Topeka- Today the Senate Confirmation Oversight Committee approved Dave Murfin of Wichita, Daniel J. Thomas of Mission Hills, and Dennis A. Mullin of Manhattan to the Kansas Board of Regents, according to a media release.

Each will serve a four year term. These individuals fill the positions vacated by Fred Logan of Leawood, Kenny Wilk of Basehor, and Robba Moran of Manhattan.

“The work of the Regents is important in ensuring our colleges and universities educate our students and prepare them to successfully enter the workforce,” said Governor Brownback at the June 16 announcement of their appointment. “I am grateful to Dave, Daniel and Dennis for their willingness to serve the people of Kansas.”

Dennis A. Mullin currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Steel and Pipe Supply, one of the largest steel service centers in the nation. He is a member of the Business Advisory Council for the College of Business Administration at Kansas State University, and remains active with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, and Flint Hills Christian School, and is a board member of the Kansas State Bank of Manhattan.

From the testimony of Regent Mullin: “I am very honored to be asked to serve on the Kansas Board of Regents. As a graduate of Pittsburg State University and a resident of Manhattan, KS, I believe in higher education, and see it as an important economic driver for the state.”

Dave Murfin is the CEO of Murfin, Inc. whose interests include Murfin Drilling Company, Inc. and Murphy Tractor and Equipment Company, one of the largest John Deere construction dealerships in North America. He currently serves on several boards, including the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition, Wichita Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Oil & Gas Resources Fund, University of Kansas School of Business Board of Advisors and University of Kansas Endowment.

From the testimony of Regent Murfin: “As a product of Kansas higher education, I feel a great responsibility to uphold the integrity of this 150 year old system.”

Daniel J. Thomas, D.D.S. is a board-certified periodontist practicing in the wider Kansas City area. He is active in several professional associations and serves as the Director of the University of Kansas Hospital Authority Board and the Kansas Arts Foundation Board. Thomas also served as the Chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents Oral Health Task Force in 2011 and has won numerous awards including the 2011 Professional Leader of the Year from the Chamber of Commerce and the 2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor from National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations.

From the testimony of Regent Thomas: “I am committed to the ongoing excellence of higher education in the state of Kansas, thereby improving the lives of Kansans.”

 

For more information, contact Breeze Richardson at (785) 291-3969 orbrichardson@ksbor.org.

The 8th annual Touch-A-Truck event sponsored by the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library is scheduled Saturday, September 12 from 10 a.m. until noon.

Children will have an opportunity to get behind the wheel and rub elbows with those who operate the vehicles.

Touch-A-Truck will be held at the Goody’s Plaza west of Walmart in Junction City. Vehicles ranging from big rigs and fire engines to police cars and construction trucks will be on display.

The 2015 United Way campaign kickoff is Friday night at the Blue Jay football game in Junction City.

United Way officials plan to do a raffle at $1 per ticket or six for $5.

Among the prizes are two autographed Blue Jay helmets and four sideline coacing experiences. In the latter case there will be one sideline coaching experience for the Junction City home games September 18th and 25th and for October 16th and 30th.

You must be present at the game Friday night to win. The drawings will held at halftime and at the end of the third quarter.

Isolated to scattered showers and storms possible through the morning hours according to the National Weather Service of Topeka. Dry, windy, and warm this afternoon. Highs will continue to be in the low to mid 90s into the weekend. A cold front brings a chance for storms by the end of the weekend.

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 70. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.

Labor Day: Mostly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s.

Tuesday: Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s.

The Junction City Commissioners saw a different set up Tuesday night when they arrived for one of their last Commission meetings at the Municipal building.

The Commission’s former U-shaped desk has been moved to the new Commission Chamber in the new Municipal Court building across the street. In place of the former desk were four folding tables with blue table cloths and a desk for the commissioners and city staff to sit around.

The new chamber is expected to be completed sometime in October and Commissioner Pat Landes can’t wait,”It’s kind of like ‘Dad are we there yet? Are we there yet?’ And we’re getting closer, we know something’s going to happen soon.”

Mayor Mick McCallister is excited for the new chamber as well and said that it will offer a better experience not just for those that attend the meetings in person but the ones who watch it on TV as well.

“I’ve had a lot of complaints, have had a lot of comments that folks can’t see who’s talking or they can’t quite hear what’s going on. So the audience, the taxpayers that are out watching our Commission meetings, once we get moved over there, the pictures will be more clearer, the audio will be better, so I’m looking forward to that. It’s going to help out in the long run, ” said McCallister.

The new chamber is expected to be about three to four times larger than the current chamber, to better accommodate some of the larger crowds that do at times attend the Commission meetings.

Drug Use of Geary County Teens is the title of a session that has been scheduled for October 12 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Junction City Middle School Auditorium.

Meredith Butler, Director of 8th Judicial District Community Corrections, said the event is being sponsored by the Geary County Prevention Partnership, Kansas Highway Patrol, Junction City Police Department, 8th Judicial District Adolescent Resource Center, and the Geary County Attorney’s Office.  It is being made possible by a grant from the Bramlage Family Foundation.

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte is describing August as a wonderful, albeit uncommon weather month.

Temperatures and precipitation were below normal.

The average daily high during August was 85.6, 3.3 degrees below normal. The average overnight low for the month was 64.7, nine-tenths of a degree below normal.

Average rainfall for August is 3.96 inches. Both Milford Lake and Junction City were close enough to that average to be considered normal. Milford Lake received four inches for the month, and Junction City 3.95 inches.

Otte said September brings shorter days and cooler weather. Average daily highs tend to decline from 87 on the 1st to 75 degrees by the end of the month. overnight lows also decline from 63 at the start of the month to 49 by the end of the month.  But there can be exceptions. Temperatures over 100 have been recorded as late as September 28. Precipitation continues to decline in September.

Kansas weather is a challenge for homeowners trying to start or maintain a lawn.

The Geary County Extension Office is hosting a lawn care clinic on
Wednesday evening, September 2nd about how to establish a new lawn, thicken a thin lawn or manage your lawn this fall to generally improve it´s condition.

Geary County Extension Agent, Chuck Otte, will discuss the many
challenges your lawn faces through the year and how to manage your lawn and keep it looking good through hot, cold, wet, and dry weather extremes.

The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Geary County 4-H/Sr. Citizens Building, 1025 S Spring Valley Road in Junction City. The meeting will last 1½ hours and there is no charge but pre-registration is requested to ensure adequate hand out materials.

For more information, Otte can be contacted at 785-238-4161 or cotte@ksu.edu.

Teacher contract talks have been at impasse in Geary USD 475.

Dr. Corbin Witt, Superintendent of Schools, confirmed that a federal mediator will conduct a mediation session at the Devin Center on September 23. “The mediator will go back and forth between the bargaining units and try to get both bargaining units to work together and come up with a final contract.”

At the end of the session the two sides will meet jointly, “Especially if we can come up with something. ”

If the process with a mediator is unsuccessful the next step in the negotiations involves a fact finding process where both sides present formal evidence and testimony to try and convince the fact finder on the accuracy of their position. Once the fact finder recommendation is issued the two teams would have seven days to meet again for another negotiating session. If that fails to produce an agreement the Board of Education could issue unilateral terms and conditions of employment.

In the meantime, teachers are working under the agreement that was in effect during the past year.