Futuristic discussion about the potential for growth in the Flint Hills region was a focus at the Leaders Retreat over the weekend. Members of the Junction City, Manhattan and Wamego participated in the two-day retreat.

Junction City Manager Allen Dinkel referred to a presentation by one speaker that indicated there is the potential for a population growth of 100,000 people in the area in the future over the next 40 to 50 years. Dinkel added he felt that was a positive that at least futuristically, somebody was looking at the region and saying there was potential for growth. ” Of course it’s going to be us to decide how we get there working with the communities and everything else, and how do we enhance that.”

Dinkel said Major General Joseph Martin, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, did a good job of instilling the importance of Fort Riley to providing protection to the region, state and nation.

There has been interest in trying to bring another brigade of soldiers, about 5,400 troops to Fort Riley in the future. Dinkel said there was some discussion of that topic. “He kind of said it’s going to be up to Big Army.”  The city manager added, “I think we’re on the radar screen and just what we do to get there.” Dinkel planned to meet with the Manhattan city manager to talk about the kind of local efforts that can be made to try to help make that happen.

The retreat included reports on the activities in the different cities in the region to learn how the communities fit in together and how they can work collaboratively together to create more growth in the area.

The commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Major General Joseph Martin, was one of the featured speakers during the Flint Hills Regional Leaders Retreat Friday in Olathe.

Topics ranging from Fort Riley to K-State Career Services and Kansas City Federal Reserve were covered.

The retreat continues Saturday morning with community and region reports, and Stan Longhoffer of Wichita State University will discuss housing.

Chamber of Commerce and community members from Junction City, Manhattan and Wamego plus representatives from Fort Riley participate in the annual retreat. This year it is being held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Olathe Conference Center.

The event is being sponsored by the Chambers of Commerce in Manhattan, Junction City and Wamego.

The reorganization of the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce was a key agenda item for the Board of Directors when they met Friday morning. The meeting was held in Olathe just ahead of the Flint Hills Regional Leaders Retreat.

Board member Ben Bennett reported that they started with the reorganization of the Chamber board and the Chamber of Commerce under new direction with three entities. “A chamber membership Division, an EDC Division, and a Military Affairs Division. ”

Committees were set up to search for new membership and military affairs directors. Bennett added, “We have an Economic Development Director who will oversee the total operation but from an EDC perspective.”

Bennett said EDC Director Mickey Fornaro-Dean will be the Economic Development Director / Chamber of Commerce Director. Fornaro-Dean, who was initially hired as an EDC Director, has also been working in the Chamber CEO role on an interim basis in recent months, but that interim tag can now be removed.

The Chamber reorganization follows the resignation or retirement of former employees, and the decision by the Geary County Commission to remove the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau from the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber Board decision on the reorganization goes to the City and County Commissions for a final approval in the future.

Approximately 30 people from Junction City are attending the Flint Hills Regional Leaders Retreat. Others from Manhattan, Wamego and Fort Riley also attend that two-day event which began Friday and continues on Saturday.

        TOPEKA, KAN. – An indictment unsealed Thursday alleges three Kansas residents lied on forms they filled out to purchase firearms, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. All three defendants were soldiers stationed at Fort Riley.

          Johny Perez, 26, Junction City, Kan., is charged with six counts of making false statements on ATF Form 4473 when he purchased firearms from licensed dealers, and one count of dealing firearms without a federal license. Jorge Flores, 26, Fort Riley, is charged with two counts of making false statements when he purchased firearms. Maya George, 22 Fort Riley, is charged with one count of making a false statement when she purchased firearms.

          All three defendants are accused of falsely denying that they were acquiring the firearms on behalf of other buyers. The firearms were purchased from Jack and Dick’s Jewelry and Loan in Junction City, Godfrey’s Indoor Shooting and Archery Ranges in Junction City and Quantico Tactical Supply in Junction City.

          If convicted, they face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of making a false statement. Dealing guns without a license carries a penalty of up to five years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard is prosecuting.

Jim Cross

Public information officer for U.S. Attorney Tom Beall in the District of Kansas

State Representative Dave Baker, a member of the Children and Seniors Committee in the Kansas House, said this week that there has been input from nursing homes and assisted living personnel.

he noted groups have made presentations on the difficulty of finding help. “It’s encouraging when I hear the emphasis being put on technical schools and getting training to students as early as possible, to get them more ready for a career in the medical field, starting with a CNA on up to an RN, a nurse practitioner, or PA or med school.”

Baker added whenever they get into that field and are focused in the medical profession then you hone those skills over time.  He called that an encouraging sign.

Link to Quality Play for All

Junction City officials have received notice from the office of Governor Sam Brownback that the City has been awarded a Community Improvement grant of $188,244 through the Kansas Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program. The award will help provide funding for a planned upgrade of the Fifth Street Playground Park in Junction City.

A local group, The Quality Play for All Committee, has spearheaded this project, and the City then applied for the CDBG grant.

The Director of Marketing for the committee, Kendall Schoenrock. stated they are trying to do two phases in terms of the playground equipment. The first phase would involve putting a new piece of playground equipment on site next summer. with the major renovation in the fall 2018 time frame. ” We have other goals and other things in addition to the grant that we still need to raise some money for. And that’s what we’re going on to be focused here on in the next quarter, the first half of this year.”

