Irwin Army Community Hospital will unveil the new Flint Hills Medical Home at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Junction City Friday morning. The new clinic will open to family beneficiaries as part of the Army’s commitment to improving access and continuity of care.
“Access to care has been at the top of our priorities for improvement,” said Col. Risa Ware, Irwin Army Community Hospital Commander. The Flint Hills Medical Home is an extension of the hospital which serves about 42,000 beneficiaries.
“Primary care is the center of gravity at IACH. It makes continuity of care possible which leads to improved patient outcomes and a more efficient use of healthcare resources,” she said.
The 12,500-square-foot facility will be outfitted with new equipment, feature lab and pharmacy services; and host up to seven medical providers, including behavioral health. At full capacity the medical home will provide care for 8,100 beneficiaries.
The 1st Infantry Division said goodbye to three of its Deputy Commanding Generals and it’s Chief of Staff during a Victory Honors Ceremony on the Victory Parade Field on Fort Riley Thursday.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Jerry Griffis, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs Office
During the ceremony Maj. Gen. Paul E. Funk II, Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division addressed his outgoing Deputy Commanding Generals, Brigadier, UK, Christopher Ghika, deputy commanding general for readiness; Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Graves, deputy commanding general for operations; Brig. Gen. Eric Wesley, deputy commanding general for support; as well as the departing Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Kenneth Kamper.
“Chris Ghika, Erik Wesley, Tom Graves and Ken Kamper have put their heart and souls into this Division,” said Maj. Gen. Funk. “They have been brave, responsible and on point for the nation. When duty called they did not falter. Chris, Tom and Ken were a vital part of the team that helped the Iraqi forces begin to take the fight to ISIL. Recapturing over 1,000 square miles of territory and building a coalition that trained over 3,500 Iraqi security forces, and that number has actually grown to over actually 10,000 in one of the most complex operating environments I have ever seen.”
Also during the ceremony Funk welcomed in the new Deputy Commanding General for Maneuver, Brig. Gen. John Kolasheski and welcomed Col. Peter Minalga as the new Chief of Staff.
Christina ‘Tina’ Love took the stand on Thursday in the the first degree murder trial of Anthony Nichols.
Love has been described as the key witness by both the prosecution and defense in this case, as she is the only person involved in the 2013 death of John Burroughs that can put Anthony Nichols at the scene of the crime.
Riley County attorney Barry Disney began the questioning of Love, asking her about the sequence of events that led up to the death of Burroughs.
Love testified that she went to Burroughs three times on September 7, 2013 when the murder occurred. The first time her son drove her so she could exchange sexual favors with Burroughs. The second time is when she allegedly went with Anthony Nichols, and when she heard a gun shot come from the direction of Burroughs trailer. The third trip was with her son Chris/James McKenith, 33, where they discovered the still breathing Burroughs, and when McKenith stabbed him several times while in front of Love.
Nichols’ defense attorney, Jeffrey Wicks, then questioned Love about the several interviews with police following these events. He highlighted how Love lied in interviews for four days following the murder. It took several interviews for Love to admit her involvement, lying in all of them, and then to mention Nichols at all. She also testified that Nichols told her in private that he had shot Burroughs. Wicks questioned Love about every interview she had with investigators, possibly presenting her as an unreliable witness.
Love was given a plea deal and probation, which dropped charges of aiding in a murder and obstruction of justice.
The trial is expected to run through Friday and JCPost will continue to follow the trial and provide updates as they become available.
Story Written by Michael Pagels, LittleApplePost.com
ABILENE, Kan. – The third program in the Ike 125 lecture series commemorating the 125th anniversary of the birth of Dwight David Eisenhower will be presented by John Robert Greene, Cazenovia College history professor and noted presidential scholar. The title of Greene’s program is “Liking Ike and Adlai: New Thoughts on the 1952 Presidential Election.”
Greene will present the program both in Kansas City and Abilene. The Kansas City event opens with a reception at 6 p.m. and the program at 6:30 on Tuesday, August 4 at the Plaza Branch – Kansas City Public Library. In Abilene, Greene will speak on Wednesday, August 5 at noon for a Brown Bag Lunch program, including light hors d’oeuvres, at the Eisenhower Presidential Library Visitors Center Auditorium.
Many myths and legends come out of presidential campaigns. Greene refutes the myth that neither Eisenhower nor Stevenson really wanted to run in ’52 but were talked into it by supporters and then were less than fully engaged in their respective campaigns. According to Greene, Ike was an adept and effective campaigner, and Stevenson was also in control of his campaign.
The author of “The Crusade: The Presidential Election of 1952,” Greene is a specialist on American political history, especially the presidency. He has written or edited 17 books and served as a commentator and script adviser for PBS and the History Channel.
