An estimated 3,500 to 4,000 people crammed into Junction City High School on Saturday for the USA Wrestling Kansas District Three championships. The event included 700 youth wrestlers competing for a berth in the state tournament.
Chris Bogenhagen of the Junction City Wrestling Club said there were multiple wrestling mats spread through the Shenk and Fiffe Gyms. A lot of people worked in conjunction with the tournament.”We have 12 wrestling surfaces, what we call surfaces. And each one of those surfaces take at least three people, and those people are volunteers.”Bogenhagen added they came from both the local wrestling club and surrounding communities.
Bogenhagen noted the club believes this tournament gives back to the community. Weigh-in’s began on Friday night. “When you see kids from McPherson and those places, and they’re telling you that they’re staying the night in hotels we’re hoping they’re filling up Junction City.”
Parking was at a premium for the tournament, with overflow on surrounding streets near the high school. Bogenhagen estimated attendance in the 3,500 to 4,000 range. That included wrestlers plus family members.
People just don’t seem to realize just how flammable this time of year is.
Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, said that last year was a relatively “wet” year around this time and this year’s low humidity and warm temperatures can create a recipe for a fire disaster.
“Last week we had humidities down around 10 percent – unheard of – [you] have temperatures up above 60, above 70 and that just makes things even drier; and then you have wind speeds gusting over 20, 25 miles per hour,” said Otte.
If a fire starts in those low humidity, high wind conditions – you can’t control it.
“People think you can control [it], no you can not – those fires can catch up with a car driving 50 or 60 miles per hour, it’s unsafe,” said Otte. “The rapidly expanding gases, because it’s burning so fast create this outflow effect, and you add that to the going wind speed and now all of sudden you have 40 miles and hour winds and the fire is moving 50 or 60 miles an hour.”
When fires spread across the Great Plains and Western part of the United States, many often wonder ‘why can’t they just put it out’ – it’s not that simple.
“The fire itself has too much energy, there is not enough water and equipment to counteract that energy, all you can do is try to find a way to make a natural fire break,” said Otte.
The wildfires in Kansas earlier this month burned more than 651,000 acres across the state, affecting 20 counties.
Otte will be part of a Prescribed Burning Roundtable on Tuesday, March 21st at the Geary County 4-H/Senior Citizens Building located at 1025 S. Spring Valley Road in Junction City.
The discussion will be co-hosted by the Geary County Extension Office, in conjunction with Geary County Emergency Management Services and the Kansas Livestock Association.
This program is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Chuck Otte at 238-4161 or cotte@ksu.edu.
The Say Yes to JCHS Campaign has released the following statement in response to USD 475 being notified that the Heavy Impact Aid payment from the federal government will be delayed:
“A promise made is a promise kept. The “Say Yes to JCHS” campaign fully supports the idea that the district wait to move forward until the heavy impact aid payment is made by the federal government. We believe the project will move forward and are confident that a new high school on a new site is in the best interest of our district and community.”
Campaign Co-Chair Jim Schmidt said that from the beginning they have stood firm in their quest for a new school, but only on the certainty of three conditions.
“The first one was the approval by the State for the 48% match – which that happened on the 14th (of March) – the second was the payment on the Heavy Impact Aid from the Federal government, and then of course the third is the vote,” said Schmidt. “As those steps have been laid out, it doesn’t make sense to move forward with the vote until we have the Heavy Impact Aid.”
The campaign committee is confident in the reassurances given by the District from the Federal government, and Schmidt said they will continue their campaign efforts.
“We will continue moving forward with voter registration, and we’re going to continue moving forward with community outreach as far as the education process,” said Schmidt.
Campaign members have met with community organizations, groups and clubs educating them ahead of the bond issue election.
The State has approved the 48% match in funds for the project; these funds will only be available when and if the new school project gains community support in the form a bond issue election.
District officials are asking that the election be moved from May 9th to August 1st pending Board of Education approval in their April meeting.
As the youngest Executive Director of Admissions for a Tier 1 public university – the University of Houston – Mardell Maxwell is not only making history, he’s putting Junction City on the map.
“It’s always been a dream, an aspiration of mine to be an Executive Director of Admissions,it gives me an opportunity to influence policy and practice when it comes to helping students go to college,” said Maxwell.
After graduating from Junction City High School in 2005, Maxwell went on to earn his first Bachelor’s Degree at Kansas State University, which is also where he got his start in admissions. “I’ve always been really passionate about my work in admissions, because it’s a great opportunity to really influence people’s lives.”
