The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to the area of U.S. 77 and Old Milford Road Monday afternoon for a two-vehicle accident.

A 1995 Jeep driven by Joshua Thurlow was pulling out of a driveway on the east side of U.S. 77 when it struck a 1999 Honda CRV driven by Anna Jeri, Junction City, causing the Honda to roll, landing on its’ top in the middle of the road.

An occupant of the Honda, a 3-year old boy was transported to Geary Community Hospital by med units for treatment of a possible injury.

According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, cloud cover will slowly decrease today, allowing for warmer temperatures. A cold front will bring a chance for showers and thunderstorms Wednesday night into Thursday night.
Today: Warmer. Mostly cloudy until late afternoon then becoming mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Southeast winds up to 5 mph.

Tonight: Warmer. Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. Southeast winds up to 5 mph.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Southeast winds up to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy with slight chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Partly sunny with chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. West winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

Thursday Night: Cooler. Partly cloudy with slight chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 50.

Friday: Cooler. Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.

Friday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s.

Saturday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s.

Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s.

Columbus Day: Sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.

Key facts in the Board of Education’s proposal  in the teacher contract negotiations in USD 475 were outlined by the Board’s chief negotiator, KASB attorney David Shriver Monday evening at the Devin Center.

With contract talks at impasse, Shriver spoke to a packed meeting room with many teachers in attendance.

–The Board had sought an 8-hour work day, no flex-time which would result in a 10-minute extension of the work day.

–More elementary collaboration

–Meetings that start after student contact time, which meant a change to 15 minutes later

–Removal of SLP’s, social workers, and psychologists from the salary schedule.

–Accepted the JCEA’s salary schedule

–And it was clarified once again by District officials that the latest salary increase offered totals an average of 7.32% for returning teachers. Actual raises would range from a low of two-and-a-half percent to 20%. Other numbers released by officials earlier had put the average increase at 6.5% and then 7.23%.

The summary also outlined by Shriver also included points that 24-hour notice of meetings and duties would not be eliminated, and Principals would not be prevented from allowing teachers to occasionally flex their time.

Cathy Rankin, Junction City Education Association President, confirmed if the next step of fact finding is pursued, once that is complete there would be one required negotiating session. If that doesn’t work the Board of Education could issue a unilateral contract. The response by teachers could include three choices, said Rankin. “They can continue to work under the existing contract. They could accept the unilateral contract, or they can resign with no penalty within 15 days of the date that the unilateral contract is issued.”

For the most part the audience remained quiet during the presentation by David Shriver and followup discussion by the Board. But there was one round of applause by the teachers on the issue of an 8-hour day.  Comments by Board member Tom Brungardt drew that reaction when he addressed that issue, noting 8-hour days and 40-hour weeks are “for people who push the clock, not for professionals.”

 

 

The Geary USD 475 Board of Education met in executive session for almost 40 minutes Monday evening to discuss the teacher contract negotiations which are at impasse.  The end result, after the closed door session, the Board opted to continue with the process of the professional negotiations act, but took no other action.

What does that mean? BOE President Brian Field said they have two options. “One is we can go to fact finding or we remain with the current contract that we have. That’s the point that we’re at right now.”  As far as the Board decision to continue with the professional negotiations act, Field stated they will do one of two things. “Fact finding has to be requested. If it is not then we will continue as we are right now with the 2014-2015 negotiated contract.” Teachers currently work under that contract.

Either side in the negotiations can request fact finding. Essentially the BOE has left it up to the Junction City Education Association to make a decision on that issue. Superintendent Dr. Corbin Witt stated, “I think that a lot of different things can happen. I think right now the Board is waiting to see what the JCEA negotiatons wants to do after this.”

If no further action is taken the existing contract remains in effect. If fact finding is requested there will be a hearing. That would have to be followed by at least one required negotiating session. If no agreement is reached, the Board of Education could then issue a unilateral contract. Both sides agree that teachers would then have three options….continue working under the existing 2014-2015 contract, accept the unilateral contract authorized by the Board, or resign without penalty within 15 days of the date that the unilateral contract is issued.

 

 

 

Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN – A Kansas man, who agreed to a plea deal for the charge of vehicular homicide, was sentenced in Riley County court on Monday.

Derek Kesler, 33, Rossville, was sentence to 12 months at the Riley County Jail, but parole would be granted after 22 weekends (or 44 days) in jail. Parole would be granted for a year, and Kesler will also pay $2,500 fine.

Kesler was driving a truck and hit 49-year-old Mark Jilka, Manhattan, who was riding his bicycle on Kansas Highway 177 south of Manhattan

Reports say that Kesler said in a voluntary statement that he was typing a location into his phone’s GPS when his truck hit Kesler.

MANHATTAN- Law enforcement authorities in Riley County are investigating an accident involving the arrest of a Kansas State University football player.

Officers with the Riley County Police Department responded to a single vehicle collision near the intersection of Poyntz Avenue and Evergreen Avenue in Manhattan just before 3a.m. on Sunday in Manhattan

Authorities, according to a media release, found that a 2014 Ford F150 driven by Cre Moore, 20, a defensive back on the KSU football team from Broken Arrow, OK., had left the roadway and collided with a light pole and a privately owned stone stairwell.

The vehicle sustained major damage to the front driver’s side as well as the front driver’s side wheel.

The wheel became detached as a result of the collision.

Moore was not injured in the collision.

After an investigation into the accident he was arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Throughout the course of the investigation Moore was found to also be in possession of several pills, which were identified as depressants.

Moore was given a total bond of $3,500.00 for both offenses (DUI and possession of a depressant) and is no longer being held in the Riley County jail.

During the Big 12 coaches teleconference Monday, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder acknowledged the arrest and said he would handle the matter, but didn’t elaborate.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report

The director of the Geary County Health Department Pat Hunter said Monday flu shot vaccine has arrived.

You can get a flu shot beginning at 1:05 p.m. Monday. Walk-ins will be welcome.  The elderly or handicapped can park in the outside handicapped space and staff will come out to provide the shot.

Elderly 65 and older will need a medicare card and ID, but there will be no charge for the shot. For all others getting a flu shot the cost is $50.

Two grand prize winners for this past Friday’s Bramlage Family Walk A Mile event were announced on KJCK AM, The Talk of JC, Monday morning.

They include Ware Elementary School student Chloe Taylor, who will receive an Xbox One Kinect Console Bundle plus two games, and in the adult category Jessica Steele, who will receive a Fitbit. Steele is a Ware Elementary School employee.

The Geary Community Healthcare Foundation and Bramlage Family Foundation sponsor Walk a Mile.