Geary County 4-H members were busy Saturday competing in the annual Geary County 4-H Day at the First Presbyterian Church.  Those 4-H members awarded top purple and 2^nd purple ribbons will be eligible to compete in Regional 4-H Club Day on March 23^rd in Clay Center.  Results are as follows.

 

Model Meetings

Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

 

Gavel Games – Senior Division

Lyon Creek 4-H Club (Kacey Butler, Kaitlyn Butler, Aleeya Williams, Jewels Williams) – top purple

 

Gavel Games – Junior Division

Lyon Creek 4-H Club (Clara Gfeller, Hanna Miller, Amelia Strauss, Charles Strauss, Josie Strauss) – top purple

 

Project Talks

Adrian Williams, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – top purple

Josie Strauss, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – 2^nd purple

 

Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks – Senior Division

Ava Oentrich, Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

Kourtney & Mikayla Dibben, Humboldt 4-H Club – 2^nd purple

 

Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks – Junior Division

Clara Gfeller, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – top purple

Grady Oentrich, Humboldt 4-H Club – 2^nd purple

 

Public Speaking – Senior Division

Kacey Butler, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – top purple

Kaitlyn Butler, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – 2^nd purple

 

Readings – Senior Division

Lauren Moon, Brookside 4-H Club – top purple

 

Readings – Junior Division

Ethan Goodyear, Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

 

Skits

Stay and Puke (Calen Boller, Karley Kramer, Macie Muto, Mason Muto, Ava Oentrich, Eliot Oentrich, Grady Oentrich), Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

 

Other Dance – Junior Division

Brock & Morgan Nabus, Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

 

Instrumental Solo – Senior Division

Jordan Jenkins, Blue Line 4-H Club – top purple

 

Instrumental Solo – Junior Division

Sebastian Schultz, Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

 

Vocal Solo – Junior Division

Morgan Nabus, Humboldt 4-H Club – top purple

 

 

Ginger D. Kopfer

Geary County Extension Agent

4-H Youth Development

 

 

An eastbound Chevrolet Tahoe on East Ash Street went left of center and was struck by an oncoming Union Pacific train late Friday afternoon. Three people went to Geary Community Hospital.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol the Tahoe was driven by Ishmail Maurice Thomas, 21, Junction CIty. He was transported to Geary Community Hospital. Two passengers in the vehicle, Marcus Dewayne Solton, 31, Bossier City, Louisiana, and Travis Ray Allen, 40, Junction City, were both transported to GCH as well. All three occupants of the vehicle were wearing seat belts.

The conductor of the train, John W. Anslover, Salina, was not injured in the accident and was also wearing a safety restraint.

The accident was reported at 5:38 p.m.

Geary Community Hospital issued the following news release on Friday.

–The Junction City Blue Jay and Lady Jay basketball games that were scheduled Friday night at Topeka West have been postponed to Monday evening at the same times.

–The Early Childhood Family Network Winter Fun Carnival that was scheduled for Saturday is being cancelled. It will be rescheduled in the near future.

–Saint Xavier School is closed Friday. There will be no evening activities.

–The Geary County Senior Center will close at 10:30 a.m.  Homebound meals will be delivered today.

–USD 379 Clay County will open two hours late.

–USD 378 Riley County closed.

–USD 481 Rural Vista has cancelled school for Friday. That district includes both Hope and White City. All activities are cancelled.

–USD 320 Wamego is closed on Friday. All activities are postponed.

–USD 501 Topeka public schools are closed.

–Due to the possibility of inclement weather on Friday the Flint Hills Regional Council has cancelled their February board meeting. That meeting was scheduled in Onaga.

PRATT – On January 10, 2019, a 911 call was received from a Milford resident reporting an adult man choking and turning blue. Tim Himelick, first responder from the City of Milford, arrived in minutes and started CPR. Clayton Swanson, Milford State Park ranger arrived and immediately assisted with CPR to give Himelick a break. Geary County Sheriff’s Department officer Cayla Da Giau also arrived and began assisting with CPR. The man was transferred to an area hospital where staff credited the three first responders with saving his life. He’s now back at college. Swanson, Himelick and Da Giau were recognized for their actions by Milford Mayor Brad Roether and the Geary County Commission during a presentation ceremony on Jan. 28th. Roether praised the three for their swift response and life-saving actions. Kansas state park rangers are fully commissioned Kansas law enforcement officers and often respond to and assist other law enforcement agencies with calls that are outside of typical Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism-related duties. This assistance can be especially crucial in the rural areas where many state park rangers are located.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

State Representative Dave Baker expects a medicaid expansion bill to come before the full Kansas House sometime within the next two to three weeks.

