By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The City recently received a $425,000 community development block grant to help fund a portion of the cost of a west side street improvement project. It will involve improvements to the Ash – Spring Valley Road intersection and widening of Spring Valley Road for about 1,000 feet in a southerly direction.

City Manager Allen DInkel reported to the city commission that staff will attend a grant meeting in the near future.  He noted that multiple factors helped the city obtain the grant. A need for the work, the City has budgeted money for street improvements over the last two years which helped with grant points and shows the city is trying to do all it can. Also, the City’s debt load helped get grant points, and a survey done for a Fifth Street Playground Park project could be used for other community-wide projects which included the Spring Valley Road effort.

Dinkel added the City now needs also to look for projects for the next couple of years.

 

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council, Perry Wiggins, explained to the Junction City Commission this past week that the troop numbers on Fort Riley will temporarily be down to about 3,500 Soldiers in the March time frame. That’s due to current and future deployments.

But about 25,000 reserve component Soldiers and National Guard members will be training at Fort Riley this year. “So we’ve got to figure out how we get them out to the economy, the restaurants and the hotels, and kind of share the wealth and get them off of Fort Riley.”

Due to the timing of the deployments involving 1st Infantry Division troops Wiggins also noted that the children of the military families are in school and families are likely to remain in this area.

On the subject of more troops Wiggins noted that the Army has been trying to grow brigade combat teams, but in 2018 and so far in 2019 there have been retention challenges. “And they undershot their recruitment goal by 10,000 last year and they expect that probably to be somewhat the same this year. So what that does even though we build force structure in the Army we’re not able to fill those slots. We’re not going to get brigades.”

During his report to the City Commission Wiggins noted the Fort Riley region has focused primarily on force structure. But officials are starting to shift the paradigm in Kansas from solely looking at force structure which is still important, and will need everyone’s help to also start looking at defense industry.

Wiggins pointed to the Wichita area where there are only about 5,000 airmen or troops at McConnell Air Force Base . “They’re not driven by the force structure, by the military mission, or what goes on inside that wire because they compensate it by getting defense industry to balance it out outside the wire.”  Most of the defense industry in Kansas is in the Wichita area. Elsewhere it has not been a priority. ”

 

 

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf appeared in Geary County District Court Friday for an arraignment hearing on a charge of felony theft and a misdemeanor count of misuse of public funds.

According to Defense Attorney Barry Clark, Wolf entered a not guilty plea to the charges. A trial has been scheduled in the case on May 8 and 9.

Wolf was arrested Oct. 18 at the Geary County Sheriff’s Office. He was arrested on the felony theft count for allegedly giving a county-owned firearm as a gift, and in a separate matter for the alleged misuse of public funds.

 

Congressman Roger Marshall along with Senators Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts have introduced legislation honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation in the Army’s First Infantry Division. The bill authorizes that additional names of fallen Soldiers’ of the First Infantry Division be added to the First Division Monument located on White House grounds in Washington D.C.

“it is my great honor to introduce legislation with Senator Moran and Senator Roberts that will remember the more than 13,000 Soldiers of the First Infantry Division that made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our country, ” said Representative Marshall. ” Freedom isn’t free, and this legislation is a great reminder of that. I am both humbled and proud to recognize these service members on this historic monument at the White House.

The First Infantry Division was established in 1917 and has been on continuous active duty for more than 100 years.

The First Division Monument was developed by the Society of the First Division to honor the heroic efforts of those who fought in World War I. Additions have been since been made to commemorate Soldiers from the First Infantry Division who lost their lives in World War Ii, the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. Future additions will honor members of the First Infantry Division killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and future U.S. operations.

The Geary USD 475 Board of Education this week approved a plan that should increase the number of students in summer school in the district. The number could go up from 165 at the elementary school level last year to 400 at that level this year.

The Director of Innovation and Technology for the school district, Greg Lumb, explained the model utilized the last three years concentrated summer school at two locations, one in Junction City and one at Fort Riley. Students were bused to those sites and that limited the number of students that could be sent from individual schools.

In 2019 the district will have summer school at every one of the 14 elementary school locations. Lumb said there are advantages for students attending their home school in the summer. That can increase the number of students who have the opportunity to participate. “By sending students to their home school you are sending them to teachers who already know where they’re at as a learner. I think you increase the parents comfort level of knowing hey my child is going to the school that they’ve been attending all year long. So you immediately have a sense of where they’re at as a learner.”

Lumb said technology that has already been set up can be utilized as well, and data from what the students accomplished can be immediately available at their home school.

The summer school day this year for students will last for two hours, which is down from three hours in the past.  A total of 31 teachers will be involved.

