The Junction City Police Department has reported the arrest of Nichole Michelle Poteet, 33, Junction City on drug related charges.
Police said Poteet was arrested Thursday at mile marker 313 eastbound on Interstate 70, on suspicion of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Drug Tax Stamp, Speeding, and Left Lane Violation.
Update:
A State Fire Marshall’s Office investigator has arrived in Junction City to help with the investigation into the cause of the apartment fire that occurred early Friday morning.
—-
An early morning fire in Junction City resulted in the transport of two people to hospitals with second degree burns.
That information was confirmed by the Junction City Fire Department.
Firefighters responded to 123 No.2 West 17th at 4:19 a.m. They had the fire under control in about 30 minutes. All of those in the home were outside of the apartment building when they arrived, but two with burns were taken to Geary Community Hospital, and one victim has since been lifelighted to another hospital.
The damage estimate is approximately $35,000.
The fire was contained to one apartment in the four-plex. The State Fire Marshal’s Office has been contacted to send in an investigator to help determine the cause of the fire.
As more information becomes available we will put it on JC Post.
According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, showers and thunderstorms will occur across the area today and a few of the storms may be capable of producing quarter size hail and gusty winds along with heavy rains.
However widespread severe storms are not anticipated today. A greater risk for severe storms will exist late Saturday afternoon into Saturday night across the area especially west of an Emporia to Manhattan to Belleville line. At this time we expect severe storms to develop out around Dodge City north toward Goodland Saturday afternoon and those storms will race northeast at 50 to 60 mph toward northeast Kansas.
The severe storms could arrive in the Salina to Concordia areas by 6 p.m. and then spread northeast across the remainder of the area between 6 p.m. and midnight. These storms will have the potential to produce damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes are also possible. We urge everyone to monitor the weather on Saturday and have a plan in place to shelter if necessary along with ways to receive weather watch and warning information.
Today: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs around 80. South winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Lows around 66. South winds 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs around 76. South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.
Saturday Night: Breezy. Thunderstorms likely. Some thunderstorms may be severe. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Southwest winds around 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.
Sunday Night And Monday: Cooler. Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. Highs in the mid 60s.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s.
Tuesday: Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers. Highs in the mid 60s.
Tuesday Night: Showers likely and isolated thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 40s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Wednesday: Showers likely and isolated thunderstorms. Highs around 60. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the upper 40s.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Ride-hailing company Uber says a compromise with Kansas legislators would allow it stay in the state if the measure passes.
The House expected to vote on the legislation Friday.
Uber announced in early May that it had ceased operations in Kansas after the Legislature overrode the governor’s veto on regulations the company opposed.
Under the new measure, Uber and other ride-hailing companies could do private background checks on their subcontracted drivers under the bill. But they could face lawsuits from the attorney general if drivers were found to be operating with a criminal background.
Republican Rep. Scott Schwab of Olathe said the bill also would fill gaps in insurance coverage for drivers. He said negotiations with the company had been tough and he was relieved a solution was found.
———————–
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers say they have come to a regulatory agreement that will keep ride-hailing company Uber in the state.
Republican Sen. Jeff Longbine and Republican Rep. Scott Schwab announced at a news conference Thursday that they had come to a deal with all interested parties.
Uber announced in early May that it had ceased operations in Kansas after the Legislature overrode the governor’s veto on regulations the company opposed.
Under the agreement, Uber and other ride-hailing companies would be allowed to do third-party background checks on their subcontracted drivers. But, they would face possible lawsuits from the state attorney general if drivers were found to be operating with a criminal background.
Both chambers are expected to vote on the deal Friday, sending it to the governor to sign.
A jury has made their decision in the Geary County District Court trial for Christopher Lyman of Junction City.
After deliberating more than seven hours over a two-day period the jury returned verdicts of guilty for one count each of 1st Degree Felony Murder, Child Abuse, and Aggravated Battery. The court entered a judgement of guilty on those counts after receiving the verdicts. The jury also found Lyman not guilty of premeditated 1st Degree Murder, two alternative counts of Felony Murder, two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy.
