Geary Community Schools Foundation is once again working with Harris Connect to update the JCHS alumni  directory that was done in 2009. In the coming days and months alumni may receive postcards, emails or telephone calls from the company asking for updated contact information.

Harris Connect is only collecting information for purposes of the directory and all updates will be returned to Geary Community Schools Foundation so their database remains current.

A new publication will be available in 2016. JCHS alumni will have the opportunity to reserve their own personal copy of the directory.

If you have questions contact Margie Pinaire at the Geary Community Schools Foundatiion either by email Margiepinaire@usd475.org or telephone at 785-717-4063.

MANHATTAN –  A former Kansas State University student who drove drunk and killed two people in a head-on collision was resentenced on Monday.

Theurer was 23 on May 14, 2012, when he drove in the wrong lane through a construction zone along Kansas 18 while returning to Manhattan after a night at a Junction City strip club.

Authorities say Theurer’s vehicle collided with a car at 2:45 a.m., killing Elizabeth Young, 31, White City and Michael Stanley, 32, Ogden.

Theurer served 60 days in the county jail and has been under house arrest since pleading guilty in Riley County Court to two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter and DUI.

According to Court Services, Theurer received zero violations during his house arrest and gave 41 speeches about the accident as part of the original sentencing.

Judge Bosch sentenced Theurer to 41 months for each count of Involuntary Manslaughter and the DUI sentence to run concurrent with 36 months of post release supervision.

Theurer will be granted time off his sentence for time served at the county jail and time served under house arrest.

Theurer was also allowed self-surrender to authorities on Monday, September 5 at 9 a.m. He also has 14 days to appeal his sentence.

State Farm agents, LaDonna Junghans and Karen Jameson, along with Principal Mary Wright at the Junction City Middle School greeted families Tuesday morning as they arrived at school.

State Farm and Safe Kids Kansas partnered together to raise awareness of seat belt safety in a campaign called “Bucks for Buckles.”  One dollar was given to each family for having seat belts “clicked.”

According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, there is a slight chance for isolated to scattered showers and storms late this evening and overnight for north central and far northeast KS. Gusty winds will be possible with these storms. Quiet and warm conditions continue through the weekend with highs in the low to mid 90s. A cold front brings a chance for storms early next week.

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

Tonight: Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 70. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 10 to 20 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 70.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 90.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 70.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 90.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 70.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs around 90.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.

Labor Day: Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

Jodi DeArmond of Chapman High School has been chosen as a 2016 Region 1 Middle / Secondary Kansas Teacher of the Year nominee.

USD 473 Superintendent of Schools Lacee Sell said DeArmond will attend a reception on Sept. 12 in Salina. Nominees, semi-finalists, and finalists for Region 1 will be honored.

MANHATTAN – A Kansas man will serve 24 months probation in connection with an aggravated arson case.

On Monday, Riley County Judge John F. Bosch approved a dispositional departure in the sentencing process and followed a plea agreement by Gene Pixler, 52, of Manhattan, and the Prosecution.

Pixler was arrested at the Riley County Police Department on April 20, after an investigation into a report for aggravated arson and criminal damage to property. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of January 31 at the Manhattan Emergency Shelter.

Only minor damage was reported and no injuries were listed to anyone inside as a result of this incident.

According to the Manhattan Fire Department total damage was estimated at $125 for content and property loss.

Along with his probation, Pixler was ordered to continue with a drug and alcohol treatment program through Pawnee Mental Health and additional treatment he is receiving.

He was also ordered to pay $169 restitution to the Manhattan Emergency Shelter.

Regional Health Department Directors and their Boards of Health, consisted of County Commissioners will be convening next Wednesday, September 9th, in Manhattan along with leadership from Fort Riley.  .

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss current and future plans for public health emergency preparedness in the Wildcat Region, which is composed of Geary, Pottawatomie and Riley Counties, as well as, Fort Riley Irwin Army Community Hospital and Department of Public Health.

Regional and State Partners planning to attend include Col. Andrew Cole, Jr., Garrison Commander, Fort Riley; Col. Risa Ware, APRN, Commander, Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley; Fort Riley Col. Paul Beene, Department of Public Health; and Todd Pickering, Irwin Army Community Hospital, Chief of Operations; and Jamie Hemler, Director of Grant Administration, Bureau of Community Health Systems-Preparedness Program, Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Local Health Departments receive grant funding for work as independent counties as well as grant funds to support regional work.

The meeting will be held from 1 pm to 2:30 pm, preceding the Kansas Association of Counties, Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, and Kansas Department of Health and Environment Regional Meeting “Why Public Health Matters: Disease Surveillance” at the Hilton Garden Inn.

St. Xavier School student council elections were recently held.

Logan Madrigal will serve as president, Jack Choi vice president, Kailee Cruz publicity, and Tyler Tanguay as secretary.

They will attend the Student Council Regional Conference at Manhattan High School on Monday, September 21st.

The Geary County Commission has voted 3-0 to adopt a 2016 county budget with a 6.651 increase in the property tax levy. The total levy has been calculated at 67.478 mills.

The tax levy hike translates to a $76.49 annual increase in the property tax bill on a home valued at $100,000.

During a public hearing on the spending plan Monday, a member of the public, Allan Rothlisberg, Grandview Plaza, suggested to the commission the formation of a study committee to review the operations of the county and make recommendations back to the commission. He favors having a committee comprised of people who are not connected with a business or lobbyist group. “Just regular citizens getting together, looking at all these programs, to see where they can actually find more efficiency.”

Commissioner Florence Whitebread noted during the hearing that the governing body looks at everything, and if he had any questions about any projects to bring it to them.

Commission Chairman Ben Bennett noted the county receives the expertise of both the National Association of Counties and Kansas Association of Counties, and they join other county commissions for meetings periodically to share ideas and concerns.

Rothlisberg and one other member of the public, Mary Smith of rural Geary County, were the only people to address the commission during the hearing. Smith stated she was opposed to any property tax increase. “I have all the same expenditures. I would like to have additional funding as well.” Smith also added at one point, “I don’t like the fact you have to put that on the taxpayers backs.”

The County Commission vote in the favor of the 2016 budget was 3-0 with Ben Bennett, Florence Whitebread, and Larry Hicks all voting yes.