Bicycles were awarded in Heritage Park on Monday to five children who participated in the Summer Picnic Parties in Junction CIty.
A coordinator for the Summer Picnic Parties, Marty Rombold, is calling the effort to feed hungry children in Junction City this summer “incredibly successful.”
Rombold noted 3,200 meals across five locations in the city were served to children during the noon hour five day a week. She added that more than 1,000 of those meals were served at the Fifth Street Playground Park. “And then next was the Library with all their reading programs. Regency Trailer Park had an amazing number of kids, thanks to Charles Martinez who was really active in getting the kids out there.”
The effort for a second consecutive year was funded through a grant from USDA and the Wichita Food Bank.
Five lucky children were the winners of bicycles donated by the local Walmart. Rombold said every day the children arrived for a meal they were allowed to put their name in for a drawing. “So the more often they came, the more opportunities they had to win. So on the last day it was just drawing a name out of the hat.” The recipients of the bicycles included Olivia Engledow, Leslie Thomas, Jayna Winans, Vanessa Nixon and Deidra Bell.
Numerous volunteers assisted with this program during the summer.
There was not any general public attendance at the annual Geary County budget hearing Monday afternoon.
County Commission Chairman Ben Bennett stated that the governing body will consider adoption of the spending plan Monday, August 21st at 2 p.m. The budget includes a proposed reduction of 1.614 mills in the property tax levy.
Among the reductions in the budget for 2018 is a $60,000 cut in funding for Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency ( ATA Bus), the public transportation service. Bennett stated no changes would be made there, and the money would not be added back into the spending plan.
At the time the proposed reduction was first reported the director of ATA Bus, Anne Smith, noted that the proposed cut was disappointing. She stated the local funding was used to leverage federal and state funds, so it would be more in the line of over a $120,000 reduction to their Geary County budget. Commissioner Charles Stimatze noted that all County departments were asked to make reductions to help with budget preparation.
ATA Bus Board President Florence Whitebread had later urged the commission to restore the funding.
The Milford Lake Dam was rededicated Saturday. Built in mid-1960’s, the Dam is 50 years old.
Corps of Engineers, Geary County, Junction City, Milford and a State Representative all participated in the ceremony at the East Rolling Hills, Dedication Point area where a plaque marking the anniversary has been installed.
Ben Bennett, Geary County Commissioners remembered the gates were closed in 1967. “And it was supposed to take about three years for it to reach conservation pool. We had a real wet year in 1967, and actually the lake reached conservation pool in about six months, almost. So we would have had another big flood, probably, during that period of time if it hadn’t been for the Dam.”
Phyllis Fitzgerald, Junction City Mayor, said she told the audience it is the largest man-made lake in Kansas, was built for flood control and protects the City from flooding. She told JCPost.com, “It provides beautiful sunrises, beautiful sunsets, watching of the eagles and lots of recreational opportunities for everybody.”
The rededication of the dam was followed by activities in the lake area including the first ever JC Challenge bicycle ride that attracted about 100 riders, a 5K Run / Walk, and at the Gathering Pond the seventh annual Float Your Boat competition where 26 boats made with duct tape and cardboard were steered on on a water course. The CEO of the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Dennis Beson estimated a turnout for Float Your Boat, participants and spectators combined, of at least 300 people.
Manny Scott made the audience laugh at times but also touched on very serious issues in our society during the USD 475 General Session on Friday.
Scott, one of the original Freedom Writers, delivered the keynote address at the Shenk Gym at Junction City High School. He told JCPost.com that issues such as dysfunctional families, addiction abuse and homelessness do exist. Following the session Scott also spoke with a teenage boy who has been homeless and began working to get him some help. “There’s homelessness. This young man I’m talking to he’s homeless, roaming the streets at night, nowhere to go. So first there’s an awareness and then there’s a burden. I want to make a difference, I might not be able to fix everything, but I can do something. So everyone finding something they can do.”
Scott noted he and others were helping the young man. “So I’m trying to connect him with some resources in town, some social workers and some other people to see if we can get him some resources, get him some help, find him a place to sleep, get him some food and find out what he needs to get on his feet.”
Scott was in a similar situation when he was young. “Oh man, that used to be me. I used to be homeless, I used to be eating out of dumpsters, I used to cry myself to sleep in homeless shelters. So seeing him takes me back to who I used to be, so I’m obligated to help.” Scott dropped out of school when he was 14 years old and was homeless before a stranger inspired him to take a new path in life. He wound up in Erin Gruwell’s English class, a group known worldwide as the Freedom Writers, and portrayed in the movie starring Hilary Swank. Today he has two college degrees and is working on a doctorate degree. He noted he was helped by several loving adults ranging from teachers and coaches to a lunch lady and bus driver, and other people’s parents.
