The Great Bend City Council voted in favor to rezone a piece of real estate to enable Venture Corporation to open a new sandpit and establish an asphalt plant on the real estate within the three-mile radius of the city.

Currently Venture operates an asphalt plant near Dundee with a sandpit but the location will be depleted of sand in roughly three years. Venture purchased land southwest of Great Bend just west of the flood control levy and south of US 56 Highway.

Rocky Seybert with Venture wanted to make it clear that the plant will not be used to process asphalt or asphalt roofing material.

Rocky Seybert Audio

Seybert added that Venture has their state permits in line and they regularly get inspected throughout the year to make sure their facilities are in ordinance of health and environmental law. The Planning Commission recommended the rezoning from agricultural to light manufacturing – service commercial at their October 29^th meeting.

Rita Stolz, a nearby neighbor of the future asphalt plant, expressed concerns over noise, possible pollutants, and odors. Stolz also felt Venture got ahead of themselves by purchasing the land prior to receiving permission from the City for the real estate to be rezoned.

Rita Stolz Audio

Venture operated at the requested location in the 1990s on leased land but moved to the Dundee spot after purchasing land instead of having a lease.

Seybert anticipated the lifespan of the new sandpit to be 20 years. Seybert also added that there are 3,500 asphalt plants in the United States and most of them are metropolitan areas. The Venture worker stated 95 percent of all pavement is asphalt and this community and county needs this plant.

The City Council voted 5-1 to rezone the land and allow Venture to establish an asphalt plant and open a sandpit.

The question of what is “ill-treatment” appeared to be a big factor in determining the verdict of the misdemeanor charge against Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. That charge came from the August 10, 2017 incident when Bellendir hit Nathan Manley on the side of the head following Manley’s arrest at Bellendir’s daughter’s house. Bellendir’s daughter said Manley was stealing a propane tank from her grill on the front porch.

The jury did not take long to reach a decision that Bellendir was not guilty of the charge of “ill-treating a confined” Manley. The Sheriff was represented by attorney Jess Hoeme who felt there was a reason why the jury did not take long reaching that decision.

Jess Hoeme Audio

Bellendir stated after the verdict came out last Friday morning, that this case was a waste of taxpayers’ dollars and it was guided by County Attorney Amy Mellor. Despite video evidence of Bellendir hitting Manley upside the head, Hoeme says it was up to the six-member jury to determine if Bellendir’s actions were “ill-treatment.”

Jess Hoeme Audio

Hoeme said residents in Barton County want the criminal justice system to be fluid and effective. The attorney from Joseph Hollander & Craft out of Wichita felt the Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Office has to work together to efficiently bring justice.

Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider informed the Barton County Commissioners Monday that a foodborne illness surfaced within in the county earlier this month that caused several people to endure what she referred to as “violent” symptoms.

Schneider was limited to what she could say about the illness because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), but said it came from a food vendor unbeknownst to the vendor.

Shelly Schneider Audio

The foodborne illness was believed to be staphylococcus aureus (staph) from the infected food delivered to the vendor. Staph is a well-known bacteria that lives on the skin, but Schneider says the fact that it broke down into toxins turned it into a foodborne illness.

There were 53 people that could have been affected by the illness, and Schneider said there were 27 individuals that reported problems from the food.

Shelly Schneider Audio

Schneider mentioned the incident happened on a Friday afternoon prior to a holiday this month (most likely November 9 before Veterans Day).

Schneider commended the response of her staff and those at the University of Kansas Health System hospitals for handling the quick response to the ill patients.

The Health Director reminds everyone that it is not a good idea to thaw food on the counter and that everyone should use refrigeration to thaw food.

Barton County Attorney Amy Mellor announced that Austin James Levingston was bound over trial on several felony charges resulting from testimony presented at a preliminary hearing last Friday.

In a complaint filed against Levingston, he was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and three counts of lewd and lascivious behavior.

Testimony presented at the preliminary hearing established probable cause to believe that Levingston had committed five of the charged crimes.

Arraignment is set for later this month.

Although Levingston faces trial on the charges, Mellor stressed that this does not amount to a finding of guilt, and Levingston is presumed to be innocent of wrongdoing at this time. Trial dates have yet to be set.

After hearing arguments for and against the request, the Court granted a defense motion to reduce Levingston’s bond. He was placed on house arrest as a condition of the Court order.

The 24-year old posted a $100,000 bond through Ace Bail Bonding  on Friday, Nov. 16, according to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office arrest log.

At the time of his arrest on August 23, Great Bend Police Chief David Bailey said law enforcement was working on a suspect for alleged child sex crimes for months.

