To bolster election security in Barton County, the County Commission Tuesday morning accepted a $94,096.91 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Security Grant. County Clerk Bev Schmeidler said the funding, which requires a 10% local match, will help with election equipment storage, a new trailer to haul supplies to polling locations, rolling bags to haul gear and other needs. “We had the opportunity to go out for a grant offered through the Secretary of State’s office for federal HAVA funds,” Schmeidler said. Since the money can be used for anything to improve election security, “there is quite a list of things that we [...]

The City of Claflin is hosting a rabies clinic from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 20. The clinic will be held at the city shop, 710 Front St. in Claflin. Services will be provided by Hoisington Vet Clinic staff. As a reminder, all dogs in the city limits must have current proof of rabies vaccination and must be licensed by March 1. A $5 penalty will be assessed to dog owners after the March 1 deadline. Cost of dog tags is $5 for spayed or neutered dogs and $7.50 for dogs not fixed. Source: Great Bend Tribune

With the ringing of a new year, the Great Bend Fire Department thought residents might be curious about the number of calls it handled in 2023, Fire Chief Brent Smith said. The information was presented to the City Council. “We thought you may wonder just how many calls we respond to in one year,” Smith said. This is the number of calls from Jan. 1 through Dec. 18. In all, the Great Bend Fire Department made 2,583 fire and Emergency Medical Services runs in that time span... Source: Great Bend Tribune

After helping guide Barton County through the 2001 Hoisington tornado and the COVID-19 pandemic, longtime Barton County Emergency Management Director Amy Miller will retire retiring at the end of the year after 37 years with the county. Miller was recognized by the Barton County Commission Thursday morning. But, while sorry to see her leave, commissioners also met Sean Kelly, a county engineering tech and assistant emergency manager, who was promoted to fill the post. “Amy Miller was hired on Jan. 10 1986, and is currently the county second-longest working county employee,” said County Administrator Matt Patzner. She announced her retirement earlier this year [...]

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced on Wednesday that more than $4.6 million in federal funds will be directed to the first six locations selected for the state’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program. With existing fast-charging stations spread across the I-70 and I-135 corridors, these selected locations will fill gaps in EV charging stations along the state’s major highways and interstate system. “As more electric cars and trucks make their way onto Kansas roadways, they will need access to adequate charging facilities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “With these awards, we’ll ensure electric vehicle charging stations are accessible to all Kansans for [...]

Matthew Kirk has an unpleasant task: breaking the news to families about fertilizer chemicals in their drinking water. The Kansas State University geology professor and his collaborators check for nitrogen pollution in the private wells that so many rural households depend on. “Most of the well owners that I’ve talked to,” Kirk said, “this isn’t something that’s really on their radar.” Researchers aim to test about 150 private wells in south-central Kansas in Barton, Stafford, Pawnee, Edwards, Rice, Pratt and Kiowa counties. Students and scientists from K-State and Barton and Dodge City community colleges have teamed up to test about 90 so far. Of those, half [...]

Great Bend Economic Development Inc. has a lot on its plate right now, from the new Advancing Barton County Childcare daycare center in Great Bend to a host of programs aimed at fostering entrepreneurship. Lee Ann June, GBED communications director, took a moment Thursday afternoon to touch on what is happening on the eco devo front. Recently hired ABCC Site Director Kelsie Baxter “is very excited about getting started,” June said. This week, they started posting and advertising the 11 remaining job postings for that center. These include lead teacher, assistant teachers and part-time providers. Applications were available on the ABCC website, gbedinc.com/abcc, as [...]

It was 9 a.m. on a grey, rainy, chilly Friday morning as the Great Bend Police Department’s first sift gathered for roll call before heading out on patrol. This was nothing new for the officers and Police Chief Steve Haulmark, something they do every morning. But, there was one notable difference Friday. It marked the first morning of the first full day for the department to work out of the city’s gleaming new Justice Center at 12th and Baker. The new structure houses the new Police Station and Municipal Court Office. “We’re still trying to find a home for everything,” Haulmark [...]

Kayak rentals will come to Veterans Memorial Park and Stone Lake after the Great Bend City Council Monday night approved an agreement between the Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau along with the Great Bend Recreation Commission. The rental kiosks will be managed by Northville, Mich.-based Rent.Fun LLC. “This was a very, very big team effort,” CVB Director Christina Hayes said. The CVB received a grant of $12,200 to help pay $10,000 for this project and extra to help advertise and market them. The majority of this is taken care of and paid for by the GBRC. The activation fee of $26,000 for [...]

The Macksville City Library hosted 21 excited local preschool students in the new library addition recently to celebrate Kansas Reads to Preschoolers month. This initiative takes place each November as part of a statewide project through the State Library of Kansas to ensure that all public libraries in the state promote early literacy. The featured book for 2023, “My Heart Fills With Happiness,” by Monique Gray Smith, was a perfect read-aloud during Native American Heritage Month, with its spotlight on Native American family life and culture. Thanks to a $400 donation from the Midwest Energy Community Fund, the Macksville City Library [...]