Former Garden City student aids in hostage standoff
A hostage situation on Van Dittie Drive ended with Nichols in custody after a lengthy standoff. Negotiators included a former Garden City High School teacher, Kevin Thompson, who spoke by phone but could not deliver documents. Law enforcement from six agencies evacuated nearby residents as the FBI and other units evaluated evidence and secured the scene. Nichols, a former Holcomb High wrestling coach and two time state champion at Garden City, faced unclear charges in Ellis County.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ellis County
Bascue
Nichols
Rhonda Wurst
Garden City High School
Kevin Thompson
Thompson
Lakin High School
Wurst
the Telegram
van Dittie Drive
Amir Circle
Garden City Police
Kansas Highway Patrol
Finney County Sheriffs Office
Dodge City Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Utz
Finney County
FBI
Kurtis Jacobs
Finney County District Court
Shona Banda
Holcomb High School
GCHS
GCRC faces audit costs and budget talks for 2026
The board noted audit costs around 800 dollars per item and discussed needs for concessions and custodial equipment. Umpire and referee pay ranges were set at 16 to 20 dollars per game, below Holcomb Hugoton and Ulysses levels of 25 to 45 dollars. No action was taken on filling the fitness director vacancy from Meghan McFee leaving May 27. Jessi Phillips oversees Core Fitness Center and the board may leave the position vacant until a new superintendent is hired, a search started in April.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Whitley
GCRC
Holcomb
Hugoton
Ulysses
Meghan McFee
Jessi Phillips
Great Bend man arrested for drunken joyride on stolen loader
Barton County deputies chased a drunk man operating a stolen front end loader along the Ark River Friday night. Jeremy W. Northcutt, 26, fled, damaged city property, and was later jailed on burglary theft felony criminal damage and attempting to flee law enforcement with a $20,000 bond.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Great Bend
Ark River
Barton County Sheriff's Deputies
Arkansas River
Brian Bellendir
Bellendir
Jeremy W. Northcutt
Barton County
Kansans weigh court ruling on school funding and votes
Lawmakers explore options to keep public schools funded and open while the court considers adequacy and equity in Brownback's block grant plan. Rep Suellentrop urges possible court-driven closures, warning of political shifts this fall as legislators seek a path with the governor and Board of Education in discussions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gene Suellentrop
Wichita
House Appropriations Committee
Suellentrop
Ward
Lenges Brownback
State Board of Education
Supreme Court
Education official urges more Kansas school counselors
Kansas education chief Randy Watson told about 350 counselors at a Kansas State University conference that the counselor role has become largely administrative. He urged cutting workloads to about 200 to 250 students per counselor so they can focus on social and emotional skills and postsecondary planning, noting current ratios exceed 400 students.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Manhattan
Kansas
Randy Watson
Watson
Kansas State University
Kansas Public
Kansas State Board of Education
Judy Hughey
Kansas Counseling Association
K-State
Hughey
American School Counselor Association
Also Mentioned on This Page
Celia Llopis
Jen
Kansas Education
Shepherd
Dult
Arae
Fiid
Daisy
Yale
Damon
Hank
FCHS
Finneycohs.org
Blue Heeler
Fleming
Rusty Shepherd Mix
Vicki Bulkley
SWS Biz
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