BOOKED: Ricahrd Newkirk of Hoisington on Barton County District Court warrant for failure to appear x2, no bond.

BOOKED: Raul Rivera of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Eric Ehster of Hoisington on GBMC warrant for contempt of court with a bond set at $1,397.50 cash or 175 days in jail.

BOOKED: Cain Charles Maynard on Kingman Municipal Court warrant for contempt with a bond set in the amount of $750 cash only.

BOOKED: Garrett Buckbee on GBMC warrant for FTA with a bond in the amount of $500 C/S. Stafford County warrant for possession of paraphernalia, ITOL, interference with law enforcement, failure to remain at the scene of property damage, bond of $1,000 C/S. BTDC case for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $10,000 C/S. Ellinwood Municipal Court warrant for FTA with bond at $1,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Courtney Veitenhimer of Great Bend on GBMC warrants for contempt after she was released by the court.

RELEASED: Steven Fortner of Hoisington on GBMC warrant for contempt of court after he was released by the court.

RELEASED: Eric Ramos of Great Bend on GBMC warrants for contempt of court after he was released by the court.

RELEASED: Randy Baker of Claflin on GBMC warrant for contempt of court after he was released by the court.

RELEASED: Raul Rivera on GBMC warrant for FTA after posting a $2,500 surety bond.

If you have driven by Great Bend Middle School both before and after school you know all about the traffic and the number of pedestrians, mainly students, that are in close quarters with vehicles in front of the school on Harrison.

USD 428 officials and Great Bend city staff have recently held discussions on ways to make the situation safer for students.

At Monday night’s City Council meeting, City Administrator Kendal Francis outlined some ways on how the city plans to tackle the issue. One of the ways will be increased enforcement of current ordinances.

Kendal Francis Audio

Another focus will be enforcing the parking regulations that are currently in place on the east side of Harrison in front of the school where parking is prohibited from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Kendal Francis Audio

Francis says officers will be giving warnings to motorists in the beginning but those will turn into full blown tickets if the problem persists.

Wheatland Electric is also in the process of of upgrading lighting in the area to hopefully make it safer for students before and after school and in the evening during school functions.

Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider gave the Barton County Commissioners an update Monday how grant-funded programs are performing. Schneider highlighted a few programs that help younger parents, including pregnant teenagers, with moving their life forward after early parenthood.

The Lifting Young Families Towards Excellence (LYFTE) program is available for parents age 24 or under so they can gain life skills to get back to whatever direction they were going before the child.

Shelly Schneider Audio

The program is completely funded by a grant that runs out June 30, 2019. Schneider says depending the success of the program, the Health Department might be able to retain the funding in 2020.

LYFTE allows the young parents to get refocused on their goals they had prior to the birth, such as education, better paying jobs, or vocation.

Shelly Schneider Audio

Schneider hopes all these efforts will tie in with the Circles program, which is an initiative to eliminate poverty.

The Barton County FSA office is back open for business after the government shutdown and scrambling to get caught up on time missed during a period that is always busy for the agency anyway.

Kristi Badger is the County Executive Director for the FSA office on Patton Road in Great Bend.

Kristi Badger Audio

Badger says the Department of Agriculture had a list of critical administrative services that offices were instructed to focus on including the Livestock Feed Program.

Kristi Badger Audio

Badger says other program deadlines may be modified and will be announced as they are addressed.

According to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue the President signed legislation that guarantees FSA employees will receive all back-pay missed during the lapse in funding brought on by a dispute over funding for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.

2/1

BOOKED: David Buck of Junction City on Barton County District Court case for DUI, aggravated child endangerment, open container, DWS, ignition interlock, fail to maintain, impede normal flow, tag light, bond set at $5,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Rodney Roscoe of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court case for criminal trespass and disorderly conduct with a bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Misty Burdett-Parker of Great Bend on CKCC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: April Zendejas of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $2,000 C/S. GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond set at $382.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Eric Ramos of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for contempt of court, $752.50 cash only bond. GBMC warrant for contempt of court, $606.50 cash only bond.

BOOKED: Chasity Chaney on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court with a bond of $1,662.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Cody James Casper on Russell County District Court warrant with no bond.

BOOKED: Misty Burdett-Parker of Great Bend on CKCC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Ouray Gray of Great Bend on BTDC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Jesus Leyva of Great Bend on GBMC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Janelle Harrison of Great Bend on BTSO case for driving while suspended 2nd, bond is at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Taylor Turner of Great Bend on GBPD case for DUI, no turn signal, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

RELEASED: April William-Harman of Hutchinson on BTDC case for serve sentence.

RELEASED: Brayden Tyler Powell-Rand on BCDC case for distribution of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, released per County Attorney.

RELEASED: April Zendejas of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear and contempt of court, posted bond of $382.50 cash only by defendant and posted $2,000 bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Cory Galliart on a KDOC parole hold, withdrawn warrant, released per Logan Hall.

RELEASED: Curtis Rosas of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for contempt of court x5, failure to appear, released by order of the Court.

RELEASED: Amber Demel on BCDC warrant for failure to appear, released by order of the court through Judge Johnson.

