By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The Junction City Blue Jays opened football practice on Monday and Tuesday when the temperatures soared into the upper 90s with heat index readings well above 100  degrees. On Saturday at the public scrimmage at Al Simpler Stadium there were some people wearing long sleeved shirts and jackets while they watched because of the chilly weather.

We asked Head Coach Randall Zimmerman if he had ever gone to one of the August scrimmages where it was cold and people were wearing coats. Laughing, he responded, “Never! Isn’t that amazing.”

The coach He that there was reduced outdoor practice time on Monday and Tuesday due to the heat, and there was a need to hold practice indoors on Wednesday due to thunderstorms.  Zimmerman remembered the high heat index reading on Tuesday and the abrupt switch by Saturday.  Still chuckling he stated, “And now we’re in long sleeves and jackets on Saturday.”

Zimmerman noted it really was funny. “In a six-day span of time we went from 100 degree weather to 60, overcast and mist.”

Highs are expected to be in the 80s with chances of showers and thunderstorms during the next week.

As for the football scrimmage it went well for the Blue Jays. The stated it was a good day and week. “Great group of kids. Lot of fun to be around them. They’re hungry to get better, they’re still learning how to practice, still learning how to do the little things, I guess, but very very pleased with this group of kids.”

The football team will hold their Blue – White scrimmage next Friday evening at Al Simpler Stadium. The season opener is Sept. 6 at Hays, and the home opener is Sept. 13 against Washburn Rural.

 

C.L. Hoover Opera House officials are organizing a “Broadway Adventure” trip to New York City March 19-22, 2020.

Opera House Co-Director Sheila Markley said they’re working with VIP Tours of New York City, and it’s an opportunity to see three Broadway shows. Those who attend can each select from different shows. ‘We’ll be staying in a four-star hotel right in the Times Square area. We are going to be able to have our own concert by current actors who are performing in those shows and tell us a little bit about life of an actor in New York City.” There is also an effort to try coordinate visits to such facilities as Carnegie Hall and the Amsterdam Theater.

Opera House Co-Director Joe Markley said the trip is customizable. If you want to go a day early or stay a day later that can be arranged. For example if you want to go to an off-Broadway show or something that may be playing that weekend in Carnegie Hall it can be worked out.

Sheila Markley said it is being made available to Friends of the Opera House, and if you would like to become a member of the Friends organization call her at the Opera House at 238-3906 where she will provide details. Those could range from cost to travel plans.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

There have been some blue green algae issues for the Gathering Pond area below the Milford Lake Dam, but elsewhere in the main body of the lake there have not been any watches or warnings this year.

State Representative Lonnie Clark, Junction City, maintains a watch on the algae issue. “As far as the algae goes, the best we can hope is that there is so much water moving through and it has been going on for so long that maybe it’s cleaned it out, and we can get a few years without dealing with algae. I think probably the mussels are probably affected the same way with that current.”

The lake is currently 18.73 feet above normal conservation pool, with an outflow of 2,000 cubic feet per second. The outflow was reduced Friday from 4,000 cfs down to 2,000 cfs to match the inflow into the reservoir. The lake level has been high all summer.

2019 Stuff the Bus has come to an end in Geary County. United Way Director Nichole Mader issued a thank you to the community for the hard work and support that provided more than 7,000 items to USD 475 and St. Xavier schools.

United Way also handed out more than 500 backpacks to students in Geary County, including 90 from the Adopt-A-Backpack program. That means individuals, businesses, and civic groups adopted 90 backpacks and filled them with everything that a student needed for school.

Mader said more than $2,300 was raised to support Stuff the Bus. The money went to purchase more supplies and backpacks for students. Any amount left over will be used for headphones through the school district or to purchase backpacks for next year.

Adopt-A-Backpack is a new offset of Stuff the Bus. Parents / Guardians can apply for assistance through United Way of Junction City / Geary County. Once a child is submitted for an Adopt-A-Backpack, that child’s specific shopping list is pulled, and a backpack is provided with all the child’s academic needs. This is an income based program.

Stuff the Bus will kick off again in July of 2020.

The USD 475 Eighth Grade Magnet Program will focus on an innovative curriculum, academic excellence and community partnerships.

