Barton County Sheriff’s Office Incident Log (6/20)
Fire
At 12:27 a.m. a fire was reported at NE 110 Avenue & NE 200 Road in Claflin.
Category: Local
Regents approves tuition hikes for the 6 state universities
The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) approved tuition rates for each of the six state universities in Kansas for the 2018-2019 academic year.
According to a media release, tuition increases for resident and non-resident undergraduates ranged from 1.1 percent to 2.8 percent, apart from Kansas State University Polytechnic, which had no tuition increase. Tuition increases for resident and non-resident graduate students also ranged from 1.1 percent to 2.8 percent, excluding Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, which had no tuition increase.
The Regents approve tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year as proposed in the June Board agenda, which is available here: https://t.co/7EZiwMdic7
— KS Board of Regents (@ksregents) June 20, 2018
“Raising tuition is always a difficult decision that the Regents deliberate carefully,” said KBOR Chair David Murfin. “We will continue to work with the Governor and the Legislature, as well our institutions, to keep higher education as affordable as possible for Kansans.”
In 2018, state universities received a partial restoration of the $31 million reduction in state funding that occurred in 2016. This allowed universities to propose tuition increases that were among the lowest in recent years.
One of the primary responsibilities of the Board of Regents, as defined in state law, is to set tuition and fees at state universities. Based on the tuition rates approved today, it is projected that approximately $743 million will be raised from tuition revenues this upcoming year.
The tuition proposals that were approved by the Board Wednesday may be accessed through the June 2018 agenda here.
Barton County Sheriff’s Booking Activity (6/20)
BOOKED: Benson Begay of Great Bend for Great Bend Municipal Court case for criminal trespass, bond set at $500 C/S.
BOOKED: Patricia Avinger of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for possession of a controlled substance, forgery, and possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $10,000 C/S. Dickinson County District Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $400 cash only.
BOOKED: Allyssia Jackson of Great Bend on BTDC case for possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, and distributing marijuana, bond set at $10,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Adrianna Kennedy of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for probation violation, no bond. BTDC case for possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, no driver’s license, illegal window tint, no insurance, bond set at $10,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Fred Kendrick of Tuba City, AZ on GBMC case for criminal trespass, bond set at $500 C/S or 48-hour OR bond.
RELEASED: David Williams of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for failure to appear after receiving an order of release from the court.
RELEASED: Brian Fellers of Great Bend on BCDC warrant for probation violation to probation for 12 months supervision.
RELEASED: Gavin Farlow of Great Bend on BTDC warrant to Corrections for 12 months supervision.
RELEASED: Joe Depiesse of Hoisington on BCDC case for possession of a controlled substance, possession of hallucinogenic, and possession of drug paraphernalia, bond reduced from $10,000 C/S to $3,000 C/S by order of the court. Posted bond through Dyn-O-Mite Bail Bonding.
Great Bend Zoo promotes “Plastic Free July”
Press release from the City of Great Bend…
Plastic Free July is an initiative that started in Australia that is now taking hold in the US and largely being promoted by zoos across the country. One of the main goals of the many zoos is to save species and at the heart of that is saving the environment where critically endangered species live.
The problem with plastic is that it can take thousands of years for it to start to degrade. Even plastic that is recycled is often only recycled once into a lesser quality plastic. Scientists are finding that plastics will breakdown to smaller pieces and are often ingested by animals in our food chain like fish. Humans have created so much trash that there is an “island” of garbage in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is estimated to hold 1.6 million square kilometers of trash and depending on currents it can be anywhere from the size of Texas to the size of Russia. Even here in Great Bend on windy days large amounts of plastic trash can be seen up against the perimeter fence.
The solution to the problem is simple; avoiding and refusing plastics. Americans use 500 million plastic straws every day, if each person were to switch to a reusable stainless steel or glass straw that would be tons of plastic out of the landfills. Zoo Curator Sara Hamlin gives several ideas on how to reduce your personal plastic use:
- Bring your own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store it cuts down on plastic use and sometimes grocery stores offer a small discount for using your own bags.
- Shop at our local farmers market like the Summer Street Stroll because you get your produce without plastic wrapping.
