Family-friendly bike ride in Great Bend again Friday night

Be Prepared. For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America has helped young men prepare for a responsible and productive adulthood. Great Bend scout organizations are hosting a free registration event on Tuesday, Aug. 30 with a free mini-golf game at the Walnut Bowl. "They should definitely come...

Know of somebody currently not living in Barton County but would be great for a job in the county? Great Bend Economic Development is still rewarding citizens able to successfully recruit friends and family members outside of Barton County to fill advertised positions. Economic Development Director Sara Hayden said the...

The Kansas Geological Survey reported a minor earthquake in northeast Ellis County early Wednesday morning. The 2.0-magnitude quake was recorded at 2:25 a.m. Wednesday just south of Saline River Road and east of Cathedral Avenue. It was the first earthquake recorded in Ellis County since April.

Barton County Sheriff’s Office Incident Log (8/9) At 7:12 a.m. an animal complaint was reported at 25 NW 50 Road in Hoisington. At 9:29 a.m. a report of a child in need of care was made at 1400 Main Street. Cattle Out. At 5 p.m. a report of cattle...

Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. invites the community to an open house celebrating one year at their new location, 200 10th Street, Great Bend on Thursday, Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The open house is a come and go event with refreshments and door prizes. Facility and green...

BOOKED: Shannon Larson on KDOC warrant for Parole Violation, no bond set. BOOKED: Craig Gowdy on Barton County District Court case, to serve sentence. BOOKED: Ryler Bass on Barton County District Court warrant for Failure to Appear, bond set at $638 cash only. RELEASED: Matthew Madden on Barton County District...

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in solving a theft. On Aug. 4, approximately 100 joints of 2 and 3/8 tubing was stolen from a lease near Hitschman in rural Barton County. The loss is estimated to be roughly $10,000. If you have information...

On Friday, Aug. 5, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office executed a pair of search warrants one in the City of Great Bend and one of the City of Hoisington resulting in the arrest of seven people. At about 2:15 p.m., deputies and detectives executed a warrant at 218 Pine...

Six Fort Hays State University alumni will be honored on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, at the Alumni and Friends Awards Banquet during Homecoming. For details on how you can help celebrate these award winners during FHSU’s Homecoming, visit www.FHSUHomecoming.com. Four Alumni Achievement Award recipients will be recognized: John L....

BUNKER HILL – The Russell County Area Community Foundation has awarded Smoky Hills PBS a grant for $1,000. The grant awarded will support the Smoky Hills PBS’ literacy leadership initiative in Russell County and will support the following:. · Book distribution program that will provide books to children...

The USD 431 Hoisington Board of Education has some big ideas to think about. At the Aug. 1 meeting, Superintendent Patrick Crowdis threw out some figures pertaining to an overhaul of the turf and track at Hoisington High School. The decision becomes all the more difficult with the rising costs of goods across the board.

After more than an hour-long discussion Thursday, Hays city commissioners are still debating some of the 2023 funding requests from outside agencies. Mayor Mason Ruder, who was in Colorado, joined the meeting via Zoom. The work session was conducted by Vice-Mayor Michael Berges. The draft 2023 budget leaves the outside...

It takes a village to run a large school district. USD 428 Great Bend employs approximately 700 full and part-time workers. At Monday's August board of education meeting, USD 428 Director of Human Resources Tonya Miller shared a new staff incentive program to help keep the district fully staffed. "The...

Donna Zimmerman’s background with county operations will come into use this upcoming January when she takes a seat on the Barton County Commission. Zimmerman won the two-person race for the District 5 office on the commission after last week’s primary election. Zimmerman worked for the county for 40...

The Commission meeting will be live-streamed through Microsoft Teams. Citizens may view the meeting through their own sign in or by signing in “anonymously”. Please follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Mq8Zqd. If you wish to participate in the discussion of any item, please call (620) 793-1800 for instructions. BOARD OF...

The Barton County Commission wants voters to know it does not plan on raising property taxes - not by a single dollar. But of course, it's not that simple. Former Barton County Commissioner and current Kansas Senator Alicia Straub spoke at Wednesday's weekly meeting to discuss the state's revenue neutral rate (RNR) law and how it impacts counties.