Dewey Terrill

By JC Post

The new superintendent of schools for USD 475, Dr. Reginald Eggleston, spent time Thursday becoming acquainted with the school district and community.

One item on his agenda was a press conference at the Devin Center that was attended by media and school district personnel.

Eggleston stated he believes it is his job as an educator and the job of all educators to create opportunities for young people. “We talk about college and career ready so often, but what we’re trying to do is look beyond the high school years and even try to predict what we need to prepare them for.” Eggleston said the educators need to ensure they’re creating opportunities that will help young people be ready for the unknown.

Eggleston has more than 24 years of experience in public education and currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves. He was asked about how the military background could help out in USD 475. Many of the students in the district are in military connected families. Eggleston said he had been in the reserves 28 years including 20 in the Army reserves. He has been deployed on multiple occasions. “I’ve worked at the Pentagon on the joint staff, and I currently serve as a commander at Fort Knox, Kentucky. I have a senior ROTC battalion.” He stated that his experiences wearing the uniform help him understand what it feels like to experience a separation when it comes to family. ” It helps you understand from an emotional standpoint how individuals feel. “We want to serve, we want to provide that service to our country and yet we know that we are leaving our families back home, who we expect to run and keep things going.”

Eggleston added it gives him a soft sport for the Soldiers. ” It motivates me to want to serve and offer everything that I possibly can to help them be successful so that while they are away doing the work that they have been called to do they can know that they left their families in good hands. And I think that is very important.”

Eggleston will begin work in USD 475 on April 15th. He and his wife Regina will relocate to Junction City from Mobile, Alabama.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The theme is set for the 34th annual Martin Luther King Jr. observance in Junction City on January 20th and 21st. “Rise Up the Legacy of Martin and Ruby” will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the founder of the local celebration, the late Ruby Stevens.

Stevens first began the observance with the Komomantyn Club at Junction City High School during her teaching career, and then one year later coordinated the first community observance. For many years Stevens led that annual program at the Municipal Building. In later years it was moved to other locations, most recently the C. L. Hoover Opera House. The celebration begun by Stevens continues today, and this is the first one since her passing last year.

The activities on the 20th will include a gospel celebration AT 3:30 p.m. featuring the Reverend Desmond Lamb and the choir from the Forest Grove Baptist Church. There will be a new addition to the celebration, a One Voice Choir, comprised of choir representatives from different churches across the community that will be performing in one small ensemble.

Planning Committee Co-Chair, Daphne Maxwell noted the celebration will recognize King as a reverend, “and the importance faith played in his success in leading the movement. ” Maxwell added it’s important to recognize the importance of praise, worship and prayer.

The activities on January 21st will begin at 10 a.m. at the C. L. Hoover Opera House will feature the remarks of Trey Walker, educator and former Kansas State football player. Committee Co-Chair Ronald Atkinson Jr. said, I think it’s really great that we’re trying to not only drawn in new people but draw in the youth as well.”

K-State Research and Extension has announced the precision ag speakers for the annual Kansas Ag Tech Conference which is being held in Junction City at the Courtyard By Marriott Convention Center this year on January 17th and 18th.

Speakers will include Justin Heath-Smart Ag, “It Has Arrived: Farm-Ready Autonomous Tractor Technology, ” Savannah Crossman of the Soybean Growers Association & Advanced Ag Alliance on “Variable Rate Corn Seeding, Lessons Learned & Future Visions,” Ajay Sharda – KSU Agricultural Engineering on “Planter Down- Force Systems: Engineering and Agronomic Considerations, ” Kevin heikes -IN10T – “Farmer Centered Innovations – The Solution to Better Innovation and Faster Adoption,” Bruce Erickson of Purdue University will address the topic “Precision Ag Technology Adoption – Looking Back, Looking Forward, and Joe Luck of the University of Nebraska on “Multi-Hybrid Planting: lessons from On-Farm Trials – What Works and Will it Pay?”

The annual conference is popular among precision ag producers, applicators and industry brands because of its format that creates lively discussions among efficiency-conscious farmers in Kansas.

Registration for the two-day conference is $275, including all meals and refreshments for both days. For more information or to register go to www.KARTAonline.org.

Step by step planning for the new Junction City High School project continues to move forward.

David Wild, Chief Operations Officer for USD 475 reported that the Development Agreement between USD 475 and the City is awaiting final engineering work on utility placements and additional options for water line services.

Hutton Construction Company is expecting to bid out the earthwork package later this month and the utility and paving package is on schedule for bidding out in March. The school itself remains on schedule to bid out in the April timeframe. Earthwork is anticipated to commence in late February contingent upon Board approval of bid documents.

