Junction City police were contacted by Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Wednesday concerning a three-month old infant that had been transferred from the Geary Community Hospital that same day.
Information was received showing evidence the infant had been abused and was in critical condition.
Members of the JCPD Investigations Division responded to Children’s Mercy Hospital and began an investigation in to how the child had received the injuries.
Police report that the investigation led to the identification of a suspect, Cyjay Echon, 22, a Fort Riley soldier who resides in Junction City. An arrest was was sought and granted by the Geary County District Court, and Echon was taken into custody by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. He was held on $150,000 bond.
Several rounds of widespread showers and storms beginning this morning. Next round is possible overnight into Friday morning. The final round will be late Friday into early Saturday morning. Localized heavy rainfall and FileL (57)flooding is possible with each round. Also, a few storms could be strong with hail and wind. Dry period starts late Saturday and lasts through mid-week.
Flash Flood Watch
Today: Mostly cloudy. Thunderstorms likely in the morning… Then chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs around 77. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with thunderstorms likely. Lows around 64. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Friday: Thunderstorms likely. Highs around 77. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Thunderstorms likely in the evening…then chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. North winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Saturday: Partly sunny. Slight chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms in the morning. Highs in the upper 60s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Saturday Night And Sunday: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. Highs in the lower 70s.
Sunday Night And Monday: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. Highs in the upper 70s.
Monday Night Through Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 80s.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s.
The newest service station in Junction City, “The Station,” opens Monday ( June 1 ) at 1201 North Washington Street.
Chris Scarff is the owner. He purchased the station, formerly Jim’s 66, from Jim Nixon.
The station will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Saturday’s from 7 a.m. to noon.
There have been upgrades to the facility. “Got the outside painted, inside painted, got new sheet rock on the inside, new lighting, pretty much redone.”
Jim Nixon retired after operating the service station at the 1201 North Washington location for approximately 54 years.
Scarff also owns and operates “Extreme Automotive” at 1105 North Jefferson Street in Junction City.
The Cabela’s National Team Walleye Championhip pre-tournament banquet packed a big audience into the Courtyard By Marriott Convention Center ballroom in Junction City Wednesday evening.
Anglers from 20 states were in attendance for the event which included remarks by local and state dignitaries, and a review of the rules for the upcoming Cabela’s National Team Walleye Championships Thursday through Saturday at Milford Lake.
Mayor Mick McCallister said this is ” The fishing capital of Kansas,” as he welcomed the anglers to Junction City. Geary County Commissioner Ben Bennett noted this county is the second smallest in geographical boundary in Kansas. “And we have the largest lake in the State of Kansas inside those boundaries, and we’re very proud of it.”
The Secretary of Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Robin Jennison said what makes Milford Lake partly unique in Kansas is the commitment of the people in Junction City at the Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to the lake. “Their willingness to promote that lake has been a tremendous asset for the State of Kansas.”
Some of the tournament information:
–Although it was billed that 60 Fort Riley Soldiers would spend four hours fishing with Tournament anglers on Wednesday, 43 Soldiers actually went fishing.
–Anglers will be competing for more than $274,000 in prize money.
–The Tournament will begin with the national anthem at 7 a.m. Thursday, followed by a boat check for safety features and to determine their kill switch works, they have their life jackets on, and clean life wells. The boats will be in parade line, and each one will get a key fob, which is their identification marker that they must return at the end of the day to officials can verify all boats made it back to land safely.
–The weigh-in each day begins at 3 p.m. at Milford Marina. Their will be four flights coming in every half hour.
–The public can watch the beginning of the tournament at Milford Marina each morning and the weigh in each afternoon.
–The top 25 teams will compete in the Tournament on Saturday. The full field will be on the Lake both Thursday and Friday. ( Pictures courtesy of Rick Dykstra )
Kansas Secretary of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Robin Jennison.
The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a flash flood watch in effect from 7 p.m. cdt this evening through Thursday morning.
* Flash flood watch for portions of east central Kansas, north central Kansas and northeast Kansas, including the following areas: In east central Kansas; Geary and Morris. In north central Kansas; Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ottawa, Republic and Washington. In northeast Kansas; Riley.
* From 7 p.m. cdt this evening through Thursday morning
* Thunderstorms are expected to develop later tonight and could drop heavy rains across the watch area. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches appear possible by Thursday morning.
