Past and present members of the Flint Hills Regional Council met at the Flint Hills Discovery Center Thursday to celebrate the Council’s 5th Anniversary.

Gary Stith, Executive Director of the Regional Council explained that the feeling is wonderful seeing all of the communities coming together to work together.

“Feels great that the different communities in our region have pulled together and it’s making this region much stronger. We’ve got a bright future,” said Stith. “We’re going to continue to work on regional issues and find ways of helping members of our organization, focusing mostly on transportation and economic development.”

Funding for the Regional Council had been a major concern over the past two years, but Stith explained that the Regional Council is in a good place and will be around for years to come.

“It’s true that we have just finished our HUD Grant, which has been our primary source of funding for the last three years, but we have other sources of funding that we are putting together. We’re going to continue to operate and maintain the capacity of services that we’ve had in the past and we’re going to keep working for the communities that are a part of the Flint Hills Regional Council.”

Over the past five years the Regional Council has been able to accomplish a number of goals including creating the Flint Hills Economic Development District, completing a Flint Hills Housing Study, the creation and support of the Flint Hills Metropolitan Planning Organization and Flint Hills Regional Transit Association.

The Regional Council is made up of seven counties and 23 respective communities from within those counties and the Flint Hills region.

 

The Junction City Little Theater will present Disney’s The Little Mermaid, JR on stage Friday and Saturday nights at the C. L. Hoover Opera House. Both shows are at 7 p.m.

There has been a month-long acting camp involving 32 teens to the art of live theater–from auditions and stage craft to rehearsals. Jennifer and Michael Brown are the directors.

General admission tickets are $8 each, and are available by visiting www.jclt.info or jcoperahouse.org or by calling the box office at 238-3906.

Tierre Wall, 26, of Fort Riley appeared in Riley County Court on Thursday for what was scheduled to be a preliminary hearing.

 

Wall is suspected in the shooting death of Casey Lindley, 27, of Ogden. Officers were dispatched to Ogden at 2:10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 12, 2015 after receiving reports of a shot fired. Police found Lindley suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a Topeka hospital where he later died of his injuries. Wall was arrested after turning himself in at a Georgia police station.

According to Barry Disney, Senior Deputy County Attorney, Wall’s attorney was allowed to withdraw from the case and the preliminary hearing was continued until a later date.

Wall is going to attempt to hire a private attorney. A status hearing is set for July 13 at 9 a.m. to determine if he has a new attorney and if so, to set up a preliminary hearing date.

Wall’s charge of voluntary manslaughter is a severity level 3 personal felony, and comes with a minimum 55 months of incarceration, up to 247 months and $300,000 in fines.

 

 

According tot he National Weather Service of Topeka, hot conditions today before storms develop this afternoon and overnight as a cold front slides through the area. Some of these storms may become severe with damaging winds and large hail possible. Areas of heavy rain are expected overnight as well which could lead to flash flooding. Do not drive into flooded roadways especially at night.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

Today: Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. Southwest winds up to 15 mph.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Lows in the upper 60s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.

Friday: Not as warm. Partly sunny. A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Highs around 80. North winds 5 to 15 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s. Northwest winds up to 10 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. North winds up to 5 mph.

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s.

Monday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s.

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

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s.

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

Wednesday: Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

 

SALINE COUNTY- A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Ford Truck driven by Tate Joseph Riedy, 18, Woodbine, was northbound on Interstate 135 just south of Salina in the right lane

The truck traveled across the left lane into the median, went around guard rails and hit the bridge pillar.

Riedy was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home.

He was properly restrained at the time of the accident according to the KHP.

Thousands of country music fans are expected to fill Tuttle Creek State Park later this afternoon for the 20th Annual Kicker Country Stampede.

This years opening line up for night one of the four day country music festival includes Sarah McVeigh taking the stage at 4 p.m. followed by Country Road 5 at 5 p.m., Old Dominion at 6:30 p.m. Dallas Smith at 8 p.m. and tonight’s headliner Thomas Rhett at 9:30 p.m..

Following Rhett’s performance the Country Stampede will celebrate it’s 20th Anniversary according to Wayne Rouse, President of the country music festival.

“We have fireworks for our 20th anniversary, we have a 20th anniversary theme going on out here,” said Rouse.

Rouse is hoping for between 35,000 and 40,000 festival goes each night.

Gates will open at 1 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Other headliners include Florida Georgia Line Friday, Blake Shelton Saturday and Travis Tritt Sunday.

