News

Baker Arts Center accepting entries for contest to help celebrate Kansas Day

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

In a little more than two months, Kansas will officially be celebrating its 164th anniversary of being a state, and Liberal’s Baker Arts Center is inviting artists to help celebrate that milestone.

Baker Arts Center is currently taking entries for its Kansas Birthday Art Contest. The contest will take place throughout the month of January, and all of the artwork will be on display in the main gallery to help celebrate Kansas Day, which is Jan. 29.

Gov. Kelly announces nearly $6M in Cost Share projects

Special to the Leader & Times

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced Thursday that $5.9 million will be awarded to seven transportation construction projects through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Cost Share Program for fall 2024.

This cost-share investment will leverage $9.8 million in community matching dollars for a total investment of more than $15 million.

Grace Place in need of diapers

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

With Halloween now done and Thanksgiving about a week and a half away, the season of giving is in full swing.

Officials with Liberal’s Grace Place Pregnancy Care Center are asking those in the giving spirit to also thinking about families with infant children this Christmas.

The center is hosting a diaper drive to help mothers in need of diapers. Grace Place Client Services Director Letty Hernandez said this is the first drive of its kind at the center, and volunteer Maria Froese came up with the idea of creating an online registry with Walmart to help donors give to the cause.

Cars collide on Kansas Ave. when sandal sticks on pedal

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

No injuries were reported in a three-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon in downtown Liberal.

The Liberal Police Department issued a press release saying around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers were dispatched to the accident at the intersection of Kansas Avenue and Rock Island Road.

“Upon arrival, officers discovered a red 2013 Kia Rio, driven by a 56-year-old male, was traveling northbound on Kansas Avenue when his sandal got stuck on the accelerator, causing him to strike a white 2023 Jeep Wrangler, driven by a 24-year-old female,” the release said.

LPD said the impact caused the white Jeep to strike a black 2018 Nissan Altima, driven by a 21-year-old male. The driver of the red Kia was cited for no insurance, driving without a valid license and inattentive driving.

City contracts with Gallo to create public mural

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Earlier this year, the City of Liberal received some grant funding through the Kansas Arts Commission for a public art project to go up in Light Park, and Tuesday evening, the Liberal City Commission approved a contract with a local artist for that project.