Upon earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Maxwell went on to Fort Hays State where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and then a Master of Liberal Arts in Organizational Leadership. He is a candidate for a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Crediting his community upbringing, Maxwell says that he is in good company as a JCHS and K-State alum.
“I was born and raised in the Junction City/Fort Riley area, and I’ve just had tremendous people that have been part of my life,” said Maxwell. “I’ve been groomed in the community, and I’ve learned a lot about leadership; I gained my values for education in the community, and I really pull from that foundation every single day to serve higher education and to serve students who are really looking to pursue their education. Junction City is a tremendous community that really cares about its young people, and I am just one of many examples of folks that…are doing some tremendous things all across the country.”
Maxwell most recently worked as the Senior Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He will begin work at the University of Houston as the Executive Director of Admissions on Monday, March 20th.
“If anyone is interested in having me come and speak or mentor to students I would absolutely love to take part in that.”
JUNCTION CITY, KAN.–Geary County Schools USD 475 is making good on promises made over the past several months regarding the JCHS Way Forward. Last week,Dr. Corbin Witt prior to attending the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) conference in Washington D.C. said, “… to move forward with a new high school we need three things to happen: First, gain approval for state funds, which [was]on the State Board of Education consent agenda on March 14th [and was approved]. Next, we need to receive the Heavy Impact Aid payment. Lastly, the community will need to pass the bond election on May 9th.”
While in Washington, Witt met with Federal Impact Aid Officials and Kansas federally elected representatives who told him that due to a continuing resolution in the Federal Government, Heavy Impact Aid payments will be delayed until the summer months.
A continuing resolution occurs when congress fails to pass a budget, at which point a limited amount of funding is authorized, which does not include Heavy Impact Aid. The continuing resolution is expected to end later this Spring allowing Heavy Impact Aid payments to be made in June or July of this year.
“Though the funds will not be distributed in March, Legislators and Impact Aid Officials are confident that the funds will be distributed in the future,”Dr. Witt said Thursday afternoon.
USD 475 will recommend to the Board of Education that the May vote be delayed in order to help the district provide better assurances to the community prior to a vote.
For additional resources on the JCHS Way Forward, visit www.usd475.org.
The Geary County Rural Fire Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the person or persons responsible for several suspicious fires in eastern and southeastern Geary County. Several fires on remote gravel roads have occurred since January 31, 2017.
The most recent fire occurred during the evening hours on Wednesday, March 15 and involved the destruction of approximately 110 large bales of brome grass. Loss to the owner was approximately $5,000.00.
Curt Janke, Assistant Geary County Emergency Management Director, is one of the investigators on the case.
“This is the fourth one in our county (Geary) and Morris County has had an incident also; everything else has been smaller fires, this is the first time we’ve had this many bales involved,” said Janke.
Potential leads or suspects are not being released at this time.
“We’re investigating it – that’s the best that I can tell you – with the help of the State Fire Marshal’s office.”
The Geary County Rural Fire Department is requesting the public to report information on any suspicious activity or suspicious vehicles on remote gravel roads in Geary County.
Anyone with information about these fires is asked to call Junction City/Geary County Crimestoppers at 762-TIPS, 1-800-KS-CRIME or the Geary County Rural Fire Department at 785-238-1290.
Investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal are assisting the local investigators.
Geary USD 475 officials have received good news on the possible state aid funding for a proposed new Junction City High School project.
Bill Clark, Director of Business Operations for the school district, reported that the Kansas State Board of Education voted to approve their piece of the funding mechanism tied to the school district’s bond initiative, “so we can continue with that process. So that was really good news.”
The district is expected to learn soon on whether the anticipated heavy impact aid federal money that will also help fund the proposed new school project will arrive.
If that happens the main remaining hurdle for funding the project would be a May 9th bond issue election. If voters say yes in that election the school district would get 48% of the project funded by state aid. The remainder of the money would come from the heavy impact aid funding.
District officials have made it clear the local property tax levy would not be increased.
Work is being done to include Veteran’s Parking Spaces in Junction City.
City Manager Allen Dinkel said the plan is to have spaces only on City lots, which include the parking lot across from the City office building and the parking lot directly east across the street from Heritage Park.
“The [spaces] are to at least acknowledge Veterans and the parking spaces [will be] reserved for those with Veterans license plates,” said Dinkel. “[We] decided to put those not on the street because of a problem with enforcement, but in parking lots so we can give honor to those that have served the country.”
