Archive By Section - News
Letting the dogs out
Saturday morning, leashes will be rattling and tails will be wagging all over the Great Bend area. Pooches will bound out the door and into the car as their owners make their way to Veterans Memorial Dog Park for the first ever Bark for Life Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, sponsored by local Relay for Life teams, precedes the annual event coming up on June 7.
RSVP selling flowers for Memorial Day
This week marks the fourth-annual Senior Corps Week, an opportunity to thank Senior Corps volunteers for their service, said Donna Baugh, Volunteers in Action director. One way folks can become involved is by purchasing their Memorial Day flowers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program this year. The flowers are on display at the RSVP office, 1025 Main, room D114 in Great Bend, and at the RSVP Thrift Store at 158 S. Main in Hoisington.
Myers walks out of meeting
After an often heated exchange between Great Bend City Council Member Randy Myers and several fellow council members over his alleged ethics violations, Myers stood up and walked out of the governing body's Monday night meeting.
GBFD roundup: Fire marshal investigates basement fire
An investigator from the Kansas State Fire Marshal's office was in Great Bend Monday to determine the cause of a fire Sunday afternoon at 2011 Jackson St. It was one of several fire calls over the weekend, Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said. Firefighters received the report of a basement fire at 4:37 p.m., at the house owned by James and Krissy Jackson. The first truck arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming ...
TOUTING TOURISM
It is fitting that Barton County celebrate Kansas Tourism Week this week, Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Cris Collier told the County Commission Monday morning.
OF RISK AND REWARD
Three weeks ago, a fertilizer storage facility in West, Texas, not all that different from plants in many, small, rural communities, exploded. It killed 14 people, leveled much of the tiny town and rocked the nation.
CINCO DE MAYO
The weather did not exactly cooperate, but Joe Hernandez and his friends didn't let it interrupt their celebration.
Cooking up great soil
Gardeners may finally catch a break after unexpectedly cool weather last week. It's finally time to start digging and planting, and that means its the perfect time to think about soil health. For gardeners in Great Bend, the city provides plenty of rich dark compost free for the taking.
City of Great Bend cooking up great soil for local gardeners
Gardeners may finally catch a break after unexpectedly cool weather last week. It's finally time to start digging and planting, and that means its the perfect time to think about soil health. For gardeners in Great Bend, the city provides plenty of rich dark compost free for the taking.
Job Olympics celebrates abilities
Students from 13 schools demonstrated their life skills and vocational abilities Friday during the Job Olympics at Great Bend High School's Panther Activity Center. This competition, open to any special education student in Kansas, is sponsored by the Barton County Transition Council and the Special Services Cooperative. Events at tables throughout the arena mimicked real job situations and life skills, such as food preparation, office work or automotive checking. There was event a contest for ...
Refresher on health care highlights Chamber luncheon
Mike Minton with Benefit Management Inc. was the keynote speaker at the Great Bend Area Chamber of Commerce roundtable for human resources professionals Tuesday noon at The Page. He provided a refresher on the Health Care Reform and Affordable Care Act. While there were tips and updates for owners of large companies, only general advice could be offered for small business owners, as the federal government continues to grapple with a lot of unanswered questions, ...
Landmark Bergthal Mennonite Church closing its doors
PAWNEE ROCK - Bergthal Mennonite Church was built to last forever, or at least until the Lord returned. Settlers had first outgrown a little stone church near Dundee, and then a wooden church northeast of Pawnee Rock. A massive brick building, complete with a bell tower, replaced the wooden building in 1915.
Sheriff steps up patrols with new program
Sheriff Brian Bellendir said a new traffic safety program aims to reduce accidents, especially at problem areas. The first effort will take place between 7:30 and 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, on U.S. 281 from the Great Bend city limits to milepost 108. "As spring and summer approaches, there will be more traffic on central Kansas roads and highways," Bellendir noted. The Barton County Sheriff's Office is initiating this traffic safety program to help ensure ...
Cinco de Mayo Saturday
For Jose Hernandez, helping organize the 2013 Cinco dey Mayo celebration Saturday is about much more than throwing a party.
No injuries reported at rollover crash
Great Bend police responded to a rollover accident at the intersection of Morphy and 16th Street in Great Bend Thursday afternoon at about 3 p.m. A Pontiac Firebird was travelling southbound on Morphy street when it was struck by a Mercury Mountaineer heading westbound on 16th Street. According to Great Bend Police Lt. Bill Browne, the driver of the Mountaineer failed to yield right of way at the uncontrolled intersection. No injuries were reported ...
