By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
District Court: Thompson’s probation revoked
Zachary Ryan Thompson
Zachary Ryan Thompson
Published: Jan 25, 2022, 11:45 PM

Convicted drug dealer Zachary Ryan Thompson was back in Barton County District Court Monday morning facing allegations that he had violated the terms of his probation by committing a new crime. At the conclusion of that hearing, the 27-year-old Great Bend man’s parole was revoked.

With prior convictions in Barton and Pawnee counties dating back to a misdemeanor criminal trespass committed in 2013, Thompson’s profile can be found on the Kansas Department of Corrections’ online Offender Population Search. That website shows he has gone by the aliases “Danger,” “Zach Thompson” and “YD,” and that he is under “Intensive Supervision Level II.”

He was sentenced in February and April of 2021 in Barton County for convictions in three 2020 cases. These were convictions for distribution of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting aggravated battery, and possession of meth. Thompson’s total prison sentence for these three cases was 197 months (16 years and five months).

The primary allegation for charging Thompson with a parole violation was that he committed the new offense of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in early September of 2021. After presenting evidence, Barton County Attorney Levi Morris asked the court to find that Thompson had committed a new crime while on probation, that his probation be revoked, and that he serve his underlying sentence.

After hearing from defense counsel Ben Fisher, of Hutchinson, as well as the defendant himself, District Court Judge Carey Hipp found that Thompson had committed the new offense of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, ordered his probation revoked, and remanded him to the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Avian influenza found in Russell County
bird flu alert march 2025
Published: Mar 11, 2025, 2:12 PM

 The Russell County Health Department reports there have been positive test results for avian influenza (bird flu) in Russell County. Health Officer Jennifer Funk, RN, issued a community alert on Monday, March 10.

Avian influenza is a viral infection that mainly affects birds. It can be spread to poultry, cows, cats and humans through contact with infected birds or droppings. At this time, there are no positive animal-to-human cases of bird flu in Kansas. Funk notes measures can be taken to decrease the chance of human infection by using personal protective equipment when in contact with sick animals and dropping. For more information, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/caring/.

Signs and symptoms in animals include lethargy, loss of appetite, lack of coordination, respiratory distress, decreased milk production in cows, and decreased egg production or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs in poultry. Symptoms in humans can range from mild to severe including fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue.

Drinking unpasteurized milk from an infected cow can expose a person to bird flu. The CDC states that pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses, like avian influenza A viruses, in milk. Cooking poultry, eggs, and beef to the appropriate internal temperature also kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses.

Funk’s alter concludes, “If possible, keep cats indoors and monitor your animals. If symptoms do occur, contact your veterinarian immediately. If you are in contact with an infected animal and develop symptoms, contact your local health department or primary care provider.”