NEWS RELEASE

Geary County is one of eight Kansas communities recently selected as a grantee in the largest community grant program ever funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. The Pathways to a Healthy Kansas program provides community coalitions like Live Well Geary County with the tools and resources needed to remove barriers and engage the community in ways that enable healthy eating and tobacco-free, active living to become a way of life. The funding for Geary County includes a coordination grant of $100,000, with the opportunity to apply for non-competitive implementation and achievements grants amounting to $400,000, for a total of $500,000, during the next three years.

“We envision Kansans living in healthy communities that provide the highest possible quality of life and well-being. As the state’s largest health insurer, we are well-positioned to understand the barriers to good health that Kansans face,” said Andrew C. Corbin, BCBSKS president/CEO. “The Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative is an outgrowth of our commitment to more strategically invest our expertise, time and dollars in helping remove those barriers and build healthy communities in Kansas.”

In addition to the grant dollars, Blue Cross is providing Geary County with technical assistance for planning, evaluation, communications and measurement through partnerships with Kansas Health Institute and the Community Engagement Institute at Wichita State University. Additional technical partners include WorkWell Kansas, The Public Health Law Center and Thrive Allen County.

Also, elementary schools in Geary County will have free access to GoNoodle Plus for the duration of the funding period. GoNoodle is a website with interactive games and videos that get children moving throughout the day. The activities are designed to help children channel their physical and emotional energy for good, improving behavior, focus and achievement.

“The intent of Pathways is to help communities create environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice to make, now and for generations to come” said Virginia Barnes, MPH, director of Blue Health Initiatives and developer of the grant program. “We look forward to working closely with Live Well Geary County to inspire long-lasting, community-wide well-being by focusing on strategies that build community engagement and transform the way residents of Geary County stay healthy as they live, work and interact socially.”

During the next three years, members of the Live Well Geary County will lead the community in these efforts with a focus on community policy, resident/community well-being, the food retail sector, health care, restaurants, schools and worksites.

Live Well Geary County is a healthy living coalition that develops community-based strategies to improve the health of its community and residents.

“Live Well was founded in response to a call for countywide coordinated action among health and wellness stakeholders,” said Mike Ryan, Live Well Geary County chair. “We came together in 2014 to address the health needs of the community including nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation. Currently Geary County is ranked as one of the most food insecure counties in the state, which means there is a serious lack of access to reliable, affordable and nutritious food in our community.

“Geary County also has the highest tobacco usage and highest obesity percentage within the state,” he said. “This grant will help us open doors to addressing the needs of our community and provide sustainability for the coalition and its initiatives.”

To receive funding, Geary County went through a thorough application process that included an on-site visit. Eligible communities were required to:

• Be located in a semi-urban, densely-settled rural, rural or frontier county, or be a community with a population of less than 75,000 in an urban county.
• Have an active coalition or active Community Health Assessment/Improvement Plan work group.
• Illustrate commitment from community leaders.
• Be within the 103-county service area of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte).

The eight communities selected for 2017-2020 funding are: the town of Chanute, in Neosho County, along with the counties of Cowley, Dickinson, Geary, Harvey, Lyon, Seward, and the group of Atwood, Bird City, Colby and St. Francis in Thomas, Rawlins and Cheyenne counties. The eight communities previously selected for 2016-2019 funding are: Atchison County, Bourbon County, Crawford County, Franklin County, Hoisington and northern Barton County, Kearny County, Reno County and Wichita County.

Declining transient guest tax revenues to a view that cost savings have not been realized by the Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau under a consolidated Chamber of Commerce drew strong criticism during the CVB Advisory Committee’s monthly board meeting in Junction City.

After extensive discussion in which the majority of the discussion focused on CVB problems under the Chamber umbrella, there was a recommendation from Board member Brian Field to do a comprehensive evaluation and review of the consolidation of the entities when they formed the Chamber. The consolidated organization is now approximately five years old. There was no motion but there was support to form a committee to do that comprehensive review.

