According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, pleasant weather will continue through Thursday. Surface high pressure will slowly move off to the east allowing south winds to gradually increase. Highs today and Thursdayare expected to reach the mid to upper 80s with lows in the mid 60s. There is a small chance of thunderstorms Thursday night across north central Kansas as an upper level wave drops south across Nebraska, however most areas are expected to remain dry.

Today: Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds up to 5 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds up to 5 mph.

Thursday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds up to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s.

Saturday: Sunny. Highs around 90.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s.

Sunday: Sunny. Highs around 90.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 70.

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

Monday Night: Partly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs around 90.

Enrollment at St. Xavier Catholic School in Junction City is still underway and numbers are up from last year with a week to go until school starts.

Shawn Augustine, St. Xavier Principal explained that the school has already enrolled over 150 students for this school year.

“Parents are continuing to come in and enroll their kids as we speak today and so those numbers could even push the 155 range and possibly even up to 160,” said Augustine.

Augustine also reported that they currently have 47 students enrolled in pre-k for either part-time or full-time. He did add that they do still have some openings available for half-day pre-k students on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and afternoons, as well as Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

When students return to school for their first full day on August 18th they may notice a few changes including new energy-efficient fluorescent lights in the gymnasium to go along with the regular upkeep and painting. Augustine did add that they are beginning to look into replacing the roof of the school, that could take place either this year or next.

There will also be seven new teachers at St. Xavier this school year, which is consistent with the number of teachers the school has to hire for each school year according to Augustine.

Last year the school underwent a massive fundraising campaign to ensure funding to keep the junior and senior high open. Augustine said that the school is pretty much set through the next three years, and they have a plan to continue to raise more.

“We have talked with our new Pastor, Father Gale Hammerschmidt, about possibly doing a phone-a-thon to work to get even more money donated through alumni, which we’ve never really tapped into our alumni resource before. I think that will help us even more to continue our tradition here at St. Xavier Catholic School.”

Last year the school hosted an alumni basketball game which did raise about $10,000 for the school.

Augustine said that he is ready to have the students and teachers back in the school and excited,”to see where this school year takes us.”

The chief financial officer at Geary Community Hospital, Dave Busatti, recently resigned. That was confirmed by Hospital CEO Dr. Joseph Stratton, who said Bill Kloppe has begun working for the hospital as the interim chief financial officer.

Kloppe comes to Geary Community Hospital from the Orlando, Florida area. Stratton noted Kloppe has about 30 years of experience, and makes his living serving in interim c-f-o capacities.

Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN –Law enforcement authorities in Manhattan have made an arrest in connection with a reported Tuesday morning

Officers with the Riley County Police Department and the Manhattan Fire Department responded just after 11 a.m. to what was reported as a bomb threat that was called in at Florence Manufacturing at 5935 Corporate Drive

During the ensuing investigation, employees were evacuated by management and moved to an adjacent business.

RCPD Officers secured the scene requested a bomb dog from the Kansas Highway Patrol to assist in the investigation, but before the bomb squad was requested it was determined that there was no bomb threat.

According to Officer Mat Droge, probable cause was found to make one arrest. The name of the suspect has not been released.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Riley County commissioners have tabled a proposal to extend the state’s Native Stone Scenic Byway into the county.

The Manhattan Mercury reports commissioners said they wanted to learn more about the potential effects of the proposal before voting.

The 48-mile byway runs through the Flint Hills. The proposal would extend the byway through sections of Riley County.

Extension of the byway would subject the roads in question to state regulations that would prohibit the construction of billboards and commercial off-premise signs along the route.

Officials said the scenic byway designation would also make the county eligible to apply for certain grants pertaining to the construction of scenic overlooks.

Residents at Monday’s meeting, however, voiced concern that increased regulation could limit their property values and rights as landowners.

The Geary County Extension Office is hosting a lawn care clinic on Wednesday evening, September 2nd.

The clinic will address topics including how to establish a new lawn, thicken a thin lawn or manage your lawn this fall to generally improve its’ condition. Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte will discuss the 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 begin at 7 p.m. on September 2nd at the Geary County 4-H / Senior Citizens Center, 1025 South Spring Valley Road in Junction City. The meeting will last approximately 90 minutes.

There is no charge to attend, but pre-registration is requested to insure adequate hand out materials. For more information Otte can be contacted at 785-238-4161 or cotte@ksu.edu.

MANHATTAN – A Kansas man is in custody after allegedly hitting a woman with his vehicle.

The Pottawatomie County Sheriff reported in a media release that just before 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, deputies and Emergency Service staff responded to a call of a woman being struck by a vehicle at State Lake 2, State Lake Rd, in rural Manhattan.

While investigating the incident, deputies received information that the injured woman was allegedly injured by a man with whom she had been arguing with earlier.

The suspect was reported to be driving a vehicle at the time the victim’s injuries occurred and she was outside of the vehicle when she was injured.

The suspect identified as Russell A. Mayse, 34, Manhattan, was taken into custody for Aggravated Battery and DUI.

The female victim was transported to a local hospital, treated and later released.

According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, sunny and slightly cooler temperatures in store for today with thunderstorm chances NOT in the forecast for the next several days. Highs in the middle 80s today andtomorrow gradually warm towards 90 degrees again by Friday. And in case you plan to watch the Perseids Meteor Shower the next few evenings, clear skies and lows in the 60s spell for perfect viewing conditions.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. East winds around 5 mph shifting to the southeast up to 5 mph after midnight.

Wednesday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds up to 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Southeast winds around 5 mph.

Thursday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s.

Friday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 90s.

Friday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s.

Saturday: Sunny. Highs around 90.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s.

Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 90s.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.

Heat indexes which include a combination of heat, humidity and wind speed, were at times extremely difficult to deal with in July, but Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, said the actual average temperature for the month was very close to normal.

The average daily high during the month was 87.9, 2.2 degrees below normal. The average overnight low was 69.1, 1.6 degrees above normal. That resulted in a monthly mean temperature of 78.5, three-tenths of a degree below normal.

The highest temperature for July was 99 on the 13th. The lowest temperature for the month was the morning low of 59 on July 3rd.

Three temperature records were set or tied during the month. The high of 71 on the 7th and 74 on the 8th were new record low highs for those dates. The low of 79 on the 13th tied the record high low temperature for that date.  It was the first July since 2009 that Geary County did not have a daytime high of 100 or above.   The hottest July on record was in 1954, when the region baked under a monthly mean temperature of 87.0 degrees.

Rainfall tapered off in July, at least the Milford Lake recording site. Average rainfall for the month is 4.07 inches.  Milford Lake received 3.23 inches for the month while Junction City received 5.29 inches. A heavy rainfall event on July 6th produced much more rain in Junction City than at Milford Lake and that accounts for the big discrepancy.

Normal annual precipitation through the end of July is 20.72 inches. Year to date Milford Lake has received 20.83 inches and Junction City has received 23.14 inches.