RELEASED: Chasity Ann Chaney on GBMC warrant with a $1,662.50 cash bond.

2/2

BOOKED: Patrick Doty of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Michael Ellis of Dodge City on Hoisington Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $235 cash only.

BOOKED: Christopher Caro on BCDC case for DUI, speeding with a bond set at $2,500 C/S.

RELEASED: Janelle Harrison of Great Bend on on BTSO case for driving while suspended 2nd, posted bond of $2,500.

RELEASED: Taylor Turner of Great Bend on GBPD case for DUI, no turn signal, posted $1,000 bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Patrick Doty of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear after posting a $2,500 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Christopher Caro on BCDC case for DUI, speeding after posting a $2,500 bond.

2/3

BOOKED: Rogelio Ayala on GBPD case for battery DV, bond set in lieu of $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Juvey Lomas-Guerra of Great Bend on GBMC case for DUI, no insurance, lane roadway, improper parking, bond set at $1,000 C/S or 48-hour OR bond.

BOOKED: Cody Lane of Great Bend on Ellis County District Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $500 cash only. GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond set at $852.50 cash only. GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $500 C/S. GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond set at $2,044. 50 cash only. Lane County Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $500 cash only.

BOOKED: Garrett Mallow on BTDC case for aggravated domestic battery, criminal threat, and for criminal damage to property with a bond in the amount of $20,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Deneva Steinert for Barton County District Court case for probation violation, bond is $10,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Morgan McHenry of Great Bend for GBMC case for domestic battery, possession of alcohol by minor, bond is $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Pablo Martinez of Great Bend for BTDC case for DUI, ITOL, fail to maintain lane, bond of $1,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Rodney Roscoe of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court case for criminal trespass and disorderly conduct after receiving a 48-hour OR bond.

RELEASED: Rogelio Ayala on GBPD case for battery DV, posted $1,000 bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Juvey Lomas-Guerra of Great Bend on GBMC case for DUI, no insurance, roadway lane, improper parking, posted $1,000 bond through Dyn-O-Mite Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Matthew Sanderson of Larned on warrant for contempt of court, time served.

RELEASED: Misty Burdett on serve sentence after serving time in full.

RELEASED: Ouray Gray of Great Bend on BTDC case for serve sentence time served.

RELEASED: Michael Ellis on Hoisington Municipal Court warrant for FTA after posting a $235 cash bond.

RELEASED: Jesus Leyva on GBMC case for serve sentence after serving his time in full.

RELEASED: Pablo Martinez on BTDC case for DUI, ITOL, and failure to maintain lane after posting a $1,000 surety bond.

This column spent the month of January examining water in agriculture in Kansas; where is comes from; how it is used, and the challenges the state in general, not just agriculture, faces.  One item not discussed was the quality of our surface and groundwater supplies.  Pollution of these waters continues to present challenges.  Soil erosion in our surface waters continues.  Chemical pollution from fertilizers and pesticides in both surface and groundwater.  This chemical pollution comes not just from agriculture but industry and residential sources.  Progress has been made in these areas but more work is necessary.  It’s important to remember that the water-use-efficiency of agriculture in the Twenty-First Century is light years ahead of even thirty years ago and this applies to both crop and livestock production.     Today though, let’s focus on the water supply.

First, dryland agriculture:

• Since dryland production relies on precipitation, the main goal is not to waste that source. With apologies, this will be quite general.  First, maximize the infiltration of moisture into the soil through surface crop residues and reducing tillage.  However, this will require solutions for weed control problems.  New technologies from GMO crop design for herbicide tolerance to new chemistries.  The use of crop rotations where practical for two reasons.  First, to allow for better weed control.  Second, to vary crop-rooting patterns between grass and broadleaf crops.  And the development of crop rotations that minimize soil water loss from evaporation and more efficiently use soil water through transpiration.  Even the best fallow system is not very efficient in storing water.
• The continued breeding of traditional crops through conventional means and genetic engineering. This must focus on improved pest tolerance, increased water-use-efficiency, and increased fertilizer efficiency. Another factor in breeding is the development of nontraditional crops adapted to conditions.  This has already been accomplished for the western half of Kansas with crops such as soybeans and corn.  The challenge is having somewhere to take the product and somewhere to market.  This is already somewhat of a problem for those wishing to grow crops like sunflowers and winter canola.
• Along with the first two points, switching to more water efficient crops. Producers can also select crops and cultural practices whose life cycle better fits normal rainfall patterns. A major challenge is to switch in a manner that allows for the support of the feedlot industry.   Another option for some would be to move away from grain/seed production to more forage based production provided they can utilize the forage or have a ready market for it.
• Changing cultural practices to better utilize water also plays a role. Examples are adjusting planting dates, selecting shorter maturing varieties, decreasing tillage, more aggressive fallow period chemical weed control.
• Finally, some areas, whether due to soil type, typography, or precipitation patterns are poorly suited for traditional crop production but excellent for permanent pasture. Well-established and maintained perennial pasture with adapted grasses achieves two things.  Better efficiency of precipitation is possible and after establishment these pastures require fewer inputs to be productive.

Next week:  possible solutions for irrigated agriculture.