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Officials in Manhattan keeping a close eye on water levels in Tuttle Creek Lake

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Local officials started meeting on April 3 to discuss preparedness for spring flooding potential at Tuttle Creek Lake/Big Blue River and other tributaries.

(MANHATTAN, KS – April 12, 2019) Local officials started meeting on April 3 to discuss preparedness for spring flooding potential at Tuttle Creek Lake/Big Blue River and other tributaries. Personnel from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Riley County Emergency Management, Pottawatomie County Emergency Management, Manhattan Fire Department, Pottawatomie County Fire Department, the Riley County Police Department, Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Department, City of Manhattan, and other officials will all coordinate efforts if a flood event occurs.

Widespread unregulated flows across western Iowa, eastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota have caused devastating flooding on multiple tributary streams and extensive overtopping and breaching of the Missouri River levees south of Omaha, Nebraska.  The Missouri River levee system has been severely compromised. The Kansas City District has held Kansas River reservoir releases to minimum amounts to mitigate for high Missouri River flows and will continue to hold water until conditions allow for releases.  The Corps began releasing water stored behind Harry S. Truman Dam on April 2 into the lower Missouri River, because river levels at Hermann, MO were declining.  However, flows in the upper Missouri River remain elevated.

As of today, April 12, 2019, Tuttle Creek Lake is at 1115.40 ft above sea level. This means the Flood Control Space is half full and the lake is 22 ft below the level it reached for the 1993 flood. The USACE posts lake level updates daily at https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakes/Tuttle-Creek-Lake/Daily-Lake-Info-2/.

The USACE reports that the flood water storage of Tuttle Creek Lake is at about 50% capacity. Flood control space indicates the water capacity above the normal pool level (see graphic). Daily report data from the USACE is available at https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/Water-Management/.

“Residents in the floodplain and other low-lying areas that don’t already have flood insurance should consider whether purchasing flood insurance would be an appropriate risk reduction measure for them.  In addition, they should begin having preliminary discussions about where they could live and store essential valuables should significant releases from the Tuttle Creek Dam become necessary,” says Chad Bunger, Floodplain Manager and Assistant Director of Community Development for the City of Manhattan.

Flood insurance is available for property owners and renters and typically takes 30 days to go into effect. To find out if a home is in the floodplain area, check the floodplain map on the City of Manhattan website at https://cityofmhk.com/2201/Flood-Insurance-Rate-Maps. Note: areas outside and near the official floodplain could also flood depending on conditions. More information for renters and property owners is available through insurance agencies and additional map data is available through Riley County GIS at https://gis.rileycountyks.gov/.

Other steps residents should take include:

Information is also available on the City of Manhattan website at www.cityofmhk.com/flood. Updates will be shared on Facebook Cityofmanhattan and on Twitter @cityofmhk as well.

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Agencies approving this message:

  • City of Manhattan
  • Manhattan Fire Department
  • Pottawatomie County Emergency Management
  • Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office
  • Riley County Emergency Management
  • Riley County Police Department
  • United States Army Corps of Engineers

Ellis USD 388 hires former Junction City teacher to serve as principal

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 BY 

Schmidt

ELLIS — Ellis USD 388 announced Friday the hiring of Donna Schmidt as the Jr/Sr High Principal for the 2019-20 school year.Schmidt will begin her duties later this summer. She received her master’s degree from Kansas State University in 2002 and was a teacher for 11 years at Junction City High School. She was the assistant principal at Seaman High School for 13 years and then returned to the area to be a principal at Russell High School.

As her philosophy of education states:

“To enable every student to learn to the best of their ability and to provide a quality education, we need to work with our students, their families, our community, and each other. Collaboration among and with these groups should be a common, embedded practice because it improves learning, both for our students and for our educators. While our emphasis is improving student learning, we need to continue learning and growing as educators, as well. Quality professional development for classified and certified staff is critical because our students’ needs are changing, and we need to grow in order to provide our students with the highest quality education.”

Schmidt said she is very excited to join the Railer faculty and staff and to become a part of the Ellis community.

She replaced former Principal Corey Burton, who in February was promoted to district superintendent.

— Ellis USD 388

Junction City identified as hot spot for human trafficking

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By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

( Logo courtesy of Flint Hills Human Trafficking Task Force Facebook page )

Human trafficking was the focus of a Thursday evening session in Junction City.

