Update:

Law enforcement and emergency personnel remain on the scene of a two vehicle  head- on collision which claimed the life of the driver of a pickup truck.

Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges reported the fire at the scene of the accident has been extinguished, and a Kansas Highway Patrol accident reconstruction team is on the scene working to determine what occurred just prior to the accident.

Southbound traffic is being detoured at the K-82 exit into Wakefield west, while northbound traffic will be detoured around Milford Lake from the U.S. 77 – K-57 intersection on the northwest side of Junction City.

The semi-tractor trailer involved in the accident was carrying frozen hot dogs. Those will have to be cleaned up and removed from the scene.

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A head-on collision between a pickup truck and a semi-tractor trailer rig in the 2:30 to 3 a.m. time frame Thursday on U.S. Highway 77 in northern Geary County resulted in the death of the driver of the pickup. The driver of the semi received minor injuries and refused treatment at the scene. Both vehicles went into a ditch after the collision, but both lanes of 77 are closed at the accident scene due to emergency vehicles and accident reconstruction work.

That information was provided by Garry Berges, Geary County Emergency Management Director.

Berges said the scene of the accident is about one-half mile south of the U.S. 77 junction with K-82 Highway that goes into Wakefield. “So any traffic coming north out of Junction City heading north toward Wakefield will be detoured. Any traffic coming towards the Wakefield area on 77 will be detoured through Wakefield.” Law enforcement are handling the detour work, and KDOT will be bringing sign boards to assist with that process.

Berges anticipates U.S. 77 will be closed until approximately 9 or10 a.m. today. He noted anyone coming from the north from the Riley – Leonardville area will probably be diverted through Wakefield, probably over to Highway K-15.

On scene are the Kansas Highway Patrol, Geary County Sheriff’s Department, Geary County Rural Fire Department, Junction City Fire / EMS, and Fort Riley Fire Department personnel.

The names of the victims in this accident have not been released at this time.

 

A deceased woman found inside her car at Fort Riley, Kansas, Sept 22, has
been positively identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner as Jessica
Echevarria, the 29-year-old wife of a Fort Riley Soldier.

Echevarria’s vehicle was located in a wooded area near Caisson Hill Road on
post at approximately 6:05 p.m. that evening.  An examination of the scene
and vehicle indicates Echevarria was involved in a single-vehicle incident
when she left the roadway and struck a tree, which resulted in her death.
The vehicle was obstructed from view due to dense foliage.  A soldier
walking along the side of the road noticed something out of place, became
suspicious and alerted military police.

Echevarria was reported missing by her husband on Aug 21, 2015.  Her family
also filed a missing person’s report in California.  Her personal and
vehicle information was entered into the National Crime Information Center
database identifying her as a missing person and a “Be On the Lookout” was
distributed to local and state law enforcement agencies.

The incident remains under investigation by special agents from the U.S.
Army Criminal Investigation Command.  No further information is being
released at this time to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

 

Fort Riley Public Affairs Office

A Fort Riley soldier, James Henning, Junction City, has been convicted of ten counts following a bench trial in Geary County District Court.

According to the prosecutor, Michelle Brown, Henning was found guilty by the Court of two counts Aggravated Indecent Liberties With a Child, three counts Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, one charge of rape, and four counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child. The prosecutor noted the Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Child counts involved manufacturing child pornography with his 8-year old daughter, who was the victim in this case.

Henning was arrested last November 25 by police at his 123 East 12th Street residence in Junction City. The crimes allegedly occurred between September 2 and Sepbember 25th, 2014.

Sentencing for Henning will be on January 7, 2016.

Teacher contract negotiations remain at impasse in Geary USD 475.

Teachers voted 355 no and 113 yes in favor of a contract proposal submitted to them.

Cathy Rankin, Junction City Education Association President, said teachers care a great deal about the quality of education their students receive, and they demonstrate that by working on beyond an 8-hour day or 40-hour week. “By spending hours every week grading and planning at home in the evening and weekends, coming in early to prepare classrooms, staying late to assist students who need help, meeting with or calling parents, and supporting students in their extracurricular activities.”

