By DEWEY TERRILL
JC Post

Jefferson Elementary School at Fort Riley will be closed after the current school year. The USD 475 Board of Education voted 7-0 in favor of a resolution on Monday evening in favor of that action.

Approximately 150 to 160 students attend that school. BOE President Tom Brungardt explained for next school year they will be moved to other schools. “Students will be moved to a variety of schools, mostly Morris Hill and Ware because there’s space.”

This is part of a larger scenario under which  the school district is seeking a federal grant to help pay for a new elementary school on post. In the future both Jefferson and Morris Hill could be closed with the students attending the new school, which would be built on a site adjacent to the current Jefferson Elementary.

The federal grant, which is anticipated, would pay for 80 percent of the cost of the new school, with the district covering the remaining 20 percent of the cost.

Brungardt noted there were meetings with parents at both Morris Hill and Jefferson to inform them about the plan. “I attended one of those. There were a handful of people there. There didn’t seem to be a lot of angst. Some people will miss it, but they understand the students will still be able to go to a school close by and get an education.”

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

There will no longer be a Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Advisory Committee. The Geary County Commission adopted a resolution on a 3-0 vote Monday to dissolve the committee.

Commissioner Keith Ascher said the issue was discussed with members of the Advisory Committee who were supportive of the idea and that CVB Director Michelle Stimatze was also asked about it. “And she thought it was appropriate, so we took action today ( Monday ) to dissolve that committee. So now it ( CVB ) will strictly be in the hands of the county commissioners, which makes more sense.” Ascher added it does streamline things and removes a layer of  bureaucracy.

Ascher stated he thought it probably allows the director to do more of what she needs to be doing. ” I think her goal in place of a committee is that she would have monthly meetings with hotelers. It wouldn’t be as formal but she would get input from them trying to increase some of our conventions, conferences and reunions…just all across the board.”

Ascher confirmed those numbers have not been down, and in 2018 the county was up approximately $40,000 in transient guest tax collections over 2017.

One of the problems involved difficulty getting a quorum for committee meetings. Ascher said that was part of the issue. “Basically they were just an advisory board. At the end of the day the decisions always come down to the county commissioners.  And frankly when we pulled the CVB out of ( Chamber ) consolidation the goal was to have a little more control from the county side. Once we did that virtually, the director of the CVB became kind of a department head.” Ascher added with the latest action it fits more closely with how the commission works with other departments and department heads where there are not any committees. “It just kind of falls more in line with what we’re doing already.”

The CVB Advisory Committee was first established in Geary County in 1978.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded Sunday to four different accidents, but there were no injuries.

The first was reported at 4:44 a.m. on the K-18 bypass at mile marker 177 where Natalie WIlliams, Junction City, had been operating a 2013 Toyota Tundra. The vehicle was merging onto I-70 from the K-18 bypass when she control of the car and it struck a guardrail.

The second accident occurred at 9:53 a.m. in the 7800 block of Old Highway 77 where Jose Lopez Agular, Junction City, was driving his 2017 Toyota Corolla when he lost control of the vehicle due to inclement weather and struck a guardrail.

The third accident was reported at 10:15 a.m. with Deputies responding to K-177 and the I-70 westbound off-ramp. Upon arrival Deputies learned Katie Charay, Topeka, was attempting to turn north onto K-177 in a 2014 Dodge Charger when she hit the brakes to slow down and the vehicle slid straight on the ice and struck the driver’s side of a 2017 Ford F-150 truck driven by Connor Clements. He was traveling south on K-177 at the time of the accident.

The fourth accident was reported at 10:45 a.m. at the intersection of I-70 mile 299 and J-Hill Road. Kayden Brady, Murfeesboro, Tennessee was driving his 2013 Ford Escape when he attempted to stop, due to inclement weather, struck a road sign and left the roadway into a ditch.

No injuries were reported in any of the accidents.

Clay-Riley-Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-
Including the cities of Clay Center, Manhattan, Wamego,
St. Marys, Holton, Valley Falls, Oskaloosa, Perry, McLouth,
Grantville, Meriden, Nortonville, Abilene, Herington,
Junction City, Council Grove, Alma, Eskridge, Maple Hill,
Alta Vista, McFarland, Harveyville, Paxico, Topeka, Lawrence,
Emporia, Osage City, Carbondale, Lyndon, Burlingame,
and Overbrook


...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING
TO 10 AM CST MONDAY...

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as
  15 to 20 below zero expected.

* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, north central and
  northeast Kansas.

* WHEN...From 9 PM this evening to 10 AM CST Monday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The cold wind chills could cause
  frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frostbite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

Risk factors leading to heart disease for women and taking care of eliminating them was a key focus for cardiologist Gilbert Katz during his visit to the Go Red Ladies Night Out event at the Courtyard By Marriott convention center in Junction City Friday night.

Katz said those factors can range from smoking and obesity to lack of exercise. “There are some you can’t change like family history and menopausal state but there a lot of others that can be helped.”

Katz said some of the questions he is normally asked is when a person should go to the hospital, what symptoms should they ignore, “when can they stay home, which generally I tend to advise when in doubt get some help rather than stay home with a heart attack.”

A heart healthy diet can include low salt and low cholesterol food items.

Family medicine nurse practitioner Tiffany Naccarato said the Go Red for Women event was designed to raise awareness about cardiovascular heart disease in women. ‘But beyond that we’re just trying to focus on uplifting women and trying to talk to them about whole health, including mental, physical spiritual health and just hit home that the community supports that.”

One key point is that women often forget themselves while taking care of others. Naccarato agreed. “Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head. We tend to put everybody else first and de-prioritize our self, but I always remind my patients that if momma ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy. and that’s true with your health to.”