Articles by Section - News
From bridges to weeds, county crews stay busy
A number of county road and bridge issues came to the attention of the Barton County Commission Monday morning as County Administrator Richard Boeckman gave his bi-weekly update on the activities of county departments.
Senior nutrition program adds local farmers market as site
The Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program has added Great Bend's Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market as a site for the 2013 market season said Janel Rose, chronic disease risk reduction coordinator, Barton County Health Department. "Our community was fortunate to be selected to participate in this valuable resource."
OF DOGS AND OWNERS
Great Bend resident George Weber stood Wednesday morning before the newly minted committee formed to study banning pit bulls within the city limits and apologized.
Hot cars quickly become deadly for children, pets
It doesn't take triple-digit temperatures outside for unattended vehicles to reach oven temperatures inside. But as summer weather returns to the Golden Belt, safety experts remind people to never leave a child or pet alone in a vehicle. Lt. Bill Browne at the Great Bend Police Department said it isn't unusual for people to call 911 when they see an unattended vehicle with a child or pet inside. More often than not, the vehicle is ...
Local artist intermingles art with life
ELLINWOOD - Staying busy and loving life, Rhea Grandon finds fulfillment in her art, hobbies, family and friends.
Youth Academy set for Friday
If you see local youth being hauled around this Friday and Friday June 28, in police cars or in the back of ambulances it is not because they are in trouble with the law or injured in an accident.
Summer reading off to magical start
The yellow hard hats seen Monday at Great Bend Public Library weren't for construction work. Staff wore the hats to celebrate the theme for this year's summer reading program: "Dig Into Reading."
Sports, activities and mentoring spotlighted at USD 428 June BOE meeting
The USD 428 Board of Education welcomed Delores Baker and her family and friends Monday evening at the district office. Board president Dwight Young awarded her the R.O.S.E. (Recognizing Outstanding Support of Education ) certificate, recognizing her for her years of commitment to a Riley student through her 12 years of education in the district through the Youth Friends program.
SDS axes contract with Rec Commission
Last month the Great Bend Recreation Commission's board of directors approved a new contract to provide day services to Sunflower Diversified Services, but on Monday GBRC's Executive Director Diann Henderson said Sunflower won't approve a contract for the coming year.
Agreement a sign of improvement
An engineering agreement approved by the Barton County Commission Monday mornings helps pave the way to better signs on major rural county blacktops.
Inmate in custody after walking away from Barton County Jail
This story has been updated. An inmate who walked away from the Barton County Jail sometime Sunday night was back in custody by 11:40 a.m. Monday. Lee W. Dean, 23, who was being held for probation violation, was located in the southeast part of Great Bend and 201 Plum St., Sheriff Brian Bellendir announced in a news release. "(Dean) was taken into custody without incident," Bellendir said. "A second subject at the location was taken ...
USD 428 recognizes mentor with a R.O.S.E.
For six years, Delores Baker, Great Bend, volunteered as a Youth Friends mentor for a Riley Elementary School student. For six more years, they nurtured their friendship through letters and lunch visits. This year, Baker had the great joy of seeing her friend graduate from Great Bend High School. And on Monday night, the USD 428 Board of Education will honor her with a R.O.S.E. (Recognizing Outstanding Support of Education) award at their regular June meeting.
Summer reading programs start Monday
The Great Bend Public Library has a new look going into the summer reading programs. The front desk has moved and the Children's Department has been refurnished.
June events at Great Bend Public Library
Great Bend Public Library, 1409 Williams St., will offer the following programs in June: • Summer Reading activities begin Monday, June 10. Registration for all ages will open that day. The children's department will have its kick-off party at 3:30 p.m. Dan Dan the Magic man will perform a magic show that fits in with the Dig Into Reading! Summer Reading Club theme. Students in grades 7-12 can register for the Beneath the Surface Teen ...
Historic Wolf Hotel reincarnated
ELLINWOOD - The historic Ellinwood Wolf Hotel has a new owner, and great plans are in place to renovate and reinvent the hotel. Christopher McCord, 26, of Ellinwood plans to return the building to its roots as a hotel.