Kenneth Birt Jr., who was booked for attempted murder in Barton County, posted $10,000 cash on Friday, Nov. 16.

Birt was arrested following an Oct. 19 incident that left Dustin Turner with multiple gunshot wounds to the left leg that were non-life-threatening injuries.

Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 451 Northwest 40 Avenue at about 10:08 p.m. on Oct. 19 to the reported shooting. Birt was later arrested in the 1000 block of Jackson Street in Great Bend.

Birt is charged with attempted murder in the second degree, a severity level 3 person felony.  Per the 20^th Judicial District bond schedule, his bond was set at $100,000.

11/16

BOOKED: Jacob King on Barton County District warrants for probation violation, no bond.

BOOKED: B.J. Corter on a Russell County District Court warrant for failure to appear, bond in lieu of $100 cash.

BOOKED: Paul Poteet on Barton County District Court case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Curtis Rosas of Great Bend on Barber County District Court warrant for FTA, bond set at $3,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Angelo Palermo of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for probation violation, bond set at $10,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Rodney Drake of Great Bend on BTDC case for serve sentence.

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

BOOKED: Aaron Pohlman of Ellinwood on BTDC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Joshua Bobbitt of Great Bend on BTDC case for aggravated battery, bond set at $20,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Kyle Kruckenberg of Great Bend on BTDC warrants for contempt of court, no bond on all three warrants.

BOOKED: Brianna Feist of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, no bond.

RELEASED: Jesus Manual Rios of Great Bend on Rice County District Court warrant for failure to appear, released to Rice County Sheriff’s Office.

RELEASED: Kenneth Birt Jr. on BCDC case for attempted murder after posting a $10,000 cash bond.

RELEASED: Rusty Sievers of Great Bend on BTDC case for kidnapping, battery DV after receiving an order of the court.

RELEASED: Curtis Rosas of Great Bend on Barber County District Court warrant for FTA, posted $3,500 bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Austin Levingston of Great Bend on BCDC warrant for aggravated indecent liberty with a child, posted bond of $100,000 through Ace Bail Bonding.

11/17

BOOKED: Sierra Flax on BTDC warrant for FTA, no bond.

BOOKED: Patricia Avinger on Dickinson County District Court warrant for failure to appear, bond in lieu of $300 cash only.

BOOKED: Guyton on KDOC order of arrest and detain, no bond.

BOOKED: Justin Juarez of Great Bend on BTDC case for criminal threat, bond set at $5,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Landon Brack on BCDC warrant for time served.

RELEASED: Jerome Moore of Wichita on BTDC warrant for probation violation for time served.

RELEASED: Preston Ivy of Pueblo, CO on BCDC case for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, no drug tax stamp, and possession of paraphernalia, posted bond amount of $100,000 through Owns Bail Bonding Company.

11/18

BOOKED: Josh Graves of Hutchinson case for driving while suspended and expired tags, bond is set at $500 C/S.

BOOKED: Nicole Henning of Great Bend for Barton County District Court case for aggravated battery, bond is $50,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Joseph of Galatia on Barton County District Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $500 cash only. Salina County District Court warrant for probation violation with no bond.

BOOKED: Alexandra Dirreen of Great Bend on GBMC case for driving while suspended, bond set at $500 C/S.

BOOKED: Allen Templeton of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for criminal threat, bond set at $5,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Josh Graves of Hutchinson case for driving while suspended and expired tags, posted bond of $500.

RELEASED: Paul Poteet on BCDC serve sentence.

RELEASED: Justin D. Juarez on GBMC case for criminal threat with a $5,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Alexandra Dirreen of Great Bend on GBMC case for driving while suspended, posted bond amount of $500 through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Allen Templeton of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for criminal threat, posted bond amount of $5,000 through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Rodney Drake of Great Bend on BTDC case for serve sentence.

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

RELEASED: Aaron Pohlman of Ellinwood on BTDC case for serve sentence.

RELEASED: B.J. Corter on a Russell County District Court warrant for failure to appear, transported to Russell County Sheriff’s Office.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just before 8:30p.m. in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Econoline van driven by Rhonda E. Rector, 40, Dimmitt, TX., was westbound on Intestate 70 just east of the Kansas 156 Junction.

The driver lost control of the vehicle due to icy road conditions. The van exited the roadway, rolled a complete revolution and came to rest on its wheels facing north.

