The Geary County Historical Society will have the Spring Valley Site open on June 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In addition to exploring the school house and historic buildings there will be a “Wildflower Walk” led by Chuck Otte starting at 10:30 a.m. You will be able to learn to identify wildflowers and plants, and common pioneer uses for them.

The site is located on the west side of Junction City by the corner of K-18 Highway and Spring Valley Road.

More than 100 soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team and the 1st Infantry Division are participating in Phase III of the Soldier 2020 Physical Demands Study this week through June 26th at Fort Riley.

In January 2013, the Secretary of Defense rescinded the 1994 DOD “Direct Ground Combat Deinition and Assignment Rule,” which states in part: “Service members are eligible to be assigned to all positions for which they are qualified, except that women shall be excluded from assignment to units below the brigade level whose primary mission is to engage in direct combat on the ground.” As a result, the secretary is directing the integration of women into currently closed units and positions and the development and implementation of validated, gender-neutral occupational standards.

The test group is divided evenly between male and female Soldiers who will be rated on their ability to conduct simulated tactical movements, evacuation of a casualty, preparation of a fighting position and movement under fire. It will culminate with a 4-mile foot march.  In addition, the Soldiers will conduct a series of occupation-specific predictive tests throughout the week that will help the Army determine if an applicant has the physical capacity to sere in a high physical demand occupation.

Information gathered during the testing will be used to help develop performance standards for military roles, beginning with the high-demand occupations currently closed to female soldiers.

SALINA- Police checking for a possible runaway girl arrested two men drug charges Monday evening in Salina.

Police Captain Mike Sweeney said officers went to the Value Inn and Suites, 1640 W. Crawford just after 7 p.m. looking for a 16-year-old runaway girl from Oklahoma.

They found the girl in a room with 37-year-old Nathan Thompson of Salina, and 44-year-old Kurtis Hubbard of Manhattan.

A search of the room found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in a backpack.

The two men were charged with possession of methamphetamine, no Kansas tax stamp, possession of drug paraphernalia, and aggravated endangerment of a child.

The teen was placed in protective custody and waiting to be sent back to Oklahoma.

The Geary Community Hospital Board of Trustees have approved the purchase of new stress test equipment to be used by the Rago Radiology Department at GCH.

The new Nuclear Cardiac Stress Machine will replace the current machine that is over 12 years old according to Pat Small, Rago Radiology Director.

“We purchased it back in 2002 and we just feel like it’s time to get a new upgrade on it,” said Small.

The old machine did come with end of life letters that were dated in 2012. The manufacturer would no longer do service or preventive maintenance on the system.

The Board of Trustees approved the purchase of a new GE Case system at the cost of $26,155.70. It will come with a 1 year warranty and the GE Case did offer a $1,000 trade in value for the old equipment.

The new machine is expected to take three to four weeks to be delivered. The price of the new equipment was included in this years budget.

The executive director of the Governor’s Military Council John Armbrust expects some reduction in troop numbers at Fort Riley when the Army makes the announcement in July about troop cuts. But he is not forecasting a large reduction. Armbrust confirmed the announcement is now scheduled for sometime after July 4.

According to release from the office of Senator Jerry Moran Armbrust said last Saturday, “Just in talking to people and trying to get as much understanding as I can, I still expect there to be some reduction.”

“But not the kind of reduction we would think of as large or go,” ‘Oh dear, that’s going to have a huge impact on our local economy and our businesses,’ ” Armbrust said he would be surprised if Fort Riley loses a brigade, which ranges from about 1,500 to 3,000 soldiers.

“The other thing we always have to watch is, we’re talking about the active duty Army but I expect there will also be civilian cuts,” he said. “Of course those individuals live, and worked in our community for many years so we have to watch that also.”

Fort Riley spokesman Bob Everdeen said on Saturday that the instllation has not received word on any cuts, but6 that once the decision is passed down, officials will release whatever information they have.

Armbrust and other local officials have been working for months to convince the Pentagon to spare Fort Riley of significant troop cuts s the Army moves to reduce its overall active duty force from 490,000 down to 450,000 soldiers.

The latest population estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau put the Junction City population as of July 1,2014 at 24,665.

That number is up from 23,353 April 1, 2010, but also reflects a decline each of the past three years from 25,820 in 2012 down to 25,119 in 2013, to 24,665 in 2014.

Breaking down the census report for Junction City the median age for residents has been calculated at 27.7, the number of companies in the community 1,120, total housing units 10,666, and the median household income 45,920.

MANHATTAN- Law enforcement authorities in Manhattan are investigating a report of aggravated assault and domestic battery.

Officers with the Riley County Police Department reported a 35-year-old man became the victim of these crimes when a 28-year-old woman shoved him and brandished a “meat cleaver” while engaging in an argument.

No arrests have been made, no injuries listed and due to the nature of these crimes no further information has been released.

Geary County Sheriff’s Deputies worked a single vehicle accident Monday on U.S. 77 Highway. Armendariz Rodriguez, Manhattan was northbound in an Isuzu Rodeo when when she lost control of her vehicle. Rodriguez’s vehicle left the roadway and overturned.

A minor child was injured and transported to Geary Community Hospital.

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Deputies responded at 6 a.m. Tuesday to the 9700 block of McDowell Creek Road for a single vehicle accident. Andrew Thornhill, Junction City, was traveling north bound in a Toyota Tacoma when he struck a deer. No injuries were reported as a result of the accident.

According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, isolated to scattered storms possible generally along and north of I-70 this morning. During the day chances move into far northeast Kansas. A few storms may be severe in this area. The main threat would be large hail and damaging winds. The heat builds again Wednesday and Thursday with heat index reaching 95 to 103.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

Today: Not as warm. Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 70. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.

Wednesday: Breezy…sunny. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the south 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the southeast in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Lows in the upper 60s. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.

Friday: Not as warm. Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.

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

Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.