Barton's got talent

The Barton Community College Student Juried Art Exhibition opened May 1 featuring students' work. Juror for the exhibit, Micky Yalg, art professor at Fort Hays State University, judged the show and awarded ribbons recognizing the quality of the students' work.

Two taken to hospital after Saturday collision

Vehicles driven by Eric T. Thiessen, 27, Lyons, and Linda Gotsche, 50, Great Bend, collided at 6:22 p.m. Saturday on U.S. 56, east of Great Bend at mile marker 218. According to the Barton County Sheriff's Office, Gotsche was driving a 2011 Ford Edge when she slowed down to avoid a rear-end collision with Richard Friedeman of Great Bend, who was driving a 1922 Stanley. She slowed down and put on ...

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 ...

Musical whodunit in store for Sterling Fourth

Equal parts murder, mystery, music, and comedy are in store as the Sterling Community Theatre Troupe presents the new Broadway musical "Curtains" as part of Sterling's Old Fashioned Fourth of July celebration. "Curtains" has a tuneful, toe-tapping musical score by the song writing team of John Kander and Fred Ebb famous for the musicals "Chicago" and "Cabaret." The show will be staged at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 5 and 6 and at ...

Nex-Tech Zoo Fest is Saturday

The annual Nex-Tech Zoo Fest runs from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo. There will be free food and live entertainment for the whole family.

Play time

Children at the Barton Community College Child Development Center (CDC) play with some new toys, Tuesday afternoon. The toys were acquired through a $500 grant awarded by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The grant requirements focus on increased efforts to practice healthy eating habits and to include physical activity both in and outside of the classroom. CDC Director Larissa Graham said the equipment is intended to help aid in fine muscle development and encourage "active ...

Help patients in need with blood donation

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood this summer, helping to ensure a sufficient supply for patients in need. Blood donations tend to decline during the summer, when many regular donors are on vacation and schools are out of session. However, the need for blood is constant. All blood types are currently needed, especially O negative, which is the universal blood type and can potentially be transfused to any patient. Upcoming blood ...

Lee Turner Lectureship provides continuing education for law enforcement

Law enforcement professionals will have two opportunities to learn from Chicago area Police Chief Kent Williams about various forms of adversity law enforcement personnel routinely face, not only in the field, but how these events shape their personal lives after they leave the cruiser.

Waters True Value donates $4,000 with the help of social media

Waters True Value has donated $4,000 to the Oklahoma City Red Cross. The effort to contribute to the disaster relief efforts came after an EF5 tornado left a 17-mile path of destruction and damaged 4,000 homes and businesses in the Oklahoma City area on May 20.

Pit bull committee to hold first meeting

The City of Great Bend's newly formed committee to study the banning of pit bulls will hold an organizational meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the City Council chambers, 1209 Williams. The meeting is open to the public.

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