News

Bikes At Billy’s event coming this weekend

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Those looking to get some fresh air while also helping support a good cause will soon have just that opportunity thanks to a local business.

Billy's Ayr Lanes will be hosting a Bikes At Billy's event the weekend of Sept. 20. That day, registration will be from 3 to 6:30 p.m., free barbecue for all participants starting at 5 p.m., and then a live band starting at 7 p.m. The official ride out will be Sept. 21, with the first ride out at 9:30 a.m. from Billy's Ayr Lanes and the last ride out at 11 a.m. The ride will include stops at the Old Meade County Museum, the Big Beaver in Beaver, Okla. and the Chamber of Commerce in Hooker, Okla. (home of the Horny Toads) before returning to Billy's Ayr Lanes. The cost is $25 per registration card, and all the proceeds will go to the Liberal High School Unified Bowling Team.

King becomes Miss Southwest Fiesta

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Hispanic Heritage Month got off to a great start this weekend in Liberal with the 2024 Southwest Community Fiesta, and Saturday, one lucky young lady took home the crown as Miss Southwest Fiesta, making for an even greater start to the celebration.

Alana King, a 2023 graduate of Liberal High School, received the top prize in the pageant, which featured eight contestants. King said she naturally felt quite excited about being named queen at the end of Saturday night’s event.

“I’ve been doing pageants for a while,” she said. “I’ve been waiting to hopefully hold the title one day. Now, I’m holding it, and I feel really happy about it.”

Hugoton police seeking Morales

Hugoton Police Department

The Hugoton Police Department announced Monday a suspect, Jose Antonio Morales, involved in an aggravated domestic battery and kidnapping is now in custody.

The incident took place in the area of Eighth and Polk Street. The suspect fled the scene.

Those with any information on the suspect’s location or any information regarding this incident, call the Hugoton Police Department at 620-544-2020.

Esparza’s duck takes top spot

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Saturday dawned clear and sunny, and for some, the weather was not the only perfect thing about that day.

Saturday was the 23rd running of the Duck Race Festival, and it ended up being a very good day for multiple community members. Winners of the $10,000 in prize money from the race were Miguel Esparza in winning the $5,000 grand prize, Jesus Vidal in second place winning $2,000, Carmen Flores in third place winning $1,000, Jess Strickland in fourth place winning $500, Renee Haralson in fifth place winning $400, Lisa Olsen in sixth place and winning $300, Jones Monument employees in seventh place and winning $200, and Carlee Lamberson in eighth place and winning $100. The Lucky Duck picked was adopted by Justin Higgins and was good for $500. In the Chili Cook-Off Competition, Crossroads took first place, Genesis Family Health took second place and the People's Choice Award, with Senior Care taking home third place. Overall, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rozelle Webb said, the day could not have ended up any better.

DCF announces application deadline extension for Summer EBT program

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Making sure children are fed continues to be of utmost importance and recently, some action was taken to help with just that.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families announced it will be extending the application deadline for the 2024 Summer EBT program, a new federal program designed to help eligible families offset some of the costs of buying food for their school-aged children during the summer.