The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a * Flood Warning for... McPherson County in central Kansas... Rice County in central Kansas... Lincoln County in central Kansas... Ellsworth County in central Kansas... Russell County in central Kansas... Barton County in central Kansas... * Until 1245 PM CDT Wednesday. * At 1239 PM CDT, local law enforcement reported continued flooding along rural roadways, low-lying areas, creeks, and streams. Although rainfall should end within the warned area over the next couple of hours, some locations have experienced up to 4 inches of rain over the past 72 hours, and areal flooding remains a concern. * Some locations that will experience flooding include... Great Bend, Mcpherson, Russell, Lyons, Lindsborg, Ellsworth, Hoisington, Sterling, Ellinwood, Moundridge, Inman, Galva, Wilson, Canton, Claflin, Kanopolis, Lincoln, Marquette, Little River and Chase. This includes the following highways... Interstate 135 between Mile Markers 43 and 76. Interstate 70 between Mile Markers 176 and 235. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, country roads, farmland, and other low lying spots. A Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring. All interested parties should take necessary precautions immediately.
Category: Local
Free Halloween costumes available in Great Bend
Several years ago, a grade school student in Great Bend was upset because many of her friends could not afford Halloween costumes. The girl wanted her mom to purchase costumes for all her friends to dress up on the holiday. Instead of going that route, the family contacted the late Bill McKown with the Great Bend Kiwanis Club.
Barb Esfeld, with the Kiwanis Club, says the organization started a costume drive that year and have been running the program each year since.
Barb Esfeld Audio
The costume drive will take place Saturday, October 13 from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. in the basement of the Great Bend Public Library. Anyone can choose a free costume with no questions asked.
Esfeld adds that anyone can donate new or gently used costumes anytime of the year at the Library.
Barb Esfeld Audio
Esfeld estimated the Kiwanis Club has 150 Halloween costumes on hand and will have more the day of the event.
Flooding and closed roads in Barton County
Barton County, as well as a large portion of Kansas, has received a substantial amount of rain as of late. Many township roads, as well as County blacktops, are being closed due to rising flood waters. Road crews are barricading roads as they become impassable. Flooding will likely continue for the next several days.
Persons are asked to NOT drive around barricades and to avoid those roads which typically become impassable in these conditions.
Barton County Commission Chair Jennifer Schartz signed a disaster declaration Tuesday afternoon for the county. The declaration opens Barton up to potentially receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds if the State of Kansas declares it a disaster.
Jennifer Schartz Audio
The following is a list of closed roads in Barton County, which will be updated periodically, at www.bartoncounty.org.
• Olmitz – Galacia blacktop – North of highway 4
• NE 100 RD – East from Highway 281
• NW 30 AVE – North of Keystone Road to Highway 4
• NW 20 AVE – North of Keystone to Highway 4
• NW 10 AVE – North of Keystone to Highway 4
• NE 100 RD – Highway 281 to NE 20 AVE
• NW 50 AVE – South of Mulligan Plant (NW 30 RD) – Township road washed out – impassable.
State road closures are available at www.kandrive.org. Please do not call “911” for road conditions.
Great Bend’s newly-designed disc golf course grand opening Oct. 23
Everyone is invited to the grand opening of the newly-redesigned disc golf course on October 23 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Grand Opening Celebration will include a Putting and Long Drive Challenges, a Disc Golf Tournament, and Eric McCabe, Professional Disc Golf World Champion will be on hand to conduct a “How to Clinic” for the novice or local disc golf enthusiasts. A disc golf tournament will follow the ribbon cutting ceremony with local disc golf enthusiasts on hand to assist anyone who signs up for the Disc Golf Tournament.
Special guests for the Grand Opening Ceremony includes: Jeremy Rusco of Dynamic Discs and their Dynamic Disc Mobile Store. Also, Disc Golf Answer Man Crew of Bobby Brown and Robert McCall will be on hand. 100 Free Discs provided by the Rec will be given away at the grand opening ceremonies.
The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to the new course is scheduled for 4:45 pm. Representatives from the Recreation Commission, City of Great Bend and Golden Belt Community Foundation and Jeremy Rusco will be on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Recreation Commission will be hosting a fall disc golf tournament on October 28 for all Novice and Junior Divisions. The Great Bend Flyers Club will be hosting an Open Disc Golf Tournament on November 11.
