Work will begin on Thursday, May 17 to repair the surface of the bridge deck on the eastbound lanes of the Clark’s Creek Bridge on I-70 in Geary County.

Lane closures will alternate beginning with the passing lane between mile markers 303 and 304, with a width restriction of 14 feet.  Speed will be reduced to 60 mph through the construction zone and motorcycle riders should be aware the bridge will have a milled surface with an asphalt taper on and off the bridge.

Wildcat Concrete Services of Topeka is the prime contractor for this $228,654 project with work expected to be completed by mid-August, weather permitting.

This location has been the site where eastbound traffic on the interstate had to be temporarily shut down recently, due to crumbling of upper levels of concrete on bridge deck. The bridge, itself,  was deemed structurally sound by KDOT engineers.

Beginning on Monday, May 21, and continuing through Sunday, June 3, travelers can expect increased police presence on city streets as the

Junction City Police Department joins 160 other law enforcement agencies in aggressively enforcing Kansas occupant restraint and other traffic laws as part of the 2018 Kansas Click It or Ticket campaign.  This activity is supported by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).  Enforcement will occur around the clock.  Officers will be especially vigilant at night because seatbelt use diminishes after nightfall, meaning the likelihood of unrestrained crash injuries and deaths soars during those hours.

Drivers can expect strict enforcement of both the Kansas Safety Belt Use Act and the Kansas Child Passenger Safety Act.  These statutes require that all vehicle occupants must be appropriately restrained.  Law enforcement officers can stop vehicles and issue tickets when they observe front seat occupants, teens in any seat position, or children under the age of 14, riding without being properly restrained.  Occupants, ages 14 and over, are cited individually.  In the event that a passenger under the age of 14 is observed to be unrestrained the driver will be cited.  The fine for an adult seat belt violation is $30 – a $20 increase passed overwhelmingly by the 2017 Kansas Legislature.  The fine for a youth (14-17) violation is $60, while the fine for a child (0-13) restraint violation is $60 + a court cost charge of as much as $108.

Children under the age of four must be correctly secured in an approved child safety seat.  Children, ages four through seven, must be securely belted into an approved booster seat unless taller than 4 feet 9 inches or heavier than 80 pounds, in which case, the booster may be removed and the child belted in without it.  Children, ages eight through 13, must be safety-belted.  In addition, the law prohibits persons under the age of 14 from riding in any part of a vehicle not intended for carrying passengers, such as a pickup bed.  For answers to child safety restraint questions and the location of the nearest safety seat fitting station, or safety seat technician, contact the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office at 1-800-416-2522, or write ktsro@dccca.org.

The aim of Click It or Ticket is simple:  to drastically reduce the number of preventable deaths and injuries that occur when unbelted drivers and passengers are involved in traffic crashes.  According to KDOT, 92% of crash occupants who suffer no injuries of any kind are belted in.  At the other end of the scale only 45% of those who suffer fatal injuries are belted in.  While seat belts may not always protect from serious or fatal injury, certainly no other piece of equipment within the vehicle provides more protection.

Kansas’ overall adult seat belt compliance rate is 82% and ranges, by county, from 61% to 96%, with occupants in rural counties generally less likely to buckle up than those in urban counties.  According to KDOT, this rural-urban difference in rates of buckling up is especially problematic because rural roadway conditions are, in general, less forgiving than those in urban areas, and the consequences of driver misjudgment – such as unsafe speed and failure to buckle up – are likely to be more severe.  It is easy to see why fully two-thirds of Kansas’ fatality crashes occur on rural roadways even though they see only one-third of all crashes.

Kansans like to see their state as one which protects children, and it does well with its youngest ones:  overall, those aged 0-4, are buckled in to child safety seats at the rate of 97%.  However, only 84% of 5- to 13-year olds are properly restrained.  This means that 1 out of 6 Kansas children, aged 5-13, are made especially vulnerable while traveling by the failure of their drivers to restrain them.

According to Chief Dan Breci, “I want people in Junction City to remember that when they don’t buckle up themselves, or require their passengers to buckle up, they are, in effect, promising themselves and those passengers, along with family and friends not present, that no circumstance will arise that will ultimately trigger seat belt activation, whether it be due to distraction, sleepiness, kids fighting in the back seat, etc. either in their own vehicle or in the other vehicles they meet on the road.

 “I want people to know that, day or night, Junction City Police Department is committed to aggressively ticketing violators of adult seat belt and child safety laws, as well as other traffic infractions – such as speeding and texting while driving – which make the need for occupant restraint so necessary.  The stop will be inconvenient, your vehicle and driver’s license numbers will likely be checked for outstanding warrants and insurance, and you’ll pay $30 to the court.  So, use your belt and save yourself the trouble.”

The recent visit by the Secretary of the Army to Fort Riley went well.

That’s the view of the Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council, Perry Wiggins. “I think it was a great visit. I think it highlighted really the capabilities of Fort Riley as a projection platform and how quickly you can deploy out of the center of the United States. It broke that paradigm, I think.”

