $99,673, according to estimates from ...

Santa's Workshop is Monday

For shoppers there was Black Friday - a crush of humanity in the holiday spirit. For elves at the North Pole, the biggest activity leading to Christmas takes place the first Monday in December, when hundreds of kids meet at the Great Bend Auditorium for Santa's Workshop. The 14th Annual Santa's Workshop will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Monday in the City Auditorium. This free Christmas event is designed ...

BCC's Camp Aldrich still a 'hidden gem'

An Ellinwood man who attended Thursday's study session of the Barton Community College Board of Trustees had questions after listening to discussion on the college's Camp Aldrich facility near Cheyenne Bottoms. "Does this board have a vision for Camp Aldrich?" Dennis Carson asked. If so, the former owner of C&V Home Improvement continued, what is it? If the board doesn't have a vision, why not? The question of what ...

Fish kill at Vets normal for time of year

The deaths of a handful of small fish at Veterans Memorial Lake are the result of the cold and not the recent toxic algae that plagued the popular recreational area, city and state officials said.

County, state prepare for winter storms

It is that time of year, when everyone is making sure they are ready for the first blast of serious winter weather. We've had a couple of days when early risers had to scrape their windows, but that's nothing. And as anyone who's lived here more than a year or two should realize, winter can go either way around here. We could see conditions warm back into the 60s and stay that way for almost ...

Decorating safely can save the holiday

There are all sorts of ways to get ready for winter, according to safety experts. On of them is getting ready for safe celebrations in this festive opening to the winter season. And that includes using some sense in decorating. According to information from Safe Kids Kansas, a state agency dedicated to keeping children safe in Kansas homes, it's important to pay attention when decorating. As has been the case for years, one of the ...

Binturong arrives at Brit Spaugh Zoo

What has the head of a cat, the body of a bear - and smells like freshly popped popcorn? That would be a binturong (BIN-tu-rong), commonly known as an Asian bearcat, and it's the newest animal at Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo. The binturong arrived Wednesday afternoon from Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, N.D. Great Bend Zoo Director Scott Gregory said the animal has a clean bill of heath, but ...

Mystery couple gives ride to boy

Police were asked to conduct extra patrols near one Great Bend school after two strangers in a car gave a boy a ride home Tuesday afternoon. Lt. Bill Browne at the Great Bend Police Department said officers wrote up a "miscellaneous case" report to document the incident, but their investigation did not show any crime was committed. The man and woman may have been two Good Samaritans, concerned to see ...

Library accepting food for fines

For the second year, the Great Bend Public Library will offer the program "Food for Fines." People with overdue items can bring one nonperishable food item for each overdue material returned and overdue fines will be waived, said Terri Hurley at the library, located at 1409 Williams St. Those with existing fines for items already returned to the library will have their fines forgiven if they bring one nonperishable item for ...

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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