Baylee Tilley, Scott Tilley, Haelyn Charles, Kathleen Stahlecker, Shaelyn Charles, Madilyn Charles, John Hancock, Tonia Rumbaugh and Cassy Tilley offer the public free hugs and free prayers April 23 at Walmart in Dodge City.

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.