The Quilts of Valor presentations in Geary County continued on Tuesday.
A quilt was presented to Ray Thompson, president of the Disabled American Veterans in Junction City.
Donna Martinson is coordinating the program, which has resulted in numerous quilts being presented to veterans honoring them for their service in conflicts ranging from Vietnam to Korea and World War II.
Tierre Wall appeared for an arraignment in Riley County Court on Tuesday morning with Judge Stutzman presiding.
Wall is charged in the shooting death of Casey Lindley, 27, of Ogden. Officers were dispatched to Ogden at 2:10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 12 after receiving reports of a shot fired. Police found Lindley suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a Topeka hospital where he later died of his injuries. Wall was arrested after turning himself in at a Georgia police station.
Wall’s previous attorney was allowed to withdraw from the case, and he is now represented by attorney Brenda Jordan, while the State was represented Tuesday by Kendra Lewison.
Wall pleaded not guilty to one count of 2nd degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated assault.
The case has been set for a five day trial starting on January 11, 2016. The pretrial and motions hearing will be held on November 16, 2015.
Jordan also entered a motion for bond reduction, which Judge Stutzman said he would take into consideration.
The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to the intersection of U.S. 77 and Old 77 highways for a single vehicle injury accident at 1:41 p.m. Monday.
Tonino Coby, Fort Riley, was turning north onto U.S. 77 from Old 77 when his vehicle struck a guardrail. Coby was unconscious from the accident, and was transported to Geary Community Hospital by Fire / EMS.
In a second accident reported at 8:37 p.m. Monday Deputies responded to the 4000 block of West Lyons Creek Road for a three vehicle injury accident. Philip Janke, Junction City, was traveling westbound in a Dodge Ram 2500 when he side swiped a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Luther Johnson, Junction City. Janke’s vehicle then struck a Dodge Durango driven by Lacey Falter, Junction City, head-on. One passenger in the Silverado, Sierra Extine, 19, Junction City, was transported to Geary Community Hospital by Junction City Fire / EMS.
MANHATTAN —The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a $100,000 prize competition to reward innovative ideas that help to protect the nation’s animal agriculture industry by 
leveraging resources at theNational Bio and Agro-defense Facility, or NBAF.
The Think and Do challenge ideas will be accepted through Nov. 30. The Department of Homeland Security is conducting the competition through its Science and Technology directorate.
“We are excited to kick this off,” said Marty Vanier, the director of partnership development for NBAF. “It is all part of the Department of Homeland Security wanting to create an entirely new way of doing business when it comes to performing research. It represents a spirit of collaboration, cooperation and building relationships.”
Any U.S. citizen, permanent resident or company registered to do business in the United States is eligible to submit ideas. Vanier said the total prize pool of $100,000 may be shared by several winning ideas, or potentially won by a single winning idea. The minimum award will be $15,000.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for groups on campus or groups in the community to come forward with their ideas with respect to how they might work with NBAF,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity even for small companies to share their ideas with respect to technology they think might be useful to NBAF.”
NBAF is expected to open in 2022 as a state-of-the-art biocontainment laboratory to study diseases that threaten America’s animal agriculture industry and public health. It will be located adjacent to the north end of the Kansas State University campus, and will replace an aging facility currently at Plum Island, New York.
Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Undersecretary Reginald Brothers said the Think and Do competition is a catalyst for developing a sound plan and smart strategy to enable the new laboratory to leverage and build upon existing resources and capabilities to better protect the nation’s livestock and public health.
Vanier noted that such competitions are not unusual since the U.S. government passed the America COMPETES Act of 2007. The law allows the government to offer awards for competitions that promote an investment in research and development.
Technology competitions shake the tree for new ideas, but also will help to establish a spirit of cooperation and partnerships for NBAF, Vanier said.
Contest rules and more information about the Think and Do challenge are available at dhs.gov/nbafchallenge.
especially west of Topeka. A weak cold front will move through on Thursday, however do not expect any precipitation with it at this time. We can expect some cooler conditions though by Friday with highs only in the 60s.Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Northeast winds up to 5 mph shifting to the east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. South winds up to 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the north 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 40s.
Friday: Cooler…sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s.
Monday: Breezy. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.
