By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-hopes-one-agency-can-better-help-kids-and-families-buffet-departments#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — The same kids who end up in trouble with the law often come from families in disarray.

Those families, in turn, regularly turn to the state for food assistance, foster care or mental health care.

So last week, Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-governor-wants-create-one-stop-agency-social-welfare-programs#stream/0">plans to merge</a>
 many of the state’s social service offices — effectively reversing a 
breakup of the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services that 
came in 2012 when Republican Sam Brownback was governor.

Kelly 
wants to combine the two state agencies handling social welfare with the
 office that handles juvenile justice services. The new agency would be 
called the Department of Human Services.

Experts say they’re 
optimistic, but the changes will create their difficulties, including 
the merging of social work and criminal justice cultures.

Human Services, under the Kelly plan, would knit together these operations:

In
 a news conference, Kelly and Laura Howard, her secretary of KDADS and 
DCF, said the new agency would streamline services for families and 
children, especially “crossover youth” — children who are involved in 
both the foster care and criminal justice systems.

Republican leaders in the state Legislature criticized the governor for not consulting them.

Many
 details of the merger remain unsettled. They’ll be unveiled when the 
governor releases her executive reorganization order in a few weeks.

“One
 of the biggest benefits is providing more seamless access for 
individuals and families to government human services,” Howard said. 
“Sometimes, it can be really complex to navigate all of those different 
systems.”

For example, she said both DCF and KDADS have 
employment assistance services. And a family may use benefits like cash 
and food assistance while its elderly members use KDADS services.

Those
 same families may also land in the child welfare system, Howard said. 
Some children may be involved in both the juvenile justice system, run 
by the corrections department, and the foster care system, run by DCF. 
Those children may also need mental health services run by KDADS.

“I see some real benefits to managing that within the context of a single agency,” Howard said.

The
 current separation of those systems can result in children falling 
through the cracks, said Rachel Marsh, vice president of advocacy at St.
 Francis Ministries, one of the state’s largest private foster care 
contractors. One part of the system may not recognize that a child has 
needs in other areas.

“The corrections department might look at a
 child’s behaviors and whether they’re at risk for further juvenile 
justice involvement,” Marsh said. “The mental health system might look 
at whether a child is struggling with a particular mental health 
diagnosis.”

It’s
 too soon to say whether and how the agencies will save or spend money 
by merging, Howard said. DCF and KDADS already share an information 
technology system and their employees all work for the state, so those 
systems won’t need to be consolidated.

But revamping government 
agencies typically comes with unforeseen costs even if it saves money in
 the long run, said Suzanne Leland, a professor of public policy at the 
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. For instance, she said, it 
could cost money to rebrand and reorganize offices.

“It’s just a 
matter of how large those costs are,” she said. “A lot of that has to do
 with how compatible those two different government organizations are.”

One possible benefit of a merger is changing or improving an agency’s reputation, Leland said.

“Perhaps
 this one agency has a better reputation than the other and it is more 
accountable,” she said, “then the act of doing it will restore some 
credibility.”

In recent years, DCF has been subject to controversies surrounding the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-foster-care-system-overwhelmed-even-more-kids-flood#stream/0">rising number of children</a> in foster care and the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-sued-over-foster-care-s-bounced-several-children-between-100-homes#stream/0">lack</a> of foster parents to take them in and facilities to treat mental health and behavioral issues.

A
 merger might improve communication between agencies, said Chris 
Garnica, a social worker who worked at DCF and its earlier incarnation, 
the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

Garnica sometimes saw DCF and KDADS struggle to coordinate with each other because each agency’s policies changed so often.

“If
 we can get the same people at the same table because they’re in the 
same department,” he said, “we're going to be able to problem solve a 
lot easier.”

Bringing together people who work in multiple fields
 can be a challenge because those disciplines can have different methods
 or perspectives, said Marilu Goodyear, a professor at the University of
 Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration.

“Social work
 professions would have a different view of the client in the world than
 a criminal justice profession,” Goodyear said. “One of the challenges 
will be to try to take the differing perspectives and bring them 
together in a unit that can function effectively.”

Kansas Rep. Russ Jennings said that juvenile justice might get lost in the shuffle at a larger agency.

Jennings,
 chair of the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee, said a 
large, diversified agency wouldn’t have enough expertise in juvenile 
justice.

“It is a specialty,” he said. “In my experience, the 
standalone agencies do better than being blended in with those large 
bureaucracies.”

He said that could prove especially tricky when 
it comes to the agency’s takeover of the Kansas Juvenile Correctional 
Complex in Topeka. Operating a juvenile prison, Jennings said, is 
different from operating a group home for troubled kids.

Ultimately,
 lawmakers have 60 days if they want to halt the governor’s executive 
reorganization order. Jennings said he and other legislators plan to ask
 questions and watch the transition carefully.

“Effectiveness is 
really important,” he said. “A large, bureaucratic agency is unruly and 
often not responsive. So if this goes forward, there will be lots of 
oversight.”

