The Geary USD 475 Board of Education has approved the maintenance agreement that will allow Munson Road to be used as a haul route for the contractors working on the new Junction City High School project. The vote by the Board was 7-0 Wednesday afternoon at the Devin Center.

Now the agreement will go before the Geary County Commission for final consideration at 10 a.m. Thursday at the County Office Building.

The Chief Operations Officer for USD 475, David Wild, explained the school district and county will work collaboratively to determine when Munson Road might need some repair work. “Of course the district will be responsible for purchasing of supplies to make those repairs, and then the county will then effect the repairs and bill the district for those repairs.”

If approval is given by the county commission, Bergkamp Construction could begin using the road. The county blocked that action on March 24th after the road had been utilized for a short time because the agreement had not been signed. In the meantime the contractor has been able to access the school site via K-18.

Wild also reported as a good will gesture the general contractor for the project, Hutton Construction, had also put up barricades blocking off Munson Road and the county in turn as a good will gesture had spread gravel on Munson Road on Tuesday. He stated that road will be ready for use the minute it is opened back up.

Wild also touched Wednesday on the subject of having the road closed, saying it was certaining an inconvenience but had not stopped construction. Later he explained to the Board that this has been “a little awkward – a little bit of a public embarrassment.” Speaking after the Board meeting he stated, “I think it’s the awkwardness of that, was an embarrassment. Again when I spoke to Mr. Stimatze ( Geary County Commission Chairman Charles Stimatze ) if we separate ourselves from our district and our county responsibilities this is really about the community needing to see us work together, and I think we’re there now.” Wild said he felt the county and school district were on the same page.

One still unanswered question that was noted during the Board meeting dealt with signs prohibiting tracked vehicles that have recently been put up on Munson Road.  School officials will check with the county on that subject.

By DEWEY TERRILL
JC Post

The new improvements to the Fifth Street Playground Park have been well received, including by members of the Junction City Commission. It’s common to see the new playground equipment in full usage by children, accompanied by parents.

Speaking during a Tuesday night commission meeting, Mayor Pat Landes said, “I’ve never seen that many kids at a city park anywhere ever!

Landes said city officials look at things to try and attract residents to the community. “It’s things like that.”

The mayor pointed to the busy turnout in the park, and added that it makes him think more things like that are needed if they really want to attract people to the area. “We can say we got 22 parks, but we got 22 parks that have equipment that’s 40 years old. So I think that’s something we really need to start looking at in future budgets, to try to gear things towards improvements at the park facilities, sprinkled throughout town not just at one park.”

The mayor also noted that the accomplishment by the Quality Play for All Committee in the 5th Street Park is tremendous and they still have more plans going forward into the future. “But I think we need to consider that kind of stuff going forward as we plan for the future.”

The Junction City Parks and Recreation Department has announced three upcoming events this spring.

They include a spring dance for 6th through 8th grade students on April 26th from 7-10:30 p.m. at the 12th Street Community Center. The cost to attend is $3. A student I.D. is required.

There will be a Land Navigation event Saturday, may 18th from 9-11:30 a.m.  where you can experience an outdoors opportunity for orienteering at the 90 acre B & G Farm. This is for 10-14 year old youth.  Twelve participants are being sought to learn how to determine your pace correctly, identify an object at a given azimuth, five five orienteering points and learn about dependability, strength, adaptability, perseverance and purpose. To register contact the 12th Street Community Center at 785-238-7529.  Registration runs until May 10th. Those attending should wear long pants, tennis shoes or hiking boots and long sleeves.

And there will be a School’s Out Family Bash on May 24th. This will be a summer party for k-8th graders at the 12th Street Community Center from 4-8 p.m. for family, food and fun. There will be a lot of games both inside and outside. It will be a free event.

 

The number of fire calls for the Geary County Rural Fire Department are down so far this year.

The Geary County Commission received an update on Monday, with Chairman Charles Stimatze providing the numbers. “Year to date fires for 2019 are 27. In 2018 they had 48 at this time, eight just in March alone.

The numbers were reported to the commission by Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges.