Troopers with the Kansas Highway Patrol and Officers with the Junction City/Geary County Drug Operations Group shared information regarding Drug Use of Geary County Teens Monday evening in the auditorium of Junction City Middle School.
The forum was put on by the Geary County Prevention Partnership, KHP, 
JCPD, 8th Judicial District Adolescent Resource Center and Geary County Attorney’s office.
Lt. Dustin Murphy with the Junction City/Geary County Drug Operations Group explained that high-grade marijuana is the most prominent drug being used by Geary County Teens at this time.
“Amongst our teens I’d say the high-grade marijuana coming in from Colorado and the area around there,” said Murphy.
He added that methamphetamine is also very prevalent in the area right now,”its kind of taking the place of crack in the recent years.”
One purpose of Monday nights forum was to educate parents and teachers 
on what is popular amongst teens these day’s and how to recognize signs of drug use.
“Hopefully that will benefit educators in being able to recognize some of these indicators of impairment so that they can intervene sooner,” said Trooper Sean Hankins with the KHP.
Meredith Butler, Director of the 8th Judicial District Community Corrections explained that there are a number of resources available for parents that do suspect that their children are abusing drugs.
“Definitely talk with a healthcare provider, talk with different professionals
like the Junction City Police Department,” said Butler. “Theres also a resource here in town, the Adolescent Resource Center. Lawrence Palmer is the Prevention Coordinator, and we offer free drug testing for parents that are interested in knowing whether or not their child has been using some type of substance.”
Butler was a little disappointed in the turnout Monday night but was extremely happy with the information that was distributed. Roughly 30 people turned out for the forum.
The Dr. Ronald D. Mace Rural Medicine Education Program was introduced during a press conference at Geary Community Hospital on Monday.
The Hospital is expanding and dedication their preceptorship program in partnership with the KU Medical Center, and naming that program after the late Dr. Ron Mace, who practiced medicine at Geary Community Hospital for approximately 38 years. During 17 of those years Mace oversaw a rural residency program at GCH.
Dr. Michael Kennedy, Associate Dean, McCain Professor for Rural Education at the KU Medical Center, said the student program in Junction City is a step into a new world in community collaboration in medical education. “That’s not to say there hasn’t been this kind of collaboration in the past, and as a matter of fact we’ve had medical students rotating here for years.” Kennedy said the new program will build on that and reinvigorate a tradition, but with a little bit different emphasis on the collaboration between communities and KU Med.
The expansion will allow more KU Medical School students to learn about rural healthcare at Geary Community Hospital. The expansion entails a housing area on the GCH campus where students can stay at no cost. They will spend anywhere from two up to six weeks in Junction City studying under various physicians throughout their stay.
Dr. Mace’s wife, Andrea Mace, said her husband loved the hospital. “He loved this staff. He loved taking care of his patients and he loved working with his family practice residents. ” She noted that before the KU residency program started he had worked with approximately 50 preceptees. Many of them lived with the Mace family.
Dr. Mace’s daughter, Dr. Rhonda Mace, will help coordinate the rural medicine education program. During the press conference she thanked officials and colleagues at the hospital and Geary Community Healthcare Foundation. “And of course Dr. Lynley Holman who has been instrumental in getting a lot of the leg work done.”
The Geary Community Healthcare Foundation will use the memorial gift for Dr. Ron Mace to support the rural medicine education program.
MANHATTAN- Law enforcement authorities in Riley County are investigating a Kansas man accused of stalking and violation of a protection order.
Riley County Police reported Jason Kahrs, 41, of Clay Center, was arrested while in the 1200 block of Clay Street in Clay Center just before 6p.m. on Friday.
Kahrs was arrested on two Riley County District Court warrants.
Kahrs remained in custody on a total bond of $13,000.00.
The Part I Crime Statistics for Junction City show there has been a reduction overall this year compared to 2014. But violent crimes numbers are up.
Tim Brown, Junction City Police Chief, said so far in 2015 there has been a 12% reduction in total Part I crime, but an 18% increase in violent crime. Part I crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, and auto theft.
“Last year at this time we had 624 reported up until the first of October. This year we’re at 548. ” On the overall reduction he added, “This continuation of a reduction in crime our city is a good thing. It continues, and let’s hope it stays that way.
Brown did note that last year at this time there were 125 violent crimes that had been reported, and this year that total is 147. Property crimes are down 20%.