Nomin Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and 
social welfare for KCUR and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her 
on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532809113.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly announced her intent to merge the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, the Department for Children and Families and the state's juvenile justice services. Kansas News Service file photo" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly announced her intent to merge the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, the Department for Children and Families and the state's juvenile justice services. Kansas News Service file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-hopes-one-agency-can-better-help-kids-and-families-buffet-departments#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — The same kids who end up in trouble with the law often come from families in disarray.Those families, in turn, regularly turn to the state for food assistance, foster care or mental health care.So last week, Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-governor-wants-create-one-stop-agency-social-welfare-programs#stream/0">plans to merge</a>
 many of the state’s social service offices — effectively reversing a 
breakup of the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services that 
came in 2012 when Republican Sam Brownback was governor.Kelly 
wants to combine the two state agencies handling social welfare with the
 office that handles juvenile justice services. The new agency would be 
called the Department of Human Services.Experts say they’re 
optimistic, but the changes will create their difficulties, including 
the merging of social work and criminal justice cultures.Human Services, under the Kelly plan, would knit together these operations:<ul>
 <li>The <a href="http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Pages/default.aspx">Department for Children and Families</a>, which oversees foster care, adoption, family preservation services, food stamps and other welfare programs;</li><li>The <a href="https://www.kdads.ks.gov/" target="_blank">Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services</a>, which oversees mental health and programs for the elderly and disabled;</li><li>And juvenile justice services for children who are charged with crimes, run by the <a href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/juvenile-services" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Corrections</a>.</li>
 </ul>In
 a news conference, Kelly and Laura Howard, her secretary of KDADS and 
DCF, said the new agency would streamline services for families and 
children, especially “crossover youth” — children who are involved in 
both the foster care and criminal justice systems.Republican leaders in the state Legislature criticized the governor for not consulting them.Many
 details of the merger remain unsettled. They’ll be unveiled when the 
governor releases her executive reorganization order in a few weeks.“One
 of the biggest benefits is providing more seamless access for 
individuals and families to government human services,” Howard said. 
“Sometimes, it can be really complex to navigate all of those different 
systems.”For example, she said both DCF and KDADS have 
employment assistance services. And a family may use benefits like cash 
and food assistance while its elderly members use KDADS services.Those
 same families may also land in the child welfare system, Howard said. 
Some children may be involved in both the juvenile justice system, run 
by the corrections department, and the foster care system, run by DCF. 
Those children may also need mental health services run by KDADS.“I see some real benefits to managing that within the context of a single agency,” Howard said.The
 current separation of those systems can result in children falling 
through the cracks, said Rachel Marsh, vice president of advocacy at St.
 Francis Ministries, one of the state’s largest private foster care 
contractors. One part of the system may not recognize that a child has 
needs in other areas.“The corrections department might look at a
 child’s behaviors and whether they’re at risk for further juvenile 
justice involvement,” Marsh said. “The mental health system might look 
at whether a child is struggling with a particular mental health 
diagnosis.”<h2>Potential costs and benefits</h2>It’s
 too soon to say whether and how the agencies will save or spend money 
by merging, Howard said. DCF and KDADS already share an information 
technology system and their employees all work for the state, so those 
systems won’t need to be consolidated.But revamping government 
agencies typically comes with unforeseen costs even if it saves money in
 the long run, said Suzanne Leland, a professor of public policy at the 
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. For instance, she said, it 
could cost money to rebrand and reorganize offices.“It’s just a 
matter of how large those costs are,” she said. “A lot of that has to do
 with how compatible those two different government organizations are.”One possible benefit of a merger is changing or improving an agency’s reputation, Leland said.“Perhaps
 this one agency has a better reputation than the other and it is more 
accountable,” she said, “then the act of doing it will restore some 
credibility.”In recent years, DCF has been subject to controversies surrounding the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-foster-care-system-overwhelmed-even-more-kids-flood#stream/0">rising number of children</a> in foster care and the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-sued-over-foster-care-s-bounced-several-children-between-100-homes#stream/0">lack</a> of foster parents to take them in and facilities to treat mental health and behavioral issues.A
 merger might improve communication between agencies, said Chris 
Garnica, a social worker who worked at DCF and its earlier incarnation, 
the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.Garnica sometimes saw DCF and KDADS struggle to coordinate with each other because each agency’s policies changed so often.“If
 we can get the same people at the same table because they’re in the 
same department,” he said, “we're going to be able to problem solve a 
lot easier.”Bringing together people who work in multiple fields
 can be a challenge because those disciplines can have different methods
 or perspectives, said Marilu Goodyear, a professor at the University of
 Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration.“Social work
 professions would have a different view of the client in the world than
 a criminal justice profession,” Goodyear said. “One of the challenges 
will be to try to take the differing perspectives and bring them 
together in a unit that can function effectively.”Kansas Rep. Russ Jennings said that juvenile justice might get lost in the shuffle at a larger agency.Jennings,
 chair of the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee, said a 
large, diversified agency wouldn’t have enough expertise in juvenile 
justice.“It is a specialty,” he said. “In my experience, the 
standalone agencies do better than being blended in with those large 
bureaucracies.”He said that could prove especially tricky when 
it comes to the agency’s takeover of the Kansas Juvenile Correctional 
Complex in Topeka. Operating a juvenile prison, Jennings said, is 
different from operating a group home for troubled kids.Ultimately,
 lawmakers have 60 days if they want to halt the governor’s executive 
reorganization order. Jennings said he and other legislators plan to ask
 questions and watch the transition carefully.“Effectiveness is 
really important,” he said. “A large, bureaucratic agency is unruly and 
often not responsive. So if this goes forward, there will be lots of 
oversight.”Nomin Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and 
social welfare for KCUR and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her 
on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

Kansas hopes single agency can better help kids, families

<figure>
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" alt="Winter Jam Day 1 Scores" />
 <figcaption>Winter Jam Day 1 Scores</figcaption>
 </figure>Ellsworth Girls Lose to Victoria 35-55Elsworth Boys Boys Beat Otis Bison 59-25

Winter Jam Day 1

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post


















The intersection at 10th Street and Harrison Street in Great
Bend is a unique crossing with the railroad tracks angling through and one of
the most known fast-food restaurants located on the southwest corner. 

For
years, the City of Great Bend has encountered problems with westbound traffic
on 10th Street wanting to turn into McDonald’s. While it is legal to
turn into McDonald’s coming from the west, it is not legal to cross into the opposite
side’s turning lane to enter. 

City Administrator Kendal Francis says the city
wants to get the word out for what is legal and what is not, but they have also
asked the assistance of the Kansas Department of Transportation for better
street markings.


"We are looking for better marking of those lanes," said Francis. "If it continues to be an issue, we will have to look into being punitive and police are going to ticket for that offense."


To avoid clogging up traffic right off the intersection, westbound motorists on
10th Street will sometimes cross the double yellow lines into the
other side’s turning lane that was designed for eastbound traffic to turn north
onto Harrison. 

City engineers suggested mounting flexible delineators on the
dividing line that would essentially serve as flags, keeping westbound traffic
from illegally crossing into the eastbound turning lane. Francis says there could be a problem with the mounted delineators during snow removal.

Great Bend City
Councilmember Dana Dawson threw out the idea of a sign to inform motorists to
use Harrison Street to enter McDonald’s.


"I would not be opposed to putting up a sign that says 'use Harrison Street entrance for McDonald's,'" said Dawson. "You see it in bigger cities. If you could even get half the people using the Harrison entrance that would be a huge help."


Francis noted KDOT planned on coming to Great Bend later this week to survey the issue and make
recommendations. There is a question on who would be responsible for signing or
road changes since 10th Street is a state highway but the intersection
falls within city limits.





