The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce has put plans in place for their annual New Teacher Breakfast at the Courtyard by Marriott Convention Center. This year it will be held on July 30th at 7:30 a.m.

The Chamber Membership Director Amy Garner, said there are usually between 100 and 150 new teachers.”It is an opportunity for us to get to know them, for them to get to know the community. Different people share what’s going on in the city, what’s going on in the county with them. It is open to the community so people can go online and buy tickets for that.”

The new teachers are not charged to attend, but members of the public can purchase a ticket to sponsor one of the teachers.

The Junction City Fire Department is continuing the hydrant testing process between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The city’s hydrants are being tested to ensure they’re operable and able to produce the required water pressure when needed to supply water for firefighting purposes.

Because the testing must be done during normal operating hours, it is impossible to know in advance where or when exactly the testing will take place in any specific area.

Opening hydrants can sometimes cause a temporary discoloration of water in nearby homes. The discoloration is not harmful and can be cleared up by running the water for a few minutes.

The testing ensures the protection of local residents and is also an evolution indicator used by the Insurance Services Organization which rates cities according to the fire protection they offer. The recent Insurance Services Organization rating resulted in the elevation of the City of Junction City to a Class 3 protection rating.

Hydrant testing was scheduled to begin in the northwest corridor of the city on Tuesday.

The timeline for the new ALDI grocery store planned for 520 East Chestnut Street in Junction City will be moved back a short time.

The Geary County Planning and Zoning Director, Troy Livingston, said initially the company had been shooting for an end of July – first part of August store opening. “They’ve had to relocate some water lines that were under concrete. They’ve got those done now. It was just causing a small delay, but now they’re shooting for the last of September – first part of October for an opening date.”

Livingston indicated that the water line improvements were expected, but there was a need to relocate the lines to tap into the city water main from their original construction plans.

The annual collection of school supplies for needy children begins this Saturday, July 13th, and runs through Saturday, July 27th.

United Way Executive Director Nicole Mahder says they will be at Walmart on East Chestnut and Dillons on Sixth Street this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public may drop off school supply donations at those locations to support needy children in Geary USD 475 and St. Xavier schools.

Mahder said a wide range of supplies can be donated. “Crayons, pencils, color pencils, markers, paper, notebooks, book bags, headphones, glue, chlorox wipes. You name it you can donate it because kids will use it.”

You can also drop off donations at the United Way office at 139 East 8th Street or at several businesses. They include Central National Bank, KS State Bank, Sunflower Bank, Landmark Bank , Karen-Jameson State Farm, Geary Community Hospital, Exchange Bank Walmart and Dillons during the week. There will also be collections.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director Michelle Stimatze said it takes everyone in the community to make an event like Sundown Salute happen. “I believe there were probably about four to five thousand ( attendance ) per night.” Stimatze added that they filled the park, there were no problems and the later starting time each evening also helped.

The performance by the headliner group, Hairball, drew extremely positive reviews. Stimatze said, “For the last couple of years we’ve been eyeing that band. Some of us had gone to a concert and watched them. We thought this is something, great entertainment, a two-hour show and was really really wonderful.” Stimatze confirmed she would like to bring them back to Sundown Salute at some point in the future.

Stimatze noted that some on the Sundown Salute Committee have been talking about the possibility of a four-day celebration next year running Thursday through Sunday, with July 4th on Saturday. No final decisions have been made at this point.

Here are some of the photos from Sundown Salute. Sarina Irwin was a contributing photographer.

Area churches joined forces for a community service Sunday morning in Heritage Park. Pastors from multiple churches spoke on topics ranging from a celebration of what God has done for Jesus Christ to urging the adudience to lift up prayers for the Soldiers serving overseas and the struggles that their families go through.

Two pastors who grew up in Junction City and now minister at churches in other communities were welcomed back, Jeremy Leithoff and Travis Roberts.

Other speakers included Ronnie Roberts, B.J. Solander, Brad Siefert, Doug Brown Tom Swihart. Ty Zimmerman and the JC Naz Worship team alsoperformed.

The church service is an annual event at Sundown Salute. On Sunday evening Christian music performers Kaylee Keller and Josh Wilson will perform on the stage downtown adjacent to Heritage Park.

Sundown Salute enjoyed another positive evening in downtown Junction City Saturday. Just Us Band, Platinum Express and Earth to Mars all performed on the concert stage with solid crowds in Heritage Park enjoying mild weather and the music.

Police Chief Dan Breci said there have been good crowds, everyone is behaving, and it’s been good to see friends and family. “I think everybody is having a good time.” No arrests have been reported in the Heritage Park area.

Breci said if you talk to people attending Sundown Salute they come from all over. “Especially the fourth of July we had people from all over the country that just happened to be traveling, they were passing through Junction City, they heard about this and they came down.” Breci added there is the usual crowd, but people from across the area attend the celebration.

Sundown Salute continues on Sunday with a church service at 9:30 a.m. in Heritage Park, Hedrick’s Petting Zoo from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Ottaway Amusement Carnival noon to 11 p.m. Kaylee Keller will perform from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. and Josh Wilson from 8 – 9:15 p.m. on the concert stage, wrapping up this year’s festival.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The Sundown Salute headliner Hairball entertained the audience with with 80’s rock ‘n roll, lights, sound and smoke in Heritage Park Friday night.

There was a solid turnout for the performance which capped off night three of Sundown Salute in Junction City.  Law enforcement and emergency personnel confirmed there were no problems in the area around the celebration.

Sundown Salute continues on Saturday with a car, truck and bike show from 8 – 11:30 a.m., Hedrick’s Petting Zoo 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the Ottaway Amusement Company Carnival from noon to 11 p.m.  Saturday night in the park the concerts will include Just Us Band from 6:45 – 7:45, Platinum Express 8 – 9:10, and Earth to Mars from 9:30 – 10:45 p.m.

( Sarina Irwin helped conribute photos for this story ).

Rain has slowed the wheat harvest in Geary County.

Up until Thursday there were good crop yields but Extension Agent Chuck Otte said now it needs to dry out. “We really need probably about another week of good dry weather to finish up wheat harvest. If it would not have rained we would probably be wrapping up by Sunday or Monday, but now it’s going to take awhile.”

Otte explained normally farm producers shoot for 60-bushels per acre with their crops, but he has heard of yields of over 80 bushels per acre this year in the county.