The Master Teacher Committee of the Junction City Education Association has announced the selection of Carol Settgast, Library Media Specialist at Sheridan Elementary School, as the JCEA nominee from Geary USD 475 for the 2016 Kansas Master Teacher Award sponsored by Emporia State University.

Settgast received her BA in English Literature and Elementary Education in Colorado, and her MS in Elementary Education with Library Media endorsement at Fort Hays State University.   She has taught in Nevada, served as a teacher assistant at Custer Hill Elementary School, and a multi-age teacher at Morris Hill Elementary School prior to moving to her current job as Teacher / Library at Sheridan Elementary School in 1999.

The Kansas Master Teacher Award will be announced in April on the campus of Emporia State University.

The Junction City High School Blue Jay marching band is planning to try something new in 2017.

Instead of a bowl trip the band has been invited to participate in the National Memorial Day Parade on May 29, 2017 in Washington D.C.

Band Director T. J. Taylor said the band was nominated by Congressman Tim Huelskamp and Senator Jerry Moran. “It’s a big deal. Goes down Constitution Avenue and we’re pretty excited about it. This is the 2017 National Memorial Day Parade.”

Taylor confirmed information is being gathered for the USD 475 Board of Education, so approval can be obtained for the trip. Once that is achieved fundraising can begin, with the cost estimated at about $1,000 per person.

During their trip to Washington D.C. the band will be able to perform in two concerts, and do some sight-seeing in the nation’s capitol.

In recent years the band has traveled to a college football bowl game every other year, but in May of 2017 will try something new. JCHS band students that would be eligible to make the trip would come from the current 8th grade classes, plus current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors at the high school.

The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the fatality victim in a two-vehicle accident at U.S. 77 Highway and the 12th Street entrance to the city of Milford Tuesday morning.

KHP said the fatality victim was Gina M. Wertz, 31, Milford. She was traveling eastbound on 12th street in a Chevrolet Impala when her vehicle failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign to a southbound Toyota Tacoma driven by Cory I. Pettit, Clay Center on U.S. 77.  Pettit’s vehicle hit the vehicle driven by Wertz on the driver’s side.

Pettit was injured and transported to Geary Community Hospital in Junction City for treatment.

KHP reported that Pettit was using a seat belt and Wertz was not. The accident was reported at 7:23 a.m. on Tuesday.

 GEARY COUNTY- A woman from Milford died in an accident just before 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Impala driven by Gina M. Wertz, 31, Milford, was eastbound on 12th Street just east of Milford.

The driver failed to yield right of way at stop sign at U.S. 77.

A 2003 Toyota Tacoma driven by Cory I. Pettit, 39, Clay Center, that was southbound on U.S. 77, hit the Impala on the driver’s side.

Wertz was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.

Pettit was transported to the Geary County Hospital.

Wertz was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

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Normal traffic flow has resumed near Milford where a fatality accident occurred Tuesday morning. Traffic had earlier been diverted through Milford after the accident at U.S. 77 and 12th Street.

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Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf reports it was a two vehicle accident that claimed a life near Milford Tuesday morning. ” It looks like one vehicle pulled out in front of the other one from off of 12th Street on 77 ( U.S. 77 Highway ) and it was what we would call a T-bone accident.”

One person was killed and one person was transported with non-life threatening injuries to Geary Community Hospital.

The accident occurred in the seven o’clock hour.

Traffic is being diverted through Milford, and the Kansas Highway Patrol is calling out a chart team to to measure and reconstruct the accident scene. That could shut the intersection down for most of the day. Wolf stated, “If you’re going to travel this way be prepared to through the City of Milford on Houston Road.”

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Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges has confirmed there was a fatality accident at the entrance to the city of Milford at 12th Street and U.S. 77 Highway.

Berges confirmed one person was killed and another has been transported to Geary Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

“We’re diverting traffic through Milford due to a fatality accident at the intersection.” Berges added, “Anybody using U.S. 77 will be diverted through the City of Milford, and then back either north or south.

The accident occurred in the seven o’clock hour Tuesday morning.

The Kansas Highway Patrol has multiple units working at the scene. Volunteer firefighters are helping direct traffic through Milford.

Update:

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf said Monday evening that asphyxiation was the cause of death for a Geary County Detention Center inmate, 27-year-old Kyle William Andrews, Manhattan. “This gentleman decided that he was going to commit suicide. He went to the shower stall, pulled the curtain, and hung himself with a bedsheet inside the shower stall.”

Wolf said some Andrews’ cell mates thought he had been in the shower quite awhile so they tried to make contact with him. When he didn’t respond they checked on him and then called for corrections officers.

