By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

There has been discussion about the possibility of a new natatorium with the new Junction City High School project, but the cost may be prohibitive.

Board of Education President Tom Brungardt stated staff did a needs assessment. “The cost of a natatorium is $7 million. So the staff at the high school put that as a very low priority. So I don’t know how live that is.”

There are decisions to be made by the BOE in the future on possible add-on or alternate projects for the new high school, but no final action has been taken.  Other possible projects could range from an orchestra room to a third gymnasium.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “BlacKkKlansman” is the winner of the best adapted screenplay Academy Award, delivering Spike Lee his first competitive Academy Award. It also was an Oscar win for Marymount College graduate Kevin Willmott.

🏆 And the Oscar goes to. . . @kufms professor Kevin Willmott and @BlackKkKlansman co-writers Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz for Best Adapted Screenplay! #Oscars #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/KMJpPf2TMx

— University of Kansas (@KUnews) February 25, 2019

Lee started out his acceptance speech with some profanity, telling producers not to start the clock on his speech. Winners have been allotted 90 seconds for their speech from the time their names are called.

Lee ready from a two-page letter that tied together history and the years 1619 and 2019, along with his own story.

The writer-director shares the award with Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, and Willmott.

Willmott grew up in Junction City, Kan., and graduated from St. Xavier High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Salina and a master’s degree from New York University. Willmott is an associate professor in the Film Studies Department at the University of Kansas.

We love this image of @KUFMS students watching as @BlacKkKlansman won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Kevin Willmott, a KU Film & Media Studies professor, co-wrote the film with Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz. #RockChalk #Oscars 📸: @TrevorMowry pic.twitter.com/QHpGSH9vK1

— University of Kansas (@KUnews) February 25, 2019

Well deserved! Congratulations Kevin Willmott!! https://t.co/N7hXTOK9dO

— Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) February 25, 2019

Lee received the award from Samuel L. Jackson, who has appeared in Lee’s film. Jackson ribbed Lee at the outset of his presentation along with actress Brie Larson, reciting the score of the Knicks game, who notched a rare win.

And the winner is…Our very own @KUFMS professor Kevin Willmott wins Best Adapted Screenplay for co-writing @BlacKkKlansman w/ Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz. We couldn’t be more proud or excited. Congrats, Prof. Willmott! #KUarts #fmswatchparty pic.twitter.com/WRGEgQGGJj

— KU School of Arts (@KUSchoolofArts) February 25, 2019

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

There will be numerous decisions for the USD 475 Board of Education to make in connection with the new Junction City High School project. Some of those involve potential add-on’s or alternates to the main project.

Board President Tom Brungardt said there’s a list of decisions that will have to be made on such things as an orchestra room or third or auxiliary gymnasium. Another topic arose during last week’s BOE work session. “Whether or not we want to forward fund a Konza Prairie Community Health Center clinic, building a health clinic out there….a satellite health clinic.” That facility would be used for staff, students and the public. “That’s $1.2 million that we would have to forward fund and then the plan is that Konza could pay us back with grants that they write.”

No final decisions have been made at this point. Final decisions on the add-ons would be made later in the summer.

Update:

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has returned to normal accident reporting procedures.

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Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte has reported that the weather system that moved through the area on Saturday produced one inch of snow in Geary County. The total precipitation for the 24-hour period ending at 7 a.m. Sunday was 0.81 hundredths of an inch.

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Undersheriff Brad Clark has reported that the Geary County Sheriff’s Department has implemented their emergency accident reporting phase.

There have been multiple vehicle slide-offs due to the snow. When that occurs the Sheriff’s Department can be overwhelmed by calls for service involving minor accidents.

The Department will not respond to non-injury accidents when the vehicles are inoperable. Drivers should move to a place of safety and exchange personal and insurance information, and report the accident to their insurance company as soon as possible. File a report when their is property damage over $1,000 with the appropriate law enforcement agency within 48 hours.

All injury accidents and accidents blocking a street due to disabled vehicles should be reported to law enforcement. Law enforcement and needed emergency personnel will respond.

As soon as caseload permits the Sheriff’s Department will go back to normal report taking.