<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579574378784.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend Post
















The intersection at 10th Street and Harrison Street in Great
Bend is a unique crossing with the railroad tracks angling through and one of
the most known fast-food restaurants located on the southwest corner. For
years, the City of Great Bend has encountered problems with westbound traffic
on 10th Street wanting to turn into McDonald’s. While it is legal to
turn into McDonald’s coming from the west, it is not legal to cross into the opposite
side’s turning lane to enter. City Administrator Kendal Francis says the city
wants to get the word out for what is legal and what is not, but they have also
asked the assistance of the Kansas Department of Transportation for better
street markings.
"We are looking for better marking of those lanes," said Francis. "If it continues to be an issue, we will have to look into being punitive and police are going to ticket for that offense."
To avoid clogging up traffic right off the intersection, westbound motorists on
10th Street will sometimes cross the double yellow lines into the
other side’s turning lane that was designed for eastbound traffic to turn north
onto Harrison. City engineers suggested mounting flexible delineators on the
dividing line that would essentially serve as flags, keeping westbound traffic
from illegally crossing into the eastbound turning lane. Francis says there could be a problem with the mounted delineators during snow removal.Great Bend City
Councilmember Dana Dawson threw out the idea of a sign to inform motorists to
use Harrison Street to enter McDonald’s.
"I would not be opposed to putting up a sign that says 'use Harrison Street entrance for McDonald's,'" said Dawson. "You see it in bigger cities. If you could even get half the people using the Harrison entrance that would be a huge help."
Francis noted KDOT planned on coming to Great Bend later this week to survey the issue and make
recommendations. There is a question on who would be responsible for signing or
road changes since 10th Street is a state highway but the intersection
falls within city limits.

The illegal move into Great Bend’s McDonald’s comes up again

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569336839553.jpeg">Click&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/obituaries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HERE </a>to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.Great Bend Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos at no cost to families. Funeral homes and families can send notices to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:matt.althouse@eagleradio.net" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119);">matt.althouse@eagleradio.net</a>.

Recent Obits

TuesdayA slight chance of snow between noon and 2pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Increasing clouds, with a high near 36. Wind chill values as low as zero. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday NightSnow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 32. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

WednesdayA chance of rain and snow before 8am, then a chance of rain between 8am and noon. Cloudy, with a high near 46. South wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph after midnight.

ThursdayPartly sunny, with a high near 46.

Thursday NightMostly clear, with a low around 23.

Friday NightMostly clear, with a low around 22.SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 49.

Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 26.

SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Sunday NightMostly clear, with a low around 29.MondayMostly sunny, with a high near 54.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579560366345.png" alt="Tuesday Weather" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday Weather</figcaption>
 </figure>TuesdayA slight chance of snow between noon and 2pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Increasing clouds, with a high near 36. Wind chill values as low as zero. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.Tuesday NightSnow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 32. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.WednesdayA chance of rain and snow before 8am, then a chance of rain between 8am and noon. Cloudy, with a high near 46. South wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.Wednesday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph after midnight.ThursdayPartly sunny, with a high near 46.Thursday NightMostly clear, with a low around 23.FridaySunny, with a high near 44.Friday NightMostly clear, with a low around 22.SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 49.Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 26.SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 53.Sunday NightMostly clear, with a low around 29.MondayMostly sunny, with a high near 54.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tuesday Weather

Barton County Sheriff Bellendir files for 3rd term in office

On Saturday, Jan. 18 at approx. 10:36 p.m. an officer from the Great Bend Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a gray 2007 Dodge Durango at 22nd and Cleveland for a traffic violation. 

During the course of the traffic stop, Great Bend Police Department K-9, Menta, was deployed to do an exterior sniff of the vehicle. Menta indicated a positive odor of narcotics coming from the inside of the vehicle. Upon completion of the sniff, officers searched the vehicle. 

During the search of the vehicle, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle. 

The driver, Charles Bowers Jr., was arrested. Bowers Jr. was transported to the Barton County Jail, where he was booked in lieu of bond for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a driver's license. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579553357439.jpeg" alt="Charles Bowers" />
 <figcaption>Charles Bowers</figcaption>
 </figure>On Saturday, Jan. 18 at approx. 10:36 p.m. an officer from the Great Bend Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a gray 2007 Dodge Durango at 22nd and Cleveland for a traffic violation. During the course of the traffic stop, Great Bend Police Department K-9, Menta, was deployed to do an exterior sniff of the vehicle. Menta indicated a positive odor of narcotics coming from the inside of the vehicle. Upon completion of the sniff, officers searched the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle. The driver, Charles Bowers Jr., was arrested. Bowers Jr. was transported to the Barton County Jail, where he was booked in lieu of bond for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a driver's license.

K-9 indicates; driver arrested for drugs in Great Bend

20-year-old arrested for cocaine possession following traffic stop

On Friday, Jan. 17 at approximately 3:07 p.m., Great Bend Police Department officers responded to 5840 Cherry Place Apt. D in reference to assisting Central Kansas Community Corrections with a narcotics offense. 

Upon Officers arrival they were advised of illegal drugs located inside the residence by Community Corrections personnel. Officers observed some illegal drugs and paraphernalia inside the residence.

Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. Methamphetamine, marijuana and other items were located inside the residence. Jordan Trevino and Erika Helms&nbsp;were both arrested at the residence. 

Helms is charged with distribution of methamphetamine within a thousand feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. Helms was also charged with introduction of contraband into a correctional facility after narcotics were located on her person when she was being booked into the jail.

Trevino is charged with distribution of methamphetamine within a thousand feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon. 

Anyone with information on this crime, or any other crime, is encouraged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Barton County Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579552559623.jpeg" alt="Erika Helms" />
 <figcaption>Erika Helms</figcaption>
 </figure>On Friday, Jan. 17 at approximately 3:07 p.m., Great Bend Police Department officers responded to 5840 Cherry Place Apt. D in reference to assisting Central Kansas Community Corrections with a narcotics offense. Upon Officers arrival they were advised of illegal drugs located inside the residence by Community Corrections personnel. Officers observed some illegal drugs and paraphernalia inside the residence.Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. Methamphetamine, marijuana and other items were located inside the residence. Jordan Trevino and Erika Helms&nbsp;were both arrested at the residence. Helms is charged with distribution of methamphetamine within a thousand feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. Helms was also charged with introduction of contraband into a correctional facility after narcotics were located on her person when she was being booked into the jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579552586917.jpeg" alt="Jordan Trevino" />
 <figcaption>Jordan Trevino</figcaption>
 </figure>Trevino is charged with distribution of methamphetamine within a thousand feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon. Anyone with information on this crime, or any other crime, is encouraged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Barton County Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

Two arrested on drug charges following tip from CKCC

On Jan. 20 at about 3:45 a.m. Deputy Sheriff Doug Parks&nbsp; with the Barton County Sheriff's Office was on regular patrol near the area of the 400 block of NW 10th Ave. in rural Barton County. 

The deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic infraction at which time it fled from the officer. 

Deputy Parks pursued the 2010 Ford fusion approximately 30 miles in parts of Barton, Pawnee and Rush counties. At one point during the pursuit, the suspect vehicle struck a raccoon and was partially disabled but was still able to move. Pursuits speeds ranged from 10 to 110 miles an hour.