The Principal at the H.D. Karns Building, Tom Wesoloski, told the JC Breakfast Optimist Club this week that the curriculum promotes higher-level cognitive thinking and uses project based learning. “The magnet program uses state and district standards in all subject areas. The curriculum is clear and transparent for families so that they can fully engage in the learning of their students.” He also stated that, “students were selected based on test scores, grades and attendance at their middle schools. Classes include Math, Science, History, English, Physical Education, Elective ( Reading and Math Intervention ) and Jobs for American Graduates.”

Wesoloski noted that students may participate in extracurricular activities their base school, must maintain a B average and be in attendance at school at least 95% of the time. Quarterly assessment will be given students to measure their progress. Parents are expected to participate by attending four meetings at the school and stay on top of their student’s progress.  The Boys and Girls Club offers after-school tutoring and activities for the students.

There will be an Open House at the H.D. Karns Building at 300 West Ninth Street on Tuesday, Aug. 27 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Geary County KSU Research and Extension will provide a free Medicare Basics educational program on Friday, Sept. 27 from 2-4 p.m. at the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library. Extension Agent Deb Andres is a trained Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas counselor who will present the program which is designed to help participants have a better understanding of the Medicare system and how to use the available resources.

The free educational program is designed for anyone who is interested in learning more about the Medicare maze, particularly those who are nearing the age of 65, who are soon to qualify because of a disability or who are helping family members with insurance and financial matters.

Medicare eligibility, how and when to apply, what is covered by the various parts and how to fill the gaps are among the topics to be covered. There will also be an explanation of available programs to assist low income residents and how to watch out for Medicare fraud.

You can register for the free program by calling the Extension office at 785-238-4161. Register by the end of the business day on Friday, Sept. 20.

A one cent sales tax will be on the ballot in Junction City in November. It will continue the current sales tax that began January 1, 2011 but is due to expire on December 31, 2020.

City Manager Allen Dinkel said it collects approximately $3.5 million per year for city debt relief. ” It takes more than sales tax to pay off the debt level we’re paying, because we’re paying about $11 million a year in debt, or debt payments with interest included. ” Dinkel added in the past five years or four-and-a-half years that he has been in Junction City the city’s general debt has decreased from $114 million to about $76 million.

The sales tax issue will be on the ballot in November so a special election will not have to be held next summer to continue the tax.

Dinkel told the Junction City Commission that the bottom line if the one cent sales tax does not pass is that the City would have to find $3.5 million per dollars per year. That would mean either cut services dramatically or raise property taxes by up to 21 or 22 mills.

The city manager also noted that if they get to the 2025 or 2026 range the City will be in a lot better shape.

The work has been under way to install a new hearing assist loop at the C.L. Hoover Opera House. It will allow patrons with hearing aids to pick up the direct audio feed of Opera House programs in their hearing aids.

According to Opera House Co-Director, Joe Markley, no other headphones or receivers are required. The new installation created 198 seats on the main floor that will serve patrons with hearing aids. The system is fully ADA compliant.

Any patrons with questions are encouraged to call the Opera House.

Funding for the project has been provided by Memorial gifts for Sylvia Walker, gifts by Friends of the Opera House and Match Day money from the Greater Geary Community.

 

The USD 475 Board of Education will meet in a retreat Saturday at Acorns Resort and Conference Center.

The new Junction City High School project will be one of the discussion topics on the agenda, explained the school district’s chief operations officer, David Wild. “The Board is going to have the opportunity to look at some value engineering proposals, some scope changes, to continue to reduce the cost on the project before we settle on a final contract price.”

Wild would like to cut $6 million or possibly more to reduce the cost of the project. He said when he interviewed for the job he was asked how would control costs on the project and at the same time obtain what the district wanted. “It’s very simply by making sure that you price everything in a competitive market that you might want. Now we can work our way down from that bid structure, and eliminate the things we decide we really don’t want or don’t need and we’ll work our way down.

The retreat begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Junction City Police Chief Dan Breci will wrap up a three-year stint as the leader of the JCPD when he retires on Sept. 20. He has worked in law enforcement for 46 years including nearly 20 years with the Junction City Police Department.

Breci feels it’s time step down. “I just turned 65 and it’s time to go and enjoy life. ”

Breci said he plans to travel and visit with family. He called the last three years in the police chief role challenging and rewarding. “It was something that I always wanted to do. I always envisioned myself one day as being a chief of police. I have had a great time dealing with the public in this city.”

City Manager Allen Dinkel said the position is being advertised. A nationwide search is being conducted and some applications have already been received. Dinkel added application review will begin on Sept. 3, and sometime during the next month he will make a decision on an interim chief.