Bentley turns 135 this year, and the town has big plans to celebrate. This Saturday, Nov. 4, Bentley will hold its Birthday Bash, an all-day celebration for the whole family. … Event organizer Shannon Catlin said they did some research and discovered that it’s been at least 15 years since Bentley has held a festival or celebration of an event other than the car show. She said she was cautious at the first meeting, but then 17 people showed up. “People want something. They want something like this,” Catlin said. “We’ve had a lot of great support. I’m excited.”
Source: Harvey County Now

When walking into Halstead’s post office, most people don’t take a second glance at the mural above the postmaster’s door or know about the Kansas history that it holds and others just like it across the state. Kansas artist Birger Sandzén was 70 years old when he arrived in Halstead to paint a mural that was a part of a New Deal-era program in 1941. The river scene he painted, called “Where Kit Carson Camped,” depicts the scenic location near Halstead where a powwow took place between frontiersman Kit Carson and Native American Chief Black Kettle. Sarah Green, co-director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, said she visited Halstead this summer in preparation for the organization’s new guidebook publication. Among the highlights, besides the city’s iconic bridge, was the post office. “These murals are sometimes hidden, often overlooked, but remain exquisite examples of a program to help bring beauty and top-notch art into rural communities,” Green said.
Source: Harvey County Now

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Kansas State Board of Education recently notified Sedgwick Public Schools of USD-439 for achieving recognition in the 2023 Kansans Can Star Recognition Program. The KSDE and the state board presented Sedgwick Public Schools with the following recognition for 2023: Academically Prepared for Postsecondary: Copper; Graduation: Silver; Postsecondary Effectiveness: Copper. “We recognize the exceptional work your district is doing to reach the state’s vision for education—Kansas leads the world in the success of each student,” the organizations wrote in a letter to the district. “The Kansans Can Star Recognition Program recognizes district success in the outcome measures Kansans told us they value, and it is clear that Sedgwick Public Schools and other Kansas districts like yours are moving us closer to achieving the state’s vision.”
Source: Harvey County Now

After years of discussion and research, a decision will be made at the next Harvey County Commission meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14, regarding renewable energy regulations in Harvey County. Karen Rothe, director of planning and zoning, presented the Harvey County Planning Commission’s recommended changes to the Commercial Renewable Energy Project Regulations. As expected, Rothe told commissioners that the recommendation by the planning commission is to ban commercial-grade wind and solar energy. The planning commission passed the regulations unanimously. She said the reason for regulations is so people can understand what the county’s expectations are on their projects, what they want to be identified when doing a project, and what needs to be involved in the conditional use permit. The planning commission felt that Harvey County was not suitable for commercial (utility scale) wind energy conversion systems or community scale wind energy systems. The planning commission’s recommendations listed the reasons for the decision.
Source: Harvey County Now