Long term Schoenrock noted improvement plans will focus on FIfth Street Park, updating the playground equipment and making it safe by doing a lot of flooring that is safe for the children. Longer term there would be some help for other parks, potentially on Grant Avenue or elsewhere in the community.

The City Commission in 2017 also agreed to support a local match to help with the project.

In the letter notifying the City officials were told the CDBG funds being awarded are contingent upon the state’s receipt of the funds from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, and the award is contingent upon successful completion of appropriate contractual conditions.

Fort Riley officials have announced that the 1st Infantry Division will replace the 4th Infantry Division in March 2018 as U.S. Army Europe’s division-level headquarters responsible for mission command of U.S. forces deployed in support of Atlantic Resolve. 

Three years ago, in response to increased regional tensions, the 4th Infantry Division formed the first Atlantic Resolve Mission Command Element serving as the intermediate headquarters between U.S. Army Europe and U.S. regionally allocated forces deployed throughout the eight eastern European Atlantic Resolve countries of Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

“I am very pleased that the Big Red One was selected to replace the 4th Infantry Division for this critical mission,” said Maj. Gen. Joseph M. Martin, the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley commanding general. “We are constantly building readiness so that we can support missions like this and many others across the globe. We look forward to building upon the successes of the mighty 4th ID.”

Located in Poznan, Poland, the MCE provides command and control for more than 6,000 U.S. service members conducting bilateral training and multinational exercises with Allied host nation forces to deter aggression and support regional stability.

The 1st Inf. Div., will deploy about 100 personnel to Poznan, Poland, in March, to take over the Atlantic Resolve MCE mission from 4th Inf. Div.

Leading the MCE mission will be Brig. Gen. Richard R. Coffman, the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley deputy commanding general for maneuver.

“I have the utmost confidence that Richard is the right leader for the job,” said Martin. “As I’ve watched him prepare his team for this upcoming mission, I’m reminded how lucky I am to have him here at the Big Red One -he’s mission-focused and ready. He will be an asset to Atlantic Resolve.”

During its tenure as the Atlantic Resolve MCE, the Fort Carson, Colorado-based 4th Inf. Div. led U.S. Army Europe’s efforts in Eastern Europe to demonstrate U.S. commitment to our Allies and partners, enhance U.S. and Allied readiness, deter aggression and enhance freedom of movement.

As the first Atlantic Resolve MCE, 4th Inf. Div. facilitated the first U.S. regionally allocated forces deployments into Europe as well as the first heel-to-toe rotations of regionally allocated armored brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades. The MCE also relocated from Germany to Poland in order to ensure a more forward and ready headquarters presence in Eastern Europe.

Throughout its time as the MCE, 4th Inf. Div. developed key relationships with Allied and partner military and civilian leaders, managed the movement of thousands of vehicles, pieces of equipment and personnel across international borders in a region the size of the U.S. eastern seaboard, and oversaw numerous multinational exercises culminating in Saber Guardian 17 – with 22 NATO Allies and partner nations participating in the exercise in the Black Sea region.

The 1st Inf. Div. will further strengthen those key relationships and expand upon building readiness with its NATO partners while abroad, said Martin.

A 1st Infantry Division Soldier was found dead in an off-post residence in
Junction City, Kansas, Jan. 15.

Spc. Hunter Schmidtke, an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 16th
Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., was found
unresponsive in an off-post home and later pronounced dead. The Junction
City Police Department and Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Command are
investigating Schmidtke’s death.

Junction City police confirmed an autopsy is scheduled today but no foul play is suspected.

“The Soldiers of the ‘Iron Ranger’ battalion mourn the loss of Spc. Hunter Schmidtke,” said Lt. Col. Jon Meredith, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., commander. “We will continue to fully support his family and friends during these challenging times and will honor Spc. Schmidtke’s memory and contributions
to the unit.”

Schmidtke joined the Army in May 2015 and arrived at Fort Riley in June 2016. He was 25 years old.

Schmidtke’s home of record is University Place, Washington. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.

Schmidtke deployed to South Korea in 2016.

The Geary Community Hospital Medical Explorer program is gearing up for its sixth round of classes, beginning with orientation,Wednesday, January 17. The bi-weekly evening program gives area high school students the opportunity to learn more about careers in the medical field ranging from surgery, Life Star, cardiology, pediatrics, radiology, pharmacy and more.

Students do not need to pre-register but must attend the orientation session Wednesday, January 17, 7:00 p.m., in the GCH cafeteria. The program is open to all high school students in the community.  Students must also have a flu shot in order to participate in the class and will need to bring documentation.

For more information and questions, contact Nancy Dettmer (nancydettmer@usd475.org) or Nikki Davies (ndavies@gchks.org).

Medical Explorer Program Schedule

7:00 p.m. starting in the GCH Bistro Cafeteria

Wednesday, January 17 – Orientation/Housekeeping

Wednesday, January 31 – Emergency Department

Wednesday, February 14 – Laboratory

Wednesday, February 28 – SANE / SART (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Sexual Assault Response Team)

Wednesday, March 14 – Optometry

Wednesday, March 28 – Life Star

Wednesday, April 11 – Radiology

Wednesday, April 25 – Central Services and Sterilization