The Noon Kiwanis Club in Junction City sold 303 tickets for their annual pancake feed fundraiser on Saturday at the Knights of Columbus.

Organizers estimated the event raised more than $1,200.

Club President Mike Goodwin said it was good event this year. “Had a great turnout. It was steady all morning ( Saturday ). Very happy for the people that supported the community. That’s what Noon Kiwanis is all about. All of our proceeds go back into the community for things regarding children, highway cleanup, different projects that we do.”

Goodwin noted among the activities sponsored by Noon Kiwanis are scholarships for youth, book packs, Christmas events for needy children. “We hope that we give back to the community as they’ve given for us.”

The Noon Kiwanis Club also operates a concession stand at Rathert Field for select Brigade baseball games.

Rural firefighters converged on a rural location about seven miles east of Junction City Friday afternoon to battle a fast-moving fire that covered rural open land.

No one was injured and no structures were damaged.

Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges estimated that approximately 1,000 acres of grassland burned in the blaze which covered portions of Geary and Riley counties.  Berges said firefighters got the call to respond to the Interstate 70 location where the blaze began near mile post 305 about 3:30 to 3:45 p.m. “Looks like somebody driving along probably discarded some smoking material out. It just started roaring straight north, all open ground aided by the wind. My first fire truck on scene said he was doing 35 mph across country and couldn’t keep up where the fire was.”

Berges noted Geary County Rural Fire responded with eight trucks, Riley County had eight or nine, the Fort Riley Fire Department two trucks and the Kansas Forestry Task Force based in Manhattan provided two trucks and a supervisor vehicle. Additional assistance came from the Grandview Plaza Fire Department and numerous farm producers who provided water to help battle the blaze.

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Earlier about 10:30 Friday morning Geary County rural firefighters also responded to a small blaze near I-70 milepost 309 in the eastern part of the county where an estimated two to three acres burned. No one was injured there. Berges confirmed that blaze was put out quickly.

 

 

According to the Manhattan Fire Department at 4:43 on March 2nd, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 1805 Claflin Road, Wefald Hall KSU,  for a report of a structure fire . Upon arrival, crews found a 7 story dormitory with nothing showing.  Upon investigation, firefighters determined that a fire in a fourth floor dorm room had been extinguished by the building sprinkler system. Crews shut down the sprinkler system and performed salvage and overhaul of the room.  Seventeen firefighters responded on six fire apparatus with the last units clearing at around 7:35. All occupants of the building were able to evacuate the building without injury.

Fire loss is estimated at $3500 to contents and $5000 to the structure. There was some additional damage due to water running between floors that is undetermined at this time.  The owner is listed as Kansas State University. The fire cause was determined to be accidental due to a faulty fan.

This fire serves as an example of the importance of installing fire sprinklers in buildings where people sleep.  This fire was quickly extinguished which reduced the risk of injury or death to sleeping occupants.

Kansas State University also issued a release on the fire and reported that students have been allowed back into their rooms following the fire. Twenty-four students are being relocated because of water damage to their rooms.

A university employee inspecting conditions after the fire slipped on some standing water and was injured.

Staff with the university’s Division of Student Life are onsite and available for students.

The Junction City Police Department has reported the arrest of a 15-year male student at Junction City Middle School for allegedly making a threat in the school on Thursday morning. The student was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center and was held on charges of suspicion of Criminal Threat.

Police Public Information Officer Capt. Trish Giordano noted, “a threat is a crime, and we’re taking every threat that we receive to the school or student seriously. We ask that people talk to their kids and let them know that this is a serious situation that has consequences.”

Giordano stated that the JCPD will continue to act on any and all school threats, and again asks that parents talk to their students about the severity and consequences of this behavior.

Symphony in the Flint Hills will launch public ticket sales this Saturday, March 3. The event will be held at Rosalia Ranch in Butler County on June 9. Singer / songwriter Aoife O’Donovan will join the Kansas City Symphony as this year’s guest artist.

Founder and lead vocalist of the bluegrass band “Crooked Still,” O’Donovan has released two solo albums, and has collaborated with a wide range of artists and groups ranging from Alison Krauss and Dave Douglas to the National Symphony Orchestra.

