Vogts Parga will be moving its office from downtown Newton to Moundridge. Rene Parga, owner, said the decision was based on the opportunity to put the office next to the company’s shop. “I hate to leave, but we have a better chance to have everything together,” he said. The company recently purchased buildings along I-135 highway and Highway 260 (Arrowhead Road) in Moundridge. A notice on the company’s website said the property will allow space to provide room for future growth. Parga said the company rented the Newton office and will be out of it by the end of 2023.
Source: Harvey County Now

USD 439 and the Sedgwick Recreation Commission have agreed to consolidate their effort in offering a wellness center to the community but they still have obstacles to overcome in making it a reality. Superintendent Greg Lehr said the district plans to have the outdoor track, the indoor walking track, the new gymnasium, and the cardio/fitness room available for use by anyone living inside the district’s parameters. He said they don’t plan to make the heavy weight room available to the public but could consider its use on a case-by-case basis. Lehr said construction was scheduled to be done in mid-September and hopefully they could start making the areas available to the public in October. “This is a community space,” Lehr said. “We want people to come in and use it. We want them to see what we do on a daily basis. Not everybody understands that.” Interested parties will have to pass a background check, signs waivers, and agree to the state rules. Source: Harvey County Now

A character by the name of Jack Pumpkinhead was featured in at least one of the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. Many people don’t know about his appearance in the book “Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz” because he wasn’t in the movie. That is Oz book No. 23. The people of Newton will become more acquainted with the character because he’s one of five characters featured on the Newton Arts & Murals Project’s next mural, the Meadowlark Mural, which will be on the back of the freestanding mural near the Main Street railroad track crossing and the north Old Mill parking lot. The figures will be 9.5 feet tall, said Andrea Braker, who is on the Newton Murals & Arts Project Board, the group installing and creating the mural. The project also is fully funded.
Source: Harvey County Now