The suspect vehicle was boxed in by Sheriff’s officers west of Albert, about ½ mile west of the Barton/Rush county line.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Shaina Kuester, age 23 of rural Great Bend. Kuester was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony flee and elude as well as many other traffic infractions. 

Kuester was transported to the Barton County jail without incident is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office as well as a Rush County Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579542885569.jpeg" alt="Shaina Kuester" />
 <figcaption>Shaina Kuester</figcaption>
 </figure>On Jan. 20 at about 3:45 a.m. Deputy Sheriff Doug Parks&nbsp; with the Barton County Sheriff's Office was on regular patrol near the area of the 400 block of NW 10th Ave. in rural Barton County. The deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic infraction at which time it fled from the officer. Deputy Parks pursued the 2010 Ford fusion approximately 30 miles in parts of Barton, Pawnee and Rush counties. At one point during the pursuit, the suspect vehicle struck a raccoon and was partially disabled but was still able to move. Pursuits speeds ranged from 10 to 110 miles an hour.The suspect vehicle was boxed in by Sheriff’s officers west of Albert, about ½ mile west of the Barton/Rush county line.The driver of the vehicle was identified as Shaina Kuester, age 23 of rural Great Bend. Kuester was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony flee and elude as well as many other traffic infractions. Kuester was transported to the Barton County jail without incident is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office as well as a Rush County Sheriff’s Office.

Car chase ends near Albert; 23-year-old Great Bend woman arrested

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Hoisington, located in Barton County.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears. • Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water. • Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker. • Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water. • Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

The advisory took effect on January 19, 2020 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure due to a pump break down. Lack of pressure in a distribution system may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and increase the potential for bacterial contamination.Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm" target="_blank">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a>

<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm" target="_blank"></a>Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov" target="_blank">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577557677023.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Hoisington, located in Barton County.Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears. • Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water. • Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker. • Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water. • Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.The advisory took effect on January 19, 2020 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure due to a pump break down. Lack of pressure in a distribution system may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and increase the potential for bacterial contamination.Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.For consumer questions, please contact the water system or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm" target="_blank">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a><a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm" target="_blank"></a>Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov" target="_blank">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

Boil Water Advisory issued for Hoisington


BOOKED: Omar Dominguez of Lyons on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for
failure to appear, bond set at $1,000 cash surety and GBMC warrant for failure
to appear with $1,000 C/S.



BOOKED: Herman Pitts on GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond seet at
$1,178.



BOOKED: Jordan Trevino on GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond set at
$1,405.50 cash only.



BOOKED: Paul Pryor on BTDC case for serve sentence.



BOOKED: Shawn Rosenberg on SFDC warrant for rape, indecent liberties with a
child, bond set at $500,000.



BOOKED: Audra Cross on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $1,000
C/S.



BOOKED: Davin Rose on CKCC order for incarceration.



BOOKED: Larry Norman on GBMC case for battery DV with a bond set in the amount
of $1,000 C/S or 48-hour OR.



BOOKED: Erin Burton on Rush County serve sentence.



BOOKED: Erika Helms on BTDC case for distribution of methamphetamine within
1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia
x2, introduction of contraband into a correctional facility, possession of
controlled substance, bond is set in the amount of $300,000 C/S.



RELEASED: Mark Caton on BTDC warrant for aggravated burglary, burglary, and
theft, released by CA’s Office. Case dismissed per Collin Reynolds of Barton
County District Court.



RELEASED: Rakel Ryan of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for
probation, released per CA.



RELEASED: Audra Cross on GBMC warrant for failure to appear after posting $1,000
bond.



BOOKED: Tyler R. Epp of Great Bend on GBPD case for driving while revoked,
defective tag light, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, bond set
at $10,000 C/S.



BOOKED: Jessica Carr of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, bond
set at $2,500 C/S.



BOOKED: Jason Battaglear of Great Bend on a BTDC case for criminal threat,
battery DV, criminal restraint, interference with LEO, bond set at $5,000 C/S.



BOOKED: Krystal Halseth on BTDC case for serve sentence.



BOOKED: Charles Bowers on Great Bend case for no driver’s license, possession of
methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, failure to signal within 100 feet
and no stop lamps, $10,000 C/S.



RELEASED: Tyler R. Epp of Great Bend on GBPD case for driving while revoked,
defective tag light, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, posted
$10,000 surety bond.



RELEASED: Jessica Carr of Great Bend on BTDC warrant after paying $2,500 surety
bond through Dyn-O-mite Bail Bonding.



RELEASED: Todd Gillespie on serve sentence.



BOOKED: Zachary Espinosa on BTDC case for domestic battery, criminal damage to property,
interference with LEO, bond set at $2,500 C/S.



BOOKED: Brandon Gross on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at
$2,500.



BOOKED: Kirk Jackson on BTDC warrant for probation violation, bond set a
$20,000. BTDC warrant for probation violation, bond set at $10,000.



RELEASED: Charles R. Bowers on BCDC case with $10,000 surety bond through Dyn-O-mite
Bail Bonds.



RELEASED: Paul Pryor on BTDC case for serve sentence.



RELEASED: Larry Norman on 48-hour OR bond.



RELEASED: Erin Burton on Rush County serve sentence.



RELEASED: Brandon Gross on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, after posting
$2,500 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1577973411213.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>1/17

BOOKED: Omar Dominguez of Lyons on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for
failure to appear, bond set at $1,000 cash surety and GBMC warrant for failure
to appear with $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Herman Pitts on GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond seet at
$1,178.

BOOKED: Jordan Trevino on GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond set at
$1,405.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Paul Pryor on BTDC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Shawn Rosenberg on SFDC warrant for rape, indecent liberties with a
child, bond set at $500,000.

BOOKED: Audra Cross on GBMC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $1,000
C/S.

BOOKED: Davin Rose on CKCC order for incarceration.

BOOKED: Larry Norman on GBMC case for battery DV with a bond set in the amount
of $1,000 C/S or 48-hour OR.

BOOKED: Erin Burton on Rush County serve sentence.

BOOKED: Erika Helms on BTDC case for distribution of methamphetamine within
1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia
x2, introduction of contraband into a correctional facility, possession of
controlled substance, bond is set in the amount of $300,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Mark Caton on BTDC warrant for aggravated burglary, burglary, and
theft, released by CA’s Office. Case dismissed per Collin Reynolds of Barton
County District Court.

RELEASED: Rakel Ryan of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for
probation, released per CA.

RELEASED: Audra Cross on GBMC warrant for failure to appear after posting $1,000
bond.