This was the fifth year for Go Red for Ladies Night Out in Junction City.

 

Catfish anglers from several states will travel to Milford Lake for a King Kat Tournament Trail event on March 30th. Local and traveling anglers will be vying for cash, prizes and an opportunity to compete in the national 2019 King Kat Classic which will feature a guaranteed payout of $120,000 in cash and prizes.

Milford Lake is known for big catfish. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism have been stocking Milford with blue catfish since the early 1990s.

Milford blues are managed with a slot limit. All blue catfish 25-to-40 inches are protected. anglers can keep only one blue catfish over 40 inches. The result is a great trophy destination. Local anglers say a 100-pound blue cat is possible.

To enter teams may consist of one or two anglers with a third allowed if the angler is under the age of 16 or over 65 years of age. Early registration can be done on the King Kat website and teams can also enter by calling ( 502 ) 384-5924 or by entering at the mandatory pre-tournament seminar at Acorns Resort on the night before the tournament begins. Late entries are subject to a $25 late fee.

Participating anglers must be a member of  the King Kat Association.

The tournament weigh-in will be held on March 30th at the Farnum Creek Boat Ramp.

There will also be a free Castfish Kids Fishing Rodeo held in conjunction with the tournament. Sign-up is Saturday morning, March 30th, at the Farnum Creek Boat Ramp on Farnum Creek Road. That event is open to all youth 12 years old and younger. All participating children must be accompanied by an adult. Sign-up will be from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. with fishing from 9-to-11 a.m. All participants are eligible to win one of six $1,000 scholarships presented by Outdoor Promotions. The scholarships are awarded annually at the Cabela; King Kat Classic.

This yeaar’s Cabela’s King Kat Classic Championship will be held November 1-2 on the Tennessee River at ( Wheeler Lake ) in Decatur, Alabama.

 

The Kansas statewide tornado drill for 2019 will be conducted on Tuesday, March 5th at 10 a.m.

Meteorologist Chad Omitt reported that the National Weather Service offices serving Kansas will send out a test tornado warning with live EAS coding at 10 a.m. There are no changes in the drill from recent past years.

This allows the warning to access the EAS system to ensure that it is relayed through law enforcement and media communication systems. Other alerting methods like Wireless Emergency Alerts and mobile APPS will not relay the test warning due to the test coding.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The 4th annual Go Red Ladies Night out helps put the spotlight on women’s heart health.

Spokesperson Nikki Davies said typically there will be a wellness exhibit at the convention center from 5:30 – 7 p.m. “Feature different businesses, local businesses that offer wellness, beauty and overall health services.”

Davies stated there will be different fitness and wellness classes ranging from self defense and yoga to cross fit and meditation. “Really the overall theme that night is to encourage women and remind to take care of themselves first. Often as women we put our needs on the back burner and put others first.”

There will be dinner at 7 p.m. Speakers will Dr. Gilbert Katz who will do an ask a cardiologist session during the wellness exhibit and then speak during the dinner. Later Danielle Markley, a motivational speaker, will talk about reminding women to take care of themselves first.

You can still register to attend the event. Go to the Geary Community Healthcare Foundation website to sign up online.

By Dewey Terrill and Dr. Ferrell Miller

JC Post

The Intergenerational Clearinghouse and Resource Education Center ( I.C.A.R.E. ) works to build positive relationships between youth and older adults through intergenerational activities. That was a message from I.C.A.R.E. Executive Director Vickie Bobbitt to the JC Breakfast Optimist Club on Wednesday.

Bobbitt also reported that the organization has a partnership with eight elementary schools, the Freshman Success Academy and Junction City Middle School to provide students and seniors in care centers with opportunities to learn and work together. Some of those activities range from bingo to teaching seniors how to use their cell phones and / or I-Pads. Older adults can share stories about their youth. Young people learn social skills, empathy and how to talk to older adults.

The JC Breakfast Optimist Club donated $200 to I.C.A.R.E. to support the activities of that organization.

Bobbitt also shared that members of I.C.A.R.E. are working on fundraising to purchase a canopy to cover the new equipment for older adults to use in Fifth Street Park. The new equipment is not yet ready for use, but in anticipation of warmer days, the I.C.A.R.E. Board is welcoming donations to make the purchase and have the canopy installed.

The JC Breakfast Optimist Club will have a fundraiser at JC BBQ and Grill on East Chestnut Street in Junction City on Tuesday.

 

Dorothy Bramlage Public Library has donated 60 Dr. Seuss book to Konza Prairie Community Health Center this week the library’s book donation program DBPL at DBPL: Donating Books to Promote Literacy.This program puts new books in the hands of members of the Geary County community to encourage reading and support literacy…”literacy empowers communities.”

The Young People’s Department Head at the Library, Christa Beemer, said the Seuss books were donated to Konza as part of the center’s celebration of “Read Across America Week, a national reading initiative centered on the March 2nd birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss.

Reading and literacy are crucial elements of children’s well-being. According to Reach out and Read, in 2014 the American Academy of Pediatrics cited literacy promotion as an “essential component of pediatric care.”

Also in association with Read Across America Week, the library is reading to Washington Elementary School students as part of that school’s Celebrity Reader program and hosting a Dr. Seuss Author Day. The Dr. Seuss Author Day will be held at the library on Saturday ( March 2 ) from 10 – 11 a.m. and will include Dr. Seuss stories, crafts and math and science fun.

For more information on DBPL at DBPL: Donating Books to Promote Literacy or the Dr. Seuss Author Day, contact Dorothy Bramlage Public Library at 785-238-4311 or email christab@jclib.org.