ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

September’s Southwest Community Fiesta might seem like a long time away, but some on the board are keeping busy with preparations.

The Southwest Community Fiesta Pageant will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, and coordinators are looking for contestants for three categories: Little Miss, Teen, and Miss. Those interested in signing up can follow the QR code on the event’s flyer or contact Coordinator Clarissa Carrillo at (620) 417-4043.

Carillo said there is a lot to be excited about with this year’s festivities.

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

Those looking for some good late summer shopping bargains will soon have just that opportunity.

The 2026 Bazaar Days will take place Friday, July 24 (with some stores opening early) and Saturday, July 25, with the stores operating during their regular hours. Any business in the community interested in participating in this year's Bazaar Days can call the Chamber of Commerce office at (620) 624-3855.

“We're also wanting to have a list of all the participating businesses so we have those lists at the participating stores and customers can have a shopping list, so to speak, of where to go that weekend,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rozelle Webb said. “Restaurants are also welcome to offer specials for Bazaar Days so shoppers can have something special to eat those two days. We encourage businesses, if you have items you've had for a while, and you would like to have a chance to get those out the door quicker, then Bazaar Days is a really good time to do that.”

ELLY GRIMM

    • Leader & Times

Increased Medicaid funding has been a hot topic in recent times, and last week, some action was taken at the state level to help with just that.

Wednesday, Gov. Laura Kelly and representatives from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced the approval of Kansas’ Health Care Access Improvement Program (HCAIP) preprint by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This preprint outlines the Kansas plan for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) to receive enhanced Medicaid payments from KDHE, injecting $83 million into these essential healthcare facilities, according to a release from the State of Kansas.    

Special to the Leader & Times

Monday, Conestoga Energy Holdings, LLC announced a pair of milestones that mark a defining chapter in the company's history: its 20th anniversary as a company and the cumulative production of three billion gallons of low-carbon biofuel. Founded in 2006 in Liberal, Kansas, Conestoga has grown from a single vision into one of the nation's leading producers of renewable bioethanol — a company that today manages more than 175 million gallons of annual production capacity while pioneering the next generation of sustainable aviation fuel and carbon capture technology.

“When we started Conestoga twenty years ago, our goals were simple: first, help American farmers turn their crops into cleaner energy and second, help America obtain energy independence,”  Tom Willis, CEO of Conestoga and Chairman of Growth Energy, said. “Reaching three billion gallons is a testament to the dedication of our team, our farmer-partners across Kansas, and the communities that have believed in this mission from day one. We are just getting started.”