1/18

BOOKED: Tyler R. Epp of Great Bend on GBPD case for driving while revoked,
defective tag light, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, bond set
at $10,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Jessica Carr of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, bond
set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Jason Battaglear of Great Bend on a BTDC case for criminal threat,
battery DV, criminal restraint, interference with LEO, bond set at $5,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Krystal Halseth on BTDC case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Charles Bowers on Great Bend case for no driver’s license, possession of
methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, failure to signal within 100 feet
and no stop lamps, $10,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Tyler R. Epp of Great Bend on GBPD case for driving while revoked,
defective tag light, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, posted
$10,000 surety bond.

RELEASED: Jessica Carr of Great Bend on BTDC warrant after paying $2,500 surety
bond through Dyn-O-mite Bail Bonding.

RELEASED: Todd Gillespie on serve sentence.

1/19

BOOKED: Zachary Espinosa on BTDC case for domestic battery, criminal damage to property,
interference with LEO, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Brandon Gross on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at
$2,500.

BOOKED: Kirk Jackson on BTDC warrant for probation violation, bond set a
$20,000. BTDC warrant for probation violation, bond set at $10,000.

RELEASED: Charles R. Bowers on BCDC case with $10,000 surety bond through Dyn-O-mite
Bail Bonds.

RELEASED: Paul Pryor on BTDC case for serve sentence.

RELEASED: Larry Norman on 48-hour OR bond.

RELEASED: Erin Burton on Rush County serve sentence.

RELEASED: Brandon Gross on BTDC warrant for failure to appear, after posting
$2,500 bond.

Barton County Sheriff's Booking Activity (1/17 - 1/19)

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/150000-kansans-who-drink-private-wells-are-largely-blind-contamination">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — About 150,000 people in Kansas get their drinking water from private wells.

How clean, and safe, is that water? Short answer: It depends.

But
 new research suggests those wells deliver water tainted with a range of
 pollutants. Some leaked from dry cleaning operations. Yet far more 
wells soak up, and deliver to taps, fertilizer that’s been building up 
in Kansas soil and water over generations of modern farming.

But
 it’s not up to regulators from Washington or agencies in Topeka to test
 private well water quality. That falls to individual well owners. With 
little to no government oversight, some public health officials worry 
that’s creating a system where far too many people are left vulnerable 
to potential cancer-causing pollutants and toxins.

New research from Kansas State University shows that <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank">groundwater quality in the&nbsp; Great Bend Aquifer in south-central Kansas </a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15">rates far</a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank"> worse today than 30 years ago</a>.

The
 main culprit is a dramatic increase in the amount of nitrate. It’s a 
byproduct of the Green Revolution of the 1960s that turbo-charged modern
 farming toward greater yields, especially the use of chemical 
fertilizers.

Farmers learned that soil laced with extra nitrogen 
could squeeze more&nbsp; bushels from an acre of land. But not all that 
nitrogen stays put or gets absorbed in wheat, corn, sorghum and 
soybeans. Some runs off into streams, or trickles into underground 
reservoirs.

“The change that we see is comparable to the most 
extreme change measured by a nationwide study,” Matthew Kirk, associate 
professor of geology at Kansas State University said. “So this is a 
pretty big increase in nitrate.”

High levels of nitrogen in water <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations#two">can lead to shortness of breath</a>. It can even cause death in young children and older adults. The federal <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">Safe Drinking</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa"> Water Ac</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">t</a>, which only governs public drinking water, limits nitrate levels to less than 10 milligrams per liter.

When Kirk sampled the water for his research, seven of the 22 wells tested exceeded that limit.

When
 analyzing the molecules, Kirk said it was clear that the nitrogen was 
coming from fertilizer leaching into the aquifer from the surface. This 
particular part of the natural underground reservoir is more vulnerable 
to land use changes because it’s relatively close to the surface, so the
 water doesn’t get filtered well. Kirk said it could stand as an early 
warning for other deeper parts of the broader High Plains Aquifer.

Kirk said private well users need to test their water regularly or put the health of their families at risk.

“We
 do that for municipal water supplies. But for rural well owners, it’s 
entirely up to them,” he said. “They don’t have to have their water 
tested unless they want to.”

Because there’s no reporting 
requirement, there’s also no statewide record of groundwater quality. 
And even if collecting that kind of data helped officials understand the
 bigger picture, the movement of water underground is complex. Just 
because one well is contaminated doesn’t mean the next well over is too.

The <a href="https://www.ngwa.org/" target="_blank">National Ground Water Association</a> recommends private well owners do a <a href="https://wellowner.org/" target="_blank">basic quality test for bacteria and nitrates once a year</a>.

“(But)
 Some people tend to overlook it,” said Brian Snelten, the NGWA 
President-elect. “It’s one of those things you can forget about. It’s 
like changing your car oil.”

While a basic test is going to be fine in most cases, there are other chemicals some people need to worry about.

The
 water in Randi Williams house now comes from the city of Wichita. But 
until a few years ago, she got her water from a private well.

“The
 lady that sold us the house had us taste the water and hold it up to 
the light,” Williams said. “And then we had it tested on our own. Since 
it tested fine, no problems.”

A <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/dryclean/FourSeasons.html">toxic plume of dry cleaning chemicals had made its way to their well</a>. It had likely been there for years.

Why
 didn’t she discover it when she bought the house? Because the toxic 
chemicals from the dry cleaning plume are odorless and tasteless, and 
basic tests for bacteria don’t expose it.

She wished she would 
have been more informed about the potential dangers near her well, such 
as dry cleaners and underground gas storage tanks.

“Had we known, we probably would have done more testing because, of course, we want to be healthy,” she said.

Databases of <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/waterwell/index.html">some of that information exist</a>,
 but there’s no system to alert people with water wells nearby. Even if 
someone did know where to find the information, the average homeowner 
isn’t likely to understand what they’re looking at.

<a href="http://meridiantesting.com/services/home-owners/" target="_blank">Meridian Labs in Wichita</a>
 is one of a few places that offers comprehensive residential water 
testing in Kansas. Their tests range anywhere from $20 for a simple 
bacteria test, to $150 for a more comprehensive report.

“A lot of
 times, I will take them through their report step-by-step,” Jessica 
Jensen, the lab’s technical director, said. “Some people just need that 
peace of mind.”

Even when well owners discover there’s a problem, the cost of solving it can vary wildly. A <a href="https://www.aquasana.com/whole-house-water-filters/500k-gallon-well-water/proinstall?discountcode=LIVEHEALTHY&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA6vXwBRBKEiwAYE7iS4w2sPxDaMiR6fkwErolYdtovM_3xmmS7XWRk2-QHdD0_5dDLBtQ5BoCyXQQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">sophisticated home filtration system</a>
 could run several thousand dollars. While cleaning up a large plume, 
which involves the city or state, can cost several hundred thousand, 
even millions of dollars.

