UPDATE:

Junction City police confirm the chase that resulted in the arrest of Gary Cunningham, 40, Junction City, on Monday lasted only two to three minutes. It began in the 1400 block of North Calhoun and ended at the Trooper Gate entrance to Fort Riley. The chase started as an alleged criminal trespass complaint. Three police officers suffered scrapes working to get the suspect into custody. One officer was treated at the scene and released, and no one required transport to a hospital.

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The Junction City Police Department has reported the arrest of Gary Cunningham, 40, Junction City, at the Trooper Gate at Fort Riley following a brief chase.

The JCPD confirmed Cunningham was arrested on suspicion of Fleeing and Eluding, Reckless Driving, Interference with LEO, Violating Red Traffic Signal, Failure to Yield at Stop Sign, two counts of Improper Turn, No Driver’s License, Driving Under the Influence, Transporting an Open Container, Driving Through Private Property to Avoid Traffic Control Devices, Speeding, Failure to Stop at Accident, Criminal Threat, Criminal Trespass, three counts of Improper Driving on Laned roadway, and five counts of No Turn Signal.

The arrest occurred at 1:22 p.m. Monday.

A proposed bill on school funding in the Kansas House of Representatives could result in a reduction of state aid of approximately $6.9 million for Geary USD 475.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Corbin Witt said the measure is still in committee, but he has heard there will be an effort to bring it out of committee sometime during the next weeks. “Right now it doesn’t look too favorably for our district. It’s state foundation aid, which is our state aid.” In addition a local foundation aid reduction ( local option budget ) would reduce funding for the district by another amount of about $1.4 million. “So we’re talking about a $6.9 million cut to USD 475 if some of these things don’t get changed.”

There is an effort to get some changes. Witt confirmed letters have been sent to some of the committee members and legislators from this area.

He also noted the school districts that serve the military, including USD 475 and Leavenworth, would be hit the hardest under this bill. “I am hoping they’ll put in something…hold harmless or something that allows us to mitigate some of that loss in one year. That would be our best case scenario. So that’s we’re hoping for and that’s what our legislators are working toward.”

Enrollment decreases in the Geary County and Leavenworth districts during the downsizing of troop levels is a factor in the proposed reductions in state aid.

In the event funding reductions become necessary Witt said USD 475 officials have been working on budget plans since the beginning of the year. At this point the proposed bill is still in a House committee.

Phyllis Fitzgerald is on the home stretch of her project to write 100 stories about 1st Infantry Division veterans who remained in the Junction City area after their service. She undertook the series in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of the 1st Infantry Division.

“I have 18 stories left to do so, that is what I’m look for is 18 former Big Red One veterans that chose Junction City to be their home.” You can contact Fitzgerald at 307-1472.

Bound booklets will be prepared containing all of the stories for each of the veterans. The 1st Division Museum at Cantigny, Illinois will help fund the cost. ” Paul Herbert, the executive director of that museum, they are actually going to pay to get all those stories put together in one product. Also, Key Office Products here in town will print those for me, and they’re picking up half the tab on that.”

The veterans will be honored at a Military Affairs Council breakfast in Junction City in June. Corvias Military will pay for the veterans breakfast that day.

“General Frank is going to be there to tell the history of the 1st Infantry Division. I’m going to put together a slide show and highlight the veterans that I’ve interviewed.”

The reaction to the stories from the veterans has been positive. “I get always thank you, thank you for doing the story, I’ve had a couple of them they’ve mentioned they feel some closure in their years, and I still get phone calls from some of them that are just so appreciative today.” Fitzgerald feels it’s important to hear all veterans stories.

Fitzgerald herself, is a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Big Red One. She served in the Army from 1978 to 1999. Today she also serves as the mayor of Junction City.

Fort Riley will observe the Month of the Military Child with a series of activities in April, beginning with a Kidsfest on Sunday, April 2nd at Riley’s Conference Center. The event is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. and there will be a proclamation signing by the garrison commander and the mayors of Junction City and Manhattan at one p.m.

Activities in April include:

–Youth basketball on April 7th at the Youth Center

–Family bowling April 8th at the Custer Hill Bowling Center

–A parade at 10 a.m. April 14th beginning at the Artillery Parade Field, proceeding to the Cavalry Parade Field, ending at the Old Trooper Statue.

–Screenagers movie-Growing Up in the Digital Age on April 14 at 6 p.m. at the Mic School Teen Center

–Family pool party April 15th at the Eyester Pool

–Family movie day April 22nd from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Barlow Theater

Kansas Wildlife and Parks owns lodges across the State but some of those facilities aren’t being rented very often.

Occupancies are down by as much as 12 to 15 percent in some instances.

Dave Baker, State Representative, said that Wildlife and Parks wants the ability to change the charges on a per location, per season basis to increase occupancy.

“That turned out to be a really good deal, we had a lot of lively discussion on that and there were several Representatives who thought maybe the State should sell those and get out of the lodge business,” said Baker. “[They] are on Corps property and the Corps of Engineers is very restrictive on the amount of time they’ll give you on a lease.”

Baker added the gold standard right now is Acorn’s Resort at Milford Lake.

There has been a prevailing wage introduced on the issue and that has turned the committee in a different direction.