The Great Bend City Council made it official Monday night. Kendal Francis was appointed as City Administrator for the City of Great Bend and is anticipated to begin working on July 30.

Francis was chosen from 24 applicants for the job that replaces Howard Partington. Partington was in attendance Monday night as the Council voted 8-0 to appoint Francis, the Beloit native.

Partington got caught up in the community backlash of the suspension of former Great Bend Police Chief Cliff Couch last summer. Couch claimed acts of misconduct from Partington and former Mayor Mike Allison. The City Administration claimed Couch was suspended because of not following an order from Partington, among other reasons. Couch was reinstated but eventually resigned from the position noting a “target on his back.” Partington stated he was bullied, harassed, and threatened and that the “harassing attacks have been the most difficult challenge I have faced in my life.” This led to Partington retiring early in August 2017.

Francis thanked the Council for the appointment and says he is ready to go to work.

Kendal Francis Audio

George Kolb was hired in October of 2017 as Interim City Administrator until a full-time replacement could be found. His six-month contract ended in March, but was renewed until the position was filled.

Kolb said his final day would be August 17 unless Francis was comfortable with handling the duties earlier.

George Kolb Audio

Francis spent nearly 20 years in Beloit with the city’s water/wastewater department. He has served as City Administrator for Lakin and most recently as City Administrator for Coffeyville from August 2015 to March 2018.

Francis resigned from the Coffeyville City Manager position in March after settling terms with the Coffeyville City Commission. Francis cited potential displeasure from the Commission as the reason for the resignation.

Slavin Management Consultants conducted the job search and narrowed the applicant pool to three finalists that underwent formal interviews with the Council and meet-and-greets with the public at the end of June. The other two finalists were Larry Collins and Scott Hildebrand.

Francis said Slavin notified him about the offer on Tuesday, July 10.

Other City Council news from the meeting on July 16…

– The Council voted in favor of rezoning real estate southwest of Great Bend from multi-family residential to light manufacturing – service commercial. Scott Reddig made the request to turn 10 acres on the west side of Patton Road between the USD 428 District Education Center and Jayhawk Oilfield Supply into a nursing home facility.

– Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes addressed a concern from a baseball coach last weekend. The coach stated that Great Bend could not handle large baseball tournaments at the Great Bend Sports Complex because there were not enough hotel rooms. Hayes says all the hotel rooms were booked because of a large wedding in town the same weekend.

– The Council voted to authorize the Mayor to sign a Letter of Support to the Kansas Department of Commerce on behalf of Rosewood Services. Rosewood is asking for tax credits to develop the old E&E Glass facility at 1117 Williams into their new Rosewood Creation Center.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices are recommending getting influenza shots early this year, as early as August.

Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider says the agencies have always recommended getting the vaccination early, but now the groups want health professionals to urge the early shots.

Schneider adds that the vaccination has been modified from last year’s problems with the H3N2 strain.

Shelly Schneider Audio

Historically, Schneider says the Health Department has encouraged getting flu shots in September or October to stretch out the effectiveness of the vaccine. The CDC and ACIP say the vaccine is effective enough and residents should get the shot as soon as possible, regardless of when their last vaccination occurred.

Shelly Schneider Audio

The CDC reports 177 pediatric deaths from influenza during the 2017-2018 flu season, up from 110 in the previous year.

7/13

BOOKED: Brandon Gordon of Hoisington on Hoisington Municipal Court serve sentence.

BOOKED: Deanna Bell of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court case for battery DV with bond set at $1,000 C/S or 48-hour OR bond.

BOOKED: Juvenile of Hoisington for Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation, no bond.

BOOKED: Amber Demel of Great Bend for Barton County District Court case for possession of controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $2,500 C/S. BCDC warrant for failure to appear, bond is $750 cash.

BOOKED: Alisa Orosco on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt with a bond set at $1,277.50 cash only or 25 days in jail.

BOOKED: Sean Aldridge of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation with no bond.

BOOKED: James Pattinson of Great Bend on Barton County District Court case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Randy Dent of Great Bend on Barton County District Court case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Alex Roth of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for theft with a bond set at $5,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Juvenile of Hoisington for Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation, to Bob Johnsons.

RELEASED: Alex Roth of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for theft after posting a $5,000 surety bond through Dyn-O-Mite.

7/14

BOOKED: Courtney Clark of Great Bend on Reno County District Court warrant for failure to appear, no bond. Hoisington Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $1,500 cash only. Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Joshua Bitter of Great Bend on BTDC case for aggravated battery, bond is set at $75,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Jorge Aguilera of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation, no bond.

BOOKED: Charles Demel of Hoisington on serve sentence.

BOOKED: Melbra Orr of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court case for giving false alarm, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Trenton Schlotthauer of Great Bend on Ellinwood Municipal Court serve sentence.

