Council committee to discuss insurance consultant

The first meeting of the Great Bend City Council Health Insurance Independent Consultant Selection Committee will take place at 2 p.m. Monday at the City Office. The meeting is open to the public. At its Sept. 4 meeting, the council voted to study hiring a consultant to help the city in bidding its insurance coverage. It named council members Dale Westoff, Dana Dawson and Randy Myers to the committee to make a recommendation. They are joined by three city staff members.

Shank to talk about restoring family farm

Richard Shank will talk about his restoration of his family farm in Saline County when the Barton County Historical Society meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the museum, located just south of Great Bend's Arkansas River bridge on U.S. 281. Admission is free and open to the public.

Fabulous flippers

Erica Price with Chris Cakes flips a pancake, Thursday at the Prince of Peace Parish Center in Great Bend. The annual Sunflower Diversified Services Pancake Dinner featured the nimble Chris Cakes crew at an all-you-can eat dinner to raise funds benefitting area people with developmental disabilities. One person ate at least 15. The oldest person in attendance was 99-year-old Mildred Sherwood from Holton.

Cyclist meeting postponed

The Barton County Health Community Design Leadership Team focus group for local bicyclists planned for at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Barton County Courthouse Square has been postponed due to scheduling conflicts. A new date will be announced at a later.

Collin Raye to open Community Concert season

The Golden Belt Community Concert Association begins its 2012-13 season with the music of 1990s country hit maker Collin Raye. His concert is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, at the Great Bend Municipal Auditorium, Lakin and Stone.

Sunrise Campaign, pancake feed, help people with disabilities

Two upcoming public events will kick off a local fundraising effort, with all proceeds benefiting central Kansans with developmental disabilities and delays. The Sunrise Campaign, which helps Sunflower Diversified Services' clients, has been an annual fund drive for 12 years.

Capital improvement projects under way at Barton Community College

Capital improvement projects approved by the Barton Community College Board of Trustees for Fiscal Year 2013 are under way, Dean of Administration Mark Dean told trustees this past week.

St. Rose auction for cancer patients includes variety of items

Diamond jewelry, an antique gun and University of Kansas items are among the many goodies collected for the St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center auction to benefit local cancer patients.

Cyclists plan focus group meeting

The Barton County Health Community Design Leadership Team wants to make Great Bend more bicycle friendly and is seeking input from cyclists on how to make this happen. The team is holding a focus group-style meeting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Barton County Courthouse Square.

Great Bend Zoo silent on accreditation; Topeka Zoo earns AZA nod for 5 years

(AP) - Great Bend officials are refusing to discuss last week's meeting with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums board in Phoenix, Ariz. Zoo Director Scott Gregory attended a meeting Saturday where the board was set to approve or deny AZA accreditation for the Brit Spaugh Zoo.

UWCK putting towards its goal

United Way of Central Kansas will hold its Mini Golf United at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at Walnut Bowling Center. The fee is $30 per three-member team. Cash prizes will be awarded to top golfers and there will be an award to the business that registers the most teams. All money raised will go to UWCK.

BCC offers workshop for health pros

Barton Community College will offer health-care professionals a chance learn valuable skills from industry leaders that will help them in their day to day jobs, as well as fulfill continued education requirements, at the 21st annual Clara Barton Colloquium from 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Club at StoneRidge, 1438 24th St., Great Bend.

Art showing

​Man in hospital following altercation at residence

A 34-year-old man was hospitalized Wednesday after being battered at a Great Bend residence. Keeven Hendricks was listed in fair condition Thursday at Via Christi Health's St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.

Zoo News:

Brit Spaugh Zoo Director Scott Gregory will head to Arizona today, where he and other Great Bend officials will meet with the board of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. On Saturday afternoon, they'll learn if the zoo has gained the AZA accreditation it has been working toward.

Bridge inspection

Lochner Engineering Consults will perform an up-close special bridge inspection on Barton County Bridge No. 202, over the Walnut Creek on Tuesday, July 22. The bridge is located on East Barton County Road, approximately 2.9 miles East of Great Bend. Be advised this will require temporary closure of the bridge to traffic from approximately 1 to 6 p.m.

Errors made in Kans for Kids story

In the story that ran in Thursday's Great Bend Tribune about Kans for Kids Fighting Cancer Foundation receiving tax credits, there were two errors. First, Camp Aldrich was misspelled. Second, Kans for Kids was referred to as Kansas for Kids in the first paragraph. The Tribune regrets the errors.

Hahn Brothers confirmed for Supercross Shootout in Great Bend

The motocross community will convene in central Kansas on Sept. 20-21 for the 2nd Annual Hahn Brothers Supercross Shootout. Hosted by nationally recognized and professional motocross racers Wil and Tommy Hahn, the shootout provides racing opportunities for pro and amateur racers, and an electric atmosphere for spectators and racers, the Hahns said.

Hogans to help the Barton Foundation ‘Hunt for Bucks’ at 36th Annual Big Benefit Auction

"BARTON DYNASTY: Hunting for Bucks" is the theme for the 36th Annual Barton Foundation Big Benefit Auction, which this year's honorary co-chairs, Toby and Kristy Hogan, find rather fitting as the owners of the hunting service, "Central Kansas Whitetails." Only the "bucks" being hunted in this case are green, have presidents' faces on them and they help local students pay tuition at Barton Community College.

Kansas 150 1901-1925