For the second consecutive week the southern end of Milford Lake, called Zone A, gets an all clear from toxic blue green algae. That follows testing by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

R. J. Harms, with the Corps of Engineers said the middle sector of the lake, Zone B, remains in a watch, and the northern end of the reservoir, Zone C, remains in a warning. “Conditions all stayed the same in all three zones. While the conditions improved in Zone B a little bit, with the cell counts the toxin level was just over the watch level.” Harms added, “The cell counts and toxin levels are still elevated up in Zone C north of Madison Creek, so that area stays in a warning.”

In the warning area direct water contact such as jet skiing or swimming is discouraged, but boating and fishing are allowed there as well as on the rest of the lake.

Harms stated signs at all blue green algae information locations will remain the same as last week with the current information.

As a result of the most recent tests, designated beaches operated by the Corps of Engineers and Milford State Park will remain open. Harms is hopeful that will be the case for the remainder of the recreation season.

 

 

Oak leaf itch mites have been a concern in this part of Kansas this year.

Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, said they can pop up for one or two years, and then disappear for a decade. “It’s an insect that feeds on another insect, and it just so happens that this is the time of year with the shortening days they’re basically coming off their host in the oak leaves and they fall to the ground.”

Otte stated if they land on you it will be like a chigger. “But a chigger will come in low, get you on the ankles, legs, under tight fitting clothing. These things are going to be on the chest, the neck, the shoulders under loose fitting clothing. It’s going to itch just as bad as a chigger.”

One bit of good news, is that Otte added it should be fairly short lived with the arrival of cooler weather.

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf said his department has acquired a civilian model drone, and another more advanced model drone is being acquired from a company in Colorado.

“What we’re planning on doing with these drones are using these mostly right now for search and rescue.”

As an example Wolf referred to an incident about two years ago involving a lengthy search for an elder resident in the county that suffered from dementia, and had wondered away from his home and gotten lost. “We were calling in KHP to bring out a helicopter to fly the area for us, but due to the weather they couldn’t fly that day.”

Wolf said authorities can put the drones, which are about the size of large model airplanes, up in the air quickly to scan an area. It would involve the use of less people. “This would be a very valuable tool to use in the future for situations like that.”

Wolf noted the drones could also be used in search and rescue operations in the Milford Lake area. “Seems like every year we have somebody that gets stranded in a boat, or disabled, or walked way and got lost along the shoreline somewhere. When they call 911 they don’t know where they are.” Use of the drones could enable locate and rescue much quicker and be less labor intensive.

The drones have four propellors, and are operated by remote control on the ground. Two deputies have received training on how to use and control them.

Wolf confirmed the cost of the two drones combined totals approximately $28,000. They were purchased with drug forfeiture funds. No taxpayer money was used.

“Right now as I understand it, we are the first law enforcement agency in the state of Kansas that does have drones.”

 

by Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte
September saw a return to a weather pattern that makes many of us
nervous. It was warmer than average and drier than average. The
temperature deviation was somewhat significant, the precipitation not quite
so much. With talk of a strong El Nino weather pattern in the Pacific, the
warmer than average is expected, but the drier than average is a little
unexpected which makes us wonder what the rest of autumn and on into
winter will bring.

The average daily high for September was 83.3, 3.1 degrees above normal.
The average overnight low was 63.4, 7.4 degrees above normal. This gave
us a monthly mean temperature of 73.4, 5.3 degrees above normal. While
this monthly mean temperature was well above normal, it still fell just outside
of the record warm September. In fact it didn´t even get into the top five for
warmest Septembers. The warmest September was that infamous 1954
when the monthly mean temperature was 78.1 (and the first six days of
September 1954 had daily highs of 100 or higher!) The coldest September
on record was in 1974 when we had a monthly mean temperature of a chilly
61.1. The highest temperature in September was 97 on the 6th. The coldest
temperature for the month was 49 on the morning of the 30th, the first sub 50
degree reading since May 24th! There were no temperature records set or
tied during September.

