TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture briefed a legislative committee Monday on legal challenges of compelling action to repair 29 dams in unsatisfactory condition and considered a hazard to homes, businesses or infrastructure.
In May of 2021, the Wellsville community voted to approve a bond issue that would see over $18,000 in repairs, renovations and additions to the district’s elementary, middle and high school buildings. The Herald spoke with Superintendent Ryan Bradbury to get an update on how things are coming along almost a year later.
Amanda Overton spends a lot of her free time behind a camera, but she started out life in front of one. “Growing up, my mom always had a camera in her hand.” She said. “We were stationed around the world due to my dad being in the Navy, so we were able to witness different cultures and scenery and all that, and she loved taking pictures of the landscape and the people, and that was my very first experience with photography.”
TOPEKA — A Kansas bill could ban people from capturing or possessing an ornate box turtle, the state reptile, but some stakeholders are concerned this may have unintended consequences. Under current state law, it is illegal to possess more than five box turtles with the intent to release them back into the wild.
TOPEKA — The purposeful life span of plastic bags that are a staple of retail stores can be measured in minutes, while these thinnest of load-bearing containers take decades to decompose in landfills.
The Ottawa High School Winter Royalty candidates are front row (from left), Bayley Clutter, Claire Crowley, Chloe Dillon; back row, Andrew White, Chase Bloomer and Brady Pfizenmaier Winter Royalty week is full of activities and theme days. The crowning will take place at halftime of Friday’s boys basketball game against Louisburg. Submitted photo
“Trick riding, or ‘trick and fancy riding,’ is the art of performing dangerous stunts on a galloping horse.” EquiFest of Kansas at Salina, March 18-19-20, will feature elite trick riding presentations according to Justine Staten. Executive director of the Kansas Horse Council, Staten said, “Trixie Chicks from Poplarville, Mississippi, will entertain during the ranch rodeos.” Trixie Chicks Trick Riders LLC, professional performance team.
Ottawa Middle School student Tanis Normile became the Franklin County spelling bee champion last week by correctly spelling the word avatar. Normile competed against students from local elementary and middle schools during the bee at Wellsville Elementary School on Friday. Wellsville Elementary student Ava Lyman got second place, and Central Heights Middle School student Liley Elsasser came in third.
The City of Ottawa held its first Legislative Coffee of the year last Saturday at the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium. Representatives Blaine Finch (R-Ottawa) and Mark Samsel (R-Wellsville) answered questions from the community, moderated by Blake Jorgensen and Richard Jackson. The Legislative Coffee provides a way for the community to hear about what their local politicians are accomplishing in Topeka and what they hope to work on during the 2022 legislative session.
Ottawa’s Historic Post Office event venue has received the Couple’s Choice Award from WeddingWire, an industry leader in wedding planning. Receiving an award like this is a big deal for any business, but especially for one in a little town like Ottawa: the HPO’s status as a 2022 award winner means that when couples search for venues on WeddingWire in the Lawrence, Topeka, Ottawa and Kansas City areas, HPO will come up as one of the top results. It’s quite an accomplishment for a building that’s been in Ottawa for over 105 years.