Skydiving was on Pam Boller’s bucket list.

Saturday that dream came true.

Her daughters surprised her with an early birthday gift which included an opportunity to go skydiving at the Abilene Airport. Pam said she had always told her children she would like to experience a hot air balloon or do a tandem skydive.

“They said mom you’re skydiving today. And I said YEAH, that’s exciting.” With children, grandchildren, her husband, mother, nieces and nephews and three sisters watching Pam made the jump from 10,000 feet with an instructor. “It was great.” She liked the view from above. “It’s kind of cool when you get up there. You can see all of Milford Lake from a distance and you can see all the surrounding areas. It was beautiful because everything was green and patchwork. It was just gorgeous.”

Pam said she wasn’t nervous at the time of the jump. Laughing she explained, “No because you’re in such a tight compartment. It’s like, well there’s only one way down and it’s jump out.”

In the tandem skydive Pam was paired with a member of the Skydive Kansas State of Abilene.

The Garrison Commander at Fort Riley, Col. Stephen Shrader touched on various topics during a visit on the JC Now program on 1420 KJCK AM Monday.

One of the topics involved the planned new Junction City High School. Shrader noted the benefits for the region and Fort Riley students and soldiers in the future will be significant. “A lot of that is a result of the ( federal ) heavy impact aid that comes in to the school as a result of how many military are tied to the school district. We’re excited to see it fire up.” Shrader added every time he sees the plan for it he is excited.

Shrader explained the responsibilities of a garrison commander by comparing it to a city manager’s job. ” It’s responsible for the security of the installation, for the facilities upkeep, for the safety of the Soldiers and the civilians and it’s responsible for readiness. It’s making sure all the tenets and partners of Fort Riley are prepared for what they have to do.”

On the upcoming Victory Week August 5th through the 10th, Shrader noted it is a celebration of the birthday of the 1st Infantry Division.  He said it will begin August 4th with the Victory Week concert at Riley’s Conference Center. There will be kid’s fishing derby August 5th, the Victory Run on Monday morning August 6th, and a wreath laying ceremony that same day at division headquarters. Among other activities there will be a combined military affairs council – military relations council luncheon with Junction City and Manhattan leaders on August 8th.

For mail-in ballots for the August 7th primary election Geary County Clerk Rebecca Nordyke has announced that Tuesday ( July 31st ) is the deadline for a voter to request that a ballot be mailed to them by completing an application and returning it to the Election Office. The application can be faxed, emailed or delivered in person.

In person advance voting hours are this week, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturday August 4th from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Monday August 6th from 8:30 a.m. until noon at the county clerk’s office.

Bring your photo ID with you. The office is located at 200 East 8th Street.

The deadline for receipt of advance ballots, postmarked on or before Election Day, is Friday, August 10th.

A ranch rodeo wrapped up the Geary County Free Fair activities Friday night.

Seven teams competed in timed ranch activities with cattle ranging from sorting to trailer loading. The coordinator for the rodeo, Jason Brown, said his family competes in ranch rodeos across the state, and some that are even farther away. On this rodeo he noted,  “Just seemed like a good idea for us to do it.”

The winning teams in the rodeo Friday night received cash prizes. Brown said,  “It’s a percentage of the payout of the total gross and then we had our added money that we put back into it. We hold a certain percentage out for the stock charge and for the Fair Board and then it’s paid out after that.” The ranch rodeo was new on the Fair agenda this year, and was designed to help raise funds for next year’s fair.

 

UPDATE”

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has identified the man who was shot and wounded in an incident Friday morning as Romelle Dixon, 19, Junction City.

Authorities said a Deputy conducted a traffic stop with a Chevrolet Malibu in the 1500 block of North Calhoun regarding suspected narcotics violations. Immediately after the stop was initiated, the driver, Romelle Dixon, exited the vehicle while holding a handgun. Dixon made many verbal and non-verbal actions in the presence of the Deputy indicating he wanted the Deputy to shoot him, including holding the gun to his own head and telling the Deputy “shoot me.”

Eventually Dixon fled on foot and Deputies pursued him in a southeast direction to the 700 block of West 14th Street. While fleeing, the gun the suspect was holding discharged, striking the suspect in the chest. It is unknown at this time if the gun discharged accidentally or intentionally. Deputies conducted life saving measures until Junction City EMS arrived. Lifestar transported Dixon by helicopter to Salina Regional Health Center.

WHile Deputies were attending to Dixon the remaining occupants in the Chevrolet Malibu left the scene but all of them and the vehicle have since  been located. As of 3:45 p.m. Friday Dixon was listed in critical condition, but was expected to live.

All injuries sustained by Dixon during this incident were self-inflicted. Law enforcement did not discharge any weapons. 