All USD 475 employees attend the general session, which is held prior to the beginning of the new school year.
A Star Wars theme, Choosing the God Force – the Light, was one focus of the annual Geary USD 475 general session.
Superintendent of Schools, Dr.Corbin Witt, said teachers can be the light in the eyes of young people, and help them make choices for their future. “The subject built around being a force of light for those students.”
Witt in costume portrayed a mock Star Wars character. ” I was Obi Wan Kanobi. So I was dressed to deal with Darth Vader who was trying to coax the staff toward the dark side. And I knew our staff wouldn’t go there so we had good time with that.”
Fort Riley Middle School eighth grade student Ayden Westbrook portrayed Darth Vader during the presentation.
All employees in USD 475 attend the general session, held every August just prior to the beginning of the school year.
( Photo courtesy of Junction City Police Facebook page )
On their JCPD Facebook page the Junction City Police Department has announced that in recent weeks they have received reports of counterfeit one-hundred dollar bills being passed in the city.
During the interview of people who had been identified with those bills, it was learned they had received them after being asked to exchange the large bill for smaller bills.
The counterfeit bills that are being passed are movie props.
The JCPD wants the public’s assistance in identifying the subjects who are passing those bills. If you have information pass it on to the police department.
August 6th through 12th – this week – is National Farmer’s Market week.
According to the National Farmer’s Market Coalition, the local markets serve as the only low-barrier entry points for new farmers, ranchers, and food entrepreneurs to start small and test new products. They also serve as way for community members to know where they food is coming from, and to ask questions about how it was produced.
The American Fitness Index includes the number of farmers markets per capita as a factor contributing to community health, using it as an indicator for community members’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Locally grown fruits and vegetables that area easily accessible to families can make a major difference in a family’s diet and overall health.
Nikki Davies, Geary Community Hospital (GCH) Marketing Director, said that there are typically 30 to 25 vendors at the GCH farmers market.
“It works out very well, we definitely have a packed parking lot; it starts a little bit slower of course earlier in the season, because not all the crops are in yet,” said Davies. “Now we are in the hot season and everything is pretty much ready and available at the market right now.”
Davies and Hospital CEO Dr. Joseph Stratton came up with the idea in 2014 to host a farmer’s market to address food insecurity and other concerns in the community.
“We had a conversation and said, ‘we have an issue with access to local produce in the community, and nutrition is a great start and the start to having a healthy life and living healthier’ – so that’s how we came up with the idea of having a farmer’s market in the front parking lot of the hospital,” said Davies.
Low income families can also enjoy the farmer’s market and utilize their SNAP/EBT benefits.
The GCH Farmer’s Market is every Thursday through the end of September from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the front parking lot of the hospital.
Before you drink and drive…you better think twice.
Not only does drunk driving result in nearly 10,000 deaths and $44 billion in economic damage each year – it results in roughly 1 million arrests.
Personal finance website Wallethub has ranked Kansas the 4th strictest state on DUI offenders. The ranking compared all 50 states including Washington, D.C. across 15 key metrics ranging from fines to minimum jail time.
The overall rank of the “strictest” state goes to Arizona with the harshest DUI penalties and long jail terms. Second on the list is Georgia, and third is Alaska. Kansas and Oklahoma tie for fourth and rounding out the top five is Nebraska.
South Dakota is the most lenient state on drunk drivers ranked 51st in the report, due largely to no mandatory jail time for offenders.
In Kansas the minimum jail time on a first offense DUI charge is one day ranking 9th in the nation; the minimum jail time on a second offense is 90 days, ranking 3rd in the nation. Old DUI convictions factor into penalties in Kansas for ten years, ranking 6th in the nation; and DUIs are automatic felonies after the third offense.
DUI Penalty in Kansas (1=Strictest; 25=Avg.):
9th– Minimum Jail Time (1st offense)
3rd – Minimum Jail Time (2nd offense)
6th – How Long Old DUI Factors into Penalties
20th – Administrative License Suspension
3rd – Minimum Fine (1st offense)
6th – Minimum Fine (2nd offense)
5th – Average Insurance Rate Increase After DUI
Hover over the interactive map for more information.
A 1st Infantry Division Soldier died in an officer-involved shooting on August 8th in Junction City.
Specialist Peter James Robbins, 23, a field artillery Firefinder radar operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., died following an early morning incident involving the Junction City Police Department.
