Thousands of people from across the state and the region attended the Symphony in the Flint Hills event in Geary County last weekend.

Michele Stimatze, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) Director, visited the KJCK studios Wednesday morning where she noted that Symphony in the Flint Hills was a great start to a busy summer.

“The Symphony is just fantastic, a lot of people really enjoy the event,” said Stimatze. “Over 7000 people attended the event, we had over 600 volunteers out there working; all sales that were done at Deer Horn Ranch, the sales tax stayed in Geary County.”

The Deer Horn Ranch was the site of the Symphony in the Flint Hills. Stimatze also noted that all local hotels were sold out for the major event.

The next big event to draw tourism will be the annual Sundown Salute Fourth of July celebrations. This year they are slated for Friday, June 30th through Tuesday, July 4th.

“We have the Babe Ruth Midwest Plains Regional Tournament that starts July 21st and runs through the 30th, so we’ll have a lot of families in the community spending the night to watch their kids play baseball,” said Stimatze.

Stimatze also noted that the Geary County Free Fair will begin on July 24th and continue through July 27th, adding another boost in recreation and visitors to the community.

Highlighting the Summer events for the CVB are the events at Milford Lake on August 12th.

“August 12th is Float Your Boat, and we’re excited; we’d love to have people come out and build those boats out of cardboard and duct tape,” said Stimatze. “There also is a 5K fun run with walk and a bicycle race, so it’s a lot of exciting things going on.”

There will also be a rededication ribbon cutting ceremony for the 50th anniversary of Milford Lake.

For more information on Float Your Boat, or any of the other events this summer visit: https://www.junctioncity.org/.

Dickinson County Fire Department 1 (DKFD1) was called to assist the Chapman Fire Department (CFD) just before 5:00 am Wednesday morning for the report of a structure fire.

Crews responded to a residence at 131 E. 3rd Street in Chapman. Upon arrival crews observed heavy fire coming from the residence.

The CFD began work to extinguish the fire from the exterior and DKFD1 assisted with an interior attack.

Paul Froelich, DKFD1 Chief confirmed to JC Post that the home was occupied by Wayne and Lorene Brumbalow who were able to escape without injury.

Froelich reported that the home is considered a total loss and the American Red Cross has been called to assist the family.

Over 700 bicyclists will come through the area tomorrow as part of the eight day Bike Across Kansas Tour.

Wednesday evening the tour will stop in Chapman, where City leaders have planned activities.

“The Chapman Economic Development Council has been working with the Bike Across Kansas folks,” said City Administrator John Dudte.

Dudte said that bicyclists will begin to come through Chapman around 3:00 pm tomorrow.

“The City, in collaboration with the Economic Development Council, the School District and St. Michael’s Catholic Church are going to feed the bikers; the archery club from the high school will take care of the food in the evening, St. Michael’s will give them breakfast in the morning.”

Country music and other activities are scheduled to begin in the City park at 5:00pm as well as a City sponsored beer garden.

Participants in the Bike Across Kansas tour range in age from 9 to 90 years old and represent several different communities across Kansas and 30 different states.

This is the 43rd year for the annual bike tour.

*feature photo courtesy BAK Facebook

The 1st Infantry Division has reported that the Soldier who was identified by law enforcement authorities as a drowning victim at Milford Lake this past Sunday, Specialist Xavier Harden, was a food service specialist with Forward Support Company D, 4th Cavalry Regiment of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team.

“This is a tragic loss for the entire ‘Longknife’ family, ” said Lt. Col. Dave Maxwell, commander of 5th Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt. ” We are supporting and will continue to support Xavier’s Family through this difficult time.”

Harden had arrived at Fort Riley in June of 2016. The 23-year old soldier was from Tolleson, Arizona. His awards included the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

Sundown Salute is gearing up for the annual Fourth of July Sundown Salute parade. Entries are being accepted now.

This year’s theme is “100 Years and Danger Strong” in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley, and their relationship with the Junction City community.

All entrants, even if you do not wish to be judged for the contest, in the parade must be decorated according to the parade theme or a similar patriotic theme. Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

There is no entry fee for the parade. Entrants can download an entry form from: https://www.sundownsalute.org/information-lodging All entries must be returned to Sundown Salute P.O. Box 287, Junction City, KS 66441 or emailed to sundownsaluteparade@gmail.com. All questions concerning the parade should be directed to Tricia Verschage at 912-332-2465 or by email at sundownsaluteparade@gmail.com. THE ENTRY DEADLINE IS SUNDAY, JUNE 18TH.

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In addition to the parade, registration is open for the Car, Truck and Bike Show on Saturday, July 1st. This event is hosted and sponsored by Central Kansas Ruff Ryders.

Registration is $20 and is from 8:00 am until 11:30 am on July 1st; judging will begin at 11:30 am. Trophy presentations will take place at 2:00 pm.

For more information, contact the Central Kansas Ruff Ryders at 785-375-5431.

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The annual 10K and 5K Freedom Run will be held again this year on the morning of July 4th. Registration forms can be downloaded here: https://www.sundownsalute.org/information-lodging. Medals will be awarded to all participants, cash prizes and plaques will go to the top finishers.

For more information, contact Race Director Troy Vernon at 785-320-6363.

In lieu of the drowning death of 23 year old Xavier Joseph Harden on Sunday, many questions surrounding water safety, and specifically lifeguards at the lake are surfacing.

Milford Lake, the largest in Kansas, is not policed by lifeguards – a practice common in many lakes/reservoirs; instead, lake goers are urged to utilize water safety practices and wear life vests.

Jesse Gehrt, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Geary and Wabaunsee County Game Warden, said that it’s not feasible to staff lifeguards on the lake.

