The ribbon cutting and open house for the new 8th Grade Magnet Program at the HD Karns Building, 309 West 9th Street, will be held Tuesday, August 27th at 6:30 p.m.

The program is designed to re-engage students with a non-traditional learning approach in specially designed modular classrooms installed at the HD Karns Building. Students in grades seven and eight will experience real-world learning designed to hold their interest and cater to their learning styles. The classrooms feature state-of-the art equipment, project-based learning and a layout that encourages teamwork and cooperative learning.

“The 8th Grade Magnet will insure that our students attending the program will be ready to be successful as they enter the 9th grade,” said Tom Wesoloski, HD Karns Building Principal.”The 8th Grade Magnet Program will captivate our students by showing them the real-life connections to why subjects are taught and will inspire purpose and self-confidence through immersed sensory experiences that lead to independence, responsibility and success.”

The Magnet Program can serve over 100 students each year in Math, Science, English / Language Arts, Social Studies, Physical Education and Jobs for America’s Graduates. Additional support is available for Math and Reading.

The public is invited to attend the open house and ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the Magnet Program.

 

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

There is a lack of signage on area highways and streets pointing out that Junction City is home of the Big Red One. That view was expressed during the monthly Military Affairs Council Advisory Committee meeting in Junction City.

The Director of the Governor’s Military Council, Perry Wiggins, began the discussion. Some of the key points mentioned by other board members included that there is a convention center sign, the state should be asked to put a sign up along I-70, a Big Red One sign along the interstate blew over, and there is one on K-57. While Manhattan asks the public to think purple because of K-State,  in Junction City we should be asked to say the colors in this community are green with the Big Red One, and there was sentiment indicating a realization that the city and post are connected.

It was noted that Junction City has numerous exits off I-70 that other communities wish existed for them. Ideas mentioned by Wiggins including doing a walk of fame, which is done at Fort Benning,  with the bricks possibly selling for $100 per brick in honor of those who served in the military, or possibly soldier statues that could be placed in front of an individual business. The statues could be painted the way they want it done.

The ideas were discussed by the MAC Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday.

The Junction City Commission has approved the purchase of new video surveillance equipment for the 5th Street Playground Park in the area of the new playground equipment.

Police Chief Dan Breci said it will enhance security in that area and aid in the apprehension of criminals during criminal investigations. “The cameras could also prevent the open sale of narcotics in the park and surrounding areas. The city has made an investment as well as obtained private donations for the upgrade of Playground Park. and adding these cameras with 360-degree viewing would improve not only perceived security of park-goers but also cause potential criminals to stay out of the park.”

Total cost of the project will be $26,934.75 including installation. The video equipment will be paid for by asset forfeiture funds.

An event that traditionally helps kick off the new school year for educators in Geary USD 475 was held Thursday morning at the Shenk Gym at Junction City High School. Nearly all USD 475 staff attended this event where they heard from multiple speakers ranging from the Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reginald Eggleston to the Connection Coach, Tara Brown.

According to her website, Brown works to inspire her audiences to reach youth through the strength of deeper connections.

Geary County Commissioner Keith Ascher said this week the governing body was informed by County Counselor Steve Opat that he was ready to file a foreclosure petition to start the process for a sale on properties on which delinquent taxes are owed.

“That’ll go to the court, and you probably won’t see any activity until the end of the year as far as an actual sale if it comes to that, “said Ascher. “Just based off the letters that we sent out back on April 1st of 2018, to date we’ve collected $768,646.66.”

Ascher added they began with more than 500 properties on which delinquent taxes were owed. But now that number has been reduced to 100.

 

 

Longtime Junction City dentist, Dr. Larry McGary, and his team from Total Care Dentistry have joined Konza Prairie Community Health and Dental Center.

Konza officials and McGary made the announcement this week. Konza CEO Lee Wolf said they have been lucky to bring McGary and his staff aboard. “The opportunity presented itself for him to continue to provide the excellent care that he does and be heavily involved in the community, but not have to manage and run and coordinate his own practice.” Wolf called bringing McGary aboard at Konza a home run hire.

McGary said he believes everyone is entitled to excellent health care, and for years in his private practice he cared for the under served. “That philosophy goes right in concert with Konza’s philosophy. “So after 42 years as a practicing dentist I decided it was time to partnership with Konza, and help me reach my goal of 50 years in practice.”

McGary and his staff began working with patients on Wednesday.  Total Care Dentisty patients can still see Dr. McGary, but will need to fill out a new patient packet with Konza, unless they are already a patient of Konza, and then just request them as a provider.

The early Wednesday morning thunderstorm that blew through Junction City knocked over six trees, according to Junction City Public Works Director Ray Ibarra.

He said some of the locations ranged from the 500 block of West 11th where a tree fell on a car and the 500 block of West 10th Street to Highland Circle and the 500 block of South Washington. “The one in the 500 block of West 11th a tree fell down on top of a car so they had to remove the tree and then they towed the car off.” No injuries were reported.

