JC Post gathered a list of freebies for veterans in the Junction City, Manhattan, and Topeka area.

Happy Veterans Day 2016!

Starbucks:  active duty service members, reservists, veterans and military spouses are invited to enjoy a free Tall Brewed Coffee. In addition, now through November 11, for every Veterans Day Starbucks Card or eGift purchased, Starbucks will contribute $5 to help support programs assisting service members, military spouses and veterans.

IHOP: free red, white and blue pancakes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m; select IHOP restaurants will also offer a combo of two eggs, hash browns and choice of two bacon strips or pork sausage links as part of the Red, White & Blue Pancake promotion. Promotion for retired and active duty military personnel.

Little Caesars: free hot-n-ready lunch combo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Applebee’s: free meal from a special menu and get a $5 coupon that can be redeemed nov. 12-27.

Red Lobster: veterans, active duty military and reservists get a free appetizer or dessert with a valid military id on november 10th and 11th.

Longhorn Steakhouse: free appetizer or dessert, and veterans and their guests will receive 10% off their meal.

Baskin-Robbins: for every ice cream scoop sold in the u.s., the company will donate 11 cents to united service organizations.

Outback Steakhouse: free bloomin’ onion and a beverage. outback also is offering active and former service members 15% off their meals and their families’ nov. 12 through dec. 31.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews: all veterans and active duty military get a free red’s tavern double burger and bottomless steak fries at participating restaurants nationwide. red robin is also donating $10,000 to united service organizations.

Ruby Tuesday: free appetizer up to $10.

Buffalo Wild Wings: free small order of traditional or boneless wings with a side of fries.

Chipotle: from 3 p.m. to close, all u.s. military, military spouses and veterans get a buy one get one free burrito, bowl, salad or tacos.

Chili’s: free meal from a special menu.

Olive Garden: veterans and active duty service members get a free entree.

Cracker Barrel: free slice of double chocolate fudge coca-cola cake.

Denny’s: from 5 a.m. to noon, active, inactive and retired military personnel get a free build your own grand slam.

Great Clips: veterans who go to great clips for a haircut on nov. 11 will receive a coupon for a free hair cut valid through dec. 31.

Golden Corral: veterans get a free beverage and buffet meal from 5-9 p.m. nov. 14.

Famous Dave’s:  all former and current military receive a free two-meat combo

Hooters:  free meal by presenting military ID or proof of service, all day

Houlihan’s:  active military and veterans receive one free entree with the purchase of an additional entree

Marco’s Pizza: Marco’s Pizza will host free pizza parties for military veterans at local VFW posts, VA hospitals and American Legions nationwide, with certain pizza boxes containing certificates for special surprise gifts, such as much-needed wheelchair ramps, medical bill assistance or plane tickets to visit family

Panera Bread:  1 free You Pick 2 for Veterans and Active Duty members on Veterans Day at participating locations. Bring proof of service.

 

 

 

The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a Chamber Board retreat on Thursday, November 10th.

Chamber of Commerce CEO Dennis Beson said the meeting was about coming together, getting a common idea, and understanding everyone’s role on the Chamber Board.

“It’s important for me that every one of our Board members knows why they’re there – what is the Chamber of Commerce, what’s it about – and I think there’s been a little bit of a lack of continuity for the last several years – that’s my whole focus, bringing everybody on the same page, in the same direction,” said Beson.

Part of that unified direction included a new Mission Statement for the Chamber Board:  To promote community and ensure a thriving environment in the Junction City Region.”

Ideas discussed ranged from strength in the Consolidation, to Regionalism, and Economic Development.

Junction City Mayor Mick McCallister said that the defense community is a market that city and county officials need to tap in to. “Fort Riley pays out millions of dollars every year that we’re not part of, so how can we be part of that; do we need to bring in a company that fits what the defense community needs.”