Board member and Geary County Commissioner Keith Ascher addressed the next step, saying based on discussions Tuesday that’s where the board wants to go. “We’ll see if we can put together a small committee and discuss this a little farther. Yeah, it’s only fair.” Ascher noted he felt he should be on the committee along with Chamber CEO Dennis Beson, CVB Advisory Committee Chairman Mike Harris, Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Stan Hambright, CVB Director Michelle Stimatze and Brian Field, who did indicate he would be willing to serve on it.

Some of the opinions that aired from CVB Committee members included:

–Chairman Mike Harris noting that prior to consolidation things operated well, but cost savings with consolidation were never realized. He said the CVB is paying higher rent and portions of people’s salaries who are not working for that agency. He added the CVB has more overhead expense than before so they do not have the marketing money to recruit as much as in the past.

–Committee member Susan Kamm noted the CVB survival depends on transient guest tax funds, unlike the Chamber of Commerce. it is the CVB lodging tax. She added funds from that tax are going into a sports complex fund, and the advisory committee should have more of a say in what they’re doing.

–Board member Tony Reitz indicated there should be more flexibility by the CVB to make decisions for the betterment of the community. This was supposed to be mutually beneficial for both parties but it doesn’t feel that way.

–Committee member Honey Grant added she was against the consolidation initially but it needed to be given a try. And it’s embarrassing they do not have the say where the committee should. Grant said the CVB committee needs to get back on track on how to “get things back in our area” and needs more of a say.

–One committee member Jim Sands expressed support for consolidation and expressed anger about the timing of a recent County Commission notice of intent to withdraw from the Chamber of Commerce master agreement. That announcement came before a July 1 deadline for issuance of notice, and no final action on withdrawal would occur before the end of the year. That allows time for discussion on the issues. Sands, who also serves on the Junction City Commission, indicated he felt he had been stabbed in the back, that under a consolidated Chamber operation the community brings the best resources together, to just kill it is a dumb idea and consolidation is working in other communities.

–Chamber CEO Dennis Beson spoke emphatically in support of the consolidation, noting the CVB has worked well in a partnership situation under the consolidated umbrella. “I think that the current situation is one that needs to be looked at more diligently. I’ve asked over the last two years that I’ve been here for us to examine everything. A big part of our ( Chamber ) Board retreat last year was setting goals and finding out whether they were attainable and actual numbers driven.” Beson added he wants to everything about this “before we make a knee jerk decision it’s not working.”

Ascher told JCPost.com he thinks the biggest concern with the CVB is financial. “It always has been, and it’s been an ongoing problem. And the more people I talk to said since consolidation CVB has slipped.” Ascher was quick to add there are multiple factors to that. “And I’m not pointing fingers. It needs to be addressed and addressed now.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The topic of Tiny Houses arose at the weekly Geary County Commission Meeting on Monday afternoon.

Ben Bennett, County Commission Chairman, said that Realtor Sheila Burdett met with the Commissioners on the topic.

“[She] wondered if we had thought about having a designated area for platting for those kinds of construction,” said Bennett.

The realtor felt strongly that it could become an “issue” that local leaders will have to address since the “tiny house movement” has become a craze around the nation.

Bennett suggested that Burdett talk with the City Commission and indicated that this might be a good discussion topic for a joint City – County meeting.

During the last joint meeting, local leaders discussed ways to promote growth in Junction City and Geary County.

JC Post readers:  What do you think? Would you support a tiny house community in Geary County?

 

by: DeAngela McDougald

“You can not do it alone, it takes a whole team.”

That’s the sentiment of Junction City Mayor Phyllis Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald is hoping to inspire potential leaders in the community with her community outreach and positive image campaigns. Most recently, she hosted a Walk and Talk with the Mayor event on the morning of July 14th.

“You just need someone in a community, or neighborhood to say ‘hey, I want to be a part of [this] and let’s make this happen,” said Fitzgerald. “It’d be nice if the different neighborhoods were to form a little neighborhood group of people and get together and pick a day each month or once a quarter to focus on their neighborhood, and walk around and clean it up.”

Fitzgerald hosts weekly cleanup efforts in various locations throughout Junction City, most often hitting the main thoroughfares.  “I know I can’t be everywhere, but I will do my best to go out and support any neighborhood event.”

Inspiring others is what Fitzgerald does best, as a Spring Valley Neighborhood cleanup group has formed and will host their first cleanup effort this Saturday.

