Authorities have released the name of the victim of Sunday’s drowning accident at Wilson Lake.

35-year old Cody J. Maris of Great Bend died early Sunday morning after he attempted to swim to a boat that had come loose and was floating away.

According to the Russell County Sheriff’s Department, several 911 calls were received around 1:20am to report the man was missing. At approximately 7:20am, searchers recovered the body of the man who was identified as the missing swimmer. The man was identified Monday afternoon as Cody Maris.

Everyone is invited to attend the official ribbon-cutting and celebration of the implementation of the High Visibility Crosswalk at Hoisington Activity Center on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 11 am.

Dr. Joyce Ellis of Fort Hays State University will be representing the Governor’s Council on Fitness at the celebration. Other invited guests are the Barton County Commissioners, County Administrator Phil Hathcock, Hoisington City Administrator Jonathan Mitchell and Hoisington City Council Members, USD 431 Superintendent Bill Lowry, Clara Barton Hospital Administrator Jim Blackwell, County Engineer Barry McManaman, Road & Bridge Director Darren Williams, Hoisington Recreation Commission Director Chris Kinman, GPS students, and Be Well Barton County task force members.

The Governor’s Council on Fitness granted Barton County Health Department project funds for the crosswalk through the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction grant, coordinated by Janel Rose.

The high visibility crosswalk to Hoisington Activity Center was identified as one of the measures that would increase safety of residents and students going to the center daily. Grant funding was also used to develop the sidewalk design along Main Street south of Highway 56 in Ellinwood. Funds were also used to support the Walking School Bus program in USD 428 Great Bend.

Light refreshments will be served at the Hoisington Activity Center following the ribbon cutting.

The 2019 operating budget for Barton County was approved by Barton County Commissioners Monday morning.

County Administrator Phil Hathcock noted a slight decrease in the mill levy because of a valuation increase. The mill levy is going from 43.657 in 2018 to 43.592 for the proposed budget of 2019. Hathcock noted lowering the mill levy further would cut expenditures into the foreseeable future or until the legislative tax lid is lifted.

Commission Chair Jennifer Schartz felt like the Commission and County staff did a good job budgeting for 2019, but there are always areas where they wish they could fund more.

Jennifer Schartz Audio

The 2019 budget includes a valuation increase of $9,803,841. The budget includes mandatory cost increases including $100,000 in the employer portion of KPERS, $45,000 for health insurance costs, and a 45-cent per hour raise for county employees.

Hathcock was notified the case and trial of the now four suspects with a connection to the death of a Wichita couple at the Barton County Fair on July 13 could cost the county.

Phil Hathcock Audio

Public Safety and Public Works, essentially the county’s roads, make up 60 percent of the planned expenditures from levied funds in 2019. Hathcock noted only 20 – 26 percent of citizens’ tax dollars support the Barton County government, depending on where you live.

The total mill levy will generate $11,610,008 in property tax.

There will be only one Great Bend City Council race that will be included on next Tuesday’s primary ballot. Three of the five people who’s names will be on next week’s ballot participated in last week’s Candidate Forum at Great Bend High School. Bobby Lee Roller stated in his opening that he wasn’t much for public speaking and that carried over into his closing statement as well.

Bobby Lee Roller Audio

Roller is a former corrections officer who has spent the last 10 years working in the oilfield.

Bradley McCune is a native of Mitchell County and worked at the CO-OP for 30 years, working his way up to a Branch Manager’s position before retiring. He stayed retired for three months before deciding to become a driver for the next 17 years.

Bradley McCune Audio

Alan Moeder has owned Moeder Plumbing, Heating & Air since 1982 as has also run a catering service since 2014. He is a past President of the Great Bend Optimist Club and past Chairman of Barton County Relay for Life.

Alan Moeder Audio

Jessica Milsap was unable to attend last week’s forum due to illness. Milsap serves as a Chamber Ambassador and is a member of Barton County Young Professionals, is a licensed realtor for MPIRE and a personal trainer at the Fieldhouse in Great Bend.

Josh Ellis will also be on Tuesday’s ballot but he has pulled out of the race due to the fact that he will be moving out of Ward 1 in the near future.

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a home invasion stabbing and have one suspect in custody.

Just after 3 a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a residence in the 2200 Block of Morton in Great Bend, according to a media release. Officers located a 52-year-old man with stab wounds to his side and back.

The victim told police a woman he knew and an unknown man kicked open the door to his residence and a scuffle ensued. During the scuffle they stabbed the man and fled the scene. The man was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He was released on Sunday, according to the release.

Police located and arrested a 28-year-old female suspect. They did not release the name of the suspect or the victim.  Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact Great Bend Police.

Does Extension Matter Anymore?

First as usual, a drought update is in order.  Again, nothing after 8 a.m. this past Tuesday is included.  The biggest change is the bullseye of extreme and exceptional drought in Northeast Kansas and part of Southeast Kansas.  Our area is relatively unchanged and much of Northwest and a substantial portion of Southwest Kansas are no even abnormally dry.  The rain late last week combined with moderate temperatures may ease conditions reported in this Thursday’s report.  One other note is in order.  These relatively moderate temperatures expected this week and the previous week should slow down grain fill for corn significantly and improve yields and test weights.  Definitely better conditions than the area experienced last summer.

Does the K-State Research and Extension Service, including local Extension Units, matter?  The obvious answer based on surveys and opinions is a resounding yes.  Previous columns have discussed the history of the Land Grant System and the Extension Service and their invaluable contributions to not just crop and livestock production, but in many areas of our everyday lives.  K-State was/is viewed as a source of objective, unbiased information.  So why bring this up?

K-State, which is our Land Grant University and home to Research and Extension, has over the last twenty plus years had to make significant cuts to these services due to budget cuts.  Since 2000, several agronomy experiment fields have closed as have fields from other areas.  On July 23^rd in the High Plains Journal, Bill Spiegel wrote a column explaining what has happened most recently including:

• After twenty-five years, Curt Thompson, state agronomy extension leader and state weed specialist in corn and grain sorghum is retiring. His position will probably not be filled.  This would leave Kansas down to one state weed specialist.
• In Southeast Kansas, the area Extension agronomic specialist resigned and again, this position will probably remain vacant. As an aside, at one time there were six area specialists in agronomy with six area extension offices.  This would leave three for the entire state.
• The Pecan Experiment Field is slated to be closed and sold. The John C. Pair Horticulture Center is slated for closure with some rumbling of finding funds to keep it open.  The agronomy research field south of Pleasantville in Reno County is losing the PhD Agronomist-In-Charge to retirement and he is expected to be replaced with a manager with a B.S.
• As Bill reports, the budget has been reduced by 16% over the last ten years. This amounts to over eight million dollars.  The budget not only impacts K-State at Manhattan and its outstate fields but also county and district Extension offices.  The local offices receive monies from State and Federal sources in addition to the county or district.  The county/district has had to absorb more and more of the costs over the last twenty years.
• There are many more reductions that could be cited but these are the most recent ones.

Many complain that K-State and the local offices don’t do as much as they used to for Kansas and that is often correct.  They are doing what they can with what they have.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, industry has moved in to fill the void.  If this is of concern to people, it is extremely important to let your state officials and elected representatives know.