EHS participates in forensics competition

ELLINWOOD - Members of the Ellinwood High School Forensics Team competed at the Smoky Valley High School Invitational on Jan. 29. Though EHS only entered a few students into the 20-team meet, each of Ellinwood's speakers placed in the top six.

Learning about Kansas

The Individual Retirement Account Charitable Rollover, first enacted by Congress in 2006, expired in 2009. However, in the new tax bill signed by President Barack Obama, the IRA Charitable Rollover provision has been extended through 2011. This provision allows individuals 70 1/2 or older to make tax-free gifts of up to $100,000 to qualified charitable organizations, like Clara Barton Hospital Foundation, using funds transferred directly from their traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs. Beginning ...

Laws offer charity tax relief

The Individual Retirement Account Charitable Rollover, first enacted by Congress in 2006, expired in 2009. However, in the new tax bill signed by President Barack Obama, the IRA Charitable Rollover provision has been extended through 2011. This provision allows individuals 70 1/2 or older to make tax-free gifts of up to $100,000 to qualified charitable organizations, like Clara Barton Hospital Foundation, using funds transferred directly from their traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs. Beginning ...

EMS/HS band to hold dinner

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood Middle and High School Bands will be holding the annual Chicken Noodle Dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 6 in the Ellinwood High School Commons Area. Please note that this is a change of venue from past years. Tickets may be purchased from any middle or high school band member and will also be available at the door. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 3-10. Carry-out orders will be available.

Check It Out!

There are new books on CD at the Ellinwood Community/School Library. They are:

BCC releases Hoisington City Council candidates

The Barton County Clerk released the list of Hoisington City Council candidates for the April 5 election on Wednesday evening.

Gambino's Ribbon Cutting

EGS holds 'No Name-Calling Week"

ELLINWOOD - From Jan. 24-28 Ellinwood Grade School will be observing "No Name-Calling Week." This is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds in schools across the nation and thus helping to create safer and more affirming schools for all students. No Name-Calling Week was inspired by a young adult novel entitled "The Misfits", by popular author, James Howe. The book tells the story of four best friends ...

Council holds meeting

HOISINGTON - At its meeting Monday night, the Hoisington City Council approved ordinances establishing guidelines for handling health nuisances in the city. It was the consensus of the council to hire a Public Officer for 5-10 hours a week at a wage of $10-$12 per hour.

USD 112 moves ahead with computer purchase iniative

HOLYROOD - At its regular meeting on Monday night, USD 112 Board of Education heard a proposal for providing all students and teachers from ninth to twelfth grade with Macintosh laptop computers. Superintendent Steve Woolf is checking on compatibility with the district's servers, cost of new servers, and the possibility of purchasing laptops early for teachers to learn the system. The price of the laptops is currently below $200,000. The district ...

City of Claflin meets

CLAFLIN - The governing body of the City of Claflin met in regular session, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. in the city building. Present were: Mayor Curtis Nelson, Council persons Kirk Schneweis, Dan Michaelis, Leon Oberle and Mike Urban. Also present: City Attorney Bob Suelter, City Clerk Patricia Schmidt, Robert Gunder, Richard Hayes, Curtis Wolf, Murine Prosser and Pete and Lois Krier.

Middle school teams

Art supplies

At Ellinwood Grade School, Lisa Reser's fifth grade class is excited after receiving zippered-cased drawing sets for art. Lisa McMullen, the EGS art instructor, received a grant from Midwest Energy and purchased "Keep N Carry Artist Sets" for the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. The students will be using the drawing sets for various class and at-home art projects.

Students serve up snacks

HOISINGTON - Hoisington High School student Chaz Stephens was hungry one day, and he and fellow classmate Drew Reisner along with Principal Meg Wilson brain-stormed a plan last fall to begin serving healthy snacks at a reasonable cost to students mid-morning. The students are finding that good nutrition makes a difference.

Ellinwood debaters find success

ELLINWOOD - Over the years, the Ellinwood High School debate and forensics teams have achieved great success, and the students give credit to coach Julie-Ann Jacobs and hard work. The students involved begin work in the summer, attending a workshop and spending many hours researching their topics.

Exemplary award

USD 355 board taking steps for iPad initiative

ELLINWOOD - The USD 355 School Board, at its regular meeting Monday night, agreed to take another step in the iPad initiate. Currently, about twenty percent of the certified staff have iPads. The board agreed to buy approximately 30 more so that the remaining staff would have an iPad.

EHS hosts volleyball camp

ELLINWOOD - Ellinwood High School will hold a volleyball camp from 2-4 p.m. on May 28-31 at the old High School Gym. Registration deadline is May 28. Contact Laurie Feist or Sharon Gatton at 564-2750 or 564-3136.

Graduation at last!

School board makes appointments

ELLINWOOD - At its regular monthly meeting, the USD 355 school board made two appointments to the new Ellinwood Recreation Commission Board of Directors. They were Mel Waite for four years, and Rob Fisher for one year. The ERC will soon begin planning a budget, hiring a director, and making plans for 2014.

Star of Hope offers seminars for Romanians with handicapped kids

ELLINWOOD - "Stay Together" is the theme for this years conference/summer camp for families of children with disabilities in Romania on Aug. 21-24 offered by Star of Hope

Ellinwood City Council to meet

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening at the city offices. On the agenda are the former city landfill, wearing in of new council members, Recreation Commission appointments, Main Street light poles, and executive session for real estate acquisition.

Inflatable slide

School recognized for Character Education

TOPEKA-Kansas schools and school districts were honored Thursday for their support of character education as part of the Kansas Schools of Character Recognition Program, sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education, the Kansas Character Education Initiative and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site.

Ellinwood Rotary announces theme for AHF Parade

ELLINWOOD - The Ellinwood Rotary Club announces the 2013 theme for the After Harvest Festival Parade to be held at 10 a.m. July 2. This year's theme is "Home Is Where Our Story Begins." They are hoping registrants for the parade will incorporate this year's theme into their parade float.

Just swinging

Hoisington briefs

Hoisington Food Bank open May 16

HMS performs School Daze

HOISINGTON -On April 29 and April 30, the Hoisington Middle School vocal group performed its play "School Daze" at Roosevelt and Lincoln Elementary Schools. The vocal group is made up of 7th and 8th grade students from Hoisington Middle School.

Cardinal seniors walk the halls

HOISINGTON - As part of our Jostens "Something to Believe In" Commitment to Graduate (C2G) program, the Hoisington Cardinals started a new tradition "Cardinal Graduates Walk with Pride."

School bell rings the last time for two retiring teachers

HOISINGTON - Touching the lives and improving the minds of over a 1,000 children after three decades of service, USD 431 teachers Darla Clark and Becky Andereck will close the last book bags of their careers this month. Both began and ended their service in Hoisington.