Geary County Attorney and Flint Hills Human Trafficking spokesperson Krista Blaisdell, Deb Kluttz of Homestead Ministries and female victims of human trafficking who now reside in the region were in attendance to provide information, tell their stories and answer questions.

Much of the information focused on human sex trafficking. Blaisdell said she believed it brought personal information to the Junction City community. “I think we had an opportunity to listen to testimonies from victims who’ve been trafficked and bring home that human perspective of what this crime entails, and how we can best as a community support those victims.”

Blaisdell said she believes Junction City is a hot spot for human trafficking. “We’re right on the I-70 corridor so we have a strong east-west presence. Although there’s some pretty prevalent highways running north and south here in this region. There’s apparently a market here, it becomes a hot spot, and we know there’s a history here.”

Homestead Ministries, based in Manhattan, works to help victims recover and leave the human trafficking lifestyle.  They provide housing and support. Human trafficking exists in many areas, and several of the victims who spoke Thursday evening were originally from multiple cities and states across the nation ranging from Wichita and Atlanta to Mississippi and Alabama.

Kluttz answered a question from JC Post on how prevalent is the problem in the Junction City area? “Very, very prevalent. It’s one of the hot spots, it really is. I mean I-70 is going right by here. “Kluttz added when Homestead Ministries goes into the clubs to reach out to the women “they’re from all over the place.”

What can the community do to help with this problem? Kluttz stated, “I think the more people that are aware and there are more eyes on it I think that’s what needs to happen. There’s signs, there’s things to look for. I gave the hotline number out, when they see something that looks sketchy, just getting ahold of the hotline and letting it be approached by those who know how to approach things.” That hotline number is 1-888-373-7888.

There was information about what you need to know about people and places to be aware of trafficking. They can range from people who are comforting and showing the way to taking control. Trafficking can occur in places such as hotels and parks. The face of a predator is unknown since they can be male, female, younger or older, fathers or even members of law enforcement and the legal system.

Those who reside in Homestead Ministries housing while they are working to recover need to be 18, speak English, be a survivor of sex trafficking and be ready to change their own lives. A holistic approach is taken with some residents remaining there long term and working on job or career training. SIx girls currently reside in the Homestead Ministries group home and others live in five off-site venues which are host homes. If you need help go to their website at homesteadministry.org. There’s an inquiry button on the web site.

On possible growth and expansion of the program Kluttz stated, “We are poised to actually do Homestead chapters in other communities. That’s our next step, actually.” When asked if Junction City was a possibility Kluttz responded by saying, “Always. We’re talking to Salina right now as well.”

 

 

 

Hearing for Jolly continued to May 16

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Fontelle Jolly, Junction City, charged in multiple Geary County District Court cases appeared in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

Jolly faces two counts of aggravated assault stemming from an incident last June 13th where testimony alleged that Jolly pulled a gun on an acquaintance, Daniel Henry of Junction City. Henry testified he was outside in front of the passenger side window of a vehicle that Jolly was driving and stopped, and that Jolly had pulled a black with silver casing gun out and pointed it at him.

Jolly eventually left the scene and Henry called police. He testified when the gun was pointed at him he felt “scared.” Other testimony also revealed that Jolly had allegedly pointed a handgun at Henry. The hearing was continued until May 16th. Jolly is also accused in a second case in the shooting death of Felix Snipes, Junction City and the wounding of Cartavius King, Junction City, last August 31st at a west side apartment complex parking lot.

Those cases and two other misdemeanor cases involving Jolly will be scheduled on the court docket on May 16th.

Extension Agent Deb Andres honored with State Award

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Deb Andres ( Photo courtesy Geary County KSU Research and Extension )

Geary County Extension Agent Deb Andres has been honored with the Kansas Association of Family and Consumer Sciences State Extension Award.

The award honors outstanding Extension System programming, which enables people to improve their life and communities through learning partnerships that put knowledge to work in family and consumer sciences programs.

Andres has served as an educator in many roles including manufacturing supervisor, high school teacher, college instructor, and is currently the Family and Consumer Science Agent in Geary County for K-State Research and Extension. She and her husband, Duane, have three boys, Mark, Joey and Zach and live on their farm near Alta Vista.

Busy weekend at Fort Riley

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There are multiple events at Fort Riley on Saturday.

According to the Fort Riley Garrison Public Affairs Office they include:

–The Month of the Military Child pancake feed at the Forsyth East School Age Center, 2420 H Street from 8-10 a.m. This is for military families. There is no cost.

