The Chase for a Cause raised $1,680 on Saturday for local organizations that serve the community.

The event was hosted by Geary Community Hospital, with Marketing and Public Relations Director Nikki Davies noting that a little over 100 runners participated. “We have people from all walks and I think that’s what’s most unique. It really reflects our diverse community and what I really appreciate most.”

A total of 14 different organizations are receiving assistance as a result of the Chase. A portion of a participants entry fees go to the organization of their Choice. Davies said Friends of Animals received the highest contribution at $580. “And then the second and third place tied. Delivering Change and Wheels of Hope for $180.

Jon Hornbostel was the top overall male finisher. He covered the 5K course in  23:30.10 and he was the top male master’s division finisher as well.Melesia Lobban was the top female finisher in 27:39.63 while Alice Stuckey was the top female master’s division finisher in 28:01.35.

 

There is a full schedule of events and activities in Junction City this weekend.

–The Chase for a Cause run at Geary Community Hospital begins at 9 a.m.   A portion of the proceeds from entry fees can be donadted to local organizations and charities.

–The USD 475 sponsored Multicultural Fair goes from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Heritage Park.

–A garage sale to raise funds to send debate and forensics students from Junction City High School to national competitions will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Freshman Success Academy. It runs from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday.

–The annual Earth Day cleanup is Saturday in Junction City. Volunteers shoudl report to Spin City at 8 a.m. to register. Lunch will be provided about noon for the volunteers.

–Superhero Saturday and the Flash Dash Fun Run is Saturday at the Outdoor Adventure Park at Fort Riley. The Flash Dash Fun Run has free admission.

–Junction City Police are conducting a prescription drug take back day from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Dillons on West 6th Street.

–The Hoover-Koken Lecture Series begins on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the C.L. Hoover Opera House. Oscar winner Kevin Willmott will serve as the guest speaker on the topic “Why I Love Junction City.” Willmott grew up in Junction City.

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf has entered pleas of no contest to one felony count of Theft and a misdemeanor charge of Misuse of Public Funds. The court entered a judgement of guilty.

The proceedings that unfolded in Geary County District Court followed a plea agreement in which two other felony theft counts were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled.  The recommendation is for 12 months probation on the misdemeanor and in the other allegation is a presumptive probation matter with the probation in both cases to run concurrently at the same time, with no jail time. Wolf must also make restitution totaling $2,200 in the theft case.

Formal sentencing has been scheduled at 9:30 a.m. on June 28th.

Wolf will be required to forfeit his position as Geary County Sheriff effective immediately. A letter of resignation must be submitted to the governor.

According to the factual basis outlined in court on Friday, Wolf authorized an expense of $530 against a County credit card to purchase tires for a friend’s vehicle but claimed it was a payment to a confidential informant for drug information which was false. There was a reference to a text which Wolf told the friend, “This is what friends do for each other.” Wolf later admitted to a KBI agent the tires were purchased for a friend. Those funds were credited by the vendor back to the credit card and Wolf later paid the vendor.

In the second case Wolf used state asset forfeiture funds to purchase items ranging from weapons and ammunition to a scope. Wolf turned in a list on that, but it did not include six items including a scope. He will make the $2,200 restitution in that case.

In court Friday Wolf appeared with his attorney, Barry Clark, Manhattan while Assistant Dickinson County Attorney Darryl Hawkins served as the Special Prosecutor in the case. During the proceedings Wolf acknowledged he understood the charges and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The jury trial scheduled in the case that on the misdemeanor count,  plus a felony theft charge that has now been dismissed, was scheduled May 8th and 9th in District court. It will be withdrawn from the court docket.

Wolf was first elected Geary County Sheriff in 2012 and reelected in 2016. He began working for the Sheriff’s Department as a corrections officer in 1996 and later moved to the patrol division.

 

 

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf is scheduled to appear for a status hearing in his case in Geary County District Court at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Wolf is charged with three counts of Felony Theft and one misdemeanor count of Misuse of Public Funds. The charges allege Wolf used county funds to purchase items that were then sold for personal profit, or maintained for personal use, of allegedly giving a county-owned firearm as a gift to a third party and on the misdemeanor allegation of allegedly using public dollars in a manner not authorized by law.

Reliable souces have informed JCPost.com that Wolf is also expected to resign from the position of Geary County Sheriff.

Wolf was first elected sheriff in 2012 by Geary County voters, and then re-elected in 2016. He began his tenure with the Sheriff’s Department in 1996 as a corrections officer and later moved to the patrol division. He rose through the ranks to Patrol Lieutenant and then was appointed Undersheriff of Geary County in 2011.

 

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The USD 475 sponsored Multicultural Fair on Saturday in Junction City will celebrate the different cultures in the Junction City/Geary County community. It will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Heritage Park.

This event can foster an appreciation for one another in the community, said Susan Pender, USD 475 ELL Coordinator.

“Right now we have about 565 ELL ( English Language Learners ) that are identified within the district,” she said. “We have about 52 languages that are spoken by our families so we have a great diversity here in our community.”

Pender wants people to attend and share about their culture so community members can learn and grow from each other. Participants can set up in booths to display, artifacts, games, flags, dancing and singing. “We are going to have games for kids. ” The bandstand will be a busy place with a taekwondo demonstration, singing and Japanese dancers.