Ike 125 is made possible by the generous support of the W.T. Kemper Foundation – Commerce Bank, Trustee. The Ike 125 series examines the legacy of the greatest soldier-statesman of the 20th century – from his unquestionably brilliant wartime command to two terms as U.S. President that are viewed with increasing favor by historians and political scientists. It was a time of momentous change, bringing historic civil rights legislation, the Interstate Highway System, space exploration, and a prudent foreign policy that gave the country eight years of peace and prosperity. The series lends fresh analysis and new views of the plain-spoken Kansan who became a model of leadership.
Future programs in the six-month series will be held Sept. 17-18 and Oct. 13-14.
The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, a nonpartisan federal institution, is part of the Presidential Libraries network operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. We preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire.
Release from Samantha Kenner, Communications Director.
Junction City, KS – USD 475 has announced the hiring of Jayci Hamm as Assistant Principal at Seitz Elementary School. Jayci replaces Kenneth Upham who will take over as head principal at Morris Hill Elementary School.
Jayci received her Bachelor of Science in Education (Elementary Area of Concentration: Math & Science Certification: Middle School & Coaching) at Kansas State University in 2009. In 2014 she received a Master of Science in Educational Leadership also from Kansas State University.
Jayci has experience in the military as a health care specialist at Fort Benning, Georgia. She began her USD 475 teaching career at Lincoln Elementary teaching 2nd grade and for the past 3 years has been a 4thgrade teacher at Seitz Elementary. Jayci was also a member of the district steering committee, 4th grade chair of the curriculum task force, member of the Seitz leadership team, and chair of the professional development and student celebration committees.
Principal Jodi Testa comments that “Jayci has a true understanding of the culture at Seitz and she is a true humanitarian. We are excited that she will be a part of the leadership team at Seitz.”
Jayci is excited to support military children and their families in her new role as assistant principal. She believes in the vision of Seitz Elementary and looks forward to continue to grow alongside the staff and students.
Jayci will begin her duties August 1st.
Release from Hugh Davis, Executive Director of Communications for USD 475.
According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, patchy fog is possible in the lower lying areas this morning. A quiet day is in store for the region as temperatures climb into the mid to upper 90s. Temperatures will remain near normal through the weekend. There will be a chance for showers and storms Friday night mainly across northern Kansas.
Early This Morning: Partly cloudy. Patchy dense fog. North winds up to 5 mph.
Today: Sunny. Patchy dense fog in the morning. Highs in the upper 80s. Southwest winds up to 5 mph shifting to the southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds up to 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southwest winds up to 5 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s. South winds up to 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 90. South winds up to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s.
Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 90s.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows around 70.
Monday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 90s.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 70.
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the House passed two critical bills that will bring improved care to Veterans and much-needed reforms to the Veterans Affairs Administration.
Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01), co-sponsor of the VA Accountability Act of 2015 and author of the Whistleblower Testimony Travel Act, which was incorporated therein, gave the following statement:
“Today is a good day for our nation’s Veterans.
“Veterans should not have to wait months or years for care, while corrupt employees causing the deplorable wait get paid leave for months or years during an investigation into their questionable actions. The VA Accountability Act provides the much-needed tools to ensure the VA Secretary has the authority to quickly remove corrupt or incompetent employees. This legislation also removes barriers for the brave whistleblowers who are risking their careers to give Congress information about the failures of the VA.
“We also voted on legislation to bring Choice to more Veterans across the country, especially those in rural areas like central and western Kansas where VA-run health care facilities are few and far between. This bill will modify eligibility requirements to ensure the 40-mile rule only applies to VA facilities with a full-time doctor. This will expand access to rural veterans in communities like Liberal, Kansas where the local VA facility has not had a full-time provider for four years.”
By a vote of 256 to 170, the VA Accountability Act moves to the Senate. This legislation gives the VA Secretary the responsibility and authority to fire any VA bureaucrat who is harming and failing our Veterans. Huelskamp’s whistleblower legislation protects brave VA employees who testify to Congress about the truth of the VA’s culture of corruption and non-accountability.
Also passed was legislation that will expand health care choices for Veterans living in rural America. The Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 (H.R. 3236) consolidates all non-VA provider programs into a single, new program known as the Veterans Choice Program. More Veterans will be able to receive care by improvements to the Choice program, including eligibility for new enrollees (previously only those enrolled by August 1, 2014 were eligible for Choice), altering the 40-mile requirement to be defined as only facilities with a full-time doctor, adding more Choice providers, and eliminating the need for reauthorization approvals for Choice care.