Corrections staff began live saving measures. Junction City Fire and EMS arrived and took over. They transported Andrews to Geary Community Hospital, and he was the moved to the KU Medical Center unresponsive. Andrews was removed from life support Monday morning and passed away.

Andrews was being held at the Detention Center on a Grandview Plaza Municipal Court warrant alleging Failure to Appear. A cooperative investigation into the matter is being conducted by the KBI and Geary County Sheriff’s Office.

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An inmate at the Geary County Detention Center has passed away after being removed from life support.

According to a press release from Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf an inmate at the Geary County Detention Center, Kyle William Andrews, 27, of Manhattan, reportedly attempted suicide in his cell at approximately 10 p.m. on Thursday, December 31st, 2015.

Andrews was being held on a Grandview Plaza Municipal Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Corrections staff immediately entered the cell and began life saving measures. JC Fire and EMS arrived and took over, they transported Andrews to Geary Community Hospital. He was then transported to KU Medical Center Unresponsive.

Andrews was removed from life support at 8:59 a.m. Monday, and passed away.

Next of kin was notified as soon as contact could be made and has been aware of the situation from the start.

A cooperative investigation into the matter is being conducted by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Geary County Sheriff’s Office.

Longtime Geary County Commissioner Florence Whitebread has told JC Post she does not anticipate running for re-election in 2016.

Whitebread has served on the county commission for 23 years, and when her current term ends in January of 2017 she will have spent 24 years as a member of the governing body.

“Well, right now I don’t anticipate running. I feel 24 years is a long time to give to any community. But I have enjoyed it and I truly do enjoy the work.”

Whitebread represents District Three on the commission, which covers primarily the eastern part of the county.

Asked if there were any chance she might change her mind during the next year, and seek another term on the commission, Whitebread stated, “Oh I suppose that always could occur. You never say never for purpose, but at this point in time I don’t anticipate changing.

After her term expires Whitebread indicated she would like to continue serving on other public committees and boards. Two that were mentioned include the aTa Bus Board and the Opera House Board.

As 2015 comes to a close the president of the Geary USD 475 Board of Education, Brian Field, said one accomplishment for the school district is that they continued to make strides in their technology in the classroom.

“In our one to one initiative for our students that’s been something that we’ve really focused on over the last couple of years, and we’ve continued to make great strides in that area. ” Field also touched on the finalization of the teaching contract for this school year. “That was something both sides had to work hard at this year. We were glad we were able to come to an agreement, and the fact that we’ll be able to move forward I think is a good thing for our school district, very positive.”

A lengthy impasse in teacher contract negotiations was brought to an end in November.

Field believes the one to one technology initiative and incorporating more technology into the classroom for curriculum will be one priority for USD 475 in 2016.

Thunderbird Marina at Milford Lake will be under new ownership, effective January of 2016.  Longtime owners John and Kaye Deam have contracted to sell Thunderbird to Steve Burke, Dr. Anwar Khoury and Ty Arneson, current owners of Flagstop Resort & RV Park. Closing is expected to occur in mid January.

While the recognized and respected “Thunderbird” name will remain, the marina will undergo a slight name adjustment and logo change — officially becoming Thunderbird Marina & RV Resort.

Thunderbird Marina & RV Resort is the largest marina at Milford Lake and offers a variety of campsites and other convenient amenities.

The marina offers plenty of beer and ice, indoor/outdoor storage and food service.

There are two fueling locations, lures, live bait, and boat supplies as well.

With more than 100 covered and uncovered boat slips and more than 100 RV sites available from April to October, Thunderbird Marina & RV Resort is a great place to escape for the summer to enjoy what many would call the best fishing, camping and family-friendly fun in the state.

 

New for 2016, the marina will have secured, gate-controlled access.

 

For RV reservations, general inquiries or slip reservations, call (785) 238-5864, (785) 463-5537, or visit our website at www.thunderbirdmarinadk.com. For the latest information, be sure to like us on Facebook.

Roads in Geary County are not impassable but they are slick in spots following the arrival of the snowstorm on Monday. That’s the assessment of Sheriff Tony Wolf. “We’ve had a few accidents this morning because of that.”

Wolf noted there have been some cases involving vehicle slide-offs. “And then we had a pretty nasty wreck at the 299 exit out there by Grandview Plaza, vehicle rolled over, but there were no injuries.” Authorities also responded to an accident near mile marker 294 on the interstate involving a truck pulling a camper late Monday morning.

Wolf said the slickest spots are along I-70. He indicated the problem may be that vehicles are hitting patches where the road is clear so people believe they can increase their speed back to 70 – 75 miles per hour. “And then they hit a patch of snow-packed roadway, and before they know it they’re in trouble. So just because the roadway is clear in that one spot doesn’t mean that the whole roadway’s clear. Might have to maintain your slow speeds until you know for sure it’s in the clear.