News

Locals preparing for celebration of 2025 BLACK HISTORY MONTH

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

February is just around the corner, which means Liberal’s Black History Committee is finalizing plans for the annual Black History Month activities.

The 2025 festivities will start with the Taste Festival, which will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Liberal Senior Center at 701 N. Grant Ave., and then continue with the Black History Scholarship Banquet, which will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 at Seward County Community College and feature guest speaker William Madden, who currently serves as the director of regulatory affairs at National Beef.

The Black History Month events will conclude with the Gospel Song Festival, which will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Bibleway Church of God in Christ at 410 E. 8th Street. Coordinator Christine Hammond said there is a lot to be excited about for this year’s activities lineup.

SWMC launches 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment

Southwest Medical Center

Southwest Medical Center (SWMC) is launching its 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to gather valuable insights from community members regarding healthcare needs in Seward County.

This initiative aims to assess the community’s most pressing health challenges and guide improvements in local healthcare services over the next three years.

IKC inviting public to support immunizations on Advocacy Day

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Officials with the Immunize Kansas Coalition are looking to partner with advocates across the state later this month in Topeka to educate lawmakers about the importance of immunizations.

Jan. 30, IKC will host its Advocacy Day at the statehouse, and Interim Executive Director Carrie Riordan said the main focus of the event is the vital importance of vaccines and the protection of public health through immunization.

LINKOUS OUT AS SUPERINTENDENT

L&T staff report

After barely half of his first school year was complete, Superintendent Stephen Linkous resigned, and his resignation was accepted by the USD No. 480 School Board Wednesday during a specially called meeting. The vote to accept the resignation was unanimous.

The board also gave Board President Alan Brown authority to negotiate an “Employment Separation Agreement and Mutual Release” between the district and Linkous, according to the approved resolution.

Public fills room to discuss high school schedule with educators, board

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

The USD 480 school board had the chance to hear from teachers and members of the community in a special workshop Monday evening regarding scheduling at Liberal High School.

Up first to speak was LHS teacher Miriam Climenhaga, who talked about the overall process for deciding on the scheduling.