News

Greg and Cee Heller were named the 2019 Historians of the Year by the Ellsworth County Historical Society Sunday during the organization’s 57th annual meeting at the Ellsworth Senior Center.

David Bailey, the great-greatgrandson of Major Henry Inman, the paymaster at Fort Harker, presented an award plaque to the Hellers.

Greg, who was the leading organizer on the recent 150th anniversary celebration of the Forsyth Scouts, was dressed as a first sergeant with Company K, 7th U.S. Cavalry. It’s the uniform he wears during tours and re-enactments at the Fort Harker Guard House Museum, where he is the full-time historian and guide.

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WILSON — Anticipated action on budget cuts did not happen at Monday’s meeting of the Holyrood-based Central Plains USD 112 board of education.

After three executive sessions to discuss personnel totalling 1 hour and 20 minutes, board president Michelle Brokes announced to the 42 plus people in attendance in the Wilson School commons the board would not take action.

Before going into the first executive session, however, the board and administrators received a bit of encouragement from Leland Francis of Wilson, a substitute teacher and coach for USD 112. Francis was one of four who spoke during the public forum portion of the meeting.

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Sometimes, it’s the ideas sparked by simple conversation that materialize into something much bigger than anyone ever imagined.

And for Josh Helvey, of Ellsworth County, and his girlfriend, Shana Reed, of Kanopolis, that’s exactly what happened.

Several months back, the two were lost in conversation and began reflecting on a performance Helvey and his band at the time, Truthful Lies, had in Wilson a few years back. Despite the small venue, the band had a good show and attracted a decent crowd. But in rural Kansas, local music events are as scarce as the demand for homegrown, original music, they said.

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The purchase of two chairs for the dispatch area at the local Sheriff ’s Office caused eyebrows to raise Monday during the weekly meeting of Ellsworth County commissioners.

Commissioner Kermit Rush asked Sheriff Murray Marston what the two chairs — which cost $1,600 each plus shipping for a total of $3,370 — look like.

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Noah Goss, a seventh grade student at Ellsworth Junior-Senior High School, won the 2019 Ellsworth County Spelling Bee Wednesday morning in the school’s Performing Arts Center.

“I feel good,” Goss said after the competition.“Last year, I was here and I got out early.”

Goss, who correctly spelled the word “mirage” to seal her win, received a medal and a Kindle Fire tablet as prizes. She will represent Ellsworth County at the Sunflower State Spelling Bee, March 9, at Newman University in Wichita.

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More work remains on the ongoing Kiwanis Splash Pad project in Preisker Park, but Terry Kepka isn’t letting that deter him.

Instead, Kepka focuses on the day when local families are enjoying the new addition to the Ellsworth park.

The project has been in the works ever since Kepka spent time with his grandchildren a few years ago at a similar water play area in Wilson. After seeing how families there enjoyed the spray park, he wanted to bring something similar to his community.

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Finding the right preschool or daycare center is a problem facing today’s working parents.

But when the choices are limited, especially in rural communities, it only compounds the problem. But organizations like Child Care Aware of Kansas are hoping to make the search a little easier.

Based in Salina, the nonprofit oversees the statewide childcare resource and referral network. The group works to make sure families have access to affordable, high-quality child care, supports professional development events for childcare providers and advocates for children and families.

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Surrounded by family and friends Saturday night, Ellsworth banker Curt Glaser was recognized as the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year.

Glaser was nominated by Stacie Schmidt on behalf of the Smoky Hill Development Corporation. Glaser has been a board member for more than 20 years.

“Curt has been an instrumental player in economic development, community development and creative planning efforts for the City of Ellsworth,” Schmidt wrote in her nomination letter.

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Nearly 24 hours before the federal government shutdown ended Friday, Kansas Farm Service Agency officials announced county local offices would reopen.

USDA officials closed Farm Service Agency offices nationwide on Dec. 28, a decision affecting Ellsworth County farmers and ranchers unable to make loan payments or enroll in certain programs.

In mid-January, federal ag officials announced local offices would open during a three-day window to handle certain services for farmers.

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