Sheriff’s Detectives are still gathering information and evidence and will be working with the Geary County Attorney’s Office to determine if any criminal charges will be requested.

 

UPDATE:

The Geary County Sheriff’s Office has released more information concerning a shooting incident Friday morning. 

At 10:43 a.m. a Sheriff’s Deputy encountered a silver 2006 Chevrolet Malibu containing multiple occupants near the 700 block of West 14th Street. According to Captain Brian Hornaday when the Deputy made contact one of the occupants exited the vehicle holding a handgun and eventually fled from the area. 

Sheriff’s Deputies engaged in a foot pursuit with the suspect. During the foot pursuit, the suspect’s gun fired, striking the suspect in the chest. All injuries sustained were self-inflicted. Law enforcement authorities did not fire any weapons. Life saving measures were immediately implemented. Junction City EMS and Life Star responded, ultimately transporting the suspect to a hospital with life threatening injuries. The suspect was in critical condition Friday afternoon. 

Due to the suspect’s current medical condition, the Sheriff’s Department is withholding his name at this time.

The silver 2006 Chevrolet Malibu and all persons of interest have been located. The 700 block of West 14th was closed temporarily following the incident, but has now been reopened for public use.

—

UPDATE:

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf has confirmed the shooting Friday stemmed from a traffic stop by the Sheriff’s Department and it was a self-inflicted shooting. The shooting victim had fled from the vehicle following the traffic stop. No shots were fired by law enforcement authorities.

Wolf noted the victim was transported to Geary Community Hospital. 

—–

Captain Brian Hornaday said late Friday morning that the Geary County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that occurred  just prior to 1100 hours in the 700 Block of West 14^th Street in Junction City, Kansas. 

One person, who will not be identified at this time, has sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of a gunshot and has been transported to a hospital for treatment.  In relation to the shooting incident, the Geary County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a silver in color 2006 Chevrolet Malibu with Kansas registration 037 KYE.  The occupants of the vehicle and their descriptions are unknown, but are all considered to be persons of interest in the investigation. 

If you have any information related to this investigation, please contact the Geary County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 785-238-2261.  If you see the vehicle of interest, do not approach!  Contact local law enforcement immediately!

 The 700 Block of West 14^th Street is closed while the investigation is being conducted.  Please use alternate routes of travel for that area.

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf was a good sport Thursday evening at the Geary County Free Fair. Just before the start of the 4-H Auction he was tarred and feathered by members of the community, especially a lot of kids, using pancake syrup and a multitude of feathers.

For Wolf it was all in good fun in an effort to raise money for the Sheriff’s Department Community Involvement Unit. While laughing he said, “This was a sticky, sticky mess. ” Wolf said he raised the most money in a fundraiser. This was the reward. He noted the experience was for a good cause and “a lot of fun.”

 

If you or your friends missed Thursday’s Radio Auction, there are still  some items available at amazing prices.

Check out the items and Bid HERE

A severe thunderstorm packing straight line winds swept through Abilene late Wednesday night.

The Dickinson County Emergency Management Director Chancey Smith confirmed the storm, with straight line winds of about 76 miles per hour,  moved through Abilene basically south of the Third and Fourth Street area. “Old Abilene Town area, the Eisenhower Museum and that really had some heavy tree damage from that wind.”

Smith stated an old lumber yard at Cedar Street and the Union Pacific railroad crossings had its’ roof torn up pretty bad. An older building in the south part of the city also lost its roof. Some trees that were as big as a person’s waist were snapped off and broken in that south end of Abilene. “We had two air conditioners on the roof of the courthouse that it probably blew five feet until the cable connecting them to the building got tight. It blew them off their foundations, 300 pound air conditioner units.” No one was injured.

Smith said significant rain was received with the storm. There was damage farther west as well. West of Abilene on Old Highway 40 there is a greyhound race track in that area. “Just about every other big tree out there was broken off and there was a huge Cottonwood tree broken off blocking Old 40 off last night. There was some tree damage to large trees on the Eisenhower Presidential Library campus. ( Photos courtesy of Dickinson County Emergency Management Director Chancey Smith )

 

 

The market hog “Wilbur” was the grand champion in the 4-H Swine Show at the Geary County Free Fair Wednesday night. He belongs to 8-year old Jacob Roeser. “I’m surprised actually.” Roeser acknowledged he was a little nervous while showing the hog last night, but in the end it all worked out.

Roeser says his hog weighs 264 pounds. He explained how the name Wilbur was selected. “When we got him he was like a runt. And I got it off the movie since Wilbur was a runt so I named him Wilbur.”

Weston Langvardt had the reserve grand champion market hog.