The new 2026-28 Official State Bicycle Map of Kansas is now available from the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Whether riding a few miles or cycling across the state, this edition offers a variety of information to help active transportation users plan a short trip or a long ride.
State bicycle maps and educational flyers with bicycle safety tips are free and can be ordered on KDOT’s Web site at www.ksdot.gov/KSBikeMap.
“Rail-Trails and the U.S. Bicycle Route System maps are included in the publication and showcase historic and unique places to visit along these routes,” said KDOT’s Active Transportation Manager Jenny Kramer. “We want residents and visitors alike to experience a few of the many venues and sights Kansas offers by bike while participating in active lifestyles.”
Seward County’s tax sale is in the process of being scheduled.
At last Thursday’s commission meeting, Treasurer Mary Rose said the necessary journal entries (JE) have been completed, and it is currently in circulation for approval for all counsels who have parties in this case.
“They have a drafted notice ready to go, and they’re waiting for the approval of the JE,” she said. “Then they should be able to finalize a date, set publication and move forward.”
“This is the journal entry to proceed with the upcoming tax sale,” she said. “They met in court for the deeds to be transferred in their names. That one’s moving forward as far as the writeoff you’re talking about.”
Growing up in Rolla as the daughter of schoolteachers Neill and Lila Hays, Becki (Hays) Richardson soaked up a love of education and the love her parents lavished on her. But she rejected the notion of being a “spoiled” youngest child. Her four older brothers quickly learned the label did not apply to their little sister, who was determined to keep up and prove her worth.
Decades later, Richardson retains a cheerful determination to work hard for what matters. She does it, she says, in the same spirit her parents brought to making a positive impact on their students, community, and the region. It’s the main reason she applied for the job of Development Officer at Seward County Community College, where she also directs the SCCC Foundation.
Southwest Medical Center will open a new primary care clinic, Liberal Family Medicine Care Center, to ensure continued access to quality health care for the community as the current Southwest Family Medicine clinic location closes.
Family nurse practitioners Heidi Riley, APRN, FNP-C, and Tiffany Landa, APRN, FNP-C, will continue providing care for their patients and will become employed providers of Southwest Medical Center. Both providers will continue seeing patients at the current Southwest Family Medicine location through Thursday, February 26.
Following the clinic’s closure, there will be approximately a one-month transition period as preparations are finalized for the new Liberal Family Medicine Care Center location at 121 E. 11th Street, directly across the street from the previous practice.
Sept. 15, 2025, three county commissioners voted to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate for Seward County’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget by more than 15 mills.
Since that time, commissioners and taxpayers alike have been investigating alleged wrongful use of county funds, and some more of the results of those investigations were presented to commissioners at last Thursday’s regular meeting.
Resident Carolyn Huddleston has been doing much of the research, and during the citizen comments portion of Thursday’s meeting, she said January pay records indicated raises going to staff of Cimarron Basin Community Corrections.
“Before these raises were granted, that agency was already in violation of one of their grant conditions, namely that their pay should be comparable to the pay for county-funded positions,” she said.
Hannah McCarter leads the pack down Lincoln Avenue toward the finish line of the International Pancake Race earlier today. McCarter won Liberal’s leg in her first attempt. L&T photo/Earl Watt
By EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
With wind gusts reaching as high as 65 miles per hour hitting right in the face of the women running the Liberal leg of the International Pancake Race, Hannah McCarter was able to maintain a pace ahead of the pack and earn the Liberal title.
While this was the 77th running of the International Pancake Race, a friendly competition between the women of Olney, England and Liberal, the real number of the day was three.
The Liberal City Commission has new yet familiar leadership after the commission selected a new mayor and vice mayor Tuesday evening.
Jeff Parsons and Janeth Vazquez were ultimately unanimously voted as mayor and vice mayor, respectively, and both said they are excited to get to work.
“I feel really good. The responsibilities of the mayor really aren’t too much different from a commissioner,” Parsons said. “I’m excited about being able to continue being part of this commission and working with everyone.”
“I absolutely agree with Jeff – yes, we have the official titles, but at the end of the day, I feel like each of us commissioners contributes in our own unique way,” Vazquez added. “I feel like we’re a really strong team all together, and we were able to accomplish a lot in 2025, so I’m looking forward to continuing the great work we have on the agenda for 2026. Our commission is definitely headed in the right direction.”
My husband, Peter, and I have landed in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and already the strange seems familiar again.
One of the things that impresses me every time I am here is the attention given to jobs that I don’t always think of as needing a lot of attention. Masonry work is meticulous and crafted to last centuries. Cloth is woven one thread at a time, creating utterly unique works. Gardening is done with such patience and consistency that there are blooms every month of the year. But this morning, I was noticing the street sweepers.
The street sweepers are legion. I have no idea what their actual numbers are, but in the center of the old town, where we stay, you cannot walk down a street from the first light of morning until well after dark without encountering a person dressed in red, with a homemade broom and a sturdy dustpan affixed to a stick. Litter does not stand a chance in this town. Stray leaves are corralled as they fall. And, to me, the most amazing thing is how they sweep up the confetti.
GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative
Thank you to all the firefighters, both full time and volunteer, that have responded to the massive fires we have suffered. Thanks also to the first responders, farmers and other community members that have responded with tractors, food, and aid. It’s been a statewide response with firefighters responding from over 17 fire departments from as far as the Kansas City and Wichita areas. The Kansas National Guard, Kansas Emergency Management, Fire Marshal’s Office, Forestry Service, Department of Transportation and other state agencies have provided equipment, personnel, and other support. At least 10 aircraft took part but their support had to be limited due to the high wind conditions. The Kansas Insurance Department is ready to help with insurance claims questions, disputes or claim delays. You can contact the Insurance Department at 800-432-2484. My prayers go out to all of you that have suffered property losses and injuries.
After fighting fires and putting in long hours last week protecting the citizens of Seward County, Chief Andrew Barkley has opted to step down.
No doubt more resignations are coming.
Why?
I believe it’s because some of these people were expecting to see more positive change at the county and have not yet seen it after three new commissioners were appointed to fill the slots of the previous three who also found themselves out of touch with the people.
If the new commissioners believed the massive tax increase was the only reason they were appointed, they are only putting a bandaid on a bleeding artery.
Assessed valuation changes for 2025, released this morning, reiterate the need for a constitutional amendment to limit the increases.
The average increase for existing residential property (not counting new construction) of 5.9 percent is more than double the inflation rate, and that’s not the worst of the story. Homeowners in a dozen counties had double-digit increases – Barton, Cheyenne, Coffey, Jewell, Kingman, Lane, Linn, Marshall, Ness, Rush, Smith, and Wallace. All but one (Linn) has been losing population, so it’s hard to imagine that the valuation hikes are driven by demand.
Change of seasons, change of crops, the progress of technology or even physical changes as we watch our families grow and age. Change is inevitable. But when faced with it, we have two choices. We can ignore it and seek comfort on our farm and hope it goes away or adapt and grow with it, becoming stronger and more resilient with each new step we take.
My wife and I farm near Iola, and I am privileged to represent the third Casten Fellows cohort. I am always amazed at the talent Kansas Farm Bureau brings to the table and my cohort represented a wide and diverse cross section of agriculture in Kansas. We also have a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences.
The opportunity to build relationships with such amazing leaders throughout the state and gain insight into how they tackled issues is what originally attracted me to the Casten Fellows program.
