Representative Steven Johnson, who is seeking the state treasurer seat in November, was a special guest at Dodge City First Baptist Church April 24. The Republican from small town Assaria sang the national anthem the night before for the Southwest Kansas Storm game and would the next day travel back to Topeka, as the Kansas State Legislature returns to the current session after a three-week break.

The master plan for Wright Park Zoo grew stagnant in the midst of COVID-19, but city leaders have agreed it is time to reignite public interest in the $4.7 million “re-do the zoo” initiative. At the April 18 Dodge City Commission meeting, city manager Nick Hernandez asked commissioners to consider the future of the zoo since very little fundraising has been possible in the two years since the completion of the master plan.

When Paloma Gomez smelled smoke from inside her garage on Brier Street and Avenue K in Dodge City in the early hours of April 21, she said she thought someone was having a bonfire outside. “I was putting together some things to donate to the Salvation Army when I smelled the smoke,” Gomez said.

There’s a sign on the front door of Black Hole Vinyl that reads, “Text me and I’ll be right over.” The record store is full of new and vintage vinyl records, cassette tapes and CD’s, but it doesn’t qualify to host an annual event called Record Store Day on April 23 that is celebrated around the world by his peers because owner Scott Barb doesn’t keep regular enough hours. “As far as I know I’m the only record store from here to Wichita,” Barb said.