Over 50 employers will be in attendance for the job fair hosted by the State of Kansas today.
The job fair, located at the Holiday Inn in Manhattan, is one of eleven that that the state will host.
“They are being put on by Kansas Works, the Kansas Department of Commerce; the one that we’re having in Manhattan is at the Holiday Inn – in the fall we have one in Junction City,” said Jo Brunner, Kansas Works.
The job fair begins at 2:30 pm with the first half hour dedicated to Veterans, active duty service members transitioning out of the military, and their families.
“We’ve also partnered with the Manhattan Area Technical College on this event, so we’re inviting the MATC students to come at 2:30 pm (with Military) and then at 3:00 we are open to the public,” said Brunner.
Brunner suggests dressing up one level from the job you currently have or for the job you want.
“If you need help in trying to find out what the appropriate wear is, how to handle and get the best out of the job fair you can contact or come in to the Junction City or Manhattan Workforce Centers and work with our staff,” said Brunner.
The job fair is from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Holiday Inn in Manhattan located at 1641 Anderson Avenue.
L to R: Colonel Timothy Hayden, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and Command Sgt. Maj. Dale Sump, 1st ABCT, 1st ID command sergeant major, uncase the brigade’s colors during a Transfer of Authority ceremony held at Camp Casey on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. (photo courtesy Jason Stadel/US Army)
Colonel Timothy Hayden, Commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) 1st Infantry Division, spoke exclusively with KJCK News Wednesday morning with a live update from South Korea.
The 1st ABCT is currently serving on a deployment to South Korea as part of a regular rotation of forces.
Hayden said that the the mission involves “doing our part to back up our commitment to our South Korea and United States alliance.”
“Our mission is to provide our higher Headquarters here a ground Armored Brigade Combat Team that is capable of offensive and defensive operations, we’re capable of executing counter weapons of mass destruction missions, and we’re capable of executing and performing non-combatant evacuations should the situation on the peninsula require it,” said Hayden.
Big Red One troops are not working in an assist capacity, but are participating in a very active role in the mission in South Korea.
“The 2nd Infantry Division is a combined Division, we have both South Korean as well as American soldiers in the Division; we have South Korean soldiers that serve not only in the Division but in the Brigade Combat Team…and we very much play an active role in combined operations with the South Korean Army, both in training and exercises, and ensuring the sovereignty and the security in South Korea,” said Hayden.
The 2nd Infantry Division is headquartered in South Korea; the United States Alliance with South Korea dates back to the Korean War.
“We have been fighting shoulder to shoulder alongside our South Korean allies in a relationship that was forged in combat…so we have a common purpose, a shared alliance,” said Hayden.
A major part of the success in the missions for First Infantry Division soldiers – and all servicemen and women – is the fuel from the families and communities that support them.
“If the strength of our Army is our soldiers and the strength of our soldiers is our families, then the strength of our families is the great communities that support us, that take care of us,” said Hayden noting that the support from South Korean families makes for a great triumvirate that they “can count on every single day”.
The First Infantry Division will celebrate 100 years of historic victories, and firsts during the birthday celebrations for the Division this summer.
“We hold a distinct honor – and we’re pretty proud of in the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team – of not only being America’s first brigade, America’s oldest brigade; but we have the distinct honor of being able to serve simultaneously in America’s 1st Infantry Division celebrating it’s 100th anniversary early this summer, and in America’s 2nd Infantry Division which will celebrate it’s 100th anniversary later in the Fall,” said Hayden.
The Live interview from JC Now on the Talk of JC Wednesday morning is available below.
Phyllis Fitzgerald, Mayor of Junction City, as declared March 8th through March 14th as Girl Scout Week in Junction City. The proclamation was made during the March 7th City Commission meeting.
March has also been proclaimed as Women’s History Month by Fitzgerald.
Local Girl Scouts and community members attended the City Commission meeting to bear witness to the proclamations.
Cans for Kansas Honor Flights is a program that raises funds to send Veterans to Washington, D.C. to view the War Memorials that were built in their honor.
Warren Vincent is the philanthropist that started the program in 2011 which has since sent over 60 Veterans to the Nation’s Capital.
Dave Hill, American Legion Post 45, said Vincent will visit Junction City this weekend.
“This will be his first trip to Junction City, he will be [at the American Legion Post 45] from 11 to 4 on Saturday and we’re already making plans to have him here every two to three months; so this will be an ongoing program until Mr. Vincent can’t do it anymore or somebody takes over for him,” said Hill.