Thursday, February 07, 2019

–Geary Unified School District 475 Schools closed Thursday.  This includes Junction City, Fort Riley, Milford and Grandview Plaza Schools. This cancellation also includes activities and programs within the district (unless otherwise stated) and the workday for staff. Staff with additional questions should contact their supervisor.

–Due to weather forecasts, Fort Riley will operate on a 2-hour delay Feb. 7. Irwin Army Community Hospital will continue normal operations.  All employees of Fort Riley are urged to maintain contact with their chain of command and/or supervisor for the most updated information.

–The Diabetes Support Group meeting at Geary Community Hospital tonight has been cancelled. The next meeting will be on March 7th at GCH.

–The Junction City Family YMCA is closed Thursday.

–St. Xavier schools are  closed. All activities are cancelled.

–Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 and Manhattan Catholic Schools will be closed.

–Chapman USD 473 schools are closed.

–Konza Prairie Community Health Center will open at 10 a.m. Thursday.

–USD 379 Clay County schools will open two hours late.

–USD 378 Riley County schools will begin two hours late.

–USD 320 Wamego is closed.

–USD 417 Morris County schools are closed.

–Flint Hills Christian School is closed.

–There will be no school for USD 481 Rural Vista on Thursday. There will be no evening activities.

–Manhattan Area Technical College is closed.

–The Cloud County Community College Geary County campus is closed.

–1st Christian Church Senior Luncheon planned for Thursday has been postponed until Thursday, February 14.

–All criminal cases scheduled for Thursday in US District Court at Fort Riley have been continued to Feb. 21 due to weather.

–The Geary County Senior Center is closed Thursday.

— The Junction City Garden Club meeting Thursday has been cancelled.

Junction City Blue Jay senior A. J. Dickerson knew about how long it had been since a JCHS boys basketball team defeated the Manhattan Indians…19 games and more than 3,000 days. That stretch came to an end Tuesday night when the Blue Jays defeated the Indians at MHS 53-37.

Defense was crucial for Junction City ( 9-6 )  in the game. The Blue Jays held Manhattan ( 8-8 ) to just four points in the third quarter and 12 total in the second half.

Dickerson said he and his teammates had to come out and end it right there. “Leave it all on the floor, we’re all seniors, so it was important for us to get it for them.” Dickerson added defense wins games, and is something coach Nick Perez preaches all the time to the Blue Jays.

Perez said he felt good for the kids. “This is all about the kids. When you get into coaching, when you get into education it’s about the kids. I’m just really proud of them and the way they fought. From the look in their eyes at the beginning I knew they came to play, and when we come to play we’re really good.”

Qua’vez Humphreys led Junction City with 15 points while Dickerson had 14 for Junction City. The Blue Jays host Highland Park Friday night.

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Manhattan jumped out to an early lead in the girls varsity game and defeated the Lady Jays 64-20.

 

 

The Geary USD 475 Board of Education will get more informed on issues and topics facing the district. The

Board has decided to meet two times per month, although the second meeting will be a work session and not a formal session where voting occurs.

BOE President Tom Brungardt said the philosophy is that major changes are occurring. “The Board feels that they need to have as representatives of the public, needs to have a more active hand in it. So we are going to have more meetings. ”

During a February 18th work session the BOE is scheduled to receive an update on a bond portfolio and on a guaranteed maximum price for the new Junction City High School site development.  Among topics at future work sessions could be discussion on the future of the Freshman Success Academy building. Currently it houses ninth grade students and staff, but once the new Junction City High School is built they will attend classes at the new facility.

The Board work sessions will begin at 5:30 p.m. They will be open to the public.

New contracts are being offered to USD 475 administrators for the 2019-2020 school year.

According to Board of Education President Tom Brungardt that action applies to all administrators, except those who have chosen to retire. “It’s what we do every year about this time. Central office staff presents a list of all the administrators, both central office and building. And the Board essentially offers them a contract for next year. At this point they’re all subject to coming back next year if they want to.”

The BOE action followed an executive session Monday night at the Devin Center.

 

Geary County Commissioners released a statement on Monday saying that the  brush and tree disposal site at the “Closed” Geary County Landfill site was developed for residents of Junction City and Geary County to use free of charge. But the high volume of brush and tree debris coming into that facility from commercial tree-brush contractors has become overwhelming along with the daily expense of pushing and piling tree debris and periodic burning. As a result the County feels it is necessary to charge contractors a fee for disposing of trees and brush.

Effective immediately all contractors will have a disposal fee for the landfill. The minimum fee will be $15 per load under one ton or $15 per ton for trees and brush. Contractors must weigh all loads at the Geary County Transfer Station, 1509 North Perry Street, and can pay the fees with cash, check or charge account.

If you have further questions contact county officials at 785-238-3612.