Rankin stated, “Instead of recognizing teachers effort with an increase in pay, the District has presented an offer that conditions the raise on an additional 10-minutes under the school roof, removal on the limit on the number of meetings held on a weekly basis, which then contractually obligates teachers to a 43-hour and 45-minute work week and has removed protections for the teacher’s preparation time during the school day.”

On the subject of teacher plan time Rankin said that time is student centered. Teachers use the time to research, plan or adapt lesson plans, modify assignments to meet individual student needs, grade and prepare feedback, communicate with parents, collaborate with other teachers, counselors and social workers regarding best practices for individual students, get the necesssary materials for the classroom. And whether we have 25 students that we teach four to five subjects, or 150 or more students that we teach a single subject, this individual plan time is essential to providing our students a quality education.”

Rankin said JCEA hopes that the school board will return to the negotiating table and collaborate on a resolution to the impasse. State statute calls for fact finding as the next step in the process, but the JCEA hopes the District will negotiate at the bargaining table.

District officials have indicated the latest contract proposal included a 7.23% average pay raise for teachers. Rankin would like to see verification on those numbers. She stated Sunday that 11-days ago she had asked the District to provide the JCEA team with information on how they calculated that percentage amount. “But we were told that it was not complete, and not in a format that was easily shared, so we still do not have any information that would authenticate this claim. ” Rankin would like the district to provide detailed numbers proving that there would be that type of pay raise for teachers.

The Board of Education is expected to discuss the situation during their meeting on Monday.

 

 

Teachers in Geary USD 475 have turned down a contract offer for the current 2015-16 school year. Contract negotiations remain at impasse.

The vote announced on Friday by USD 475 officials included 355 teachers in the district voting no and 113 yes. A total of 468 out of 729 teachers cast a vote, for a percentage total of 64.19%.

Brian Field, Board of Education President, was disappointed. “We’re very disappointed. In the end we felt like we offered a fair contract. The contract included an average salary increase of 7.23%. But from here we’ll continue to move forward. In the end we want what’s best for everybody involved, but we really want, especially, what’s best for the students of USD 475.” Initially school district officials had indicated the raise for teachers would average 6.5%, but the percentage released Friday was even higher.

The next step in the process must be determined. State Statute calls for  a move on to a fact finding process. ( JC Post had initially reported that if the fact finding step is bypassed the next step could possibly be the issuance of a unilateral contract by the Board, but the fact finding is required under  statute.)  For now, teachers are working under the contract that was in effect for the 2014-15 school year.

Issues in the contract negotiations on which the two sides differ range from taking the work day from 7 hours 50 minutes up to 8 hours, added collaboration time where administrators could be active participants with input in collaboration among teachers, allowing meetings to start a little later after school following the departure of students or a bit earlier before students arrived at  school, and elimination of flex time where teachers had some options of arriving or departing 15 minutes early…for example a teacher required to arrive 15 minutes early could depart 15 minutes early.

The Board of Education will discuss their next step when they meet Monday at the Devin Center. KASB attorney David Shriver plans to meet with the Board then. He has been their lead negotiator in the contract process this year.

 

Students throughout Geary USD 475 could be seen walking around their schools Friday morning and afternoon as they participated in the annual Bramlage Family Walk-a-Mile Day.

The Walk-a-Mile day began in October 2006 when the federal government set aside October 4th for kids to exercise by suggesting that parents walk their children to school.

The Geary Community healthcare Foundation has since continued the event according to Jolana Montgomery-Matney, GCHF Executive Director.

“After Ron and Becky and the children were killed in that horrible plane crash, the Bramlage Family Foundation adopted this as the Bramlage Family Walk-a-Mile Day,” said Montgomery.

Relatives of the Bramlage Family still come to Junction City each year for the event in honor of their loved ones, including Helen Johnston, Becky Bramlage’s mother.

“We feel honored that your community, Junction City, takes time to have this walk in their memory,” said Johnston. “Walking was something I know Becky and the children, and Ron too, all did daily, even these same steps they took almost everyday.”

Johnston attended the event at Lincoln Elementary Friday afternoon and walked with the students.

There were some incentives to walk as well, each student and adult who walked was able to enter into a drawing for a number of prizes. Each school drew for two prizes. Grades K-2 drew for a Razor Scooter, and grades 3-5 drew for a new bicycle. Following those drawings each name went into a grand prize drawing for an XBOX 360 with Kinnect and two games. Adults also have the chance to win a Fitbit Flex Band.

