Officials have confirmed there has been a change of leadership for the Geary County Historical Museum. Executive Director Sara Moppin stepped down for personal reasons on Wednesday.

Her resignation came one day after a Historical Society Board meeting on Tuesday.

Board member Mike Heronemus has been named the Interim Director.

“After a Board meeting I volunteered to fill in while a search is made for a new director. I don’t have any experience here, but I figured I can handle office work. And that’ ll keep the other two employees  busy doing museum things which we need to keep going on without any break. We’ve don’t want that to fall off. We’ve made a lot of progress in that area, and want that to keep going.”

Moppin had served as the Director of the Historical Society and Museum for approximately two years.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Two Manhattan men are among six new members appointed by Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Susan Mosier to the Governor’s Council on Fitness.

The new members are Joyce Ellis, Russell; Jeffrey Koeing, Manhattan; Margie Miller, Topeka; Erik Sartorius, Topeka; Wyatt Thompson, Manhattan; and David Toland, Iola.

Jeffrey C. Koenig, Manhattan, is an entrepreneurial consultant and business owner. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music marketing and industry from the University of Miami and has been a business owner and consultant for 25 years. He is currently a partner of Big Poppi Bikes, and the owner of Open 4 Business, a small business consultancy. Koenig is involved in multiple community, service and advocacy organizations, including leadership positions with the National Bicycle Dealers Association and KanBikeWalk.

Wyatt Thompson, Manhattan, earned bachelor’s degrees in landscape architecture and natural resources and environmental science from Kansas State University. He is a professionally licensed landscape architect and a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. Thompson currently works as Park Planner with Manhattan Parks and Recreation. He has extensive experience in creating parks, trails, and outdoor spaces that enrich quality of life and create opportunities to recreate and be active.

The Governor’s Council on ‪#‎Fitness‬ (GCOF) advises the Governor and others on ways to enhance the health of all Kansans through promotion of physical activity, good dietary choices and prevention of tobacco use.

The ‪#‎GCOF‬ hosts the annual Kansas Obesity Summit in the fall and manages the ‪#‎GetActiveKansas‬ campaign with a network of more than 100 Physical Activity Champions across the state.

SALINA – A Kansas man was injured in an accident on Thursday morning in Saline County.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan reported a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Caden Staatz, 20, Herrington, was westbound on Kansas 4 and Holmes Road.

The driver served to avoid a deer. The vehicle traveled off the south side of the road and rolled.

Emergency medical staff transported Staatz to Salina Regional Medical Center for treatment of head pain, according to Soldan.

The car is a total loss.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Ride-hailing company Uber says it is bringing its service to four additional cities in Kansas only days after Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed legislation opposed by the firm.

Uber spokeswoman Lauren Altmin said in an email that riders in Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan and Topeka could begin hailing Uber drivers Wednesday afternoon. The company already offers service in Wichita, Kansas City, Kansas, and Johnson County.

Uber connects drivers to riders through a mobile app and entered the state in 2014.

Legislators approved a bill this month to require state background checks and broader insurance coverage for drivers for ride-hailing companies.

Uber called the measure overly burdensome and said its enactment would force the company out of Kansas. Brownback vetoed the measure Monday

The Junction City Arts Council will present its Brown Bag Concert Series in Heritage Park beginning Wednesday April 29 at noon. Three one hour-long concerts will be held on April 29, May 6, and May 13.

The Wednesday, April 29 concert will feature Lincoln School singers directed by Freedom Brass.

On Wednesday, May 6, the JCHS singers will perform, directed by Jodie Ritchie. Wednesday, May 13, features the JCHS Freshtones together with Spring Valley Elementary School singers, followed by Sheridan School Singers, under the direction of Kara Bergsten.

There is no admission charge.

It took an ice storm and nearly 60 years, but President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s request for the removal of a tree at Augusta National Golf Club was fulfilled in February of last year.

Eisenhower became a member at Augusta National in 1948, and for years had a problem with one tree, as many golfers did, that lined the left side of the 17th fairway.

Finally In 1956, during his Presidency, he attended a club meeting, asking to have the tree cut down according to William Snyder, The Curator of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.

Since his topic wasn’t on the agenda the Club Chairman stood up and said, “You’re out of order,’ and promptly adjourned the meeting.  That way he didn’t have to tell the President of the United States, no! But they effectively did tell him no and it took another 60 years before the tree came down,” said Snyder.