Elizabeth Ablah researches population 
health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. She 
said that knowledge gap is a big part of the problem. Without some kind 
of standardized statewide regulations, it’s too much to expect regular 
people to fully grasp complex water quality issues.

“We need to 
be starting to address these issues in a more systematic way rather than
 this piecemeal patchwork sort of intervention that we’ve been doing,” 
she said.

She and her colleague, Jack Brown, worked with state 
agencies, local public health officials and engineering and drilling 
firms to develop <a href="http://wichita.kumc.edu/improving-and-protecting-water-well-quality/project-recommendations.html">18 recommendations for improving and protecting well water quality</a>.

The
 recommendations range from changes in code that would standardize the 
definition of a nonpublic household water well to defining trigger 
events for when the state would require well testing.

But they were released a year ago, and so far, nothing has changed.

She’s
 worried that without some kind of change, the Kansans with private 
water wells will have to continue relying largely on faith that their 
water is safe to drink.

“Really there’s no entity that is 
currently focusing on water quality for non-public water well users,” 
she said. “And that is a problem.”

Brian Grimmett reports on 
the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and 
the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service 
is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains 
Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and 
their connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532395946.jpeg" alt="Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/150000-kansans-who-drink-private-wells-are-largely-blind-contamination">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — About 150,000 people in Kansas get their drinking water from private wells.How clean, and safe, is that water? Short answer: It depends.But
 new research suggests those wells deliver water tainted with a range of
 pollutants. Some leaked from dry cleaning operations. Yet far more 
wells soak up, and deliver to taps, fertilizer that’s been building up 
in Kansas soil and water over generations of modern farming.But
 it’s not up to regulators from Washington or agencies in Topeka to test
 private well water quality. That falls to individual well owners. With 
little to no government oversight, some public health officials worry 
that’s creating a system where far too many people are left vulnerable 
to potential cancer-causing pollutants and toxins.New research from Kansas State University shows that <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank">groundwater quality in the&nbsp; Great Bend Aquifer in south-central Kansas </a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15">rates far</a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank"> worse today than 30 years ago</a>.The
 main culprit is a dramatic increase in the amount of nitrate. It’s a 
byproduct of the Green Revolution of the 1960s that turbo-charged modern
 farming toward greater yields, especially the use of chemical 
fertilizers.Farmers learned that soil laced with extra nitrogen 
could squeeze more&nbsp; bushels from an acre of land. But not all that 
nitrogen stays put or gets absorbed in wheat, corn, sorghum and 
soybeans. Some runs off into streams, or trickles into underground 
reservoirs.“The change that we see is comparable to the most 
extreme change measured by a nationwide study,” Matthew Kirk, associate 
professor of geology at Kansas State University said. “So this is a 
pretty big increase in nitrate.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532260540.jpeg" alt="Location of wells tested. Shaded areas depict the High Plain aquifer. Dashed vertical lines approximate boundaries between the Ogallala, Great Bend Prairie, and Equus Beds aquifers.&nbsp;Credit Matthew Kirk / Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Location of wells tested. Shaded areas depict the High Plain aquifer. Dashed vertical lines approximate boundaries between the Ogallala, Great Bend Prairie, and Equus Beds aquifers.&nbsp;Credit Matthew Kirk / Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>High levels of nitrogen in water <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations#two">can lead to shortness of breath</a>. It can even cause death in young children and older adults. The federal <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">Safe Drinking</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa"> Water Ac</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">t</a>, which only governs public drinking water, limits nitrate levels to less than 10 milligrams per liter.When Kirk sampled the water for his research, seven of the 22 wells tested exceeded that limit.When
 analyzing the molecules, Kirk said it was clear that the nitrogen was 
coming from fertilizer leaching into the aquifer from the surface. This 
particular part of the natural underground reservoir is more vulnerable 
to land use changes because it’s relatively close to the surface, so the
 water doesn’t get filtered well. Kirk said it could stand as an early 
warning for other deeper parts of the broader High Plains Aquifer.Kirk said private well users need to test their water regularly or put the health of their families at risk.“We
 do that for municipal water supplies. But for rural well owners, it’s 
entirely up to them,” he said. “They don’t have to have their water 
tested unless they want to.”Because there’s no reporting 
requirement, there’s also no statewide record of groundwater quality. 
And even if collecting that kind of data helped officials understand the
 bigger picture, the movement of water underground is complex. Just 
because one well is contaminated doesn’t mean the next well over is too.The <a href="https://www.ngwa.org/" target="_blank">National Ground Water Association</a> recommends private well owners do a <a href="https://wellowner.org/" target="_blank">basic quality test for bacteria and nitrates once a year</a>.“(But)
 Some people tend to overlook it,” said Brian Snelten, the NGWA 
President-elect. “It’s one of those things you can forget about. It’s 
like changing your car oil.”While a basic test is going to be fine in most cases, there are other chemicals some people need to worry about.<h2>Dry cleaning plume</h2>The
 water in Randi Williams house now comes from the city of Wichita. But 
until a few years ago, she got her water from a private well.“The
 lady that sold us the house had us taste the water and hold it up to 
the light,” Williams said. “And then we had it tested on our own. Since 
it tested fine, no problems.”It wasn’t fine.A <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/dryclean/FourSeasons.html">toxic plume of dry cleaning chemicals had made its way to their well</a>. It had likely been there for years.Why
 didn’t she discover it when she bought the house? Because the toxic 
chemicals from the dry cleaning plume are odorless and tasteless, and 
basic tests for bacteria don’t expose it.She wished she would 
have been more informed about the potential dangers near her well, such 
as dry cleaners and underground gas storage tanks.“Had we known, we probably would have done more testing because, of course, we want to be healthy,” she said.Databases of <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/waterwell/index.html">some of that information exist</a>,
 but there’s no system to alert people with water wells nearby. Even if 
someone did know where to find the information, the average homeowner 
isn’t likely to understand what they’re looking at.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532281804.jpeg" alt="Water quality testing at Meridian Labs in Wichita.&nbsp;Credit Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Water quality testing at Meridian Labs in Wichita.&nbsp;Credit Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Knowledge gaps</h2><a href="http://meridiantesting.com/services/home-owners/" target="_blank">Meridian Labs in Wichita</a>
 is one of a few places that offers comprehensive residential water 
testing in Kansas. Their tests range anywhere from $20 for a simple 
bacteria test, to $150 for a more comprehensive report.“A lot of
 times, I will take them through their report step-by-step,” Jessica 
Jensen, the lab’s technical director, said. “Some people just need that 
peace of mind.”Even when well owners discover there’s a problem, the cost of solving it can vary wildly. A <a href="https://www.aquasana.com/whole-house-water-filters/500k-gallon-well-water/proinstall?discountcode=LIVEHEALTHY&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA6vXwBRBKEiwAYE7iS4w2sPxDaMiR6fkwErolYdtovM_3xmmS7XWRk2-QHdD0_5dDLBtQ5BoCyXQQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">sophisticated home filtration system</a>
 could run several thousand dollars. While cleaning up a large plume, 
which involves the city or state, can cost several hundred thousand, 
even millions of dollars.Elizabeth Ablah researches population 
health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. She 
said that knowledge gap is a big part of the problem. Without some kind 
of standardized statewide regulations, it’s too much to expect regular 
people to fully grasp complex water quality issues.“We need to 
be starting to address these issues in a more systematic way rather than
 this piecemeal patchwork sort of intervention that we’ve been doing,” 
she said.She and her colleague, Jack Brown, worked with state 
agencies, local public health officials and engineering and drilling 
firms to develop <a href="http://wichita.kumc.edu/improving-and-protecting-water-well-quality/project-recommendations.html">18 recommendations for improving and protecting well water quality</a>.The
 recommendations range from changes in code that would standardize the 
definition of a nonpublic household water well to defining trigger 
events for when the state would require well testing.But they were released a year ago, and so far, nothing has changed.She’s
 worried that without some kind of change, the Kansans with private 
water wells will have to continue relying largely on faith that their 
water is safe to drink.“Really there’s no entity that is 
currently focusing on water quality for non-public water well users,” 
she said. “And that is a problem.”Brian Grimmett reports on 
the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and 
the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service 
is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains 
Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and 
their connection to public policy.

