JCHS JROTC Blue Jay Battalion Receives the Highest Accreditation Score in the Nation
3rd Brigade US Army Cadet Command inspected the JCHS JROTC Blue Jay Battalion today. This inspection takes place every 3 years.
This is an all-day inspection filled with drilling, portfolio program reviews and cadet led briefings. At the end, the 250+ Battalion received a score of 230 out of 230 making the battalion the highest scoring unit in the nation.
The rain Sunday and Monday has brought an end to the burn ban in Geary County.
Garry Berges, Rural Fire Chief, noted the ban was supposed to expire Monday, and officials decided to let it end. It will not be reissued. Berges met with the County Commission Monday morning. “With the amount of rain we’ve received, even though it’s not enough, it’s a good start.”
The County’s year long burn permit system will remain in effect. “That has not changed. People still need to call in and request permission to burn.”
The ban was imposed after a number of controlled grass fires got out of control. The ban led to a reduction in the number of fire calls last week, but Berges noted the County is still up on the number of fire calls overall for the month…..37 since April 1.
There was a full house at the Geary County 4-H / Senior Center Saturday for the annual Friends of Animals Pet Fair and Walk for Life. There were people, but also pets, especially dogs, present in big numbers.
There were numerous activities ranging from a low cost vaccination clinic to a silent auction and doggy derby. There was a pooch pie eating contest. Friends of Animals spokesperson Sallie Maes helped with that contest. “Well they’re Sheperd’s pies, and we have these broken down into four different categories so if you’re a little dinky dog you get a little dinky pie. If you’re a big dog you get a great big pie. We just have a lid on it. You just pull it off when they say go, and the fastest one gets a prize. ” That included a pizza pie for the owner and a bag of goodies for the winning dog. All others get a participation prize.
Maes talked about what the ‘Friends of Animals” want to get accomplished with this event. “One thing is we want people to get their pets vaccinated, get them heart worm tested. We like to have people participate with their animals, come out and have some fun with them.” Maes noted the main goal is to raise money to help the homeless pets. Some of those get adopted, others are taken to rescues, and often they need work by a veterinarian.
Maes noted this is the biggest fundraiser for Friends of Animals.
Overflow parking had to be used adjacent to the 4-H / Senior Center building to accomodate all the people who attended the event.
Traffic cones, concrete barriers, one lane traffic are common scenes on US 77 on the west side of Junction City. Improvements are under way from Interstate 70 north to near K-57 through the state’s T-Works program.
Mayor Mick McCallister told a Military Affairs Council meeting this week that the construction work will continue for a long time, and be almost impossible to avoid. “They’re working on the diverging diamond ( intersection at US 77 and I-70 ). Shortly the bids will be let, if they’re not already let, on the diamond interchange at K-18. The new sewer interchange that’s going underneath that before they can put that in, so there is going to be a lot of construction going on for a long time.”
McCallister noted a big concern is with McFarland Road being closed at US 77 to mid-to-late May to allow for widening of both sides of 77, and turning lanes on McFarland Road. The mayor noted that has hurt some of the businesses in that area.
There have been some efforts to improve traffic signage in that area.
A future project after the McFarland Road intersection is complete will be the intersection at Ash Street and US 77. Patience will be a key for motorists until the improvements are completed.
Topeka – The Kansas Board of Regents announced the appointment of Richard B. Myers as Interim President at Kansas State University, according to a media release.
“It is such an honor to have Retired Gen. Myers serve in this capacity,” stated Shane Bangerter, Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. “I am confident, given the tremendous leadership experience he has gained throughout his career, that Retired Gen. Myers will successfully oversee K-State while we search for the university’s next president.”
Retired U.S. Air Force General Richard B. Myers served as the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2001 to 2005. As the nation’s highest ranking military officer, Myers served as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council. Prior to becoming Chairman, Myers served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Myers has commanded at all levels and served in significant staff positions throughout the Air Force. His largest commands included U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force at Yokota Air Base, Japan; Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
Born and raised in Merriam, Kansas, retired Gen. Myers is a graduate of Kansas State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (1965); Auburn University, where he earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration (1977); Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base (1977); U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks (1981); and John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he completed a program for Senior Executives in National and International Security (1991). He holds a part-time appointment at K-State as a Foundation professor of military history and leadership, is chairman of the KSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees, an ex officio member of the KSU Foundation Board of Directors, and he and his wife serve as co-chairs of the Foundation’s Innovation & Inspiration campaign. Retired Gen. Myers will begin as Interim President in late-April.
A press conference will be held on the morning of Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Retired Gen. Myers will be in attendance to make a public statement and take questions. Additional details will be forthcoming.
Retired Gen. Myers joined the Air Force in 1965 through the ROTC program at Kansas State University, after which he entered pilot training at Vance Air Force Base. A command pilot, he has more than 4,100 flying hours, primarily in the F-4, F-15 and F-16, including 600 combat hours in the F-4. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005.
Members of the community have been donating a steady stream of supplies for the victims of the Bluffs Apartment complex fire on Tuesday. Building F in the complex burned. Twenty-six of the 28 units in the building had tenants.
Many of the items have been deposited in a second floor room at the Bluffs Clubhouse where the fire victims can pick them up. One point stressed by Bluffs Leasing Manager Neva Fisher, there will continue to be a need. “So as people bring stuff they’ll run out of stuff. We just want to keep the ease of keeping them supplied over the next few weeks as they transition in. It’s not going to be just these first few days. It actually weaves more into weeks, and maybe even months.”
The possibility of foul play in the fire at the Bluffs Apartment complex ( Building F ) on Tuesday has been ruled out by authorities.
Junction City Acting Fire Chief Rick Rook confirmed the exact cause still is not known but investigators believe the fire began on a deck of the building.
Investigators were at the scene of the blaze on Wednesday. Rook said the property has been turned back over to the management of the Bluffs. He indicated authorities will compile the information and they hope to release more information from the investigation on Thursday.
Investigators from the Junction City Fire Department, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Fort Riley Fire Department, Geary County Rural Fire, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.
Rook reported several insurance companies will be involved in the recovery process.
Investigators were at the scene of the Bluffs fire on Wednesday trying to determine what caused the blaze on Tuesday that destroyed an entire apartment building ( Building F ).
The Acting Junction City Fire Chief Rick Rook, said they began work on Wednesday about 8 a.m. “We’ve got Junction City Fire Department investigators on scene, as well as State Fire Marshall, and we also have the ATF assisting us with their K-9’s.
Rook said they are interviewing every resident of the building, and another group of investigators is working at the fire scene. The cause of the blaze is still unknown.
An apartment building at the Bluffs Apartment complex on the south side of Junction City is on fire.
No injuries have been reported, but flames and smoke have been pouring out of what Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges said was Building F.
Firefighters from Junction City, Grandview Plaza, Geary County, Riley County, and Manhattan are working the blaze, and police and sheriff’s personnel are also on scene.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined. The blaze was contained to one building. Authorities expect to be on the scene for several hours.
The Geary County Commission has proclaimed a State of Fire Disaster Emergency.
That is the formal written version of the burn ban announced last week for Geary County.
Florence Whitebread, Commission Chair, said it’s a seven-day fire ban. “Hopefully we’ll get some rain in the near future so that if anybody still wants to burn they can, but right now there is a seven-day fire ban on.”
Whitebread noted the County has trucks down ( 2 ) and rural firefighters that are tired of fighting fires.
The ban could be extended for seven additional days.
Willful violation of the ban is a Class “A” misdemeanor crime.
The ban follows a series of recent grass fires in the County and the region.