The program not only takes the Veterans to see the memorials, but it pays for their hotels, food – nearly everything short of souvenirs.
Aluminum cans are collected to help fund the trip.
“We have 500 or 600 pounds of cans already; Warren has a goal of sending 25 Veterans or more on Honor Flights this year, he sent 20 last year…it takes 1400 pounds of cans to send one Veteran on a Honor Flight, so it’s a pretty lofty goal,” said Hill.
Vincent will visit the American Legion Post 45 in Junction City this Saturday, March 11th from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. Community members are invited to attend and donate aluminum cans. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
To apply for a trip on a Kansas Honor Flight visit KansasHonorFlight.org. The 3 day, 2 night trip is free to Veterans.
For more information call the American Legion Post 45 at 238-2432.
The current home of the Geary County Senior Center
The annual Storm Spotter – Severe Weather Awareness Training session is set for Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. at the Geary County 4-H / Senior Center.
This is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.
A meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Topeka will be presenting information and showing videos from the 2016 storms that affected Kansas.
Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued for southeast Riley, and southeast Geary counties early Monday evening along with a severe thunderstorm warning for Pottawatomie County. The storm quickly tracked to the east – northeast.
A tornado warning also was in effect for Pottawatomie County until 6:15 p.m.
Farther east at 6:07 a confirmed tornado was located near St.Marys traveling east at 55 mph.
There was no damage or major storm activity in Junction City, but Riley County police dispatch reported gusty winds and some traffic light outages in Manhattan at 17th and Anderson.
Minor storm damage and hail occurred in Manhattan but no one was injured. Riley County Emergency Management estimated the winds at 50 mile per hour in Manhattan.
At 10 a.m. on Tuesday the National Weather Service offices in Kansas will have their annual statewide tornado safety drill.
Geary County Emergency Management and 1420 KJCK, The Talk of JC, will participate in the drill. The outdoor warning sirens will be sounded, and the notification system will be activated.
Businesses and agencies are encouraged to participate in the drill. Make sure your staff knows where to go in the event of severe weather. Check your weather radio, AM-FM radio, flashlights and make sure the batteries are good should the power go out.
The new Lt. Gen.Richard J. Seitz VA Clinic in Junction City will open for business on Monday. The clinic is located at 1169 Southwind Drive on the south side of Junction City.
This will be a soft opening, with the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the facility, scheduled on April 14.
VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System Public Affairs spokesman Joseph Burks confirmed the Monday opening. “What we’ll be doing is seeing the patients. Everyone’s scheduled and ready to go.” Burks added there will be a normal flow of patients. “We’ve tailored back just a bit, but we’ll have all of our providers, all of our nurses and folks there. ”
The new clinic facility will serve veterans in the Junction City – Manhattan area.
An informational guide to understanding the JCHS Way Forward project has been produced to explain key facts on the proposed new Junction City High School effort.
Some of the facts include:
–In order to leverage state financing for 48% of the project a bond issue must be approved by the community
–Over the next four years USD 475 expects to receive $39 million in federal heavy impact aid. That will account for 35.6% of the total project cost, and allow for the building of a new high school with no local property tax levy increase.
–A new building would create more opportunity and make current main campus programs available to the freshman class. The new building would serve ninth through twelfth grade students.
–Following a resolution from the Board of Education, an application was filed with the state for approval of the bond election. If that is approved the community will have a chance to pass the bond issue on May 9th. If the bond is approved a nine-month design phase will begin.
–Future hotel, restaurant and sales tax revenue could increase as more patrons visit Junction City for activities held at the new high school venue. Interest rates are at a 20-year old; construction costs are rising 4-6% per year making now a cost effective time to build a new school.
The Manhattan Fire Department has issued a release confirming that the fire that occurred in an Aggieville building at 700 North Manhattan Avenue has been ruled accidental by fire investigators due to self-heating of floor finishing materials. Fire investigators from the Manhattan Fire Department and Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal conducted the origin and cause investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Damage estimates for the building, which formerly housed the Dusty Bookshelf business, has been listed at $550,000 for the structure and $123,000 for the contents. The damage estimate for nearby Varsity Donuts at 704 North Manhattan Avenue has been listed at $10,000 to the structure and $75,000 to the contents, and to Thread at 1224 Moro Street at $4,000 for the building and $60,000 to the contents. The total loss for all three structures and the contents was estimated at $822,000.
The former Dusty Bookshelf building was vacant at the time of the blaze, and was being renovated for another store.
Over 50 employers will be in attendance for the job fair hosted by the State of Kansas today.
