Junction City Police Captain Patricia “Trish” Giordano has graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy program at Quantico, Virginia.

Giordano was one of 256 members in the 276^th Session of the program.  The class included law enforcement officials from across the United States and 35 international countries.

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy Program, held at the FBI Academy, offers 10 weeks of advanced communication, leadership and fitness training for selected officers having proven records as professionals within their agencies. Attorney General William P. Barr and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray were commencement speakers.

Training is provided by the FBI Academy instructional staff, Special Agents and other staff members holding advanced degrees, many of whom are recognized internationally in their fields of expertise.

The FBI National Academy began in 1935.  The selection process is competitive and graduates represent only 1% of law enforcement globally.

During the course of the session Giordano also completed the “Yellow Brick Road” physical training challenge which consists of a grueling 6.1-mile run through a hilly, wooded trail built by the Marines. Along the way, the participants must climb over walls, run through creeks, jump through simulated windows, scale rock faces with ropes, crawl under barbed wire in muddy water, and maneuver across a cargo net.

Captain Giordano is only one of a handful of officers in the history of the Junction City Police Department to attend, with the last being Chief Dan Breci in 2016.

 

 

 

It may be July before combines are in the field cutting wheat in Geary County this year.

Extension Agent Chuck Otte said by now producers are normally well into the harvest or near the end of it. “Last year we were very early with it so we normally expect anymore by the 15th, 20th of June we’re going to be cutting wheat. So this year there’s not one wheat head cut yet because it’s simply too green.”

Otte estimated it could be close to the first of July before the harvest begins in the county.

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and Country Stampede, LLC have mutually and amicably agreed to terminate the Special Event Permit Addendum dated March 26, 2018 under which the Country Stampede was to have been held at Tuttle Creek State Park this year, according to a media release from the KDWPT.

The 24th annual Kicker Country Stampede will be held from June 20-22 at Heartland Motorsports Park.

The confluence of two situations led to the decision, according to the release.

The unprecedented rainfall leading to flooding damage at Tuttle Creek State Park made it impossible to hold the concert at the scheduled time and the current economic outlook for music industry events combined with the high water event at Tuttle Creek impaired the financial viability of the Country Stampede operator

Under the termination agreement, KDWPT will refund the operator’s payment of $81,500.00 and the operator is no longer obligated to make any future payments.

KDWPT and Country Stampede, LLC have had a great relationship over the 23 years that Tuttle Creek State Park has hosted the event. Country Stampede has helped focus national and international attention on Kansas, the City of Manhattan and Tuttle Creek State Park which will have benefits for many years to come. We wish the operator well for the future.

On Thursday Topeka Madyor Michelle De La Isla announced that Country Stampede would be moving from Manhattan to Topeka. It will be called the Heartland Stampede in the future.

 

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

PlayJC.org wants to become the hub for youth sports and activities in the Junction City community. Organizers unveiled their plans during a press conference Wednesday night at the C.L. Hoover Opera House. They want to streamline youth activities.

Spokesman Kendall Schoenrock outlined three primary goals including the sharing of information to the public. supporting existing programs and site development. That latter goal could involve the use of facilities. Schoenrock is suggesting a five year plan to build momentum and allow the community to buy in. Schoenrock stated the project would include formation of a website for “all things youth sports related in the region.” He stated PlayJC.org would be partnership driven, have a nonprofit led vision, stakeholder collaboration and then a longer term plan.

Schoenrock said the organization could provide league marketing and promotion services, support new league development, facilitate existing resources, and standardize the registration process.  A longer goal would be to attract regional events to Junction City such as tournaments.

There have been some conversations with USD 475 officials about the potential of using some of the facilities at the current Junction City High School site on North Eisenhower Drive once the new high school opens on the west side of town, but nothing has been determined and no final decisions have been made.

Multiple members of the USD 475 Board of education were in attendance including Jim Schmidt. He is excited about the effort by PlayJC.org. “We’ve known from the beginning when the steering committee ( for the new high school ) took off, and the campaign, the successful bond election, that there were dominoes that could potentially fall that would play for the community.” He cited the potential benefits for the youth and the local economy, adding he is anxious to see where this project goes.

Library Director Susan Moyer said any way the library might fit into this effort is all to be determined. “If there is a location where we can host classes which we do as part of our current program we’d be happy to be involved in that.” Moyer said if there is space where a piece of  their proposed library building project could be located officials would consider it. But she also made it clear that no decisions have been made on that issue. “No clear vision for any of us at this time but it’s all in the early planning stages. We’re real happy to be part of that.”

Terrah Stroda outlined the vision for PlayJC.org which will including putting all the activities on a website at one location. “That we can get more kids engaged and fuel excitement for youth sports in our town.” On the subject of facilities she noted that they are trying to find the gaps, necessities and opportunities for youth activities. “So, is there a need for space, is there a need for fields, is there a need for a community hub, a specific location?”

Numerous local organizations had representatives in attendance at the press conference ranging from the YMCA to Junior Baseball. There was a strong community turnout for the press conference which marked the beginning of a grassroots push for youth sports and activities in Junction City.

 

The Corps of Engineers has increased the outflow from Milford Reservoir to 5,000 cubic feet per second. The Corps cited the rainfall received on Tuesday as the reason.

They have received reports of up to and over five inches of rainfall from the Wakefield through the Milford area. The Corps recorded 1.09 inches of rainfall overnight at the Milford Project Office.

Plans are under development for a proposed new traffic roundabout at McFarland Road and Eisenhower Drive in Junction City.

