Matthew Hoffman of Dorchester appeared in Saline County Court on March 14 on a preliminary hearing, which was procedural due to an amended felony theft charge. Hoffman is charged with theft by …

The Friend Board of Education conducted its regular monthly meeting on March 18 with school district consolidation listed as a discussion item on its agenda.  Public comment was allowed …

At their respective April board of education meetings, both the Friend and Exeter-Milligan BOE members will cast their votes to decide if the proposed full academic and sports consolidation of the …

Last night after leaving the joint public meeting on school district consolidation in Exeter, I got to thinking about how much news is coming out of the Friend area right now and what to share in my column with you. 

On March 1 a BNSF train heading west on the railway north of Highway 6 derailed two miles west of Exeter at the County Road 20 intersection. The train transporting semi reefers or connex boxes struck …

As enrollment drops in rural schools, districts continue to look for solutions. In the case of Friend and Exeter-Milligan, consolidation talks are underway. Public meetings providing information …

March 4 the Exeter-Milligan and Friend school boards held their second joint public meeting for the second time in a week. This time the meeting was held in Exeter and was the final opportunity for …

Just as adults use words to communicate, children use play.  Licensed play therapists, like Ben Piper of Resilient Hope Counseling in Crete, therapeutically uses play to help young clients …

Action steps towards a consolidation of the Exeter-Milligan and Friend Public School districts are being taken one meeting at a time leading up to the moment of truth: Voting. A big decision …

There is a desert in Friend; a childcare desert. Friend’s only childcare center closed in December 2023 leaving many parents wondering, “now what?”  At first look it may …