–The Custer’s Challenge is a multi-challenge race featuring obstacles and mud pits at the Outdoor Adventure Park, 5202 Normandy Drive. It is scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, and is open to the public ages 16 and up. The cost is $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event.

–There will be a Community Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza at the Fort Riley Main Post Exchange, 2210 Trooper Drive at 11 a.m.  This is for Fort Riley families and Soldiers.

Kevin Willmott first speaker in Hoover-Koken Foundation Lecture Series

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Film director and and Oscar-winning screenwriter Kevin Willmott will speak Sunday April 28th at 2 p.m. at the C.L. Hoover Opera House. A professor of film at the University of Kansas, WIllmott is the first speaker in the new Hoover-Koken Foundation Lecture Series in Junction City.

Willmott grew up in Junction City and received a Bachelor of Art degree in Drama from Marymount College in Salina. He received a Master of Fine Art degree in Dramatic Writing from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts.

Admission will be free on the 28th.

Willmott received an Oscar Award for BlackKkKlansman along with co-writers Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel and David Rabinowitz for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Congressman Marshall introduces legislation to drive the cost of health care down and increase patient choice

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Congressman Roger Marshall ( Photo courtesy of Great Bend Post )

WASHINGTON, D.C.-This week, Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall introduced H.R. 2183- The State Flexibility and Patient Choice Act of 2019. This legislation would drive the cost for health care down and increase patient choice by empowering states to come up with innovative solutions to stabilize their individual and small group markets.

“I have long said, in order to fix our broken health care system, we must focus on solutions that prioritize transparency, innovation, and consumerism,” Rep. Marshall said. “This bill is designed to give more power to states so that they have the freedom to develop programs and policies that will focus on cost and patient choice. I am proud of this legislation, it’s a great step in the right direction.”

The State Flexibility and Patient Choice Act would streamline Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the State Innovation Waivers application process by allowing states to waive certain requirements of the ACA to implement their own plan to provide health insurance to residents.

To obtain a waiver under the proposed guidelines of the legislation, a state must have a waiver signed into law and demonstrate that the plan will not increase the federal deficit and will provide coverage to the same number of citizens.

“My goal is to help get more people covered and drive down the cost for patients in the process.” Rep. Marshall said. “I believe that each state has unique needs and demands and shouldn’t be forced to fit a one-size-fits-all model. It’s simple; this bill could help pave the way for Kansans to make health care decisions for Kansans by eliminating arbitrary processes mandated by Obamacare.”

Currently, eight states have approved a 1332 waiver, and seven of them are reinsurance programs. Congressman Marshall’s legislation would take the hassle out of the waiver application process that has proved to be convoluted and difficult for states to navigate. The State of Maryland has an approved waiver to introduce a reinsurance program to lower premiums and stabilize their markets. Their well-run reinsurance program has shown success in decreasing people’s premiums this year and was praised as a collaborative, bipartisan success story between Maryland and the Administration.

“It’s incredible what people can accomplish when we give them freedom and choices,” Rep. Marshall said. “This legislation will help streamline the process and encourage other states to follow success like Maryland to apply for a waiver so they have the flexibility and freedom to come up with solutions that help patients get the healthcare they need at an affordable price.”

Dr. Marshall’s legislation would:

  • Continues to protect those with pre-existing conditions.
  • Creates an expedited process for identical or significantly similar applications of approved waivers.
  • Amends the contract year terms from 5 to 6 years to consider states with two-year budget cycles.
  • Helps Basic Health Programs (BHPs) to utilize all available pass-through funding.
  • Allows for consideration of other state-federally funded sources (i.e. CHIP and Medicaid).
  • Amends budget neutrality so a state’s savings are considered throughout the entire contract period, rather than annually.

Status hearing set in District Court for sheriff

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Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf was in Geary County District Court Thursday morning for a scheduled bond appearance.

He had already posted bond, but a 9:30 a.m. April 26th status hearing was scheduled in his case. During discussion before the Court on the scheduling of the status hearing, the special prosecutor in the case, Assistant Dickinson County Attorney Daryl Hawkins, said that he anticipated a possible resolution of the matter.

Wolf was arrested in late March on suspicion of two counts of Felony Theft. That followed his earlier arrest last October on charges including one count each of Felony Theft and a misdemeanor charge of Misuse of Public Funds. He was represented in court by Attorney Barry Clark of Manhattan.

Wolf is on administrative leave from the sheriff’s post.

 

 

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