Kansans who drink from private wells largely blind to contamination

BY STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-governors-78-billion-budget-calls-taxing-hulu-delaying-payments-pension-debt#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s <a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/budget-report/" target="_blank">budget wish list</a>
 is long: boosting spending on higher education, public safety and human
 services. She'd aim to cut some taxes, but look to add new ones for 
streaming video and music services.

Not surprisingly, the $7.8 billion plan is getting a mixed response from the Republicans who control the Legislature.

It’s
 the Democrat’s second budget proposal since taking office, and she’s 
relying less on some maneuvers used in past years, like taking money 
from the state highway fund to help keep the budget in the black. But 
she still wants some flexibility in state spending, so she’s hoping to 
refinance the state’s $9 billion in pension debt.

“Kansas has 
made tremendous strides in recovering from the last decade of fiscal 
chaos,” Kelly said in a statement. “This balanced budget builds on that 
progress and positions Kansas to begin a new decade of shared prosperity
 and growth.”

By the time this budget’s fiscal year (July 2020 to
 June 2021) ends, the state would still have about $628 million in 
reserves. That’s less than $1.1 billion at the end of the 2019 fiscal 
year, but well above the tiny reserves a few years ago.&nbsp;

Kansas 
has been on a tax rollercoaster over the last decade — with the state 
cutting taxes starting in 2012 during the tenure of then-Gov. Sam 
Brownback. Lawmakers changed course in 2017 after struggles balancing 
the budget and reversed many of those tax cuts.&nbsp;

Kelly has a few ideas about taxes, and one of them is puting $54 
million toward a program that helps reduce local property taxes. It 
hasn’t been funded since 2003.

Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster is skeptical, and said that for a $150,000 home, the discount would be about $25.

“Are
 people going to notice that? I would say probably not,” Waymaster said,
 suggesting that reducing vehicle taxes could have a bigger impact on 
Kansans’ lives.&nbsp;

It’s the second time Kelly has proposed reamortizing the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system’s debt.&nbsp;

The
 state has about 15 years left under a current plan to eliminate the 
deficit. Under that plan, KPERS payments will balloon to around $1 
billion annually by 2032.&nbsp;

Kelly wants to add an extra 10 years, 
which she said would lower annual payments by $130 million to $160 
million over the next four years. The payments would still top $1 
billion, but not until 2041. And total costs to pay off the debt would 
rise by about $4.4 billion.&nbsp;

Lawmakers rejected reamortizing last year. Some Republicans still want to try to pay off the debt on the current schedule.&nbsp;

“I
 think that we need to remain frugal and we need to continue to pay our 
bills as best we can with what we have right now,” said Republican Sen. 
Carolyn McGinn, who chairs the Senate’s budget committee.

Kelly’s budget director, Larry Campbell, said the current 15-year 
payoff schedule will only come to pass if the state is on time, every 
time.&nbsp;

“That ain’t going to happen,” Campbell said Thursday at a 
meeting with lawmakers. “That assumes the payments are made perfectly 
from now on and they’ve never been.”

Reducing the annual KPERS 
payment will give the state the ability to invest in services like 
education and roads, he said, while keeping a financial cushion to help 
weather any economic downturns.

To
 drive up revenues, Kelly is proposing adding sales taxes to more online
 digital purchases: Think Spotify, Netflix, Hulu or a digital download 
of magazines or books. Doing so could raise $22 million for the state's 
general fund, plus more for highways and local governments.

Campbell
 said buying a physical book, movie or audio recording in a Kansas-based
 store would be subject to sales tax, but those things purchased online 
in digital form currently avoid the fees.

“Kansas sales tax 
policy is antiquated,” Campbell said. “As more and more items are being 
purchased online, the least we can do is level the playing field for our
 existing Kansas businesses.”

When it comes to spending, the 
proposed budget would put millions more on state mental facilities, 
children’s services and corrections. The plan would renovate prison 
facilities in Winfield and Lansing to create dedicated substance-abuse 
treatment centers.

Kansas would also boost higher education 
spending by $28 million, with some targeted at need-based aid and 
technical education. Universities had requested more, including $50 
million in base funding and $10 million for aid.

Kelly’s proposal
 also reduces, but doesn’t fully eliminate, shifting money from the 
highway fund to help balance the budget. The plan would divert almost 
$160 million away from roads — $73 million less than used last year. In 
2018, Campbell’s office says the state “swept” (or shifted) $288 
million.

Then, there’s more about taxes. Kelly wants to reinstate
 a refundable credit for food sales taxes for lower-income Kansans only.
 Costing the state $53 million, the annual tax credits range from $60 
for an individual making under $30,000 to $240 for a married couple 
making under $40,000.

Campbell estimates 69,000 people get the 
state’s current nonrefundable tax credit and a total of 540,000 could 
receive a credit under the governor’s plan. It typically would be 
applied when Kansans file their taxes, but Campbell said there’s also a 
form to claim it without filing taxes.

Having people pay the 
sales tax and then apply for the credit was a concern for Republican 
Rep. Stephen Owens, who said they “may not end up getting anything 
back.”

