BOOKED: Dylan Blanchard of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $500 C/S.

BOOKED: Julio Heredia-Torres of Midland, TX on GBMC warrant for FTA, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Amanda H. Howard on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court with a bond of $422.50 cash only and on GBMC warrant for contempt with a bond of $407.50 cash only. GBMC warrant for contempt of court with a bond of $725 cash only.

BOOKED: Eric Ramos of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear with bond set at $2,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Dylan Blanchard of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, posted bond through Ace Bail Bonding of $1,000.

RELEASED: Julio Heredia-Torres of Midland, TX on GBMC warrant for FTA after posting $1,000 bond through Dyn-O-Mite Bail Bonds.

RELEASED: Eric Ramos of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear after posting a $2,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

The City of Great Bend has made recent efforts to be as transparent as possible with water bills and meter readings. At a Great Bend City Council meeting in April, the City outlined the entire process on how water rates are calculated.

Interim City Administrator George Kolb mentioned at the July 10^th budget session that the City plans to allocate money over the years to automate the entire water meter system. Kolb noted an automated system would reduce labor and benefit the customers.

George Kolb Audio

Funding has been ongoing to replace roughly three percent of Great Bend’s aging water meters each year. The plan going forward would not only increase the replaced meters, but also make them automated meters to eliminate estimated bills.

Kolb noted the $2 million project would take several years to complete.

George Kolb Audio

With over 6,000 water meters that the City operates, it takes the one trained employee roughly a month to manually read all the meters. The new automated system would allow the reader to drive by the meter or be in close proximity of it to receive the reading. Water is billed to the nearest 1,000 gallons used.

The 2019 recommended budget allocates $250,000 to help fund the automated meter system.

A budget hearing is scheduled for August 20 before the final budget has to be submitted to the Barton County Clerk on August 25.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Freightliner semi driven by Mehmed

Dogdic 53, Grayson, GA., was westbound Interstate 70 at the Vesper exit in the right lane.

The driver saw the rain coming and began to slow down. A wind gust hit the vehicle causing the driver to lose control. The semi flipped over into the median.

Dogdic was transported to the hospital in Ellsworth. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

As the 2018 Airfest draws closer, we’ll hear more about some of the pilots and planes that will be both performing and on display at this years event that takes place September 28th through the 30th at the Great Bend Airport.

Adam “Shakenbake” Baker will be in Great Bend for the Airshow and is a one of a kind airshow pilot. Adams competition background and progressive freestyle flying match his one of a kind plane scheme that is updated yearly. His progressive thinking and industry changing strategy has made him marketable to all generations.

Adam Baker Audio

Baker was recently the cover story for World Air Show News where he is shown flying upside down at 300 miles per hour. Baker says he will perform three different shows during his stay in Great Bend.

You can get more information on this years Airfest by going to greatbendairfest.com .

written by: Donna Krug, District Director and Family & Consumer Science Agent – Cottonwood Extension District

Learning safe food handling practices is one of the best skills a person can acquire. We have two opportunities for anyone interested in the ServSafe program coming up in August. Read on for more details.

An Employee ServSafe Class will be offered in Great Bend on Wednesday, August 15. This class for food handlers will be held from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend office, located at 1800 12th Street. As an Extension educator, I am happy to offer this training to food handler employees. This course is based on the 6th Edition of the ServSafe Food Handler Guide. Participants who complete the class will receive a certificate. The cost to register for the August 15th class is $10 and registration may be completed on line by going to the KRHA website, www.krha.org.

A ServSafe Manager Certification Course will be held on Thursday, August 23, from 8:15 am to 5 pm at the Cottonwood Extension District – Hays Office, located at 601 Main Street. The ServSafe program is a national certification program designed to teach safe food handling practices to those who serve food to the public. ServSafe in Kansas is provided by K-State Research & Extension in partnership with the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association (KRHA). Neeley Carlson, KRHA, will be the course instructor. The cost for the course is $113 for KRHA members or $133 for non-KRHA members and includes the ServSafe 7th edition textbook, national certification exam, training materials and refreshments. The course is taught in English, however exams in other languages are available. Please note language preference in registration. Pre-registration is requested in advance to allow for ordering books and materials. Mail registration and payment to KRHA or register online with a credit card at: www.krha.org A minimum attendance is required to hold this class.

If you have any questions about either of these ServSafe workshops please contact me.

Alan LaPolice, the farmer from Clyde, is hoping the third time is a charm. LaPolice is again in the race to take the seat in Kansas’ 1^st Congressional District, currently being held by Dr. Roger Marshall. LaPolice campaigned for Congress in 2014 losing to Tim Huelskamp in the Republican Primary, and in 2016 losing to Marshall in the General Election as an Independent.

LaPolice says his main goal of running for office is to restore the public’s trust.

Alan LaPolice Audio

LaPolice received 45 percent of the vote against Huelskamp in 2014, but in the 2016 election against Marshall he received only 26 percent.

No one is running against LaPolice in the Democratic Primary in 2018 and most people anticipate him to face Marshall again in the General Election this November. Nick Reinecker is filed as a Republican and will face incumbent Marshall in the Primary.

LaPolice participated in the Great Bend Forum Tuesday at Great Bend High School and hopes more debates will come after the Primary Election.

Alan LaPolice Audio

Kansas’ 1^st Congressional District encompasses 69 counties in western and central Kansas, more than half of the state.

Bike Brew Q is holding its third annual event in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation this Saturday at the Great Bend Expo Complex. The event features three staples of summer: cycling, barbecue and craft beer.

Event founder Ryan Fairchild says Bike Brew Q got started on a Tuesday night bike ride.

Ryan Fairchild Audio

Fairchild’s cousin, wife, and brother-in-law all have cystic fibrosis. Simply put, cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs and can cause difficulty breathing. Over the past two years, Bike Brew Q has been able to raise over $12,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Tickets for each event…biking, beer, and eating…are sold separately so attendees only pay for the events they wish to do.

Ryan Fairchild Audio

The biking starts at 7:30 a.m., two food vendors at 11 a.m., and the Craft Brew Expo portion of the event will be from 1 – 4 p.m. There will be more than 50 beers to try from 15 different breweries. Tickets can be purchased the day of the event or now by going to bikebrewq.com.

Story help from Joe Vinduska

Dana Dawson is the most recognizable candidate seeking a spot on the Great Bend City Council in the upcoming November election. For 14 years, Dawson served on the council representing the 4th Ward before deciding not to run in the last election.

Dawson will be on the ballot once again in November as he will again seek a spot on the council, this time in Ward 3.

Dana Dawson Audio

Dawson’s comments came during Tuesday night’s Candidate Forum at Great Bend High School.

Dawson’s opponent in November will be 32-year old Jacob Davis who worked as a firefighter and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician for nine years in Dodge City before becoming a bus driver and grounds worker for USD 428.

Jacob Davis Audio

Ward 1 will be the only precinct that will have voting take place in the August 7th primary. The two candidates who receive the most votes on August 7 advance to the November general election. You can listen to the entire Candidate Forum here.