- Take your own Tupperware out to dinner with you so the containers can be reused when you have leftovers.
For the month of July the zoo is offering 10% off all items in the gift shop that reduce plastic use like reusable shopping bags, drink tumblers and stainless steel reusable straws. Every single person has the power to create change.
For more information about the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo Plastic Free July, contact Sara at the Zoo 6260-793-4226.
Great Bend presented 2017 annual audit report
It was another overall clean audit for the City of Great Bend as auditor Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball presented their report Monday night. Vickie Dreiling, representing ABBB, informed the City Council of the unmodified opinion, the highest form of opinion on the financial statements.
The reconciled cash balance for the year ending December 31, 2017 was $32,983,558. The unencumbered cash balance was $27,959,116, meaning that over $5 million needs to come out of the cash balance.
Vickie Dreiling Audio
The audit showed the City’s long-term debt was at $10,575,340 at the end of 2017, and the City paid $263,736 in interest. Most of the bonds or debt are scheduled to be paid off by 2019, except the largest debt from the waterline improvement project.
Vickie Dreiling Audio
The City of Great Bend paid ABBB $26,600 to conduct the audit for the 2017 fiscal year.
Legal fight winding down in hepatitis C case involving former Hays Med tech
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire hospital is closer to holding others financially accountable for a traveling medical technician who infected dozens of patients in multiple states with hepatitis C.
David Kwiatkowski worked at the Hays Medical Center catheterization lab between May and September, 2010.
He is serving 39 years in prison for stealing painkillers and replacing them with saline-filled syringes tainted with his blood.
Despite being fired numerous times over drug allegations, he had worked as a cardiac technologist in 18 hospitals in seven states before being hired in New Hampshire in 2011. After his arrest in 2012, 46 people in four states were diagnosed with the same strain of the hepatitis C virus he carries, including one who died in Kansas.
His last employer, Exeter Hospital, sued the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and several staffing agencies in hopes of recouping some of the settlement money it has paid to dozens of infected patients and nearly 200 who were not infected but claimed some harm. In the most recent development, attorneys said the hospital has reached a settlement with Triage Staffing. The complaints against two other agencies were dismissed in 2014, so if a judge approves the Triage settlement, the registry organization would be the only remaining defendant.
Attorneys for the hospital and the registry organization did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. In court documents filed in February, all parties said they hoped mediation would resolve the issues. If not, the case is set to go to trial early next year.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver. For most people, it turns into a chronic disease. Kwiatkowski, who learned he had the disease in 2010, apologized to his victims at his sentencing in 2013, saying his crime was caused by an addiction to painkillers and alcohol.
In all, 32 patients were infected in New Hampshire, seven in Maryland, six in Kansas and one in Pennsylvania. Kwiatkowski also worked in Michigan, New York, Arizona and Georgia.
GBRC – Party On The Court Tennis Tournament
BUSINESS NEWS
The Great Bend Recreation Commission will be hosting a Youth Party On The Court Tennis Tournament on Saturday, June 30th, starting at 8:00 am. We will be offering both boys and girls divisions for singles and doubles. There will be 12 & under, 14 & under, 16 & under and 18 & under divisions for the tournament. We will also be offering an Adult Party On The Court Tennis Tournament on Saturday, June 30th, starting at 1:00 pm. We will offer women’s and men’s divisions for beginner, intermediate and advance players. Both tournaments will be held at Shannon Schartz Courts (17th & McKinley). The entry fee for these non-sanctioned tennis tournaments are $15.00 for singles and $15.00 for doubles. The entry deadline for both tournaments is Tuesday, June 26th. Shannon Schartz will be the Tournament Director. Enroll at the Great Bend Recreation Commission office located at 1214 Stone Street or for more information contact the Recreation Commission office at 793-3755 ext. 110.
Great Bend woman hospitalized after driver swerves to miss a deer
RENO COUNTY— One person was injured in a Tuesday accident in Reno County.
A pickup driven by Anthoney Maness, 54, Great Bend was northbound in the 8500 Block of Kansas 14 in Reno County, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
The driver swerved to miss a deer and the pickup traveled into the east ditch, jumped a culvert and popped a tire.