The day-long Symphony in the Flint Hills event will include prairie walks, covered wagon rides, inspirational talks, prairie art, cowboy poetry, food, beverage and an after-concert party and dance. This year’s theme, WaterWays will explore the natural, cultural and structural elements of water in the Flint Hills.

Tickets for the event go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 3. General admission tickets are $95 plus tax for adults and $50 for children under 12. All tickets can be purchased online at https://2018symphonyintheflinthills.eventbrite.com.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has identified the man killed Monday evening in an officer involved shooting in Wamego, Kan.

Ethan M. Straub, 25, of Wamego, was confirmed as the individual killed during an exchange of gunfire with multiple law enforcement agencies in Wamego.

The KBI will conduct a thorough and independent investigation into this incident. Once completed, the findings will be turned over to the Pottawatomie County Attorney for review.

The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.

The Junction City Police Department has reported the arrest of a 15-year old student at Junction City Middle School on suspicion of Criminal Threat. The student was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center.

According to Police spokesperson Trish Giordano the City Middle School Resource Officer was advised of a student allegedly making a threat while in class.

The student was taken into custody and interviewed, and then arrested.

Police said they are once again stressing to the public that the JCPD will be treating all threats as credible and will act accordingly. They will continue to work closely with USD 475 to keep the children safe.

This marks the third City Middle School student arrested in recent days in connection with an alleged threat. On Monday police reported that a 14-year old Fort Riley resident was arrested this week for allegedly making a threat to the Freshman Success Academy in USD 475, that a 12-year City Middle School student had been arrested for allegedly threatening another student while on campus,  and last week the JCPD confirmed the arrest of another City Middle School student for allegedly making a threat at the school.

The road system in an around the planned new Junction City High School has the attention of city leaders.

During a joint city – county – school board meeting Mayor Pat Landis brought up the need for discussion. He told JCPost.com that the new school will be on a highway. “Make sure we plan carefully for the safety, kids getting to and from school, sporting events things like that, widening of K-18, taking roads off of K-18, Karns Road and also Munson Road out there as well going north, and maybe some connection with some of the residential areas out there north as well.”

Landes added those things need to be discussed now to ensure they’re in the planning process between all three entities…the city, county and school district. The mayor added they need to see if there are ways to work together to maximize the best bids to accomplish the work.

City Manager Allen Dinkel noted he thought officials just wanted to look at the impact of putting a high school at the location on the west side of Junction City. “When you have crowds from football, basketball games, even during the day. Just how are they going to leave the high school.” Dinkel wants to address safety security concerns before the school is built rather than having to adjust afterwards.

Two arrests have been made in connection with alleged school threats either to or at  Geary USD 475 schools.

JCPD Public Information Officer Captain Trish Giordano reported that In one case the Junction City Police Department reported that Fort Riley police notified the JCPD they were investigating a threat made on post to the Freshman Success Academy. Both agencies worked together to gather information. Fort Riley arrested a 14-year old Fort Riley resident on allegations of Criminal Threat. The juvenile made his first appearance in Geary County District Court on Monday and was detained.

Several other students were interviewed but police do not believe anyone else was actively involved with the juvenile arrested.

Later in the day on Monday, a 12-year old Junction City Middle School student was arrested for allegedly threatening another student while on campus. He was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center.

The JCPD said they take threats of any kind seriously, whether made in a joking matter or not. They urged the public to talk to their children and advise them that school shootings are nothing to joke about, and to also report any suspicious activity to school staff or the police.

 

Gabrielle “Gabby” Williams, Junction City, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. She will also have 36 months of supervised post release after the prison term has been served.

Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell confirmed the sentence, which was handed down in Geary County District Court on Friday. The sentence stems from the case that involved the January 2016 shooting death of David Phillips, 23, Manhattan, at an 827 West 12th Street Apartment C location in Junction City.

Williams was sentenced on one count of Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder in the case. She had been accused of conspiring with a co-defendant Joseph Craig of Junction City to rob and murder Phillips at the West 12th Street Apartment C location.

Craig will be sentenced in Geary County District Court in April. He was recently found guilty of First Degree Felony Murder plus five other counts following a jury trial. Those additional counts were a lesser included offense of Intentional Second Degree Murder, plus Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Robbery and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.