Margaret “Mugs” Kepka is the Ellsworth County Historical Society’s 2025 Historian of the Year.
Margaret “Mugs” Kepka is the Ellsworth County Historical Society’s 2025 Historian of the Year.
An update pointing to a possible solution to the 117-year-old ax murders of the Showman family on the outskirts of Ellsworth was given Sunday during the annual meeting of the Ellsworth County Historical Society.
Career and technical education has more than doubled at Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High school in the past three years.
Library sows seeds to its collection
The Ellsworth girls’ basketball team welcomed the Southeast of Saline Trojans to the Bearcat gymnasium Jan. 30, with the game having big implications for the league crown. Ellsworth and Southeast both came into the contest as two of the hottest teams in Class 3A, with the Bearcats on a four-game winning streak, while the Trojans crept back into the state rankings at No. 8, winning their last seven games.
Margaret “Mugs” Kepka is the Ellsworth County Historical Society’s 2025 Historian of the Year.
An update pointing to a possible solution to the 117-year-old ax murders of the Showman family on the outskirts of Ellsworth was given Sunday during the annual meeting of the Ellsworth County Historical Society.
The Ellsworth Kanopolis-Geneseo USD 327 Board of Education discussed, but took no action on, acquiring land via a land transfer from Central Plains USD 112 during Monday night’s meeting.
Career and technical education has more than doubled at Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High school in the past three years.
Once again, kindergarten students will experience a staggered start at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.
HOLYROOD — The USD 112 Board of Education held a public hearing to discuss the future of Wilson Elementary School Tuesday at Central Plains Elementary School Gymnasium, Holyrood. No action was taken on the closing of the school, however, an additional meeting was scheduled for Feb. 23 for that purpose.
Dixie Carol Janzen, 90, of Hays, Kan., passed away at her home Monday morning, Feb. 9, 2026.
She was born in Baxter Springs, Kan., on Oct. 17, 1935, to Otho and Mae (Jones) Wittenmyer.
Gloria Faye Cassingham, 84, of Kanopolis, Kan., passed away Feb. 12, 2026, at Good Samaritan Society, Ellsworth, Kan. She was born Dec. 27, 1941, in Elkhart, Kan., the daughter of Marion and Gladys (Perky) Webb. Gloria had resided in Ellsworth since 2013, formerly of Little River, Kan. She graduated from Elkhart High School with the class of 1959.
Warren Gail Campbell, 86, passed away Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Ellsworth, Kan. He was born Nov. 25, 1939, in Ellsworth County to Robert “Pete” and Marie (Irvine) Campbell. He married Lena Tummons in Lawrence, Kan., on Nov. 3, 1963. Warren was a lifelong cowboy, farmer and most of all, a shorthorn cattle breeder.
Sharon Kay Madden, 83, of Russell, Kan., died on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan.
WAKEENEY — The Ellsworth girls’ wrestling team competed in the KSHSAA Class 3-2-1A Regionals Tournament Feb. 13-14, qualifying four wrestlers to advance to the state championships Feb. 27-28. Qualifiers are juniors Sophie Homolka and Brooklyn Webb, sophomore Kiya Schultz and freshman Kit Donley.
PHILLIPSBURG — The Ellsworth girls’ wrestling team competed in the Girls’ Panther Classic Feb. 6, taking 10th out of 18 teams with 50 points, 12 points behind ninth place WaKeeney and 3 points ahead of 11th place Osborne.
Change of seasons, change of crops, the progress of technology or even physical changes as we watch our families grow and age.
School district boundaries have opportunity for a refresh
Beyond books
The new year is already off and running, and as we look ahead to the months before us, one phrase continues to come to mind: Growing Together. It feels especially fitting as we reflect on where we’ve been, celebrate the strong work happening today and look forward to what’s next for USD 327.