“As big as that lake is at Milford, there’s just too much area to cover; some of the beach areas, they do have a concentration of people and [lifeguards] might work there, but then you’ve got to come up with staffing and you’re dealing with weather and what not,” said Gehrt. “I don’t really think that it’s going to be too feasible…in reality, it’s just too big of a setting to have something like that.”

Bill Whitworth, Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake, echoed similar sentiments.

“It’s an issue of practicality – people can swim anywhere in the lake, drownings can occur anywhere in the lake,” said Whitworth. “We offer access to recreation, but we don’t really play an active role in recreation itself; so hiring lifeguards may seem like a good idea, but it’s not practical…we rely on people to kind of monitor themselves and we encourage life vests at all times.”

Gehrt said that life vests can be purchased from Walmart, or similar stores for as little as $10; officials at the lake do not provide life jacket rentals.

“The biggest thing that people can take away from the incident we had yesterday is if you’re going to be in or on or around any type of boat, or tube or craft or anything – life jacket wear is just very imperative,” said Gehrt. “Most of these drownings that you see across the state, we actually had three over the weekend in Northeast Kansas, more than likely if the person was either wearing or right next to a life jacket then a life would have been saved.”

Harden, the victim in the drowning at Milford Lake, was a soldier stationed at Fort Riley. An autopsy has been scheduled; the incident is still under investigation.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offered these water safety tips; they are more boater specific, but can be applied to anyone visiting a lake this Summer:

• Wear a life jacket.
• Designate a “water watcher”.
• Learn CPR.
• Learn how to safely help someone in distress.
• Adhere to a no drinking policy while boating.
• Allow only those who have completed boater education to operate the vessel.
• Know the rules of the water.
• Educate yourself and your children about swimming safely.
• Keep warm.
• Make sure your boat has all the required equipment and is thoroughly tested before hitting the water.

A 23-year old Fort Riley soldier has drowned at Milford Lake.

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf confirmed the victim was Xavier Joseph Harden, 23, Fort Riley. The incident occurred in a cove in the Farnum Creek area. Wolf said authorities were called about a possible drowning about 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Wolf reported, “It was in the cove along Acorn’s Resort. There was a man, a woman and a three-year child ( boy ) who were playing in the water. They were playing on some store bought flotation devices. The wind apparently got ahold of the female half and the child, and blew them a little bit farther away from the shore than what they were comfortable with.” Wolf said Harden was floating on another flotation device and was going to jump down off of his device, grab both of them and pull everyone back into the shore. “He jumped off his flotation device and struggled a few seconds and went straight down. According to the wife she advised us right away he was unable to swim and that was the reason he was unable to stay up top.”

Wolf said authorities went into a recovery mode but Harden never resurfaced. A dive team from Shawnee Mission, Kansas came into provide assistance along with Junction City Fire / EMS, Geary County Rural Fire, Geary County Sheriff’s Department, and Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism.  The body was located about 5:15 p.m. “We have scheduled an autopsy but right now everything looks to be….it was a drowning.”

The hometown of the drowning victim is not yet known. Wolf confirmed the victim’s wife and child are being taken care of by the military.

 

 

Thousands of people converged on the Deer Horn Ranch in southeast Geary County Saturday night for Symphony in the Flint Hills.

Following a welcome by Geary County native Virginia Moxley, the Kansas City Symphony and country music performer Michael Martin Murphy were the featured performers for the program which had a Chisholm Trail theme.” During the period from 1867 to 1871 longhorn cattle were moved from Texas up to Abilene, Kansas. Approximately two million cattle were herded up that trail, now remembered in history. Murphy told the audience, “Long may the memory of this old highway and the deeds of the men who rode it live in history, story and song.”

One board member for Symphony in the Flint Hills, Joy Davis, confirmed Symphony in the Flint Hills was a success. “We loved the site and we loved the guest artists. And the owners of the site have been very easy to work with. While it was warm, Davis noted there was a good breeze which helped offset that. In addition to the music there was an auction, education and art tents, and a large food tent where such items as beef brisket and pulled pork were served with all the fixin’s. Lines were long at that latter location.

Longhorn steers shipped in from Texas were brought up to an area just to the northeast of the concert stage during the show. The audience had an opportunity to get a close look and take pictures. And there was a dance following the concert.

If there was one area of concern it was the traffic flow going into the event before it began. There was a substantial backup stretching from K-57 onto Burley Hill Road all the way to the festival site. Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf noted as the concert was getting under way, that the traffic during the day had been frustrating, and had grown worse as the evening time neared. “I think a lot of folks thought they would wait until later to come out and that’s what causing our big backup back here on Burley Hill Road.” The sheriff pointed to the heat as a probable factor in the decision by some to arrive later. But he also stated that you could not ask for a better group of people to attend a festival of this sort, and noted there had not been any problems. “It’s been a real good day.” The sheriff estimated attendance at a little over 8,000 people, not including the support staff.

As for the traffic, there was only one way in and one way out to the festival. Davis stated people who have come  over the years know it’s better to come earlier in the day because there are many activities, but this year there were a lot of new people from Geary and Riley Counties who had not experienced the event before.  As a result some people were late arriving or felt rushed.

Law enforcement and EMS personnel did not report any major problems. Junction City Fire / EMS Chief Terry Johnson reported there were some small problems such as blisters and a “little bit of overheating from the sun, but other than it’s been very nice. Everybody’s taking care of themselves.” He was a  surprised there were not more problems. “With this many people, yes, actually. We’re out here in the middle of a prairie, and with this many people with the activities going on some folks are not prepared to walk all day and those types of things. So actually I’m pleasantly surprised.”