7/15

BOOKED: Larry Keeler of Great Bend on Barton District Court case for DUI, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Mitchall Woodruff of Lucas on Barton County District Court case for DUI, open container, and failure to maintain a lane, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Joshua Hensley of Hoisington on Barton County District Court case for possession of marijuana, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Christy Ann Moore of Hutchinson on Barton County District warrant for domestic battery, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property, bond is set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Misty Bryant of Hoisington on Barton County District Court case for possession of methamphetamine with bond set at $10,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Eric Ehster on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond in lieu of $500 C/S.

BOOKED: Apolinar Soto of Kinsley on Barton County District Court warrant for failure to appear with bond set at $1,500 C/S.

RELEASED: Mitchall Woodruff of Lucas on BCDC case for DUI, ITOL, and failure to maintain a lane after he posted a $1,000 surety bond.

RELEASED: Deanna Bell of Great Bend on GBMC case for battery DV after Bell served 48 hours.

RELEASED: Derek Devine of Great Bend on Newton Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, transferred to Harvey County.

RELEASED: Joshua Hensley of Hoisington on BCDC case for possession of marijuana after posting a $2,500 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Misty Bryant of Hoisington on BCDC case for possession of methamphetamine after posting a $10,000 surety bond through Dyn-O-Mite Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Eric Ehster on GBMC warrant for failure to appear after posting a $500 surety bond through A-1 Bonding.

RELEASED: Brandon Gordon of Hoisington on Hoisington Municipal Court serve sentence for time served.

RELEASED: Larry Keeler of Great Bend on BCDC case for DUI after posting a $1,000 surety bond through A-1 Bonding.

RELEASED: Apolinar Soto of Kinsley on BCDC warrant for failure to appear after posting a $1,500 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

First as usual, a drought update is in order.  The area no longer under drought conditions or even abnormally dry has expanded from Northwest Kansas into northern sections of Southwest Kansas, a section just south of Ford County and into parts of North Central Kansas.  Here we are in moderate drought with just east of Great Bend in severe drought.  Again the worst conditions are east of I-135 in the Flint Hills.  The recent weather will likely eliminate some of the gains.  Hopefully the forecast cooler weather and rain chances this week will materialize.  Today, let’s discuss a new crop that has been identified as being used as long as 10,000 years ago and has been an important source of fiber for several thousand years at least – hemp.

The Kansas Legislature passed and the Governor approved a bill to start the cultivation of industrial hemp.  The Kansas Department of Agriculture after a listening tour and many hours of work has written an initial set of regulations for producers wanting into the business.  There is interest from Congress, especially from Senate Majority Leader McConnell, in cultivating industrial hemp.  This isn’t easy due to various drug laws, etc.  And we aren’t discussing this today.  Instead, let’s focus on what this could potentially mean for Kansas crop producers.  Also, we aren’t delving into industrial hemp versus marijuana debate.  They are in essence different varieties of the same plant, Cannabis sativa.  Marijuana has the psychoactive properties while industrial hemp while containing THC, it is present in much smaller amounts and was bred for fiber, not THC.  So what about industrial hemp as a crop?

First, if the hemp growing wild all over the area is any indication, it seems to accept the climate and soils.  Here we are speaking of hemp production primarily for fiber.   Hemp uses include cordage (rope), fabric, high quality paper and canvas.  Hemp production was heavily promoted as part of the war effort in WWI and WWII.  It also has applications as a wood substitute in many applications; can be used in composite materials and plastics; in Europe parts of the plant are used for animal bedding; and as a biofuel similar to biodiesel or fermented to make ethanol.

In terms of cultivation, hemp is a summer annual crop maturing in ninety to one hundred and twenty days.   For better quality fiber it is planted closely together.  Hemp produces well with less fertilizer than a typical corn crop.  Planted closely together in combination with a vigorous growth habit it typically out competes weeds which is important with the lack of labelled herbicides.  Hemp can tolerate a wide variety of soil types but prefers loamy type soils.  Like most broadleaves it doesn’t like waterlogged or acid soils.  It loves heat and can produce a good crop using much less water than cotton and can produce a taproot up to four feet deep.  Not having to worry about harvesting seed is also a benefit as many producers with traditional crops can relate good vegetative growth followed by poor grain yield.  While hemp has diseases associated with it, other areas producing hemp seldom find diseases hurting yield.  Finally, like canola, succeeding crop yields benefit from following hemp.

This is just a brief overview, very brief.  However, if laws can be changed at the Federal level, hemp could be an excellent and economically viable crop for many Kansas producers.

BUSINESS NEWS

Central Care Cancer Center is partnering with HCA Midwest Health to bring one of the nation’s leading neurosurgeons to Garden City and Great Bend in late August to present to area healthcare providers the latest approaches in treating pain. Dr. William Rosenberg, founder and neurosurgeon of the Center for the Relief of Pain, located in Kansas City, Mo., will conduct a presentation at Heartland Cancer Center, Garden City, the evening of Aug. 20. He will follow his presentation by leading an informal discussion with providers the morning of Aug. 21 at Central Care Cancer Center of Great Bend.