There will be a peace display made out of chalk. What you do is draw a large peace sign, and then kids use colored chalk to draw within the peace sign just any picture that they associate with peace, and I would say even with culture. We’re going to take a picture and submit it to the Chalk for Peace Foundation, and see if they’ll put our picture up on line.”

Pender says teachers are excited about this event and flyers have put up at local businesses.

For more information or to participate contact Susan Pender at 717-4045 or at susanpender@usd475.org.

Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers has been touring rural hospitals in Kansas, including Geary Community Hospital in Junction City.

He told the Flint Hills Regional Conference on Wednesday that medicaid expansion in Kansas can save lives and keep rural hospitals open.

Rogers noted that nearly 150,000 Kansas fall into the coverage gap but right now one or two people in the State Senate are blocking debate and discussion on the the medicaid expansion issue. “We feel Kansans deserve a debate.”

Rogers touched on other topics during the conference following his travels across Kansas. Some of the key points included some Kansans not feeling listened to by officials in Topeka, and the need for broadband improvements has emerged as a top priority. A broadband map would help state officials identify areas where improvements are needed.   He added putlic input is needed on an interactive map project on connectednation.org/kansas/.

 

 

Medicaid expansion dominated the conversation between Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers, community and Geary Community Hospital on Wednesday. The expansion could provided much needed financial support to Geary Community Hospital, but the issue has been tied up in the Kansas Senate by the leadership, preventing debate on the measure up to this point. The Kansas House approved medicaid expansion.

During a discussion at Geary Community Hospital, Rogers said if medicaid expansion is approved it would mean an additional $1.7 million in annual revenue for GCH, serve 944 additional Geary County residents, create 25 jobs and would provide an approximate additional $6.3 million in healthcare spending in the county. “I’ve not had a single hospital board or staff that have said they don’t want to do it. They really see the impact.”

Rogers, who has visited with hospital issues across the state on this issue. He described it as a nonpartisan issue. “I’ve had Republicans and Democrats alike at these meetings and these events. For rural communities they know it’s vital to their long term survival.” Rogers says it will not save a rural hospital but will give them the ability to pay down debt, recruit additional doctors and medical professionals and expanding or replacing equipment.

Junction City Mayor and Dr. Pat Landes stated that medicaid expansion will give hospitals a lifeline and keep them vibrant.

Rogers said the governor’s office is encouraging people to contact their legislator ( senator ) to encourage to vote to get the matter out of committee and put it on the Senate floor for debate. He said Senate leaders should be called to encourage them to schedule a vote so their can be a debate.

 

Forty Junction City Middle School students put their singing, dancing and acting talents on display Tuesday evening at the C.L. Hoover Opera House during the production of Seussville Jr. They spent weeks preparing for the show through the Astra Program that kicked off this school year.

The show was about an elephant, Horton, who sat on an egg because amazing Mayzie asked him to watch it for her. There were a number of Who characters and the jungle of Newell.

Kael Nelson portrayed the role of Jo Jo the Who. “Jo Jo is the main character. He creates the story and is like telling the story to everybody else with the caps. It was just so fun being on stage with everybody. ”

Performing in the role of Horton the Elephant was Sean Powers. “I loved this. Being on stage is such a passion of mine and it is so fun. ” Powers said in the show Horton the Elephant feels alone, “because he hears that the Who’s are never heard to anyone but him being his remarkable ears. Throughout the entire show it’s a determination story of how determined Horton is to save the Who’s.”

Nathan Weaver was one of the Who’s in the show. “The Who doesn’t really have too many parts but that means that the ones you do you perfect them.”

The administrator for the Astra program, Chris Heldstab, enjoyed the show. “The kids put on those costumes and became their characters. It was great. ” There was a big turnout for the show from the public. Heldstab noted that more than 300 people came to the C.L. Hoover Opera House and watched the performance.

This is the first year for the Astra program. Heldstab looked ahead to the future . “Well we hope it continues to grow and this hopefully encourage parents with younger kids to start with us next year at sixth grade. Two shows are done each year in the Astra program. one with the Hometown Christmas in December and another in the spring.

Kansas Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers will visit Junction City on Wednesday for two event.

From 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. he’ll be at Geary Community Hospital for a brief discussion on medicaid expansion in the Women’s Center Conference Room followed by a tour of the hospital.

On the subject of medicaid expansion the Hospital CEO Joe Stratton said the bill is in the Kansas Senate right now, “Possibly a bill become an act that might go to the governor, Governor Kelly to consider signing. For this hospital that means approximately $1.7 million more revenue in the course of a year. That’s real money to us, that’s real money to the patients and families we serve. ” Stratton added it’s also important to the local economy,

He doesn’t think medicaid expansion is the “panacea to solve everything but it certainly would be a big plus for Geary Community Hospital without a doubt.”

At 11 a.m. Wednesday Rogers is scheduled to speak during the annual Flint Hills Regional Conference at the Courtyard By Marriott convention Center. Topics ranging from regional health and demographics to collaboration between military installations and surrounding communities will be discussed.

The renovation of the clock and bell tower at the C.L. Hoover Opera House in downtown Junction City began Tuesday.

Opera House Co-Director Joe Markley said they hope to have the renovation work completed before the end of the month. The lift was on-scene and equipment was being put in.

“We’re real excited to see this iconic part of Junction City being restored,” he said.

Markley said David Seay of Manhattan and Regulator Time is doing the work.

The cost estimate for the project was approximately $25,000, but foundation and private donations are covering all of the cost.

( Photos courtesy of C.L. Hoover Opera House )