Huelskamp was integral to the successful push for the common-sense fix made in March to expand eligibility under the Choice Program for the “40-mile rule.” He has repeatedly voiced concerns about access to care in rural areas like Western Kansas and been a proponent of allowing veterans to receive care closer to home at one of the over 70 community hospitals located in the Big First District. He was an original cosponsor of the legislation that created the Choice program, the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 and has been a vocal member of the Committee pushing for increased oversight and improved access to care.
The First Degree Murder Trial for a Kansas City, Ks man accused of killing a Manhattan man in September of 2013 continued Wednesday afternoon in Riley County District Court.
Riley County Court House
Anthony Nichols is charged with suspicion of First Degree Murder in the September 7, 2013 death of John Burroughs, 68, Manhattan.
The State called several people to the stand Wednesday who testified on a number of different topics including Investigator Alan D.Riniker who was one of the RCPD Crime Scene Investigators who investigated Burroughs’ trailer home shortly after Burroughs was found dead on September 8th. Riniker testified that Burroughs was found dead lying in the fetal position on the floor of his bathroom with what appeared to be a stab wound to his left side underneath the armpit.
After Burroughs body was sent to Frontier Forensics in Kansas City, Kansas, where an autopsy was conducted, Riniker was informed that Burroughs had also suffered a gunshot wound. Riniker then returned to Burroughs’ residence on Sept. 9th to search for a bullet hole, shell casing or anything else that could determine whether or not the shooting took place in Burroughs residence, but he was unable to find any evidence to make that connection.
Riniker also participated in the investigation at Nichols apartment on September 11th in Kansas City where a cell phone believed to belong to Nichols was located along with a revolver hand gun and other items. The cell phone was turned over to Sgt. William Arnold of the Junction City Police Department who specializes in recovering information from cell phones.
Arnold was next on the stand and explained to the jury how he was able to collect multiple pieces of information from the cell phone, including tracking it’s whereabouts the night Burroughs was murdered September 7th, 2013.
According to Arnold the cell phone connected to cell towers in Junction City most of the day on September 6th, but at 9:33 p.m. it pinged off a tower in Ogden and then towers in Manhattan from that time to 12:51 a.m. September 7th when it pinged a tower near Fort Riley. After that it continued to ping off of towers in Junction City until 3:18 a.m. on Sept. 7th when it pinged a tower near the Kanza Prairie which could indicate he was traveling on I-70. Over the next couple of hours it pinged off towers in Topeka and Lecompton/Lawrence. The rest of the day on Sept. 7th the cell phone continued to ping cell towers in the Kansas City metro area.
According to that information it placed Nichols cell phone in Manhattan around the time of Burroughs death, but it does not prove that Nichols was carrying the cell phone or that Nichols was in Burroughs residence.
The trial is expected to continue Thursday morning at 9 a.m. in Riley County District Court. The State is expected to call Tina Love to the stand first thing in the morning. During opening arguments Tuesday the State told the Jury that the case depends on the testimony of Love, who was the only link between the defendant and Burroughs.
The trial is expected to run through Friday and JCPost will continue to follow the trial and provide updates as they become available.
This year activities are planned September 5-7 in that Dickinson County community.
They begin on Saturday, September 5 with an American Legion Street dance featuring Mended Wings from 8 p.m. to midnight.
On Sunday, September 6 there will be a lions club 4-man Scramble golf tournament from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., a Street Dance from 7-10 p.m., and a Fireworks Display north of the tennis courts at approximately 9 p.m.
There is a full slate of activities on Labor Day, Monday September 7. They begin with a 5K Run / Walk at 8 a.m. followed by a Free Kids Run at 9 a.m.
Other activities that day will range from pancakes and sausage by the American Legion Auxiliary from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. to an Arts & crafts show downtown and a Car Show in the Chapman High School parking lot.
The annual parade is scheduled at 2 p.m. with the theme “The Trail, Our Heritage.”
The U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee has passed out of committee legislation authored by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Jon Tester to empower veterans to become entrepreneurs and create jobs for Americans.
The Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Act would offer veterans the opportunity to pursue their dreams of owning a business by giving them access to resources provided by the Small Business Administratiion and their G. I. Bill Benefit.
The VET Act would establish a 3-year pilot program that would enable up to 250 G.I. Bill benefit-eligible veterans who apply to the program to start a new business or purchase an existing business or franchise. The pilot program includes an application process, and requires participation in an approved entrepreneurial training program. Interested veterans would be required to develop a business plan to be approved by the training program advisor and the Small Business Administration’s Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development.
Ware, Irwin Army Community Hospital Commander. The Flint Hills Medical Home is an extension of the hospital which serves about 42,000 beneficiaries.