“It is important to focus first on diagnosis and from that, develop a treatment, plan,” explained Dr. Rosenberg about his pain treatment methods. “I have a large toolbox when it comes to dealing with pain, and can select which tool might be applicable for the patient, ranging from conventional spinal surgery and fusion, all the way to brain stimulation or intrathecal drug delivery and other small procedures that alter the way the nervous system processes pain.”

“Neurosurgical Approaches to Cancer Pain” will be presented by Dr. Rosenberg during a dinner hosted from 6-8 p.m. on Aug. 20 at Heartland Cancer Center, 410 E. Spruce St., Garden City. One CME/CNE credit is available for physicians, physician assistants, APRNs and nurses who attend. There is no charge to attend the dinner or presentation, but RSVPs are requested. Contact Aaron Cannon, Marketing Manager for Central Care Cancer Center for questions or to RSVP, 785-506-5716 or aaron.cannon@cccancer.com.

“Neurosurgical Treatment of Pain” will be the topic of discussion from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 21 at Central Care Cancer Center of Great Bend, 204 Cleveland St. Breakfast will be served. There is no charge to attend the breakfast, but providers are asked to contact Michael Dawes, Public Relations Manager for Central Care Cancer Center for questions or to RSVP, 785-577-8348 or michael.dawes@cccancer.com.

Dr. Rosenberg has dedicated more than two decades to the neurosurgical treatment of pain in his practice, using a patient-centered and evidence-based approach. He is Vice President for the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pain. He is also founder and President Emeritus of the Cancer Pain Research Consortium.

Story by Micah Oelze-gobarton.com
Courtesy photos

The National Quilt Museum’s annual traveling show “New Quilts from an Old Favorite” featuring the Flying Geese block will be on display from July 16-Aug. 4 in The Shafer Art Gallery. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is free.

The gallery will also hold a Quilter’s Night on July 19 at 6:30 p.m. All quilters and those interested in quilting are invited to attend an evening of conversation and refreshments. Shafer Art Gallery Director Dave Barnes will give a special tour of the exhibit.

“The exhibit has become a popular tradition that allows us to display the work of some of the very best contemporary quilt makers in the world today,” Barnes said.

Quilters from 12 U.S. states and Canada created mesmerizing quilts taking the Flying Geese block to incredible new heights.

This year, Susan Mogan of Mobile, Ala. took first place with her stunning quilt titled “Migration Patterns.” This piece combines the traditional art of quilting with modern art. Its bright colors draw the viewer in, and its detail in both the pattern and the stitching hold them in admiration of the artistic talent used in creating this award-winning quilt.

“The large colored triangles were placed to suggest the staggered positions of the geese as they fly, with the colors suggesting the change from warm weather to cold and back again in the endlessly repeating ancient dance of life and migration that reminds us of the flow and changing seasons of our own lives,” Mogan said.

Second place was awarded to Robin Gausebeck of Rockford, Ill. For her quilt “Saturday Night at the Honk-y Tonk Saloon.” Judy Stokes of Columbus, Miss. and Colleen Eskridge of Boone, N.C. collaborated to create the third-place quilt “Soaring to New Heights” which was inspired by military airshow photos. “I Don’t Know If I’m Coming or Going” by Leslie Johnson of Arvada, Colo. captured fourth place with “Jacob’s Plumage” by Patricia A. Hobbs of Macomb, Ill. taking fifth.

“I believe quilting is a traditional art form that truly defines the American experience,” Barnes said. “We are always excited to promote and celebrate it.”

Finalist quilts featured in the exhibit include:

“On the Wings of Eternity,” by Jean Brueggenjohann of Columbia, Mo.

“Welkom Nederland,” by Tere D’Amato of Mashpee, Mass.

“Destination Unknown,” by Mary Kay Davis of Sunnyvale, Calif.

“Celebration,” by Gail Garber of Rio Rancho, N.M.

“Twirly Birds,” by Julia Graber of Brooksville, Miss.

“Poursuite d’oie sauvage à Paris (Wild Goose Chase in Paris),” by Charlene Hearst of Toronto, Canada

“Fly Away Home,” by Anita M. Karban-Neef of Cary, Ill.

“Silly Goose,” by Chris Lynn Kirsch of Watertown, Wis.

“Glad Plaid Goose Dance,” by Ann L. Petersen of Surprise, Ariz.

“Lucy Goosy @ the Improv,” by Katie Pidgeon of Toronto, Canada

“Chilly Goose, No Feathers,” by Alicia Sterna of Surprise, Ariz.

“Farm Alarm,” by Sue Turnquist of Tifton, Ga.

“Moonlight Migration,” by Jane Zillmer of Mercer, Wis.

Quilters wishing to enter future “New Quilts from an Old Favorite” contests can request an entry form by visiting the museum’s website at www.quiltmuseum.org. Upcoming themes include the Oak Leaf and Reel in 2019 and Wheel of Fortune in 2020. The National Quilt Museum is a non-profit institution located in downtown Paducah, Ky. and is supported in part by the Kentucky Arts Council.