Precautionary/preparedness actions…
A flash flood watch means that flash flooding is possible but not imminent in the watch area. Persons in the watch area are advised to check preparedness requirements, keep informed, and be ready for quick action if flooding threatens.
Ground has finally been broken on the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility being built in Manhattan.
Members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation along with Governor Sam Brownback, KSU President Kirk Schulz, Manhattan Mayor Karen McCulloh, Under Secretary of Science and Technology Directorate U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking Wednesday.
“This just isn’t building a building, or a lab. This isn’t just critical research. This lady’s and gentleman is opportunity and it is our opportunity,” said Senator Roberts. “This lab is for Kansas, we fought for it, and we earned it on our merits. This lab is the realization of all that we hope for Kansas, opportunity, fulfillment, and preservation of our beloved way of life for our children and our grandchildren.”
The lab will be the first of it’s kind in the United States and will allow researchers to study zoonotic diseases that affect livestock and other large animals.
When the lab is completed and operational by 2022 it is expected to employee about 400 people and generate about $3.5 billion into the Kansas economy within the first 20 years of it’s operation.
After nearly seven years since Manhattan was selected as the future site of the National Bio and Agro Defense facility, the groundbreaking on the main lab occurred Wednesday afternoon.
Jeh Johnson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The $1.25 billion national research center focusing on deadly animal diseases is being built on the north east edge of the Kansas State University Manhattan Campus.
“There will be no place like this in the world once this project is finished. Kansas, this area, will be at the top, at the pinnacle of animal health research and zoonotic research in the world,” said Kansas Governor Sam Brownback. “This will be the place, this will be the place you’re going to want to come if you’ve got research in those areas. If you’ve got the toughest problems they will be dealt with here and we’re ready for that task, we’re ready for that time.”
Wednesday’s groundbreaking drew a large crowd of special guests including Jeh Johnson, Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security.
He explained that when he was nominated for the position back in 2013 and first met with Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran he didn’t know anything about NBAF, but he learned a lot from the two Senators.
“I went back to my office and I said to our staff, ‘Please tell me we are supportive and committed to this very important facility,’ and we are and we will be,” said Secretary Johnson.
Construction of the lab is expected to begin almost immediately, with construction efforts projected to peak in 2018 and 2019 when more than 875 construction personnel will be on site each day for several weeks. Lab construction is slated for completion in December 2020, but will likely take two years or more after that before NBAF is fully operational.
Set up was under way Wednesday for the Cabela’s National Team Walleye Championship Tournament at Milford Lake. The headquarters area for the tournament is the Milford Marina.
The tournament runs Thursday through Saturday. Approximtely 175 two-person teams will be competing.
Junction City’s storm water sewer system needs a lot of work and it will be expensive.
That was the main message in a report to the Junction City Commission. They were told there are 21 sites in critical condition, 92 poo, and a number of locations in fair condition.
Commissioner Pat Landes
It will cost money to make repairs with options ranging from perhaps two dollars per month rate increases on the bill for single family homeowners to big rate increases for large businesses with impervious concrete or asphalt areas where there is extensive runoff.
Commissioner Pat Landes noted two of the areas needing the most improvement are Price Ravine and the railroad tracks off the end of 1st Street. “We have pipes falling away, erosion going underneath railroad tracks, critical areas that need to be dealt with as soon as possible.”
Price Ravine is located in the North Jackson – K-57 Highway area near the water plant and Kaw Valley Engineering, and the Parks Department building. “There is a lot of rapid flow through there that has continually eroded the adjacent bases, sidewalls, and even the area we repaired over by the Parks Department a few years ago. We’re starting to get erosion back through there again because there’s nothing to really slow down the flow there. There’s some major issues that are very critical.”
Commissioners could go for rate increases to help pay the cost of repairs, a tax increase, or cut services elsewhere to allow funding to be available to cover the storm water infrastructure costs. More than one member of the Commission has already expressed opposition, however, to any increase in the City’s debt to pay for the needed repairs.
The governing body has not made any final decisions. They have directed staff to acquire information from other cities concerning what they charge in the way of storm water fees to the larger businesses and industries in order to provide information for officials to consider in Junction City as they make future decisions.
USD 475 has announced that free summer lunch is available to all kids ages 1-18 from June 1-26 at Ware Elementary School and Washington Elementary School from noon to 1 p.m.
No registration and no fees are required.
For more information contact the Central Kitchen, Child Nutrition Services, USD 475 ( 785-717-4000 ).
