As more than a couple of weeks have passed since the Mega Motor Weekend in Great Bend, city officials have had time to reflect on the successful weekend of September 28^th – 30^th that combined three large events.

The Lucas Oil Drag Races at the SRCA Dragstrip brought 518 teams for the first race, and the second race had 545 teams.

Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes says the track record went down multiple times.

Christina Hayes Audio

The Hahn Brothers Supercross Shootout had racers from Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska participate.

As for Great Bend Airfest, Hayes says there were approximately 600 in attendance on that Friday, 5,000 on Saturday, and Sunday with 2,500.

Christina Hayes Audio

Airfest also brought many spectators from out of state. Airport Manager Martin Miller says a man from California emailed him for six months prior to the event requesting to volunteer for the weekend that brought several vintage warbirds for an airshow.

The great efforts of Airfest received plenty of national attention and will be featured in the December edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine. The nationally distributed magazine has a subscription of more than 500,000.

BOOKED: Trapper Larson of Larned on GBMC case for no DL, bond is set at $500 C/S or 48-hour OR.

BOOKED: Will Caskey of Oklahoma on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court with a bond set at $1,282.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Juvenile of Hoisington on Barton County District Court case for criminal threat and aggravated criminal threat with no bond.

BOOKED: Shaina Kuester of Great Bend for Barton County District Court case for probation violation, no bond.

RELEASED: Will Caskey of Oklahoma on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court after posting a $1,282.50 cash only bond.

RELEASED: Ken C. Rodriguez on BCDC warrant to probation.

RELEASED: Juvenile of Hoisington on BCDC case for criminal threat and aggravated criminal threat after being transported to Bob Johnsons.

RELEASED: Joseph McNett of Great Bend on Ellis County District Court warrant for failure to register after releasing to Ellis County.

RELEASED: Shawn Kay Contrerez on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, posted $500 bond through Dyn-O-Mite Bail Bonding.

The City of Great Bend approved a rezoning request for a house on 21^st Street to help the owner sell the property.

Dray Meredith requested 2547 21^st Street be rezoned from C-2 (general commercial) to R-2 (two family). Meredith entered a contract to sell the real estate but the lender would not approve a loan on the property since it is currently zoned commercial and its current use is residential.

Great Bend City Attorney Bob Suelter says the Planning Commission approved the change.

Bob Suelter Audio

Suelter added the property was wrongfully zoned in the first place as the structure has always been used for residential. Suelter says the majority of the structures around 2547 21^st Street are zoned R-2.

The Great Bend City Council approved the recommendation from the Planning Commission to rezone the real estate.

Lynn Rogers was in the agriculture banking industry for more than 30 years. He also spent 16 years as a board member of the Wichita Public Schools. Becoming passionate about education and not feeling his local Kansas Senator was listening to the education needs, Rogers ran for political office in 2016 and won a seat in the Kansas Senate for the 25^th district.

Rogers is now on the ballot in November’s election to become Lieutenant Governor teaming with Democrat Laura Kelly.

Lynn Rogers Audio

Rogers stopped in Great Bend Tuesday and went on a tour from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. The tour included stops at Sunflower Diversified Services, transload facility, downtown, and discussion about potential opportunity zones.

Rogers appreciated the large amount of non-profit organizations in Great Bend and their impact on the town.

Lynn Rogers Audio

Rogers says he was able to get to know Senator Kelly by sitting next to her on the Senate floor. Kelly and Rogers face Republican Kris Kobach and Independent Greg Orman in the November 6^th election.

BUSINESS NEWS

The Great Bend Recreation Commission will be hosting a free Stop ‘N Learn Session titled “If A Tree Fell In The Forest – And Nobody Knew Its Biological Name – Did It Exist?” on Wednesday, October 17^th, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm at the Great Bend Activity Center (2715 18^th).

Is there more of a need for Environmental Education for today’s youth?  Test your knowledge on environmental issues and see how you stack up statistically to Kansas and the nation.  Learn about Nature Deficit Disorder and other research complete by Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods”, and discuss ways to decrease screen time for kids and adults and get more families outside.  Mandy Kern, KWEC Program Specialist, will be the presenter for this program.

For more information about this program and other programs the Great Bend Rec offers, please go to our web site at www.greatbendrec.com or call the Recreation Commission office at 793-3755 ext. 110

The Great Bend City Council voted 7-1 Monday night to increase employee and employer premiums by 15 percent on the City’s Health Insurance for 2019.

Great Bend experienced an increase in rates for the second year in a row from Blue Cross Blue Shield, which was anticipated. The 15 percent increase in rates will take effect in 2019 to cover the costs.

Human Resources Director Randy Keasling noted there are four options of health insurance employees can choose from.

Randy Keasling Audio

Last year, the City left the rates the same for both the employee and employer despite the rate increases and used reserves that the City had built in the self-insured account.

The 15 percent increase was accounted for in the 2019 budget. Great Bend pays 83 percent of the premiums with the employee responsible for 17 percent.

BOOKED: Aaron Pohlman on Barton County District Court case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Shawna Kay Contrerez on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond of $500 C/S.

BOOKED: Courtney Veitenheimer on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court with 90-day serve sentence. GBMC warrant for contempt of court with a serve sentence of 90 days x2.

BOOKED: Juvenile on case for probation violation, no bond.

BOOKED: Ken Rodriguez on a Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation, no bond.

BOOKED: Joseph McNett of Great Bend on Ellis County District Court warrant for failure to register, bond set at $60,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Adrienna Kennedy on a Reno County District Court warrant for theft, contribute to child misconduct x2, bond set at $3,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Devin Messersmith of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $2,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Nakota Allen of Russell on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $902.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Jeffrey Kramer of Hoisington on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, no bond.

RELEASED: Brian Bunch of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court case for serve sentence in full.

RELEASED: Joshua Frydendall of Great Bend on BCDC warrant. Transported to New Chance in Oodge City.

RELEASED: Manuel Ramirez on Rooks County District Court warrant for FTA. Released to Rooks County on their warrant.

RELEASED: Female juvenile on case for probation violation, transported to Bob Johnson’s.

RELEASED: Courtney Veitenheimer of Great Bend on all charges per order of court.

RELEASED: Eliseo Velasco of Salina on Community Corrections serve sentence, time served.

RELEASED: Devin Messersmith of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, posted bond amount of $2,000 through Dyn-O-Mite Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Nakota Allen of Russell on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, posted bond of $902.50 cash only.

Great Bend representatives were included in a coalition that testified before the Kansas Transportation Task Force on October 4 in Newton. The Task Force was organized to hear input on the future transportation needs in the state of Kansas. The coalition that Great Bend was included in encouraged the Task Force to reconsider the K-96 project from Nickerson to Lyons.

Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Jan Peters was one of five representatives that testified in favor of the K-96 project, and says the coalition received positive feedback after their presentation.

Jan Peters Audio

Also testifying with Peters was a member of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, Sterling City Administrator, Lyons’ consultant John Sweet, and Sunflower Diversified Services Director Jon Prescott.

Jan Peters Audio

K-DOT’s 10-year, $7.8 billion transportation program that was created in 2010 is set to end in 2020. The task force will gather information and develop a strategy to fund a new comprehensive plan.

Peters expects the Task Force to develop a plan by the end of the year and present the plan to the Kansas Legislature in January or February.