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The Junction City Police Dispatch confirmed about 5 p.m. Saturday there had been multiple vehicle slide-offs in the late afternoon after the arrival of the snow in the area. No injuries were reported.

Road conditions were slushy and slick as crews worked to treat them. A blizzard warning is in effect until midnight.

I-70 westbound from Salina to the Colorado border has been closed because of the blizzard conditions.

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH

SATURDAY EVENING…

.TODAY…Mostly sunny early in the morning then becoming cloudy.

Slight chance of light freezing drizzle in the morning. Chance of

drizzle through the day. Highs in the mid 30s. East winds 5 to

15 mph. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

.TONIGHT…Cloudy. Patchy fog through the night. Chance of

drizzle in the evening. Drizzle likely after midnight. Near

steady temperature in the mid 30s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance

of precipitation 70 percent.

.SATURDAY…Rain in the morning, then rain, possibly mixed with

snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 2 inches. Highs

around 40. East winds 5 to 15 mph shifting to the north 15 to

20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph in the afternoon. Chance of

precipitation 90 percent.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Breezy, colder. Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent

chance of snow, possibly mixed with freezing drizzle in the

evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Lows in the lower 20s.

Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts to around 40 mph becoming

west 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph after midnight.

.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 30s. Northwest winds 5 to

15 mph.

Junction City police detective Al Babcock and Fire Marshall David Nelson were honored at this week’s Junction City Commission meeting by the Veterans of Foreign Wars 8773 and state leaders.

Babcock received a certificate of appreciation, was named the Kansas VFW State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, and was honored with a VFW national law enforcement award.

Nelson was recognized with a certificate of appreciation by VFW 8773.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The Geary USD 475 Board of Education talked this week with staff about the possibility next school year of moving the ninth graders who attend school at the Freshman Success Academy back to the Career Academy Campus where 10th through 12th graders attend classes.

BOE President Tom Brungardt said it would allow the district to get a jump on moving the freshmen back into the main ( high school ) building for the 2018-19 school year, “rather than waiting for a new building to open. ” No final decisions have been made by the Board, but the topic will be on their March 4th meeting agenda.

Brungardt explained staff feel there is enough room in the main building for the students, but he is concerned about having enough space for teachers. “The way I calculate it we have enough room for the students. We don’t have enough room for the teachers. The teachers would be sharing classrooms, there’d be roaming teachers. Have to find a place for teachers to settle sort of an office area for teachers.”

Several years ago the freshmen did attend classes at the main building, but due to high enrollment at the time the former city middle school building was converted into a facility to serve the freshman. There is less enrollment in the high school today. On moving them back now Brungardt said there is a list generated by the staff at the high school that contains both pros and cons. “Some of the reasons they want to do it now, is it opens up scheduling options for the freshmen that they don’t have when they’re in a separate building, having them all together is good to give the sense that you’re one high school, it reduces the cost of traveling. “He noted that right now the district is spending a lot of money busing students back and forth between the two buildings, and teachers travel back and forth between the building so there is a cost there as well.

When the new high school opens in 2021 the plan is to have all four classes housed in one facility.

–American Red Cross Blood Drive on Fort Riley today WILL be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in building #208.

–Fort Riley military and civilian employees will be delayed two hours this morning (Wed). Consult your supervisor for details. Irwin Army Community Hospital will conduct normal operations.

–USD 475 is closed on Wednesday. Activities and programs are cancelled.  The ACT scheduled today at Junction City High School has been postponed.

–St. Xavier Catholic School is closed. All activities are cancelled.

–USD 473 Chapman closed.

–USD 481 Rural Vista Hope / White City is closed.

–USD 383 and Manhattan Catholic School will be closed.

–USD 320 Wamego closed.

–USD 323 Rock Creek closed.

–USD 378 Riley County closed.

–USD 379 Clay County closed.

–USD 487 Herington closed.

—-USD 417 Morris County is closed. The sophomore parent meeting and parent / teacher conferences at PHES will be held as scheduled.

–Manhattan Area Technical is closed

–Geary County Senior Center is closed today (Wed)

–Neighborhood Learning Center Junction City closed.

–Riley County Seniors Service Center closed.