 

Listeners to the Talk of JC Thursday morning pledged $2,000 to complete the task of raising funds for 26 Christmas wreaths and an 8-foot Angel to be on display in Heritage Park during the holiday season.

During the morning show KJCK AM Program Director Jerry Brecheisen and General Manager Mark Ediger hosted the fundraising effort, asking listeners to donate for the project. In just one hour and 20 minutes callers pledged $2,000 for the Angel and five wreaths. That completed the necessary fundraising.

The C.L. Hoover Opera House has named its new Executive Director’s.

Joe and Sheila Markley were hired Wednesday by the Opera House Foundation Board as Co-Executive Directors. Barbara Craft, Board Chair explained that they will both fill the role of Executive Director and will have different duties.

“Sheila’s responsibilities primarily will be fundraising and grant writing, she will also help out with other responsibilities when Joe needs help, but those will be here primary responsibilities,” said Craft.

“Joe’s primary responsibilities are programing, working with the budget, overseeing personnel, reporting to the Opera House Board and working closely with the board, and maintenance of the facility.”

Joe has served as the Interim Executive Director for the past ten months, following the resignation of Randy West last November.

He explained that one of his goals in the coming months will be to see more people coming to the people,”having that feeling that the Opera House is a part of their community and something that they want to be a part of here.”

Markley added that he also wants to see the Opera House continue to have affordable ticket prices that attract more people to the Opera House.

Sheila Markely explained that a goal for her is to help secure the future of the Opera House through funding.

“I believe that if we’re doing right by the Opera House then our goals will be to ensure the future of the Opera House by beginning to get a routine for everything, whether it’s maintenance, programing, securing funds, an endowment fund that says that we will have a future for this facility for this offering to the community, not for just two years, but for 10, 15 and 20 years down the road.”

While they are Co-Executive Directors they are filling just one position and each are expected to work approximately 20 hours a week.

 

The recently elected National Commander of the American Legion made his way through the central part of Kansas Tuesday on day two of his three-day tour of the state and made stops at two local American Legion Posts.

Dale Barnett of Douglasville, Georgia, was elected National Commander of the American Legion on September 3rd. Two of his stops Tuesday included one at American Legion Post #240 in Chapman and one at American Legion Post #45 in junction City.

During his stops he spoke about a number of topics from membership, to spreading awareness of the American Legion and the need for stability throughout the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

He explained that the American Legion and VA are not enemies and that the American Legion see’s the VA as an organization worth saving, but there needs to be some reform.

“Even the VA Secretary, Bob McDonald has talked about reforming the VA. For to long it’s been to big of a bureaucracy and there have been a few that have taken advantage of it,” said Barnett. “One of the things that we’re going to highlight is those people who have taken advantage of the system. We want to hold people accountable to provide the best healthcare possible to our Veterans. They earned it, they deserve it and our nation has a sacred obligation to provide it.”

Barnett’s stop in Junction City was the first time American Legion Post #45 hosted a National Commander in about ten years.

He is currently completing a three-day tour of Kansas which includes stops at 15 American Legion Posts, Fort Riley and the Kansas Veterans’ Home.

 

Father Al Brungardt served the Saint Frances Xavier Parish for 16 years..

He died Sunday, September 20.

A capacity audience attended a memorial service for him Monday evening at the Saint Xavier Catholic Church.

Father Kerry Ninemire told them, “Our memories are special. He gave us the gift of his priesthood.”

Father Ninemire shared memories that made people laugh and applaud. For example, he commented on one occasion that Father Brungardt had explained to him, “Whenever they tell you what to do, just say yes…and then do what you want. ”

Ninemire pointed to the easy going nature of Father Brungardt, by noting he was “comfortable just gathering with the folks.” He also referred to the easy accessibility of the late priest when he would take telephone calls at 1, 2, or 3 o’clock in the morning, tell the caller to come on down, put on a pot of coffee, and he would “listen, listen, listen.”

Father Al Brungardt retired in June of 2013, but it’s clear his impact at Saint Xavier will be felt for a long, long time.