News

Curt Glaser was appointed as a new member of the Ellsworth County Medical Center board of directors Tuesday during the weekly meeting of the Ellsworth County Commission.

WILSON — Traffic came to a grinding halt Oct. 29 on Interstate 70 as multiple fire departments battled a grass fire north and east of Wilson.Wilson Fire Chief Michael Ellis said the fire started mid-afternoon near the missile silo.

In a year that has seen many cringe-worthy moments in the relationship between Mayor Dan Finnegan and the Ellsworth City Council, Monday night’s council meeting plunged to perhaps a new low when Finnegan was officially censured by a vote of the city council.

WILSON — Trash collection rates are going up in Wilson.At Monday’s meeting of the Wilson City Council, approval was given to renew the trash service contract with Chism’s Trash Service. The current contract expires Dec. 31. The new five-year contract would be in effect from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec.

KANOPOLIS — It’s not enough. This was the simple, direct message conveyed to property owner Dan Erdman about his efforts to improve the exterior of 129 N. Kansas Ave. during the Oct. 8 Kanopolis City Council meeting.

Three candidates for Ellsworth County appraiser were interviewed Monday morning in individual executive sessions by the Ellsworth County Commissioners, with current County Appraiser Carl Miller in attendance.The candidates interviewed were Kristina Silva, Joseph Pennycuff and Lance Leis.

Retired educator Jerry Marsh addressed a concern to the USD 327 Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo Board of Education during Monday night’s meeting.“Schools, students and staff have become a favorite target for acts of violence, gun violence being the most deadly,” he said during the public comment time.

Apreliminary hearing for former Ellsworth Police Chief Emil Halfhill did not take place as scheduled Sept. 24 in Ellsworth County District Court.Instead, Halfhill applied for and was accepted into a one-year felony diversion program with the Ellsworth County Attorney’s office.

Lori Miller of Freedom Claims Management, along with representatives from Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Kansas, met with the Ellsworth County Commissioners Monday during their weekly meeting to give an update on county employee health insurance for 2025.

At Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth City Council, the council adopted the 2025 budget at 90 mills.City Administrator Dustin Stambaugh said he shaved off 4 mills as instructed by the council at the last meeting.