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WILSON — Get informed. That was the message Kenroy Wilson, Wilson School principal, and Wilson resident David Criswell had for the Wilson City Council Monday regarding possible cutbacks in the 2019-20 school year.

Wilson said a community meeting is planned for 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at the Wilson School Commons concerning proposals under consideration by the USD 112 board of education for saving money to help solve the district’s budgetary problems.

Wilson said Option 3 of the four options is significant for the community.

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As Louis “Butch” Brown, the most recent cook at the Ellsworth Senior Center, prepared his famous Mama Mia’s Cranberry Relish for the next day’s Community Thanksgiving Dinner, his thoughts turned to a special person — his mom, Leda Minarani.

She passed away in 2007, just a few days before Thanksgiving — and was buried the day after the holiday.

Brown prepared the relish in her memory for the more than 100 guests that attended the annual dinner at the center. He even used her old hand grinder to process several of the ingredients.

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HOLYROOD — Nearly three quarters of the bleachers on the west side of the Central Plains Elementary School gym in Holyrood were filled as more than 135 patrons attended the Jan. 2 special meeting of the Central Plains USD 112 board of education.

Several patrons voiced concerns during the 101 minute-long meeting called to discuss possible cutbacks in the 2019-20 school year.

“Nobody wants to lose your school, and you know that,” said Sue Young, a retired Wilson Elementary School teacher.“It’s the heart of your community.”

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When Ellsworth City Administrator Scott Moore plans for the future of his community, water always seems to be a part of the big picture.

It’s an issue he likes to keep in mind as he looks ahead, anticipating what the city might face 10, 20, even 50 years down the road.

And while the subject itself doesn’t always garner the same attention as issues like economic development, Moore knows that developing a game plan now will make a real difference later on.

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In April, near beer — often referred to as 3.2 beer — could turn into the real thing, according to a new state law discussed by Ellsworth City Council members at their Dec. 26 meeting.

Acting city attorney Patrick Hoffman said the Kansas Legislature approved a bill that allows for an “enhanced” cereal malt beverage license in communities that revise their ordinances to accommodate the change.

His comments came as the council considered licenses for: National Drovers Hall of Fame, American Legion Post 174, Ellsworth Municipal Golf Course, El-Kan Western Riders, Coach & Four Bowling Lanes, Pizza Hut, Gene’s Heartland Foods, Kwik Shop, Ampride and Casey’s General Store.

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They’re towns most of us have traveled through at least once. Lindsborg. Marquette. Roxbury.

Now you can add Ellsworth and points north to Interstate 70 to the list.

And, more than just a quick drive through, the relationship between these communities has the potential to bring more visitors in search of history, good restaurants and other attractions.

The communities — all of them in either McPherson or Ellsworth counties — are part of the 80-mile Prairie Trail Byway, one of a dozen statedesignated routes promoted on websites, in brochures and magazines and on boards planted along each byway.

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It’s hard for Diane O’Connor not to celebrate the magic of the season without reflecting on memories of her uncle, the late George Jelinek.

For 34 years, Jelinek served as Ellsworth’s own Santa Claus. And for local children, Christmas just wasn’t complete without sitting on Santa’s lap.

As a young child, O’Connor never knew Santa’s true identity. The middle child in a family of five kids, she was a little older by the time she put it all together.

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When Central Plains USD 112 Superintendent Greg Clark started in his administrative role five years ago, the school district would soon be feeling the brunt of the state’s newly adopted finance formula.

At the time, Central Plains, like other public school districts across Kansas, had already budgeted for the current school year using a 23-year-old state finance formula allocating money on a per-pupil basis. Instead, a block grant formula conceived by former Gov. Sam Brownback replaced the traditional finance formula, reducing funding those districts expected for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. For Central Plains, that meant losing $500,000 over the two-year period despite an enrollment increase.

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The construction project at Ellsworth Elementary School is about a month behind schedule. But Superintendent Dale Brungardt told members of the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo School board at their Dec. 10 meeting the delay shouldn’t be a problem. The project is expected to be finished in May instead of April.

Brungardt said the floor for the school’s new cafeteria has been poured and several walls are up.

In other business, the board shared information about possible capital outlay projects, including the projected purchase of vehicles. The district is considering the purchase of a Ford Transit van, as it holds two more people than a Suburban and could transport most of the tennis team and its coaches.

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