The District is working with Hutton and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to schedule a pre-bid vendor fair. “The government shutdown is affecting the SBA. We hope to finalize a date for this event as soon as our SBA partners return to work” Wild reported.

Hutton continues to develop its construction schedule and is seeking to drill some test wells for use during construction. Temporary power and internet service is also being worked.

The public can expect to see mobilization of a job trailer to the worksite in early February. Drone footage of before dirt work is planned with periodic updates throughout the construction period.

The end goal is to have the new school built and in use by August of 2021.

A 31-year old Junction City woman, Jenna Schafer was shot to death at Christmas time in December.

Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell reported Monday that formal charges have been filed in Geary County District Court against Dion Jamel Green, 33, and Mashaun Jay Baker, 33, both of Junction City. Green faces two counts of Capital Murder and Baker one count of Capital Murder in the case.

According to a news release featuring the charges filed in the court complaint, on or between December 24th and 25th, Green killed Schafer with premeditation by a gunshot wound. The killing was done pursuant to a contract or agreement to kill Schafer, and Green was a party to that agreement.

Green also is accused of killing the unborn child of Schafer intentionally by premeditation by a gunshot wound from which both Schafer and the unborn child died.

According to the release from the county attorney, Mashaun Jay Baker was allegedly a party to the contract or agreement, and hired Dion Jamel Green to kill Jenna Schafer.

Both Green and Baker are scheduled to appear in Geary County District Court at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The discussion of an alternative solution for the replacement of the USD 475 vehicle fleet is on the Board of Education meeting agenda Monday evening.

The District currently has a fleet of 49 vehicles of various types used to support District functions, activities and operations. According to Chief Operations Officer David Wild wants the Board to look at the possibility of leasing vehicles instead of purchasing them. “Board policy is to replace a vehicle when it hits 100,000 miles or ten years of age. For whatever reason that policy hasn’t been enforced. We’ve got 14 vehicles in our fleet that exceed that standard. So how do we catch back up? Leasing would be an option I’m going to ask the Board to consider.”

The Board of Education meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Devin Center.

Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell has released an update in the case involving the Christmas Day death of Jenna Schafer, 31,  of Junction City.

Blaisdell stated charges for Mashaun Jay Baker and Dion Jamel Green will be filed Monday ( January 7th ), and upon the filing of those formal charges there will be an updated release.   Court for both men is currently scheduled for Tuesday ( January 8th )  at 9 a.m. in Geary County District Court.

Junction City police reported that on Christmas Day they responded to 948 Grant Avenue about 9:30 a.m. for a deceased female. Upon arrival they found Jenna Schafer dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Later that evening they arrested Dion Green, 33, Junction City, on suspicion of First Degree Murder in connection with the incident.

Later, this past week the JCPD reported a second arrest in the case. They indicated that on Wednesday, Mashaun Jay Baker, 33, Junction City, was arrested by police on suspicion of Capitol Murder in reference to the death of Jenna Schafer.

The Hands On History program Wednesday ( January 9th ) will host an early birthday celebration for the State of Kansas.

The Program and Education Director for the Geary County Historical Museum, Jennifer Dixon, said it will be an all-out birthday party. “We’re having birthday cake. We are going to be unwrapping some presents and we’ll learn about the history of Kansas, about people pioneering to our wonderful state, and why they chose Junction City – Geary County as their place of residence. ”

Sessions on the 9th are scheduled at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you are interested in attending contact Jennifer Dixon at gearyhistoryprograms@gmail.com.

The actual 158th birthday of Kansas is on January 29th.  Volunteers will take trunks to schools to make presentations to school-age children on January 25th and 28th.

The Junction City Police Department has introduced a new program called “Community Cam” which is designed to protect the public and community by curbing crime.

Police want homeowners and businesses with security cameras on their property to register that property with the Police Department.

Police Captain Trish Giordano noted that security camera footage ( video ) is valuable to police. We’ve solved numerous cases, especially having our social media account, we can put a picture of somebody that we want to talk to. Nine times out of ten somebody will call and let us know who that person is.” Giordano said having access to people who have the video will make it faster for police if a crime occurs in a certain area. “Then we can look on our database in that area and have at our fingertips the contact information of the people who have the video so we can get to them right away.”

Registering your security cameras and contact information is voluntary. All information provided to the JCPD is kept confidential and will not be disclosed to others. There is no cost associated with the registration of your security camera.

Homeowners and business owners can register their security camera by visiting the Junction City Police Department and filling out a security camera registration form or by contacting Lt. Scott Popovich at 785-762-5912, extension 3635, or by email at Scott.Popovich@jcks.com where a security camera registration form can be mailed to you.