The newly designed course includes 18 tees and 3 short tees on #4, #10, #16 in addition to new tee boxes and Veteran Baskets at Veteran’s Memorial Park.
The Disc Golf Course was originally designed in 2005 by the Chamber’s Leadership Class. This project was funded in part by the Great Bend Recreation Commission and Golden Belt Community Foundation with assistance of replanting of grass and landscaping by the City of Great Bend.
For more information on the event contact Chris Umphres, 793-3755 or www.greatbendrec.com
Great Bend tennis court improvements in store for Veterans Memorial Park
The Great Bend Recreation Commission is coordinating a united effort with the City of Great Bend, USD 428 school district, and Barton Community College in moving forward with tennis court improvements of resurfacing and repairing eight courts located at Veteran’s Memorial Park.
USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says the current surface needs repairs to ensure a safe playing environment, and the collection of entities will financially come together.
Khris Thexton Audio
The courts are used by the public, Great Bend High School and Great Bend Middle School, Rec Commission, and Barton Community College.
The Rec Commission Board approved a bid from Mid-American Courtworks from Wichita to resurface the eight tennis courts at Vet’s Park.
USD 428 Board of Education President and GBRC Sports Director Chris Umphres says the courts were past due to receive repairs.
Chris Umphres Audio
The $48,668 will also reinforce the expansion joints on the courts. Mid-America Courtworks has done work at Maize Middle School, University of Kansas Tennis Center, and Goddard High School.
The tennis nets will be replaced and new benches will be provided by the Great Bend Kiwanis Club.
The improvement plan is tentative to begin the week of October 15, dependent upon weather. Alternate work dates for the project to be completed will be scheduled in the spring of 2019, if work cannot be finished this fall.
Cop Shop (10/8)
Barton County Sheriff’s Office Incident Log (10/8)
Criminal Damage
At 12:28 p.m. criminal damage was reported at 147 SE 105 Avenue in Ellinwood.
Non-Injury Accident
At 6:19 p.m. an accident was reported at NE 110 Avenue & E. K-4 Highway
Great Bend Police Department Incident Log (10/8)
Non-Injury Accident
At 10:38 a.m. a vehicle westbound on 10th Street struck another vehicle who failed to yield from a private drive at 2723 10th Street.
Traumatic Injuries
At 10:41 a.m. a subject had fallen and was transported to the hospital by Great Bend Fire EMS at 2314 31st Street.
Burglary / Not in Progress
At 1:18 p.m. a request for extra patrol was made at 2615 Lakin Avenue due to neighbors hanging around his shed.
Theft
At 1:49 p.m. a theft was reported at 1649 K-96 Highway.
Traumatic Injuries
At 2:09 p.m. a subject was transported from 2317 Washington Street.
Non-Injury Accident
At 3:18 p.m. an accident was reported at 809 Coolidge Street 124 that took place on Oct. 6.
Burglary / Not in Progress
At 4:07 p.m. a burglary was reported at 2731 Dry Creek.
Non-Injury Accident
At 5:44 p.m. a private property accident was reported at 2400 10th Street.
Traumatic Injuries
At 6:38 p.m. a subject fell and was transported from 3209 10th Street to the hospital.
Barton County Sheriff’s Booking Activity (10/8)
BOOKED: Ashley Williams of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for contempt of court, bond set at $200 cash only or 48-hour OR. BCDC case for possession of opiates, bond set at $10,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Kirk Jackson of Great Bend on BTDC case for serve sentence.
BOOKED: Shirley Burrow of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court case for interference with LEO, bond set at $1,000 C/S or 48-hour OR bond. BTDC warrant with $2,500 cash bond.
BOOKED: Jericho Riddle of Great Bend on BTDC warrants for probation violation, no bond.
BOOKED: Male juvenile on BTDC case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $2,500 C/S.
BOOKED: Male juvenile on BTDC case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $2,500 C/S.
BOOKED: Male juvenile on BTDC case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $2,500 C/S.
BOOKED: Maggie Hilmman of Great Bend on BTDC case for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, bond set at $2,500 C/S.
RELEASED: Arthur Herren of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for contempt of court after being released per the order of court.
RELEASED: Mark Prosper on Barton County District Court warrant with time served.
RELEASED: Male juvenile on BTDC case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, to JJA/Guardian.