Rainfall for September amounted to 2.59 inches at Milford Lake and 3.04
inches in Junction City. Most of the rain occurred in two events in the first half
of the month with the latter half of the month being fairly dry. Normal
September rainfall is 3.28 inches. Year to date Milford Lake has received
27.42 inches and Junction City 30.13 inches. Average year to date rainfall
through September is 27.96 inches. The wettest September on record was in
1967 when 13.28 inches deluged the area helping to fill a newly constructed
Milford Lake sooner than expected. The driest September on record was in
1947 when 0.24 inches was all that graced area rain gauges.

October usually brings us drier conditions and markedly cooler temperatures.
October also brings us our average first frost date. Average daily highs begin
the month at 76 and by Halloween are down to 63. Average daily lows on the
1st are 50 degrees and by the 31st a chilly 39. Long term average first frost
(1951 through 2014) is October 19th. However 1 out of every 8 years we´ll
see a first frost not occurring until November. October continues the dry
down as we head into our drier winter months. Average October rainfall is
2.62 inches. A skiff or two of snow can not be ruled out of the question during
October with a long term average October snowfall of only one tenth of an
inch.

Written by Tim Schrag on ksu.edu.

Russell Hardin, a 1946 Kansas State University graduate and 1945 football captain, will serve as grand marshal for the 2015 homecoming parade. The parade serves as a gathering point for K-State students, friends and the Manhattan community during All-University Homecoming week.

“We didn’t win many games, but we made friends and memories,” Hardin said in the spring 2013 issue of the K-Stater magazine on his football experiences.

K-State was often undermanned against their opponents, but always played hard. In the 1945 game against Oklahoma, the Wildcats jumped out to a 13-0 lead. But the highly ranked Sooners wore down the squad in a 44-13 win.

After graduating, Hardin returned to his native Indiana where he practiced veterinary medicine for 37 years. Hardin is a member of the Golden Cats, a club for former football players and is one of the oldest living members of the team.

The 2015 homecoming parade will start at 5 p.m. Oct. 16. This year’s homecoming theme is A Century of Coming Home to mark K-State’s 100th homecoming celebration. The parade will feature floats depicting throwbacks to some of K-State’s history and several of K-State’s former homecoming queens.

“The parade gives K-State students the opportunity to show off their school spirit through homecoming-themed floats, which will journey throughout downtown Manhattan and Aggieville,” said Amanda Lee, assistant director of student programs for the K-State Alumni Association.

Prior to the parade, the Aggieville Business Association will host trick-or-treating in Aggieville beginning at 3:30 p.m. A pep rally will take place at the Larry Norvell Band Shell in City Park following the parade at approximately 6:30 p.m.

If you have questions regarding the parade, please contact Lee at alee@k-state.com or 785-532-5056.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded Wednesday to the area of U.S. 77, mile post 157 for a two vehicle non-injury accident.

A 2006 Chevrolet pickup driven by Christopher Williams, Clay Center, collided with the rear end of a 2013 Ford Focus driven by James Cook, Manhattan. Both units were traveling northbound.

Again…there were no injuries.

Northeast winds around 10 mph will result in highs near the upper 60s with lows tonight in the lower 40s. This trend will continue into the weekend as a weakening system brings a chance for showers over central KS. Better rain and thunderstorm chances for northeast Kansas is expected to arrive Tuesday and Wednesday.

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 40s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Partly sunny with slight chance of rain showers. Highs in the lower 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s.

Monday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of rain showers. Highs in the upper 70s.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s.

Wednesday: Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s.

Junction City Manager Allen Dinkel is looking at possibly having the City’s Public Works and Engineering Departments operate seperately.  That would be instead of in a combined Municipal Services Department.

“Right now we’re moving forward with basically making public works on its’ own. ” Dinkel added Ray Ibarra would basically be in charge of that operation.  Different options are being looked at for engineering. “Overall I think we’re getting the projects addressed that we have to get addressed.”

The City’s public works and engineering were seperate departments until a few years ago when they were placed under control of Veolia Water. Later they were removed from the Veolia contract and a joint municipal services department was formed.