A passenger in the pickup Mystica Sherley, 21, Great Bend was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for a possible broken arm and rib pain.
Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the sheriff’s department.
Cop Shop (6/19)
Barton County Sheriff’s Office Incident Log (6/19)
Non-Injury Accident
At 12:36 p.m. an accident was reported at 39 NW 50 Road.
At 1:25 p.m. a vehicle swerved to avoid a vehicle stopped in the roadway and struck a mailbox at 4612 Railroad Avenue.
At 2:21 p.m. an accident was reported at 209 W. B Street in Ellinwood.
Traffic Arrest
At 7:50 p.m. a traffic arrest was made at Park Street.
Fire
At 7:55 p.m. a fire was reported at 169 SE 105 Avenue in Ellinwood.
K9 Use / Call Out
At 8:08 p.m. a K-9 call out was used at Park Street.
Great Bend Police Department Incident Log (6/19)
Criminal Damage
At 7:36 a.m. criminal damage was reported at 1101 Kansas Avenue.
Theft
At 8:11 a.m. a theft was reported at 29th Street & Washington Street.
Criminal Damage
At 11:34 a.m. criminal damage was reported at 1503 2nd Street.
Non-Injury Accident
At 1:38 p.m. an accident was reported at 1106 Frey Street.
Burglary / In Progress
At 10:19 p.m. a report of unknown subjects outside her residence at 2501 5th Street was made.
Bobby Dale Earnhardt is going dirt racing in Ellis County
By SHANE WALTERS
RacingNews.co
Bobby Dale Earnhardt is the grandson of Dale Earnhardt, son of Kerry Earnhardt. Despite the name, Bobby Dale has been circling the grassroots side of the sport on his climb up the motorsports ladder.
But, from the beginning, he’s been doing it the hard way, on purpose. “Just doing it on my own and working my way up like my grandpa Dale did,” Bobby Dale explained to RacingNews.co .
Over the weekend, he was found at Ona Speedway. He ran an open wheel asphalt modified at the 7/16-mile track in Ona, WV.
“Well guys last night didn’t go as well as we had hoped. We ended the night in a wreck. I had no place to go once everyone started piling up on the front stretch but that’s good ole fashion short track racing for ya. But the main thing is I had a great time out at Ona Speedway,” Bobby said after the race weekend.
Now, he’s ready for a different kind of modified. Earnhardt is heading for the midwest dirt tracks. Back to back days of open wheel dirt track racing.
“I’m excited to announce I’ll be back in an open wheel modified again next weekend June 22-23 @ Salina Speedway in Salina, KS & RPM Speedway in Hays, KS. Except this time I’m going back to grass roots racing where my great grandad ran & my grandpa Dale started, ON DIRT!”
Salina Speedway and Rolling Plains Motor Speedway are on the schedule. On June 22, he’ll be at Salina Speedway in Salina. The following night, he’ll head over to RPM Speedway in Hays. Both of these tracks are 3/8-mile midwest dirt tracks.
How did this come about? “My business partner set this whole weekend up he lives up in Canton, Kansas and knows everyone around there. He has a Gelbvieh Cattle Ranch called Circle S Ranch,” Bobby Dale Earnhardt explained to RacingNews.co .
John & Carla Shearer own a Geldvia Cattle Farm called Circle S Ranch in Canton, Kansas. The Shearer family and Bobby Dale Earnhardt have teamed up multiple times. Previously, Earnhardt and Shearer fielded an ARCA Racing Series machine.
What’s your earlier memory at a dirt track? “My earliest memory is of me and my brother running our go cart on the local dirt track.”
Jeffrey Earnhardt is the younger brother to Bobby Dale.
Previously, Bobby Dale Earnhardt has run dirt late models at Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, WV. He’s also turned laps at Muskingum County Speedway and Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Bobby Dale Earnhardt will be driving the #66 for Jerry Phillips Racing at both dirt tracks. JPR is based in Kansas. Main Street Towing and Dacus Auto Body & Collision Repair out of McPherson, Kansas will both be featured on the car.
Last year, he made his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well as the ARCA Racing Series.
Recently, Earnhardt Shearer Racing partnered with Honor Flight. They help military veterans visit memorial sites that are dedicated to them.