“Santa Claus is comin’ to town!” Help the big guy make his list and visit him at Flatlanders Farm & Home from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. this Saturday! Flatlanders is located at 509 W. Eleventh in Hugoton. Bring the kids, bring your pets and take some memorable photos with Kris Kringle. The jolly fella will then stop by the Senior Citizens Activity Center, 624 S. Main in Hugoton! Children of all ages are welcome to present their requests to Ol’ Saint Nick from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., courtesy of the Santa Committee! Make sure to start your holiday season on the “nice list” by stopping by Flatlanders and the Senior Center this weekend to share your Christmas wishes with Mr. Claus! However, if you just can’t make either event, he also accepts present requests in letter form! Send your Santa letters to: Santa Claus % The Hermes 522 S. Main Hugoton, Ks. 67951

Whether you’re ready for it or not, Thanksgiving is here! In recognition, several businesses have announced special hours.

The restaurants closing for Thanksgiving Day are as follows: McDonald’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, Ranchito Tex Mex, Sonic, Dominoes, Nieto’s and Antlers. These restaurants will resume regular business hours Friday, November 25.

The gas stations Toot N Totum and Kangaroo Express will remain open, with regular business hours both Thursday and Friday. Eagles Landing will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving.

If you are needing any last minute items for your Thanksgiving dinner, Thrifty King will also be open Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Dollar General will be open Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Twisted H liquor will be closed for the holiday and will reopen Friday.

The Hugoton Chamber of Commerce and the Hugoton Hermes will both be closed Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25. Janet’s Bridal will be closing for the holiday and will reopen Friday, November 25.

Citizens State Bank will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday. They will be closed Thanksgiving Day and open Friday, November 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. First National Bank will be closed Thanks- giving Day, but will have regular business hours Wednesday and Friday.

Yardmaster is closing for the holiday, but will reopen for business Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Stevens County Retail Pharmacy will be closed Thursday and will be open Friday with their regular hours. Stevens County Clinic will be closed for the holidays, but will be open Friday, November 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The clinic will have Saturday clinic November 26.

Hugoton Drug will only be closed Thursday. The Animal Health Center will be closed for Thanksgiving Day and will reopen Friday.

The Post Office will be closed Thanksgiving and reopen with regular hours Friday. The Cities of Hugoton, Moscow and Rolla will all be closed Thursday and Friday. Stevens County offices will be also be closed Thursday and Friday.

Hi-Plains, American Implement, Bultman Tire, and Southwest Kansas Sales will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. They will resume business Friday, November 25.

Hugoton Senior Center will be closed for Thursday and Friday. The Stevens County Library will be closed Thurday through Saturday. The library will reopen Monday.

Flatlanders will be closed Thursday, but will be open at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for Black Friday. Bultman, Inc. will be closed Thursday and Friday and reopen Saturday with regular hours. Hometown Fabrics and More will be open Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Stevens County Landfill will close Thursday and Friday, but will be open Saturday, November 26 with their regular business hours.

Creative Specialties will be closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but will be available all three days by appointment.

Hugoton Recreation Commission will be closed Thursday, November 24 and will reopen Friday, November 25 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They will be open over the weekend.

The Hermes wants to hear from our readers!

Send your note -or notes- of thankfulness by Friday, November 18 at 12:00 noon.

You can submit by mail to:
The Hugoton Hermes
522 S. Main
Hugoton, Ks.  67951,
by telephone at 620-544-4321,
on The Hugoton Hermes’ Facebook page
OR by clicking here.

We want to hear about the best of Stevens County and its people.

Did someone give up their place in line, help you change a tire, pay it forward at a restaurant,
give you a ride, bring you a drink, make you feel special, or some other random act of kindness?

Tell us about it!

Submissions will be published in the November 24, 2016 issue of The Hugoton Hermes.
***Names can be included at the request of the writer. Submissions must be 120 words or less.***

The students of Hugoton High School will present Disney’s “High School Musical” Saturday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 13 at 3:00 p.m. in the auditorium. The musical is the story of high school students who learn that high school is more about having fun and trying new things than about staying in the same old cliques. The musical is set at East High School in Albuquerque, N.M. The cast will sing some of Disney’s famous songs. These include: “We’re All in This Together”, “Get’cha Head in the Game” and “Bop to the Top”. The musical is directed by Elise Heger and Sydni Root. Read More →

November 11, sleepy little towns in western Kansas will transform into centers with crowded motel parking lots, busy streets and packed cafes. If you’re up before dawn Saturday, November 12, you’ll see men and women dressed in khaki and orange looking happy – despite the hour – while feeding and watering hunting dogs or grabbing breakfast at the local “Hunters’ Pancake Feed.” Everyone is upbeat because opening day is finally here.

Pheasant Heaven Charities’ will kick off the hunting season with their annual Calf fry, Beef feed and Pig Roast. It will be at a new location this year! Make the trek out to Southwest Fresh Potato in Industrial park West Friday, November 11 starting at 5:00 p.m. Food will be served starting at 5:00 p.m. until the conclusion of the auction. Auction begins at 7:00 p.m. Be sure to check out the $100 raffle package!

