Fire Chief Terry Johnson reported that Junction City firefighters responded to the Walmart Supercenter at 531 East Chestnut Street just before seven o’clock Wednesday morning. Firefighters had received a telephone call from the store manager informing them that the sprinkler system had failed, and asked if the Fire Department could assist in getting the water shut off.

Upon arrival by the Fire Department store employees were using brooms and squeegees trying to push water out the back of the store. Upon investigation the water spray was below the shut off of the riser. Management had shut off the control values on the back wall of the store, and fire crews closed the water meter.

Johnson confirmed there was water damage on a floor in the back area. “They have a room where they keep the risers and everything for the sprinkler system and a piece of equipment. They went to turn around in there and it hit a valve on the sprinkler system which basically put maybe a half inch of water across the floor in the back area where they have the break rooms and some offices.” Johnson indicated he did not know of any water getting out into the main store area.

The Public Works Department helped in shutting down the water to the building. Fire crews were able to shut down one side of the loop in the southwest corner that feeds Walmart. Public Works personnel arrived and located the second shut off on the northwest side and shut off the water.

Crews then opened a hydrant at the rear of the store to aid in draining the system and water flow into the store was stopped.

Management was advised to be on fire watch while their system is off-line and to contact the Fire Department when the system is fixed, and ready for the water to be turned on.

 

Cody Brown had the grand champion market steer and Weston Langvardt the reserve grand champion at the 4-H Bucket Calf and Beef Show Tuesday evening in Geary County.

Brown, a member of the Clarks Creek 4-H Club, liked his steer. “We’ve been working on him all summer, feeding him a lot. I think he’s a real good looking steer.”

The judge complimented the five finalists on the quality of their steers. One of those belonged to Weston Langvardt of the Blueline 4-h Club. A lot of work goes into preparing the steers. “Takes about half a year to get the steer in showing shape, feed them heavily and work with them. We did pretty good, though.”

The Geary County Free Fair continues Wednesday. One of the highlights will be the 4-H Swine Show at 7 p.m.

Eight members of the Junction City area club Track and Field are competing on the highest stage in summer track and field over the next two weeks.

Forika and Fawn McDougald, who have trained youth in the area for more than 10 years, founded the team and serve as coaches for the athletes who have qualified for either USATF Junior Olympic Nationals in North Carolina this week, or for AAU Nationals next week in Iowa. They include Madison Smith, Chapman High School, 800 meters and 1500 meters, Keiana Newman, Junction City High School, 100 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles, Aaron Modrow, Chapman High School, 4 – 800 relay, 3000 meters and 1500 meters, Jaden Dawson, Bennington, 4 x 800 meter relay, Christian Radabaugh, Abilene, 4 x 800 meter relay, Juan Tovar, Junction City High School, 4 x 800 meter relay, 800 meter run, Clyde King Jr. Manhattan, 200 meters and 400 meters, and Dain Yale Jr., Junction City High School in the 3000 meters.

Several of the athletes are expected to have a good shot at becoming All-Americans, which means placing in the top eight of their event. Forika McDougald said this is all about a cap to their season for the athletes, and ending it on a good note. “Right now the 4 x 800 is looking pretty good and Keiana Newman is just outside the top eight. Madison is ninth right now going into the USATF meet.”

Keiana competes in the hurdles at the high school level, but the 400 is a longer distance than she has run in the past. “It’s more of a mind set kind of thing. You just have to prepare yourself for it and train for that extra 100 meters.” She will run in the AAU Nationals the week of July 30 through August 4. In the summer the competition is different from high school. “You’re running against people from different states and across the nation. It definitely pushes you and makes you become better, and really go out and put in some work. ” She enjoys being a member of Track and Field United. “The team that I am a part of, we’re like a family. We have each other’s backs, we cheer each other on and push each other and motivate each other to work harder.”

Juan Tovar said the 4 x 800 relay may be unknown but they’re putting out some fast times. “I’m pretty confident that we’ll be All American in both USATF and AAU Nationals.” Tovar also competes in the 800 and 1500 meter events. One goal for Tovar is to be on the podium in at least four events at the AAU Nationals.

Aaron Modrow has a strategy he utilizes. “I try not to go out and over-exert myself the first three or four laps, and then I take my surge in the middle. That usually puts me back in the mix for the race, and then that last thousand or so is just all mental, and all about the heart.” Modrow credits having a group of guys who care about the sport in the summer helps him a lot. “Because we hold each other accountable. We have a lot of fun doing it because everyone out here is goal oriented and we’re all here for a purpose.” Modrow also credited the challenging training regimen as a factor in helping them succeed.

The team has a GoFundMe site to help raise funds to offset the costs of their trips. https://www.gofundme.com/send-tampf-united-to-jo-nationals?member=426828

Kollhoff Pharmacy, 407 South Washington. hosted a groundbreaking on their new project Tuesday.

Sue Kollhoff said they are going to add a drive-through to their building, a small storage addition, and remodel the interior. They hope to have the work completed early this fall. The interior remodeling will involve expanding the pharmacy work area.

