Annual Barbed Wire Festival held in La Crosse LA CROSSE — The 56th annual Barbed Wire Festival returned to La Crosse over the weekend with the theme, “Sailing into a New Adventure.” Collectors from across the country gathered to buy, sell, an trade barbed wire. The festival was originally born out of a small display of barbed wire in the Post Roc Museum.

Seven-year-old girl critically injured by falling tree branch ST. MARYS — A 7-year-old girl from northeast Kansas remains in the hospital after a branch fractured her skill when it fell 30 feet from a tree.

World View Strato-Balloon passes over northwest Kansas ATWOOD — A large, almost translucent object resembling a balloon was seen flying near Atwood last Tuesday morning. Ryan Husted, a Goodland meterologist with the National Weather Service, confirmed that the object was not a weather balloon, but rather a prototype being tested by World View — a “space tourism” company headquartered in Tuscon, Ariz.

Logan woman killed in single-vehicle rollover PHILLIPSBURG — A Logan woman was killed in a single-vehicle accident Thursday morning in Phillips County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Escape driven by Hollie L.

Tractor-trailer, gravel truck collide in deadly crash BUTLER COUNTY — The Butler County Sheriff’s Office said two people were killed in a crash at at an intersection on Monday, April 4. The sheriff’s office said a semi tractor pulling an empty flatbed trailer was eastbound on 150th and ran a stop sign.

Area quilters show compassion for NW Kansas wildfire victims JUNCTION CITY — Quilts have been made for families who had their homes and livelihood destroyed by the Dec. 15 fires in six northwestern Kansas counties.

Active shooter training held at USD 211 NORTON — Norton USD 211 participated in Active Shooter Training at Eisenhower Elementary School. Wes DuBois, a former Norton County Sheriff Deputy who is currently employed by Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Recreation, was the instructor for a full day of training for the USD 211 staff.

Man arrested after stand-off in Russell RUSSELL — A man was arrested after an eight-hour standoff with police in Russell last week Monday. Officers went to a home in the 300 block of West 16th around 10 a.m.

Norton man sentenced to 20 years on rape, escape charges PHILLIPSBURG — A Norton man charged with raping a child and later attacking a sheriff’s deputy while in jail has been sentenced to decades in prison. According to the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, David Alexander, 19, of Norton, was sentenced to 20 years and five months in prison on charges of rape, blackmail, aggravated intimidation of a witness, aggravated escape from custody and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

Clay Center Rep. charged with two counts after DUI arrest TOPEKA — Rep.