 

Junction City Mayor Pat Landes said Tuesday evening that there is a lot of sadness in our country right now. Referring to the recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio last weekend, he stated that it has hit home with a lot of people thinking that this could happen where they live.

“I think the people of this country need to realize how lucky we all are and remember the phrase love thy neighbor. I don’t think there’s enough of that, I don’t think there’s enough patience in this country or the world for each other. We need to work on that,” said Landes.

The mayor told a city commission meeting audience, “We need to work on working together and not assuming that someone’s garbage because they’re not from here. We need to work together and use the talents that we have and make this country better, be more constructive. Work harder in your community, volunteer, do things for others and we’ll be in a better place.”

Landes said avoid letting “hate fill your heart just because you feel so passionately, and wrongly about things. Don’t judge someone by the color of their skin or what they believe in. As long as it’s lawful do things that are positive in this world. ” Landes added,  “It’s been so sad and all these bad things that are happening have such a common theme that it’s all about hate. We have to move past that. If anybody sees anything or knows anything, that they see a tendency by people or a group, let the authorities know so we can head these things off. These horrible things are becoming all too commonplace in this world.”

UPDATE:
Severe thunderstorm warnings for the Junction City - Manhattan area have ended.

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The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Jefferson County in northeastern Kansas...
  Southeastern Geary County in east central Kansas...
  Southeastern Riley County in northeastern Kansas...
  Eastern Morris County in east central Kansas...
  Shawnee County in east central Kansas...
  Wabaunsee County in east central Kansas...
  Northwestern Douglas County in east central Kansas...
  Northern Osage County in east central Kansas...
  Southeastern Pottawatomie County in northeastern Kansas...
  Jackson County in northeastern Kansas...
  Northern Lyon County in east central Kansas...

* Until 700 AM CDT.

* At 621 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from 4 miles north of Denison to near Maple Hill to near
  Parkerville, moving southeast at 50 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Topeka, Emporia, Wamego, Holton, Osage City, Council Grove,
  Carbondale, Valley Falls, Rossville, Oskaloosa, Alma, Eskridge,
  Tecumseh, St. Marys, Richland, Dover, Silver Lake, Auburn,
  Overbrook and Burlingame.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 35 between mile markers 128 and 132.
 Interstate 70 between mile markers 313 and 355.
 Kansas Turnpike between mile markers 125 and 198.
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THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... GEARY COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTHERN RILEY COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN KANSAS... EASTERN MORRIS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS... WESTERN WABAUNSEE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS... WESTERN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN KANSAS... * UNTIL 645 AM CDT. * AT 558 AM CDT, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR BLAINE TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MANHATTAN TO 4 MILES SOUTH OF JUNCTION CITY, MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH. HAZARD...60 MPH WIND GUSTS. SOURCE...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER 5 MILES NORTH OF JUNCTION CITY. IMPACT...EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS, SIDING, AND TREES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MANHATTAN, JUNCTION CITY, WAMEGO, COUNCIL GROVE, ALMA, OGDEN, GRANDVIEW PLAZA, ST. GEORGE, WHITE CITY, ALTA VISTA, DWIGHT, MCFARLAND, PAXICO, OLSBURG, LOUISVILLE, PARKERVILLE, KEATS, COUNCIL GROVE LAKE, TUTTLE CREEK LAKE AND VOLLAND. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 291 AND 334. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING -------- The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northern Geary County in east central Kansas... Riley County in northeastern Kansas... Western Pottawatomie County in northeastern Kansas... Southeastern Washington County in north central Kansas... Eastern Clay County in north central Kansas... Southwestern Marshall County in northeastern Kansas... * Until 630 AM CDT. * At 537 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 6 miles north of Olsburg to 3 miles northeast of Riley to near Milford, moving southeast at 55 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Manhattan, Junction City, Wamego, Clay Center, Ogden, Grandview Plaza, Wakefield, Riley, St. George, Milford, Leonardville, Olsburg, Louisville, Randolph, Green, Milford Lake, Keats and Tuttle Creek Lake. This includes Interstate 70 between mile markers 291 and 315. -- A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 11 a.m.

The USD 475 Board of Education has given the okay to the guaranteed maximum price for concrete, steel and some plumbing work on the new Junction City High School construction project. The total possible maximum amount was set at $5,643,166.

The chief operations officer for the school district, David Wild, said the project is moving forward. “High school is currently on schedule. Everything is going well. The Board approved phase one of the building plan, and that will be concrete work, some steel reinforcement, some plumbing work.”

Wild added that will let the project continue on the timeline for the project until about the third week of August. “when we’ll start running into a need for some new work. But this phased approach that we’re using allows us to exercise due diligence in cost controls.”

The goal is to have the entire new school completed and open for use by August of 2021.