 

The Geary County Free Fair opened Monday with the 4-H Foods and Foods Preservation judging, the 4-H Horse Show and the pedal pull for children.

Chuck Otte, Extension Agent, noted temperatures had cooled off a bit. “We think we’re going to have a good fair just because of the weather. A little bit dry, but towards the end of the week it looks like that is going to change around.” Otte noted numbers were up for the horse show and there was a good crowd for the Pedal Pull.

Livestock begin to arrive at the Fair on Tuesday, and the 4-H Bucket Calf and Beef Show is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday. The fair activities continues through Friday.

1420 KJCK AM will be broadcasting from the fair Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings in the nine, ten and eleven o’clock hours with interviews with fair participants.

Governor Jeff Colyer discussed the issues with a small number of Geary County constituents during a visit to Junction City on Monday morning as part of his tour of all 105 Kansas counties.

Colyer said his tour is being done over a two-week period. “It’s about listening, talking to folks, what’s on their mind, it’s really about getting things done.”

During his stop at the Hampton Inn Colyer, who is seeking election to a full four-year term as governor, talked about multiple issues with JCPost.com. One of those involved the state funding for new mental health centers that will serve multiple counties.  “Community mental health centers are absolutely essentially, particularly in rural Kansas, western Kansas. ” The governor noted that about $15 million more has been put into those programs. He has been visiting the centers. “For me that’s just how I operate. “In fact one of the folks from that association said in the last five months I’ve been to more community mental health centers than the last five governors. For me, that’s just how I operate. I want to be out there talking to people, listening, making sure we’re getting the done.”

Colyer said his biggest goal is to grow the Kansas economy. “The Kansas economy, right now we have about 3.4% and we’re starting to turn the corner. My focus is on higher paying jobs and jobs that are going to be here for a very long time. As we’re out there we’ve got to get more capital investment, and also better job training and more job training.”

The word didn’t get out until late that the Governor would be in Junction City, but a small contingent of six people from the general public in addition to media and the governor’s staff, attended the session with Colyer.

A rural Geary County volunteer firefighter is being recognized for saving a life.

Garry Berges, Rural Fire Chief, said an accident occurred last Tuesday night ( July 17 ) on U.S. 77 Highway about seven miles south of Junction City. He said volunteer fireman Billy Crable drove up to the accident scene right after the accident occurred. “He saw what he thought was a small grass fire but it turned out to be the vehicle on fire. ”

Crable stopped, got out, checked the vehicle.  “Found that the driver was still inside the vehicle, the vehicle was upside down. Billy grabbed ahold of the guy’s two arms and pulled him out of that burning vehicle away from where it was burning.

Micky Black, 23, Lost Springs, was transported from the scene of the accident to Geary Community Hospital. His Pontiac Grand AM had hit the rear end of another vehicle, entered a ditch, traveled up an embankment, rolled, flipped over and caught fire.

Berges said he believes Crable saved Black’s life because from all indications Black could not have gotten out of his car on his own. The Rural Fire Chief added Crable will be recognized locally and possibly at the state level.

The Junction City Brigade defeated the Topeka Golden Giants 4-2 at Jerry Robertson Field in the capitol city Saturday night to claim the Brett Cowdin Memorial Cup Championship for the Mid Plains League.

Junction City rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the 8th inning to get the win. The Brigade scored three runs in the eighth with the go-ahead run coming when Blake Burrows walked, scoring Trae McDaniel. The Brigade had the bases loaded at the time.  In the ninth inning Junction City tacked on another run when McDaniel singled, scoring Will Jordan.

For the Brigade this is their third league championship in the Mid Plains League over the last five seasons. They were Cowdin Cup champions in 2014 and 2016. The Golden Giants were the champions in 2017.

The Brigade finished the season with a final record of 26-9.

Rodeo fans got a chance to enjoy everything from barrel racing to bull riding Friday night on the opening night of the Junction City rodeo.

It wasn’t a sellout but Rodeo Association member Joyce Jensen said once the sun went down a good portion of the seats around the rodeo arena were full. Those in attendance had a chance to watch the one-armed bandit show where two bulls, a horse and rider wind up on top of a horse trailer in the arena at the same time.

As always, the bull riding was popular. Fifteen year old Lane Gilbreath of Chase County was one of the riders. He lasted on the bull for approximately three-and-a half to four seconds. “Tonight I got a sweet little bull calf. He was a sweet little bull, just got over the front and I’m a little bit big for him but I’ll get him tomorrow.”

Earlier in the rodeo in another event Jensen confirmed one cowboy suffered an arm injury and had to be taken to the hospital.

The rodeo continues Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Jensen said the activities will range from the queen coronation to a performance by Amanda Payne of the One-Arm Bandit family. Of course there will be all the usual rodeo events. You can purchase tickets at the gate.

 

 

Junction City Parks and Recreation Director Ed Lazear has announced the resurfacing of the five tennis courts in the Fifth Street Playground Park.

This scheduled resurfacing is scheduled from today ( Friday, July 20 ) through a projected completion date of August 8th. The courts will be temporarily closed during that time frame. Along with the resurfacing the courts will receive new posts and nets.

It has been approximately 20 years since the courts have been resurfaced.