Driver in fair condition following Saturday’s tanker rollover

The man injured when a tanker trailer hauling 8,000 gallons of gasoline went off a Barton County road Saturday morning was in fair condition Monday afternoon, a spokesman at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita said. The Freightliner driven by Michael S. Manning, 60, of Great Bend, went off U.S. 281, 3.5 miles north of Great Bend, at 11:39 a.m., when he swerved to avoid a vehicle that was stopped ...

GBPL adds TV; changes web address

Check this out: There's a television in the library. This sound is turned off most of the time, as the flat-screen TV flashes notices of upcoming events at the library, and community events such as Relay for Life. Cara Negaard, who is in charge of the reference and acquisitions departments at the Great Bend Public Library, said it was installed a couple of weeks ago. "I think it's eye-catching," Negaard ...

Quivira Wildlife Reguge runs control burn

QUIVIRA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE - The smoke rose gently over the horizon Tuesday as 13 firefighters managed a control burn over 1,800 acres Tuesday in the northeast section of the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Rice and Stafford counties. Winds ranged from 4 to 6 mph.

Zoo news: New animals serve as zoo ambassadors

The newest animals at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo include hissing cockroaches and a Kenyan sand boa. These can't be found among the regular exhibits, but are used as education animals that can be taken to remote programs. Zoo Curator Marge Bowen said the 6-inch long Kenyan sand boa, found in sandy areas of east Africa, may grow to be 1 or 2 feet long. Several children got to ...

Three generation art show featured at GBPL

Art appreciation began at an early age for Bev Simonson of Great Bend, and has been passed down to her daughter Kim Wiens and granddaughter Amy Wright. Now the three generations have their own works of art on display in a combined exhibit at the Great Bend Public Library, 1409 Williams St. The paintings, drawings and photographs will be in the Fine Arts Room of ...

Kansas Farm Bureau honors tradition and heritage of family farms popular ‘Century Farm’ effort enter

Tradition and heritage is a big part of what makes agriculture such an attractive way of life for so many Kansans. The lifeblood of our existence, the farms and ranches in Kansas, provide food, fuel and fiber for the world.

Barton's Breaking Traditions camp helps students explore non-traditional careers

Barton Community College will offer local and area high school students a chance to explore non-traditional careers in a Breaking Traditions event set for June 7-8. The program is for 2011-12 high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, and 2011 high school graduates.

Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Mobile Office

The Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Mobile Office will be located at the Hoisington Town and Country Supermarket parking lot, 818 North Elm, on Friday May 6th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist eligible veterans and family members in obtaining benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Such benefits might include service connected disability compensation, improved pension benefits, death pensions, VA health care benefits, education benefits, vocational rehabilitation and much more. ...

Grabast's trip delayed by court ruling

HUDSON - A potentially life-changing stem-cell appointment scheduled for their son in Germany has been canceled, leaving a Stafford County family searching for answers.

Barton forensics students to present end-of-year showcase

Barton Community College's Forensics Team will celebrate its national championship winning season with an end-of-the-year showcase from 2-3:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, in the college's Shafer Gallery. Admission is free. Good will donations for team travel and expenses will be accepted. Barton's forensics team became National Champions in Division II at the Junior Varsity Nationals Tournament at Hutchinson Community College in March. Performing in the showcase will ...

Barton student art exhibit opens Sunday

The Barton Community College Student Juried Art Exhibition will open Sunday, with a reception from 1-3 p.m. in the college's Shafer Gallery. The exhibit will continue through May 13. Theme for Barton's student show is "Art Is Born in Fire and Alchemy." The exhibit will be separated into two divisions, one for degree seeking and the other for non-degree seeking art students. Categories of works will include oil painting, watercolor, drawing, ...

Driver receives minor injuries after hitting turkey

Kristen Willison, 29, of Great Bend was taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital on Thursday morning after hitting a turkey with a car in the 500 block of NE 30 Road. Willison was reportedly treated for minor injuries. The accident occurred at 9:10 a.m. According to the Barton County Sheriff's Office, Willison was eastbound in a Mercury Grand Marquis and swerved to avoid a turkey in the road, but actually did ...

Pickup slides off road; driver treated for neck pain

A Hoisington man was taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital on Thursday afternoon, after the pickup he was driving went off NW 10 Ave. Harold D. Wiley, 55, was treated for neck pain. According to the Barton County Sheriff's Office, Wiley and a passenger were in a Ford F-150, towing a Chevy truck by way of a tow bar. The accident occurred at 1 p.m. in the 700 block, as the ...

Poker Pro Player with Ellinwood roots

Andrew Robl, 24, was featured at the final table of the World Poker Tour 5 Diamond Classic High Stakes Poker Tournament at the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. He is the son of Tim Robl and grandson of Ray Robl of Ellinwood. The event was televised in two parts by Fox Sports Network. The second and final segment will be shown at 8 p.m. on Sunday on the network. At the conclusion of the first segment, Andrew was the chip leader, along with two other participants at the final table.

Not just eggs

Members of youth groups from Great Bend's Assembly of God Church entertain between heats during last Saturday's big Easter egg scramble on the Great Bend High School football field. Hundreds of plastic eggs were thrown onto the field for each age group. At left is Jordan Ewing, 13, from the Jam Squad youth group.

Beautiful Dreamer

Editor's Note: A 1967 Corvette once owned by singer Roy Orbison is now part of the collection at Hendrick Motorsports, owned Rick Hendrick of NASCAR fame. For a time, that storied automobile was owned by Robert "Bob" Martin of Great Bend, the former owner of Christmas Fantasy Village. Martin died on April 9. The story of his Corvette was recently reported by The BLOCK.com. An abridged version of that story appears below.

Five students qualify to Sems at District National Qualifying Tournament

The Great Bend High School Forensics Team competed at the District National Qualifying NFL Tournament on Friday and Saturday April 19th and 20th. Twelve students competed which consisted of: Nathaniel Cheney, Kenna Dirks, Michael Gieck, Clara Kachanes, Sarah Keller, Mallorie McNett, Jordan Otten, Chase Pumford, Jesus Sandoval, Kane Schumacher, Kameko Schultz and Paige VanSteenburgh. Five students qualified to semi-finals in their events. Cheney and Schumacher placed 12th and Gieck and Schultz placed 10th in Duo ...

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