A minor female received possible injuries and was transported to Ellsworth Co Medical Center,

Rector, an adult passenger and 3 other minor children had no injuries. They were all properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

BUSINESS NEWS

Justin Van Meter, Rozel, knew his wife needed more than he and their sons could give. She was facing the end of her life and the family needed hospice care. Once they realized this, Justin followed up on a recommendation to visit with Leilani Schenkel, R.N., executive director at Almost Home Inc.

The Great Bend residence at 1919 Van Buren designates two rooms for end-of-life care.

Justin and his sons, Spencer, 19, and Harrison, 17, shared their Almost Home experience in observance of National Hospice & Palliative Care Month in November. Their wife and mother, Darcey, passed away Oct. 8, 2015, from colon cancer at age 45; she taught second grade at Pawnee Heights.

Darcey spent the last two weeks of her life at Almost Home; the colon-cancer diagnosis was made about three years earlier.

“I saw what was being done for her at Newton Medical Center. I knew we couldn’t do this at home and didn’t want our family to go through it alone,” Justin recalled. “The staff at Newton led us here; I couldn’t be more grateful.

“We had two children active in school; Darcey didn’t want our lives to stop,” he added. “She wanted us to keep doing things we would normally do.”

Justin knew at the outset that his family made the right decision and would recommend Almost Home “in a heartbeat. Leilani and the staff are very caring. She sat down with me when we first got here and took care of the paperwork. And then I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. That was a huge relief.”

Spencer, who attends Butler Community College, and his brother, Harrison, who attends Pawnee Heights High School, also praise Almost Home and its staff.

“Mom’s care was excellent in every way you can imagine,” Spencer said. “While mom was conscious, the nurses were right there to see if she needed anything. If she was sleeping, they were always checking on her.”

Spencer noted that his mom believed in God “and her faith was important to her. Leilani is a person of faith too. We could rely on our faith to get the answers we needed. This made the grieving easier to digest.

“Leilani kept us in the loop about how the disease was progressing,” he added. “It was not easy, but she did it with grace.”

The Van Meter family noted that when they suggested a candlelight vigil, Almost Home accommodated. More than 50 people attended in the backyard.

An added benefit, they commented, is the Retreat House on the Almost Home property.

Harrison said this “gave us a place to relax as much as we could. Sometimes you just have to get away and think for yourself. We will always be grateful.

“The staff always greeted us at the door and told us anything we needed to know,” Harrison continued. “We knew Leilani was busy but she always had time for us. Almost Home is so comfortable, warm and inviting.”

The Van Meters said they will continue their “lasting relationship with Leilani.”

Before Almost Home Sheryl Cheely, an Almost Home board member, said she wishes the residence had been available to her and her husband, Ray, when he needed end-of-life care in 2009.

“We had hospice in our home for one week,” Cheely recalled. “But I was in the role of caregiver and had no idea what I was doing. It falls on the family to do almost everything. My expectations were different from the actual services provided in our home.

“If Almost Home had been here, we would have had a totally different experience. I would have had time to say good-bye to my husband. I wasn’t able to be with him emotionally. At Almost Home you can focus on your loved one.”

Cheely described an especially bad time: Ray’s oxygen tank malfunctioned and medication issues arose, both in the middle of the night. The nurse was 90 minutes away.

“And to top it off, the air conditioning went out,” Cheely said. “Because I have a great network of friends, we were able to deal with these problems. But many people don’t have this luxury.”

Before Almost Home opened, anyone who wanted in-patient hospice care had to go out of town. “And we didn’t want to do that,” Cheely recalled. “If Almost Home had been here, I would still have spent most of my time with Ray. But I would have had the opportunity for a few breaks. He would have been in the care of professional and compassionate nurses and aides.”

Leilani Schenkel noted that even though Almost Home provides 24-hour care to hospice residents in two separate rooms, it also works in conjunction with two licensed hospice agencies. The team includes the patient’s physicians, clergy and social workers.

“Families can be families here; they don’t have to be the main caregivers. This is a huge relief for everyone,” she said.

Schenkel also noted the difference between palliative care and hospice. Palliative care begins at diagnosis and the start of treatment. Hospice begins after treatment when it is clear the disease is terminal.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 3p.m. Friday in Montgmoery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Harley Davidson Motorcycle driven by Nathan L. Lock, 32, Macksville, was southbound on Kansas 99 five miles south of Frankfort.

The motorcycle traveled left of center and side-swiped a 2014 Ford Fusion driven by Katheryn L. Gregerson, 21, Herman, NE., causing Lock to be ejected from the motorcycle.

A northbound 2013 Ford Fusion driven by Laura C. Edelman, 20, Sabetha also struck the motorcycle.

Lock was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Kinsley Funeral Home. Gregerson and Edelman were not injured.