But, the Walk and Talks aren’t only about picking up trash.

“Whether you’re a leader, a politician, a business owner, a homeowner, a schoolkid – everybody is invited; and I’ve asked the City Manager (Allen Dinkel) to attend these events with me, because if people have questions about something in the City that I wouldn’t necessarily have the answer to, then he is there to provide whatever the answer is,” said Fitzgerald noting that she also provides follow-up emails to community members that have concerns or questions.

Several other topics were brought up by those in attendance at the Walk and Talk including implementing dog waste baggies/baskets at City parks, upgrades to the Municipal swimming pool to include lap swimming for adults, resurfacing of City-owned tennis courts, and various other quality of life suggestions/concerns.

Fitzgerald’s goal is to host one Walk and Talk event each month – and for August she plans to move the event to a Saturday morning instead of Friday, in hopes of gaining more participation.

The Junction City Police Department will join law enforcement agencies in six states July 21st through the 23rd ( Friday -Sunday ) to stop what is being described as an epidemic in recent years, increased speeding on our streets and highways.

In the effort to change that trend law enforcement across the six-state area will be extra vigilant when patrolling around city, rural state and federal highways. As speed increase the severity of crashes increase including deaths.

Officers will issue citations to any person who refuses to obey the traffic laws, whether it is for speeding, texting, driving while impaired or failing to buckle up.

Junction City Police Chief Dan Breci says, “Even one death is unacceptable. Please slow down, put the phone away or turn it off, and always buckle up.

Law enforcement agencies from Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma are participating in the speeding enforcement July 21st through the 23rd.

 

 

Bert Davis the Coppertown Clown, Franny Davis and their Muttley Crew nine rescue dogs entertained the big crowds at the Junction City Rodeo Friday and Saturday night with stunts by the trained dogs. They ranged from jumping through hoops to one that even performed in the barrel race.

One of the dogs did a salute to the military by standing on his back legs to commands from Davis.

The rodeo audience were informed that six of the dogs were on season five of America’s Got Talent, the 2013 PRCA Comedy Act of the Year nominee.

This was the 24th year for the Junction City Rodeo.

 

by: DeAngela McDougald

Over 150 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters returned to Fort Riley Friday evening.

The final welcome home ceremony for the Division Headquarters celebrated the return of the soldiers from a nine month deployment to Iraq where the 1st Infantry Division assumed the role of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command (CJFLCC) – Operation Inherent Resolve. As part of that role, the Division served in an assist capacity to the Iraqi Security Forces as part of a 23 nation coalition.

Major General Joseph Martin, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley Commanding General, served as the Commanding General of CJFLCC.

The Division was successful in liberating nearly 2 million people in Mosul, Iraq – a city that has been under ISIS control since 2014. Additionally, more than 350,000 children returned to school in Mosul, 320 schools have reopened and nearly 200,000 internally displaced persons have returned to their homes in Mosul.

Brigadier General William “Bill” Turner, 1st ID and Fort Riley Acting Senior Commander, said that it’s a rewarding experience to serve in the First Infantry Division.

“In addition to this deployment, we’ve also had several of our brigades that have been deployed around the globe; we had our 1st Brigade that was deployed over in the Republic of Korea in the Korean peninsula deterring North Korean aggression, we had our Combat Aviation Brigade that was deployed to Afghanistan, and then really topping it off is having the Division Headquarters over in Iraq supporting the Iraqi Security Forces.”

Turner said that it’s “beyond words to express our gratitude” to the soldiers returning from deployment.

“This will be the first time in quite a long time that really most of the Division – all of its brigades, and Headquarters – are back together again on Fort Riley,” said Turner.

There is one aviation battalion that is currently deployed to Korea.

The 1st Infantry Division will continue to celebrate 100 years during Victory Week festivities in August.

To the community members and families of the Big Red One, Turner offers these words of gratitude: “We express our gratitude, our very sincere thanks to the residents of the Flint Hills regional community for all that they’ve done to support our soldiers that have been back here training and preparing more readiness for our nation, as well as supporting all of our soldiers and the families of those that are deployed; [the support has] been phenomenal, this is a great place.”

https://