RILEY COUNTY – A Herrington man man died in an accident just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Larry W. Nice, 65, Herrington, was south bound on U.S. 77 at Madison Road.

The motorcycle drove off the right of roadway and struck an embankment.

Nice was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.

He was wearing a soft helmet and eye protection according to the KHP.

Teacher contract negotiations in Geary USD 475 have stretched into the summer this year with no tentative agreement on a final contract.

But Wednesday, the superintendent Dr. Corbin Witt and Junction City Education Association President Cathy Rankin, met to address some communication issues. In a joint press conference they set a positive tone.

Corbin Witt: “We have full confidence in the JCEA negotiations team. We know that they’re trying to represent the members and do what’s right for them.”

Cathy Rankin: “JCEA believes that the Board is bargaining in good faith, and is willing to listen to teachers. And that’s very important to us.”

Corbin Witt:  “I feel like that we’re making good headway. I know that we probably, because of miscommunication, gave the impression that we were really really far apart. I’m not sure we’re that as far apart as we would have thought after our discussions.”

Cathy Rankin: “After our discussions today it became clear that the information JCEA was working on contained some inaccuracies. So Dr. Witt and I have clarified those inaccuracies. I think that our discussions from here on out will be much more positive, productive.”

Corbin Witt: “I think probably we prepared some documents that gave some data that was really not as easy to follow than it should have been. And then also there was I think, some things that JCEA didn’t know about as far as our budget, and some of the things that I have been able to share with Cathy today as far as explaining the sustainability of whatever we do. So I think those things, just opening up communications and having those conversations. I think it’s helped us both to see what we’re doing and where we’re going, that trust level that we need to have with one another, and that everything is going to go forward and be a positive conclusion when we’re done.”

Cathy Rankin: After our discussion today I’m not as concerned about sustainability, and I’m not as concerned about a lack of the Board to listen to the teacher side. So I think that we made some real progress, and I think it will be much more positive when we start out on the 14th.”

The next teacher contract negotiating session is scheduled for July 14.  The negotiators are working on teacher contracts for the upcoming 2015-16 school year.

 

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Crews were hard at work Wednesday afternoon to finish setting up for the 20th Annual Kicker Country Stampede that opens Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Tuttle Creek State Park.

Setup has been underway all week and thanks in part to good weather everything is one schedule according to Wayne Rouse, Country Stampede President.

“Actually we’re ahead of schedule, everything is going really well. We’ll be ready to open tomorrow afternoon at 4 o’clock,” said Rouse.

In honor of the 20th Anniversary of the Country Stampede they will be setting off Fireworks Thursday night following the headliner Thomas Rhett’s final song.

Rouse is expecting record crowds this year,”I’d be real happy if we did 35,000 to 40,000 a day.”

He added that ticket sales were up this year indicating that they could see record crowds.

“It should be a really good year, everything is pointing to that our ticket sales are good and we’ve got Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Travis Tritt, Sara Evans, Craig Morgan, we’ve got a lot of great talent this year.”

Rain earlier this month has made things a little interesting for the camping grounds with the river pond out of its banks.

Kurt Moldrup, Festival Security Manager explained they will have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to anyone playing in the water.

“We can’t allow anybody in that water for safety reasons, it’s probably not the cleanest right now. Do NOT go into ANY water, even if it’s just the very edge of that pond creeping up,” said Moldrup.

Other than the high water problems Moldrup said that security will handle things in the same fashion as years past, noting the zero tolerance policy on underage drinking as well.

“We will be out in force, both law enforcement as well as our own private security, looking for underaged drinkers. As a festival we will do what we can to locate them ourselves, get them to stop if they’re underage drinkers were going to eject them.”

The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from other Law Enforcement Agencies including Alcohol Beverage Control will also be patrolling and looking for underage drinking.

Gates open Thursday at 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Rouse had one final message for those who will be attending this years festival,”Have a great time you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime, I guarantee it.”

 

 

MANHATTAN – A Kansas man is in custody after he was arrested for the second time in six day on incest charges.

Riley County Police say officers arrested Scott David Perry, 54, of the 3000 block of Kimball Avenue in Manhattan on several charges just after noon on Tuesday.

He was charged with aggravated incest; criminal solicitation, promoting the sexual exploitation of a child and violation of a restraining order.

Perry’s bond was set at $100,000 and he is confined at the Riley County Jail.

Perry was arrested last Thursday on charges of attempted aggravated incest and solicitation to commit incest, given a $5,000 bond and bailed out.