The Junction City Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

You can take your pills for disposal to the Junction City Police Department at 210 East 9th Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday ( October 22 ).

The JCPD and DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills and patches. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Thirteen juveniles were arrested earlier this year on suspicion of criminal threat in connection with alleged threats within a school or at a school. The threats allegedly involved students from Junction City Middle School, the Junction City High School Career Academy campus or the Freshman Success Academy.

What is happening to those juveniles in the court system?

Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell could not discuss specific cases, but was able to talk about the issue in general terms. “Everyone that we had arrested felony level charges. Now granted it would be low level felony cases considering the latitude we had in charging. There’s nothing specific right now in the Kansas statutes regarding threats made against a school.” Blaisdell said as a result authorities have to look under the criminal threat statute and the felony criminal threat statute on their behavior. “So basically, they’re treated like any other felony criminal case in the juvenile system.”

The county attorney explained there are options. Because they are low level felony allegations her office can consider diversions, “which are basically deferred prosecutions. So for a period of time if that individual stays out of trouble, complies with different requirements and restrictions that case can ultimately be dismissed. They are not facing an actual conviction on their record.”Another option could be to contest the case, “set it for trial and challenge it just like any person has the right to challenge. The last option would be if is they wanted to plead to something then they would be looking at a period of probation.”

Blaisdell noted that the nature of these offenses do not include presumptive prison terms. She indicated a couple of the cases are an exception from the standards, and may have to be considered separately. But the majority of the cases will be a probation or diversion type resolution for the charge of criminal threat.

Blaisdell does believe that her office look at the mental health of all those arrested just to ensure their belief if it was an isolated incident or joking matter that they’re reviewing the mental health of each defendant to ensure they’re being the full consideration in these cases.

Geary County Extension Office Professional Christina Strauss has been recognized for 25 years of service with K-State Research and Extension in Geary County.

Strauss received the award at the Kansas State University Support Staff Recognition Ceremony in Manhattan April 18th. Strauss has been employed by Geary County Extension since 1992.

A Junction City man. Joseph “DoDa” Craig received a controlling prison term of 537 months ( approximately 44 years – 7 months ) during a sentencing hearing in Geary County District Court.

According to Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell, Craig was sentenced to consecutive terms of life for Felony First Degree Murder, 438 months for Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder, 59 months for Aggravated Robbery and 8 months for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. That makes the controlling term 537 months.

The charges stemmed from the January 2016 shooting death of David Phillips, 23, Manhattan at an 827 West 12th Street Apartment C location in Junction City.

During the earlier trial in this case in Geary County District Court more than 20 witnesses were called to testify. In the preliminary hearing testimony indicated that Phillips had been shot three times in the head.

 

 

Davis was named the Volunteer of the Year for 2017. “I volunteer at the main desk, the Medical Arts Desk and at the gift shop. ” Davis also stated, “I like to help, and I feel like like I learn a lot from this. I like giving back to the community, there’s something that feels good about that.”

The Distinguished Auxilian for 2017 was Nancy Sampson.

Geary Community Hospital CEO Joe Stratton noted the Auxiliary program included the name of 48 Auxiliary members with a combined 453 years of service. “Which in and of itself is quite amazing, 9,413 hours which is approximately 5 full time equivalents but what’s more important than full time equivalents as we talk about in the human resource world is the fact that you’re all here and giving of yourself on a weekly or monthly basis, and for that I thank you.”

The Geary County Rural Fire Department has issued notice that no outdoor burning will be allowed in the county Tuesday or Wednesday. Windy conditions are anticipated on Tuesday and extremely windy conditions on Wednesday.

One rural fire was reported about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday southeast of Junction City in the Davis Creek – Clarks Creek area. Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges said it was a rekindle of a controlled burn that occurred on Monday. Some additional property burned but no injuries were reported.

Smoke hovered in the sky over Geary County Monday evening. It marked the first time farm producers were burning grassland in large numbers.

Junction City police dispatch confirmed there were a number of controlled burns. Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges indicated there was one controlled burn that got out of control, but it was minor.

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte expected the burning to continue until windier conditions arrive on Tuesday. “We’ve had a lot of wind, we’ve had precipitation, not a lot but enough to inhibit burning. Today the temperatures warmed up, the sun came out, the wind dropped so that meant we had good conditions to burn. ”

Once darkness began to arrive there was an inversion layer which was caused by cold air aloft that pressed the smoke to the ground. Until wind and sunshine arrive the smoke will remain.

It makes for difficult conditions for some who have respiratory conditions. Otte noted it’s tough. He advised staying in the house and using oxygen if you have it. “It’s tough. I feel badly for them but it’s part of the season. This is probably the only day we’re going to have this.” Farm producers burn the grass to control the growth of cedar trees and excess grass on the ground.

Otte confirmed here has been less burning this spring than in past years.

A new facility project for the Saint Xavier School was unveiled at the annual school auction Saturday night.

According to Principal Shawn Augustine they were trying to get the bidding to $10,000 dollars on the project, “to pay for basically an adjoining part of the building, from Building A which is right behind the stage where the doorway is coming in to Building B which is our preschool. So it’s going to go where it comes around the gym. “Augustine confirmed that means people will not have to walk across the gym stage or gym floor. “So it’s just a great expansion for us.”

More than $10,000 was raised during the auction and the Saint Xavier Foundation will be prepared to provide matching funds. Augustine anticipates the new addition will be built this summer.

The auction is traditionally the largest annual fundraiser for the Saint Xavier School.

Other popular auction items included a student tuition that went for $3,200 and the naming of the drive entering the parking lot between the school and the church for $1,500.

Augustine estimated the turnout for the auction at approximately 250 people.

The JC Naz was the site for the 7th Luke’s Community Baby Shower on Saturday.

One of the coordinators, Jill Nelson, said there was a great turnout. “We had about 70 mothers in attendance. Everyone brings at least one support person with them if not two or three. I’ve seen several that had two or three.”

Those attending received information on safe sleep and about agencies in the community that provide help and support families. “We want to educate them around how to reduce the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. So that’s the ABC’s of safe sleep alone on their back and in a clutter free crib. So no bumper pads, no blankets, no stuffed animals, no pillows. We want them just laying flat on their back just in a nice cozy sleep slack, a wearable blanket and in the same room as mom and dad.” Nelson added they want the babies in the same room as their parents but in a separate sleeping environment with a pacifier.

The event is named after the late Luke David Nelson, who died from SIDS in 2006.

A goal is to educate the community as a whole and those who will be caring for babies on how to keep them as happy,  healthy and safe as possible. The next Luke’s Community Baby Shower will be in November.

 

Blues Guitarist Jonathon “Boogie” Long will be the headliner at Sundown Salute on July 4th. Long competed nationally against 4,000 guitarists and won the “Guitar Center King of the Blues.”

Long has performed in Junction City before as a headliner for the Jammin in JC festival.

All concerts at Sundown Salute are free to attend and will begin in the late afternoon / evening time. Each day at Sundown Salute will feature a different genre of music. On June 29th the concert stage will feature Red Dirt Country, June 30th is Country and Western, July 1st Christian, July 2nd Soul, July 3rd Rock and Roll and July 4th Rockin’ Blues.

Legendary Rock and Roll band Head East will be the headliner on July 3rd and Hypnosismagic performer Ron Diamond will be on stage July 3rd and 4th.