News

City seeks input on overpass options

City of Liberal

The City of Liberal is pursuing federal grant funding for project development for a new railroad overpass in Liberal. A survey has been launched to collect the community’s ideas and show public support for the grant application.

The “Railroad Crossing Solution Survey” is available in English and Spanish on the main page of www.cityofliberal.org. This survey asks about resident’s transportation needs, their encounters with blocked railroad crossings, and their thoughts about potential intersection closure and grade separation locations for a second railroad overpass.

City matches state law in hours of offering CMB sales

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

It was another quick night for the Liberal City Commission during its most recent meeting Tuesday evening.

The first of the two items of new business for the commission was discussion of Ordinance 4618 concerning modifying the hours of cereal malt beverage sales on Sundays. The ordinance amends Chapter 3, Article 1, Section 3-113 of the City of Liberal Code Book to modify the hours of sale for cereal malt beverages (CMBs) on Sundays.

SWMC's Dr. Knudsen reaches monumental milestone of more than 22,000 babies delivered

Southwest Medical Center

The community of Liberal is celebrating an extraordinary achievement by one of its most dedicated and beloved healthcare professionals, Dr. Dennis Knudsen. As of July 2024, Dr. Knudsen has delivered over 22,000 babies, a number that surpasses the population of Liberal itself.

“We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated doctor in the community,” SWMC CEO Amber Williams said. “This milestone is a testament to Dr. Knudsen’s unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of families in Liberal and the surrounding areas.”

SCCC Foundation receives record-breaking gift from Pepper Trust

Seward County Community College

The Seward County Community College Foundation has received its largest-ever single donation, a gift of $825,291.76 from the Clifford and Irene Pepper estate. The funds will be managed locally and provide the corpus for endowed academic and athletics scholarships.

“This is going to be a game-changer for generations of students going forward,” Seward County Community College President Brad Bennett said. “When the estate told us their plans, we were blown away by their generosity. It’s very humbling.”

Most of Kansas under warning for West Nile Virus

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

The summer is well under way, meaning people are spending more time outdoors either for work or recreation.

Unfortunately, the summer season also brings about many insects, including mosquitos, which can lead to contracting the West Nile Virus. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), four of the six Kansas regions are at high risk.