Baker serves on the Rural Revitalization Committee in the House where there has been discussion on the topic. “There’s been a lot of research done, the opponents are having a hard time finding reasons not to expand it. The information I’m seeing so far is overwhelming to take and do the expansion.”

Baker feels nursing homes and hospitals especially, and ambulance services would benefit the most from medicaid expansion.  He added that a bill should come out of the Health and Human Services Committee but if it doesn’t it could come from one of the other committees in the House, possibly even Rural Revitalization.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The architects for the new Junction City High School project will meet with the faculty and staff at the high school on Monday, February 18th. It will be during a professional staff development day.

Senior High Principal Melissa Sharp explained the architects will talk to the staff about the timeline,  answer questions and hear insights on the project. “That same night our architectural firm will be presenting to the Board ( BOE )  in that work session kind of the same outline of what’s going on. So the community will maybe start to hear some more about the timeline.”

It’s possible the earth work on the new high school site on the west side of Junction City could begin in early March, if necessary Board authorization is given. The end goal is to have the new school completed and in use by August of 2021.

By DEWEY TERRILL
JC Post

Farming can be a risky business.

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte reported this week that the Kansas Farm Management Association works with more than 3,000 farms across the state. In 2017 60% of those farms didn’t make enough money to pay their family living expenses for a family of four, or in the $60,000 to $65,000 range.

Otte noted in 2017 and 2018 political changes including discussion of tariffs with China and in 2018 in Geary County a drought were factors that helped drop commodity prices. “Somewhere in the United States in any given year part of the production area is having a drought and part of it is having perfect conditions. ” It kind of hurt this year ( 2018 ) just went from drought to almost flood conditions, so there were some quality issues with the soybeans, didn’t come in time for the corn. There’s always something as they used to say.”

Otte added production of farm commodities in South America is up where there is extensive land for production. Also land prices in the Kansas fell by 31 percent from 2014 to 2017. Changes in genetics, however have helped allow soybeans and corn to be grown farther west in the state. Wheat used to be the number one crop in acres planted in Geary County but now has often dropped to number two or three, behind soybeans and corn.

For livestock the Extension Agent said 30 years ago there were a lot of hog and cattle producers in Geary county but the hog industry is now concentrated in super-large producers. There is basically one hog producer left in the county and one dairy producer. With more farms not having livestock that has made it tougher, WIth the drought last year it was also a rough year for livestock producers up until August.

Otte says we are eating less, and the consumer is eating more chicken, pork has not fallen off as much, and beef goes in cycles. “Our tastes are changing. Interestingly the big market right now is China because those people are starting to get a taste for red meat. They want the pork, they want the beef. So they want soybeans to feed them, they want corn to feed them.”

Otte stated farming is a tough business and it is hard work. “It is a huge part of the Kansas economy. If you combine crops and livestock it’s anywhere from $1.5 to $2.5 billion dollars per year. Basically the number two industry in Geary County is still agriculture. It’s kind of the invisible industry but it’s there and it’s important.”

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

There are two measures in the Kansas House of Representatives that could lead to legalized gambling in the state.

State Representative Lonnie Clark, Junction City, noted that there is a proposed bill that would allow veterans associations  to have slot machines. “The clubs, the American Legion, the VFW to legally have slot machines in the establishments to help fund the operations of the clubs. That’s very exciting. I am anxious to see that bill come through.”

Clark indicated that he thinks the bill will pass. “I really think it will. There’s a lot of sentiment for the military organizations in the Statehouse. We’ve got another gaming bill in the pipeline already so I think that’s what stimulated this.” The second bill referred to by the Representative would try to allow statewide gaming as long it is conducted through the lottery system.

Clark added he feels confident that sports gaming will come to Kansas. “Just from the standpoint that people want it. Even though It has long been a taboo to bet on college and those types of games I think it’s coming. ”  The two measures have been proposed at this point, but neither has received any final approval.

 

The Kansas House Veterans and Military Committee chaired by State Representative Lonnie Clark is recommending a bill to refund the Governor’s Military Council.

Clark wanted that action taken by the committee. “I asked for $160,000 to go into that budget. If the governor doesn’t veto it like she’s doing everything else we’ll be okay. I am anxious to see how she looks at it.”

The Governor’s Military Council works to support the military installations across the state.