A spring tradition in Geary County began in earnest on Monday when the work began to burn 10,000 acres on the Moyer Ranch in the southeast part of the county.

Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges said that blaze will cover about half of the Moyer Ranch. “We’ve got other fires that will burn anywhere from 100 to 400 acres.”

Berges noted these burns happen about this time every year. “This is the time of the year that a lot of the farmers are out doing their burning, their agricultural burning. People just need to be aware that there’s going to be smoke in the area, smoke going across some roadways. They’re going to try to limit that. But People just need to be careful if they’re in the areas.”

Berges estimated approximately 12,000 acres in the county would be burned on Monday and a lot would also occur the next couple of days. He expects burning to continue until about April 15th and then taper off.

In Geary County we may see and smell the smoke. “We will, especially once the temperature goes down, we get a little bit humidity it will keep some of that smoke down low so people might wake up in the morning to it. As long as get a little bit of wind you should not have that much of a problem.”

The Rural Fire Chief added if you’re driving and see thick smoke crossing the highway, pull over and wait a few minutes for it to pass. Usually that lasts for three or four minutes and then vehicles can proceed.

The County Emergency Department issued this reminder via social media:  If you encounter smoke going across the highway, stop along side the roadway, put your emergency flashers on and wait for the smoke to dissipate before driving on. If you must drive thru the smoke, please DRIVE SLOWLY and with caution.
Emergency Management along with the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center monitor the burns that have been called in and track their locations. Those conducting the burns must stay with their burns while they are active.

From the Geary County Sheriff’s Department

By Jeanette DeMars

On October 7, 2018 a small, emaciated frail German shepherd dog was brought to the Junction City – Geary County Animal Shelter. A very deep wound around her muzzle left shelter staff presuming she had been bound in some way, perhaps with rope, wire, strong or a rubber band – no one could be quite sure but whatever it was left a lasting scar and constant reminder of the life she left behind, perhaps even escaped from.

Shelter staff named her Nova: “,,,a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently “new star…” It is appropriate.

On March 19, less than 6 months after being abandoned, Nova and her scarred nose were certified in narcotics detection and tracking through the Heart of America Police Dog Association with Geary County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Justin Stopper, her handler. It’s a journey that took her less than four months to achieve It also happened to be Stopper’s birthday.

Prior to coming across, Lt. Stopper, Detective Bradley Rose and K-9 Handler Sgt. Chris Ricard, all of the Sheriff’s Department, discussed the idea of getting a second dog for drug detection and getting that dog from the shelter.

“We thought we could prove a tool for the county that somebody discarded and it was at no cost to the taxpayers,” Stopper said. Even her adoption fee to cover veterinary care was paid by an anonymous donation.

It just so happened they went to the local shelter just shortly after Nova was brought in.

“We didn’t even have her on the adoption floor,” Vanessa Gray, director of the local shelter said, “We were just trying to get her weight up.”

On average, a female German shepherd dog should weigh between 50 and 70 pounds. Nova arrived weighing less than 27 pounds and was estimated to be approximately a year old.

“It’s kind of hard to eat when you have your mouth tied shut,” Ricard said with disgust.

After shelter staff got Nova veterinary care, Stopped began the process of getting familiar with his new partner.

“I just went and got her from the kennel and had her ride around with me to see how she was,” Stopper said, taking her back to the shelter after each outing.

“For what happened to her I’m surprised. She’s never really been timid, ” he added.

Just before Thanksgiving the commitment was made and Nova left the shelter for the last time but only if she passed certification.

“We went through a process of evaluating her hunt drive for about a week, throwing a toy, scented bags; having her find them, Stopper said.

“Then we started working on indication,” Ricard said, where she would give a trained response when she found the odor she’s trained to detect.

For Nova, her indication is passive, whereby she will just sit upon detecting narcotics as opposed to scratching or barking.

“I think most of it was training me. She’s going to do what she does. I had to learn how to read her andwatch her,” Stopper said.

Along with the scent detection, Nova certified in tracking which would allow her to be used for situations such as a lost child. The Sheriff’s Department other K-9, Scooby, handled by Ricard is certified in narcotics and apprehension.