Following the meeting in 1956 the tree then became known as “The Eisenhower Tree,” and was not removed until it was killed during the February ice storm of 2014.

Augusta National worked with the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum to preserve two slices of the tree that are now on display at both the Golf Club in Georgia and the Library in Abilene.

 

This Weekend is CELBRATING PAST TIMES with the Geary County Historical Society

 

Saturday-10am-12pm-St. Joseph’s Church will be open for tours and visitation with a cemetery tour/talk at 11am. Refreshments will be provided.

 

Saturday-10am-2pm-Spring Valley Historic Site will be open and have formal talks and hand-on activities throughout the day. We’ll have a Civil War Encampment with Horses as well.

 

Sunday-1-4pm-Car Show on the Museum Grounds-Local car owners and out of town owners will be on the grounds displaying their classic and antique cars. You can vote for your favorite and we’ll also have food for sale and items that will be raffled off.

 

At the Museum and at Spring Valley there will be food for sale for a nominal price.

 

The Chase for a Cause Junction City 5k Walk / Run is  Saturday, May 2 at 9 a.m.

Those who register may have $20 from their registration contributed to a local cause of their choice. Some of those could range from Big Brothers / Big Sisters to United Way and Open Door. Others could Junction City Junior Baseball Association, Junction City Family YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Food Pantry, Friends of Animals, and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

There will be cash prizes for the top three male and female finishers, and for first place male and female masters. The top three finishers in each age group receive medals.

To register go to https://www.gchks.org/wellness/chase/

MANHATTAN -Police in Riley County are warning the community of a potential fraudulent US currency scam involving counterfeit bills.

On Tuesday, officers responded to several reports of counterfeit money from businesses in the Manhattan area including Pizza Hut (Moro Street and Hosteler Drive), Little Caesars, Dollar Tree, and Baskin Robins.

Officers are still investigating the matter and encourage anyone with information on these counterfeit $100.00 bills to contact police.

Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers Service at 785-539-7777. Crime Stoppers offers a potential cash reward of up to $1,000.00 and can also be reached online at www.ManhattanRileyCountyCrimeStoppers.com.

by Jennifer Tidball

MANHATTAN — A native Kansan and former U.S. senator for nearly two decades will receive an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University.

Nancy Kassebaum Baker will be recognized with the honorary doctorate degree at the Graduate School‘s commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday, May 15, in Bramlage Coliseum. She also will serve as the commencement speaker.

The awarding of the honorary doctorate follows the approval by the Kansas Board of Regents. It is one of the highest honors the university can give.

“Nancy Kassebaum Baker’s nearly two decades of leadership as a U.S. senator are evidence of her dedication to service and diplomacy,” said Kirk Schulz, university president. “We want to honor her distinguished career. Through scholarships and the Landon Lecture Series, Kassebaum Baker and her family have maintained strong ties with Kansas State University. Their support, leadership and example of service play an essential role in helping Kansas State University become a Top 50 public research university by 2025.”

Kassebaum Baker graduated from Topeka High School. In 1954, she received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kansas. In 1956, she earned a Master of Arts in diplomatic history from the University of Michigan. Her ties to Kansas State University date from 1966 when the Landon Lecture Series on Public Issues was inaugurated as a tribute to her father, former Kansas Gov. Alfred Landon. Her four children are Wildcats and graduated in the 1980s.

She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978. During her tenure she served on the Foreign Relations Committee, the Budget Committee, the Commerce Committee, and Labor and Human Resources Committee. In 1996 she declined to run for a fourth term. She later served on several nonprofit boards, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Kaiser Family Foundation. She is past chair of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and the George C. Marshall Foundation. She helped secure the acquisition of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in 1996-2004.

In 1996, she married Howard Baker, former U.S. senator from Tennessee and Senate majority leader, who also served as chief of staff under President Reagan. President George Bush appointed Baker to serve as U.S. ambassador to Japan, and from 2001-2005 the Bakers lived in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, Kassebaum Baker lives on her farm in Morris County, Kansas.

To honor Kassebaum Baker’s career, Kansas State University offers theKassebaum Scholarship to recognize students who aspire to careers in public service. Up to five students receive this award annually.