RELEASED: Juvenile male on BTDC case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, released to JJA.
Search underway for America’s top bread bakers
Entries for the 2019 National Festival of Breads™, sponsored by Red Star® Yeast, King Arthur® Flour and the Kansas Wheat Commission, are being accepted through January 1, 2019. The competition seeks the best yeast bread recipes from home bakers and food bloggers throughout the United States.
“The National Festival of Breads™ builds upon a rich tradition of grassroots support and is the only baking competition of its kind in the country,” says Cindy Falk, co-chairperson of the event and nutrition educator for the Kansas Wheat Commission. “This contest is a way for bakers to be recognized for their baking skills and creativity.”
The 2019 contest will have two divisions: home bakers and food bloggers. Individuals who are avid amateur home bread bakers and do not make the major portion of their income by baking bread may enter the Home Baker Division. Individuals who currently maintain an active food blog and include wheat foods and yeast bread recipes as part of their content may enter the Food Blogger Division. Adult bakers, ages 18 and up, can self-identify their division and submit original recipes online at nationalfestivalofbreads.com. Submissions, which require photos of the entered bread, will only be accepted through the online form.
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Ronna Farley of Rockville, Maryland, won the 2017 National Festival of Breads with her Seeded Corn and Onion Bubble Loaf. |
Judges will evaluate all entries and select eight adult finalists, four from each division, each of whom will receive airfare and accommodations to participate in the national competition on June 8, 2019, in Manhattan, Kansas. In addition, each finalist will receive a $500 cash award, participate in a wheat harvest tour to a working Kansas wheat farm and flour mill and learn about wheat research at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center.
Two Grand Prize Winners will be awarded, one from each division. These Grand Prize winners will receive a trip to attend a baking class of their choice at the King Arthur® Flour Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vermont or Skagit Valley, Washington State, and a one-year supply of Red Star® Yeast. Complete rules are available at nationalfestivalofbreads.com.
The Festival of Breads was established in 1990 by the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas WheatHearts, an auxiliary group of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers. In the original “Festival of Breads” baking competition, hundreds of amateur bakers from Kansas submitted their baked products during the biennial competition.
The National Festival of Breads™ is sponsored by two of the most trusted brands in baking, Red Star® Yeast and King Arthur® Flour.
Red Star® Yeast was founded in 1882 and over the years has developed a complete line of yeast products including PLATINUM Superior Baking Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, Quick Rise Yeast and Cake Yeast. Red Star® Yeast also has many tips and tricks of the trade and the science behind yeast on their website, redstaryeast.com.
King Arthur® Flour is America’s oldest flour company and premier baking resource, offering ingredients, mixes, tools, recipes, educational opportunities, and inspiration to bakers worldwide. For more information, visit kingarthurflour.com.
The Kansas Wheat Commission is a farmer-funded and governed advocacy organization working to secure the future of Kansas wheat globally and domestically through research, promotion, marketing and education. Kansas wheat farmers support the Kansas Wheat Commission with a voluntary two cent assessment on each bushel of wheat produced in Kansas. For more information, log onto www.kansaswheat.org.
Additional information, full list of rules, past recipes and a summary of the 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 competitions are available at nationalfestivalofbreads.com.
Great Bend with a small cost saver on agenda distribution
The Great Bend City Council made a slight change to how they receive their meeting agendas in an attempt to save money.
Prior to last week’s decision, the eight councilmembers received a digital and physical copy of the agenda, including the detailed information on each item, the week prior to the Monday meeting.
City Administrator Kendal Francis asked the City Council of their preference on how they received the agenda going forward.
Kendal Francis Audio
The City Council voted in favor of no longer receiving the hard copy in the mail, but instead getting a the digital version emailed to them. With two meetings a month, Francis estimated that would save the City between $40 and $60 a month on postage.
Councilmember Cory Urban noted usually the physical copy does not get mailed to his house until Friday or Saturday, so receiving the digital version on Wednesday would give him more time to read through the agenda. Councilmembers will still have a hard copy waiting for them the night of meetings to follow along.
US 281 Closed at Hoisington
US HIghway 281 is closed at Hoisington due to high water. According to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, the road is closed at the Blood Creek bridge on the south side of the City due to water over the roadway.
The highway will remain closed until the water level drops at that location.
For information on other road closures, call 511 or visit the K-Dot website at www.ksdot.org