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Businesses in two area communities will be shut down soon.
Grand Avenue Market, Nutrition Cave shutting down
Following Interim Fire Chief Braden Steckel’s recap of the timeline of the fires that hit parts of at least three area counties in mid-February, other first responder department heads gave their thoughts on the response to those fires and what worked and did not work.
Department heads recap involvement in fires
This year’s Pancake Day celebration will be remembered not only for the festivities in Liberal, but also for what occurred as those events were concluding that Tuesday afternoon.
Interim chief provides timeline of fighting Pancake Day fires during debriefing
Injuries were reported in one accident last week, while injuries were avoided in another accident in Liberal.
Officers respond to Trail Street collision
Those looking to support local young musicians will have just that chance later this month.
Southwest Medical Center is owned by Seward County as one of the last county-owned hospitals in Kansas, and according to a recent opinion by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, it has been operating without proper financial oversight by the Seward County Commission.
Legal counsel for Southwest Medical Center Shirla McQueen and former Seward County Counsel Nathan Foreman sought an opinion from the Attorney General’s office when questions arose on why SWMC did not present its budget to the Seward County Commission for approval.
The budget of the hospital is about twice that of the rest of Seward County and is about the same as the entire USD No. 480 school district.
Turpin High School has a history of high performance and recently, one of the school’s seniors helped add to that.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence (OFE) will soon honor 100 Oklahoma public school seniors as members of its 2026 Academic All-State class, including Turpin High School senior Scout Rorabaugh.
“OFE has honored 4,001 All-Staters from 345 school districts. This year’s honorees are from 63 public schools in 58 districts,” OFE information noted. “Students can apply for Academic All-State only if they meet one of three criteria: an ACT composite score of at least 30; a combined SAT evidence-based reading & writing and math score of at least 1370; or having been selected as a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. A selection committee evaluates applicants through a rigorous process based on academic achievement, leadership and community service, as well as letters of recommendation and an essay.”
Those using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will soon see some restrictions.
Wednesday, Gov. Laura Kelly announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved Kansas' SNAP food restriction waiver.
“Kansas now joins 21 other states in implementing restrictions on candy and soda purchases with SNAP dollars,” Gov. Kelly noted in a release from the State of Kansas. “I have always supported policies that incentivize healthy eating, including axing the state sales tax on food to put more money back in Kansans’ pockets. Going forward, I would encourage the USDA to develop a nationwide eligibility strategy to reduce confusion and uncertainty for retailers and recipients alike.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third story recapping the debriefing of the recent fires in the area Monday afternoon with the Seward County Commission. This story discusses how Southwest Medical Center and the county administrator’s office helped out with the response, as well as questions from Commissioner Jairo Vazquez. A final story will discuss the recent controversy concerning Commission Chairman Steve Helm asking former Fire Chief Andrew Barkley to give Administrator April Warden a radio as well as drills the county does to help prepare for emergencies.
Following reports from county first responder department heads, Southwest Medical Center Director of Plant Operations Gregg Freelove gave a short recap of the hospital’s involvement in helping with the fires that hit the area in mid-February at the March 2 debriefing.
Businesses in two area communities will be shut down soon.
The Nutrition Cave in Liberal and Grand Avenue Market (GAM) in Plains both announced this week on Facebook they will be out of business likely by the end of March.
No official date was stated for the closing of the Nutrition Cave, but owner Cassie McNabb posted Wednesday she is shutting down the local business.
“It is with a heavy heart I announce the closing of the Nutrition Cave,” she said. “Thank you to everyone who has supported my business over the past few years. Your encouragement and loyalty have meant so much.”
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.”
Kansas cannot treat trade as a talking point. Trade is a pillar of the state’s economy, from Wichita manufacturing to rural agriculture. The state’s Kansas International Trade Summary shows how closely Kansas jobs and incomes are tied to global markets, and the Kansas state profile from the U.S. Trade Representative highlights the scale of exports and trade-supported employment.
That is why the Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning President Trump’s broad “Liberation Day” tariffs matters for Kansans. Coverage captured the split reaction among lawmakers, but the economic implications are clearer: limiting unilateral tariff power reduces the policy whiplash that hits trade-heavy states first.
Every year since 1948, FFA members, agriculture teachers, alumni and supporters have come together to celebrate National FFA Week. The tradition is held during the week of Feb. 22, in honor of George Washington’s birthday — a fitting tribute to a leader who valued agriculture and innovation.
For many local chapters, FFA Week carries the same excitement as homecoming. There are dress-up days, special events like donkey basketball or Drive Your Tractor to School Day, and plenty of friendly competition. More than 20 years later, I still smile when I think about organizing “FFA Olympics,” visiting elementary classrooms in my blue corduroy jacket and the countless hours we poured into making the week memorable at my high school.
GUEST COLUMN, Benjamin Moore, Kansas resident and Army veteran
Kansas pharmacies have a rich history. In 1885, the third public pharmacy school in the entire U.S. opened at the University of Kansas, and we even have five museums dedicated to our proud pharmacy heritage.
Yes, pharmacies in Kansas are a part of our history; but sadly, pharmacies are becoming history. Many are closing their doors, and their loss can be felt both emotionally and physically as prescription drugs become less available to communities. Without access to prescription drugs, our ailments cannot be cured – or at least kept at bay.
This summer, our nation will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Over the next four months we plan to sift back through the layers of what occurred before July 4, 1776.
Influenced by economic, religious, and geopolitical motivations, the idea of starting colonies in the New World, and earlier in Ireland, was to plant English culture. The term plantation originally referred to the idea that the colonists - many of whom were of limited means back home - were “planting” England in new soil (not be confused with the later development of slave plantations).
Well, friends, I am delighted to report that the Seward County Commission acted in a financially responsible way yet again!! In the short couple of months that three of them have been in office, they already had: 1. quit wasting money trying to justify a tax increase none of them had been in favor of to begin with; and, 2. rewritten the budget to put spending in line with tax revenues.
Right now money is tight and employees in general aren’t getting raises. However, one group of Seward County employees, those who work for the Juvenile Correction and Prevention Services (JCAPS), wrote raises for themselves into their KDOC grant plan for the coming fiscal year. The pay at JCAPS was already significantly above that of Seward County employees in general, as I showed in a previous article.
Chinese Global Television Network photo Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, the murderous mullahs of Iran finally got what they had coming. It’s been […]
OSAGE COUNTY, Kan. — The proposed Auburn Harvest Wind Project in Osage County is now effectively over. A public notice published in the Osage County […]
Sewardsaints.com
Seward softball opened its 2026 conference schedule with two run-rule victories over the Pratt Beavers at French Family Field on Wednesday afternoo