Wiggins felt it was an opportunity to show that “we can produce readiness at Fort Riley, if not as well, better than most of the installations, United States Army.”

Fort Riley is one of four installations being considered for an additional armored brigade combat team of approximately 5,200 Soldiers.

Secretary of the Army Mark Esper paid a visit to the post recently. He indicated that a decision on the armored brigade combat team will be made later this summer.

An increase in the use of the illegal drug, heroin, is beginning to show in Kansas.

Assistant Geary County Attorney Tony Cruz said the number of heroin overdoses increased dramatically in Colorado between 2011 and 2016. “We’re slowly starting to see heroin here in Kansas.” Cruz also noted, “Kansas City is starting to see it, we’re slowly starting to see it here in Geary County as far as heroin being possessed. We haven’t had any overdoses, thank goodness.”

Cruz noted there has also been an increase in methamphetamine in recent years. He explained one reason for the meth use increase has been the fact that several states have decriminalized or legalized marijuana to a certain extent. Organizations who made money selling black market marijuana had to diversify and now a lot of the drug cartels are manufacturing a lot of methamphetamine.

JCPost.com has learned that there will be a change in leadership at Junction City Middle School.

We contacted Geary USD 475 Board of Education President Tom Brungardt who confirmed that a communication has been submitted to the parents of students that Luan Sparks is the person they should contact if there are questions about the situation.

Sparks has been serving as the Executive Director of Student Support Services for the school district. That position serves as a resource and support for special programs, as well as a liason for parent communications.

JCPost.com asked about City Middle School Principal Mary Wright but Brungardt would not discuss her status because it is a personnel matter.

A family member did confirm Wright has been placed on administrative leave.

New command leadership will be coming to Fort Riley this summer.

That information was conveyed by the Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council, Perry Wiggins, to the Military Affairs Council in Junction City on Thursday.

Wiggins told JCPost.com said as far as he can remember it will be the first time in a long time that Fort Riley will lose the commanding general, two of the assistant division commanders and the chief of staff. “That’s a significant emotional event in the life of a division as you’re moving forward because those are some key players.”

Wiggins added the way officials engage with those leaders, get to know them and talk about the issues and challenges as a community will be important.

The new commanding general for the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley will be Major General John . Kolasheski.

msn.com has named The Best Under – the – Radar Steakhouses in all 50 states.

In Kansas that establishment is Munson’s Prime owned by Chuck and Deanna Munson at 426 Goldenbelt Boulevard in Junction City. Deanna Munson notified JCPost.com of the recognition.

At Munson’s Prime you can enjoy steaks ranging from T-bone and rib-eye to Kansas City strip plus numerous menu items ranging from your favorite hamburger and salads to chicken fried steak. Homemade ice cream is a staple at Munson’s Prime.

Do you remember your Kindergarten teacher or your first grade teacher? For many people one of the  fond memories of their childhood is about that person who helped them begin their school journey and develop life long skills.

Linda Berges is one of those jewels  who has served the youth of the Fort Riley community for 34 years. She is retiring, and later this month on May 25th she will walk out of the classroom at Fort Riley Elementary School for the final time as a teacher.  Linda agreed she may be a little sad that day. “It probably will be to walk out and know that I am done and ready to move on to something else.”

Linda always wanted to be a teacher and that profession working with the students was her calling. “I enjoy teaching them how to read and the fun family atmosphere of the faculty. It has been a thrill to be a teacher at Fort Riley Elementary for all these years.”

She has spent 34 years at Fort Riley Elementary School, two years as a first grade teacher and the remainder of her time as a Kindergarten teacher. Linda said she will miss it. ” I’m going to miss the kids and my friends in the faculty, but I said I would come back and volunteer to help the teachers.”

Linda spent two years as a teacher in Cuba, Kansas and then moved to USD 475. She was among the educators recognized during the annual USD 475 Retirement Reception.

Dr. Ferrell Miller has resigned from his position on the USD 475 Board of Education. He had been serving as Board President.

Miller talked with JCPost.com on Wednesday about his decision to step down. “Well, I told the Board previous to last night’s meeting that I am physically, emotionally and socially fine. My wife is well but I have resigned for personal reasons. That’s what I am saying.” Miller did not elaborate further.

He had served on the Board of Education for nearly seven years.

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The President of the Geary USD 475 Board of Education, Dr. Ferrell Miller, has resigned.

The announcement was made Tuesday evening at a board meeting by the new BOE President, Tom Brungardt. ” Dr. Miller has resigned from the Board of Education. I as vice president have become president and we just elected a new vice president, Dr. Anwar Khoury. ” Brungardt said Miller cited personal reasons as his reason for stepping down.

Miller was in his second stint as Board of Education president.

The Board will advertise the vacancy, interview applicants in June, and they hope to fill the position at their annual organizational meeting in early July.