An excessive heat warning is in effect until 9 p.m. Friday evening.

The heat advisory issued earlier is no longer in effect.

Take extra precautions.  If you work or spend time outside, when possible, reschedule strenous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaution and heat stroke. Wear light weight and lose fitting clothing when possible, and drink plenty of water.

To reduce risk during outdoor work the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat shuld be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency….call 911.

Drink plenty of fluids during a heat warning, stay in an air conditioned room if possible, try to stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

 

The Operations Project Manager for the Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake R. J. Harms issued a statement Friday on the new status of blue green algae at the reservoir.

“With slightly improved conditions from samples collected on 22 July KDHE has placed Milford Lake in a “Warning” status in zones A, B and C for the upcoming week.  Boat ramps in zone C will be re-opened and information signs at the ramps will be changed to reflect the current conditions. Zone C is the north end of the lake from Madison Point north to the Wakefield Causeway.

With the “Warning” status body contact with the water (swimming, skiing, tubing, jet skis) will be strongly discouraged but wording on the signs provided for 2015 will not prohibit the activity.  Designated beaches operated by the Corps of Engineers and Milford State Park will remain closed under the “Warning” status but will be opened under a “Watch” level of advisory.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state of Kansas is suing the U.S. Army in federal court, alleging the Army is trying to prevent the state from continuing to provide cafeteria service at Fort Riley.

The state has received the federal contract worth more than $1 million since 2006.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the Kansas Department for Children and Families filed the lawsuit earlier this week. The state alleges the Army is trying to change the process in a way that would prevent Kansas from bidding on the contract.

The Army wants to add the fort’s cafeteria services to a procurement list, which would remove it from public bidding.

A Department of Defense spokesman told the newspaper that the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

After a few morning storms, skies will become mostly sunny, according to the National Weather Service of Topeka. It will become hot this afternoon with Highs in the mid 90s to around 100 degrees. The humidity will remain high producing dangerous heat indices in the 110 to 115 degree range across northeast and east central Kansas this afternoon. North central Kansas will see heat indices in the 105 to 110 degree range this afternoon. Thunderstorms will develop across western Kansas this afternoon and move across the area Tonight. Some of these storms may be severe with the primary hazard being damaging wind gusts and brief heavy rainfall.

Heat Advisory
Hazardous Weather Outlook

Today: Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Highs around 100. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Highest heat index readings 108 to 113 in the afternoon.

Tonight: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Highest heat index readings 108 to 109 in the evening.

Saturday: Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 90s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 90s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s.

Monday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 90s.

Monday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 70s.

Tuesday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 90s.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s.

Wednesday: Not as warm. Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.

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

Thursday: Mostly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.

 

Residents on the south side of Junction City awoke to the sound of an emergency warning siren early Friday morning.  There was no tornado!

Geary County Emergency Management has confirmed the siren(s) was a malfunction. At this point it’s not clear if one or more emergency sirens sounded, but they could be heard across southern and western Junction City.

The sirens sounded as heavy rains accompanied by lightning swept through Junction City. There was never a severe storm warning issued for Junction City, although later a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for southeast Geary, northern Morris, and west-central Wabaunsee counties by the National Weather Service.

The main administration telephone service at the Junction City Police Department and Geary County Sheriff’s Department were knocked out during the storm, but the emergency 911 number is working. Also the JCPD was able to set up a temporary administrative line for your use this morning at 762-2658.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Health officials are warning the public about high levels of toxic blue-green algae in six lakes in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said in a news release Thursday that direct contact with the water such as wading in it is strongly discouraged for people, pets and livestock.

Those lakes now under a warning status include the Brown County State Fishing Lake in Brown County and Chisholm Creek Park Lake in Sedgwick County. Others are Memorial Park Lake in Barton County and Plainville Township Lake in Rooks County. Also included on the list are the Lovewell Reservoir in Jewell County and the Milford Reservoir in Clay, Dickinson and Geary counties.

Lakes under a warning are not closed.

Chuck Otte:

The 2015 Livestock and Project Auction brought in the highest number of participants in recent years. The 59 items sold, 25 livestock and 34 project items, was up 6 over the 2014 auction, 22 livestock and 31 projects. The premium total of $32,785 was up over last years $31,775. Average livestock premium was down slightly over 2014 but up compared to recent year average premiums. Average project premiums were up over 2014. Fair market value (floor value) of the livestock sold was $14,008.55 which is a decline from the record high levels seen in 2014 ($17,131.24). The sale was very well attended and the bidding was brisk! Auctioneers for the sale were Jay Brown, Rusty Taylor and Lynn Langvardt with Allen Dinkel also serving as a sale ringman.

 

The Geary County Free Fair wrapped up Thursday night with the 4-H livestock and project sale at the Geary County Fairgrounds. 

This year the sale consisted of 58 items including this years Champion Market Steer, Champion Market Lam, and the Champion Market Goat.

Weston Langvardt’s Grand Champion Crossbred 1,190 lb. steer sold at auction for a $1,300 premium plus a floor price of $1,725.50.

“Pretty good money,” said Langvardt,”and my dad said if it’s over $1 it’s a pretty good deal.”

Langvardt had the option to sell either his Grand Champion Market Steer or Grand Champion Market Hog, and chose the steer because he figured it would bring in more money and he’s putting the money in a college fund.

This years Champion Market Lamb owned by Rebekah Thomas sold for $950 to Dr. Jimmy Jenkins and Pioneer Farm & Ranch.

“I actually know them, they’re actually good friends of my parent’s, and I’m very thankful for them and that they’re supportive of me and they’re supportive of everything that I do,” said Thomas.

She said she was going to use part of the money as a down-payment on a truck that she wants and also to pay off the loans she takes out each year to buy the livestock she shows at the fair.

The Blue Line 4-H Club presented a Quilt of Valor Thursday evening to Junction City Resident and a Vietnam Veteran, Dennis “Buz” Bruzina.

Bruzina was presented the quilt by members of the Blue Line 4-H Club during the Geary County Free Fair 4-H Livestock and Project Auction Thursday night. He called it a,”very humbling experience.”

“There’s more people around this area that are more deserving than I ever could be,” said Bruzina.

Bruzina served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War and retired after 25 years of service as a Lieutenant Colonel.

After presenting the quilt to Bruzina it was then auctioned off with the auction value going back as a donation to the Quilt of Valor Project. The auction raised $1,150 that was donated. Bruzina did get to keep the quilt.

Donna Martinson, Quilt of Valor Project Coordinator explained that she spoke to the Blue Line Club about participating in the project for a community service project and they took it from there.

“I didn’t know how it would work when they were auctioning off a donation,” said Martinson. “Who’s going to bid on something that they don’t have anything tangable to even take home? When it started at $500 and went up from there, I was just amazed.”

The quilts are being presented to veterans of the Vietnam War, Korean War, or World War II that have been nominated. So far they have received about 80 nominations and have a goal to make as many as 100 quilts.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University and the K-State Foundation are scheduled to begin a campaign later this year to raise $1 billion for the university.

The Manhattan Mercury reports the university’s Innovation and Inspiration Campaign kicks off in October and seeks to raise money for Kansas State’s bid to become a top-50 public research university by 2025.

The events to start the campaign are scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 7-10.

Kansas State says the event aims to gather more than 1,000 students, faculty members, staff members, alumni and friends to open the public phase of the campaign.

Additional details about the campaign haven’t been released.