The City of Great Bend notified media outlets Wednesday morning that the upcoming Great Bend City Council meeting will once again be moved to the Great Bend Events Center. The meeting will take place Monday, August, 21 in the main room on 3111 10th Street and will start at 7:30 p.m.

The governing body will conduct their scheduled budget hearing at 7 p.m. on August 21 prior to the regular meeting. The budget hearing will still be held at City Hall at 1209 Williams because it was originally publicly posted to be held at City Hall. According to state statute the meeting must remain at the original location or the city would have to file for an extension.

Over 400 people showed up at the last city council meeting on August 7, which saw over an hour of conversation devoted to the current suspension of Great Bend Police Chief Cliff Couch. No hearing date for Couch’s rebuttal at his suspension has been announced yet. Couch was suspended with possible termination for remarks made about possible misconduct by city administration, failing to cooperate with City Administrator Howard Partington, and not performing a requested investigation.

Read the entire story of the Couch suspension and reaction here.

Press Release from the City of Great Bend…

It is with great sadness that the Great Bend-Brit Spaugh Zoo announces the passing of our beloved Bengal Tiger, Sunny. Sunny Delight was humanely euthanized today after animal care and veterinary staff decided that his quality of life had deteriorated to a point that we could no longer keep him comfortable.

For the last five years Sunny was monitored closely and had undergone treatment for severe arthritis and stomach ulcers. During his 2012 annual physical he was found to be in the beginning stages of kidney failure and in 2014 a cancerous tumor was removed from the base of his tail. A necropsy has been performed and results are pending.

Sunny moved to the zoo along with his brother Spirit in 1998 when they were just eight weeks old. While Spirit got most of the public’s attention because he was a white tiger, Sunny has always been his keeper’s favorite due to his friendly disposition. He was always eager to offer a friendly “chuff” to anyone.

Zookeeper Ashley Burdick reported on behalf of all zoo staff, “We are devastated. Tigers in captivity have a life expectancy of 15-17 years and we were honored to have Sunny two years longer. He would have been 19 years old on September 2 and we knew this day would come, but our hearts are still broken at the loss.”

The zoo will not immediately acquire new tigers as the building and yard are nearly twenty years old and in need of some renovation. After the renovations are complete the zoo will seek to acquire Malayan or Sumatran tigers through the Species Survival Plan.

For more information please contact the Zookeepers at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo 620-793-4226.

BOOKED: James Aumiller of Great Bend on Ellinwood Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court, with bond set at $825.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Robert Ehrlich on Pratt County District Court warrant for failure to appear, no bond.

BOOKED: Misty D. Burdett on Barton County District Court case for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of a certain depressant, and possession of paraphernalia, bond of $10,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Jessica Wiginton on Barton County District Court case for aggravated battery, with bond of $20,000.

RELEASED: Misty D. Burdett on Barton County District Court case for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia, posted $10,000 bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Paul Poteet of Ellinwood on Barton County District Court case after he received $688 OR bond. BCDC case for DUI, driving while habitual violator, no insurance, and circumvention of ignition interlock device after he posted a $2,500 surety bond.

Steve Schnieder – North of Susank: .35
Don Mie – North Susank: 1.00
Red Maier-Ellinwood: .85
Fred Seyfert-Susank: .10
Merry Farms-West of Galatia: .62
Bissell’s Point: .98
Eagle Media Center-12th and Baker: .40