News

L&T files FOIA request for information on recent ICE action

L&T staff report

Liberal was visited by immigration agents April 7, and reports have stated that anywhere from five to 15 people were taken into custody.

Some have made the accusation that some of those detained or deported were done so despite having papers that allowed them to be in the country legally.

The Leader & Times has reached out to the proper authorities to receive the names of those arrested and the charges or justification for their removal. As of press time, this information has yet to be received.

SCCC cuts ribbon on west campus facility

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

What was once a grocery store is now home to a new campus for Liberal’s community college, and community members celebrated the opening of the new campus Monday afternoon with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Liberal Chamber of Commerce.

For several years, officials with Seward County Community College had been looking for a new home for its rapidly expanding truck driving and CDL programs, and with the former Walmart Neighborhood Market building available on Western Avenue, school leaders found a home for those programs and others.

Sunflower Summer Program returning for another summer

Special to the Leader & Times

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced Tuesday the popular Sunflower Summer Program, which encourages young Kansans to explore and fall in love with Kansas, will return this summer. Designed for Kansas residents and families with school-aged children from Pre-K to Grade 12, Sunflower Summer will run from July 12 to Aug. 3.

Upcoming conference to help those in early childcare think outside the box

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Early childhood educators and care providers are always looking for improving their time with their young charges, and soon, they will have a chance for just that in Liberal.

The Southwest Kansas Early Childhood Conference, themed ‘Out of the Box’ for this year, will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 26 in the Seward County Community College Student Union at 1801 N. Kansas Ave. and will feature speaker Cari Ebert. The cost is $30 per person, and that includes both sessions and a lunch that will be provided.

Seward County sees change by adding FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Statistics showed as of 2020, 5 percent of career firefighters and 14 percent of volunteer firefighters were women.

Seward County Fire Chief Andrew Barkley said his daytime staff includes a total of seven firefighters, including he and Deputy Chief John Steckel, and that staff includes two female firefighters.

Liberal native Morgan West came to the department about a year ago, and after an initial stint as a reserve in May 2024, she moved to full time in November 2024.