Watonga City Government Completes Transition

After the plan was approved by city voters, the Watonga city government transitioned to a council-manager form in April 2021. The change included a new mayor, as Gary Olsen passed the buck to Bill Seitter.

Kays Dismissed From Watonga Police Force

After being placed on leave and then demoted, former Watonga police chief Shawn Kays was finally fired on June 14 when a protective order was filed against him. The chief’s role was filled on an interim basis from June until earlier this month, when the city hired John Noriega as the new WPD chief.

Greenfield Family Mourns Toddler’s Death

In mid-June, Greenfield toddler Zavien Kinyon was fatally injured at a Watonga babysitter’s house. Zavien sustained the injury on June 18 and died on June 21; he was laid to rest in his native Iowa days later.

Zavien Kinyon Died of Blunt Force Trauma, Autopsy Shows

The autopsy of deceased Greenfield toddler Zavien Kinyon showed the 2-year-old died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Blaine County’s Population Drops 27%, Most in State, Census Shows

The 2020 Census was not kind to Blaine County, which lost a larger share of its population from 2010 than any other county in the state. The county’s population was tabbed at 8,735 in 2020, and Watonga’s was 2,690.

Lucky Star Closed After Ransomware Attack

Watonga’s shiny new Lucky Star Casino was out of commission for two weeks this summer after a ransomware attack left it unable to operate.

Lake Watonga Project Delayed by Dam Structural Issues

Though the Lake Watonga dam repair was supposed to be finished by late August, engineers realized quickly that the dam had bigger problems than they even knew. The result is a still-dry lake and a project delayed indefinitely.