“The 1st Bn., 5th FA Regt., team is deeply saddened by the loss of Spc. Robbins,” said Lt. Col. Richard J. Ikena Jr., commander of the 1st Bn., 5th FA Regt. “Our team is prepared to fully support Spc. Robbins’ family, teammates and friends through these challenging times.”
Robbins joined the Army in February 2013 and arrived at Fort Riley in August 2013. He deployed to Iraq in June 2014 and to South Korea in October 2016.
His home of record is Albuquerque, New Mexico.
His awards include the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
An investigation with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is ongoing.
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The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred early Tuesday morning on the west side of Junction City.
Junction City Police Chief Dan Breci held a press conference Tuesday afternoon where he reported that the initial call to police was for a welfare check of a possibly suicidal subject. Soon after arriving at a residence on Windwood Drive (off Ash Street), another call came in to authorities reporting an armed man at the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 1723 McFarland Road in Junction City.
Authorities from the Junction City Police Department (JCPD) and Geary County Sheriff’s Office (GESO) responded to the Walmart parking lot.
“When [we] got there [the subject] was walking through the [Walmart] parking lot,” said Breci. “[Officers] had about an eight minute conversation with him trying to get him to put the guns down, and for most of that conversation he had a gun to his temple and a gun pointed at our officers.”
The subject was given commands to drop his weapons. The confrontation escalated and four law enforcement officers – three from the JCPD, and one from the GESO – fired at the subject.
The subject – whose identity will not be released until next of kin has been appropriately notified – was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a 23 year old white male from Fort Riley.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
“We’re continuing this investigation right now, we have a lot of paperwork, a lot of tie-ups – it just doesn’t stop when we leave the scene,” said Breci. “This investigation [includes] downloading body cameras, video cameras, video from Walmart, [and] video from surrounding businesses.”
Breci noted that the JCPD officers involved were equipped with body cameras,and both the GESO and JCPD vehicles had dash cam video recording.
All officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, per protocol. JCPD Chaplains will meet with all parties involved, including dispatchers, for “grief counseling”. Breci noted that a 16 year old male high school intern was taking part in a ride-along with one of the responding officers and witnessed the incident. He has been interning with the JCPD for a year.
“The sad fact is that somebody lost their life, so it isn’t a day to celebrate/to say things went great, because they didn’t,” said Breci. “Today wasn’t a success story, other than we prevented him from hurting other people.”
There were three calls to law enforcement for possibly suicidal subjects on Monday evening/early Tuesday morning.
The investigation has been turned over to the KBI, and is ongoing.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has identified the Fort Riley man killed in a confrontation with police yesterday outside the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Junction City, as 23-year-old Peter James Robbins.
An investigation is ongoing.
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The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred early Tuesday morning on the west side of Junction City.
Junction City Police Chief Dan Breci held a press conference Tuesday afternoon where he reported that the initial call to police was for a welfare check of a possibly suicidal subject. Soon after arriving at a residence on Windwood Drive (off Ash Street), another call came in to authorities reporting an armed man at the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 1723 McFarland Road in Junction City.
Authorities from the Junction City Police Department (JCPD) and Geary County Sheriff’s Office (GESO) responded to the Walmart parking lot.
“When [we] got there [the subject] was walking through the [Walmart] parking lot,” said Breci. “[Officers] had about an eight minute conversation with him trying to get him to put the guns down, and for most of that conversation he had a gun to his temple and a gun pointed at our officers.”
The subject was given commands to drop his weapons. The confrontation escalated and four law enforcement officers – three from the JCPD, and one from the GESO – fired at the subject.
The subject – whose identity will not be released until next of kin has been appropriately notified – was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a 23 year old white male from Fort Riley.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
“We’re continuing this investigation right now, we have a lot of paperwork, a lot of tie-ups – it just doesn’t stop when we leave the scene,” said Breci. “This investigation [includes] downloading body cameras, video cameras, video from Walmart, [and] video from surrounding businesses.”
Breci noted that the JCPD officers involved were equipped with body cameras,and both the GESO and JCPD vehicles had dash cam video recording.
All officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, per protocol. JCPD Chaplains will meet with all parties involved, including dispatchers, for “grief counseling”. Breci noted that a 16 year old male high school intern was taking part in a ride-along with one of the responding officers and witnessed the incident. He has been interning with the JCPD for a year.
“The sad fact is that somebody lost their life, so it isn’t a day to celebrate/to say things went great, because they didn’t,” said Breci. “Today wasn’t a success story, other than we prevented him from hurting other people.”
There were three calls to law enforcement for possibly suicidal subjects on Monday evening/early Tuesday morning.
The investigation has been turned over to the KBI, and is ongoing.
