Ilost two dear friends this past week. Lily Akings, wife of Dean, and mother of Randy and Missy- left this earth too soon. Jimmy New, one of the first biologists at the Cheyenne Bottoms and an icon in the environmental and natural world spent his life protecting and promoting this planet and managing wastewater for big corporations. His impact will be known for eternity. Judy—I am so sorry to lose Jimmy. Randy, Missy, and Dean— as Barton County health officer your mother and wife made Barton County and Great Bend a better place for all of us. She set a high mark on the health of our children and citizens. She will be missed by all of us. I honor the legacy of both these heroes as I grieve their passing.

One of the constants in our lives in Barton County is the Cheyenne Bottoms. This mar

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