McCallister said that obviously we want to be diversified, but we are not utilizing the resource that is Fort Riley to it’s full potential. “Obviously, there’s retail, there’s the NBAF corridor, there’s the animal corridor, there’s a lot of things that are on the horizon that we need to be focused on; but we also need to focus on what we have right now – we have the equivalent of a General Electric, Dow Chemical, we have the equivalent of a major company bringing in millions of dollars a year and we’re not taking advantage of that.”

McCallister cited workforce development as one of the biggest issues in Junction City.

County Commissioner Ben Bennett said that economic development was a topic that he addressed during the retreat.  “I was in McPherson last week, Commissioner Whitebread and I went down there and we saw what they’re doing with economic development…there’s just so much that we’re not doing [here]…yea we need an Economic Director, but maybe not a director [per se], we need to get moving and quit saying ‘woe is me’ and start moving forward.”

“This retreat today was a very good start in reviewing those issues and also moving from here in to our regional issues,” said Bennett.

While this is a good start for Bennett, McCallister hopes that action – not just talk – comes out of the meeting.

“We’ve talked years and years about doing surveys, doing plans, doing things that we should be doing, and then after the meeting, everybody is in a good place thinking ‘okay we’ve got a plan’…but we never execute the plan to the full potential,” said McCallister.

The Chamber Board will meet again on November 30th ahead of a Regional Leaders Retreat in January.

 

Joseph ‘DoDa’ Craig of Junction City has been bound over for arraignment and trial in Geary County District Court in connection with the January shooting death of David Phillips, 24, Manhattan.

Phillips was found shot to death at an 827 West 12th Street Apartment C location in Junction City on January 26th of this year. Testimony during a preliminary hearing for the 24-year old Craig in District Court revealed that Phillips had been shot in the head three times.

During preliminary hearing testimony, Police Lieutenant Trish Giordano discussed  information that had been received from witnesses in the case, which indicated there had allegedly been discussion between Craig and and co-defendant Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Williams, 19, Junction City, about robbing and shooting Phillips, and stealing his money and marijuana. Other information provided to police by witnesses indicated it was Craig who had allegedly “ended up pulling the trigger,”that  Williams had grabbed a backpack with marijuana in it and jumped out of a window at the time of the incident, and later Craig had been caught on bank video allegedly depositing money from the robbery into his accounts at the Central National Bank.

Craig faces multiple charges including Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon, and in the alternative Premeditated 1st Degree Murder or Felony Murder. Craig has been bound over for arraignment in District Court on December 2nd. According to County Attorney Steve Opat, Williams faces the same counts, with the exception of the criminal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon count.

Voters in the 17th Kansas Senate District have sent Jeff Longbine back to Topeka for another four-year term.

According to the unofficial results in Tuesday’s election, Longbine, a Republican incumbent, received 12,704 votes and Democratic challenger Susan Fowler 8,753 votes.

Longbine said he was grateful and thankful for the constitutents to put their confidence in him to go to Topeka for another four years. We’ve got a lot of work to do, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and go to work, and hopefully fix some problems.”

Dave Baker was the voter’s choice for the 68th District House seat, winning over Laura Blevins. That district includes a portion of Junction City.

The Geary County Attorney and 2nd District Geary County Commission races are still too close to call. A total of 72 federal service ballots have to be tabulated, and 663 provisional ballots reviewed before the results can be final. The federal service ballots should be handled quickly, but it will be Monday before the provisional ballots are reviewed by the Board of Canvassers ( Geary County Commission ).

According to the County Clerk’s Office 140 of the provisional ballots could apply in the 2nd District Geary County Commission race and all 663 provisional ballots could apply in the Geary County Attorney race.

46.18% of the registered voters went to the polls in Geary County on Tuesday.

County Commissioner Larry Hicks held a press conference Monday afternoon where he announced an “opportunity for us to continue advancing Geary County and Junction City with the objective of preschool education.”

Hicks announced that Geary County had been awarded a $1.5 million grant to re-establish head-start/preschool services in the County.

LaFarris Risby and her team at Loving Arms were named the recipients of the $1.5 million grant and Risby the Executive Director of the re-established Loving Arms Learning Center Head Start.

Risby is a Certified Family Life Educator and Director of the Loving Arms Learning Center.

