News

Ellsworth Jr./Sr.High School eighth grade student Willa Finnegan correctly spelling the word “varnish” to win the 2026 Ellsworth County Spelling Bee Feb. 25 in the school’s Performing Arts Center.First place is a familiar spot for Finnegan, since she won the same bee in 2025.

At Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth County Commission, Greg Heller of the Fort Harker Guardhouse Museum Complex, Kanopolis, said a film crew will be in Kanopolis March 14 to shoot a movie.Heller said the movie is called “Under the Painted Sky,” and is set in the Fort Dodge area of 1874.

Career and Technical Education classes at Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School take many forms, from IT to agricultural to shop to culinary and more. For people not familiar with the concept, they may seem like fluff classes, but instead, they are real-life stepping stones to career success.

CLAFLIN — The USD 112 Board of Education voted 5-1 to close Wilson Elementary School at the end of the current school year during a special meeting Feb. 23. The meeting was held at the Central Plains Jr./Sr. High School gym.

Once again, kindergarten students will experience a staggered start at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.The Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo USD 327 Board of Education voted 4-2 to approve the request for a six-day staggered start for kindergarten students during the Feb. 9 meeting.

HOLYROOD — The USD 112 Board of Education held a public hearing to discuss the future of Wilson Elementary School Tuesday at Central Plains Elementary School Gymnasium, Holyrood. No action was taken on the closing of the school, however, an additional meeting was scheduled for Feb.

HOLYROOD — The Feb. 9 meeting of the USD 112 School Board of Education, held at Central Plains Elementary School, Holyrood, included a mid-meeting walkthrough of the facility by board members and attendees. The board also voted to extend Superintendent Bobby Murphy’s contract.

WILSON — Monday’s meeting of the Wilson City Council was highlighted by a change to the city employee handbook.Approval was given to a motion that, as of Feb.

Afamiliar face in Ellsworth County was selected Monday by the Ellsworth City Council, as the new Ellsworth City Attorney.Current Ellsworth County Attonrey Paul J. Kasper was selected from three candidates.Of the other two candidates, one was from Kansas City, Mo., and the other was from Salina.

KANOPOLIS — Seats shuffled as the Jan. 12 Kanopolis City Council meeting began.Several council members were sworn in, a new mayor took office and council discussed a vacant seat.