For more information, visit their Web site, call PHCI Secretary/Treasurer Brad Musgrove at 620-544-4388 or find them on Facebook!

Start your hunting off with a Hunter’s Breakfast courtesy of the Hugoton Lions Club. Breakfast starts at 5:00 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds. The menu will include buffet style all-you-can-eat scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, pancakes, coffee and juice. Thermos bottles can be filled. There will also be a shotgun drawing Sunday. You do not have to be present to win.

If you are ready for a break at lunchtime, visit the First Christian Church. The Church will have homemade chili and cinnamon rolls Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Gym at 600 S. Van Buren. The lunch is a fundraiser for Christ In Youth. Read More →

Tuesday, November 8 marks not just another workday, but the culmination of months of hard work and campaigning by countless candidates for public office. Americans will take to the polls next week to decide several important races, including that of the United States Presidency.

Stevens County voters in Hugoton will cast their ballots at Memorial Hall, 200 E. Sixth in Hugoton. Residents in Moscow will vote at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 300 Ransom in Moscow. The doors at both polling places will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you can’t make it to your polling place on the appointed day, advance walk-in votes may be cast at the office of Stevens County Election Clerk Pam Bensel in the courthouse until 12:00 noon November 7. Those wishing to vote must present a valid ID. Examples of accepted identification are available by clicking here. Read More →

Both the Boys and Girls went to Lawrence to compete in the 3A State Cross Country meet this weekend. Coach Rod went in expecting that both teams would have a chance to come out of the event with wins. His athletes did not let him down as both boys and girls teams brought home the 3A State Championship!

The boys faced two time State Champions Halstead and the girls matched up to a very difficult Hiawatha group who was runner-up last year. Added to that fact was this was the first time the Eagles raced on the Rim Rock Farms in Lawrence and humid weather conditions definitely factored into the race. Read More →

Halloween is scary close, and there will be plenty of spooky events for local youngsters – and those young at heart – to enjoy!

This Saturday, October 29, Hugoton’s Bethel Friends Church will host a “Harvest Festival” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Families are welcome to join the congregation for a great supper, followed by a hayride and lots of games! There will be plenty of activities and games for all ages and skill levels. You are invited to dress up as a Bible character. They will also accept items for Operation Christmas Child at the Festival. Bethel Friends is located at 1000 S. Jefferson and the Education Center can be found behind the main church building.

Monday, October 31, the Hugoton Area Chamber of Commerce will host their annual “Spook Parade” starting at 4:30 p.m. Young ghouls, goblins, princesses and pirates are welcome to bring their candy bags and gather lots of treats, thanks to Main Street businesses. Simply trek down to the Chamber Office at the corner of Seventh and Main to begin your walk down the 500 and 600 blocks of Main Street. Stevens County Library reports they’ll hand out candy to any patrons who show up in costume any time Monday, as well as to their visitors from the Spook Parade.

When you finish up at the Spook Parade, make sure to stop by Pioneer Manor at 1711 S. Main to travel down their “Main Street” inside the facility and pick up some more sugary treats! Residents will hand out candy starting at 5:00 p.m.

If you’re not quite ready to start trick or treating after visiting the Manor, there are still a few places to visit! The Hugoton United Methodist Church will host a Trunk or Treat event from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the east side of the church in the parking lot at 828 S. Main. Church of Christ will also host a Trunk or Treat in their parking lot at 1045 Van Buren from 6:00 p.m. to dark Monday evening. Trinity Baptist will have trunk or treat from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. east of the church at First and Washington. There will be hot chocolate and hot apple cider for visitors.

Moscow Recreation will have a Halloween Spooktacular carnival for kids of all ages in the city park, for Halloween Monday evening, October 31. The Spooktacular will start at 5:00 p.m., and run until 6:00 or 6:30 p.m. The MRC promises several games and candy prizes for all participants!

Kayleigh Flores of Moscow has done it again! Winners of two Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day statewide contests have been announced as part of the national safety campaign Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day. Kayleigh was one of three winners for the poster contest. Other winners included Brooklyn Green-Lawson of Riverton and Sierra de Koning of Axtell. Each student was first selected as a regional winner and will receive a bicycle and a helmet donated by Safe Kids Kansas during presentations at their schools. A total of 824 Kansas kids ages five to 13 participated. Read More →

Monday at Lake Barton Golf Course, Mary Weaver and Brionna Beard both shot a 114, earning them a trip to State Golf October 17 at Buffalo Dunes in Garden City! Hallie Wettstein shot a 124, and Katie Crawford shot a 136. The team as a whole played great. The course itself was challenging and unfamiliar, but the girls made the most of it. High winds and low temperatures didn’t help much either.

“I’m super proud of these girls for sticking through this season. Mary has been so close to making State her past couple years, and she finally got it. Brionna has played great her past two years and I’m excited to see them both play at State,” said Coach Rex Evans.