“There’s more circumstances where you could utilize her ( Nova ) in tracking than, let’s say a patrol dog,” Stopper said. “I don’t have any fear of her biting someone at the end of a track.”

Stopper admits he was really nervous when certification day came around; not so much about how Nova would do but if he would work well with his new partner that day.

“It was very rewarding for me personally,” Stopper said of the whole experience.

While Nova’s dark pas will never be know, one thing seems certain; this Nova’s future seems bright.

As for Gray and the staff as the shelter, they are over the moon about her success.

It happens more than most people even imagine; pets being abandoned. Whether it’s getting left at the Junction City – Geary County Animal Shelter, dumped along the side of a road or simply left behind at what was once their home, it’s becoming a near-crisis issue locally. If you see someone abusing or dumping a pet – do something, call authorities.

 

The Geary USD 475 Art Show was a highlight Friday and Saturday at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.

Students from the district displayed their work. Some of the art was sold with some of the funds helping support a scholarship for a graduating senior who plans to major in art in the future.

Organizers confirmed there was a strong turnout to view the art which was prepared by approximately 130 students. The show is an annual event.

By Dewey Terrill

jc post

Justin Cook and Gary Ryan took home top team honors at the King Kat Tournament Trail event at Milford Lake Saturday with a total catch of 98.64 pounds. Cook, from New Franklin, Missouri and Ryan from Columbia, Missouri combined to win a total of $4,200 for their first place finish. They also had the second biggest catfish caught in the tournament at 53.42 pounds.

.There were 45 two-man teams who braced the winter weather including snow, rain and a cold win to fish in the tournament. With their first place finish Cook and Ryan have qualified for the national championship event November 1st and 2nd in Decatur, Alabama.

The biggest fish was hauled in by Blake McPherren of Wakefield and Jamie Jackson of Clay Center, at 55.56 pounds.

Cabela’s will host another King Kat Tournament Trail regional qualifier at Milford Lake on March 28th, 2020 and they will bring their national championship event to the lake October 30th and 31st, 2020.

Phase one of the new improvements at the 5th Street Park in Junction City are complete.

A large group of community members, representatives from the R2B4 Bramlage Family Foundation and City staff were in attendance on cold and damp Saturday morning for the official groundbreaking. Then it was time for the kids to play on the playground equipment that is located on a base that included new artificial turf in the park.

A community development block grant and donations helped finance the project.

There will be five phases to the project, with future improvements ranging from a new basketball court to a stage.

Peggy and Ben Bennett of Junction City released a statement about the new playground improvements Saturday.

“WIth smiles, bright eyes, giggles, hearts racing and bundled up energy, young and more mature Munchkins enjoyed the many wonderful and funderful pieces of brightly colored equipment that is now ready for hours and hours of play and enjoyment.

Who cares if it snowed earlier in the day and the sun was hiding under the clouds? It was a great day for all in attendance for Phase One of the newly renovated Fifth Street Park….Quality Play for All.

If you were unable to be there on Saturday morning for the ribbon cutting, come out and enjoy ANY time. It’s there for OUR COMMUNITY to USE, ENJOY and BE PROUD OF!!!

Two of the more Mature Munchkins,

Ben and Peggy Bennett.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statement that said they arrested Anthony J. “Tony” Wolf, the Geary County Sheriff on Friday on two additional counts of felony theft.

According to a news release, on Friday just after 2 p.m. at the Geary County Sheriff’s office, in Junction City, Wolf was arrested. The charges allege Wolf used county funds to purchase items that were then sold for personal profit, or maintained for personal use. On Friday morning he had appeared at a pre-trial conference regarding charges on which he had previously been arrested on October 18th, 2018. Those charges included felony theft for allegedly giving a county-owned firearm as a gift to a third party and for the misdemeanor allegation of misuse of public funds, which asserted Wolf used public dollars in a manner not authorized by law. His trial on those charges has been scheduled for May 8th and 9th.

Wolf placed himself on administrative leave following his earlier arrest last October.

Wolf was booked into the Geary County Jail following his arrest on the additional theft counts Friday. Dickinson County Attorney Andrea Purvis has been appointed as a special prosecutor in the case.