The JC Rotary Club centennial project in Heritage Park for the community has been completed. It included two plaque reproductions of the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War arch in the park.

( Photos are courtesy of Charles Volland )

There will be no school in Geary USD 475 next week, the Thanksgiving holiday week. In the past there has been a break for the holiday, but now Monday and Tuesday will also be off days.

The Executive Director of Marketing and Media Relations, Matt Droge, confirmed it’s something new the district is trying this school year. “We realize that parents do take their students and travel for Thanksgiving so by giving them those two extra days we’re hoping that this might be something that could impact attendance and cause kids to miss less school. That’s something that the district is focusing on pretty intensely this year.”

All USD 475 schools will be closed Monday through Friday next week.

 

The Jim Sara Schmidt family are the recipients of the Extension Appreciation Award in Geary County. They were presented the award at the annual Extension Council meeting Thursday evening.

Sara stated they have four children involved in 4-H in the county. “Been involved with the Humboldt 4-H Club since we moved back here about 10 years ago. I’ve been club leader, project leader, Jim’s been project leader for a couple of different projects. We believe in 4-H.

The Extension Council annual meeting was held at the conference center at Acorn’s Resort.

The second annual Hometown Christmas Celebration in downtown Junction City will be Friday, December 7th.

Activities will range from live musical performances and an Astra after school theater program performance at the C. L. Hoover Opera House to a visit by Santa Claus at the Bartell House. There will a live nativity scene, Christmas caroling, a young artists display, scenic horse drawn carriage rides, plus treats ranging from cookies to hot chocolate.

Santa Claus will visit the Bartell house from 6-9 p.m., while at the Opera House the 1st Presbyterian handbell choir will perform at 5:30, the JCHS Singers at 6, the Geary County Children’s CHoir at 6:30 and there will be an Astra program at 7:30. That latter event is an after school theater program involving Junction City Middle School students.

There will be multiple Grinch themed activities at the Dorothy Bramlage Library all day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., popcorn and the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas at 4 p.m., the First United Methodist Church bell choir will perform at 6:45, 7:15 and 7:45 p.m.

Horse carriage rides will be provided from 5-9 p.m. with pickup on the west side of the Opera House.

There will be a live nativity scene at the First United Methodist Church from 5-8:30 p.m. and a Winter Wonderland at the Junction City Little Theater Annex from 5-9 p.m., and a Young Artist Art Display from 5-9 p.m. at the library and at the Bartell House.

The 44th annual Auction & benefit Meal for the YMCA in Junction City is Thursday evening at Brown Auction Service, 2323 North Jackson Street.

There will be a silent auction that runs from 2-6 p.m. followed by a live auction at 6 p.m. The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce is co-hosting their Business After Hours at this event along with Smithfield Foods. Meal serving will begin at 5 p.m.

Meal tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-10. Children 5 and under eat free.

 

GEARY COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Wednesday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Mercury Sable driven by Alcinder D. Dawson, 45, Junction City, was northbound on Lyons Creek Road four miles south of Junction City.

The vehicle pulled to the edge of the road and stopped to allow a 2016 John Deere Combine driven by John A. Kramer,  68, Milford to pass.  The combine swerved into the east ditch, striking the Mercury and then pushed it across the roadway and into the west ditch.

Dawson was transported to the hospital in Salina.

Kramer was not injured. A check with the Geary County jail confirmed Kramer was arrested on suspicion of DUI in the case.

Dawson was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

The Geary USD 475 Board of Education took time Tuesday evening at Junction City Middle School to honor faculty and staff for their achievements during the past quarter of the year.

Junction City High School senior Corbin Sanner was recognized for having received the principal nomination by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran for admission to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. A senator can only make one principal nomination each year, and this time it went to Sanner who is expected to qualify for admission to the Academy.

Sheridan Elementary School teacher Jennifer Brown was recognized for being a Kansas Teacher of the Year semi-finalist, Sheridan Elementary principal Dixie Coleman for National Board Certification, and USD 475 for receiving a Pacesetter Award.

Milford Elementary, Ware Elementary and Fort Riley Middle School all were honored for attaining Energy Conservation Leader Awards, and the school district was recognized for being the first organization in the world to be certified for three consecutive years in ALICE training, which deals with safety and security. The Director of Emergency Management for the district, Scott Clark, was recognized.

Faculty and staff shining star awards went to Paula Scripter, Devin Center; Robert Swarts, Larry Dixon Center; Patricia Mills, Milford Elementary; Natasha Goodman, Morris Hill Elementary; Luz Deike, Sheridan Elementary; and Susan Schlagel, Sheridan Elementary School.

Students recognized with the Superintendent 3R Award for respect, responsibility and positive relationships included Estrellita Sanchez, Kemuel ‘Troy’ Griffin, Brandon Logan, Avery Delatore, Dominic Pena, Zoey Peterson, Leilani Hunter, Rebeckah Sidley, Sydney Esquivel, Mya Champ-Rodriguez, Aniela Adjei, Emma Torres, Tristan Harris, Ellison SIlva, Schyler Clark, and Connor Schueler.

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of an infant in Manhattan.

Just after 8:30 a.m. Thursday, November 8, the Riley County Police Department Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call concerning an infant not breathing in East Manhattan, according to a media release.

The infant was transported to Via Christi in Manhattan then subsequently life-flighted to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City where he died.

Police released no additional information.

David Drummond told a Veterans Day observance in Junction City people in all nations have a right to live in a world free of tyranny.

Freedom can have a stiff price. Drummond, the retired Deputy Director of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and former Army officer, noted that more than 425,000 Americans were killed in combat in the 20th century alone. He added new Soldiers will be fighting the global war on terrorism. One point: “By definition anybody who served honorably on active duty is a veteran.”

Drummond noted more than 200,000 service men and women are deployed overseas on and many of them are Kansans. “You can find them patrolling the streets of Iraqi cities or hunting terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan.” While the forces are deployed this country is fortunate to have many organizations such as the Geary County Veterans Alliance. VFW, the American Legion, and the DAV that provide assistance to Soldiers and their families.

The Veterans Day observance was held at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.

David I. Drummond will serve as the keynote speaker for the Geary County Veterans Alliance Veterans Day ceremony. It will be held Monday, November 12th at 11 a.m. at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.

Drummond served on the staff and faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College for more than 30 years. He completed his 42 years of federal service as the deputy director of the Command and General Staff School and retired on June 2, 2006. Prior to joining the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Drummond served as an officer in the Army.

The master of ceremonies for the ceremony will be Lee Bliss.