“It has been a wonderful journey so far..Commissioner Hicks has been awesome, he brought the opportunity to me, we stayed up late nights, weekends going over and over the information…I would like to say thank you to everyone – my friends, my family, my colleagues, my Board, my Chairperson…and I just want to let you guys know, the work has just begun,” said Risby.

Some of the Board members include:  Tiffany Nakartoa, Joe Stratton (Geary Community Hospital CEO), Joesph Roberts, Brewer Curry, and Cathy Tucker, all of whom were in attendance at the Press Conference.

“This is a proud day for all of us here in Junction City/Geary County because this is going to represent an opportunity for us to continue the kind of efforts we’ve made over the years with regard to helping preschool children and families of the low, and low-moderate income category who can’t afford daycare services,” said Hicks.

Hicks said that when the program shut down in 2014, he began work immediately with the Regional Head Start Office to reestablish a program in Geary County.

 

Election day is Tuesday.

Geary County Clerk Rebecca Bossemeyer has her staff prepared. “Well we did train our board workers last week so everyone has been hired and trained, so they’re ready to go.” Bossemeyer added there has been a large in-person advanced voter turnout, and personnel have been working in that area. Advance voting ends at noon Monday at the Geary County Office Building.

The county clerk noted all the voting machines have been tested, and everything is ready to go. She does expect a big voter turnout on Tuesday. “Well based on what we’re seeing with the in-person advanced, yes I think it should be.”

Polls on Tuesday will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Bossemeyer is urging patience by voters. “Just for everyone to be patient. I do expect there will be lines. We’ve had lines with our advanced voting, and for everyone to be sure and take their photo ID.

You can get election results Tuesday evening right here at JCPost.com and on 1420KJCK, The Talk of JC.

Junction City officials have announced the hiring of a new fire chief, Terry Johnson, Folkston, Georgia. He will begin his duties in Junction City on Monday, November 14.

Johnson has served as Fire Chief for Charlton County, Georgia. He began his professional career as a firefighter in Wilson, North Carolina in 1999 and has been in fire service for more than 22 years. He has held positions as a Fire Chief in Louisville, Mississippi and Charlton County in Folkston, Georgia. He was also an Adjunct instructor for the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Jackson, Mississippi and a Testing Proctor for the Georgia Firefighter and Standards Commission in Forsyth, Georgia. Folkston served years in the U.S. Army in the communications field and was honorably discharged as a Specialist in 1992.

Jackson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Service Management from the University of North Carolina in Fayetteville, North Carolina. he has also received numerous credentials from the National Fire Academy for Fire Service Management that include Executive Fire Officer.

Johnson replaces Kevin Royse, who accepted the Fire Chief position in Salina earlier this year. Rick Rook has been serving as Interim Fire Chief since that time.

Friends of the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library will host the annual Fall Book Sale this Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th.

“Many, many books in the library need to find [new] homes just due to a lack of space…we want to get it in to your home and this is our opportunity,” said Sally Jardine, President of Friends of the Library.

A lot of the books in the sale are from the Library’s collection, but there are also many items that have been donated to the library throughout the year.

“The annual sale is an opportunity to bring out as much of that inventory as possible and try to make it available to people,” said Susan Moyer, Library Director.

Proceeds from the book sale go to the Friends of the Library, a nonprofit organization.

“The Friends donate to the library once a year/annually…and they do that to support the programs of the library; we know that taxes fund some of the library works but there’s always more that needs to be done and there are more projects that need to be done…literacy in your community is a very important thing, so our funds that we are able to raise at these various things help the library do the best job possible,” said Jardine.

Older items will be sold in the meeting room of the library for $1 as a BOGO (buy one, get one) sale. Items in newer condition will be sold in the daily book sale area of the main room for $2 each. members of the Friends of the Library receive a 25% discount by showing their current membership card.

The sale will be Friday, November 4th from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm inside the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library, and Saturday, November 5th from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

For more information about the book sale or the Friends of the Library, contact Library Director Susan Moyer at 238-4311.