Brian Coon with Kaw Valley Engineering explained the roundabout can help make the two intersections safer. “When we’re dealing with cars the only thing we can do is slow people down so that when they are involved in a crash it’s less severe and people are less likely to get hurt. ”

He stated it will also improve the visibility of traffic turning off of Eisenhower. “One of the ways you can approve efficiency as well is by putting in a roundabout. People don’t have to come to a stop very often when you’re in a roundabout. ” Coon also noted, “If you can keep it down to 5, 10, 15 miles an hour your fuel economy and your brakes last longer. Everything is better if you can avoid that hard stop.”

Coon added that with a roundabout, traffic is always going around, which helps avoid head-on collisions.

The project was outlined for the Junction City Commission Tuesday night but no action is required at this time. City Manager Allen Dinkel anticipates work could be done on the project in 2020 but it would be 2021 before it would probably be completed.

The National Weather Service issued severe storm warnings for the Dickinson, Geary, Riley , Morris adnd Pottawatomie County region Tuesday afternoon.

For a brief time there was a tornado warning in Dickinson County ( since expired ) and then severe thunderstorm warning for parts of five counties. There were gusty winds and heavy rain. A tornado watch that includes Geary, Dickinson, Morris, Wabaunsee, Riley and Pottawatomie Counties has also been issued until 10 p.m. by the National Weather Service.

Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges took this photo with water runoff from a location on K-57 Highway north of Junction City.

 

The issue of mistrust in the community due to recent events involving the previous sheriff was on the discussion agenda for the new Geary County Sheriff Daniel Jackson Jr. Monday evening.

Former sheriff Tony Wolf was required to resign from the sheriff’s job following his convictions on one felony count of Theft and one misdemeanor count of Misuse of Public Funds.

Jackson told a Town Hall meeting he wanted to have the public session to tell people what the department has done to ensure transparency in the future. “The day I was appointed sheriff in spite of the conditions that led to my appointment I said that the Geary County Sheriff’s Department was the most professional that I had ever seen in my entire life. This was because of the dedicated, talented professionals that worked there.”

Jackson said he stands by those words and wanted to ensure all local citizens that the protection of life and property are the core of what the Department does. “In order to get that mission accomplished we have to be an organization whose people are properly equipped, trained, motivated and led by the right people in the right positions. That’s what we did with placing members of the staff in the positions they are in now.”

The command staff includes Undersheriff Eric Coffman, Major of Operations Marty Snyder, Major Mark Anderson Corrections Administrator, Captain of Corrections Donna Regelado, Captain for Administration / Technology David GIlbert and Captain of Patrol Reyan Rikorick.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

Firefighting is being removed from the job description of Geary County Sheriff’s Deputies. Sheriff Daniel Jackson Jr. told a town hall meeting the Department is a governmental entity and part of a larger governmental entity….Geary County. “We are subject to all the labor laws that go along with being a governmental agency that employs people. “If we told an employee they are required to go into a burning building and put the fire out we are required by law to ensure he has the required training and certifications to safely accomplish that mission.”

Jackson added he would also argue that he has a responsibility to the employee and the citizens of the county to make sure all the employees are trained and certified to do the dangerous job that they do. “Our deputies are not and never have been trained and certified as firefighters, that’s the cold hard truth.” Jackson said there is no way the Department can maintain their certification as a law enforcement officer and get them qualified to serve as a firefighter. He noted there is not enough time in the week or funds in the budget to make that occur.

Deputies will still continue to perform first responder duties. For example they would still enter a burning building to save someone, but will not be there to fight fires.  Jackson referred to the old job description. “If one of my Deputies were to take that job description literally and enter a structure fire, and try to fight that fire and die in the process, or citizens died because of his untrained efforts  that would be on me and on the county. The liability with failing to train an employee for a job he is required to do is not something the Department or the County could stand.”

Jackson said the Geary County Rural Fire Department and the volunters that man that Department are a vital piece of of the county’s public safety, but they’re volunteers not governed by the laws that apply to the County and the Sheriff’s Department. “The Deputies will still respond as they always have to any fire that occurs and do what any other law enforcement officer would do to save a life. If they get there first and there’s someone inside the house they will of course risk their life and go inside that house to try to get the person out.” Deputies, however, will no longer grab a hose and fight the fire.

Jackson said he met with Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges, the members of the Geary County Commission, the County Counselor, and the County HR and they all agreed with his decision to remove the firefighting requirement from the Deputy job description.

Jackson touched on a number of other topics during the town hall meeting at the Four-H / Senior Citizen Center ranging from the introduction of his command staff to a move to increase the number corrections officers working in the jail. He also indicated he would conduct more town hall meetings in the future.

A Transportation Alternatives grant from the state will help fund a new sidewalk project in Junction City. It will extend from Rucker Road on the west to Eisenhower Drive and south to Homer’s pond.

The Public Works Director for the City of Junction City. Ray Ibarra, said new sidewalk will be added from Rucker Road to Eisenhower Drive and that will connect to existing sidewalks along Eisenhower. Then a stretch of new sidewalk will need to be installed farther south to Homer’s Pond.

Ibarra said you will be able to ride a bicycle on part of the trail, the newer 10-foot wide portions. The work on the project could start as early as July of this year and as late as March of 2020. It will finish one of the longest stretches of sidewalk in Junction City, said Ibarra. “It will be one of our longest stretches because you’ll be able to go all the way from Spring Valley Road all the way out to Homer’s Pond.”

Ibarra noted that KDOT set the range for the start time in order to get a better bid, “giving the contractors amount of time to get this project put in.”