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">&nbsp;@kprkoranda</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280475519.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly says the state has made "tremendous strides" with its budget but still wants some flexibility. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly says the state has made "tremendous strides" with its budget but still wants some flexibility. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>BY STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-governors-78-billion-budget-calls-taxing-hulu-delaying-payments-pension-debt#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s <a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/budget-report/" target="_blank">budget wish list</a>
 is long: boosting spending on higher education, public safety and human
 services. She'd aim to cut some taxes, but look to add new ones for 
streaming video and music services.Not surprisingly, the $7.8 billion plan is getting a mixed response from the Republicans who control the Legislature.It’s
 the Democrat’s second budget proposal since taking office, and she’s 
relying less on some maneuvers used in past years, like taking money 
from the state highway fund to help keep the budget in the black. But 
she still wants some flexibility in state spending, so she’s hoping to 
refinance the state’s $9 billion in pension debt.“Kansas has 
made tremendous strides in recovering from the last decade of fiscal 
chaos,” Kelly said in a statement. “This balanced budget builds on that 
progress and positions Kansas to begin a new decade of shared prosperity
 and growth.”By the time this budget’s fiscal year (July 2020 to
 June 2021) ends, the state would still have about $628 million in 
reserves. That’s less than $1.1 billion at the end of the 2019 fiscal 
year, but well above the tiny reserves a few years ago.&nbsp;Kansas 
has been on a tax rollercoaster over the last decade — with the state 
cutting taxes starting in 2012 during the tenure of then-Gov. Sam 
Brownback. Lawmakers changed course in 2017 after struggles balancing 
the budget and reversed many of those tax cuts.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280510507.jpeg" alt=" Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster isn't a fan of Gov. Laura Kelly's idea to lower certain property taxes. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster isn't a fan of Gov. Laura Kelly's idea to lower certain property taxes. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly has a few ideas about taxes, and one of them is puting $54 
million toward a program that helps reduce local property taxes. It 
hasn’t been funded since 2003.Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster is skeptical, and said that for a $150,000 home, the discount would be about $25.“Are
 people going to notice that? I would say probably not,” Waymaster said,
 suggesting that reducing vehicle taxes could have a bigger impact on 
Kansans’ lives.&nbsp;<h2>The pension dilemma</h2>It’s the second time Kelly has proposed reamortizing the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system’s debt.&nbsp;The
 state has about 15 years left under a current plan to eliminate the 
deficit. Under that plan, KPERS payments will balloon to around $1 
billion annually by 2032.&nbsp;Kelly wants to add an extra 10 years, 
which she said would lower annual payments by $130 million to $160 
million over the next four years. The payments would still top $1 
billion, but not until 2041. And total costs to pay off the debt would 
rise by about $4.4 billion.&nbsp;Lawmakers rejected reamortizing last year. Some Republicans still want to try to pay off the debt on the current schedule.&nbsp;“I
 think that we need to remain frugal and we need to continue to pay our 
bills as best we can with what we have right now,” said Republican Sen. 
Carolyn McGinn, who chairs the Senate’s budget committee.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280544933.jpeg" alt=" Budget Director Larry Campbell says Kansas doesn't always make its pension debt payments on time. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Budget Director Larry Campbell says Kansas doesn't always make its pension debt payments on time. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly’s budget director, Larry Campbell, said the current 15-year 
payoff schedule will only come to pass if the state is on time, every 
time.&nbsp;“That ain’t going to happen,” Campbell said Thursday at a 
meeting with lawmakers. “That assumes the payments are made perfectly 
from now on and they’ve never been.”Reducing the annual KPERS 
payment will give the state the ability to invest in services like 
education and roads, he said, while keeping a financial cushion to help 
weather any economic downturns.<h2>New streaming revenue and other ideas</h2>To
 drive up revenues, Kelly is proposing adding sales taxes to more online
 digital purchases: Think Spotify, Netflix, Hulu or a digital download 
of magazines or books. Doing so could raise $22 million for the state's 
general fund, plus more for highways and local governments.Campbell
 said buying a physical book, movie or audio recording in a Kansas-based
 store would be subject to sales tax, but those things purchased online 
in digital form currently avoid the fees.“Kansas sales tax 
policy is antiquated,” Campbell said. “As more and more items are being 
purchased online, the least we can do is level the playing field for our
 existing Kansas businesses.”When it comes to spending, the 
proposed budget would put millions more on state mental facilities, 
children’s services and corrections. The plan would renovate prison 
facilities in Winfield and Lansing to create dedicated substance-abuse 
treatment centers.Kansas would also boost higher education 
spending by $28 million, with some targeted at need-based aid and 
technical education. Universities had requested more, including $50 
million in base funding and $10 million for aid.Kelly’s proposal
 also reduces, but doesn’t fully eliminate, shifting money from the 
highway fund to help balance the budget. The plan would divert almost 
$160 million away from roads — $73 million less than used last year. In 
2018, Campbell’s office says the state “swept” (or shifted) $288 
million.Then, there’s more about taxes. Kelly wants to reinstate
 a refundable credit for food sales taxes for lower-income Kansans only.
 Costing the state $53 million, the annual tax credits range from $60 
for an individual making under $30,000 to $240 for a married couple 
making under $40,000.Campbell estimates 69,000 people get the 
state’s current nonrefundable tax credit and a total of 540,000 could 
receive a credit under the governor’s plan. It typically would be 
applied when Kansans file their taxes, but Campbell said there’s also a 
form to claim it without filing taxes.Having people pay the 
sales tax and then apply for the credit was a concern for Republican 
Rep. Stephen Owens, who said they “may not end up getting anything 
back.”Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">&nbsp;@kprkoranda</a>.

Kelly's $7.8B budget calls for taxing Hulu, delaying pension payments

PRATT COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Sunday in Pratt&nbsp; County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Colorado driven by Jose J. Munoz-Arroyo, 48, Dodge City, was westbound on U.S. 54&nbsp; three miles west of Cunningham.

The pickup left the roadway and the driver over corrected. The pickup rolled in the median and came to rest in the eastbound lanes.

&nbsp;Munoz-Arroyo was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Larsons Mortuary.

PRATT COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Sunday in Pratt&nbsp; County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Colorado driven by Jose J. Munoz-Arroyo, 48, Dodge City, was westbound on U.S. 54&nbsp; three miles west of Cunningham.The pickup left the roadway and the driver over corrected. The pickup rolled in the median and came to rest in the eastbound lanes.&nbsp;Munoz-Arroyo was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Larsons Mortuary.Passenger in the vehicle Rolando Caal-May, 41, and Jennifer Munoz, 21, both of Dodge City were transported to Wesley Medical Center.Munoz was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

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