Sentencing has been scheduled for July 17 at 10 a.m.
Lyman was convicted in the September 2013 death of an eight-month old infant. During closing arguments the prosecutor in the case, Assistant Geary County Attorney Chris Biggs stated, “This child died from a traumatic brain injury.”
Defense Attorney Linda Eckelman indicated she plans to file motions for an arrest of judgement in the case and to find her client not guilty. If those are unsuccessful, motions for a new trial and downward departure in sentencing would follow.
The trial lasted for nine days in Geary County District Court.
Tierre Wall appeared in Riley County Court on Thursday morning with Judge Stutzman presiding, for what was scheduled to be a preliminary hearing. The State of Kansas was represented by Riley County attorney Barry Disney.
Before the hearing could start, public defender Larry McRell, representing Wall, made a motion to withdraw from the case. According to McRell, Wall and himself had a personal conflict, and that it would be unfair with their particular conflict to stay on the case. While McRell he said it was professional and not a personal matter, he believed it could be settled by the appointment of a new defense for Wall.
Judge Stutzman asked Wall if this was his understanding, explaining that this would further delay the case. Wall told Judge Stuztman that while he’s willing to delay the case, he’s not willing to waive his conflict of interest with Mr. McRell.
Judge Stutzman ordered new council to be assigned to Wall.
A status hearing will be set once the new council is appointed, most likely in the next couple of weeks.
Wall is suspected in the shooting death of Casey Lindley, 27, of Ogden. Officers were dispatched to Ogden at 2:10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, after receiving reports of a shots 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 on a warrant listing the offense of voluntary manslaughter with a bond of $150,000. 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.
The Economic Development Commission Advisory Board approved it’s proposed 2016 budget Thursday morning which calls for more funds from the City of Junction City than they’ve received in the past.
Ben Kitchens, Board Chairman explained the additional funds would still come from 
the one mill the city allocates to the EDC.
“We’ve always been provided one mill and half of a mill for budget purposes, a mill from the city and then half from the county. A few years back when we went through consolidation the groups agreed the City could withhold 25 percent to help take care of some of the vacant properties that the City owned because they needed upkeep,” explained Kitchens.
“Now those properties are rented and I think it’s time that money comes back into the EDC because that’s how it was always obligated in the past.”
Kitchens also said that the EDC can argue that the additional funds are needed now because they are finally fully staffed with the recent hiring of Greg Miller as the new full time EDC Director.
The proposed budget will now go to the Chamber Board of Directors before being passed on to the City and County Commissions next month.
Riley County will host the Flint Hills Regional Council Board of Directors meeting at the Riley County Public Works at 6215 Tuttle Creek Boulevard on Friday ( May 15 ) at 9 a.m.
In addition to regular business, the meeting will focus on Manhattan 2035, the Regional Housing Study and rural housing programs and resources.
Junction City and Geary County are represented on the Council.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The mayor of Manhattan says she supports adding sexual orientation as a protected class to the city’s anti-discrimination hiring policy.
Mayor Karen McCulloh told the city commission this week that adding sexual orientation to the list of protected classes would be a positive for many citizens.
The Manhattan Mercury reports Commissioner Usha Reddi noted other major groups in Manhattan, such as Fort Riley, the Manhattan-Ogden School District and Kansas State University already have sexual orientation as a protected class in their hiring policies.
Commissioner Mike Dodson said he wants to know more about any potential legal ramifications before amending the policy.
And Commissioner Wynn Butler said he would like to see evidence that a problem existed.
Beginning Monday, May 18, and continuing through Sunday, May 31, drivers can expect increased 
police presence on city streets as the Junction City Police Department joins almost 150 other law enforcement agencies in aggressively enforcing Kansas occupant restraint and other traffic laws. This will be part of the 2015 Kansas Click It or Ticket traffic enforcement campaign.
Drives can expect strict enforcement of both the Safety Belt Use and the Child Passenger Safety Act.