The idea was brought to the City Commission by a member of the public in late 2016.
A final timeline on when the designated parking spots will emerge has not been determined, but the signs will only be on City owned lots.
Nick Brungardt, Walmart (Chestnut St.) General Manager, said he would completely support the effort at his store.
“We have a lot of Veterans that work for us in our store and I think those folks have given a lot for us, and giving them a parking space is probably one of the simplest things that we can do,” said Brungardt.
Ultimately, the decision for Walmart would come from corporate; but would other store owners adapt the reserved parking spaces as well?
Below are some signs that other communities have adopted.
Tell us what you think in the comments below.
photo courtesy FOX 9 Florida, sign in Brevard County, FL
photo courtesy Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Columbia, MO (sample of potential sign)
David Wild has been named the new Chief Operating Officer for Geary County USD 475 effective June 1, 2017.
Wild comes to the District from the Apostolic Academy at Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church in Junction City where he served as the Principal since July 2014; it was also around that time that Wild became interested in working for USD 475.
“I first became interested in the position in 2014 when I was approaching retirement and at that time I redirected myself after being invited to come be the Principal at Apostolic Academy,” said Wild.
Wild said it was important to him to see the Academy work through some changes and work with the pastor of the church to see the school excel.
“Those changes were coming to an end, and my term of employment looked like I could probably move on and when Mr. Clark announced that he was resigning to move on to St. John’s Military Academy, I saw it as another window of opportunity opening up,” said Wild.
As a graduate of Junction City High School, Wild is excited to serve the School District that has served him and his family.
“I’m looking forward to that opportunity to serve in the District and in the community that has served me very well – for my entire lifetime I’ve called it home, other than when I was at Kansas State University – my wife taught at Junction City High School for over 30 years and she retired in 2012; our kids attended school in the community and I have been active in the community through one program or another my entire life, so to be able to now give back to the community is very attractive to me and I’m looking forward to it,” said Wild.
Wild is the former Director of Contracting for the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley, a position where he managed millions of dollars in budgets and construction projects.
“It exposed me to a great deal of contracting processes, which I think was probably attractive for the selection panel for the District,” said Wild.
As USD 475 prepares for a May 9th bond election to pursue a new high school, Wild said that if the bond issue passes he believes he can alleviate some of the concerns expressed by School Board and community members.
“People are looking for somebody with integrity and they’ve got to have confidence with somebody that is going to do the right thing regardless of the pressure that may come upon them, so my faith serves well in making sure that I am doing what’s best by the taxpayer,” said Wild.
Wild is a resident of Milford, Kansas.
“On behalf of Geary County Schools, I want to welcome Mr. Wild to USD 475. He’s a lifelong resident of Geary County, a graduate of Junction City High School, and has a passion for working in a support role for our schools and the community.” Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Corbin Witt.
Pat Hunter to the far left, photo taken Dec. 2015 after County signed agreement with rural health network
The longtime Director of the Geary County Health Department, Pat Hunter, has informed the Geary County Commission of her intent to retire, effective June 19th.
Hunter noted that she has seen many changes in her tenure, but the greatest one is that over the past 10 years the agency passed its annual audits without material findings. The last audit was completed in September of 2015. Hunter also stated in a letter to County Human Resources Director John Thummel that also noteworthy was when the agency transition from a city – county operation to become a Geary County entity in 2015 the financial balance sheet transferred to the Geary County treasury totaled more than $900,000.
Hunter also noted, “Through the fiscal oversight of the Health Department by the combined City-County Board of Health the agency was able to expand / renovate the existing building without financial assistance from the City or County due to the fact that monies were saved for over 10 years to complete the planned expansion.”
Hunter said grants coming into the health department vary depending on funding sources, and will continue to be a source of concern as the federal and state agencies struggle to find funds for appropriation to the local agencies to do population services. “The local agency is responsible for managing all hazards, public health emergencies with its local partners during a crisis. This too over time will decrease in funding but the responsibilities will still belong to the County to protect the citizens of Geary County.”
An estimated 3,500 to 4,000 people crammed into Junction City High School on Saturday for the USA Wrestling Kansas District Three championships. The event included 700 youth wrestlers competing for a berth in the state tournament.
Bogenhagen noted the club believes this tournament gives back to the community. Weigh-in’s began on Friday night. “When you see kids from McPherson and those places, and they’re telling you that they’re staying the night in hotels we’re hoping they’re filling up Junction City.”
